One of my goals in life is to be able to visit at least one or a couple of new places every year. I love to travel locally but I also look forward to travelling to other countries.

There’s always some excitement in seeing places for the first time – the people, their culture, their everyday lives and their local cuisine. Here are some of the best travel tips I can give you;

Pack Light

Not all women would agree but it’s always more convenient to travel with just your basic essentials. This means lesser stuff to keep track of plus stress-free packing and unpacking.

It also leaves enough room to shop for interesting local products. Here are some of the travel essentials I usually pack for a short trip;

I usually pack light when traveling. I prefer to have few things to keep track of and to leave some room for shopping.

For places with hot or tropical weather:

  • Light clothes like flowy skirts and dresses, airy tops, shorts, cover-ups and linen pants
  • Lots of underwear and liners (and pads just in case)
  • 2 sets of swimsuits and rash guard
  • Hat, windbreaker and a pair of shades
  • Sandals and facial mist (because skin care is life)
  • Sun Block with SPF 50+, toiletries, hand sanitizer and my own toothbrush
  • Small first-aid kit
  • Phone charger
  • Hair bands and elastics
  • Quick Tip: when going to the beach or resort, I wear a bikini top as a bra. It goes both ways as an undergarment and a swimwear. I also bring a lot of cover-ups which I can wear while lounging on the beach, while exploring the place or for an all-night of beach party.

For places with cold weather:

  • Warm coat, knit sweaters, hoodie and a scarf
  • Thermal undergarments, underwear and liners
  • Jeans, sweat pants and leggings
  • Facial moisturizer, toiletries, hand sanitizer and my own toothbrush
  • Small first aid kit
  • Phone charger
  • Socks and if there’s a lot of walking expected during the trip, I wear sneakers or running shoes for comfort
  • Anything I can use to tie my hair up
  • Natural facial mask (it’s soothing after a long day exploring the city)
  • Eye cream to reduce puffiness around the eyes (remember, for us women, skin care is life)
  • A roomy sling bag

Stuff I don’t bring when I travel:

  • Jewelry and accessories
  • Heavy perfume
  • Laptop or tablet
  • High-heeled shoes (unless it’s necessary)
  • Sex toys
  • Cosmetics (except for a lip balm and pressed powder)
  • Too much clothes and shoes
  • Journal
  • Unnecessary documents and work-related stuff

What I Love Most about Travelling

One of the best things about traveling is the happiness of seeing an unfamiliar yet beautiful place for the first time.

Discovering New Places

There’s a lot to explore in this world. Seeing beautiful places with that person who means most to you is perhaps one of the most rewarding experiences in life.

Take lots of pictures but live in the moment. Create a nice photo album that would always remind you about the great memories of that trip.

Trying-Out Local Cuisine

There’s always something exciting about tasting the local food in every place you visit. Must-try exotic dishes are; ceviche in Peru, unagi grilled eel over rice in Japan, dim sums and Portuguese tarts in Macau, vegemite toast in Australia and kinilaw in Philippines (which is quite similar to ceviche).

Buying Local Products

It’s always a good idea to take something home that would remind you of that trip. Some of the things I collected from my previous trips are; native bags from Philippines, a kimono from Japan, precious jade from Hong Kong and kangaroo leather from Australia.

Getting Naughty with my Boyfriend

Sex is always a fun idea when travelling. I can just kick back, forget about everything and focus on the good stuff.

Spending half day in our hotel room naked, getting naughty and making the sheets dirty in a place far away from home is always a highlight. It’s actually a good way to maintain a healthy relationship.

Traveling is a good way to bond with my boyfriend. Nothing beats quality time together away from work and daily routine.

Learning about the Culture

I’ve always been fascinated about how different people live their lives.

For example, I realized that Australians are very friendly to tourists and that Filipinos are one of the happiest and most hospitable people on earth. Japanese people are perhaps the most disciplined.

Discovering foreign cultures can be liberating and makes me wonder how people from different walks of life can easily connect with one another regardless of their opposing beliefs and language barriers.