50
WANDER
lUST
INTERVIEW AND TEXT BY CHARMAINE BAYLON; PHOTOS BY JILL LEJANO
FUN READ
PAM’S FIRST BOOK,
PAPER CUTS,
IS
AVAILABLE AT
NATIONALBOOKSTORE.COM.PH.
HER SECOND BOOK,
PLANET PANIC: STORIES
FROM THE QUEEN OF PROCRASTINATION,
WILL BE RELEASED THIS YEAR.
i
laptops, tablets, cameras,
game consoles, power banks,
e-book readers — and some
hotels are not equipped with
enough power outlets to
charge them all. It helps to
bring additional sockets.
BUY A LOCAL SIM
CARDWITH A DATA
PLAN
If you’re terrified of
switching on your data
roaming and you have an
unlocked phone, buy a SIM
at your destination. Look
up different companies to
find the one that will give
you the most bang for your
buck. Choose one that will
let you use your phone as a
WiFi hotspot so your laptop,
iPad and other devices can
connect too.
Getting a local SIM has
so many advantages. You
will always have access to
Google Maps and all your
other travel apps, making it
easy to change your plans
throughout the day. You
can use free messaging
apps so you don’t have to
pay exorbitant rates for text
messages and calls back
home. You will have a local
number, making it easy
for you to communicate
with friends who live in the
area; it also lets you call
your tour guide and local
establishments with ease.
And you can Instagram
anytime you want.
MAKE GOOGLE
TRANSLATE YOUR
BEST FRIEND
This app came to my rescue
so many times. I used it to
communicate with the hotel
receptionist in Japan who
couldn’t find a package I was
waiting for. I used it to help
a confused Vietnamese lady
who was trying to travel from
the US to Taiwan. I wish I
had Google Translate in my
phone when I kept getting
lost in Valencia.
FINDOUTWHERE
THE LOCALS EAT
Do your homework before
leaving — check food blogs
based in the cities you’re
visiting, Yelp like crazy, bug
people on that city’s Reddit
subreddit, look up restaurant
hashtags and make every
meal count. Remember, more
expensive doesn’t always
mean better. You can eat well
and enjoy delicious food on
a budget. But know when to
splurge too. I paid over US$30
for a lobster roll at Ed’s Lobster
Bar [in New York] twice and I
have no regrets. I would gladly
do it again.
ALWAYS BRING A
NOTEBOOK AND PEN
Take notes and jot down
conversations you overhear so
you can keep a diary of your
trip. Use your phone to take
notes covertly.
WALK, WALK, WALK…
…and take public
transportation. It’s a great
way to get a feel for the
local life.
BRING BACK
SOMETHING SPECIAL
I’m obsessed with Dr.
Martens shoes. I buy a new
pair in each destination as
my souvenir. I like looking
down at the shoes I’m
wearing and being reminded
of a great trip.
AND IF, LIKE ME, YOU
LOVE NAIL POLISH…
Travel is a great opportunity
to discover new brands and
find bottles you’ve been
searching for. Look up nail
blogs in cities you’re visiting
to find out about special
brands that might only be
available there. And check
out the duty-free shops.
I almost fell over when I
pulled open a drawer at one
of the duty-free shops at
the airport in Johannesburg
and found a whole bunch of
elusive, discontinued Chanel
shades that had been on my
list forever.
I always have nail polish
remover, nail polish and a
top coat in my luggage,
even on super-short
trips, in case of manicure
emergencies. I often bring
nail polish as gifts for my nail
polish-obsessed friends in
different parts of the world.
My polish addiction has
helped me make new friends
in other countries.
Clockwise from top: Playing with seagulls at Atlantic City Boardwalk; with
friends at a Halloween parade in New York City; at Hobbiton in New Zealand
