Travel checklist, travel essentials, packing list... Whatever you call it, its important! Its a hassle when you forget things especially the ones that you really need most. Like the time I forgot my jacket on our way to Manila and unexpectedly a few days later we were on our way to Baguio :( Or bringing extra stuff when you really don't need them! Just a waste of extra space in your luggage. 

So when I got more mature, at least to some extent :P, I learned to make a checklist a month before the travel date. I'm not quite sure if this would be the most suitable time to create one, might be too early or to some it might even be late. To give you an idea of why I plan this early/late, I already have some things in mind of what to bring with me even months before... like what to wear for the rest of the trip. So when the date is nearing, I edit it out from time to time according to what is more suitable for me and finalize it a week before I leave. I pack 3 days before the departure date, check the list upon packing and double checking it before locking up the bags (a few hours before heading to the airport/bus terminal)

So here's my travel checklist / travel essentials / packing list  

documents & money
What I've done before was just bring with me my ID's, my ticket, and when I use someone else's credit card to buy the ticket then I would also bring a photocopy of his/her ID with the card that was actually used. No one really asks for them in the airport, but its good to be prepared :)
1.) Passport/Visa - for International flights (my first one will be on July! Yippie~ im super excited!)
2.) Ticket
3.) Confirmation of where you will be staying - Hotel, Transient houses, etc.
4.) Government ID's aside from the passport - SSS ID, Drivers license, PRC license, etc.
5.) Photocopies of the above 4 documents
6.) Cash - take note of the currency if you're going overseas.. as advised by my friends, you should only convert your cash upon arriving in your destination. If this is not the best idea, please let me know by dropping your comments below ;)
7.) ATM / Debit / Credit Cards - if you have this history in going over budget, just leave your credit cards at home. But I think its good for emergency use though ;)

clothing / toiletries / miscellaneous items
When making my clothing list I jot down the specifics. I think this helps in such a way that I don't over pack... or confuse yourself if you have really tons of clothes :P
1.) Outfits for the trip - this is how I do it, but below is just a sample by the way. I don't own a TKEES pair. haha!
DAY1 white cotton on top / favorite blue shorts / comfy tribal-print shoes
DAY2 F21 summer dress / favorite denim jacket borrowed from my sister / tkees sandals
2.) Pajamas and slippers
3.) Undies
4.) Handkerchiefs - my day is a mess without one
5.) A pair of socks - for the sneakers or when it gets cold at where your staying ;)
6.) Towel/towelette - unless someone else will be providing it for you (hotels, etc)
7.) Toiletries
     7.1. soap or body wash
     7.2. shampoo/conditioner or dry shampoo (haven't tried the latter though :P)
     7.3. deodorant
     7.4. lotion / sunscreen
     7.5. toothpaste, toothbrush
     7.6. facial wash
     7.7. napkin / panty liner
8.) Inside my "make up" bag, because its not really a make up bag
     8.1. Johnson and Johnson's baby powder :)
     8.2. Lip balm
     8.3. Comb / scrunchies
     8.4. Hand sanitizer / alcohol
     8.5. Wet wipes
9.) Sunnies
10.) Hat or a bonnet
11.) Phone and or Camera - as for now, its just the camera phone ;)
12.) Charger 
13.) Power bank - a new addition to my list :)
14.) A book to read
15.) Crackers and some candy - for those hungry moments
16.) A plastic bag for your dirty clothes when you get back home

mini first aid kit
Safety should always come... third? hahaha ensuring that you have the weapon for those headache wars.  
1.) Vitamins & Minerals - more energy mas happy! 
2.) Paracetamol - I only trust Dolfenal for the worst aches
3.) Band aids

I hope that I helped you in your packing list. 
Will create a new one if there are some new additions. 

So... what's in your list? :)

Yes. I know. This song is not a recent one from the Irreplaceable Diva ;)
I was looking for Beyonce songs and I was watching the Upgrade U Official Music Video. After playing it on repeat on the third time, I searched for some dance choreography. These are the times how I wish I was back in College, dancing and had a lot of extra time! :P 

Anyway... so my colleagues already know that I tend to cling on to videos that make me happy or make me laugh. There was one time that I felt like I was sostressed at work, I just played our funny group video and it instantaneously made me laugh. Like nothing happened! And its going to be on repeat for like 5 times ;) And its happening again, this video is making me happy! (Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof!)

Cant really remember the number of times I've watched this. Its like I can do the moves in my mind but really cant execute it through my body :P Imagining myself that I'm dancing like them girls in this video, especially the one in maroon sweater. I think she's awesome.

So what do you think of this choreography? Great, huh?

And although its pretty late and this is nowhere near related to this blog post... Belated Happy Father's Day to all you SuperDad's out there. Especially mine ;)

Nomnom Chronicles.

So we were randomly strolling at the groceries, I stumbled upon what looks like a healthy snack: Dole's Apple Cinnamon & Dole's Fruit & Custard (Peach). I've always had this liking towards Apple Pies, and I thought this wouldn't be that much different. I really wanted to try one so I bought two boxes (2 packs per box) so I could also share it with my parents ♥ Also purchased 1 box (4 packs per box) of Dole's Fruit & Custard in Peach.

The verdict - Apple Cinnamon. I think that the packaging is great. The oats are separated, so just in case you're not a fan... you can opt not to include it. But why the heck would you buy something like this if you wont eat the granola, right? sheeesh. The covers just peel off easily and the proportion of the oats to the apples are just perfect that it doesn't spill when you try to mix them. Together it was not just healthy but was also a YUMMY snack. I just the love the taste and smell of apples and cinnamon.

forgot to take a picture when I mixed the oats and the apples. 

As far as I can remember, the Apple Cinnamon was the only one available at that time among the three below. Cant wait to also try the other two :)

http://www.babylovingmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/DoleFruitCrisps_4.jpg

For the fruit custard... Was not able to take pictures of the packaging and all as I was so excited to eat this snack! But was a bit disappointed as I expected it to be a bit more sweeter. If you're not really a fan of sweets then I think this is just okay. Don't think that I'll be buying this product again anytime soon though. Just saying.

http://shop.countdown.co.nz/Content/ProductImages/big/38900041557.jpg

This was drafted about 2 months ago, just so you know. I cant really remember but I was about to add something here that's why it was never published.tsk I really need to take some serious notes ;)

A good read. But *sigh* how I wish it did not end to soon. 

Really enjoyed this book, had some tears here and there... and was able to finish it in 2days. Believe that if you really had the time, you can finish it within the day. I think the length of this book is great on a four to five-hour plane ride.

But enough about how long it'll take you to get to the end, lets get to the juicy part ;) This book is about a 16-year-old (or was it 17?) Hazel Grace Lancaster who has (i think) some sort of lung cancer who falls in love with 17-year-old Augustus Waters who, at the start of the novel, was cancer free. He had Osteosarcoma and had his left leg amputated. And they grew closer and closer with the help of the book that Hazel Grace is crazy about, An Imperial Affliction (AIA). Funny because I kept reading the part where it ends and tell myself something must be wrong with this copy. But no... nothings wrong with my copy. AIA just somewhat ended in the middle of the story coz the girl in the story dies or got so sick she could no longer narrate it. And so Hazel Grace and Gus found a way to travel to Amsterdam to go meet the Author of AIA and asks what happened to rest of the characters in the book. I'm not gonna spill any details of what happened there, as for me, that part was both the best and the worst. tsk 

So this is just one of the few lines that I really really love. 

"... I cant talk about our love story, so I will talk about math... Some infinities are bigger than other infinities... There are days, many of them, I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got."

I am so excited to watch the movie, which is already showing in cinemas now by the way. But since I have that cheapskate, or lets just say frugal, personality I think I’m just going to wait until it airs on HBO/Starmovies ;) Until then, guess I'm just gonna have to play the trailer on repeat. Okay? Okay :)