Pseudobackpackers Packing List (subtitle: I should be working but I choose to maintain my sanity by blogging about the essentials)

Suntec City, Singapore--On a recent trip home, Reese and I got last minute tips from my fabulous cousin Cely who backpacked around South America for almost 3 months after taking the bar exams. Here's her list of what to pack:

1. two pairs of pants - 1 pair of jeans and 1 pair of cargo pants or gauchos

2. 1 mini skirt

3. 4-5 tank tops (two of which must be black and white)

4. 3 tops for going out (ehem ehem)

5. all weather jacket with hoodie

6. 1 long sleeved top

7. 1 pair of sneakers/trainers

8. 1 pair of going out sandals

9. 1 pair of flip flops

10. gloves, scarf,extra socks (folks, Peru will be in the lows of 35 F when we get there)

11. photocopies of all travel documents


I have done some pre-packing of my own and would like to add the following essentials:

12. lock for backpack (be sure to get the TSA approved ones, i.e. the ones with a digital combination lock and the keyhole that can be opened with a standard international key)

13. money belt (to be worn inside jeans..not very fashionable but oh so essential)

14. universal plug

15. anti-mozzy repellant

16. bikini

17. camera and film of choice

Words of wisdom from Cely, if you have extra space, bring more tops for going out! Wise woman, that cousin of mine.

Any other suggestions? Less than two weeks to go!!

me, prepare for brazil?

Manila, PH -- joy, i am an obedient girl so i'm posting my list.

1. got immunization shots (hepa a, typhoid, flu). bawal magkasakit! tomorrow i'm getting yellow fever shots with manay jan. apparently you can only get these in manila at the bureau of quarantine. right, hasten? (we were teasing her that because of her tiny tidy island's requirements, she'll be the only one getting the shots & falling in line with livestock & such. look who has to go now.)

2. been somewhat faithful to my brazilian diet. brazilian diet: because i need money for brazil i can't go shopping or have lunch out! hopefully next year i'll be on a turkish diet. wink, wink.

3. looking for a good 55-liter up backpack. my sister the mountaineer is using hers daw. sigh. i don't want to blow $300 on something i can't wear/take pictures with.

4. brushing up on my portuguese/spanish. i'm not doing great, though. today i learned how to ask for food in a restaurant: "�tiene comida vegetariana?" jan, if i can't remember how to conjugate i'll leave all the talking to you...unless i decide to bring my 'wicked spanish' phrasebook (and we all know how useful that will be).

5. couchsurfing! i've hosted several people here but crashing a relative stranger's house will be quite a plunge for me and the girls. the people who are hosting us are mostly from the north zone of rio de janeiro. i've got their contact details on my notebook & i'm excited to be a part of their homes for a few days. will post on how this goes.

lomo above of mutch & me: in the justine tradition of posting photos that bear no relevance to the text. by eazy of lomomanila.

ADDENDUM: more Vietbodia stuff

Vietbodia -- Here are just some more Vietbodia stuff I missed:

BEST TRANSPORTATION/BEST LOVE TEAM: I'm sorry for missing this. We will never forget the most romantic ride ever: the scooter ride for the best love team Thuy and Papa Sly.


BEST BAR: Chu Bar with a Pinoy band singing Cher's Do you believe in love?!


BEST DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE: The Morning After: Ate, huwag po! starring Papa Sly and me. hahahaha!


BEST DAD: Tony! And he's also the best tour guide and best translator!

welcome to your late twenties

Manila, PH -- hello everyone. it's christmas day & i'm trying to recover from the past weekend's late nights. i refuse to believe it's because i'm getting old. i just need to pop some multivitamins.
i literally want to count my blessings so here goes another thank-you list for what i got on my birthday:

1. a pocket calendar
2. rolls of film for my analog soul
3. home-baked apple pie, shared with pepper

lovely ladies

4. 'american psycho' by bret easton ellis (because i "will love the violence")
5. a portuguese phrase book
6. liquor

jan working it

7. cash from the 'rents
8. a nightshirt copy of my old highschool uniform (go st. scho)

dj newbie

9. ivy & bloc party cds from sparklemind (waiting for that other gift...)

10. a graphic tee that says 'i love the '80s' (from my entrepreneur brother -
he just forgot to charge me)

satisfied partygoers

11. a chocolate birthday cake
12. a nice italian dinner courtesy of our favorite bahia native, marcos
13. getting to DJ with jan for a little bit (daft punk, kala & mark farina!)
14. a staple remover (this one i'll always remember)

dj f (or how to actually spin while looking the part)

and so another birthday has come and gone. as that youngblood writer wrote before, a lot of beautiful, absurd & difficult things have come my way. i'm past the quarterlife crisis (paging john mayer) but it seems like i'm just starting.

this year sure has been one big rollercoaster ride... i hope i have enough energy for next year's theme park surprises.

merry christmas, everyone!

* lomos by pepper

pseudobackpacker guide to vietbodia (vietnam & cambodia)

Siem reap/Pnom Penh/Saigon, VIETBODIA --Here's a rough guide on pseudobackpacking in Vietbodia :

VIETBODIA'S BEST
BEST FOOD: Little India located at Bar St.(if you're American)/Pub St.(if you're European), Siem Reap
What to get: Paratha, babaganoush, spicy dips, mango lassi
Food place in the middle of the market in Saigon, Vietnam
What to get: Pho, Pho, Pho...ever! The best pho! I highly recommend the vegetarian pho!



BEST PLACE TO GET DRINKS, DANCE AND CHERVA WITH HAWKS (some with white tube socks): Angkor What?!?
What to get: Hmmmm..what did we drink there? Too drunk to remember, but it was good.



BEST PICK UP LINE: "Are any of you guys German? Can you translate that for me?" with accompanying hand movements, hair flipping, playing with the headband, girly laughing with neck extension -- from who else but the cherva master, Justine

BEST WORK-OUT PLACE: Beng Melea, Siem Reap : Indiana Jones-style climbing and exploring with (of course) the occasional posing for the cam


BEST TRANSPORTATION: Tuk-tuks with Mr. Sothy! (just don't let them rip you off..)


BEST HAIR: Art of Hair in Saigon! I LOVE IT! The longest and most comfortable shampoo (with facial), free fruits, free drinks, free foot massage, free pedicure/manicure, free internet and the cheapest price! Joy almost had a breakdown.


BEST PHOTO-OP: Angkor Wat, Siem Reap or Foyer of Tony's Apartment, Saigon, Vietnam



BEST SHOPPING PLACE: Street market in Saigon, Vietnam - cheap North Face stuff (backpacks!), nice blouses, bags, coffee

BEST DRINK: Wintermelon tea for me, Sweet Soya drink for Risa and Joy, and Vietnamese coffee in cute silver miniature French presses (or are they Vietnamese presses?)

BEST SONG: "Cruisin'" - from our two superstars Justine and Risa; "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love For You" - Justine


I can't think of anything more. Girls, feel free to add to this list. I might have left off some important stuff.

I miss you girls! I miss pseudobackpacking! Angkor What?!???!!!

it's been a while....

Neptune, NJ -- Joy and I are talking on the phone as I am writing this entry. It's been a while. We haven't written any entries lately because nothing much has happened.. well to me, I don't know with Joy. You have to ask her. Anyway, I promised to post highlights of my Chicago trip, so here it goes...(sorry for the delay).

CHICAGO HIGHLIGHTS
> The Lake - I stayed with Betsy who lives very close to the lake. I jogged around the lake every morning and it cleared my mind of worries and regrets, and my soul of pain and loneliness. And it didn't hurt that hot shirtless guys ran around the lake that time too! :)

> The City - I just miss the city life. I loved being able to use public transportation to get to places, I loved having to dress up to go out (even just for coffee), and I just loved seeing a lot of people walking, talking and what have you.

> The Shops - My eyes almost popped out when I went to Macy's! Tear welled up in the corners of my eyes as I surveyed all the wonderful make-up, clothes, shoes, bags, etc. It was so different from my weekly shopping sprees in Target or Walmart back in Neptune. (mind you: I still didn't have a car around this time making mall-shopping more difficult; there is actually a nearby mall that has Macy's and all the other wonderful shops)

> My friends - Chicago is my home here in the States. I consider my high school friends my family. I can just be me with them. I don't have to worry about being judged. They love me for who I am. Nikki and I had long conversations about our goals/lack of goals in life. Jennet and Mark showed me how to be stylishly married. "Dona" Icay and I planned our "Skinny Bitch" diet as we searched for a venue for her grand wedding. And Betsy became my mom for a week, scolding me for the wrong decisions I've done so far and advising me about life and love. I love them dearly. They're my pseudobackpackers for the mean time ...until our much-awaited reunion in Rio de Janeiro.

(Pseudo) Backpacker Essentials

Cacnipa Island, Palawan, PH-- A few months back my friend Quentin (who scoffs at anything touristy, takes pleasure at making me take a 3 hour rollercoaster/jeepney ride crammed with eggs, fish, vegetables and laughed everytime i hit my head on the roof, and "discovered" the most beautiful island 2 hours off puerto princessa..merci!) took me on a surprise trip to Palawan (note, I only knew we were going to the last frontier when I saw the signboard above the check-in counter at the airport). On one of our random nights, we came up with a backpacker essentials list, him being the real backpacker, me being well, the pseudo backpacker. Here are the items we came up with:

-flash light
-towel
-candle
-knife
-anti-mosquito lotion
-first aid kit
-medicine (for headache, indigestion)
-a good book (when you finish you can exchange the book with the ones in your guesthouse)
-sunscreen
-dark chocolate (for times when you feel like throwing up on the car/bus/boat/plane ride or when you can't identify the food in front of you but you just have to eat something)
-ipod
-camera
-LESS clothes (working on it)
-baby powder (don't ask)
-jacket
-all-in-one beauty products (e.g. shampoo+conditioner+body wash, moisturizer with spf, cheek and lip tint)
-trusty Lonely Planet
-the following email address...sorry girls, can't disclose this
-journal (moleskin journals make great travel companions)

Every time I take a trip I check the list and make sure I've covered everything. Are ya proud, Q? We all have our own must-haves and essentials when we heed the call of our itchy feet in search of great adventure. Help us pack well for our South America trip by telling us...WHAT'S IN YOUR BACKPACK?

i'd rather be...

i'd rather be taking pictures

Office Cubicle at the Very End,Manila, PH --

1. scuba diving in tubbataha reef, palawan, philippines (but first i need to learn how)

2. sipping mojitos at a havana cafe (and hitting the sahig-sayawan afterwards)

3. skydiving in normandy (saw that amazing race episode too)

4. swimming with dolphins in palau

5. watching the cure live!

more to follow after i pretend to work some more

mis primeros II

Manila, PH -- continuing from jan's list of firsts in the 'pore:

1) making breakfast (me with my hit or miss scrambled eggs, jan with her spicy instant noodles) while listening to phoenix & 'save room'

2) spending sunday afternoon on an artificial beach (ibiza by way of sentosa!)

3) getting overwhelmed by the the national library's collections (and it's such a nice building). geek alert!

4) lounging at loof while dreaming of opening our own bar back home

5) being accused of wanting to date a certain australian body part

6) getting a drunk brit sailor to sing 'stars of cctv'

7) drinking the lethal graveyard while playing bato bato pick (i.e. jack en poy, stick paper scissors etc.)

8) shophouse-hopping at quirky hadji lane (i wish i had gotten that 'pig of happiness' book). justine throw a party at pitch black!

9) having an all-cheesy song night while drinking vodka pear :just take my heart when you go/i don't have the need for it anymore



adriana at estela, sana ay maulit ang maliligayang araw noong tayo'y nasa ibayong bansa! bernardita at feliza, kayo naman ang aming guguluhin kapag nakapagipon-ipon na kami para sa biyahe patungong estados unidos! todo cherva jah jah jah!

Mis Primeros

Manila, PH -- – So Reese and I recently returned from our six-day Singapore sojourn visiting Justine. By recently I mean an entire week ago. But my aversion to and shameful ignorance of all things complicated (i.e., technology) have kept me from posting sooner. Bong, thanks for the overseas crash course in blogging. Hope Shanghai has been good to you!

Anyhoo, my first time in the tiny tidy island was home to many other firsts:

1) flying international…solo
2) tip being refused by “Uncle” cab-driver
3) hot air balloon ride (DHL balloon, mind you)
4) leaving home at 1am for a night out
5) sleeping at 8am from the night out
6) beverages: aloe vera, barley, Lebanese wine
7) shameless infatuation: with a minor (note: HH)
8) seeing wildlife…at night
9) free-flowing drinks at the bar, having the best time with bartenders in kilts (they had undergarments, tsk)
10) tequila shots without the burning, i-feel-SICK-to-my-gut sensation
11) breakfast of kaya toast dipped in soy-seasoned half-boiled egg…with locals
12) flying business class (thanks to Risa)

Justine, maraming salamat sa mga ala-ala. Hindi ko malilimutan nang iwan mo kami ni Risa sa sahig-sayawan, a.k.a. “dancefloor” para sa aming sariling kapakanan…

Thanks for the best time, Justine! Here's a snippet of our fight song c/o Risa. Enjoy!

Mark Farina – Dream Machine

flashback: kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi, THAILAND -- oye! was in central thailand last year & made this list of stuff to do in kanchanaburi.

1. Erawan Falls - It’s a workout climbing to the top but it’s clean, beautiful & worth it. The park staff take preservation seriously- litterbugs will be fined 100 baht!

2. Apple’s Guest House - even if you stay elsewhere, try their food. 5 stars! I had the special krathom pad thai & the backpacker staple, banana pancakes.

3. Spa lifestyle at Suan Nanachaat - Great service in a lovely oriental house. And the homemade bread is reason enough to drop by.

4. A ride on the Death Railway - Historic, scenic & fun.

5. Cheap little discoveries (i.e., unlisted on your guidebook) - Like Roongthip restaurant along the road leading to Bridge over the River Kwai. Good mixed “tau fu.”

6. Ploy Guest House - Romantic garden bathrooms on the ground floor & ever-smiling, helpful staff.

7. Tiger Temple - You may not agree with how the tigers are tamed (they’re chained while visitors are onsite) but at least they get to live in a large tract of land free from poachers. The monks and tiger handlers seem to really care for the big cats. And giving a tiger a tummy rub - priceless!

Why I love Cebu

Cebu City, PH -- Several reasons why I keep coming back to Cebu
- good food (and cheap too!)
- Cebu lechon
- cab drivers are nicer
- I can walk late at night by myself without worries
- Sinulog festival
- less traffic compared to Manila
- More "10 percent's " Am I right, Ditas? =)
- salesladies don't frown at me even if I don't buy anything from their store.
- Cebu is a ferry ride away from Bohol and other Visayan provinces.
- 150 pesos or $3 for 1-hour Thai massage
- Laid-back atmosphere
- the fact that the Basilica is packed during masses appeals to me
- Cebuanos' happy disposition and the way they speak. "Dili man mag-focus sa negative". (Do not focus on the negative side) =)

8 things to do while waiting for bar results

me pretending to study

Manila, PH--a year ago my life was on hold whilst studying for the philippine bar exams. the long wait (6 months!) for results culminated in one very long day of agony...

1. wake up at 5:30 a.m. (sans alarm) & skip work

2) swim like crazy at a public pool in the morning

3) get drunk before noon at dulcinea

4) anxiously wait in style at the g hotel

5) cry from exhaustion and uncertainty

6) calmly take overseas calls from evidently excited father

7) try to have a quiet dinner and restlessly watch smokin' aces

8) receive good (or bad) news with shock and awe