My bookmark list includes a bunch of travel blogs, but only a few of them I follow almost regularly: mostly locals, like Yoshke Dimen and Robbie Bautista and Lois Yasay. Even a former schoolmate, the Shoestringer.

I've never travelled farther than this city on my own, let alone booked and hopped on a flight by myself. Solo travel is both intimidating and enticing to me. Which is exactly why I want to try it.

Most people I know say it'll be lonely. I'd like to disagree. I watch movies alone and eat at restaurants alone and though it sometimes gets lonely, it hardly feels bad. It's great to be by myself, to learn to be alone, defined by no one, and appreciate it.

So far here's some of the things I thought of and learned from other people's stories:

1. A durable backpack. 
My mother got a DG backpack that cost around P5,000 -- it's sturdy and even cool, though I doubt it's ideal for backpacking across countries. The most I know about backpacks is that the ones that'll last don't come cheap. Lois Yasay uses a huge 48L North Face Terra backpack, which is almost half my size and is definitely NOT something I can carry right now, especially that I have very laughable stamina. I've seen tourists around the city carrying several kilos heavier -- but they're mostly Caucasian blessed with lean six-foot frames.

But it looks like Adi, from Love the Search, has the same small frame as I do and she owns a 28 Liter Deuter backpack. I can start from there.

2. A...better...wifi-able device?
I'm pretty sure my laptop stays at home. That will be tricky. What if I need to book/rebook a flight? Do more research? Check news or weather updates? Sure, my phone can do that.... My Galaxy Duos phone can do that with a lot of hassle. I'm looking into the possibility of getting a Tab or at least a better, maybe water-resistant phone (S5?). I actually rampaged the Globe website this afternoon only to be informed they completely redid their Plan system: now, they only offer ONE base plan, at P499, with unlimited calls/texts whether I fucking like it or not. Well, thank you for being so thoughtful. I'll ask some friends about plans and phones and 3G/4G/LTE (why do they make it so complicated for ordinary humans?) stuff next week.

3. Vaccine shots before a big trip.
I never would have thought of this...

4. A question -- can I get out of the Philippines, as a tourist, without a return ticket?
It's possible to book one-way tickets, yes. Some people book a flight to, say, Singapore, and another flight from there to Thailand before the visa ends, and...I guess that's fine? I know tourists can't enter the Philippines with a one-way ticket, or at least that's what a European backpacker wrote in his blog.

5. Another question -- if I leave my job, will they let me out of the country/grant me a visa?
This one is tricky... The Sole Sisters did say they quit their jobs AFTER saving a great deal of money. The answer I can give to my question for now is - maybe yes, they will, as long as I present proof that I have enough funds to pay for my travel, etc, and believable, solid proof that I intend to return to the Philippines (since that was the main thing that stood between Lois Yasay and a Schengen visa).

6. The ideal country to visit for a first-time solo traveler is...
Thailand, according to a lot of forums. It's backpacker heaven, the banana pancake trail center, the one.

7. Buy a map!
A traditional, printed map will always be handy.

8. Keep track of holidays or season changes.
Thailand has the Songkran Festival in April -- that's bound to be fun. It would also mean more expensive flights and accommodation...

9. $50 a day in Southeast Asia is already expensive. 

10. 100ml bottles.
People always overlook this when they have carry-on baggage. Lotion, shampoo, oil, stored in no bigger than 100ml containers unless I want them confiscated. I already lack charm and smooth-talking powers, so...fat chance I can change airport security people's minds if they do.

My bookmark list includes a bunch of travel blogs, but only a few of them I follow almost regularly: mostly locals, like Yoshke Dimen and Robbie Bautista and Lois Yasay. Even a former schoolmate, the Shoestringer.

I've never travelled farther than this city on my own, let alone booked and hopped on a flight by myself. Solo travel is both intimidating and enticing to me. Which is exactly why I want to try it.

Most people I know say it'll be lonely. I'd like to disagree. I watch movies alone and eat at restaurants alone and though it sometimes gets lonely, it hardly feels bad. It's great to be by myself, to learn to be alone, defined by no one, and appreciate it.

So far here's some of the things I thought of and learned from other people's stories:

1. A durable backpack. 
My mother got a DG backpack that cost around P5,000 -- it's sturdy and even cool, though I doubt it's ideal for backpacking across countries. The most I know about backpacks is that the ones that'll last don't come cheap. Lois Yasay uses a huge 48L North Face Terra backpack, which is almost half my size and is definitely NOT something I can carry right now, especially that I have very laughable stamina. I've seen tourists around the city carrying several kilos heavier -- but they're mostly Caucasian blessed with lean six-foot frames.

But it looks like Adi, from Love the Search, has the same small frame as I do and she owns a 28 Liter Deuter backpack. I can start from there.

2. A...better...wifi-able device?
I'm pretty sure my laptop stays at home. That will be tricky. What if I need to book/rebook a flight? Do more research? Check news or weather updates? Sure, my phone can do that.... My Galaxy Duos phone can do that with a lot of hassle. I'm looking into the possibility of getting a Tab or at least a better, maybe water-resistant phone (S5?). I actually rampaged the Globe website this afternoon only to be informed they completely redid their Plan system: now, they only offer ONE base plan, at P499, with unlimited calls/texts whether I fucking like it or not. Well, thank you for being so thoughtful. I'll ask some friends about plans and phones and 3G/4G/LTE (why do they make it so complicated for ordinary humans?) stuff next week.

3. Vaccine shots before a big trip.
I never would have thought of this...

4. A question -- can I get out of the Philippines, as a tourist, without a return ticket?
It's possible to book one-way tickets, yes. Some people book a flight to, say, Singapore, and another flight from there to Thailand before the visa ends, and...I guess that's fine? I know tourists can't enter the Philippines with a one-way ticket, or at least that's what a European backpacker wrote in his blog.

5. Another question -- if I leave my job, will they let me out of the country/grant me a visa?
This one is tricky... The Sole Sisters did say they quit their jobs AFTER saving a great deal of money. The answer I can give to my question for now is - maybe yes, they will, as long as I present proof that I have enough funds to pay for my travel, etc, and believable, solid proof that I intend to return to the Philippines (since that was the main thing that stood between Lois Yasay and a Schengen visa).

6. The ideal country to visit for a first-time solo traveler is...
Thailand, according to a lot of forums. It's backpacker heaven, the banana pancake trail center, the one.

7. Buy a map!
A traditional, printed map will always be handy.

8. Keep track of holidays or season changes.
Thailand has the Songkran Festival in April -- that's bound to be fun. It would also mean more expensive flights and accommodation...

9. $50 a day in Southeast Asia is already expensive. 

10. 100ml bottles.
People always overlook this when they have carry-on baggage. Lotion, shampoo, oil, stored in no bigger than 100ml containers unless I want them confiscated. I already lack charm and smooth-talking powers, so...fat chance I can change airport security people's minds if they do.

This is a Pensieve mainly for my research and thoughts about travel, backpacking, and the nitty gritty that comes with it. I'm too unseasoned to even call myself an unseasoned traveller, so Show Me The Portkey is one of the first steps I'm taking to get there.

Visit my art blog though, yes?