***UPDATED LIST*** I'm obsessive compulsive. But I've always seen this 'trait' as an advantage. Not only does being OC keep me on my toes. It also helps me to be coordinated and disciplined at all times. Being an OC traveler has certainly pushed me to be more organized with my trips. And whenever I plan my travels (local or international), I always make sure to produce certain 'lists' that will help show my progress in the planning stage. This way, I won't have any excuse to forget things.
Moving forward, I have my (1) things to do, (2) things to bring, (3) trip itinerary, (4) and of course, my expense/budget sheet. These four elements always assist me from the beginning until the end of my trip.
Moving forward, I have my (1) things to do, (2) things to bring, (3) trip itinerary, (4) and of course, my expense/budget sheet. These four elements always assist me from the beginning until the end of my trip.
Now, as a traveler who's always on the look out for reasonably-priced trip deals, I'm also constantly searching for affordable travel essentials that will help keep my trips more meaningful. So with that in mind, I'll be sharing to you some of my travel must-haves. Some of which never fail to keep my trips fun and hassle-free.
My Travel Essentials:
1) Point & Shoot Camera - I traded my DSLR Nikon D40 for a Nikon P300. Yes, it was a downgrade. But purchasing the P300 was super worth it! Not only did it lessen the load off of my shoulder (considering its weight), the bulk of having to bring the camera bag, my lenses, weren't a burden to me anymore. I did enjoy having a DSLR back in the day. But I enjoy more, the lightweight wonder of my new camera.
The Nikon P300 is remarkable for a Point and Shoot. It has a Nikkor 4.2X wide optical zoom, and a bright f/1.8 lens. Other than that, it's also able to capture FULL HD movie/s. Awesome gadget, right? :)
The Nikon P300 is remarkable for a Point and Shoot. It has a Nikkor 4.2X wide optical zoom, and a bright f/1.8 lens. Other than that, it's also able to capture FULL HD movie/s. Awesome gadget, right? :)
A 2013 Philippine Statistic Authority study says that around 9.4 million Filipinos aging fifteen and up traveled within the country for leisure in 2012. That number sounds like a lot of people. But in fact, that is just barely 15% of that age group, and not even 10% of the country’s total population. Roughly 85% of Filipinos stay within their home and work vicinities all year long. For Filipinos, traveling usually means visiting relatives. Leisurely vacations are something we rarely give priority to.
It feels different when you've been to a place that you've passed by a few times, yet you never really took the time to appreciate it. That's what I felt towards Libis and nearby Eastwood City. Now, regardless of these two areas being located in Quezon City (my hometown), I still never made the time to explore much of either, as it was a far commute from where I lived. But when I was recently given a chance to stay at Microtel by Wyndham - Acropolis, I realized how much the locale has changed since the last time I was there.
Photo courtesy of Microtel |
I've lived in Quezon City all my life. But there are still so many places in my hometown that I haven't explored yet. Fortunately, I was recently invited by Microtel PH to join their City Media Familiarization Tour, along with several travel bloggers. I've actually been to a few of the city attractions that were listed on the itinerary. Surprisingly, several of the QC sites that we visited were new to me.
The plant box was a gift from the Tapia Family for Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon. |
I was already planning on booking a hotel somewhere in Quezon City, so that I could give myself that much needed R&R. But I no longer had to, as I was recently invited to a weekend stay in two of Microtel's well-appointed hotels: Microtel-UP Technohub and Microtel Acropolis.
Several people have wondered why our LAKHAMBINI shoes are priced the way they are. But then I ask myself: why not that price range? If you only knew how much we value the process in which the material is made, up until the construction of the shoes (and how they're very comfortable when worn), then you'll know that owning a pair is truly worth every peso. :)