Travel Gear Shopping Spartan-style

For the longest time, I've been contemplating if I'm gonna buy this hiking sack to complete my gala gears and ultimately solve my travel luggage conundrum. A few months back, I kept coming back to the luggage section of Sta. Lucia Mall's department store and ogled cynically at the price tag, saying that they had slashed 50% off the bag's original price (the bag is originally priced at Php2,999). The sales man, of course exhibiting his usual commercial tact, actually advised that I should buy it right away as the sale was a limited-time offer. When I realized that I got to dedicate my hard-earned moolah to some more important stuff, with a teary eye I walked away from the bargain like a jilted lover.

Yesterday, I thought I'd be an unrelenting suitor and checked if Penelope was still faithfully sitting on her corner of the store. My eyes were fixed on a single direction and went straight to that same section where the bag was. Luckily, the sack was still there. I reached out for the price tag, filled with hopes that it would still profess her steadfast love for me.

(The bag was still on sale! Goddamn these marketing shenanigans.)

I was ecstatic nonetheless, but didn't show any signs of joy to the attending sales man. Instead, I acted like a meticulous, poker-faced shopper, examining the details of the bag inch by inch. I let him demonstrate all the features of the sack including the rain cover, zippers, pockets, straps, metal frame back support and the quality of the materials used.

"OK. Bilhin ko na yan." I told the sales man after a rigorous inspection. He gladly escorted me to the cashier, and I thanked him for being very helpful. Hah, Penelope is my slave now. LOL

But my shopping episode did not end there. I raided Japan Home Center and looked around gleefully like a little child in a toy store. I ended up buying a seven-piece pack of disposable underwear (LOL), an industrial version of a Swiss army knife and a waterproof pouch. I made a quick trip to National Bookstore and bought a pack of Ice Breaker before going home.

Well now at least a new set of gears were added to my travel collection. Hell, I'm off to Coron in a few days! :D