Why I’m Traveling…
Sooo this is really happening. In about 21 hours, I’ll be across the world landing at Manila airport in the Philippines. Last time I visited the PI was for my parent’s 25th Wedding Anniversary back in 2004, and this time around it’ll be a little different. Now, I won’t be surrounded by my family for the majority of the time checking up on me, asking if I was hungry or guiding me to the right places, making sure my things were accounted for and connecting with other family members and people who already know the area well. I was just a kid then.
When I performed a solo Tahitian dance for my parents and all of their guests in Iloilo.
Now I’m an adult who’s fully responsible for myself and my things. I make my own decisions like actively thinking about the next move or how much to spend. I’ve already reached out to people from social media to establish my own connections. And this is what life is about. It’s about stepping out of your comfort zone and challenging your capabilities, because otherwise you’ll never truly understand your inner strength. I admit I was anxious to travel alone for such a long period of time, but I’m definitely more excited than anything. Thankfully I have caring, well-traveled friends who’ve given me plenty of advice for my trip but before I share, let’s talk about why I’m even currently on a plane typing away on zero amount of sleep.
Writing…Riding… Both phonetically similar, yet they provide very different but necessary therapeutic outlets for me. Blogging helps me get my thoughts out rather than bottling them up, but it’s also another way to continue sharing my journey with you all. Last year was rough. It seemed to be that way for many people unfortunately, but doors kept closing one after the other. I hustled hard, but went through some drastic changes. I can now see how those particular events actually provided the opportunity and enough strength to open up another door that was patiently waiting for me to open.
The reason why I’m leaving my life behind for a couple months is to potentially host a few shows in the Philippines and Sri Lanka for SD Media, a California based television production company. One show is a luxury-based travel series, called Island Hunter which explores exotic islands. I’ll be featuring the “best of” in a given destination, five-star hotels, fine dining, cultural attractions, local tourism activities, riding motorcycles to hard-to-reach destinations, and more. This first trip, I’ll be filming an episode exploring the Philippines. It’s a great opportunity for me to tap into my native roots and really learn about my culture while sharing and appreciating it with the world. I’ll also be traveling to Sri Lanka to possibly host another show called Maximum Foodie, a series featuring food from all over the world. We’re also conceptualizing a third show featuring riding motorcycles around the world, exploring destinations only accessible for those who dare to jump on two wheels.
Speaking of food… Thanks to the new friends I made in HK for these delicious meals ( :
I’m already missing my friends and family dearly, but see why I couldn’t say no? Everyone who knows about this opportunity and knows me well has said that this show was basically made for me. I don’t want to get too excited about things, but doing this perfectly aligns with so many of my life goals. What are they? Inspiring others to live an active lifestyle, love more, ride more, embrace that inner spirit of adventure, and be brave enough to challenge the unknown. That being said, I understand anything can happen at this point. Opportunities come and go, and I sure as hell will make a valiant effort to make this one work. At the end of the day, it’s either I’m fit for the role or I’m not. If I lock it in (no pressure, hah), I’ll be able to travel doing what I love, sharing beautiful, exotic destinations while connecting and networking with people all over the world. If not, then I’ll be very grateful for this learning opportunity. I’ll find another way to continue doing what I love doing and being a positive influence for others.
Okay, so I mentioned above that I’m on zero amount of sleep. The dates for this trip kept changing around and I was only recently notified about the change of plans a week ago. I was initially under the impression that I was leaving for the Philippines in mid to late February, so I had to change my schedule around, finish projects, and pack last minute, basically the day before I left. So here’s how to prepare.
HOW TO PREPARE:
- Don’t wait until the last minute to pack like I did. I already procrastinate enough, but wow this was stressful haha. Pack at least a week early and pack throughout the week, because there’ll be things you’ll randomly think of remembering to bring.
- Make a checklist of things to do and bring. You can use that same checklist to make sure you bring everything you want back.
- Check the weather and pack accordingly.
- Only take things you know you can’t buy wherever you’re going. There are common items like toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, etc. that you can purchase there. If you have a specific hair routine and/or shampoo/conditioner that you use, keep in mind that those items can add tons of extra weight in your luggage.
- MAKE SURE TO UNDERSTAND THE WEIGHT LIMIT – Don’t just google it really quickly and assume the first thing you see is the correct thing. Click the link and do a little more research, because there’s a huge difference in weight allowance between classes. I misread the requirements and ended up exceeding the allowance weight for both my check in and carry-on luggage by nearly double! My only options were to pay a ridiculous amount to check in both of my overweight bags or purchase a third luggage for about the same price. I opted to go shopping.
- Bring cash.
- Bring a neck pillow!!! Some people don’t think it’s necessary, but it makes a world of difference for longer flights, especially if you plan on sleeping. I recommend buying the Cabeau Evolution Memory Foam Travel Pillow – The Best Neck Pillow with 360 Head & Neck Support. It’s about $40 and worth every hard-earned penny.
- Bring a converter, plug adapter, and extension cords for any electronic needs.
- Take a photo of your travel documents (i.e. passport, ID, itineraries, tickets, etc.) and also send the necessary ones to a trusted family member or friend.
- Get to the airport at least two hours early in case of any mishaps. I’m notoriously known for being late everywhere, but even I know this is something you can’t mess around with lol. Be mindful of what day and time it is when planning to go to the airport. Some days and times are busier than others, depending on special events, holidays, work schedules, traffic hour, etc.
- Wear comfortable clothes. You want to maximize comfort, because let’s face it , sitting in a plane for a long time isn’t my first choice on places to be. You might also have to run to your gate if you’re running late. There’ve been times where I was in a full-blown sprinting race against time, in high-heels. It’s always interesting.
- Bring chargers on the plane, because there are outlets and this is a great time to charge up your devices
Feel free to drop a comment, especially if you have any more tips or suggestions regarding how to prepare for an extended international trip.