Travel Tips: There's always a first time

---

Dang.

I’ll be leaving for Kuala Lumpur in 20 freeeeaaaking days.

Traveling has been a passion of mine since, forever. That is, if my wallet permits me to indulge in this.

I have gone to many places in my country. I feel that's it's about time i go and visit places not from my own country. In fact, it's just this year that i finally got a passport.

Being the backpacker that I am, I’ve been ready for this trip since February.

ACCOMMODATION : Stay Orange.Com, Jalan Petaling, Chinatown, KL

This is a no-frills hotel. No breakfast, no towel, no toiletries. Just an ensuite bathroom.

AIRLINE : Cebu Pacific Piso Fares is the way to go.

THINGS TO BRING :

One travelpack

Unbeknownst to many, travelpacks are measured in liters. The ideal weight is 55 liters and should have a hipbelt and an internal frame inside the pack. This helps me balance myself when i walk with unusual weight on my shoulders. Tie a big bright-colored ribbon on the top like neon pink o neon green so you won’t miss it among the piles and piles of dark colored luggage on the conveyor belt of baggage claim.

One smaller backpack

This is your carryon luggage. Pack one pair of underpants, a change of shirt, a handkerchief, toothbrush and toothpaste, your entertainment item (a book, PSP, MP3 player o Rubix cube). There's an 85% chance that your pack might be lost in international flights. At least, you have a change of undergarments and you have a toothbrush so while you’re waiting for your luggage to turn up, you won’t have to put up with the unpleasantness of your teeth feeling all furry.

Your carryon will be transformed into your daypack.

Money belt

This should be worn inside your shirt around the waist. Your passport, ticket, credit cards, photocopies ng travel documents (insurance, itinerary, etc.), and the bulk of your money should live in your money belt. Logically, the things that should be placed in the money belt should not be bulky and should be items you don’t need to access every 20 minutes.

2 pairs of light long pants and 1 shorts

There are pants that are styled to have detachable zippered lengths that transform into shorts. Malaysia is a country affluent in mosques you can visit and people are not allowed to go inside if they’re wearing shorts, short skirts and the like.

4 Shirts (2 ordinary shirts, 1 long sleeved, 1 micro-fleece jacket)

One sleep shirt, one for walking tours. The long sleeved may be used to achieve the modesty factor (for places like mosques and temples). A jacket or a sweater that's cheap; it’s advisable to wear long sleeved tops even in hot places coz the more heat your body releases, the more you’ll sweat. That's fast forwarding the process of dehydration. Besides it’s actually quite cool to the skin.

Toothbrush and toothpaste

One hiking sandals to pack, Crocs to wear

4 pairs of underwear

Laundry powder

It's better to wash and repeat your clothes than bring a lot.


String or floss

This would serve as your washline. I prefer the floss though, coz it’s stronger. The string, however, is a lot cheaper and can be acquired in your packed sewing kit.

Batteries

For the alarm clock, watch, etc.

Battery chargers

Rectangular blade plugs with a 240 voltage and 50 Hertz are used in Malaysia. Look at the sticker on your chargers and see if they’re compatible with the voltage and frequency.

MP3 player and celphone, alarm clock

Swiss Army Knife

Don’t to forget to put this in your check-in luggage because this is a potential weapon and may be confiscated if customs officials see this in your carryon. Although this may not be brought at all, i find the bottle opener and the blade essential so I might need it.

Sarong

Normal towels get smelly very easily, takes too long to dry, and use up far too much valuable backpack space. I use a sarong instead. Or, bring a face towel. Micro-fleece towels are available too but are quite expensive in the Philippines.

Baseball cap

To keep you cooler and prevent sunstroke.

Flash disk / memory cards

Many hotels have Internet Cafes already. You can upload your camera pictures to shutterfly or multiply or your travel blog so as not to run out of disk space.

Video camera

Handkerchief

This is practical for drying your hands after washing them in restaurants or public toilets. A soaked handkerchif placed at the back of your neck has a refreshing cooling effect on your whole body.

OTC Medicine

Diarrhea, migraine, and if you can get some in Mercury Drug, water-purifying tablets. This will all go into your first-aid kit.

Photocopies of travel insurance, passport, ticket and other documents

Leave one set at home in case of theft, another set with you on the move, scan them and email them to someone back home, and have one set in your daypack. The original copies should live in your money belt.

Notebook / journal and pens

For the pensive, writer traveler, these are ideal. Sudden bursts of inspiration from the new things you see that are not in your country deserves to be jotted down your notebook. Pens are ideal for filling out immigration forms or other paperwork you might encounter while you’re on the move.

Sewing Kit

To repair unexpected tears.

Wet ones

Good for cleaning yourself up on buses and trains, and for wiping hands before eating.

I find the items in the above list essential for light packing. Besides i hear Jalan Petaling (Chinatown) has cheap but awesome finds. You'll thank the list for the backpack space you have when you're g

---