Travel tales

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." — Mark Twain

It’s summer and not yet too late for you to make travel plans!

For when you travel, it is not just your feet that move. Your mind goes on a journey, too. So does your heart, which races with excitement with every new discovery — a deserted beach, a field crowded with tulips, a new glass skyscraper, an ancient stone temple, a wondrous basilica, a breathtaking mosque!

Though I had hopped on a plane early in life, it wasn’t till I was in my twenties that I hopped on one that crossed the Pacific and the Atlantic.

But once I stepped on foreign soil, the travel bug sank its teeth on my flesh, releasing an addiction that I have no desire to quell with an antidote. I was hooked.

Fortunately, I had a job that gave me the chance to travel, even if each trip meant I had to work like a slave in Ferragamos (because you had to dress well in order to enter palaces and other princely halls). I was the close-in reporter of then President Cory Aquino from 1986 to 1992. My bosses then, the esteemed Press Secretary Teddy Benigno, broadcast czarina Maria Montelibano (my good friend now) and Mila Alora (my kumare now) were such slave drivers it was an embarrassment (a crime) to sleep for more than three hours on their watch.

Still it was a privilege to be in Cory Aquino’s entourage when all the world laid a red carpet on her feet. And even if I was just a tape recorder-toting alalay, I basked in her glory, all the while thinking, "This is history, this is history!"

Most memorable was her state visit to France in 1989, when the republic was celebrating its Bicentennial. Cory’s state visit overlapped with the Bicentennial celebration — to which world leaders like President Bush the elder were invited — but as all the world leaders were arriving, it was the Philippine flag that was fluttering along the Champs Elysees. Oh, I can never forget that!

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My mother-in-law, quoting one of her favorite saints, once told me, "To travel is to see God." Which is perhaps why, travel to me is not just a physical treat, it is an edifying experience.

So, as long as you can, travel. Work hard and reward yourself. Save in order to travel, don’t travel in order to save. With the cutthroat airline business, fares are getting more affordable. Keep your eyes open for promos and tour packages. To those of you who have not yet firmed up travel plans, here are some unforgettable destinations that aren’t just places on the map -— they will be landmarks in your memory.

1. The Vatican. It was during my visit to the Vatican, while staring at Michaelangelo’s frescoes, that I had an instant catechism refresher course. As I marveled at the frescoes, I realized that there undisputedly is a God. That man alone, uninspired and unguided by a higher being, could not have been capable of such genius. It was awesome.

2. The Niagara Falls, Canadian side. These Horseshoe Falls, which fall on the Canadian side of the border, made the first white men who saw them fall on their knees in praise of the Creator. On a boat that ventured close to the Falls, spray mist invigorating my face and my soul, I felt like doing the same.

3. Sydney Bridge, Sydney, Australia. I "conquered" this bridge, which takes the shape of a coathanger. Engineers made it possible for intrepid tourists, attached to cables, to climb to the peak of this 456-ft.-tall bridge. Once in the summit of this Mt. Everest of sorts, the wind hissing on your face, and the cars below you looking like matchboxes, you truly feel like you’re on top of the world.

4. The Teak Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. Everything in this intricately carved palace is made of teak, down to the last nail.

5. Ephesus, Turkey. With its Roman ruins, including an amphitheater and a Library. Near Ephesus is the home where Mary is believed to have died and been assumed into heaven ("The Assumption"), a place where Muslims and Christians gather in peace. Here, tears fell unbidden from my eyes.

6. Capadoccia, Turkey. A city that is a virtual "rock" concert, where homes and fortresses are carved into giant rocks and stones, and where rocks look like pieces of modern sculpture.

7. The Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm in Siem Reap, Cambodia. You will be stone in love at first sight, with 300 sandstone Buddhist temples mocking time. The most magnificent of these temples is the Angkor Wat, which is of the height of the Notre Dame in Paris.

8. Jerusalem, a holy place for three major religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The only place where you can retrace the footsteps of Christ.

9. The Cathedral and Bell Tower in Seville, Spain.

10. The Freedom of the Seas of Royal Caribbean Lines, the biggest cruise ship in the world. Taller than the Eiffel Tower if measured upright and wider than the White House, it is a destination in itself.

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Here are some down-to-earth travel tips:

1. Carry a bag with sections, so you don’t feel like you’re on dig whenever you have to fish out your passport, tickets, coin purse or pocket tissues.

2. Wear comfortable shoes whenever you have to go on a walking tour, or you might end up buying extra shoes instead of that Pucci scarf.

3. Bring powdered detergent and Lysol wipes.

4. Bring small containers of shampoo, lotion, mouthwash, etc. so they won’t take too much space.

5. Bring an extra collapsible bag that you can stuff in your suitcase so that you don’t have to buy an extra piece of luggage for the inevitable when you pack for the journey home.

6. Live each moment, and don’t waste time looking for the cheapest prices or the best exchange rates. You might get the best rate, but miss the sights altogether!

Travel Checklist

Home Checklist
• Arrange for pet and plant care
• Stop routine deliveries
• Make your home seem lived-in while away by putting lights and a radio on timers
• Turn down thermostat
• Leave keys and itinerary with a friend
• Lock windows, garage and doors

Before you Leave
• Guide books and maps
• Passport and visa(s)
• Foreign currency of your destination country
• Credit cards
• Travelers checks or ATM card
• Insurance: Trip Cancellation/Medical
• Personal Identification
• Photocopies of documentation
• Birth Certificate (if necessary)
• Marriage License (if necessary)

Basic Essentials
• Appropriate Luggage
• Luggage Locks & ID
Tags (Do NOT Lock checked baggage)
• Appropriate Clothing
• Comfortable Footwear
• Rain Protection
• Camera and Film (Place film in carry-on baggage)
• Telephone Plugs for Modem
• Small Flashlight
• Travel Alarm Clock
• Small Binoculars
• Brimmed Hat or Visor
• Reading Materials
• Playing Cards/Games
• Address Book

Maintenance Items
• Batteries for camera and flashlight
• Mini Sewing Kit (place in checked baggage)
• Travel Iron or Steamer
Sink Stopper
• Folding Scissors (place in checked baggage)
• Laundry Soap Packets
• Laundry Bag
• Ziplock Plastic Bags

Medication
• First Aid Kit
• Aspirin/Pain Reliever
• Cold/Sinus Medication
• Diarrhea Medicine
• Laxative
• Insect Repellent
• Contact Lens Preparations
• Antibiotic Ointment
• Alcohol Wipes
• Sunscreen
• Motion Sickness Medicine
• Personal Hygiene Items
• Personal Prescriptions

Toiletries
• Comb/Brush
• Toothbrush/Paste
• Dental Floss
• Shampoo
• Blow Dryer
• Deodorant
• Lotions/Creams
• Cologne
• Lipbalm
• Towelettes
• Shaving Cream
• Towel/Washcloth
• Earplugs

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You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.com