the one with the Departures

This is another Nat Geo Adventure show that I truly enjoy, Departures is an adventure travel television series.  I have made myself clear that traveling is one of my passions. 

It features best friends Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach, from Brantford, Ontario. The goal being to expand their perspective on life while challenging each others as well as their own limits. Wilson and Lukach travel to various exotic and interesting destinations throughout the world. The style of the show is similar to a road trip. They are accompanied by Andre Dupuis, their friend and camera operator.  The show is taking place over a one year hiatus during which time they suspend their lives for the year.  Wilson’s idea was that he wanted to do the show while it was still possible as the opportunity may not be there as their futures unfold. Wilson and Lukach both commit to a year away from home regardless of how challenging, for the life experiences they may otherwise miss. (Source: wikipedia)

The show is really entertaining; I like how Justin describes each observation and his personality.  He’s funny and bubbly.  This show is worth watching and I’m glad that it has two seasons already and I hope they’d make another season of which I’m sure is something that worth looking forward to.  For more information, you may visit their official website here.  I also took the liberty of attaching a youtube link of one of the deleted scenes from the show.  To show how funny Justin is…

 

the one with the unexpected trip

My visit to my sister’s family is one of the most unplanned trips that I’ve ever had.  I am the kind of person who would plan ahead like a month or two weeks of preparation.

So here’s the story.  To start with, I don’t have a US visa to visit them it’s not just like going to Quiapo.  I even got denied of a US visa the previous year and the cost of processing is quite high, too.

But still we tried our luck again and fortunately the US consulate granted me a tourist visa.  And the rest was history.

I was able to attend my niece’s 7^th birthday.  We went long driving to Los Angeles and got the chance to visit my sick Lola and met my two other pamangkins.

Today, I’m almost 9 days away of going back to the Philippines. And I am really surprised that I’m already entertaining the thought of staying here.  I never thought that I would entertain the idea but I guess I just enjoyed the presence of my family here.

In the next few days, I’ll be blogging on the things that happened in my stay here.  I’m also posting a picture with my sister and pamangkins.  Until the next posts!

 

 

the one with the jet lag

Sleeping has always been my favorite hobby.  I am the kind who can sleep all day and all night.  Hibernation is an ideal great activity for me.  I never had problems with insomnia.  But I can also stay up late with two hours of sleep for days and act normal.  But still, I’d still prefer a normal 8 hours of sound sleep.

When my friends found out that I am crossing a different time zone for more than 2 weeks of stay they immediately told me that sleeping will be a problem.  And I answered with full confidence that that wouldn’t be a problem because I am a masa “masandal lang eh tulog na”.  I can easily sleep with no problem.  I don’t actually entertain the possibility of having adjustment.  I just believe that I don’t have a provision on it.

But unfortunately, it wasn’t true.  Last night, I had so much trouble with sleeping, well actually for the past three days but last night was the worst.  I am dead tired with the two days birthday preparations and party and I helped in cooking for more than 10 hours and had decent sleep of on an average of 5 hours a day.  But still, I can’t sleep because it is just 6 pm in the Philippines and I normally sleep around 11 pm to 12 mn.

Anyway, now I’m doing my research and found out this helpful tips and back grounder with regards to jet lag.  And as always, I’m sharing this with you. Click here for the website.

What are the best ways to cope with jet lag?

The following are 12 tips to help travelers minimize the effects of jet lag.

Tip 1: Stay in shape

If you are in good physical condition, stay that way. In other words, long before you embark, continue to exercise, eat right, and get plenty of rest. Your physical stamina and conditioning will enable you to cope better after you land. If you are not physically fit, or have a poor diet, begin shaping up and eating right several weeks before your trip.

Tip 2: Get medical advice

If you have a medical condition that requires monitoring (such as diabetes or heart disease), consult your physician well in advance of your departure to plan a coping strategy that includes medication schedules and doctor’s appointments, if necessary, in the destination time zone.

Tip 3: Change your schedule

If your stay in the destination time zone will last more than a few days, begin adjusting your body to the new time zone before you leave. For example, if you are traveling from the U.S. to Europe for a one-month vacation, set your daily routine back an hour or more three to four weeks before departure. Then, set it back another hour the following week and the week after that. Easing into the new schedule gradually in familiar surroundings will save your body the shock of adjusting all at once.

Tip 4: Avoid alcohol

Do not drink alcoholic beverages the day before your flight, during your flight, or the day after your flight. These beverages can cause dehydration, disrupt sleeping schedules, and trigger nausea and general discomfort.

Tip 5: Avoid caffeine

Likewise, do not drink caffeinated beverages before, during, or just after the flight. Caffeine can also cause dehydration and disrupt sleeping schedules. What’s more, caffeine can jangle your nerves and intensify any travel anxiety you may already be feeling.

Tip 6: Drink water

Drink plenty of water, especially during the flight, to counteract the effects of the dry atmosphere inside the plane. Consider taking your own water aboard the airplane if allowed.

Tip 7: Move around on the plane

While seated during your flight, exercise your legs from time to time. Move them up and down and back and forth. Bend your knees. Stand up and sit down. Every hour or two, get up and walk around. Do not take sleeping pills, and do not nap for more than an hour at a time.

These measures have a twofold purpose. First, they reduce your risk of developing a blood clot in the legs. Research shows that long periods of sitting can slow blood movement in and to the legs, thereby increasing the risk of a clot. The seat is partly to blame. It presses against the veins in the leg, restricting blood flow. Inactivity also plays a role. It decelerates the movement of blood through veins. If a clot forms, it sometimes breaks loose and travels to the lungs, lodges in an artery, and inhibits blood flow. The victim may experience pain and breathing problems and cough up blood. If the clot is large, the victim could die. Second, remaining active, even in a small way, revitalizes and refreshes your body, wards off stiffness, and promotes mental and physical acuity which can ease the symptoms of jet lag.

Tip 8: Break up your trip

On long flights traveling across eight, 10, or even 12 time zones, break up your trip, if feasible, with a stay in a city about halfway to your destination. For example, if you are traveling from New York to Bombay, India, schedule a stopover of a few days in Dublin or Paris. (At noon in New York, it is 5 p.m. in Dublin, 6 p.m. in Paris, and 10:30 p.m. in Bombay.)

Tip 9: Wear comfortable shoes and clothes

On a long trip, how you feel is more important than how you look. So, wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Avoid items that pinch, restrict, or chafe. When selecting your trip outfit, keep in mind the climate in your destination time zone. Dress for your destination.

Tip 10: Check your accommodations

Upon arrival, if you are staying at a hotel, check to see that beds and bathroom facilities are satisfactory and that cooling and heating systems are in good working order. If the room is unsuitable, ask for another.

Tip 11: Adapt to the local schedule

The sooner you adapt to the local schedule, the quicker your body will adjust. Therefore, if you arrive at noon local time (but 6 a.m. your time), eat lunch, not breakfast. During the day, expose your body to sunlight by taking walks or sitting in outdoor cafes. The sunlight will cue your hypothalamus to reduce the production of sleep-inducing melatonin during the day, thereby initiating the process of resetting your internal clock.

Tip 12: Use sleeping medications wisely—or not at all

Try to establish sleeping patterns without resorting to pills. However, if you have difficulty sleeping on the first two or three nights, its okay to take a mild sedative if your physician has prescribed one. But wean yourself off the sedative as soon as possible. Otherwise, it could become habit-forming.

 

 

 

the one with the saturday

On Saturdays I usually wake up a little late than usual.  It is the time when I get to recover from a week’s stress of work.  I feel like hibernating like the bears do.

 

But today was different, I knocked off early last night and found myself awake 5 in the morning.  I checked my laptop and updated my download queues and grabbed my best friend remote control. 

 

Yes, I am a television buff, a couch well more of a bed potato.  I am spud during week ends.  I usually watch my favorite television shows and do groceries very early to avoid the congested traffic and mall goers, too.

 

While I was in the course of surfing the channels, I usually check the movie channels first then the music channels and then again today was really different.  This time, I decided to check out National Geo Adventure.  The reason behind was a week or two ago my brother with my father and I got stuck with National Geographic on Science.  Yes surprisingly I am a geek too.  I love science and the topic is really interesting.  It is about Hydro and Aero source of electricity in England.

 

Okay going back to what happened earlier, aside from my fascination with science and mathematics, one of the things that I love is traveling.  And I caught “A Map for Saturday” a documentary special by Brook Silva-Braga. 

 

 

I got easily caught off guard when I heard that the opening “On a trip around the world, every day feels like Saturday.”  Aside from that, the curiosity on the topic being billed as “90-minute around the world” really made it appealing.

 

Brook Silva-Braga

 

 

Plus, Brook is very interesting man and cute. (I can’t help myself with that sorry)  He conveys his idea and observation very vividly.  I totally enjoyed the show.  Too bad the show is cut into two parts and I won’t be here to watch the second part because I believe I’d be about 50,000 ft above the land by the time the 2^nd part will be shown.  But fortunately, the documentary film is also available in video and blog.

 

I find the theme very timely with my dilemma right now.  Like everyone else if given the chance we’d travel the world and be brave enough like him to live a life like that.  Today, like Brook who has a very cushy job at HBO, I am contemplating on leaving my job and be more out in the world discovering things and documenting observations.  I’d like to learn more cultures and hopefully write and contribute new things for the world to see.

 

I already had the chance of traveling alone and I am up for that challenge today.  I have traveled 4 countries and in few days time, I am about to journey on my 5^th country.  But my biggest problem is I don’t have the financial capacity to do that for now.  I guess I have to put my bet on the lotto and pray that I get the chance to win my millions so I can start with the journey of my life.

 

So until I find my millions, I’d be doing this travel blog in a different manner, the economical way for now.

 

 

 

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You can also check the website of “A Map for Saturday” follow on the link above, or here.

Opening quotes from the "A Map for Saturday" web page

 

 

 

 

the one with Bangkok

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do.  Some might say that it is one expensive hobby that I have but I can counter attack that.  I believe that you just have to wait for the perfect timing.  Well, I don’t remember when Cebu Pacific Airlines started their “Every Juan flies” promo (please check out www.cebupacificair.com for their latest promos) but I am a testament to that corporate goal.  I have taken every chance to travel by availing of their promos. 

 

So here’s my latest travel blog post.

Destination:  Bangkok, Thailand

How to get there:  By air 

 

Budget: 15,000 inclusive of fares, taxes, accommodation and food 

 

Travel companions: Trina, Lilet, Dennis, Mars and Carrie (my friends from SMC plus one)

the travelers

First impression:  Well, my first impression of Bangkok was it was like Quezon City.  The fly-over reminded me of the local road.  Since we arrived almost midnight, the weather was hard to be judged.  The mood and the setting basically reminded me of our country, the Philippines.  During the first day that we roamed around the city, it was Monday, I have noticed that majority of the people was wearing Yellow; apparently, it was their way of showing loyalty to the King.  You could really feel the nationalism in the air.

Highlight of the trip:  Bangkok is the center of the country’s political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities.  It is one country that I find very rich in culture.  It is the home of their palace and temples.  And as a part of our traveling objectives cultural immersion is a must.  It is one thing that we really look forward to.

• Our first stop was the Grand Palace Complex; there you’d find the Grand Palace, the Museum and Wat Phra Keow, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.  Shorts and T-shirts are not acceptable in the complex.  You would need to wear socks, shoes and a shirt with at least short sleeves.  If you wear a long-sleeved shirt, the sleeves must be rolled down.  If you happen to forget this, no worries, at the entrance of the palace you can borrow clothes that would meet their standards.  This practice is being made as a sign of respect to the culture and King of Thailand.  Duration: ½ day tour  

 

• After tiring ourselves from the palace, we decided to eat and look for the mall that we could find.  Our desired destination was Mah Boon Krong (MBK) Shopping Center it is an eight-storey building with almost 2,000 shops to offer.  And here where all the adventure begins, we had a hard time looking for a cab and it was too costly that we decided to ride a bus.  The best part from all this trouble was having a very perky attitude, I was able to gain a friend and she helped us to locate our next stop.  Voila! The day has only started to my friends, yes, it was shopping time.  When we got back to the hotel, I got too freaked out to see my feet with all the nerves very clearly shown up.  I couldn’t believe that I was that tired that I haven’t seen my feet like that.  Apparently, there are some useful girl tips when you’d experience this situation.  First you should do is to lie down in bed with your feet up against the wall in between 45 – 90 degrees.  That would really do the trick.  I almost didn’t believe that but it was effective.  Duration: ½ day tour

• The next day we woke up early, our next stop was the old Bangkok – Siam or Ayutthaya, here we were able to see a lot of temples. Wat Phra Sri San Phet, the largest temple in Ayutthaya used as the royal temple-cum-palace by several kings which were built in 14^th Century.  We also visited other temples like Wat Chai Wattanaram, Wat Pa Nan Chern and the high pagodas like Wat Ratch Bur Ra Na, Wat Pra Ram.  We were also able to go to Pang Chang and got close encounters with the local elephants.  It was one of my favorite experiences.  I consider this as one of the luckiest day in my stay because we got a good deal from our driver, he led us to a local restaurant like a small eatery in the Philippines and we were able to savor on local Thai food with a very reasonable price.  Well, basically, the cost to travel in Thailand and food is very affordable and reasonable; the best thing why I think anyone should go to Thailand.   Duration: ½ to 1 day tour 

• After the cultural immersion in Ayutthaya we got back to the city and it was shopping time again.  We spend a couple of hours in the local malls and one of the best stops to do the shopping is in the Suan Luam Night Bazaar.  I got so comfortable in the place because it reminded me of Tiendesitas, but so much better, there were bands performing and mind you big screens were set-up to enjoy the event with television channels like sports and news are being shown.  The food as usual was great and very affordable.  And of course, not to forget the night bazaar was superb, there a lot of goods to choose from.  I must say a lot of great deals.  Duration: night tour  

• And my personal favorite during trip was while my friends are busy with looking for stuffs in the night bazaar; it was my time to obsess on looking for the cheapest way of transportation back to the hotel.   I have researched, navigated, asked around on how to find the local Metro Station.  Luckily, I was able to meet and made friend with a very nice and reliable local.  This was such a pretty big achievement for me that I realized that I really love to travel and join the Amazing Race.          

Local words learned: Whenever I visit a foreign country, I also try to learn few words that I know would help me along the way and in case of troubles.  These are the first two words that I’ve learned during the trip.  Sa-wat dee (Hello) and Ka poon kah (Thank you)

Things to do and see:  If you love cultural immersion these stops are recommendable, the temples or as they locally call it, the Wat.  There’s a lot to choose from Wat Phra Keow, Wat Traimit, Wat Pho among others.  (You can also refer to the highlights) 

If you love shopping which I think 100% of most women are, there are a lot of good malls in Bangkok, MBK, Siam Paragon, The Emporium, Panthip Plaza (if you love Electronic/computer), and night bazaar in Suan Luam Market among the thousand list of shopping malls.

If you love Elephants, you can go to Pang Chang to see, feed and have pictures with them.

If you love going to the beach, the nearest place to go to is Pattaya.  There are a lot of things to see and experience in Thailand, it depends on what type of traveler you are.

Tips:   Here are some useful tips that I’ve learned from the travels that I’ve done in the past and in Bangkok as well. 

1. Travel with map.  Learn how to read one.  Navigate well. 
2. Always look at the local transport and try to learn how their schedule works. 
3. Always put a smile.  There’s a high chance that the locals will smile back at you.
4. Learn and know when to control your spending.  You can always travel without spending too much.  For a start, you can always find a great deal in airfares by regularly checking out Cebu Pacific’s www.cebupacificair.com.
5. Respect thy local’s culture.  Always respect how they do things and join if possible.  Like observing silence, wearing the proper clothes among other things.  In short, be respectful.
6. Always bring US dollar; in this trip we had a problem exchanging the local peso to Thai Baht.  Luckily after

Things that I’d try when I’d go back:  I am a sand, beach lover, and if I’d go back to Thailand, what I would probably go to next is Phuket and Pattaya.  The reason why I wasn’t able to visit last time was we only focused on staying in Bangkok and staying there for 3 ½ days isn’t enough to start with.  One more place in Bangkok that I’d probably want to try to see is Pat Pong; we weren’t able to visit the place because we got too tired of the shopping the night that we were supposed to go there.  Too bad I wasn’t able to see the beautiful lady boys of Thailand.

 

Traveling is one bad habit that I won’t stop doing.  Learning a new culture, seeing beautiful places and meeting nice people are some much fun to do.  Traveling with friends is one more thing; spending time with them is really one of the best things to do.  And for the readers of this blog, I hope you’d find this post helpful.

 

 

Local food that I’ve tried:  During one of our trips we have encountered congestion in traffic; our very friendly and reliable driver introduced us to Kluey Kaek, a local fried banana.   It was really tasty and I believe this is a must try for Bangkok bound travelers.   

 

the one with Boracay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If there’s one place in the world that I’d like to visit over and over again, it would probably be Boracay.  And after months of waiting, we were able to book for a flight to the paradise through a Cebu Pacific promo last June.  Since then, I have never let my mind off Boracay.  The very lethal combination of sands, sun, and beach just make my world go round.

 

I traveled with good friends Ian, Joy, Pot and constant travel mates Trina Kaps & Dennis.  We stayed at Bamboo Bungalows, a perfect place for a group of six.  It has two rooms, a dining area, a sala, and a kitchen.  The package came with a breakfast; you’ll have choices to choose from a traditional Filipino, American or Continental breakfast with unlimited serving of brewed coffee.  Plus the place is situated at station 2, the heart and center of business in Boracay.

 

Sadly, I wasn’t able to see too much sun on the three-day stay.  It was cloudy, and it rained during mornings and after sunsets.  But still, we were able to enjoy it.  We all played and swam regardless of the big waves.  And my most favorite part of the trip was the paraw sailing.  I was totally beaten literally by big waves.  More than thrice that I’ve thought I’d fall out of the boat.  My life vest almost wore off.  My legs were thrown side by side and luckily I didn’t bruise.  I even asked God why is life unfair.  Just kidding!  But I really thought of asking God about it and how happy I looked like during the ride.  I truly enjoyed every moment of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for fun-filled activities like paraw sailing, parasailing, kite-boarding, snorkeling, beautiful beach, fine and white sand Boracay is the place for you.  It is truly an amazing paradise, a perfect haven you’ve dreamed of.

 

And I bet you my money on this, I’d be back again in Boracay.

 

the one with the Singapore trip

 

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do.  Going to different places, learning new things, trying to experience a different culture, knowing and appreciating history are some of the reasons why I really loved traveling. 

 

Some might say that it is one expensive hobby that I have but I can counter attack that.  I believe that you just have to wait for the perfect timing.  Well, I don’t remember when Cebu Pacific Airlines started their “Every Juan flies” promo (please check out www.cebupacificair.com for their latest promos) but I am a testament to that corporate goal.  I have taken every chance to travel by availing of their promos.  Actually, the first year that they’ve included Singapore to their international destination, was the year that I have visited the country.

 

With the perfect timing, being lucky is one of the main ingredients, too.  I was so fortunate that year because my high school buddy Annie just transferred to Singapore months before Cebu Pacific had the promo.  Without even consulting her, when I’ve learned of the promo, I just found myself booking a trip to the place without even knowing what to expect to see and where to stay there.  I remembered having anxiety attacks because I’m not even sure if the country has a visa requirement.  And all I know about Singapore then is that MTV Asia is at Robinson road plus, the Underwater world at Sentosa.

 

My Singapore trip last October 2006, was my very first out-of-the country trip.  I had totally the best time there.  It was a perfect chance for me to travel with a high school buddy.  I had the chance to experience a different culture.  Enjoyed going around without worrying about my backpack and the security of the place was so high.  It was my first time to ride a cable car and realized that I am totally freaked out about heights.  My first ever chance to enter a zoo.  Yeah, I didn’t bother go to Manila zoo.  Am I bad? No, I just didn’t have the right opportunity.

 

A lot of first times and memories are attached to my Singapore trip.  What sweet way to finish this post but to end it with pictures from that trip.  Hope you enjoy!

 

 

Night Safari (well not yet)

Trying a luge ride with Annie

 

Sentosa, the southern most part of Singapore (?)

Funny antics at Siloso beach

 

Lastly, the Singapore Trip Collage

 

the one with the Macau Trip

Traveling the world is one of my dreams.  I’d really love to learn different cultures, see new places and know their history.  I’ve started going around the Philippines in 1999 and I started going out the country last 2006.  For the past two years, I have traveled 4 countries and intend to visit one every year as much as possible.  Making it possible is really hard but thanks to Cebu Pacific for their low fare promos.  So, I just have to wait for their promos, check my schedule, and check if I have enough resources… Voila!  You’d probably find me, booking an airline ticket.

 

But going on trip isn’t easy.  The planning stage normally takes a month.  I usually do the following things whenever I travel. 

1. Buy a map.  It’s better that you know where you are.  It’s hard to get lost.
2. Check the internet and see the places you can visit and plot it in the map so you can make an itinerary which will be strategically close to each other.  With this style, you can travel more places in a less spent time.  This saves time, effort and money, too.
3. Ask around if you have friends who have gone to the place before.   So you can be prepared and knows what to expect.
4. Pack lightly.  Bring some food.  Always wear a smile.  Be polite and respect their culture.

 

Well, I have other things that I do but I’d include them in my next post.

 

Last November, I was able to travel Macau alone.  It was fun. It is the first time that I traveled alone.  It was exciting but scary, too.  

 

Here’s the story.  I got scared and a little anxious when I exited Hong Kong because the immigration officer took my immigration card issued by them when I entered the country.  Half of the time, I was thinking how I can exit Hong Kong and go home without it.  Well, I got worried because the card says, “Do not remove this in your passport.” I even sent a text message to my good friend and Kaps Trina.  Aside from it, I didn’t see any Filipino on my way to Macau.  All I’ve thought that I’d see a kababayan, since people always say that Filipinos are all over the world.  Then, I got tired of thinking about it and got tired physically, too.  Then, on my way back to Hong Kong, I was issued a new card and I live happily ever after.

 

So I’d end this post by sharing my pictures on my first ever alone trip out of the country.  This is my Macau trip last November 2007.

 

 

Where should I go first?

 

The Ruins of Saint Paul

 

Lagos de Senado

 

The Vision of St. Francis

 

The Macau Collage