How Often Do You Travel?

Have you done your check list or are you the type who don't do it?

Well, I do since traveling had been a part of my life since 1989. And from personal experience I realized it is important to see it all in black and white if there are things missing to be packed in my luggage or if have I completed sorting out my stuff inclusive of my travel documents. This is my checklist. Check out below if you must!

Travel checklist:
1. Ballpen
2. Camera/ Camera re-charger
3. Cell phone/Cell phone re-charger
4. Clothes- jeans, shirt, jacket, night wear and underwear (in travelling to countries during winter or springtime, it is practical to have jersey underwear as they dry easily once washed, cotton knickers stay longer to dry. FYI only)
5. Credit Card
6. Deodorant
7. Hat (Baseball Cap)
8. Jewelry- the less to wear the better*
9. Luggage marker*- use neon color sticker or wide width ribbon to mark your luggage for easy identification at the airport. Most luggage look alike. Once you have your own I.D. mark, you could easily recognize yours from a distance. This is important when you are anxiously waiting for you luggage to manifest at the carousel at the airport. Important!
10. Make Up
11. Medicine- if you have prescription drugs with you, bring the prescription tag/ paper issued by your doctor*
12. Perfume
13. Powder
14. Pocket Money (i.e. US dollars, buy local currency at the airport; bring traveler’s check- if you must as this is safer to use than cash)
15. Sandals
16. Sanitary pads/panty shields
17. Shampoo
18. Shoes-break in to wearing your shoes before you travel.
19. Slippers
20. Soap
21. Socks/ Stockings
22. Sunglasses
23. Tooth Brush
24. Tooth Paste
25. Vitamins

Travel-Must-Have: At The Airport :
1. Air Ticket
2. Credit Card
3. I.D. or Driver's License
4. Original Passport
5. Pocket Money
6. List of Phone Numbers & Addresses of Family & Friends- useful in case of emergency*

(NOTE: Bring only the photocopy version of your passport with your photo in it plus the visa dates to enter and exit the country when doing your local travels in your country of destination. This is universally acceptable. Passports are always at risk to be brought along when shopping or visiting scenic places as it may be lost or stolen*)

Travel-Must-Have When In The Country You Are Visiting:
Refer to the above for details except omit bringing your original passport. Use photo copy version of it to show officials if they ask you when you are out on the road.

BTW, Have a nice and safe trip to my niece *Ann* (she's on the extreme left in the picture) who will be leaving Manila for China on May 20th to be part of the 20-student nursing team from St. Paul University in Manila. They will go on a study/cultural immersion trip to China! Isn't that great? This would be Ann's first trip overseas minus her folks. So all the best to you.Take care and keep in touch **wink**wink* *

TRAVEL TIPS:

When checking in your luggage at the airport and when getting your boarding pass, remember to request for a seat of your preference- isle seat or window seat. Otherwise, you'd just be bumped to any seat the attendant could avail for you at random and if you want to be seated with your friend, spouse or acquaintance, be sure to request that you two be seated together so you two get into the check in counter together. This is especially useful for first time travelers!

For me, I always request to be seated on the isle seat because of my needs to frequently go to the loo-quite a lot. LOL! And~ always smile and try to be nice to the ground flight attendant and on board attendant. Remember, they could upgrade you to business class whenever there is an overbooking and an available seat in that slot. So be nice! As you must know, they are the gods and godesses in the skies and you could get your perks~ like free playing cards, pens and stationery for free ('though they don't offer these really, but you can bend down some rules, you know). Have your PR work for you. Traveling taught me a lot to be patient and diplomatic even in times of adversary although at times, one can't help it to do otherwise, in terms of hey- life and death (laughs). Good luck!