Things to consider packing when you travel

For your protection:

• Sunglasses, sun block, umbrellas and hats/caps
  
• Mosquito-repellant lotion (or your favorite katol) when staying outdoors
  
• Plastic sandals/flip-flops for the beach and for the shower (esp. if in common bathrooms)
  
• A whistle as safety alarm (great when hiking or walking in streets)
  
• Re-sealable plastic bags (e.g. Ziplock) for wallets/phones/documents that you need to protect from the water or keep stashed away somewhere. Good as food bags too.
  
• IDs – as much as possible, put IDs or name tags on your bags and belongings. If they are stored in areas far from you (e.g. bus compartments), make sure you place yourself somewhere with a view of that compartment.

For your comfort:

• Bring shoes that are already worn-in.
  
• Patterned clothes (won’t show stains and not a hassle to wash)
  
• Large plastic bags for your wet clothes.
  
• Small plastic bags for your trash while traveling (DON’T throw your garbage just anywhere!)
  
• Sarong or malong – can be your beach mat, beach towel, dress or skirt for the desperate, blanket, shade, etc.
  
• Water bottles. Some resorts would just have you pay a minimal fee to refill your bottles with clean H20 – cheaper and more environment-friendly than constantly buying bottled water.
  
• Small change – always ensure you have barya – to pay for the fare, or buy souvenirs, or some street food. Keep them handy.
  
• A map or some info about the place you are going to – always better to be informed and to know what you’re going to check out. Note down emergency numbers or at least, your hotel/resort’s contact info in case of trouble.

For your health:

• Vitamin C. With the crazy weather, aircon exposure, and the activities you will be in – better stay healthy with Vitamin C.
  
• First Aid kit – can be bought ready and packed in drug stores, or devise your own based on what is important to you (e.g. fever medicine, aid for bruises and burns, tablets for diarrhea or constipation, alcohol).
  
• Extra load card. When you’re on prepaid, it’s always good to have some reserved phone credits – at least enough to give you a “phone a friend (or the police or the parent)” opportunity. Extra phone batteries won’t hurt, either.

For your “other” emergencies:

• Flashlight or candle for brown-outs (we should say blackouts but hey, we say brown-outs).
  
• Candles are good for the restroom too, to dispel bad odors (Thanks, Gang B. for the tip).
  
• Sewing kit and/or safety pins – especially handy when your board shorts get caught in an underwater rock or your beach night skirt suddenly rips.
  
• Pocket knife, cutter or scissors, or Swiss knife – seriously, these are always handy.