5. A Jacket
Like the microfiber towel, what I love about my packable hooded jacket from Uniqlo is that it’s compact. When it’s in its pouch, I can hang it from one of the loops in front of my bag and whip it out whenever it starts to drizzle.
4. A Water Tumbler
As basic as it will get. Hydration is crucial!
3. Malong + Headwear (not in picture)
A malong is one of my favorite items to bring because it’s so handy! It keeps me warm on bus rides and serves as a bed sheet or cozy blanket. The Headwear is also multi-purpose: I use it as a sleeping mask, a headband, a hair tie – at one point, I even used it to secure my GoPro to the front of my bike.
Me obviously enjoying my malong
2. Sun Protection
I’ll admit it: when I was just starting out in my travels, I didn’t care so much about wearing sunscreen. Several shades of brown later, I realised, though, that while the tan looked good; the cracked, peeling skin did not. And my Tita, who is a dermatologist, assured me that it would not got better with age. I’m not vain, but I began to see her point as the years went by. And as we’ve experienced of late, the sun is just getting hotter and more harmful. So now I’ve taken to applying sunscreen before heading out, and wearing shades to protect my eyes.
1. Footwear
Depending on what kind of trip I’ll be going on, this can mean slippers, sandals, rubber shoes, or all three. For beach trips, I only travel with slippers. But if I’ll be doing a bit of hiking or some field work, I carry sandals – preferably a pair that I can wear on the streets and the rough road. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with this really nice pair of Teva Terra-Float sandals because they’re actually built for the outdoors, but were designed for casual city wear, as well.
For rubber shoes, I’ve gone from toe-pinching sneakers to chunky running shoes to drab trekking shoes. Recently, I acquired these lovely Montrail trail shoes. I tried them on a recent trip to Samar, where I went from barangay to another for field work, and they were incredibly comfortable and light on the feet. They’re also light in the bag. I’ve yet to try them on the trail, but I’ll be sure to write about that soon!
Other Items You Can Add To Your Pack:
- Waterproof bag/Dry Sack or resealable plastic bags: to keep small items safe and dry.
- Flashlight: in case you’re doing some early morning or night hiking.
- Earphones: important if you want to get some sleep while in transit.
- Small notebook and pen: for scribbling down notes, contact information, and expenses.
- A pair of socks: to keep your feet warm in the bus or on a chilly night.
So, those are my trip essentials. What’s in your ready-to-go pack?
