I spent 4 days in Jakarta before proceeding onwards in my journey through Indonesia towards Yogyakarta to climb Mt. Merapi and check out the Borobudur temple complex.  Jakarta is a massive bustling metropolis that can be somewhat overwhelming.
If you don’t just want to spend time getting lost in Jakarta’s labyrinth (which is usually a great thing to do), and have a few days, here are some worthwhile things to do.Â
Monas: National Monument
One of the central and noticeable landmarks in Jakarta is the Monas National Monument, known in slang terms as “Sokareno’s last …

“If you can smell the garbage, you are entering Payatas,” said Tita Silver, the mother of my host family.
Our jeepney crackled through the streets amidst the hustle and bustle of vendors and commuters.  The stank of garbage was in the air and the streets and shops were not what you would call clean.
I was on a weekend trip in the Metro Manila area of Payatas (known as one of the main dump sites in Metro Manila) in Quezon City, joining a group of students from Ateneo de Manila University on …

My first day walking around Manila, the Philippines and I happen to stumble upon a food item that I simply could not possibly pass by.  I took one look at the pile of “1 day old” chickens and decided I had to partake of them.

I ordered as the chef quickly threw one of the baby chickens into the boiling oil to reheat it.  He then poked it with a stick and pulled something very small out the mid section of the bird to discard (no idea what it was, but …

This is what I am bringing with me on an indefinite journey, starting off in Bangkok, Thailand, and then going from there.
Tips:

Know what you are going to bring.  Think it out in your head a few days prior to packing.
If you really don’t need it, eliminate it.
Don’t worry about matching clothes (or fashion), take what is useful and practical.
Lay everything out, like on a bed and analyze it.
Everything you forget or didn’t think of can be compromised or figured out when needed (don’t stress it).

Note
To pack in 10 minutes, don’t …