Preparing for the Philippines

Of all the countries in Asia, you might ask, “How did I end up in the Philippines?” for Christmas and NYE this year. I’ve been living in Sydney, Australia for the past year and had just been back to the States so I was eager for a new adventure.  A colleague was keen to come along and had a friend in the Philippines so boom – country locked.

The Planning:

I know ZLITCH about the Philippines.  There are 7,500 islands to visit (yikes) so it’s a daunting task to build an itinerary.  I quickly discarded the South since it isn’t particularly safe for tourists (I’d be traveling alone for the first week).  Usually I pick a country because I’ve read a book or done some research in advance and know what I want to see.  This was a new experience for me so I asked Facebook.

I received tons of feedback but the one that stood out to me was a 5 day sailing trip with TAO Philippines.  My experiences sailing the British Virgin Islands and Croatia’s coastline has taught me there’s no better way to knock out a country of sea and islands than seeing it by boat.

I submitted my application to join the crew.  Yes, you have to submit an application so they can weed out the “princesses” who won’t be able to handle the sunburns, bug bites, smelly toilets, random dogs and hard floors of the bamboo hut sleeping quarters.  I received my confirmation a few days later.

This made planning the first half of my trip easier as the boat goes from El Nido to Coron (you can also travel the other direction).  There seemed to be more to do in Coron so I decided to end there.  It does take about 3 days to get to El Nido from Sydney and I had to time it to arrive for the 5pm boat check-in the day before departure.

Next up was determining where I should meet my friend for the second half of my trip.  Originally I was thinking Coron because I'd already be there but soon learned it's best known for diving – no thanks, I’m terrified of the ocean.  I also wanted (no shock here) a party location for NYE.  More Facebook consulting and Boracay filtered to the top.

An Itinerary was born...

Day 1:               Sydney to Manila

Day 2:               Manila to Puerto Princesa

Day 3:               5 hrs Bus to El Nido (5pm Check-in) 

Day 4:               8:30am El Nido departure on TAO

Day 5 – 8:        On the Boat

Day 9:               Arrive in Coron (5:30pm) 

Day 10:             Fly to Boracay by way of Manila

Day 11 – 13:     Boracay

Day 14:             Manila to Sydney

Now, looking back on this itinerary here is what I'd change with the same timeframe:

Day 1:               Sydney to Manila

Day 2:               Morning flight direct to El Nido (boat check-in) 

Day 3:               8:30am departure on TAO

Day 4 - 8:         On the Boat

Day 9:               Arrive in Coron (5:30pm) 

Day 10:             Fly to Boracay by way of Manila

Day 11 – 13:     Boracay

Day 14:             Manila to Sydney

Why?

1. It took three days to get to El Nido because from Sydney you can only arrive in Manila at night.  No real way to get around this.
2. I stupidly booked an early afternoon flight to PP.  Book a morning flight because they are less likely to be delayed and then you get almost a full day to see PP (the underground river is apparently awesome).  Better yet, just pay a little more for a direct morning flight to El Nido. I took the bus which was a great experience (ride with and befriend locals and see the countryside) but it’s definitely a one-time experience.
3. If you do go bus; Don’t book a bus in advance.  When you arrive in PP, have them take you to the private van hires - cut 2 hours off my bus trip.
4. Definitely glad I didn’t spend any extra time in Coron – it’s is ONLY diving and pretty boring otherwise.  No beach.  If I'd had more days I would've ended in El Nido and stayed extra time.  Something to think about if you have more than 14 days. 
5. Definitely book a "one ticket" flight from Coron to Boracay instead of two separate flights (you have to go through Manila).  This allows you to have your checked bag go through to your final destination which is awesome and means you skip the security line.  At Philippine airports you have to wait in an airport security line to get INTO the airport AND THEN do the regular security line to get to the gate.
6. Boracay is a bitch to get to/from the airport so leave yourself PLENTY of time.  One of the best choices I made was booking the $25 USD transfer to/from the airport to Boracay Beach Club. 

If I could've had my ultimate itinerary and taken three more days...

Day 1:               Sydney to Manila

Day 2:               Morning flight direct to Coron (boat check-in) 

Day 3:               8:30am departure on TAO

Day 4 - 8:         On the Boat

Day 9:               Arrive in El Nido (5:30pm) 

Day 10:             Full day and night in El Nido

Day 11:              Fly to Boracay by way of Manila 

Day 12 – 15:     Boracay

Day 16:             Manila to Sydney

So what did I pack, purchase and wish I hadn't bought?

Usually I refuse to check a bag (since usually the airline loses it for me).  But unfortunately this time, due to the things I needed to bring for the boat trip, I would have to check.  Below is my packing list of must haves, optional items and items that you can buy there before the boat (this list is post-trip to it's been updated with any changes I would've made to the original list).  

Must Haves:

• 3+ swimsuits: I brought like 5 and wore them all (you live in them)
• 3-4 changes of casual clothes: You are roughing it and nothing feels nicer than fresh clothes in the morning. I recommend T-shirts and shorts.  Maybe 1 nice sundress for the pub crawl in Boracay if you decide to go on it.  I was there for NYE so I brought a cute dress for the celebration.  Otherwise it’s literally singlets, swimmers, shorts and thongs all the time.
• 1-2 long sleeve shirts and pants: The mosquitoes don’t mess around.  Bring something long and light because it’s still hot but you will want the coverage.
• All terrain shoes or “aqua socks”: you are swimming and nature walking and hiking and climbing and boating.  Thongs are annoying because they fall off.  Protect your feet and be prepared for anything!
• 2-3 Bags: Sounds weird right?  You basically have 2-3 bags for the boat. 
• The “Big Bag”: ideally you hand over the first day and don’t access until the end of the tour (I used my Country Road bag).  Store items you won’t use on the boat.
• Dry Bag: Wait to buy in El Nido unless you already have one.  I highly recommend 30+ size so that you can store all overnight items (i.e. multiple changes of clothes) so you don’t have to repack it every night.
• Day Bag: Leave topside on the boat to access stuff during the day.  I used my small CamelBak.
• Waterproof bag:  Just something large enough to separate dirty/wet clothes from dry/clean clothes like a trash bag.
• 2 towels: Both a beach and “shower” towel.  Definitely bring two – again you feel super dirty by the end of each day and using a cleanish shower towel is so much better than repurposing that sandy beach towel.
• Sea sickness pills: I like the preventive kind that you take every morning regardless. 
• 3 bottles of Deet: I used ALL of them.
• Sunscreen: Face sunscreen and waterproof spray for your body.  Particularly traveling alone I didn’t want a “single girl sunburn” so good to have a spray that you can get your own shoulders.

Optional/Buy There:

• Flippers: If you have them or insist on them for snorkeling; bring them.  I didn’t have them and later realized how tiring it is to snorkel with “regular” feet.  Hard to find flippers for a reasonable price in El Nido so bring or buy elsewhere in advance.
• Rash guard/wet suit top: You can buy these for super cheap in El Nido if you don’t have one.  Really just need a top and it’s more for sunburn on your back while snorkeling than sea creatures.  It makes me feel safe so I bought one there.
• Snorkel/Mask: TAO provides this but mine was pretty terrible and keep fogging up.  Might want to bring your own or buy in El Nido.
• Alcohol: A case of beer is included in your boat trip but they recommend also buying a liter of alcohol and a list of mixer per person.
• Portable speaker: if you like to have music on the journey/campsite.

Lastly, I purchased an Optus Travel Plan and it was so pointless.  There is free wifi EVERYWHERE.  Get a Philippines SIM if you desperately need to call or text people.  They do 7,14, etc day plan options.  But I honestly don't think you need it.  All airports have free wifi except Coron and Boracay beach basically has wifi even on the beach.

Now you've got all the basic information, feel free to plan a trip.  But if you want the dirty details and travel tips stay tuned for my next post with reviews of my hotels, the boat, my activities and the islands themselves.

Burning Man Packing List - What You REALLY Need

So I've seen about 4241525456436 packing lists for Burning Man and most of them I feel like are really excessive.   I've edited my list from last year based on my experience and what I plan to take this year along with comments.  I also provided photos where possible.

CLOTHING

• Costumes - I planned all sorts of outfits and then basically wore none of them and just tooled around in shorts, bikini tops, and flowy clothes by day and my animal fleece onesie at night.  The key is flowy and loose.  Jeans, even shorts, are really uncomfortable and remember no logos!  Plus you don't want to do feathers, glitter, etc, because it's MOOP.  Here are example outfits:

• Fleece onesie - CRUCIAL - I cannot explain to you HOW COLD it gets at night.  I don't care if you have the warmest beer jacket ever you will freeze.  I was wearing a thick, full body, animal onesie (pictured below) and if I was standing away from people I was cold. 
• Full WINTER outfit if you don't go onesie.  It can get to FREEZING temps out there so think post ski day - fleece pants, warm jacket, tall wool socks.  Layers are the best so you can add and subtract.

• Boots - CRUCIAL - You would think in the desert you'd be all about the flip flops but honestly I wore flipflops Day One and then my ankle black boots the rest of the time.  Keeps your feet in better condition because they don't dry out and means you avoid stepping on anything unpleasant and protects your feet at night.  Here are the ones I'm wearing this year:

• Socks - CRUCIAL
• Underwear
• Swimsuits - CRUCIAL - just way easier than underwear in a lot of cases.  I just wore swimsuits all day everyday
• Face Mask/Scarf/Handkerchief - I used this face mask last year and it was kind of annoying so I rarely used it.  When I'd breathe in the fabric would go into my mouth which was uncomfortable.  I'd either do a hard mask (like the ones people wearing on planes) or just a small handkerchief that you can just wear around your neck and use when needed.  Even having a face mask I rarely used it.

Vogmask Microfiber High-Filtration Dust Mask

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

• Pasties - if you are going this far just be naked 
• Hat  - I brought one last year and it was annoying and I stopped wearing it after the first day.  If you do bring a hat make sure it is tight on your head or has a tie so it doesn't blow off when you are biking.  Mine kept flying off my head and made me crazy!

TOILETRIES

• Contacts - DAILIES are key.  You do not want to be putting the same contacts back in your eyes.  It is GROSS out there and you are forever unclean.  I also highly recommend carrying a pair on your person at all times.  I missed an awesome burn last year because my contact came out and I was miles from camp and had to go all the way back to get a new pair.
• Kleenex - you get so much dust and crap on your face, hands, up your nose, in your ears, that tissues were key (just don't litter!)
• Hairbrush/Comb - For girls I recommend a comb because it's a little easier to get through the tangles.  If you are camping and there for a week there ain't no showers so your hair is going to be your worst enemy especially if it's long.  I was there 4 days last year and went from clean hair down to dirty hair down to two french braids.
• Chapstick - CRUCIAL - you will dry out like a leaf - I used mine a ton.  Again always have this on you since you never know when you'll be back at camp
• Hair ties
• Sunscreen - CRUCIAL
• Makeup - Honestly you can if you want.  I used a little in full disclosure but you don't need to bring out the big guns
• Toe nail clippers - Sounds random but I did use them
• Deodorant - CRUCIAL
• Bobby pins
• Dry shampoo
• Bandaids
• Tampons - just in case
• Razor - CRUCIAL - look I can camp with the best of them and certainly didn't shave my legs in the four days I was there but there came a time when I HAD to shave my armpits.  TMI sorry but even just that literally act made me feel 10 x cleaner.
• Shampoo and conditioner in 1 - If you have access to an RV it makes sense to bring.  The hippie side of me says NO SHOWERS AT BURNING MAN.  My skin and hair says... I'd do it if I could.
• Shaving cream
• Floss - another thing that will make you feel SO much cleaner just from that one little act
• Toothpaste/Toothbrush
• Lotion - CRUCIAL - the playa dust eats away at the moisture in your skin - my daily routine was baby wipes to get all the dust off me and then lotion.
• Baby Wipes - CRUCIAL - this is the best bath you are getting
• Mouth guard
• Eye drops - CRUCIAL - there's that dust again! 
• Tweezers

ELECTRONICS

• Head Lamp - CRUCIAL - I used this SO much and way easier than a flashlight.  Here's the one I'm bringing: 
• Headphones - There is plenty of music surrounding you.  Be present.
• Phone - There isn't any service but obviously had with me.  I bought one of those water/dirt resistant phone cases but never ended up using my phone especially because that's an expensive thing to lose or break which is highly likely in the craziness of Burning Man.  Instead I suggest bringing a water/dirt resistant CAMERA which I used A TON.
• Aux cable - brought it for the car ride - key
• Camera - Again I recommend a water/dirt resistant camera that isn't too expensive in case you do lose it.  I used mine a ton.  Here's a photo of mine (so meta):
• Batteries - good to have for headlamp, etc.  Only need to bring one extra round.  I'm likely bringing an external power pack this year since I'll be there longer but last year I didn't need a second charge on anything.  
• Phone charger - didn't use it until I got to the hotel after Burning Man but good to have packed
• Kindle for car ride - You'll likely be sleeping or so excited that you can't sleep or driving so you don't really need
• Watch - A throw-away cheap watch is a great thing to have to keep track of when different events occur.  Time can get away from you easily on the playa!
  

OTHER

• Earplugs - CRUCIAL - if you plan to sleep 
• Wallet - Duh
• Paintbrush and paint - My gift last year was body painting.  I'm going to bring paint again this year but am changing up the brand/product.  
• Here's the stuff I used last year which wasn't great (too light and came off easy) 

 Sargent Art 66-5525 Washable Fluorescent Paint

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

• Here's the stuff I'm using this year (much more brilliant and harder to get off):

 UV Glow Blacklight Face and Body Paint

Get it on Amazon here

• Playa Cup - CRUCIAL - One of the most important purchases you will make!  Very important to get one that has a lid and a handle.  The lid prevents dirt from getting into your wet cup when you are biking around (mine last year was undrinkable after day two) and a handle so that you can attach it to your bike, belt, basket, etc, while biking.

Get it at REI here

• Flask - a nice to have separate from your Playa Cup to add extra liquor to drinks at the different camps or for a pull
• Glasses - I used mine a lot when I was tooling around the campsite.  Also if you get an eye infection you are going to need them!
• Sunglasses - CRUCIAL
• EmergencE
• Koozie
• Medicine
• Eye mask - again if you are sensitive to light nice to have for sleeping
• Fanny pack - I use a small one by day to house my chapstick, sunscreen and playa cup

Get it at American Apparel here

• Camelbak or small backpack - CRUCIAL - Once it started getting dark I would switch from fanny pack to Camelbak and pack it like it was an overnight bag - chapstick, sunscreen, glasses, extra contacts, full bladder of water, tissue, toothbrush/paste, etc.  You never know what time you are coming home if you even do.  It makes you feel much safer too because you feel confident that you could get lost in the desert and still survive for a day or two.  And then I'd strap my onesie to the outside (too big to fit inside) and I was ready to go!  Don't get one that is TOO big because you want to be able to dance in it but not so small that you can't fit anything.

Get it at REI here

• Waterproof iPhone case - nice just to keep your iphone in since dust seeps into everything but you never use your phone so possibly pointless
• Goggles - CRUCIAL - you never know when a dust storm is going to hit and it can get a little dusty when a lot of people are biking around you so definitely need goggles.  HOWEVER, I disagree that you need two pairs.  Here's a photo of mine - pink tinted which was plenty easy to see day and night.  You are never going to want to bother with switching them.

Get it on Amazon here

• Pens - Randomly I actually used my pen a lot to write down people's names I met, etc.  Kind of nice to have on you
• Gum - CRUCIAL
• Info Papers - I know Burning Man makes a guide that you can use to find parties, lectures, etc.  I carried it around the first day and then left it at camp.  The best part of Burning Man is discovery... don't plan out your days.
• Cigarette papers
• Freezer ziplock bags - CRUCIAL - the best decision I made was separating out my clothes for each day into ziplock bags and squishing all the air out of them.  It not only made it so I could fit more in my bag but it greatly reduced contamination of my dirty and clean clothes.  I can't stress HOW dirty you get and how good clean clothes feel. 
• Lights/decoration for your bike - be prepared to deck out your bike in some way that makes it yours for day AND night.  There are hundreds of bikes and this will make it easier for you to find yours AND for people to find you/follow you in the dark.
• Lights for your person - same thing as your bike... people are zooming around in the pitch black on their bikes and the last thing you want is for them not to see you.  Plus being all lit up at night is fun!  Just make sure your lights aren't MOOP (glow bracelets that fall off)
• Bug repellent - I didn't need this last year but never hurts to have ESPECIALLY if insects are particularly favorable to your taste!
• Bike lock - I recommend a bike lock that has a key not a combo because I find combos in the dark to be a little rough. However, a key can be lost.  Decide which you prefer but definitely lock your bike when you aren't with it.  Burning Man is a very safe, open place but that doesn't mean people won't snag a free ride!

The Yacht Week - South Croatia Black Route 2013 - The Pre-Planning

They might say all you need is a swimsuit and a liver of steel, but if you plan it right, Yacht Week will be the best week of your life.  In the weeks to come I'll be sharing my experience sailing the Black Route through South Croatia but first I'll give you the scoop on how to get there... prepared.

First you need to book your boat.  The bookings for South Croatia open on Dec 1st each year.  There is a laundry list of boats depending on what you want to pay per person and how many of you there are.  If you want a bigger boat and don't have enough people to fill it DON'T WORRY there are plenty of floaters who will jump on your boat (just wander the Facebook community).  Looking back my suggestion would be to find a group of eight people, split in half, and then sign up on two different boats.  This ensures you meet new people AND if one of the boats has lame people you can always party on the other boat.  Winning.

To book a boat or pick a route - theyachtweek.com

We booked the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 41 for Week 28 on the Black Route which cost $6,000 US.  It boosts spots for 8 people, one of which is taken up by the skipper.  There were only four of us going so you can imagine we had a lot of room.  Two of us had our own bed and the other two shared a large bed.  Looking back we could've easily filled the boat and not felt that squished... except when using the one shower maybe. 

While on the trip I was told this was a VERY nice boat and worth about $300,000.  Sick.    Link to Boat

Name:	Kala
Type:	Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 41
Size:	41 ft
Cabins:	3
Max persons:	8
Year model:	2011
Deposit:	1500
Home Port:	Kremik

 

 

 

 Photos compliments of the Yacht Week Website

I also highly recommend the Black Route for a couple of reason.  First, your longest day of sailing is the first day (six hours) when you are fresh and (hopefully) not hungover.  Secondly, on the second to last night in Solta you get there before Red Route (only night that all the boats meet up) and so you get the best location close to the bar/restaurant.

Beware that you have to pay close to 1/3 of your boat cost within 24 hours of securely the boat.  You will then owe about 1/3 in March and 1/3 in April until you are all paid up.  The good news is you don't have to determine the number of wristbands you need until the final payment so you can adjust depending on how many you have by then.  Also, they tell you you have to have your final "crew list" by that last payment but really you don't.  I met skippers who didn't turn their crew list in until the week before the trip.  So, check with your skipper.  You'll get an email about who your skipper is, with their info, about a month and a half before your trip.

Okay so now you have your boat, you've found all your crew, and you are approaching the best week of your life.  I'll start off with the SIX MOST IMPORTANT things to bring with you whether guys or girls.  These five things will ensure you make nine million friends and find your boat with ease.

FLABONGO - DO NOT leave home without one.  This was the #1 crowd pleaser our week.  We had people coming from other boats just to find us and meet Winston (my Flabongo).  Lucky guy got more action than anyone else.  Link to Flabango

LILO/INFLATABLE/FLOATIE - You might think you won't use them, but you will.  You have a couple options here.  Either go BIG or go PORTABLE.  See options below.  I went with the Kelsyus which I bought before and brought with.... super easy to travel with and just left it there when I was done and used the netted bag to bring back my Croatia towel and Yacht Week Flag (yes I took it).  But while I was there I could definitely see the fun of having a six person super lilo.  Note: Not for giant people.  As you can see the Yeager Man was sinking.  Link to Kelsyus 

(Not the Kelsyus)

(Kelsyus)

Photos from Amazon.com

HOMEMADE FLAG - I highly recommend creating your own flag to not only make your boat super identifiable by day, but also as a conversation starter.  Ours was the Shocker, because we are super classy but if you buy the flag at the link below you can create a stencil and spray paint whatever you want.  Warning: It will bleed through to the other side so only designs that are reversible.  Also I recommend this flag because it's polyester not vinyl and thus spray paint will stick to it.  Also a 3ft X 5ft size is PERFECT.  On that note, make sure you also bring a country flag that represents you because that's important too! Link to Flag

 

BATTERY-POWERED XMAS LIGHTS - For those of you with terrible navigational skills, get a skipper.  Just kidding, do that, but also get BATTERY-POWERED Xmas lights for your boat.  We wove them around the boom (the bottom part that holds the main sail) and the back of the boat where you board from land.  The link below is for a 34ft string of lights.  Buy two.  They came in SO helpful at night especially because you can just tell the water taxi to take you to the blinking lights (although helpful to know your boat name too just in case).  Multiple boats would try and dock near us so that they could tell the water taxis X boats down from the Xmas light boat.  Winning again.  Unfortunately, no photos of this in use although you can see them wrapped around the boom in the boat photo above.  Link to Xmas Lights

Photo from Amazon.com

GLOW IN THE DARK WASHABLE BODY PAINT - Two things: Washable and Glow in the Dark.  Make sure it's washable or kiss your clothes goodbye because this will get all over you.  It also eventually comes off thanks to sweat and salt water but it's still super fun.  Before going out multiple nights we would walk the docks alerting people, "Paint Party starts at 10:45," and loads of people would show up to be painted.  Another great way to get people on your boat.  I highly recommend the Sargent ones.  They actually glow in the dark pretty well and come in lots of fun colors.  And they show up during the day too.   Link to Body Paint

Photo from Amazon.com

GLOW STICK PARTY PACK - And lastly where paint fails, glowstick headbands, wristbands, etc, prevail.  This is just a link to one version, we bought ours in the UK, but they are all the same.  Again another way to make friends and have a great time.  Our week was ULTRA Europe so these came in even more handy!  Link to Glow

 Photo from Amazon.com

With these six things you will ensure an amazing time.  Here is a list of all the other random items we brought:

• Inflatable beer pong with additional ping pong balls (didn't work that well)
• Fun hats, slap bracelets, sunglasses (swap with people)
• Aux cable (to plug in your iPhone/iPod if you want to play Spotify playlists, music, etc)
• CDs (DO NOT rely on an aux cable... some boats ONLY had CD players and their crews suffered)
• Car cigarette-style adapter with USB (best way to charge your iPhone while sailing- you can buy them at Duane Reade or drug stores)
• Regular adapter (you can use this when in port)
• Sunscreen (duh)
• VERY sturdy shoes (boys - boat shoes/tough sandals, girls - sandals that hold to your foot)
• Animal onesies (we didn't bring these and I wish we had... super fun at night at the clubs)
• Super-soakers (we also didn't bring and wish we had)
• Regatta costume (we bought Gladiator costumes but because of ULTRA we didn't do the Regatta so we could get back for the festival)
• Condoms (yes, those too)
• Razor
• Glasses (if you wear contacts, bring your glasses just in case)
• Underwater camera (it will probably be destroyed)
• iPhone/Smartphone for music (don't let it leave the inside of the boat though

And lastly, things to buy when you get there:

• Beach Towels (they provide you with bath towels)
• Food
• Alcohol
• Inflatables (if you want to wait)
• Captain's hat
• Plastic silverware, cups, etc

So that sums up what's important for the general public.  Okay, ladies, it's what you've been waiting for.  This is how much you pack.  NO! NO! NO! Listen.  THIS IS WHAT YOU PACK.  Pack more than this and you will be sorry you did as you lug it all over the place.  Also DON'T CHECK IT.  Carry it on.  Trust me.  You lose all your bathing suits and you will be crying through Yacht Week.

To be totally transparent I took a picture of what I WORE on the trip.  I took a tiny bag and still didn't wear 50% of what I brought.  The only thing I would've changed is bringing two more swimsuits or interchangeable swimsuit tops for variety.  Other than these clothing items and the stuff above you really just need underwear (didn't want to photograph that haha) and minimal makeup (I brought one eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara and cover up).  Obviously, your list will be slightly different because you aren't me but try your best not to pack more ITEMS then below.  Also make sure you pack in a bag not a suitcase because you will have to smush the bag in a corner.

So....

• 3 bathing suits (you could add two more)
• 2 hot skirts (black and blue)
• 1 lightweight summery dress
• 1 swimsuit cover-up

• 5 versatile tank tops (I had one more - it was ripped off of me)
• 1 sweatshirt or hoodie (just in case it gets cold sailing)
• 1 pair of yoga pants (for the plane)
• 1 pair of closed toed shoes (Toms)
• 1 pair of sturdy flipflops (I recommend Reefs because they are water resistant and don't fall apart.  I took a picture of the gold flipflops below - they exploded and I ended up walking on glass the second night barefoot)

• 4 pairs of fun shorts
• 3 "going out" tops (a little "sexier" or "dressier" than your day tops)

And that is LITERALLY all you need.  Congrats!  You are ready for Yacht Week.  Check back again for my play-by-play of the best week ever.