Getting Ready for trip, February 2013

[Godzilla]

Well, I am finally ready to make my trip. I have been an occasional poster here and mostly a lurking sponge soaking up all of the vast knowledge and experience to be found here. You guys have helped me avoid some mistakes and keep my head on straight and I thank you all for sharing what you have learned with those of us who are on this journey also.

I Have the cash, I applied for my passport today (Expedited Delivery) and most importantly I have it narrowed down to that one special woman I am going to go see for 21 days. I am looking at a late January or early February departure. I will be flying out of Dallas, Fort Worth (DFW) and leaning toward Korean air. Looking for a direct flight into Cebu from Incheon in Korea. She currently works in Hong Kong but will be leaving her job in January to be with me. I know, some of you might be saying "She is leaving her job for you?" Yes, she is, and I have taken the same course, changing jobs so I can access my 401K money for the trip. I know all about the penalties and such. No loans from the 401K with this company, only hardship withdrawal's or you quit and wait 30 days for the money. I was already looking at quitting in the future because of changes in the company, so when I met this woman and was sure she was the one. In over 2 years of searching, and making a few stupid mistakes, some of which were posted and asked about here  I have found a sweet, wonderful, loving Pinay that after talking to for a few months I have not seen one red flag waving and has never asked or even hinted about money.

I am a truck driver and my time at home is tight and not very often. One question I have is about vaccinations. I may have one opportunity to get a doctors visit in in December for shots and physical, maybe. Is this something I really need to push to have done before traveling to the Philippines?

Also would like to know if anyone has any last minute secret advice about where to book low priced airfare?? She has a friend that is going rent us a 2 bedroom condo in Cebu for 20K Pesos. The friend has been married to a kano for over 10 years now.

Do I need the passport number to purchase my airfare, or can I purchase now as long as I have the passport at boarding of course?? You can probably tell that this is my first international trip....anywhere.

I also so mention on a different site that they increased the stay in the Phil to 30 days recently without needing to pay extra. Anyone have any info on that?? On that note, can you book a flight for over the 21 day limit and still be able to board your plane with no hassle if you intend to get the 59 day visa at the airport. I recall seeing a post somewhere that the airline was refusing to let a guy and his pinay wife on a plane because they did not have visa in hand for more than the 21 day standard.  Maybe KFC should chime in on all this? I think he is the acknowledged guru, right?

I am open to any and all advice and want to do this right so I am listening. I have noticed the board has been awfully quiet of late, dare I say dead. I truly hope not. This board is a valuable resource and the brain trust residing here...once again thank you all. I hope things come back to life here soon. I look forward to posting my trip report upon my return.

Thanks to all.

[Ray]

Hi zilla,
 
I haven’t heard that the 21-day visa free visit to the Philippines was extended to 30 days. Normally, if you are going to stay over 21 days, you have the choice of either obtaining a visa from a Philippine consulate before you leave, or extending your stay up to 59 days after you arrive but before the 21 days is up.
　
I have no idea why an airline would deny a guy and his Filipina wife boarding because they intended to stay more than 21 days. That makes no sense at all. By law, if he were traveling with his wife they could both stay for up to a year without any visa under most circumstances, under the Balikbayan Program.
　
You normally don’t need shots unless you will be traveling off the beaten path somewhere. Ask your doctor for advice or check with the CDC Web site.
　
You can purchase your tickets without a passport. Late January to early February should be a good time for cheaper airfares. You may want to wait until a couple months in advance to purchase because the fares are constantly changing. I would check several of the airfare search sites and also the airline sites for specials.
　
Keep us posted on your plans and we look forward to a trip report…
　
Ray

[thekfc]

Hi Zilla,
According to The Philippines Department Of Foreign Affairs & Bureau of Immigrations it is still 21 days - not sure where they got the 30 days from. And as Ray's stated you can stay up to 59 days (initial 21 days + 38 days extension).


As to purchasing a ticket for international travel without a passport, the answer is yes & no. You can purchase your ticket in person without a passport however some airline's website (Korean Airlines being one of them) will require your passport info & will not let you buy without that info - that is a TSA Secure Flight Program requirement.


Flying out of DFW to Cebu,  I would choose Korean Airlines - good airline & a direct flight from DFW to Incheon and then Plane change to Cebu.

[Capstone]

Zilla,


Korean Air is a good choice which I highly recommend. I have flown KA the last several times that I have traveled to China without any complaints at all. You will need a passport before you can purchase tickets with Korean Air whether you purchase your tickets online, in person at the airport or from a travel agency - they require a passport number to be entered with any international flight departing from or arriving into the US.


I would recommend that you go to the Korean Air website now and enroll in their Skypass frequent flyer program so that you will have a Skypass number when you purchase your tickets. A great benefit of their Skypass program is that you can use your earned miles to access their airport lounges whether you have elite status with them or not - you can access their Prestige Business Class lounge in the Incheon airport for 4000 miles which isn't too bad (you will earn more miles than that just flying from DFW to ICN). Their Prestige Lounge at ICN is pretty nice - the small buffet that they offer is good and a very large selection of beverages (both alcoholic & non) is offered. Plus the shower facilities there are nice and I would recommend that you take advantage of them after a long flight.


If you end up having a long layover in Seoul, the Incheon airport also has a pretty good transit hotel that you can use - nice if you want to get some sleep in between flights. The transit hotel is located within the secured area of the airport, so there is no need to go through immigration to use it.

[Bob_S]

Air fare prices:
The biggest tip is to spread your search out to multiple sites, and keep your options open.  So-called "discount" airfare sites will quote you a price that seems too good to be true, but that is the base ticket price only.  When you add fuel charge, luggage charge, airport charge, and so on, the price comes up to the same as any other regular travel web site quote where those things are already calculated into the price.
Get into the habit of regularly checking the price of tickets from travel sites like Travelocity and Expedia.  Don't lock yourself into a specific date.  Keep your travel dates open.  What you'll find is that, say, first one airline such as United will be cheapest.  Next week, Korean Air will be cheapest.  A couple weeks later, American or Continental will be, then Air China or EVA Air.  Then back to United.

Once you get a ballpark figure for about how much it costs, you can also start checking the airline web sites themselves to avoid paying a possible service charge to the travel agency.  When you have a preferred travel date, try searching around +/- a few days for both departure and return.  You may find that a departure on, say a Thursday and a return on a Tuesday (as opposed to a weekend travel day) may significantly reduce your final ticket price.  We're talking hundreds of dollars in price difference.

But you will need your passport when booking your ticket if you book through the airline directly.

[Godzilla]

Thanks for all the good advice and the little gold nuggets guys, keep it coming as I have never traveled internationally before. Capstone, I have already enrolled in the Korean Air Skypass program. I think I saw TheKFC mention that as I was going through the archives the last few days. I did not know that you could use miles to get into the lounges tho. That is very useful info. Will my miles for the flight I am currently taking be available to use on that trip? A shower about 8 hours out would just the thing for that first impression in person.

I have been searching thru Kayak mostly on my iPad, I have gone to the Korean Air website directly and noodled some numbers and dates. A lot of times it looks like the higher prices are just before or just after the 21 day mark. Conspiracy??....I wonder?    Good to hear that there will be no problem with the 21 day visa tho. I might decide to make this a month long visit. Should I get the 59 day Visa at the airport? Before they stamp the 21 days in my passport or after I have the 21 day stamp?  The 21 days, does that count your day of arrival or is it 21 days after you arrive. Maybe a moot point if it is easy to get the extension in the airport.

Ray, as always, I appreciate your information as well as every other veteran here who has been in the mud and the blood shall we say of international matchmaking and love. Hehe. This has been a long time in the making and I want to do it as right as I possibly can. I like to do my research and my homework beforehand so I have less worries there and more time to get to know my lady and enjoy her company.

Any tips on overcoming those first trip jitters and the adrenaline rush of getting closer to her by the minute and actually get some sleep so I can be rested and ready? So many questions and I can't decide if its too little time or too much. 

[Bob_S]

1 Week Before Departure
For maximum comfort, try to book and fly on an Asian airline that operates 777’s that are nicer than the older 747’s still operated by American carriers.
Find out how many people in her family you will be meeting.
Get souvenirs for everyone in her family you’ll be visiting plus extras for friends, hotel staff, drivers, chaperones, etc.
STOP EATING SPICY FOOD.  Absolutely no spices, peppers, turmeric, cayenne, cilantro, and especially no garlic.  Give your body time to purge whatever is in your system.  Eat bland foods.
Print off several copies of flyers showing your hotel name in English and Tagalog with a little map.  You may need to show this to taxi drivers later.

Packing
Slip on loafers (avoid shoes with laces); <--important for Japan I know, don't know about the customs in the Phils
Socks with NO HOLES;
OTC medicines for all possible ailments: aspirin or Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Imodium AD, cold and flu medicine;
Hand sanitizer;
Handkerchief for drying your hands, NOT blowing your nose;
Slippers;
Travel size shampoo;
Travel pack of tissue;
If you have dairy issues, you may want to bring your own non-dairy coffee creamer.

On the Plane
Going West, you track with the sun, so try not to sleep too much on the plane.  You want to be tired and ready to crash the first night in your hotel to adjust quickly to local time.
Don’t get drunk.  Keep your alcohol intake to a minimum.
Don’t drink too much caffeine.
But stay hydrated.
Know the hotel name, address, and phone number where you’ll be staying.  You’ll need it to fill out the customs form.  If you have a personal contact info as well, that will also be good.
You’ll find lots of folks wearing a medical mask.  That’s to avoid catching a cold from others while stuck on the plane.  You might want to as well.

[thekfc]

Sorry your miles for this trip will not be available yet - you have to fly first (earn it) and then it will be credited & will be available to use on your next flight. There are pay-per-use lounges that you can got to at Icheon airport - shower, rest, food, etc, and they are not that expensive.

For the visa extension you have to go to an immigration office to do that; at the airport they will stamp your passport for 21 days. If you have a Philippine Embassy/Consulate General in your area - you can get the extension there before you leave. Do dress appropriate when you go for the extension.

[thekfc]

You got some very good tips from Bob.

To add:
Chocolate & lotion (preferable Victoria's Secret & The Body Shop).
Souvenirs from your home state.
Brita filtering water bottle (it may come useful, you never know) - I sent some to my wife's family & they love it. I will carry 2 for personal use on my next trip.

Call your financial institution to inform them of your travel plans. They could freeze your account if you use your card(s) overseas and not inform them of your travel plans.

In addition to the handkerchief, a wash cloth/small hand towel for drying the sweat, I find the handkerchief/wash cloth there is too thin for my liking. It may be hot or very hot depending on when you travel. I remember it hitting the 90's a day before I left in February.

I had no jet lag on my trips to the PI, maybe because flying from NYC we take the polar route which helps. Jet lag do hit me when I land in NYC.

And yep, carry some OTC medication, you may want to (or she may want you to) sample a lot of food - I did my except balut. 

If you have any specific questions - just ask away. Uncle Ray or one of us will answer or point you in the right direction.

[kennumen]

Well looks like everyone's covered pretty much all of your questions. As for the vaccinations I was strongly recommended to get hep A & B. One is two shots, the other 3. One is 10 years, the other a lifetime. I also got a tyfoid/tyfus/whatever it translates to (ask your doctor) vaccination. Malaria may be applicable if you're travelling to certain provinces.

Hep A or B (the one with three shots) was 3 months before, 1 month before and a week before for the expedited version. Plus a checkup when I get back to see if the lifelong resistance sticks. I understand you don't have much free time for this and healthcare in the US is quite expensive but this can literally be life and death stuff.

Still I'm just repeating what I heard from the doctor and a few nurses I know - and none of this info came from the US - so don't take my word for it. But I would definitely at least ask a doctor, sooner rather than later.

With that in mind, hope you have a great time and find true love

[Capstone]

You may well find that the miles that you are going to earn for the DFW-ICN leg of your trip have already been credited to your account by the time you reach Seoul. Different airlines credit your flight miles to your account in different ways - it is about a 15 hour flight and depending on how KA credits the miles they may be there for use by the time you get to Seoul. Not exactly sure how KA does it but Delta tends to credit flight miles to your account as soon as the flight is in the system as being in a departed status.
 
Two years ago I flew from Atlanta to Hong Kong and had a stop/plane change in Tokyo along the way. The flight from Atlanta to Tokyo pulled away from the gate & got in line for take off - because we had gotten in line for takeoff Delta considered the flight as departed at that time. However right before takeoff a warning light came on and we had to return to the gate & the flight eventually got cancelled. I was rebooked on another flight the next morning and given a hotel room. That night at the hotel I logged into my Delta account & noticed that I had been given credit for the Atlanta-Tokyo portion of my cancelled flight. The next day I also received credit for the rebooked Atlanta-Tokyo flight , so you never know.
 
KA has a good staff at the lounge front desk which assists passengers with re-booking flights etc, I would just approach one of them and show them your boarding pass for the completed DFW-INC flight and I bet they would be able to have your account credited for those miles if it has not already been done.


As far as booking your ticket goes, I would try and find a travel agency located in Dallas (since that is where you will be departing from) which specializes in Asian trips or more specifically trips to Korea or the Philippines. I use a travel agent in Atlanta which specializes in travel to China and I am consistently able to book tickets through them for $100-$300 less than anywhere else, including the Korean Airlines website. This travel agency buys blocks of tickets on the Atlanta to Seoul flights from KA at a discount and is then able to pass on the savings to their customers.

[thekfc]

It looks like KAL is one of the airlines that automatically credit your mileage after boarding, so it may be available for use after deplaning in Incheon.


I did a look up and you will earn about 6.8K miles (depending on what class of ticket you buy) and the KAL Lounge is 4k miles to redeem.


As Bob said before, do a search on the various search engines (something I always do) and compare prices with taxes & surcharges included. Also if you have an Asian community near you, visit a (or a few) travel agencies there, they could be very helpful and have access to unpublished discounted fares. 

[Godzilla]

More great tips that I never thought of. I will check into the travel agencies. I don't think Google is going to be very helpful in finding an agency that specializes in Asia tho. Has anyone ever heard of or used a tciket consolidator? They buy in bulk blocks like you were saying about the agencies.


I will be looking at departure sometime from January 29 to February 5th, somewhere in that area. Might just stay a month if I can get away with it. Thanks to all for the very helpful advice and info. I wish the board was more active like it used to be. Where did everybody go?

[thekfc]

I have heard about it but have never use a ticket consolidator.

Be aware that February 10th is Chinese New Years and that people traffic to Asia for that holiday will be heavy.  Prices tend to go up as it get closer to that date but I am not sure of what kind of traffic will be heading to Korea. Capstone can give you a better answer on that (I have no experience traveling east around Chinese New Years - unless it is the east side of Chinatown  ).

[Jeff S]

1 Week Before Departure
For maximum comfort, try to book and fly on an Asian airline that operates 777’s that are nicer than the older 747’s still operated by American carriers.
Find out how many people in her family you will be meeting.
Get souvenirs for everyone in her family you’ll be visiting plus extras for friends, hotel staff, drivers, chaperones, etc.
STOP EATING SPICY FOOD.  Absolutely no spices, peppers, turmeric, cayenne, cilantro, and especially no garlic.  Give your body time to purge whatever is in your system.  Eat bland foods.
Print off several copies of flyers showing your hotel name in English and Tagalog with a little map.  You may need to show this to taxi drivers later.

Packing
Slip on loafers (avoid shoes with laces); <--important for Japan I know, don't know about the customs in the Phils
Socks with NO HOLES;
OTC medicines for all possible ailments: aspirin or Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Imodium AD, cold and flu medicine;
Hand sanitizer;
Handkerchief for drying your hands, NOT blowing your nose;
Slippers;
Travel size shampoo;
Travel pack of tissue;
If you have dairy issues, you may want to bring your own non-dairy coffee creamer.

On the Plane
Going West, you track with the sun, so try not to sleep too much on the plane.  You want to be tired and ready to crash the first night in your hotel to adjust quickly to local time.
Don’t get drunk.  Keep your alcohol intake to a minimum.
Don’t drink too much caffeine.
But stay hydrated.
Know the hotel name, address, and phone number where you’ll be staying.  You’ll need it to fill out the customs form.  If you have a personal contact info as well, that will also be good.
You’ll find lots of folks wearing a medical mask.  That’s to avoid catching a cold from others while stuck on the plane.  You might want to as well.

Guess I've been doing it all wrong all of these years.

[kennumen]

I can't comment on the spicy foods/ with spices (don't even know where that comes from) but the alcohol thing I can vouch for. My mom drank a glass of wine or two, then rushed to the next plane and got sick shortly after. Apparently a combination of the alcohol, adrenaline and sitting still after was quite bad.

I've heard it's best not to drink alcohol (or much, anyway) in general during a flight. To do with sitting still and the aircon.

This reminds me of a tip they showed against seasickness in the ferry terminals - remember to stay hydrated. It's quite a difference between ferry and airplane but that's got to be applicable as well. And we all know alcohol dehydrates you.

[Bob_S]

I can't comment on the spicy foods/ with spices (don't even know where that comes from)

Because the OP is going to meet a girl, and the fairer sex on average has a more refined sense of smell than us guys.  And he doesn't want his first impression to be, when meeting her in person, melting her eyelashes with lethal garlic-zilla breath, if you catch my drift.      And if there's any kind of spicy cuisine you're particularly fond of, the odor oozes from your pores, whether you can smell it or not.  Asian women may be too polite to mention anything to your face, but they do smell it.  Let your prospective gal find out about your love of grilled onions later after she's gotten used to you and likes having you around.

[robert angel]

1 Week Before Departure
For maximum comfort, try to book and fly on an Asian airline that operates 777’s that are nicer than the older 747’s still operated by American carriers.
Find out how many people in her family you will be meeting.
Get souvenirs for everyone in her family you’ll be visiting plus extras for friends, hotel staff, drivers, chaperones, etc.
STOP EATING SPICY FOOD.  Absolutely no spices, peppers, turmeric, cayenne, cilantro, and especially no garlic.  Give your body time to purge whatever is in your system.  Eat bland foods.
Print off several copies of flyers showing your hotel name in English and Tagalog with a little map.  You may need to show this to taxi drivers later.

Packing
Slip on loafers (avoid shoes with laces); <--important for Japan I know, don't know about the customs in the Phils
Socks with NO HOLES;
OTC medicines for all possible ailments: aspirin or Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Imodium AD, cold and flu medicine;
Hand sanitizer;
Handkerchief for drying your hands, NOT blowing your nose;
Slippers;
Travel size shampoo;
Travel pack of tissue;
If you have dairy issues, you may want to bring your own non-dairy coffee creamer.

On the Plane
Going West, you track with the sun, so try not to sleep too much on the plane.  You want to be tired and ready to crash the first night in your hotel to adjust quickly to local time.
Don’t get drunk.  Keep your alcohol intake to a minimum.
Don’t drink too much caffeine.
But stay hydrated.
Know the hotel name, address, and phone number where you’ll be staying.  You’ll need it to fill out the customs form.  If you have a personal contact info as well, that will also be good.
You’ll find lots of folks wearing a medical mask.  That’s to avoid catching a cold from others while stuck on the plane.  You might want to as well.

Got to say that overall, I agree with Jeff S. Of course the bigger, more comfortable and more amenities overall a plane has, that's a no brainer--big plus there. I never had any self imposed diet restrictions beforehand. Perhaps a scent of what I'd eaten before touchdown was noticed in my perspiration, but then again, Filipinos eat fruits, meat dishes and more--stuff that has odors that'd knock a buzzard off a garbage truck!
 
I agree though that even if you smelled like cilantro and a hot, fermented garlic clove, thata Filipina 'lady' probably wouldn't let off. Most Filipinas do highly value a guy having a clean, dry body, with nicely groomed hair and tasteful cologne. They just won't complain--they'll most certainly facilitate doing your laundry and compliment you for what they DO like, but defer from mentioning things that they'll bring up later--after you're living together a while.
 
So being, I have  to pass a rigorous 59 point check every morning before I go to work, from matching socks to no walking out with Q tips left in my ears and all points in between. I miss the cue tips, because on the drive into work, I usually noticed them after a few miles and enjoyed cleaning my ears for myself. You marry a good, traditional Filipina and you might not get to do things like that for yourself as much anymore. After seven years, she lets me trim my own fingernails occasionally. I thought mixing plaids and stripes was OK too, but I don't want to argue with her anymore--I mean I finally got her to the point where I can add half a spoon of sugar to my breakfast w/o a big fuss--sometimes a guy's gotta settle. Off track, I know, but she packs my lunch and my travel bags.
 
Thank God my wife loves to iron even when we travel, because she's all about cotton clothing because it's so comfy in the heat. If she leaves me, my clothing and I will look like a cross between Star Wars character Yoda's skin and garb and one of those Chinese hairless cats.
 
I don't drink much these days, but 'back in the day', I'd drink anything short of 190 proof 'Everclear' grain alcohol and be amazingly none the worse for wear on the ground or in flight. I was a perfect pickle. It would probably floor me now though. But now that I'm 'all growed up', especially when traveling, I much prefer clear beverages-- ginger ale, Sprite and 7up-- they always agree with me.

Yes--staying hydrated is important--the relative humidity on a jet is lower than Death Valley's--then you can almost pour the air in Manila, Cebu City and thereabouts.
 
On the 14 hour or so long leg of our trips to Asia, I do induce myself to deep sleep with melatonin or an occasional Rx med --that allows me to not only sleep, but to effectively 'flip  flop' my sleeping rythym--works for me anyway. Although I do occasionally get a touch of jet lag, it's typically just on the return trip if at all--but I'm already worn out from late nights abroad with family, eating like a king and just from running from one nice place to the next.
 
I bring any meds I might need and I'll be more concious of making sure any meds are in the correct labeled Rx bottles, because although I didn't know it in the past, they can bust you if you just throw the blue pills in with the reds and green ones all into one ziplock bag. Not that I am or were like Keith Richards or any thing-- but no more pushing my luck there--no loose tobacco either, country boys.
 
Over the counter stuff like immodium and pain relievers are a must, along with tweezers, bandaids--really a good Swiss Army knife is golden. A little sewing kit's cool, with a couple buttons thrown in. Bring pants/shorts with snaps, not buttons. Pack one or two pairs of inexpensive sunglasses and baseball style hats--stuff you're bound to lose. I don't bring fancy cameras so much anymore. I always pack a pair or two of super light nylon running shorts for around the hotel room or a run to the lobby and some light sandals.
 
Can't have a enough oversized, cotton bandanas in the Phipppine heat--they hate it if your back or brow gets wet. For some odd reason, they seem to think a wet, sweaty back is a brief precursor to severe illness and possible death.
 
In a land where toilet seats and toilet paper in public restrooms are a pleasant surprise, bringing several packs of top quality tissue paper and pocket sized bottles of antibacterial lotion is a stellar idea. Only thing worse than the exploding bowel blues to 'revist that interesting new food you just tried', is a desperate run to the 'comfort room' stall, only to find it's 2/3 the size you're used to, with no seat or TP and a stench not even a vulture could like--ah, the 'third world'!....
 
If there's two words every traveler should know, it's 'sensible shoes', but it seems women folk will buy a snazzy new pair right before a big trip everytime--I always make sure my wife brings a nice, comfy old pair as well as the new pair. We must have walked a 150 miles over 2 weeks this past summer in NYC and Washington DC, in our most comfy familiar shoes and our feet STILL hurt a bit--makes a hotel pool a big plus. If you're doing that kind of walking, loafers might get a little loose after a while--I find shoes with laces that stay tight and comfy on my feet, but still slip on and off w/o tying/untying, stay comfy, best for me.
 
A few years back, in one of those amazing 'Eureka Moments', I realized we spend about two thirds of our entire lives in bed and or in our shoes, so particularily if I chance to die in bed with my boots on (preferrably while having sex) I want them to be nice, comfortable and I won't mind having paid a bit extra for them. (the bed and footwear, that is). I mean, for crying out loud--we're talking like about maybe 25-30 years of YOUR time--splurge a bit--go for the double ply toilet paper too! On that notion,I think a 'nicer' car and better, bigger computer monitors also add considerable 'quality' to time spent, which can be considerable in amount also--I travel with a killer, tough laptop and bring a lock for it on most trips and silica bags for my electronics, so they don't get effected by humidity.
 
I make copies of all important documents--my passport, credit cards and such. If you lose your credit/bank cards, it's hard to read the numbers on the back of them to call & report your loss, if you didn't make copies.

I don't carry a lot of cash money on my body (my relatives can't spend money I don't have, is a partial reason) but I do carry a couple expired credit cards and maybe $20 worth cash (small bills) in an old wallet, something that I can hand over if we do get robbed. I keep a larger cash stash in my skivies.
 
Fortunately I haven't had to use the copies of my important documents & c. cards. I'm so clever at hiding them in secret compartments and such, that I sometimes can't find them until I'm packing for our next trip. But I always try to think ahead. I even keep an extra set of car keys in the glovebox, in case I lock myself out. THINK!

[thekfc]

Am I the only one who don't take melatonin or the likes when he travels? 

[kennumen]

You're not. The only thing I even brought - medicine wise - is immodium. Everything else you have time to buy here.

Well I've also brought emergency malaria pills my sister forced on me. At least I think they're somewhere in my luggage.

I'm only 29 though, so perhaps it's a privilege of youth to skate by with little medicine.

[Godzilla]

Brita filtering water bottle (it may come useful, you never know) - I sent some to my wife's family & they love it. I will carry 2 for personal use on my next trip.

Does the Brita filtering bottle make the water safe to drink while I am there? Save me money on bottled water just to brush m teeth. Haha. I saw a slim one on Amazon for $10 so if it makes the water safe I think I would add that to my luggage.


Update:  received my passport today. Hooraaayy. Now I can start seriously shopping airfare. My lady said she would not start counting the days until i bought my ticket. Hehe. I paid for the expedited processing and it only took 11 days even over the Thanksgiving holiday. Not to shabby for the goverment. Now if they would only simplify and speed up the visa process we would all be happier.

[thekfc]

Does the Brita filtering bottle make the water safe to drink while I am there? Save me money on bottled water just to brush m teeth. Haha. I saw a slim one on Amazon for $10 so if it makes the water safe I think I would add that to my luggage.

It is more a water filter than a water purifier.

I would not use it as a stand alone, I would still recommend you use liquid Iodine / water-purifying tablets to purify the water & then the filter to get the "bad" taste out.

My wife's family use it for school, travel, drinking out of fountains, etc,.  They also transfer bottled water to the Brita.

[SkyNorth]

If you google this - Katadyn MyBottle Water Purifier - you will find a good water fitler for $60.
 
REI sells them as well.