YOU are on your last day in Boracay. It's time to leave, and you have a lot to bring home: accessories you bought as pasalubong for your friends, a couple of summer pieces you'll definitely use on your next vacation, plus that perfect shade of golden brown you wanted.
Oh, and one more thing - a little pile of very wet clothes drenched in Bora's lovely seawater. What to do? Scour your hotel room for a plastic bag big enough to fit all your stuff, or turbo-dry them and hope you still catch your flight? Or just leave them?
Traveling can be more enjoyable when it's hassle-free. Check this list first to remind you of the little things that can prevent any bumps come vacation time.
1. Use padlocks for your check-in bags. You don't want to lose valuable stuff, or, worse, get unwanted items stuffed into your luggage. Don't forget to remember the code if you're using number combinations, or keep the key/s (always have an extra) in a very safe place so you don't lose them.
2. Bring enough basic medicine such as painkillers, those for motion sickness and tummy aches. Getting sick during vacation is a total bummer, so make sure you have the means to address it right away. Insect repellents, Vicks, or Strepsils can also be your best friend during the trip.
3. Don't bring your whole bathroom. Opt for sachets of your favorite brands, or just transfer them into little containers that you can pack into your bags.
4. Guard your ID cards. It's up to you if you want to bring them with you all the time (and risk losing them while you're strolling). You may want to just leave them inside your room's safety deposit box, but produce and bring photocopies as well.
5. Bring Ziplock bags. Resealable plastic bags are heaven-sent because they serve many purposes for travelers, apart from storing those wet clothes. They can be your container for spillables, such as gel sachets and shampoo in little bottles, or to prevent your clothes from being smeared with toothpaste or some other product. They can also protect your gadgets from sand and water.
6. Tote an extra bag for stuff you can't pack inside your check-in luggage or when you feel you'll end up with excess baggage.
7. Stock up on fully charged batteries and memory cards/sticks. One can never have enough of them, and you surely don't want to run out of battery or memory space during your vacation.
8. Travel light. Not only will you have an easier time lugging your bags around, you'll also have lots of free space for all the cool stuff you'll end up buying. You can always repeat some of your clothes, or buy new ones if there aren't any fresh ones anymore.
9. Lastly, when in a country where English is not widely spoken, keep table napkins, coasters, or anything with the name of your hotel on it, so it's easier for your cab driver to bring you home.
