Indulge

KNOW WHAT TO PACK

When we travel, we try to bring everything we need as much as we can. But admit it, there will be things that you’ll have to let go to avoid over baggage or having that bulgy effect on your travel backpack. Here are some tips and pointers to review before packing your things for that most awaited trip.

1. Roll your clothes. You’re literally going to have more space if you do this technique. If you’ll be traveling for a week, bring clothes good for a week only plus one set of extra clothes (who knows? There might be certain circumstances when you’re not in control and you need to have that extra shirt). Don’t bring too much as this will just consume space.

2. Bring your travel toiletries, not your whole toiletries at home. Your big bottle of shampoo and bar of soap, your bottle of lotion and other girly items – they are all bulky. A lot of department stores and shops sell travel bottles. Just fill in those tiny containers and bottles and make sure to label them so you won’t be confused. Worried it might spill over inside your luggage? Worry not. Uncap the bottle, put the plastic on top of the opened lid and have it sealed with the cap (as what is shown in the photo below). Also, most hotels have towels already so you won’t really need to bring that (you can also bring a face towel).

3. For packing your shoes or slippers, I suggest to have it packed in a shoe organizer to avoid having dirt on your clothes inside the luggage. You can also put your socks inside your shoes to maximize the space left. But I suggest, you can just wear your shoes even still at the airport because it’s really bulky. You can, however, pack your sandals or slippers inside your luggage as these are thinner usually compared to rubber shoes.

4. Have a separate storage/space for your undergarments. You wouldn’t want these exposed automatically when you open your luggage, right? Besides, it’ll keep your brassieres in good shape. You can also insert here your socks and handkerchiefs to consume the whole space.

5. Passport, visa and other related documents should stay with you always. These are very important. If you plan to check in your baggage, DO NOT EVER ATTEMPT to leave your documents inside your checked in luggage. There are some instances wherein luggages are late or even lost!

6. Your itinerary copy should be along with your documents. Or, you can take a photo of it for easier viewing (since we are actually using phones most of the time now).

7. Bring your power bank with you along with your charger too. Who knows where your feet my bring you. You don’t need to worry about getting a low battery on your trip. Taking lots of pictures can also drain your battery life fast.

8. You can bring your hat and sunglasses for sun protection but I suggest not to have it packed in the luggage to save space. Wear it instead.

9. DO NOT put your laptop or gadget inside a checked in luggage. So many things could go wrong and you wouldn’t want to be in trouble anytime soon. If you’re bringing gadgets, make it fit in your hand carried bag.

10. Don’t forget to bring your camera with charger (in case you won’t be using smart phones and you prefer to put into use your photography skills with your DSLR).

Yerevan, Armenia

The Travel Bug Admin
Jan 24, 2018
4 min read

Updated: Feb 3, 2018

Yerevan in a glance

Yerevan, the Pink City as what they call it, is located at the heart of Armenia. This country is now becoming a popular destination for Filipino expatriates in the United Arab Emirates who are waiting for the issuance of their visas. There is no direct flight from Manila to Armenia, however, you can fly there from Dubai in a span of 3 hours only.

I’ve never really been familiar to this country before. Well, not after I was relocated in the UAE. And so, I decided to travel to Armenia after the expiry of my Dubai visit visa. It’s a little bit scary going to a place where you don’t know anybody but it’s actually fun and exciting at the same time (This is actually my first time to travel abroad alone). By the time the plane lands, you have to check the counter and have your money change into Armenian Dollar (AMD) and stand in cue for the issuance of your visa on arrival.

I can clearly remember that I went looking for the “Comfort Room” inside the Airport and the staff kept on telling me that they don’t have such. That’s impossible, I said to myself. So I searched the whole Airport lobby hoping to find it and soon enough, I bumped into the Toilet. So basically, Armenia is influenced by the British language. They use “Toilet” instead of “Comfort Room”.

Then I looked for an airport transfer vehicle to take me to my hostel which is a 20-minute drive from Zvarnots International Airport.

Tip: Most deals include airport transfers already. But in my case, I have to look for a vehicle since it’s not included in my package. However, try to ask for a few drivers first before confirming because some may charge you for an expensive amount (My first query was AMD 15,000, around AED 114 or PHP 1,577 but after several bargaining to other drivers, I found a vehicle that charges only AMD 6,000– that’s around AED 46 or PHP 637, more than half of the first bargain)

I arrived at Yerevan Hostel at around 4:30 in the afternoon. The room that I booked was like a dormitory style good for 8 people. Kindly note that men and women are mixed inside the dormitory style room, in case you will be shocked to see someone of another gender walking so casually in boxers or pajamas.

So right then and there, my first stop is the St. Gregory, the Illuminator, Cathedral (St. Grigor Lusavorich Cathedral) which is known to be currently the largest cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the world. Armenia is also known to be the first country to adapt Christianity as a religion and Armenians often times consider themselves as the direct descendants of Noah (Noah’s arc landed on Mt. Ararat, the great symbol of holiness of Armenia but then geographically, the mountain is now situated in its neighboring country, Turkey). Keep your voice down to the minimum and everything will be just fine. You can also go to the underground prayer room and light a candle.

St. Grigor Lusavorich

Next stop is the Republic Square. Sure, the Republic Square is wonderful at daytime, but head to this place during the night and see the magical dancing fountain right before your very eyes. I’m sure you’ll love it just as I do. There is no excuse not to see the country’s most outstanding architectural ensemble. It was dubbed as the “Pink City” also because of the stone color used for the constructions of the buildings.

Republic Square at night

Moving forward, your trip to this country wouldn’t be complete without going up to the top of the Cascade. It is a giant stairwell gives a full view of the whole city of Yerevan and of Mt. Ararat without any obstructions. You can directly go to Victory Park afterwards and visit Mother Armenia.

The Cascade

It is much recommended to head also to the North Avenue, take a stroll and shop. This is a famous place to high end branded shops, coffee shops and luxurious hotels and if you’re lucky enough, you may get to see some of the locals perform on the street.

The Yerevan Opera and Ballet Theatre is also a must visit as this is one of the most beautiful structures built in Yerevan. I would love to watch Swan Lake here if given the chance.

Yerevan Opera and Ballet Theatre

And of course, who wouldn’t want to have a little souvenir? Head to the Yerevan Vernissage where you’ll find cheap souvenirs ranging from shirts, kitchen magnets, key chains, rugs and carpet, carvings and any other historical symbols of the country. However, it is best to visit the Vernissage at daytime since they sometimes close as early as 5:00 PM.

Yerevan Vernissage

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go visit the Blue Mosque and the Matenaderan. These are also structures that exemplifies the profound architecture of this country (aside from its rich history and culture, of course).

I haven’t has the luxury of time to travel and see the other scenic views which are a bit far from the city. When I get a chance to go back here in the future, I might as well book tour packages for Garni Temple, Tsaghkadzor, Lake Sevan, Geghard Monastery, Tatev Monastery, Khor Virap, Sevanavank and the Erebuni Fortress.

Indeed, Armenia is an underrated country which deserves more tourists. It is a hidden gem in the Caucasus region with richness in history, structures, biblical relevance, nature and hospitable people. Its beauty and magnificence is so hidden that only the lucky ones are given the chance to see it.