Tips 'n Travels

Brisbane Trip Day 3

2013-05-12T08:39:00.002-07:00

It was my last day before I fly back to Sydney.

The plan for the day is to go up Mt. Gravatt and check out the view of the city. We also did some bush walking.

Some info and map on Mt.Gravatt

Overlooking view of the city

Quick trip to childhood. Haha

Playtime with Sharlyn

What a tall tree. I look soooo small

Wishy wish flower/plant.

What am i doing...haha

After the bush walking, we head to a mall to take lunch. A few rests and then we went back to the house to pick up my things. It was so fun hanging out in Brisbane. Hoping next time, I'll have more time to explore other sites.

I wish I could also go far as the Great Barrier Reef.

Brisbane Trip Day 2 - Surfers Paradise

2013-05-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

On my second day in Brisbane, we headed to Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise.

We had a quick stop at Dreamworld and Sea World. Took only pictures at the entrance. We decided to not take too long here since we wanted to stay longer at Surfers Paradise. I promised I'll be back so I can try the rides in Dreamworld and Sea World which are known attractions in Gold Coast.

Entrance of Dreamworld Theme Park

Panoramic View

Looks scary to me.

Solo photo. Yeah!

The much awaited jump shot.

We went to Surfers Paradise and then had a picnic lunch by the beach. We enjoyed walking along the beach. The sea breeze was cool. We didn't dare swim because the water is cold and I didn't bring any change of clothes. Perhaps next time will try swimming there too.

Just arrived in Surfers Paradise

Great weather. Love it!

Crazy. Happy. Jump shot for two.

Swim between the flags.

The next day is my last day in Brisbane. I have to fly back to Sydney in the evening. Huhu!

Brisbane Trip Day 1

2013-05-12T08:07:00.001-07:00

Brisbane is the capital city of Queensland. A few minutes flight from Sydney, this state is known to be the Sunshine state. I suppose this is because, it is much warmer in this side of Australia. Hehe!

So after a week in Sydney, which was mostly spent for work, I went to take a quick trip outside New South Wales.

I arrived in Brisbane around 8 am, on a Saturday and I was picked up by my Ninang (Godmother), her daughter and my uncle (her husband).

We stopped by to have breakfast at McDonald's. And after some rest at their house, we plan to go to South Bank and then explore the city.

Here's a panoramic view of the river.

There's a lot to see in South Bank. We first took lunch at one of the food shops there. And afterwards head to the man made "beach" and took a refreshing dip.

The weather then was a bit cold so imagine swimming in the pool in a very cold weather. It was really cold for me. But I enjoyed it anyway.

There's a number of food stalls to choose from

This is me and my kinakapatid Sharlyn.

After a refreshing dip, we head to the city via ferry.

We took a ferry from South Bank to the city

View of the skyscrapers on our way to the city

We walked around the city and took a lot of pictures.

Where to go next? I love street signs.

Inside the Cathedral of St. Stephen

Facade of the cathedral

This is a very attractive building. Swarovski's on display

Walkway but there seems to be some construction on this area

Whatever?!

Another church where we stopped by

We went to have dinner at a Thai place. The food was good except that the meals took a while to be served.

Photo op at a Thai statue

The Thai Orchid Restaurant

After dinner, we went home and took a rest. The next day we'll be heading to the beach in Surfers Paradise.

Taiwan Holiday 2012

2013-05-12T07:23:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I have a couple more backlogs. I noticed this Taiwan trip lying around my list of drafts so I'm now trying my best to recover the memory and provide you details of that trip.

This is another international trip that I have planned together with my closest Couchsurfing friends. We all decided to couchsurf again as it would really save us some more money and at the same time get more acquainted with international couchsurfing community which we all enjoy doing.

So why did we actually choose Taiwan. Basically, the love of telenovela, F4 would have been one reason. And one is because the promo fare then was so attractive we can't avoid it any longer. There is also some suggestions from other friends in CS that Taiwan is good and is not too expensive.

Taken at the Taroko National Park Entrance

After booking our flights, it was long before we decided to prepare what we wanted to do. Of course, I was usually busy researching and looking the perfect host. Until finally there was one who happily hosted the 4 of us.

The itinerary was also mostly prepared by myself. I decided to choose to head to Taroko to see the gorge. It was a few hours train trip and the scenery on the way was very nice. We got through mountains which is amazing.

I will try to re-write the post accounting and our itinerary and hopefully I can still remember all of them. Haha!

Five Day Batanes Trip Post Accounting

2013-05-12T04:20:00.000-07:00

Many have inquired about how much my trip costed. So here you go:

1 The meals are not included on the package. You can avail of the set meals in Shanedel's. It will be specially prepared for you by Ms. Dely or her daughter. :) Shanedel's offers set meals for as low as 150 up t 350. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. You need to advice ahead of time because they need to still buy from the market.

Day 4 and 5 meals where a bit pricey since I decided to splurge a bit at Fundacion Pacita.

2 Tricycle in Basco can be arranged for 100 pesos per trip. I only needed to take the tricycle when I had to go to Fundacion Pacita.

3 There is a pasalubong shop near Shanedel's that sells keychains 3 for 100 or 35 pesos each. There is also a pasalubong shop next to the Basco Airport if you fancy last minute

Some links to help you:

Skyjet - http://skyjetair.com/ (Starting May, Airphils is also flying to Basco)

Shanedel's Cafe and Inn - Ms. Delly Millan, http://shanedels.wix.com/batanes

Fundacion Pacita - http://www.fundacionpacita.ph/

Our very helpful tour guide: Kuya Rom - 0908 9272358

Tricycle Contact: 0929 7038404

Finally, Batanes

2013-05-12T03:48:00.002-07:00

Everybody is really awaiting for this moment. So, finally, it's here.

Fundacion Pacita, up the top of the hill

After more than a month of being busy with other stuff, I can now clear my head and start writing about my trip to Batanes.

To many, Batanes is an impossible dream destination. It is quite untouched and used to be accessible only by limited flights from Manila. Although there are also other options like taking boat, the most convenient is by flying. However, the cost is somewhat steep for a normal traveler like me.

Given this, I thought, one day I'll try and see this place with my own eyes when I got the moolah and of course, the courage to make it to one of the most picturesque islands in the North of the Philippines.

It was early this year that I thought of taking a trip on a holy week. I initially planned to travel to India as I wanted to see the Taj Mahal. But then, I realised I wasn't ready yet and there are more priority stuff I have to take care of and I cannot take a longer leave. So I thought of Batanes, I have been seeing a lot of fellow travel bloggers doing the Batanes trip early this year, and I got so interested to do the same.

I was so excited that I actually didn't realise how much it would cost me. Sometimes, I take this impulsive decision that whatever I want to do I'll just do it. And so I did.

The basic things have been booked. The flights, the accommodations and the tours.

I have been contemplating if I should do it on a diy, but thought I would have a more relaxed time if I just avail the packaged tour. Besides, I want to take it all in, relax and just enjoy the sights that Batanes would offer me.

In my Batanes series, I'll give a run down of the cost of my trips, itinerary and some food I have tried during the tour that we did.

So I hope, to those who are about to and planning to go to Batanes, my posts will be able to help you.

Hundred Islands Weekend Trip

2013-02-23T22:24:00.000-08:00

The weekend trip to Hundred Islands is a much awaited team building for our team.

Hundred Islands is in Pangasinan, almost 5-6 hours from Manila by van. We had one stop over along the way.

The tour package is actually a discounted one I got from an online deals site. It includes the overnight stay, the tour and daily breakfast. The staff in the hotel were very nice. There is even a videoke if you fancy singing your heart out.

Anyhow, I'll just let the pictures tell how beautiful the islands were.

In Marcos Island, there was cave where you can do a short cliff jump. I have no pictures but I did a short jump into the water. It was scary but really liberating when finally shoot up the water! Oh yeah, I'm still alive!

On our way back to Manila, we decided to take our lunch in Isdaan Floating Restaurant. Our experience wasn't too good as the food was so late but we enjoyed the chicken which is their specialty.

We also made our way on the Tacsiyapo Wall. It was hilarious because the person will announce where you hit the wall.

I even had a quick photo op with the First Lady, Michelle Obama! *wink*

The Paradise Island of Camiguin

2013-02-23T21:27:00.000-08:00

I was really excited that I'm finally going to Camiguin. As this is my first time to travel to Mindanao, I'm glad that I'll be seeing a lot of new places in just one go!

We left in the morning to make way to Camiguin. We took a ferry to the port and I think the travel is just less than an hour.

We arrived in Camiguin in time for lunch.

We then headed for the White Island! All smiles before leaving the port.

On our second day, we went to the Sunken Cementery and Katibawasan Falls.

On the evening of our first night we went to have dinner at Rooftop resto and found this nice quote.

Cagayan De Oro and the Majestic Falls

2013-02-23T21:24:00.002-08:00

I missed my blog. It's been a while since I last made a post. I know, I've been too busy with work and other stuff. But today, I just felt I need to get back to my blogging and write about the places I've been to last year. There's a few more backlogs waiting to be published - CDO trip, Hundred Islands, Taiwan and Cebu in 2012 and then my first outing this year at Pagbilao, Quezon this February 2013.

Anyhow, I'm glad to have this time to post once more. Now, I'll be writing about my exciting trip to CDO last August of 2012.

This trip is one of the most enjoyable trips of 2012. I went with my friends from Couchsurfing. Trips with them never get boring, you know!

I wish I could have noted the expenses but it was too long ago! And because I wasn't the one who mainly organised this trip, it was one of my friends who arranged the accommodations, transportation and stuff. I was happy to just get along with the plan.

The thing about this trip is that, I was almost about to back out due to it was scheduled same day as our team building in Hundred Islands. I had to re-book my ticket a few times because I wasn't too sure that time. Fortunately, the team building was moved to October.

Day 1

The rest of the group went ahead of me the day before. I traveled on my own to CDO the next day. I met them on Saturday morning at the hotel.

The plan on the first day is to go to Maria Cristina Falls. First we had breakfast near the hotel (forgot the name of our hotel!).

If I remember, we took a jeepney and then took a motorbike to take us to the entrance of NPC Park. From the entrance of the park, you have to pay an entrance fee. And then they have a shuttle that takes you to the Falls and back to the entrance. The shuttle first took us to the botanical garden.

It was so awesome to see the Maria Cristina Falls. I could only remember seeing it in my Social Science books as it was always the example given for the Falls in the Philippines! It is so majestic (for loss of the appropriate word) that we can't help but take so many pictures with it.

After the Maria Cristina Falls, we made our way to another Falls i.e. Tinago Falls. We had to take a motor bike going there. Funny is, we are actually 4 in that motorbike! It was hilarious and a once in a life experience. Oh my gosh, did I say it also hurts the butt!

Tinago in Filipino literally means "hidden", and it was. But we were able to find it with the help our guides! haha

What is amazing about this falls is that you can make way to the falls itself with the help of a bamboo raft being pulled by the locals. There is an additional fee though. I didn't try it but my adventurous CS friends did. I knew they enjoyed it a lot by the looks of their face.

We were all tired and hungry after that. We went to a bbq place known for their roasted chicken. It was a good meal and we are really stuffed! We can't wait to go home and rest. The next day, we are leaving early for Camiguin. Let's go!

Travel Plans for 2013

2012-11-24T05:03:00.000-08:00

Hey there! Guess what, I'm again on house arrest today. Well my own choice since I have a bad back pain and even if I want to do something worthwhile, it seems that I just can't! This weekend is again put to waste. But hey, I still managed to write something in my blog at least.

November is almost done and one more week we are approaching the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas. Although, I no longer have any serious travel plans until the end of the year, December will still be capped off with a trip to Cebu for my college classmate's wedding, we might as well drop by some nice beach in Mactan or my bucket list to get up to the Crowne Plaza hotel for the sky walk.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4837692103_c0cd1cc746.jpg

So the year is about to close and we're off to a new year - 2013. My main plans for 2013 is to go to India for the Holi Festival and see the Taj Mahal. It's probably one of the many wonders of the world that I really wanted to see.

http://www.energyenhancement.org/Taj-Mahal-india.jpg

http://www.onthegotours.com/repository/repository/Holi-Festival-India-141401306250015_crop_flip_538_259_f2f2f2_center-center.jpg

And then if luck comes to me, I'll visit the Schengen countries as well. Still hoping that my budget would really fit in. If not, I will probably take the path to New Zealand late 2013.

http://www.murrells.co.nz/images/Milford-Sound.jpg

I'm really looking forward to visiting more countries outside Asia this time. I'm really excited to push myself and indulge into some serious adventures and really get out of my comfort zone.

Anyway, please wish me luck as I need it! :-)

Off to the Sunshine State

2012-11-10T23:01:00.000-08:00

After a week's time in Sydney, working...and enjoying the limited time to go around...meet friends...

Big Buddha! After a team dinner

Work! During my training

Bowling with my team

Breaded Pork Steak and Chips

Lemon Lime Bitters

Skyscrapers and the OZ Tower

Queen Victoria Building

Mornings are made perfect with Coffee! Here's at a coffee shop in North Sydney

Apple Store in Sydney CBD

I decided, I'll take the opportunity to head outside New South Wales!

Queensland, the Sunshine State, was my next destination.

I was very excited, not only because it's my first trip outside NSW, but it is also my first time after a long time, to meet my Godmother and her family.

I left my Chatswood apartment really early as I'm flying out of Sydney at around 6:30am. I took the first train from Chatswood to the Domestic Airport Terminal in Mascot. Would you believe that one of the train persons were also a Filipino and had a quick chat with him and wished me a great vacation in Brisbane.

Early morning at Chatswood Station

I reached the terminal on time. The check in counter is self serviced and really impressed at how quick it took me to check in and get my boarding tickets. I had a few minutes to spare while waiting for my flight.

And then finally is time to take-off. I flew with Jet StarAirlines. It was smallish but I didn't mind because my excitement is taking over. haha

And then, I'm in Brisbane! Woohoo! I met my ninang, my uncle and my cousin, Sharlyn. It was a lovely morning. We first dropped by McDonald's to get some breakfast and then head to their home to rest for a while.

The plan for the day is to go to South Bank and the city!

Applying for Taiwan Tourist Visa

2012-09-29T09:44:00.001-07:00

This October, I'm set to visit another wonderful country. Taiwan, Formosa as it was formerly called, is my second overseas trip this year!

Photo Credits: http://images.matt-gibson.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/swallows-grotto-taroko-gorge-taiwan.jpg

Of course, before anything else, the visa is an important document to prepare before going. So I wanted to share to you to the process of how I went through it.

It is highly advised that you consult the official Taiwan Embassy Page as this post is just to account my own experience in applying for the Visitor's Visa.

In my case, I have prepared the following:

1. An online Visa Application Form (please access https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw to fill up the Form and print them out) *when you print it out you just need to sign it on the last page, no other hand written details are to be entered on the form

2. Two (2) passport size photos 1.5”x2” with white background (taken w/in the last three (3) months)

3. Passport valid for at least six months and old passport showing previous travels

4. Birth Certificate issued by NSO

5. Supporting documents related to the purpose of VISIT such as :

A. Confirmed round trip Air ticket or Booking Certificate

B. Certificate of Employment and Letter of permission to leave from the employer

C. Financial statements of the applicant such as:

(1) Income Tax Return

(2) Bank Book or Bank Statements

Make sure all documents submitted should be Original and with 1 photocopy. Don't forget to also photocopy the first page of your passport.

Important information:

Visa Fee: P2,400.00 (Single entry)/ P4,800.00 (Multiple entry)

(NON-REFUNDABLE) payable upon filing of application

Processing Time : 3 Working days * but you can expedite as well

Filing Time : Monday to Friday 8:45AM to 11:45 AM

Releasing Time : Monday to Friday 1: 45PM to 4:45PM

On the day of filing our visa, I went to their office in RCBC Plaza. The reception doesn't open before 8:30. So I waited until the reception accepted us. The lady had us sign the log and directed us to wait outside for our names to be called and then a number be given to us. I got number 15.

After getting the number, head back to the reception inside the Tower 1 building and leave your ID. If it's not the acceptable ID, you will need to deposit 1,000 pesos.

So I went up to 41st floor and waited for my number to be called. I was called but the lady informed me to photocopy the first page of my passport! And that wasn't even indicated in the requirements. I went downstairs to get it photocopied. As me and my other CS friends entered the office, the security guard noticed that one of my friends online form is not the updated form. Therefore we decided to go back the next day.

On the next day, I was really early as I had to get back to office immediately. This time I got number 7. Once my number is called the documents were checked. The lady returned some copies of my bank statements and Employment Certificate. She also asked me if it's regular or expedite. So I opted for the regular.

Next step is for the payment. I had to wait until may name is called and then paid 2,400 for the fee. After that I was given a receipt with the claim date 3 days after.

Claiming of Visa:

After three days of lodging, we finally got our passports back with the visa sticker on it! The process is almost the same, get number, surrender an ID and wait til number is called. Easy! However, there were too many people in the afternoon claiming their passports so it almost took as 2 hours waiting for our number to be called.

Anyway, all's good and we are now set to go to Taiwan for four days!

More Sydney Sidetrips

2012-09-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

We headed to Darling Harbour after dropping by Circular Quay and met our colleague. We took another train from Circular Quay to Town Hall Station.

Town Hall station is only a walking distance from the Darling Harbour.

We met our friend and she gladly toured us at their office building found within the Darling Quarters. It's a new building if I may say.

The CommBank Place is a one of a kind, really spacious, hip and nothing I've have seen before in terms of the design and interiors. It really looks like a nice place to work in.

I really liked the very wide space within the building. There are spaces for hot desks where you can just sit and plug your laptop and voila work there.
We went up to one of the floors and saw more interesting sights within the building. I'm really enjoying it.

Loved the interiors and the mix of colours. Even I would think it doesn't look like an office!

There's a pool table too! How wonderful is that!

And this is me, enjoying a nice afternoon outside and with the view of Darling Harbour!

More dining area. Really funky seats!

I have to thank my good friend Nors, for taking time to tour us around. It was a really nice work place by the looks of it!

Sydney Sunday Treat

2012-09-23T07:02:00.002-07:00

It was Sunday, our second day in Sydney. My colleague and myself decided we would first drop by our office in North Sydney so she could get used to the directions since it's her first time.

Travelling from Chatswood we took a morning train. It was a chilly morning and wasn't used to it so I had made sure I'm kept warm by my sweater.

We met another Filipina waiting on the train. It was nice to have some quick chat with your kababayan and we had a few photo ops with her.

When I was in Sydney the first time, I was in awe to find out about their train system. It quite looked complicated if you check out the train map. But I have familiarised myself well enough so on my 4th time in Sydney I still knew the way around. :)

Our office in North Sydney is a few minutes walk from the train station.

Here is a photo just in front of the building.

After that we head to the city to drop by Paddy's market and buy pasalubong. I know! It's just our second day and we are now buying stuff. Yeah, we realised since we will be spending the whole weekdays at work, there wouldn't be enough time to get pasalubong. The weekend is just about right to give us time to get those Koalas and keychains!

We spent until lunch time getting the stuff. And since we were hungry took lunch at the Market City, which is just above the Paddy's Market.

Here's a good meal from Paddy's. Believe me, I wasn't hungry that I finished this plate!

We went to have some sight-seeing again in Circular Quay. I was also meeting a college classmate.

One of my favourite spots in Sydney. You can see the buildings, the ferries, water taxis, Opera House on this side and the Harbor Bridge on the other side. I enjoy the sights in Circular Quay and just walking around.

And here is a photo of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background. It is a well-known structure. During new year, the bridge is the highlight and center stage of the fireworks. I have yet to see that!

It was such a lovely day at the Opera House. Although, there were some constructions during the time we were there. It was also packed with tourists and people hanging out on a weekend.

I was quite tired and thought I'd take a rest at the Royal Botanical Garden. Really nice to have a picnic here!

The Royal Botanical Garden is a nice place to relax and unwind. A lot of families with their kids are there playing and just enjoying the weather and scenery.

Such a lovely day isn't it. After meeting my friend, we head next to Darling Harbour to meet another colleague. Oh yeah, this day has a lot of meet-ups and catching-ups... :D

Sydney Sidetrips 2012

2012-07-21T09:56:00.001-07:00

I'm on a roll. I have just finished three blog posts about Ilocos and now I'm excited to start another new post. I'm again writing about my trip to Australia. This is my fourth time to be in the land down under.

My trips last May to Sydney was mostly for work but on the weekend I was able to visit again the Opera House, see the Harbour Bridge, walk along Circular Quay, shopping at Paddy's Market and lots more. Weather is a bit cold as winter is about to start. Everything still seems the same and it was great to be back and see my other friends and colleagues.

After the work week, I was also glad to have been able to drop by and spend some time Brisbane to visit my ninang and her family.

I arrived in Sydney on a Saturday night via Philippine Airlines. Hmm, PAL didn't have a personal video on board so I mostly spent the flight sleeping. Boo! Anyhow, the fight was okay and I didn't feel dizzy at all, maybe because I made sure have taken Bonamine. :-)

The flight took 8 hours.

Happy eating. Airline food c/o PAL.This is steamed fish with rice. Some salad, bread and gelatin for dessert.

I flew with my colleague. The person beside me who is a Filipino living in Australia offered to take our photo.

We arrived in Chatswood and haven't had dinner so here's a nice place near the mall.

Our first meal in Sydney. Ham and mushroom in white sause penne and chips. The chips where nicely cooked and crispy. I also liked the penne, very tasty! Yum!

It was lovely late dinner. It was such a chilly night and since most shops have already closed, we already decided to head back to our apartment and rest. The following day we plan to go around the city.

Ilocandia Series: Marcos Museum and Vigan

2012-07-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

On our third day in Ilocos we went to have lunch in Fort Ilocandia again and off to Marcos Museum. It is my second time to be in the museum.

As usual, memorabilia of the late President are on display. One of the attractions is the museleum where the preserved body of the president lies.

Heading back to Manila on our last day we also went to Vigan. It was a beautiful site. Loved the feel of the old Spanish houses.

That was it for the Ilocandia series. I don't think I'll be able to make a write up of the costs as this is a family trip and I haven't taken down the expenses at all. :) Anyway, I hope to go back if given the chance so hopefully by that time I'll be able to jot down the details.

Ilocos is such a lovely historical place. It can even look romantic too, especially Vigan. So if you haven't gone there, make sure you find your way soon!

Ilocandia Series: Sand Dunes, Paoay Church and others sights

2012-07-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

After our lunch at Fort Ilocandia, we decided to take the trip further to the Sand Dunes. There is a beach when you drive a bit further. We should have brought our swimming gears!

I actually wanted to experience sand boarding in the sand dunes, but it was such a hot day so we only took some photos and went on to our next stop.

I never imagined the Paoay Church to be that huge! It's very lovely in the pictures.

Taking the famous jump shot!

On my background are the massive buttresses of the church.

Picture perfect. I really liked the facade of this church.

We had more time to kill and decided to check out Pangil beach in Currimao with lots of coral formations.

We didn't stop there, on our way back, we also dropped by the Mariano Marcos University. Lovely sunflowers lined infront of us.

As the day ended, we took some time to have merienda at Robinsons. It is located in Valdez Center.

It was a fruitful day we went to so many places. Yay!

Ilocandia Series: Marcos' Birthplace and Fort Ilocandia

2012-07-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

On our second day of the Ilocandia family trip, we head to Marcos' Birthplace and Fort Ilocandia.

It was a quick stop that we made at Marcos' Birthplace. It's a 2-floor house filled with memorabilia of the late President Marcos and family.

We also passed by the Ilocos Norte Capitol building on our way to Fort Ilocandia.

Fort Ilocandia's lobby, here shown with a lovely chandelier. A number of prominent politicians and visitors have been to Fort Ilocandia.

Since it's lunch time, we went to have our lunch at the Chinese Restaurant on second floor. We were supposed to go for a swim, but we are no longer allowed since they have many guests that day. Boo!

We were not allowed to go inside anymore. Anyway, we can come back next time!

We also passed by the Malacanang of the North. I didn't have the chance to get a better picture.

Looking Back and How This All Started

2012-07-07T00:40:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, I'd ask myself where did all start. This thing that got me into blogging about my travels.

Way before the blog 'Tips 'n Travels' came about, not many probably knew, that I already have a personal site/blog from Friendster and Multiply. It started as a personal site for my everyday rants and raves about life and everything under the sun.

Until one day, I've been given one of the most wonderful opportunities of my life.

19th of September of 2005. My first time to travel overseas. Went more than 6,000 KM from home and arrived in a chilly weather of Sydney, Australia. During that time, I have started some sort of photo blogging thru Friendster as a way to update my family and friends.

Sydney Harbour Bridge on the background - Sydney, 2012

On my second trip to Sydney in 2007, I gained more passion to divert the photo blogging skills to a more user friendly platform on Multiply. When I upload photos and give story to describe my experience, it was such a great feeling to get comments from my family and friends. I didn't even have such a decent camera then but I still pursue to give them my regular updates.

That unexplained feeling made me realise that I really love to travel and get lost (HAHA!). In my quest for knowing more about places, researching for certain tips and stuff, I bumped into two of the most influential blogs in the Philippines. I got into reading Pinay Travel Junkie of Gay and JustWandering of Nina. As time goes by, as I read more of their blogs and experiences, I developed this love for improving on my writing and blogging and sharing my travel experiences at the same time. And since a lot of people I know already asks me for tips and stuff, it dawned on me to finally get into travel blogging.

And then there was 'Tips 'n Travels'. The name is no-brainer. I'd be honest. I just wanted a quick and memorable name. That's all. And I'm not even sure if it's memorable. Haha!

Darling Harbour - Sydney, 2012

So from Multiply, I began to move some travel related stuff into Blogger thru the import facility. My next destination that time is Thailand. So I gave a shot on that trip to take note of my expenses, how I managed and planned my budget, how I chose the accommodations and stuff. They were all written down on my early posts.

The boom of Facebook also got me into creating an FB page for my blog. It's a great way to expand my network of readers. And eventually also decided to join the PTB group.

But ultimately, the fun part of having a travel blog is being able to read my old post and re-live the memories in no time.

Every trip I had in mind are noted in my blog. It was challenging at first, well it's still challenging though, having to find time to write as I had to perform my full time work as well. But it didn't stop me. Every time I get the free time given I'm not too lazy or not experiencing the writer's block, I try to get into posting for my blog. And you know what, having seen my stats go up and comments from readers inspired me to go on even if, yeah, I have nothing left to write. :-)

Today, I still carry the writer's block, sometimes. I usually write only weekends so maybe I won't be able to cope up with other well written blogs.

But I've promised myself I will keep this blog even if nobody reads it. For me, my travels and the memories that came with it will stay here in my heart, in my mind and in my humble blog!

This is my entry to this month's PTB Blog Carnival. July's theme 'The Journey that made us a travel blogger' is run by fellow PTB Edmar of Edmaration. Catch the rest of the entries Here! .

Previous PTB Themes are also available when you click the PTB Logo on the left. Enjoy and happy reading!

Five Personal Tips for Managing your Travel Fund

2012-06-16T03:13:00.000-07:00

Putting up a blog like this and having people appreciate my love for travel, I have had my share of people asking how I'm able to fund and save up for these trips. I'm a full-time employee but I don't earn millions (yet!) :) Most of my travel money come straight from my earnings.

Although most people think travel is not a cheap passion, I still believe, there are things one can do if they really are keen to make it to their dream destination. Like anyone else, I also dream of exploring not only our very own sites here in the Philippines, but also discover the rest of the world. You heard it right. I'm definitely planning on conquering the world.

It's not easy, but with a bit of help here and there and the massive discipline and motivation, I'm sure many if not most, can also do it.

So here are some personal tips I would like to share and which I also do. Hope this helps!

1. Save a part of your monthly income - It depends on your capacity but it doesn't matter how big or small as long as you could start and get the discipline to keep it going. You can set a small target for starters, and as you go along and pick up your pace, try and add more. You wouldn't notice how much you have saved in a few months time.

2. Get a separate account for your travel fund - As for me, since I'm planning for some bigger trips in a year or two, it does help to get a separate bank account. I don't mix it with my other accounts. It's also easier for me to manage. And basically, it does help for when you apply for visa to other countries as you have track record of a bank account you can show.

3. Invest - It's not just putting your money in the bank. Nowadays, there are insurance plans that also gives you the benefit of earning dividends. Maximize those. It's best to start when you are young. I personally have two of those at the moment.

4. Minimize use of your credit cards - I used to be a sucker for promo fares, that I abuse the power of my credit card. Luckily, there aren't much promo fares nowadays and I had a breather for my credit card bills. But it's equally important that you pay your credit card bills so you clear them as soon as possible.

Imagine - instead of paying your credit card bills and interests, you would have spent that for a one way trip to Boracay!

When I travel especially overseas, credit cards would be very useful for emergency cases, when you do run out of cash. But as in spending, use it wisely!

5. Budget, budget - Personally, it is quite hard to keep within a budget for a trip. You sometimes go over your budget due to certain circumstances but it is a good practice to plan ahead and think about how much you really need to prepare for your upcoming trip.

In the end, you will also be surprised to find out that you can make arrangements to save further and cut your costs.

I'm very much sure there are many other tried and tested tips. Do you have anything to add? Do share it! :)

This entry is written as part of the monthly Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival currently being run by Journeying James. This month's theme revolves around the topic "HOW TO FUND YOUR WANDERLUST". Go catch other helpful tips from the rest of PTB Members!

Ilocandia Series: Pagudpud

2012-06-09T02:34:00.000-07:00

Sometime last holy week of 2012, the family decided to head up north to Ilocos to take our balikbayan aunt and uncle for vacation. The first thing that came to mind is Pagudpud. I've never been to this beach before and I heard a lot of people raving about how beautiful it was.

So I was really excited and looking forward to finally taking this trip!

We arrived in Pagudpud almost lunch time. We came from an almost 10 hour trip. It was a hot day and I was quite tired as well. All accommodations were fully booked so we didn't get to spend much time in the area.

I will have to come back as we didn't get to swim too. We need to head back to our relatives house in San Nicolas.

Overall, Pagudpud would be nice on a not so busy day. Unfortunately, it was holy week then and a lot of vacationers flock the beaches.

I'll definitely see you again, Pagudpud!

Its white-sand beaches and crystal-blue water makes Pagudpud a haven for tourists. Maira-Ira Point is also an emerging attraction with its secluded beach known as the Blue Lagoon, as well as kilometer-long Saud Beach. Access to this public beach is from a secondary concrete road on the north side of the Maharlika Highway just before approaching the Patapat Viaduct. On the way to the Blue Lagoon, a sea arch can be seen.Coconut trees line much of the town's coast. On a clear day, the Babuyan Islands are visible from Patapat National Park. - From Wikipedia

One day in Sagada

2012-06-09T01:27:00.002-07:00

We arrived in Sagada around lunch time. I really liked the weather, nice and cool. Loved it!

We decided to try Yoghurt House. We've heard nice reviews about this place. And it's not just open for Yoghurt. There also other food to try and they all look delicious.

Pasta ordered by one of my friends.

Mixed vegetables and mountain rice, looks colourful!

I got myself a mountain tea! It's the best!

What a good looking clubhouse sandwich!

And this is my order...steak!

For dinner, we went to Lemon Pie House. The lemon pie tastes good! I had bought myself 4 boxes to take home.

There's more to see in Sagada. The rest of my friends went to the caving experience. I on the other hand decided to head back to Manila because I need to go back to work the following day.

My trip is from Sagada to Baguio then Baguio to Manila. It was a long journey but I was alright. Slept through it most of the time. I loved long journeys sometimes because I can just sit, sleep and wait. When I wake up I can just get off to another new adventure.

To the Mountains of Banaue

2012-06-09T00:45:00.000-07:00

Coming from a trip to the beach in Central Visayas, I came back to Manila, only to pick up another bag and start packing for another trip. This time to the mountains of Banaue, north of Manila.

I have no idea what's in store all I know is I would finally get that chance to see one of the world famous wonders - the Banaue Rice Terraces! It was known to be the 8th Wonder of the World.

We arrived in Banaue early in the morning and had breakfast at Las Vegas Cafe. It's not really the Las Vegas you would think.

After the fulfilling break, we head to take the jeepney that will take us further up the mountains. Along the way there are picturesque view so we would stop once in a while for photo op.

And finally, I'm in awe to see the Banaue Rice Terraces!

We rested for a bit and stayed at Mang Ramon's Hut. After lunch we went to trek going to the falls. It was one of the most tiring trek ever! But the sight and cool waters of the falls was refreshing.

I wanted to swim but I'm just too tired after the trek...haha!

After that tiring trek, we went back to our hut and had some merienda. The weather in Batad is very mild and cool, I got myself the known mountain coffee.

Further into night we just stayed in our huts to rest. Our feet and body were aching but it was all worth it. In the evening we had dinner and went straight to bed. We are leaving the next day for Sagada.

Before leaving, I put on the traditional Igorot clothing for photo op.

This is the jeepney we took from the saddle point going back to Banaue.

From Banaue, we travelled thru highways to Mountain Province then to Sagada.

Dumaguete Day 3: Life's a Beach

2012-06-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

Our third day in Dumaguete was spent on lounging and relaxing at the beach.

Our friend suggested we go to Pura Vida. It is an hour away from the city. They also offer diving resort and has a pool if you don't fancy the waters in the beach! I loved that this day was very light, we only ate, swam, chatted and just had pure fun!

When we were there, we also noticed a lot of divers coming from a day of diving activity. It must be good. Maybe one day I will try it.

The place looks clean, very calm and relaxed.

So there goes my brief but very wonderful trip to Dumaguete! Woohoo! Off to the next blog.

Siquijor: Island of Fire and Dumaguete Day 2

2012-06-08T23:26:00.000-07:00

Early morning of our second day in Dumaguete, we are bound to take the ferry to Siquijor. Unfortunately, we were late so we had to kill some time until the next ferry leaves.

I took this chance to drop by the Rizal stamp spot in Dumaguete. Yes! Another stamp achieved!

I can't remember how long the ferry ride to Siquijor was, but it was probably less than 2 hours. We were greeted by blue green waters. The sight was truly amazing.

We rested for a while and then headed to start with the island tour.

Our first stop is this mystic tree.

The rest of the group decided to go to the cave, but the rest didn't and stayed to wait.

After that, we head to the the falls called Kambughay. We had a quick dip and then we went to another beach.

We stayed overnight in Siquijor and the next day head to another resort. The beach was lovely. I can imagine Boracay without the massive crowd. Just sand and water.

Beware though, as there are some jellyfishes swimming as well. Don't get stung or else!

In the afternoon, we left Siquijor and dropped by the souvenir shops. We also passed by the Lazi convent.

Arriving in Dumaguete, we were hungry so decided to get lunch. We went to Neva's, well-known for their tasty pizza! I loved it and their servings were more than enough!

I ordered this for lunch...looks so delicious!

Neva's is just a short walking distance from Harold's Mansion.

The rest of the day we only stayed indoors and then at night head to have dinner at Hayahay Restaurant.