Gone for the Weekend

When in doubt, Paddle Out

2015-11-14T07:29:00.001-08:00

Looking out to the shore with waves breaking, board tucked under my left arm, the thought running in my mind is that "should I even do it?' . After my near drowning experience a few years back, a piece of my courage seem to have been taken away. Or maybe, just maybe, it's natural progression in life that as I get older, I abandon the recklessness of my youth and be more fearful of life and of getting hurt.

But, I take one breath and work up the courage to walk through the water, ride my board and paddle out. I am not a great paddler. In fact, I paddle slow and weak. In this course of trying to paddle out to the line up , the inevitable happens. I saw a set a waves about to break at where I am. All I can say is f*ck. Why am I doing this again? Why do I have to gamble my life when I can be perfectly relax on the shore admiring cute surfers instead? All these thoughts while I spin under water, praying that my board doesn't hit me (as I was already once rushed to the hospital to have stitches on my thigh from a fin cut).

The waves subside. I grasp for breath, go up my board, and continue paddling out to the line up.

And then I wait.
Wait for a good wave to catch.
As one approaches, I try to paddle and stand. A failed attempt.
And then I try again.
I wait and try. Wait and try. Until I finally catch one .

And when I do, it's an exhilarating experience. Riding a wave is pure bliss. Those few minutes or probably just few seconds of surfing the wave make all that struggle worth it .

After a good ride, I paddle back to the line up, hoping to catch another and another, until I feel either stoked or exhausted.

This is same as how life pans out. It's a series of doubts and fears and taking courage. Of regrets and of waiting. Of trying and failing. Of getting back up and succeeding.
And at the end of it all, being happy.

Solo Backpack trip to Europe (Part 1: Planning)

2015-04-04T04:05:00.001-07:00

(Note: Publishing this post almost a year after the trip. I hope I still remember the details)

Backpacking in Europe has always been on my bucket list. So realizing I will have a one week off for Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr ), I was mentally drafting an itinerary and looking out for inexpensive plane tickets.

I used Kayak App for researching and comparing various airline prices. I subscribed to updates if there are price changes on the trip details. After a few days of price watching, I finally settled to book a flight via Etihad Airlines. The itinerary: Jakarta-Abu-Dhabi-Paris then Rome-Abu Dhabi-Jakarta, with layover of 4-5 hours each.

As it was holiday in Indonesia, prices are not necessarily cheap. I booked my tickets for around $1,700. I know in lucky days, one can even purchase roundtrip tickets for less than $1000. But since I’m traveling on a national holiday, I have to live up with the price premium.

After which, I checked requirements on how to get a Schengen Visa. I applied through Italian Embassy (via VFS) since I plan to stay longer in Italy. In multi-country visit, you need to apply VISA to the country you’re staying the longest. If you have the same length of stay in all countries, you apply on the country you’ll first visit. For the Visa, I needed to prepare my plane tickets, hotel reservations, certification of employment, and bank certificate as part of requirements.

The next few days were spent researching on accommodations. Traveling alone means accommodations will be more expensive unless I opt to stay in hostels wherein I can get a dormitory bed for less than 40 Euros. However, for this trip, I felt I needed to upgrade from hostel bunk beds and get a nice, cozy, but affordable room for myself. One of my options is staying in hostel but have a private room. This is an attractive option, since staying in hostels means you get to meet and talk to other people who share the same passion of travel as you have.

I used mainly Trip Advisor to research on my accommodation options. Here, I get to sort my options—budget, accommodation type, ratings etc, and more importantly, I get to read reviews of other guests. After I mark my choices, I checked out different booking sites such as booking.com, agoda.com to check out best deals and book my hotel accommodation.

After completing my Visa Requirements, I scheduled an appointment with VFS through email (since their online registration site is down). It is recommended to schedule appointment a month before the planned trip. During the appointment, I submitted all requirements and paid the Visa Application Fee (worth IDR1.2M or 100 Euros). After a week, I received a notification via email, that my Visa is ready for pick-up.

2 days before the trip, I went to the bank and bought some Euros. In most of my travels, I just usually withdraw local currency in my destination. But for this one, to be sure and to avoid any unnecessary hassle, I just bought Euros while in Jakarta. I may have paid a few more because of exchange rate differences, but I guess it’s worth it.

A day before the trip, I finished my packing. I said to myself that I wanted this to be a backpack trip. I was tempted to use my 4-wheeler luggage, but have to remind myself that the goal is to “backpack in Europe”. Never mind the fact that I have 30kilos luggage allowance, I fit my stuff in my ever-reliable red Conquer backpack. This is the same backpack I used for a 7-day autumn/winter trip in China, 7 days December-trekking in Nepal, amongst others. So an 8-day summer Europe trip still made the backpack a bit roomy.

And I’m off and ready to go!

I was a bit paranoid for the trip, since there were several plane crashes in the span of 3 weeks. I was never afraid of plane rides, but this one is different. I had to request for prayers from friends and family and prayed for safety as well. (Oh! There is a travel prayer as well in Etihad planes, after the safety briefing).

Thank God for the safe journey!

Solo Trip to Batad, Banaue Rice Terraces

2015-04-04T02:48:00.001-07:00

Trip Date: July 2013

Sometimes, you feel the need to escape the city just to get fresh air.

So that's what I did. Traveled 12 hours from Manila to Banaue solo.

In Banaue, shared a jeep with 2 Austrian brothers, whose names I can't pronounce, hence can't remember. They were my travel companions to Batad.

My Batad travel companions

Along the way, we met Sir Rene, an architect who's helping with the rehabilitation of the Batad Rice Terraces. Rene tells us stories and helped us settle in Batad. We stayed at Rita's.

After a quick rest, the Austrian brothers and I hiked to Tappiya Falls passing through the rice terraces and other Batad villages. A very memorable pit stop is the village by the foot of the terraces. Here we witness an old Ifugao grandmother pounding rice for her family.

A few more kilometers of hiking, we reached Tappiya Falls. I was not physically conditioned for a hike, and strained my self. My legs cramped and had difficulty walking back. It rained as we were walking back, and reached the inn just before darkness came.

Tappiya Falls

The next day, I woke up with aching legs, that I can't even walk without difficulty. With Josie, our guide, I walked (or limped) back to Saddle Point to catch a jeep back to Banaue. They said, jeepneys will leave by 9am. However, no jeepneys came and so I back ride on a motorcycle going back to town.

Back in the town, I was confronted with two choices-- go back to Manila, or go up to Sagada. I chose the latter, injured legs and all. So took another jeep to Sagada, befriended the other passengers, and continued the adventure.

Batad

One Way Ticket

2014-04-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Okay! So I am partaking the longest travel of my life. Probably my biggest adventure yet. I have accepted a role in Jakarta, indefinitely. It’s a leap of faith, if you may say—accepting a job in a city I’ve never been in before, choosing to live in a country foreign to me, leaving a very comfortable home and career. Call it brave. Call it reckless. It’s just something needed to be done. As faced with choices of staying put or moving on, choose to move. Life begins at the end of comfort zone.

8 Lessons I Learned while Traveling

2014-01-06T02:00:00.001-08:00

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamt of traveling the world. Now, I’m blessed that I am able to achieve this dream one place after another. From all of my travels, I’ve learned a handful of things that I feel made me a better person/traveler, and lessons and tips I wish to share to other travel-dreamers as well.

1. People are inherently good and kind.

In most (or if not, all) of the places I've been to, people genuinely want to help out other people. Not because they need something in return, but just because it’s naturally human.

I was solo traveling in Batad, Banaue and teamed-up with 2 Austrian brothers. Apparently, these guys have little cash with them (barely none), and there are no ATMs in Banaue. Along the way, we’ve met Rene, an architect volunteer who’s helping out in the rehabilitation of the rice terraces. Rene paid for the brothers’ “environmental/entrance” fee and helped arranged accommodation and food in one of the inns for the least cost possible. The owner of the inn only charged P200/night and even shared their family meals to the brothers.

Yes, there are 1 or 2 people who will try to cheat/steal from you (pickpockets, merchants charging more than fair, cab drivers taking a longer route), but for every one or two who cheat, there are tens or hundreds who are truly willing to help.

2. Keep your senses up, especially your common sense

While traveling, all senses must be alert. As you’re in a new place, observe your surroundings and the people. Try to “acclimatize” yourself in your new surroundings and get your bearings in place. Also, trust your instincts or common sense. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

I’ve met a Taiwanese traveler who was “drugged and mugged” by an old lady. He said, he was approached by an old lady and offered him to show China Town and some churches. Next thing he remembered, they were riding a tricycle into a slum area, then he was asked to drink beer which he did, and woke up next day, drugged and without money.

3. The world is not that big scary place after all

Fear. This is probably what holds back most people from traveling. But trusting in the natural goodness of people while keeping your senses up, you’ll realize there’s really nothing to be afraid of.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask.

If lost, ask for directions. If you can’t understand, clarify.

When we were in Taiwan, the lady we asked for directions even logged online to find the directions to our hostel. In Nepal, a kid even walked with me to find the place I was looking for. Also, when I was asked for direction by another tourist, I gladly walked with her to find a good restaurant.

Again, most people are willing to help.

5. Learn to say “No”, politely

Merchants will ask you to go and check out their merchandise, tuktuk drivers will ask you to ride their tuktuks. If you’re not interested, you can politely decline. Smile. Don’t be rude.

6. Travel Light but with all Essentials

I try to keep my bag within carry-on limit (7kg) so it will be easier to lug around. I usually travel with my 30L backpack. Bring all necessary items such as medicine, printed travel documents, jacket/blanket, “enough” clothes. For short travels, I always bring a number of set of clothes equal to number of days (plus 1 or 2 extra). For longer travels, note that you can always send your clothes to the laundry (or do laundry yourself). You can always buy essentials such as extra shirt or toiletries wherever you are. The shirt you bought is a good trip souvenir.

7. Carry Cash and Call Your Bank before you leave

One travel mistake I made before was going to a foreign country without cash on hand. I relied on withdrawing in an ATM once I get to the airport. However, my ATM card was not accepted and later found out that I needed to call the bank to activate international withdrawal. Good thing I was traveling with a friend who lent me some money.

Also, exchange some local currency before you leave the airport for cab rides and other emergency purchases.

8. Call your mobile operator get and/or get a local SIM

Before traveling, call your mobile operator. Deactivate services you would not need during your travel such as mobile internet (there's wifi almost anywhere). Double check if your roaming service is on and ask for available roaming discounts/plans.

For longer travels, you may need to get a local SIM Card.

Traveling is a learning experience. Every time I travel, I learn something new, from personal encounters and stories of others. So keep traveling. Never stop exploring.

That almost drowning moment in Bali

2013-06-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

The waves were crashing. There was a strong undertow that pulls you away from the shore towards the open sea. A couple of ladies were also in the water and a surf student was being pushed by her instructor by the beach break. I was playing with the waves in waist-deep water. Swimming towards and diving underneath it at the moment it breaks and crashes. (This game I have played countless of times before.) I did this repeatedly, occasionally swimming a bit further (huge mistake). And then the unthinkable happened. I got swallowed by a wave. Whirlpooled under water, I struggled to keep my head out of the water. The water now is too high that my feet can't touch the sand. I panicked. Struggling, I gasped for air and shouted 'Help'. But I got whirlpooled once again. I even felt my head touch the sand. At that moment, I was praying to God to keep me safe from harm. Then I remembered to remain calm (from Rescue Diving lessons and common sense). The set of waves subsided, and I found myself too far off from the shore (probably a few hundred meters). I floated on my back, looking at the sky praying to God to bring me to shore safely. When I felt a bit rested, I tried to swim back to shore since I thought the call for help was not heard. But it was futile effort. It's like running on a thread mill. I remember that I shouldn't be swimming against the current, but with it parallel to the shore. So I tried to do that but still nothing happens. And then, a local came with a boogie board and asked me to hold on to it. After some time, a lifeguard with his orange rescue surfboard came and asked me to ride on and we paddled back to shore. It was pretty cool actually. Then I said my heartfelt thank you's, grabbed a left over pizza and drank Sprite.

Lessons learned:
1. Swim only in areas with lifeguard on duty, particularly in strong currents. Even if you're confident of your swimming capabilities and 'understanding' of the waves and currents, it's a must to have someone looking after you.
2. DON'T PANIC. I realized that it's easier said than done. But panic may draw the line from life and death.

3. And most importantly,
PRAY. Probably no need to explain this. But at that moment when I prayed for help, it was when the water calmed down and I had clarity and presence of mind of what to do next. Some may say it's just coincidence, but I know it was an answered prayer, and that God is always looking after us

The Quest for Whang-Od, the last living tribal tattoo artist in the Philippines

2013-02-03T00:51:00.003-08:00

My brother mentioned that he wanted to have a tattoo by Whang-Od in Kalinga. He said she may be the last living tribal tattoo artist in the country. At age 93, she has a few remaining years left.

Upon hearing the story, I wanted to go, to see and meet Whang-Od.Not specifically to get a tattoo, but just to meet her and see the life she lives. And so i did my research online, piecing together tidbits of information from various blogs and articles until I tumbled upon two crucial relevant information--how to get there and who can guide us around.

The fastest way to get to Whang-Od's home in Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga is through Bontoc. And perhaps the most convenient way to Bontoc is via Cable Tours (Contact: +63.929.819.4688, Location: E. Rodriguez QC, behind Trinity College). Note: you would need to reserve tickets via phone.

Also, for first-time travellers you would need a guide to go to Whang-Od, and for that, Francis Pa-in (+63915.769.08.43) is the man .

Cable Tours bus. Stop-over somewhere very foggy

We were supposed to travel December 26-30, like our almost annual family adventure trips. But when we contacted Francis he mentioned that he has 3 other groups that time and recommended that we go Jan 11 instead. And so we did.

We took the 8:30pm Manila-Bontoc bus trip. Our ETA was 830 AM but due to traffic, road constructions, and perhaps longer stop-overs, we arrived 9:15AM. Francis met us by the bus stop and mentioned that our transfer bus going to Buscalan has already left the 9 am trip so we needed to wait for the next jeep leaving by 1 PM. We rested for a while, went to Bontoc Museum, had quick lunch and to the jeep going to Buscalan.

When you're in the north, you got to ride top load of a jeep. The air is fresh, the view is spectacular. Imagine, moving parallel to the Chico river with mountain ranges and rice terraces alternating on the background. But the ride is quite uncomfortable, having yourself sitted on iron bars finding that perfect spot to position your butt cheeks, at the same time keeping your balance and grabbing something you can while riding the bumpy, winding, on-the-edge-of-a-cliff road.

View from the topload. Chico River + Rice Terraces

Best seat .

Co-passengers on the topload.

After an 1.5 hour ride, we alighted at Bgy. Bugnay. From here, we start our journey by foot.And it donned on me, I'm not physically prepared for this trip. No Exercise + Holiday Weight = Oh No moment. With a heavy backpack filled with 4-day worth of clothes, toiletry kit with loads of bottles of stuff, canned goods and snacks, I can only take a few inclined steps. Francis, our guide, volunteered to exchange backpack with me. His load is a bit lighter, but I still have to battle against the inclined soil steps. For a moment, I wanted to turn around or at least turn-on my whiny mode, but I didn't want to cause delay or hassle to my brothers. I came all the way here to see Whang-Od, and that's what I will do.

Two hour trek

Thank God the initial steep inclined only lasted for less than 30 minutes, then we walked a long flat scenic route. And then we entered a forest, walked along its slippery steps, passing by water falls, and make-shift bridges over a ravine, rice terraces, and another set of steep steps. My feet hurt, my calves hurt, my right knee hurts. At moments, I regret all the sweets I ate over the holidays and all the times I chose to take the escalator rather than the stairs. School children passed by us (ok just me), and my pride was challenged. I was grasping for breath, sweating buckets, thinking how physically impossible this task may be. Then these school just walked happily, telling stories and laughing. And they do this every single day.

Don't look down

At last we arrived Whang-Od's village. When we arrived, she was on the "bukid"/fields. This 93 year-old lady still goes farming! A few minutes later Whang-Od arrived. She is a very sweet old lady who doesn't speak a word of English or Tagalog. Francis, our guide, translates for us.

Some of the men from the village went to the house and we shared some of the Tanduay Rhum we brought. Apparently, hard drinks are not available/allowed in that area (even in Bontoc). But beer is allowed, and grass is abundant. The bottle of Tanduay only lasted for a few minutes, then the men dispersed one by one.

Whang-Od drinking with the guests

Dinner

We were called for dinner by the kitchen where we ate vegetables sauteed with the can of sardines we brought. About 7PM we were ready to sleep. I dozed off by 8PM and woke up the next morning by the sounds of rain hitting the roof and the ground.

My initial thought was 'how are we going to trek back with this rain'. Eventually, the rain subsided to light shower. We had breakfast. Whang-Od did performed her tattoo tradition on my brother.

Kalinga traditional tattoo process of hand-tapping is called "batok". Whang-Od creates ink by mixing "uling"/charcoal collected from the bottom of the rice pot as it cooks over fire and fresh water.The combination will make a dark paste called "merteka". Using a dry straw, she draws a template on the skin. Then using a thorn of pomelo as a needle and a stick to hold it in place, her precise hand would lightly tap on the stick to pierce the skin. The process is repeated several times until the tattoo is dark enough. My brother's tattoo took about an hour to finish.

The charcoal collected from the bottom of the rice pot makes the "Merteka"

Whang-Od

After, we walked up the village and saw how the Tinglayans live. I am overwhelmed on the simplicity of their lives. They grow and harvest what they eat.What they plant and harvest from the fields are for their family's consumption and not for selling. They make what they need. They are very peaceful, polite people. Quite hard to reconcile that they are from a lineage of headhunters. We distributed some matchsticks to the villagers and candies to their children. Then we returned back to Whang-Od's house to say our thank you's and goodbyes.

traditional Kalinga house

"Baboy-ramo"/ Wild boar

The children of Buscalan asking us for some candies

The blacksmiths.

I purchased my first hunting knife

with Whang-Od

We trekked back under scattered rain, and we reached Bugnay soaking wet. A few minutes after, the bus going to Bontoc arrived. We quickly said goodbye to Francis and boarded the bus. In the quite uneventful ride back, I relived in my mind the awesome cultural immersion we had in less than 24 hours. Though I did not get a tattoo permanently inked on my body, the experience of living in a Tinglayan village and in Whang-Od's home will forever be tattooed in my mind and my heart. And maybe,the next time I visit Whang-Od, I'll have the courage to be a canvass to tribal art.

Bangkok Solo Backpacking Part 2

2012-06-12T04:45:00.002-07:00

Date Trip: April 10, 2012

Woke up at about 6am, packed my stuff, left it at the reception, and checked-out early from the hotel.

The primary reason I chose the @Hua Lamphong, the hostel I stayed in, is its accessibility to the Hua Lamphong Railway station.

Morning Walk Sight-- Monks lined up

Hua Lamphong Railway Station

I walked to the station and bought my train ticket for only 20 Baht. About an hour and a half until my train arrives so I had a quick breakfast in a local bakery and chilled for a while.

Train ticket to Ayutthaya

All sorts of travelers

The train is a Class C economy train. There are some foreign travelers who boarded the train and will alight in Ayutthaya. But most of the riders are locals going out of the city perhaps to their native provinces.

The trip is an more than an hour long. As I arrived, I walked around the station weighing my options. So, how would I go around Ayutthaya? Will I join the young European couple who sat across me by the train or the couple of Korean guys who were . Anyways, I decided to just go by myself so I can be at my own pace.

I hired a tuktuk which cost me 400Baht to tour me for 2 hours visiting 4 temples. It's quite pricey though since I was alone, but I guessed it was the cheapest way to go around Ayutthaya anyhow.

My tuktuk and lady tuktuk driver

And here are snapshots of temples in Ayutthaya.

Wat Yai Chaimongkhon

Wat Yai Chaimongkhon

Wat Maha That

Buddha Head on Tree, Wat Maha That

Wat Maha That

Wat Chaiwattanaram
This temple was actually closed during my visit since for precautionary measures since it was damaged by the last Thailand flood.

Wat Chaiwattanaram

Turista-shot care of other Pinoy tourists I encountered.

Wat Lokayasutharam

My tour ended around 11:30 AM. I had a quick modest lunch of barbecued chicken and rice in the sort of eatery fronting the train station. My lunch cost only about 40Baht.

I waited for a train back to Bangkok. Train ride going back costs cheaper at 15Baht. The ride was long, hot, and sticky.

When I get back to the city, I tried hailing a cab going to Platinum Mall to no avail. I guess, it's rush hour and cab drivers here choose their passengers as well. So I asked the hostel receptionists how to take the MRT and BTS (Bangkok Train System) to Platinum. After giving me some written directions, off I go.

My quest to Platinum through Bangkok's city train systems is an adventure by itself. I got lost several times, boarding on or alighting from a station that sounds rather very similar to the one I was supposed to. And there was that time where I destroyed the ticket machine in one of the stations. (Another Nel moment for the books!)

So how in the world did I destroy a BTS Ticket Machine, you may ask? So, in the MRT, you're given chips as tickets. Apparently in BTS you're given a card (which I didn't know that time). I lined up the ticketing booth, told the man behind the counter my destination, gave my money bill, and he gave me coins. I thought the coins were the tickets, a less high-tech version of the ticket chips from the MRT. So i dropped it in the ticket machine. And it got stuck. They have to open up the machine to retrieve my coin. The man gave me coins to buy tickets from the ticket vending machine! I wanted to be swallowed by the ground, and I felt that the BTS guys were thinking that I am such a stupid tourist. Well perhaps I was. So anyways, the ticket machine broke, and even when I returned back from shopping in Platinum the machine is still broken.

I returned from shopping late in the afternoon, showered, and went to the airport.
Tired and anxiously waited for my plane to bring me back home.

As I was excited to embark on that epic 4-country semi-solo trip, I was more eager to come back home.

Bangkok, Thailand Solo Backpacking Part 1

2012-06-12T02:44:00.002-07:00

Date trip: April 9.

This is the last leg of my backpacking adventure.

I arrived Bangkok about 5pm, rode the airport express train, walked, transfered to the MRT, and alighted in Hua Lamphong station where my hostel, @Hua lamphong inn, is located.

I booked a solo room which costs about 650 Baht. It's ok in the sense is that it has a bed, fridge, own bathroom, and a flat screen TV. However, the room is on the 5th floor and there is no elevator. The absence of a wide open window made me feel claustrophic and I seem to be in a prison cell more than a hotel room. This cramped space made me miss home.

Anyhow, I went down the lobby, asked the receptionist who happened to be lady-boy, how to get to Platinum mall but he/she said it's already closed and advised me to go to Silom instead (or at least that's what I heard).

So I boarded the MRT alighted at Silom, looked for any semblance of a shopping center to no avail. I walked aimlessly, saw a Thai massage place and went in. I looked at the menu and prices, I felt weird when I saw an option of 'Massage with Cream', and felt weirder when I saw a set of index cards with photos of the therapists--all male. I asked if they have female therapists, and the guy said 'no, only male'. So I excused myself and went out. Dafuq did I enter into!

I rode back the MRT back to Hua Lamphong, walked along the hostel street and saw a massage place. Checked it out, and yup, female therapists! Not that shady kind of place. I had a traditional Thai massage for 200baht. My therapist is an old lady, perhaps in her 60s, but she has incredible strength. It's one the better massages I had.

After the invigorating massage, I walked back and I saw a food stall in an alley. They cook as you order. I ordered fish tom yam, and its the best fish tom yam I ever tasted.

After dinner, went back to the hotel to sleep.

Tomorrow, I commence Temple Run.

Three Countries, One Day

2012-05-20T00:30:00.001-07:00

This day marked an epic day, well at least for me. 3 meals in 3 different country. Breakfast in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Lunch in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Dinner in Bangkok, Thailand.

After the complimentary buffet breakfast in Hotel Santika Jogja, we flew out to Kuala Lumpur. The flight from Yogyakarta to KL was the noisiest flight I've ever been. The other passengers mostly Indonesians kept on talking and talking in loud voices during the flight. In other flights I've had, chatters only happen on the first few minutes then dies down eventually . But no! In this flight, they were just talking and talking from take off to landing.

Anyways, we landed in KL in one piece.

Here, my companions go back to their daily grind lives in KL, while I catch another flight to Bangkok.

Craving for some Westernized Asian food, we ate in Marrybrown and I ordered some fried chicken with nasi lemak.

Then off to my 3 hour flight to Bangkok.

In Bangkok, in Hua Lamphong, in some alley where the drivers eat, I had the most delicous fish tom yum I've tasted for only 60 Baht!

Today is epic meal time.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia Part 2

2012-05-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

Today we toured Central Java.

In a hired van which costing us IDR 100,000 each, we went to see the beauty Java offers.

Our first stop is the ruins of the magnificent Borubudur temple. Borubudur is the single largest Buddhist in the world and one of UNESCO heritage sites. Built in the 9th century the ruins were rediscovered in 1814 by Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. The temple has 6 square platforms, and three circular platforms on top.

Borubudur Temple

This is the most popular tourist spot near Yogyakarta. About 1.5 hours drive from the city, we arrived at 10am and the sun was scorching hot. Again, we got tickets as locals which saved us about 80% of the costs.

Visitors here are mostly locals (or maybe they pretend to be locals like us. Hmmm I doubt). There are some Western visitors, but Asians outnumber them. Outside the gates were vendors and hawkers selling water and souvenirs and renting umbrella. Upon entering, we got some sarong. Actually, the sarong are for those wearing shorts or sleeveless tops. (It's a holy place of worship, so decent clothing is required.) But since everyone is getting, we got as well.

Then it's a whole lot of picture taking.

Elephants at Borubudur Temple

One of the 504 Buddhas

And more temple running.

We rode a kalesa on our way back from the temple to the van and headed for lunch in Sekar Kedhaton, a nearby restaurant behind a silver factory store.

Then we drove to View Deck wherein our view suppose to span from Mt. Kerapi, an active volcano to another mountain. It was a long drive up, and when we arrived it was raining and foggy. We weren't able to get out of the car and we didn't see the said spectacular view. We just bought some grilled corn and ate it in the car.

We went back to the city and headed to Marioboro Market which is lined up with Batik stores, souvenir shops, street vendors and more street vendors. It reminds me very much of Divisoria.

For dinner, we ate in an eatery which serves Gudeg. Gudeg is young jackfruit stewed with palm sugar and eaten with rice, opor ayam (a sort of chicken curry or adobo), a hard-boiled egg, spicy buffalo skin (which is like soft chicharon), and tofu.

Then, we had a quick stop in the only mall in Yogyarta for some Starbucks and we called it a night. An early trip tomorrow awaits.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia Part 1

2012-04-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

It was an uneventful bus ride from Singapore to Malaysia. In KL, met a friend for dinner and spent the night in my cousin's place. Woke up at 4am to catch the earliest AirAsia flight to Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia. My cousin mentioned in passing that she's going there for Easter. It was my first time to hear about that place. My little knowledge about Indonesia only spans from Jakarta and Bali (and that Indonesia is #1 Facebook country in Asia). So when I learned that Yogyakarta has temples, one of which is Borubudur temple, 400 years older than Angkor Wat in Cambodia, I felt excited to go. And so I went. This leg of the trip, I'm not traveling solo.

This is my first time in Indonesia. I don't know what to expect, but a voice inside my head keeps on reminding me to be extra careful. I'm paranoid with notions of swindle and tourist traps. My cousin who came a day earlier in Jogja warned me because she felt harassed by the Airport Customs.

But none of those things happened. Everything was, well, normal. I stepped out of the airport, got my money changed, bought a local sim card, and lined up for taxi from the 'official' taxi stand. It's airport looks like any provincial international airport in our country. Think CDO airport or Legaspi airport.

My cab ride going to the hotel is 50,000 IDR! Which is about P250. I stayed in Hotel Santika Premiere where my cousin and her colleagues were booked.

After breakfast and freshening up, we rode a 'padyak' pronounced 'pedjek' going to a nearby church. It's a tricycle where the driver at the back. Scary thing is that for a while we were traveling on the opposite lane, against the traffic. Vehicles were approaching us. We were on the wrong lane.

Padyak on the opposite side of the road. See the approaching traffic

After the church visit and action stunt, we hired a car to drive us to see the sights. This cost 500k IDR for the whole day.

Our first stop was Taman Sari or Water Palace in Kraton village. The palace is where the Sultan and his concubines hang-out before.

It rained when we got there so I did not see the whole place. Stupid me for leaving my umbrella inside my back pack.

Taman Sari (Water Palace), Yogyakarta

Then we went to a Batik art gallery and bought some paintings

I'm a painting.

After, we traveled to Prambanan Temple.
Prambanan Temple is one of UNESCO Heritage Site and is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia. It was built in the 9th century to honor god Shiva. Entrance fee for foreigners is $13 (RP 137,000), but since we were mistaken to be locals, we only paid RP 30,000, a fraction of the price.

Ticket says we are Indonesians

Prambanan Temple was amazing.

Prambanan Temple

And here, I got inspired to do some temple running.

Temple Run in Prambanan

More temple runs!

Our dinner is in a lovely Javanese style restaurant named "The Secret Garden of Kalasan".

And after a long delicious dinner, we went back to the hotel. I had a massage and woke up by 1030pm to attend Easter Eve/Salubong mass.

My first time to attend mass in Bahasa. A perfect way to end day one in Indonesia.

Singapore Solo Adventure Part 2

2012-04-22T08:32:00.001-07:00

Holy Thursday. If I were in Manila, I will be spending the night visiting churches and reliving the Stations of the Cross during Visita Iglesia. This day, I was in Singapore and I thought, why not do Visita Iglesia here.

So, a quick research online, I found the names and addresses of churches within Singapore. Right after breakfast, I boarded the train and started my Visita Iglesia. This is the first Visita Iglesia I'm doing outside the Philippines.
First Leg- Victoria Street/Queens Road.

1. Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of Lourdes, Ophir Road, Singapore

then walked further and further down the road

2. St Joseph Church

St. Joseph Church, Singapore

3. St Peter and Paul

St. Peter and Paul, Singapore

4. Good Sheperd Cathedral

Good Sheperd Cathedral

Stopped as well in Singapore Art Museum (which looks like a Church as well, and perhaps it was before) and Chjmes.

Singapore Art Musuem

Chjmes

Then boarded the MRT and alighted at Boon Keng station. It was a long walk under the scorching sun until I reached the next church.

5. St. Michael's Church in St. Michael's Road. This seems to be somewhere in a residential outskirt of Singapore. Lots of residential condominiums and single detached houses). Happy to see 'regular houses' in SG.

St. Michael Church

Walk back under scorching sun until the main street, rode a bus, then the MRT, and walked (and got lost) going to the next church. Novena Church.

Novena Church

While here, the rain poured and it poured hard. I waited for it to subside and walked back to the MRT station.

My last stop is St. Andrews cathedral- an Anglican church, which is one of the highlights of Singapore City as well.

St. Andrew's Cathedral

Went back to Chinatown, famished and tired. Had late lunch in a Chinese Restaurant (damn expensive noodles!) and rested and freshened up for the night.

SGD 15 Noodles!

That night, we watched Wicked. And it was wicked! :)

Afterwhich we went to Marina Barage, to watch the night kite flyers and to get view of the city by night.

Finding peace in a city so busy

We capped of the night, and my Singapore trip, eating hummus and lamb kebabs, and smoking shisha, seated by the sidewalk with laid out carpets in one of those side streets in Kampong Glam.

Singapore, til next time.

Singapore Solo Adventure Part 1

2012-04-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

Ending my workday on a rush, I headed to the airport to catch the 930PM CebuPacific flight to Singapore. The flight went smoothly and arrived Singapore past midnight. I took a cab going to the hostel which cost me about SGD 25. I would have taken the MRT and spend SGD3 instead, but it closes at midnight. For travelers with a shoestring budget, this is worth noting. The cost of airport transfers if arriving from red-eye flights may be more expensive.

The Hostel.
I stayed in 5Foot Way Inn conveniently located in Chinatown. I heard about it from a tweet of DJ Chico Garcia, and booked it through HostelBookers.com, (which is a bit cheaper booking it than from HostelWorld.com). I stayed in a mixed dorm for 6, which was quite cramped, good thing though the room was never fully occupied during my stay. In choosing hostels, consider the location, I always look for something convenient (near MRT stations). Also, read the reviews by other fellow travelers from Trip Advisor, Lonely Planet, and from various hostel/hotel booking sites.

5 Foot Way Inn, Chinatown, Singapore

5 Foot Way Inn has free breakfast (toast, fruits, and cereals), unlimited coffee/milo/tea etc, and WiFi access. The view from our room is pretty okay too.

View from our Dorm

Chinatown

With no planned itinerary, I left the hostel after a late breakfast and walked around Chinatown. I visited 2 Buddhist temples, Sri Mariamman and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. There was service going on during my visit, and it was calming. It's like listening to a Buddhist mass.

Sri Mariamman Temple

Buddhist Tooth Relic Temple

Then, I boarded a bus to Vivo City and walked 700 meters towards Sentosa through Sentosa boardwalk.
And walked, ate, walked, ate, and took photos along the way.

SGD5 Char Kway Teow from the Malaysian Food Court.

For Dessert: Gelato Stick from Stick House. Costs more than my lunch at SGD 6.75!

Photo Walking in Sentosa.

Then while waiting for the bus to Sentosa beach there was it staring right at my face- The building of iFly Singapore, with LED projections showing videos of sky diving. Aplace for indoor sky diving! This may be the best outdoor advertising I've seen, because I almost immediately run to this bulding to sign-up.

iFly Singapore. Indoor Sky Diving

I signed up and waited for the training to start. The whole experience is about an hour and a half which includes the briefing, training, your twice attempt, and waiting for your turn. I paid about 70 SGD for the indoor sky diving experience, 25 SGD for the photo, and 4 SGD for socks and for shoe rental. It may not be the real thing, but this is a good simulation exercise before I try the real deal.

Indoor Sky Diving in Singapore. Best things are unplanned :)

Afterwards, spent more time walking and went back to freshen up to meet Lani, a friend from Cebu, for dinner in Clark Quey and after-dinner stroll in Marina Bay Sands.

Singapore by Night. Clark Quey + Marina Bay Sands

Semi-solo travel Singapore Day 1- Check!

Travel Solo Adventure-

2012-04-16T06:21:00.001-07:00

I feel that each one of us should travel solo at least once in our lifetime, not for school or for work but just because.

Recently, I embarked on that solo trip- that adventure you have to do when you're young and single. Some may say it is an 'Eat Pray Love' moment, others may wittily say 'Eat Prey Love'. Some may find this to be soul searching experience. My mom even urged me to soulmate search on this one.

But for whatever reason, I just jumped right to it. It just one of those things I feel I have to do.

So, with my reliable red 30L backpack, I ventured to perhaps the most exciting and challenging trip I've taken. 8 days. 4 countries. And most of the time solo.

I started in Singapore, spent a night in Kuala Lumpur, headed to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and concluded in Thailand.

It was a trip of many firsts and of countless anecdotes.
In Singapore, I tried indoor sky diving, successfully finished Visita Iglesia (without the live aid of Google Maps), watched Wicked, and smoked some shisha sitting on a carpet by a sidewalk.

In Yogyakarta, started my Temple Run series and attended Easter eve mass in Javanese.

In Bangkok, destroyed a BTS (MRT) entrance machine when I put in a coin in the card slot *facepalm*.

For the first time as well, I've been in 3 countries in one day- eating breakfast in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, lunch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and dinner in Bangkok, Thailand.

Each day, a new story. Each destination, a new experience. And here's how it goes...

Sagada Once Again

2012-01-03T04:24:00.000-08:00

It’s true that you never travel to the same place twice. Each is a different experience. That’s why there is always reason come back. More so if the destination and its people are genuinely beautiful that they strike a chord in your heart.

Perhaps it’s true as well that there’s no travel which is a hundred percent smooth sailing. At any given time, there will be hiccups, mishaps of some sort. But these hiccups make travel more memorable, if not exciting.
This is the third time in 3 and a half years that I visited Sagada. This time, what started out as an over-drinks/slightly drunk plan with some travel enthusiast friends turned to be a family affair with my two brothers and our mom.

We planned to taker the Banaue-Sagada route to see the rice terraces during the short stop-over. But as we got to Florida bus station (one of two or three bus lines that have Banaue trips), the bus is full. We looked for Autobus, another bus line that supposed to service Banaue, but it seems that it doesn’t exist anymore. We found another line that services Banaue, Ohayami bus, but their buses were fully booked as well. Yes, we should have reserved tickets a day or so earlier, but I planned this trip to be a “bahala na” one. (What an irony.)

Changed plans.
We travel via Baguio instead. Thank you Lord for the empty seats in Victory Liner. We left at 11pm and arrived freezing in Baguio at 5am. We then took a cab to Dangwa station to catch a GL/Lizardo bus to Sagada. And woah, the line is sooo ling. A lot of travelers are going to Sagada at this moment. We were able to get tickets for 830am trip. Then off we go. Having no reserved accommodations and seeing the volume of travelers, I feel the need to book us a place to stay. Ms. ‘Bahala Na’ is a bit worried. Thanks for unlimited internet on my fingertips, I searched for Sagada accommodations and called all active numbers. Too bad though that all places I called were fully-booked. I was constantly silently praying that we get a place to stay once we get there.

Roadside View to Sagada

We arrived Sagada at 130pm. We walked to the nearest inn, Gayudan Inn, and in God’s grace, there are vacancies just enough for us. P200/head, common bathroom. Not bad! Not bad at all.
So we thought everything will be smooth sailing since. But then, my youngest brother found out that he lost his wallet with all his money (P5k) somewhere between Baguio and Sagada. Having no ATM in Sagada, we have to make do with the cash we have. The tight budget of 3 persons must be stretched to 4.
And the trip must go on.

Cave Connections:

We enter through the burial cave and exit through Sumaguing.

Cave Connections in Sagada

We spent 3 hours inside testing our dexterity, limberness, and our upper and lower body strength. It’s my second time to do the cave connections, and it seems that some of the steps are harder and the gaps tighter (or perhaps I’m just getting bigger).

Cave Connections

Sumaguing Cave

Anyways, near the end of our trip, my mom slipped and sprained her foot. Oh no, injury!

As we got back to the town, we called a manghihilot, and he did a therapy on my mom’s foot. The pain was relieved and by the afternoon the next day, my mom was able to walk around town, and by night, she was able to party with the Igorots around a bonfire. (But we’ll get to that later.)

Bomod-Ok Falls

By morning, my brothers, my brother’s friends and I trekked to Bomod-Ok falls. This is the fastest and seemingly easiest trek I took to the big falls. In my previous trios, it took almost half a day going to and from, but only, we only took less than an hour to trek down and another hour to climb up. Well, perhaps it’s because I was trekking with 3 mountaineers (2 of which regularly run 42k for FUN), and a 17 year-old Frisbee player.

View from the trek to Bomod-Ok Falls

Trek to Bomod-Ok Falls

By the time we get to the falls, there were a lot of people. We stayed for a while, taking photos and a dip in the freezing water.

Sagada Bonfire

The climax of this trip perhaps is the bonfire party in the pine forest. 500 or so guests from different parts of the world partied the night away. There was dancing—the traditional Igorot way; dinner of fresh salad, adobo, and rice served in banana stem; 3 kinds of wine—rice, lemon, blueberry, and overflowing freshly brewed coffee and mountain tea. It reminded me a bit of the Igorot wedding we crashed a few years back, but this is much more fun.

Overflowing wine, coffee, and tea

Traditional Igorot Dance around bonfire

I feel so privileged to be part of this bonfire. I feel so privileged to visit Sagada again. And if given the chance and opportunity to do this over and over, I will definitely will.

Sagada, til we meet again.

Boracay with Lugawmates

2011-11-21T03:33:00.001-08:00

Mag-lugaw. It's the act of not doing anything or more apt, the act of not doing what you're supposed to do.

They say that this use of term originated from merchandisers/refillers who in their breaktime eat lugaw. Until the term 'naglulugaw' eventually evolve to a slang conveying 'not doing work'.

Lugawmates-- ex-colleagues slash great friends, who have mastered the art of 'lugaw'. An unlikely group coming from various parts of the country, brought together by work circumstances, glued by the same firey passion and ironically equally chill disposition.

The idea if Boracay sprung about from one of those lugaw email threads.
I don't remember whose idea was it, next thing I knew, I was booking online tickets for some of us.

Then the Boracay weekend came. True to our name, lugaw was what we did. With no definite objective or itinerary (we didn't even had reserved accommodations that morning of our trip) , we set foot to the island of Boracay.

But things unfold rather positively (despite the flight delays going to and from Kalibo) .

Free accommodation in Casa Pilar, courtesy of Baby's mom :)
Proposal story of Baby and Remus over cocktails.

A refreshing half day in Shangri-La Resort and Spa .

A bit of Swimming,
A lot of Lounging and People Watching.

And just chilling is quite cheap. I spent only about P2700 for the trip plus the P3000 roundtrip plane fare.

The art of just chilling are lugaw moments at its best. :)

Dive or Surf

2011-11-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

I've been asked by a friend...
Friend: What do you love more, Diving or Surfing?
Nel: Hmmmm... If I were a guy, Diving is like my wife. It's first love. Surfing is like my mistress, it brings the thrill.
Friend: Bakit, di ba pwedeng magka-mistress ang girl...Mister-ess?

Travel Buddies

2011-11-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

Travel--a passion I have ever since I can remember, a passion shared with a lot of people, and an aspiration for many others.

For those who share this passion and aspiration, keep traveling. Travel wide and deep. And keep in mind that traveling, most if not all of the time, is a shared experience.

It is not just where you go but who you are with that makes traveling memorable and enriching. Traveling does not only allows us to discover places and cultures, but it leads to further discovery of oneself and of others.

And with that, I urge you to travel with different groups of people, and in moments, travel solo.

Travel with your family. Even if you're all grownups, travel with your parents and siblings. It breaks monotony from your daily home lives. It may be the most stressful travel you may have, but surpassed the stress, the memories are more meaningful.

Travel with your best friends. With them, you can be just as you are, with zero inhibitions. They know your ins and outs, strengths and weaknesses, and every mood swings. Traveling with them is like a long sleep over -- non-stop teasing, joking, and laughing. But beyond the bickering and laughter are strokes of deep conversations rooted from real caring.

Travel with friends of friends. There's a certain thrill and excitement in meeting people with common interests and sharing the same experience with them. In tag- along trips, you grow your circle, you meet acquaintances and cultivate friendships.

Travel Solo. It requires a whole lot of courage to travel alone, but this can be the most enriching travel experience one can have. In moments of solitude, introspection happens. In introspection, a better understanding of yourself and of God.

But again, no one walks alone. In the course of solo travels, you meet people along the way, people from different walks of life, from different states of being, with different levels of life experiences. And as you cross paths, from those single-served chitchats to long-engaging conversations over meals and drinks, you're sharing a part of yourself and receiving a part of theirs.

In solo travel, there is always a sense of solitude and community. You are one but one with others.

To my fellow wanderers, and to aspiring travelers, just keep exploring. Visit new places and meet new faces.
Travel and be one with the world.

Seoul, South Korea

2011-09-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Date trip: July 1, 2011

Our bus from Busan to Seoul arrived earlier than expected. By 4AM we set foot on South Korea's capital. Still sleepy and tired from yesterday's long day walk, we were zombies walking aimlessly on the streets of Seoul before sunrise.

Our original plan was to go to the Floating Island and wait for the sunrise. But since a typhoon hit Seoul a couple of days before and had been raining continuously until we got there, we were informed by the grocery man in the bus station that the Floating Island is flooded and advised us not to go.

So we walked towards nowhere until it led us to another bus/train station where we rested until sunrise. By morning, we circled the block looking for a Western place to eat but with no avail. We hailed a cab and asked the driver to drop us at McDonalds. Our first meal in Seoul--Bacon Mc Muffin, hashbrown, and pancakes.

Then we traveled our way Suwon, outside Seoul to see Hwaseong Fortress. After an hour or so of travel, 2 train rides and a cab ride, we arrived at Suwon, Gyeonggi-do.

The cab driver dropped us off in a touristy destination which looks like a small royal palace. We paid the entrance fee, went inside, and saw, well nothing. There was a shoot ongoing and we were hushed off. We went back to the ticket station and asked where the Fortress is and were told that it's about 5km hike from where we are. That would take us an hour or so by foot to get there. So will we proceed? Well, we traveled all the way here so why not? We're willing to walk in Seoul (except for Anna B). :)

So we hiked for about 200m. Then we were exhausted. Good thing there was another tourist stop slash ticket office for the Hwaseong Trolley. Hwaseong Trolley is a tourist train that travels along part of the perimeter of the Fortress.It's firey red and its front shaped like a fierce dragon's head. For me it looks like a fun choochoo train. And since we're more willing to pay than willing to walk in Korea, we rode the 30-minute dragon-trolly ride.

Suwon Trolley

The tour ended (if I'm not mistaken) in the western side of Suwon fortress. More touristy photo ops, and we proceeded back to the station. We had an unexpected stop in a mall where we spent considerable amount of time shopping in Uniqlo and Longchamp. Then had lunch in Lotteria, a local fastfood chain.

Then we traveled back to the city of Seoul via train. Our next stop was the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul's royal palace. We witnessed the ceremonious changing of the guards outside the palace gate. Then, we went inside the palace and listed ourselves to borrow Korea's national costume.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Changing of the guards

So there we were, 5 grown-ups playing dress-up. And mind you, there was a little squabble who gets what costume. In the end, Anna, Aisa, and Cali were dressed up as Maidens, while Apple and I were dressed like Royal Guards. Royal Guards who look more like Hobbits than Royal Guards.

After touring the Royal Palace, we went to Myeongdong Shopping district to well, shop. And yes, we shopped. :)

Our last stop for the night was Seoul Tower. What makes this spot special was on the railings are millions of padlocks with special messages. This is where lovers and friends symbolically lock their love and friendship. Some couples lock their lips after putting their padlocks, and we can't help but cheer, quietly though, "lips to lips. lips to lips" while giggling like little school girls. Mature, I know. :)

We ourselves, the Magic 7, put a padlock with a love note on a heart-shaped rubber pad. Today we lock and celebrate our 15 years and counting of friendship. We're friends more than half our lives now and will be friends for the rest of our lives.

19 waking hours. 5 friends. 1 amazing city.

Flights

2011-09-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

Everytime I fly I always request for a window seat. I'd love to stare by the window and take photos of the view. I probably got hundreds of photos of sea of clouds, airplane wings, miniature buildings, rivers and mountains, ports and seas, etc etc, but by far this is my favorite...

Mayon Volcano, October 4, 2010

Taken during trip to Legaspi for 2010 Marketing Advance in Misibis Bay.

Busan, South Korea

2011-07-31T04:01:00.000-07:00

July 1, 2011

This trip is probably one of the most special and memorable travels I have this year. It is the first out of the country trip with my highschool barkada, perhaps in a way celebrating our 15 years of friendship. Also, this is the first time we will be meeting baby Leila, Aisa's adorable little girl.

For the first leg of our trip, we explored Busan in a borrowed luxury Sedan (thank you Law's boss). Busan, located in the southeast tip of Korean peninsula, is South Korea's second largest city after Seoul, and the country's port capital.

Our first destination is Haedong Yongungsa Temple. This Buddhist temple was built in 1376. Unlike most temples in South Korea (or perhaps the world), Haedong Yongungsa Temple is located not in the mountains, but on a cliff along the coast. A temple standing on a rock along sea, with waves crashing against the rock provides an awesome view and background for our photoshoot.

We travelled to Haeundae, an upscale touristy city with lots of hotels and high-end condominiums. This is home to majority of expats currently residing in Busan.

We had our lunch in a small family restaurant in Haeundae. Since this is our first authentic Korean meal (last night we had Bonchon-like chicken and Korean instant noodles), we ordered almost everything in the menu--maki roll, Bibimbop, Beef Stew with glass noodles, Spicy Beef Stew with Rice, Spicy Beef Stew with Octopus and rice.

After lunch, we strolled along Haendae Beach, one of the most popular beaches in South Korea. This beach is popular among locals and is the venue of the various cultural events and festivities. During summer, the beach is literally filled with hundreds of thousands of guests. Luckily during our visit, the beach was not that crowded.

We walked towards Dongbaek Island, south of Haeundae beach. Dongbaek, popular site for line fishing, was a separate island long before, but years and years of accumulation of sand and earth, a land bridge was formed connecting Dongbaek to the main land.

Fishing by the cliff

The Mermaid

Dongbaek garden is lush with camellia and pine trees. It's relatively cooler here amidst the humid sea breeze. We strolled along Dongbaek Garden taking photos along the way.

Hanging Bridge in Dongbaek Garden

The Lighthouse

At the peak of Dongbaek lies Nurimaru APEC House, the venue of 2005 APEC Summit. In Korean, Nuri means "world" and Maru means "summit".

APEC House

Inside the APEC House

We headed back home, rested for a while, and went out for dinner in what they call "The Tent". Here we had Korean Pork Barbecue and Soju--a Korean alcoholic drink made from rice which tastes like a sweeter/lighter version of vodka or gin. During dinner, Aisa crashed coursed us with the basics of Korean meal manners--how to wrap a Korean barbecue, how to pour Soju etc etc.

After dinner, we headed back home, prepared ourselves and our stuff for our midnight trip to Seoul.
It's going to be an exciting long day ahead. :)

Gone for the Weekend: Sumnanga, Sabtang (Little Hongkong of Batanes)

2011-06-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

Gone for the Weekend: Sumnanga, Sabtang (Little Hongkong of Batanes)

Travel Mapping

2011-06-24T03:24:00.000-07:00

My goal: to make all the white spots blue! (Go Ateneo! hehe)

My Lakbayan grade is B!
How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!
Created by Eugene Villar.

Palaui Island, Sta. Ana, Cagayan

2011-06-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

This trip almost didn't happen.
Our plan was to leave 7PM, Friday via Victory Liner. Unfortunately, buses were full and next available trip was at 10:30. Given we only have the weekend, and that travel time to Cagayan will be at least 12 hours long, we knew that the 1030 trip is not worth it to take.

For a moment there, we were lost. We were travellers without a destination. Gica and I were in the center of Cubao, all geared up but with no place to go.

We considered going to La Union, or Vigan, or Baler. Anywhere with a beach!
Good thing Kathryn and Jeff were able to secure 9PM tickets from Baliwag Bus. We were at the very back of the bus but at least we're on our way.

After 12 hours of gruelling, bouncy bus ride, we arrived Tuguegarao. We had a quick breakfast in a carinderia near the terminal, and then rode a van to Sta Ana, the farthest town in Cagayan.

Another 3 hours of travel, we finally arrive the town of Sta. Ana. We checked in at Country Inn by the Sea, a newly constructed inn. We got a Family Room with 5 beds for P2500. The place is clean, quaint, and its staff, very friendly.

Country Inn by the Sea, Sta Ana, Cagayan

We freshened up, ordered sandwiches, and we rented a boat going to Palaui Island. Boat rental cost P2500.

45 minutes of boatride, we arrived at the beautiful Palaui Island.
It's topography reminds me so much of Batanes.

Palaui Island

Cape Engano

Tres Marias- Dos Hermanas

Our guide Maya led us to see the hidden waterfalls. Walking along the trail is like walking in the Forbidden Forest in Lord of the Rings. You can feel how enchanted the place is.

Hidden Waterfalls

We headed back just in time for the sunset.

Sunset view by our balcony

The next morning, we toured the town of Sta Ana, complementary of Tita Audrey--the owner of Country Inn.

San Vicente Port

Tour boats waiting

Last Kilometer Marking in North Luzon

By 9AM, 18 hours after we set foot on the tip of Cagayan, we leave the place with memories, both beautiful and enchanting.

I may have taken a lot of trips in my life, but this one, I'm sure I will never forget.