The World Through LOMO

I still am not convinced I should get myself an SLR a.k.a. fancy camera.

'Cos I'm (still) so untalented when it comes to using gadgety things like that. I only want one because I want good quality pictures, longer battery life and, well, something else to maybe complement my current p&s while on my travels.

In the meantime, as I remain indecisive, I actually moved along the opposite end of the spectrum and got myself these some time back:

A blue UWS (Ultra Wide Slim) from Superheadz.

An authentic used Russian-made Lomo Smena 8M. It even smells like Russia, kind of. I nicknamed this 'Gorby' :P.

These use 35mm films; remember those days of yore? (No? You can't be that young!) They're fully mechanical/manually-operated. No batteries needed. Just your thumbs and fingers. It's quite fiddly having to load and unload the film, haven't got the hang of it. And that you can't view the pic after you've snapped it was a major getting-used-to.

So far I have only used one roll of film, and now I need to get it burned on to a CD.

Wonder how the pics will turn out.

Travel Gear : An Update

Some months back I wrote about getting a few things for my travels.

So just an update:

(i) microfibre travel bath towel. Check. Got them in Singapore.

(ii) wide brimmed bush hat. Check. Got one in mossy green in Bako.

(iii) adidas kampung four stripes :). Check. Bought a pair in Kuala Penyu.

Changed my mind on :

(i) Combination locks because I found most of my little Tricircle padlocks that I can still use. Plus the good combilocks (TSA) I saw were pretty pricey and not within my budget.

(ii) Leech socks, because I'm just going to avoid leech-infested areas as far as possible. Easier, huh?

Oh and am definitely learning to travel light. So far I have only used my 38l backpack once, the rest of the time I rely on my trusty 28-30l backpack. I read somewhere that 3 pairs of every clothing is all you need for a trip, and I can't agree more. My back and shoulders will thank me for such light loads, especially when there's a lot of walking and moving around.

And yesterday I found and got a pair of binoculars, for my 'nature appreciation' outings.

So no more items on my shopping list, for now :)

My Ultimate Packing List - Clothing

At last, the final in my series : My Ultimate Packing List - featuring Clothing.

Standard List:

1. Cotton tees

2. Shorts

3. Cargo long pants - for the outward and return flights

4. Cargo shorts or denim skirt - depends on destination

4. Old, faithful comfy tee and shorts - for sleeping

5. Towel - medium thickness

6. Sarong - doubles up as a 'beach/floor mat', extra 'blanket', or pillow 'cover'

7. Undies

8. Socks - in case it gets too cold at night

Beach List:

1. Swimwear

2. Light loose tee

Jungle / Trekking List:

1. Leech socks

2. Extra socks

The length of the travels determines how many tees and shorts I'd be packing. I normally bring 4 tees, 2 shorts for a 3-4 day trip. I can't remember the last time I wore my jeans on trips. Too heavy, and too hot to wear in our climate.

Rolling them up into swiss roll-like shapes is the best way to maximise space. Tried and tested. And apparently least crinkly. Undies are kept in a separate cotton string bag for easy retrieval.

I'm also thinking to be on a lookout for those lightweight, super absorbent, quick-drying, travel towels next time; don't think I can find it here in KK. Ah, so my shopping is not yet complete.

I want to buy:

1. Adidas kampung - Recommended footwear for jungle trekking. Won't break the bank :)

2. Leech socks - after my pacat incident, I want to invest in something like these.

3. The abovementioned travel towel. Only if the price is reasonable.

4. Combination locks - at least 2.

5. Wide brimmed bush hat - coz it provides better coverage than a cap. And it's foldable. 

I promise myself I won't splurge. In fact, I'll be frugal - so if anyone knows where I can get a good deal, please give a shout.

Say Cheeze Whizz

Hopping here and there in the blogosphere reading about travelling adventures, I must say most of the blogs feature great pictures. Which, with good captions, help to tell the story better.

I travel with my Pentax Optio, which is good enough for me, for now. And I haven't mastered all its functions, even after 2 years..hmmph.

Man, I know I suck at taking pictures. Tested and proven. I've got shaky hands, apparently. Pictures always come out blurry. Or subject not 'centered'. Something like that. Or too far. Or too small.

So that's why I did not jump on to the dSLR bandwagon like almost half the people I know. I would love to get one for myself, doesn't matter whichever brand. I do have a liking for a certain bright yellow colour though.

So you know now why I have so many pictures of my feet. 

(No, I don't have a fetish) They're the easiest to take!

I think I need to learn how to use my timer function first, as it will come in handy when on solo travels. I'm not so much into taking hundreds of pictures anyway, recently in Phuket I stopped and cut down after 2 days. It felt .. hmm, I'm not sure. It felt like a chore.

Maybe, (maybe!), one day, if (when) I'm lucky enough to travel the world over, I won't need to rely on too many Kodak moments for the memories. I will rely on my reckless grey cells and my beating heart for lasting impressions, and have the moments imprinted for as long as it can hold on.

After all, for me, being there - present in all faculties, soaking in all the vibes, seeing people, things and places, with your eyes and not behind the lens - is what makes travelling exciting.

Having said that, I hope to pick up some skills soon so I won't be such a klutz anymore.

Travel Gear and Stuff

In my recent travels I have relied on my High Sierra backpack as my main travel bag. I like the fact that it's expandable so I can cram any last minute stuff inside on the return flight. Got that one real cheap in KLCC. I know I still want a proper backpack for longer durations.

So, I invested in these last week in Phuket:

Deuter Futura Pro 38. Spent almost 2 hours agonising over which one to choose coz there were so many! In the end it was a toss between a Futura 34 SL in black, or a Futura Pro 38 in cobalt. Went for the latter. Gotta rethink how I pack next time I use it as it is a toploader. And I stopped myself from buying a matching washbag coz I already have a brandless - in black and orange - squarish, roomy one from Guardian for only RM17.   

FeelFree Dry Bag 10 ltr and Ocean Pack Dry Bag 5 ltr. Finally got these for all those wet days and water-related outings. I thought yellow was a bit common, so got them in black and dark green.

Teva Hurricane Sandals - Green, Size 6. These were not on the shopping list, but since they were 50% off I couldn't say no, and besides they had my size, the last pair! I'll still use my brown FOS flipflops, which now have travelled with me everywhere I've been in the past one year.

All items were on sale in JungCeylon at unbeatable prices. Dang, come to think of it I should have bought more of other stuff that were on sale. But the thought of excess luggage and of having to deal with more than 2 bags on the flight back kept me grounded in reality. Good girl.

I guess my shopping list for travel gear and stuff stops here for now, I think I've got everything I need.

I Love RuMe

I got my RuMe bags last week from Tiny Tapir.

Front view.

Side view; gusset enables the bag to stand upright when filled up.

Roomy enough.

My favourite is the Hamptons Fall in NY - Mini, pictured above. It is roomy, and looks classy. The structured body helps to keep the bag in form. Straps were wide enough for a comfortable hang on the shoulder. I love bags which has room for all my stuff, that's why the past few years I have not used a proper handbag to work or for casual outings. I prefer to use tote bags or at least bags which have roomy compartments.

This is another Mini I got, Fifth Avenue Fall in NY. Very bohemian-chic, gypsy like. Nice! I don't have a picture of it now as my sister borrowed it, will update later. This one is a pic from the catalogue.

The Escape Silicon Valley.

I hung it on a chair since it was empty.

See how big it is.

The Escape Silicon Valley was in Regular, much bigger than I expected. And here I was wanting the Macro size! This looks like it can fit 6 shoeboxes! Yet to be tried though but I am sure it can accommodate at least that.

I am already thinking of getting some more RuMes :)

RuMe bags really don't look like reusable bags at all. And I'm thinking these actually make great gifts as well. Lightweight, compact when rolled up and not in use, machine washable, water resistant, elegant patterns, and most importantly for us girls, stylish and versatile enough for day out, or for grocery shopping! Whatever I buy I can just chuck them in the bag, so I won't need the shop's bags or other extra packaging.

If those facts haven't rocked you yet, perhaps the fact that they are made in a South Korean Fair Trade Factory will.

RuMe stands for 'Re Use Me'; so you get the idea. So we can all do something to slowly reduce our dependence on plastic bags.

My take : I love 'em!

What I Wear on My Feet

In finalising My Ultimate Packing Checklist I did some research on the internet. And while surfing on the subject of travel footwear, somehow I ended up in the Ipanema flipflops site, promoting Giselle Bundchen's latest designs.

Ooh, I so want this : The GB Ipanema Seeds Life Brown Sandal

Thing is, they are so pretty, and so pricey for sandals; them glorified flip flops. For the same price, I can get maybe 3 or even 4 pairs of shoes at a Vincci sale. So, I really don't know whether I should get it before my next holiday. These are available at RSH, Warisan Square and I've been eyeing them everytime I'm there to windowshop.

And just now at Watson's I saw Made in China knock offs for a quarter of the price. Gah. But I don't like knock offs. I'd rather have an original rather than a knock off or a fake one.

These days I usually wear my well-travelled brown FOS flip flops - a birthday gift, and an Ipanema Brazil pair that was on sale. Not too mention 2 Bali flipflops (er, they are somewhere in the house), and bright yellow selipar jepun from Kalabakan.

Shoes-wise, I usually wear my Adidas Gazelle or my grey trainers, and now I have my red Originals.

So do I really need another pair of sandals or shoes? 

Sometimes being indecisive has its benefits. 

I will delay this hankering for new footwear for as long as I can. 

I Want To Travel Light, a.k.a. My Ultimate Packing Checklist

I've always wanted to travel light.

With the luggage fees imposed by Air Asia, I'd rather save the money towards actual travelling expenses. The advantages of light travelling outweigh the cons, and I like the fact that it 'forces' me to plan and think of what to pack. Instead of just chucking things into the bag like I used to. Bleh, I was so ignorant and blur = lazy.

What I like most about travelling with just one backpack is that it is easier for you to move around, your hands are free and the weight is spread comfortably on your shoulders. And another big plus is that you need not wait for your luggage at the carousel in the airport, you just whizz by after the Immigration :). Especially after a long flight or a delay.

I always bring another small slingbag for the purse, phone, camera, tickets etc. This helps a lot as I don't have to take off my backpack to fumble through the pockets for all these little things.

Until recently I used to death a brandless backpack I bought from Parkson in 2002 or 2003. The zipper gave way, the rest of it still in good condition. For the price I paid, 5 years is a good lifespan.

My current backpack is a simple High Sierra design, expandable by about 30% so that helps with extra stuff and purchases. Good for a 3-max 4 day trip, it probably fits about 25 litres or so full size, I think. In future I think I might get one that's slightly bigger, if I see one that I really like at a pretty price. Those high-end ones are really nice. With very pretty price tags too.

I have been discovering best ways to travel light through trial and error. 

And I'd like to think that I have almost perfected the art of travelling light; in truth I have not mastered it yet actually. Some days I find that I end up with things I don't really use and I bring them just because. And some days I forget things, like sunblock (I have 3 bottles now, duh)

Am currently doing some homework to prepare My Ultimate Packing Checklist. Will post when it's ready :)