what's in the bag?

several packing lists i had to make recently. last july for the trip to HK and last august for the trip to coron, palawan. experience tells me that packing can be a lot less stressful and can even be fun if you make a list of things you need to bring a week before the actual trip and gradually acquire the things you need prior to the trip. please allow me to share the lists i came up with for these two trips, hoping to equip you or assist you in your own packing. for a 3-day/2-night trip, here's what i would normally bring:

- at least 6 t-shirts or upper garments
- 2 night shirts
- 3 walking shorts/pants
- at least one jogging pants/pajama for sleeping
- 6 pairs of undergarments
- one extra set of clothing that you can bring easily, for any emergency purposes. this should go with you on your carry-on luggage. for me, an extra shirt and an undergarment is enough.*
- the clothing you will wear on your way home
- a sports or light jacket (something you can wear on the plane or elsewhere in case it gets cold)
- indoor tsinelas

if the itinerary includes swimming, make sure you bring the following:
- sarong
- swimsuit (for me this will include a sando, shorts and bathing suit)
- beach tsinelas
- goggles and/or snorkel
- sunblock lotion
- a band, something to tie your hair with

other important items:
- a tote bag (to carry your things with you when you actually go around or island hop)
- a pair of sunglasses (also to be used when you want to get some shut-eye anytime)*
- a cap or hat (for extra sunscreen)*
- an umbrella*
- a raincoat
- a drybag (for storing your tech gadgets when traveling via boat)
- medium-sized towel
- shower kit (body wash/soap, shampoo, conditioner, facial wash & feminine wash)
- after-shower kit (lotion, anti-perspirant, powder)
- sanitary napkin (just in case)
- panty-liners*
- all-day beauty kit (lip gloss, facial moisturizer, facial powder w/ mirror, cologne, comb)*
- a lot of extra plastic bags (to contain your wet things, garbage, slippers, etc)
- oral-care kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, etc)*
- a medicine kit (mine has some mefanamic acid, paracetamol, band-aids and efficascent oil)
- alcohol (the isopropyl kind) and/or hand-sanitizer*
- a face towel
- some wet towels*
- some travel tissues*
- anti-mosquito lotion
- a sewing kit (i just bring a needle, thread)
- a swiss knife (or a small pair of scissor at least)
- nail clippers
- ballpen, notebook or organizer*
- a book or magazine, devotionals (if you plan to do some reflecting)
- your travel guides (these are maps, trip itinerary, etc. i usually keep them on one ziplock)*
- your travel documents (passport, flight itinerary, also in a ziplock)*
- your wallet (with enough cash hopefully, health card & credit card)*
- cellphone*
- cellphone charger
- flashlight (even when you're not camping)
- a fan (it can really get humid sometimes)*
- some snacks (i usually bring oreos and pringles) and water (allowed in local flights)

if the itinerary includes trekking, bring a mojo sandals or any slippers/footwear with ridges for easy walking on rivers, muddy terrains. this can be the same as the beach tsinelas, but this should be different from the indoor tsinelas. so in my trips, i always bring at least two pairs of slippers. always.

if youre into photography, make sure you bring the following also:
- your camera, lenses, your filters, batteries and charger and enough CF/SD cards
- your tripod (optional)
- you may bring a laptop too and a card reader if you are checking into a hotel with good reputation. this will allow you to upload photos in case you run out of CF/SD cards (optional)
- your cleaning cloth, lens pen, blower

*these are the items i carry around everywhere in the tote bag

whew! that's it. it's obvious that im not a light-packer, but i also believe this is not too much. without the laptop, snorkel, SLR camera and its accessories, all these things can actually fit into a 30-liter mountain pack or a medium-sized travel bag. when i travel, i seldom have to check-in a baggage. in case i do, its usually just the tripod that goes in.

everything in the list (except the camera, laptop and tripod), i carried in that gray bag

having a list such as this can be amazing. the night before my two recent trips, all i had to do is look at the list and place the items in the bag one by one. it took me less than 15 minutes. its the acquiring of the things that you need that is more difficult. what i did is to buy 2 or 3 items that i need which i dont have yet on a daily basis. it took me three days of shopping around for items (mostly clothing), 1-2 hours each day.

anyway, in case you have other suggestions or find the list helpful or have questions, please feel free to let me know. im not an expert traveler, so i would love to hear suggestions from you guys also.

have a happy trip! :)