the adventures of wander girl

island hopping: Gilutungan, Pandanon, & in the middle of nowhere...

2012-05-26T02:48:00.000+08:00

It’s the last weekend of summer, and I just needed one more hoooraaah. So what could be a better way to cap off the summer than to go to an island with white pristine beaches. I’ve always wanted to go to Pandanon island ever since I saw a picture of the ruins.

Dreams do come true! ;)

Wake up call at 6 am. Time to pack up and go. Sunblock. Check. Underwater cam. Check. Bling blings. Check.

We headed to the port where our boat is docked. We had to ride a mini banca to reach the big banca since it’s low tide. Well, we could’ve walked since it’s only waistline deep. LOL.

abandoned ship!

row, row, row your boat

The boat was pretty big you could run around it. The engine is starting… and we’re off! I love staying in the bowsprit of the boat. I love the feeling of the wind in my face, seeing the beautiful islands, and feeling like you’re floating in the clouds.

i feel free!!!

anchors away!

First stop. Gilutungan island. Time to dive in the water.

That was refreshing! Just enough to cool down from the scorching heat. Now we’re heading to Pandanon island.

touchdown!!!

Yes! We’ve finally reached the island. I was so excited I jumped off the boat before it was anchored. I was taken aback by the beauty of this island. It’s like paradise!

Pandanon is more than just a mound of sand. There are two sides to this island. The west end is where the island community dwells. We strolled around and met some friendly locals. Island living is simple living without the hustles & bustles of the city.

do tha superman!

boat/home

The cottages are on the east side of the island, where you can see the ruins, a white pavilion, and a long stretch of fine white sand. The beach was so tempting I put down my cam, forgot to reapply my sunblock(Ooooopsss…) and just go for a swim.

i love the beach!

surfin'

After a satisfying swim, a sumptuous lunch, and a few refreshing bottles of beer, it’s time to go…

Next stop. In the middle of nowhere...

i claim this islet mine!!!

Time to go diving and explore the creatures under the sea…

found a blue starfish!

and an old newspaper

It’s late in the afternoon now, I guess it’s time to head back to the shore. Last hoooraaaah for summer well spent. I may have sunburns on my back but it was all worth it. See you next summer! Wander girl out.

My First Run... Hopefully Not the Last!

2012-04-28T03:36:00.000+08:00

It's 2 o'clock in the morning. I just got home from my first run, the BEER run. Now that's what you call a "FUN" run. For me anyways. It's not for the serious-hearted.

We arrived at the starting line a little past 11. Warmed up and took some pics for remembrance.

stretch!!!

kym, me & fei

woooohooooo... let's get it started!!!

meet lapu-lapu

When the clock struck midnight, they opened a bottle of beer and fired the gun to start the race. Run!!!

stop posing & start running!

It was a little tight to run since there were street parties happening all around. But the crowd cheered us on. High fives everywhere. I was beginning to get thirsty, and we reached the water/beer station.

faster guyz!

attack!!!

Yes! My favorite part! Ice cold beer. Aaaahh... that was refreshing.

Now, I'm halfway there to the finish line. Just pacing now since I'm a little out of breath. Oh my! A guy wearing nothing but "bahag" and running barefoot was beside me. Looks like Lapu-Lapu has risen. LOL.

I'm almost there!!! I can smell victory! Then you'd have to crawl your way to the finish line.

Yes! I made it! I survived the beer run!

Earth Hour

2012-04-01T18:52:00.001+08:00

“I’m gonna make a change for once in my life.” So I decided to get involved in Earth Hour. As the clock struck 8:30, we all turned off the lights and darkness filled up the streets. We got out of the house and since there’s nothing much to do in pitch black, we just grabbed the cam and had some fun with our torches.

Earth Pffffffftttt....

i suck at writing!

it's suppose to say Earth Hour!

60 minutes of darkness is all it takes. If we all did our part, we all have made a difference in saving Mother Earth. As Captain Planet would say it, “Let our Powers combine!”

Life Lessons from Abraham Lincoln

2012-03-19T18:17:00.000+08:00

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. He served from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln successfully led the United States through its darkest hour … the American Civil War. In the end, Lincoln was able to preserve the Union and end slavery.

Here are some of his life lessons:

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.”

Before you can succeed, you must prepare. When Lincoln was an unknown attorney in the backwoods of Illinois he was preparing for success, when Lincoln became an Illinois State Senator, he was preparing for success, and even when he lost the election for the U.S. senate twice, he was preparing for success. What are you doing in preparation for success? Lincoln said, “I will prepare and some day my chance will come.”

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”

You can’t stroll to a goal, you must hustle; you must move quickly in order to gain the momentum necessary to break free from the gravitational pull of the commonplace. The best things in life come to those who hustle. Are you hustling?

“That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.”

If someone else can succeed in the business that you’re in, that is proof that you can succeed as well. If someone else can become rich in the state that you’re in, that is proof that you become rich as well. You have all that the greatest of men have had: a mind, and a will. Don’t make excuses, if someone else can do it, so can you… And who knows? You may be able to do it faster and better; never underestimate you abilities.

“Reputation is like fine china, once broken it's very hard to repair.”

Work to be, the way you want to be perceived. Don’t try to look good, be good. A good name is more valuable than fine gold and “choice” rubies.

Practice becoming honorable.

You can be just as honest, have just as much integrity, walk in just as much humility, and possess just as much discipline as the greatest men who have ever lived.

“And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

Lincoln didn’t live to a very old age, but the “life in his years” made a profound impact on the world. Are you making your years count? Are you changing the world? You’re capable of it; if you’re able to read and understand these words, then you have the ability to make a profound impact, and that’s not just meaningless rhetoric, it’s a very real reality, but will you grasp it, will you believe it and make it “your” reality.

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”

If you look for something to complain about, you will certainly find it! There’s “always” an opportunity to be “offended!” Don’t take these opportunities; they “never” lead to anything positive. Learn to see the roses in life; life is filled with roses, if you’ll take the time to see them.

“The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can…”

If you improve everyday, imagine the improvements you could make over the course of 20 years. You could become successful “in-just-about” any field in 20 years. You can make a significant impact on the world in 20 years! Remember, slow and steady wins the race; Rome was not built in a day. Work to get a little better everyday, and it time, you will accomplish your dreams.

History 101: camERA

2012-03-18T22:53:00.000+08:00

"Photography" is derived from the Greek words photos ("light") and graphein ("to draw") The word was first used by the scientist Sir John F.W. Herschel in 1839. It is a method of recording images by the action of light, or related radiation, on a sensitive material.

Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (who was Daguerre's partner, but died before their invention was completed) invented the first practical photographic method, which was named the daguerreotype, in 1836.

Daguerre coated a copper plate with silver, then treated it with iodine vapor to make it sensitive to light. The image was developed by mercury vapor and fixed with a strong solution of ordinary salt (sodium chloride).

Henry Fox Talbot perfected a different process, the calotype, in 1840. Both used cameras that were little different from Zahn's model, with a sensitized plate or sheet of paper placed in front of the viewing screen to record the image. Focusing was generally via sliding boxes.

Collodion dry plates had been available since 1855, thanks to the work of Désiré van Monckhoven, but it was not until the invention of the gelatin dry plate in 1871 by Richard Leach Maddox that they rivaled wet plates in speed and quality.

The use of photographic film was pioneered by George Eastman, who started manufacturing paper film in 1885 before switching to celluloid in 1889. His first camera, which he called the "Kodak," was first offered for sale in 1888. It was a very simple box camera with a fixed-focus lens and single shutter speed, which along with its relatively low price appealed to the average consumer. The Kodak came pre-loaded with enough film for 100 exposures and needed to be sent back to the factory for processing and reloading when the roll was finished. By the end of the 19th century Eastman had expanded his lineup to several models including both box and folding cameras.

In 1900, Eastman took mass-market photography one step further with the Brownie, a simple and very inexpensive box camera that introduced the concept of the snapshot. The Brownie was extremely popular and various models remained on sale until the 1960s.

Nice to know how cameras were made. Now it’s evolved so much everything is so handy!

Text from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_camera

How to get around Macau without spending a Pataca

2012-03-18T21:12:00.000+08:00

How to get around macau without spending a pataca

Macau! Looks like a mini Vegas. There are casinos and elegant hotels everywhere. The first time I came here we paid a tour guide to help us get around. And I found out it was so easy. You don’t even have to spend a cent. There are shuttle buses to get you to places for free!!! And if you’re hungry, you can walk going to the Ruins and vendors would let you taste beef jerkies and almond cookies. Yummy!!

So here’s the secret:

ª Ride a ferry from HK’s Macau Ferry Terminal

> I prefer the Turbojet ferry cause it’s much cheaper. It costs around $123 and it leaves every 30 minutes. Or if you want a grander ride, you can take the chopper.

> no need to exchange your HKD for Macau Pataca

> don't forget your passport!

> ferry ride takes about an hour, so it's a good time to doze off and get energized!

ª Upon reaching Macau, go to the shuttle buses for hotels

> you can take the bus for Grand Lisboa Hotel or the Grand Emperor Hotel

> it’s totally free

ª From Grand Lisboa Hotel, you can walk straight for less than 15 minutes going to Senado Square

ª From Grand Emperor Hotel, walk straight for a block and turn left going to the Senado Square

> there are signs on the road heading there

> you’ll know it’s the right way cause there are a lot of tourists going there

> or if you’re lost, you can always ask someone

ª Senado Square

> take a stroll and take pictures of the old Portuguese-inspired infrastructures

> and just walk going to…

ª The Ruins of St. Paul

> as you head there, don’t forget to get a free taste of their beef jerkies and almond cookies

> don’t be shy, everyone does it

> just point to the jerky you want to try and the vendor would cut a piece for you

> just a few more steps to the Ruins...

ª Fortress Hill

> it’s on the right side of St. Paul’s Ruins

> it’s a tiring climb to the top

ª Na Tcha Temple and Old City Walls

> it’s on the left side of St. Paul’s Ruins

Now it’s time to go to Cotai Strip! Where the big casinos and luxurious hotels are.

ª City of Dreams

> walk going back to the Grand Emperor Hotel

> a block before reaching the hotel there’s a line for the shuttle bus going to City of Dreams

> ride the shuttle bus

> enjoy the sights, you can pass the Macau Tower, the shoreline, their brown beaches( idk why it’s brown), the Galaxy Hotel, everything…

> inside the hotel, you can see mermaids coming out of huge screens… amazing!!! (All the guys were staring at it.)

> if you’ve got the time and money, you can watch the House of Dancing Water. It’s an incredible show by Cirque du Soleil.

> or you can watch a free show, the Dragon's Treasure

> after you’ve roamed around the hotel, just cross the street leading to…

ª The Venetian

> as you go in, you will be amazed by their extravagant design

> head to the Canal Shoppes

> it’s incredible how they made the clouds so life-like!

> you can take a gondola ride for a fee

> or just stroll around

> if you’ve had enough, take a bus going back to the ferry terminal, and ride a shuttle bus to Pharoah’s Palace Casino/ Landmark Hotel, and walk heading to…

ª The Fisherman’s Wharf

> just wander around the themed park

> ride the shuttle bus again to the ferry terminal

> if it’s not yet 7pm, take the bus to…

ª Wynn Hotel

> watch the spectacular fountain show

> the view of Nam Lake is also really nice

ª Time to go home

> again, just take a free shuttle bus to the ferry terminal

>ride the Turbojet heading back to HK Ferry Terminal

That was FUN!!!

Lessons from a Genius (Albert Einstein)

2012-03-16T22:33:00.001+08:00

1. Follow Your Curiosity “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”

2. Perseverance is Priceless “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

3. Focus on the Present “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”

4. The Imagination is Powerful “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

5. Make Mistakes “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

6. Live in the Moment “I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.”

7. Create Value “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

8. Don’t be repetitive “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

9. Knowledge Comes From Experience “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.”

10. Learn the Rules and Then Play Better “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”

Source: Dumb little man

post vacation blues

2012-03-14T23:25:00.000+08:00

i hate this feeling.
this feeling you get after a holiday. when you have to go back to reality. go back to work. aaaarrrggghhhh....
why can't i just be in a vacation forever...........
well, i guess that's life.

a love letter

2012-02-19T10:17:00.000+08:00

I was cleaning up my very messy room and found this…

Aaaaaawww… I felt my heart skip a beat.

It’s a letter my boyfriend wrote to me on our first monthsary date at Table 7. I could still remember how young, happy and in love we were that day.

Now, it’s been 7 years since we first laid eyes on each other. And I still feel like that giddy schoolgirl very much in love with a boy.

I love you forever babi!!!

sinulog fever!!

2012-01-16T18:00:00.000+08:00

Viva! Pit Senyor! First time ever to have completed the 9-day novena to Snr. Sto. Nino! I’m so proud of myself. I couldn’t have done it without my friends who unfailingly wake me up early every morning. Thanks girls! I enjoyed every moment of it especially the food trips we do right after.

I know I’m not religious at all but having attended the novena masses moved me. I’ve never been in a crowd so devoted that in spite of the scorching heat or the slight drizzle they endure it all just to pray and praise the child Jesus. During the novena mass, the devotees sing the Gozos, Batobalani sa Gugma(which means “a magnet of love”) and wave their hands up in the air, and I always get goosebumps or get choked up a bit.

On the 9^th day of the novena is the Traslacion, the reunion of the Holy Family. It is when the images of Sto. Nino and Mama Mary visit the shrine of St. Joseph. Still, devotees queue for hours, zigzagging their way to see Sto. Nino.

The fluvial procession is held at dawn, bringing the Sto. Nino back to the basilica.

A solemn procession is held thereafter attended by thousands of devotees.

And now it’s time for the MARDIGRAS!!! Sinulog comes from the Cebuano word “sulog” which means like water current movement. That is how the dance steps originated, two steps forward and one step backward, but now it has a variety of steps. So I took on the streets to really feel the Sinulog fever! I got my camera ready, put on some sunblock, ate a big breakfast, and brought some water. Now, I’m all set to party!!

Kudos to the dancers! Even if it’s like desert-hot, they still put on a smile!

Those are some colourful costumes!

Can you hear that boom boom boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Beautiful!!

Now this is what I call crowd control!! Move back or else...

The higantes and floats…

STREET PARTY!!!

met some cool people on the streets

there's never a dull moment with these guys!

I enjoyed every moment of Sinulog! Despite the lack of sleep, the hot weather, and the rowdy crowd, I''d still do it all over again. Let's keep in mind that more than the revelries, it is a festival, not of religion, but of faith, and a form of thanksgiving to the miraculous Senior Sto. Nino's countless blessings. Pit Senyor!

happy 2012!!!

2012-01-05T01:27:00.000+08:00

they say 2012 is the end of the world... i say it's the beginning! the beginning of my bloggin' life!

so here's my new 'do for this year... like it? =)

since it's new year, i guess it's time for resolutions... resolutions that only last a few weeks. but here goes mine:

1. eat a healthy diet! (for now, i've been successful except for some late night munches)

2. exercise regularly (haven't started this one yet! dang!)

3. hear mass every Sunday ( i know... )

4. do one thing that scares me everyday...

5. SAVE MONEY!!!

that's it! cheers!! 2012 be good to me.

~ wander girl ~