Packing for a trip,
for just overnight or several days require much planning (at least, for
me). I guess the older you get, the more things you need (and want) to
bring, like a travel sewing kit, medicines and vitamins, sun screen lotion,
creams, and other tocador things. Oh, not to forget a small clothes
iron. Yes, I bring a small iron to press folds and crumples on my clothes,
especially those I’d wear to meetings or lectures, formal dinners and/or
lunches.
It’s not a good idea to bring more than one pair of shoes for meetings.
That’s why wearing pants/slacks is more convenient. You won’t have to wear shoes
that have high heels, or think if your shoes match your dress. Brown, black or
beige go with any color of outfit. My must-wear is a pair of rubber shoes
so that I can withstand hours of making the rounds of flea markets and malls,
not to mention restaurants and sites.
It’s funny but I’m a bit OC (obsessive-compulsive) when it comes to packing.
Over the years, whether I take only a back-pack for or a suitcase, I
arrange clothes by each day. The last set I’d wear is always at the bottom.
Whoever designed the travel organizer is an angel. All toiletries could be
placed there and hung in the closet or bathroom. Mine has 4 sections where I
segregate items for bathing, lotions and creams, make-up and oral care.
Ask any Filipina and one common complaint about hotels without bidets, is that
even classy ones don’t provide any tabo (dipper) in the bathroom. It’s a cultural thing. So I
travel with one. I haven’t had the opportunity to look at the facial expression
of the person at the airport who mans the x-ray machine. Filipinos won’t wonder, though…
Every trip, I make it a point to leave space so that when I get back, I’d
still have room for pasalubong. I remember one of my trips where I had
two friends with me. Because of cheap but beautiful items, we went crazy
shopping for ourselves and pasalubong. I laughed when I saw them
literally sitting on their maletas so that the zippers would close!
Packing light is indeed a challenge.
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