My Travelogue

Hongkong Shopping Report #1

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 18:40:00 +0000

I just came home from a trip to Hongkong. I planned the trip complete with itinerary and the tiniest details but it all went down the drain because we spent most of our days shopping. Thus I'll be sharing with you a series of shopping reports and best buy posts to help you where to go and get the best deals in the "shopping mecca" of the world.

Being the geek that I am, the most common questions I encountered before I went to Hongkong was: "Are you going to buy an iPad? How about an iPhone 4?" Answer: Nope!

I actually did not intend to buy any electronics or gadgets on this particular trip. I did not even wander in the Fortress stores, HK's popular digital shop, for me not to be tempted. I splurged on shoes, bags, clothes, but not on gadgets. Hongkong shoppers know that HK is no longer the best place where you can buy electronics stuff. It's also risky to buy because of the knock-offs, copies and fakes that surrounds every corner of the fame shopping district.

But I broke my promise and did not come home empty-handed (gadget-wise). I was still able to wander and buy three (3) portable external hard disk drive which apparently turned out as my best buys on the trip.

I was able to get a Western Digital Elements 500GB external hard drive for only $HKD 460 (Php 2,760) and an Imation iPro Metal 500GB for $HKD 489 (Php 2,934). The former was for my boss who asked me to buy him two and the latter was for me. I chose aluminum Purple but they don't have it on stock so I chose pink instead. These external HDDs were very inexpensive compared to the 500GB in Manila which sells for Php 3,500 - 4,000 per unit. I was able to get additional discounts and freebies upon check-out since I got three.

Imation iPro Metal Portable HDD

I bought the gadgets at the Basement of Golden Computer Arcade located in the Sham Shui Po district. It was quite far from the usual HK fares and it caters more to locals than to tourists. It's easily accessible via MTR and it's a popular shopping center for computers and peripherals so it's very easy to locate. The shopping center is open from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. There's a lot of stalls selling impossibly 'marked down prices' for electronics so be very cautious when buying.

Directions:
Take the MTR Tsuen Wan Line and get off at the Sham Shui Po station (7th stop from Central). Go to exit D2 and turn left when you reach Fuk Wa St. Walk along Fuk Wa St. until you see the big signs that will lead you to the building of Golden Computer Arcade/Golden Computer Centre.

Golden Computer Arcade
Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, HK

Golden Computer Arcade
146-152 Fuk Wa St., Sham Shui Po
Kowloon, Hongkong
http://www.goldenarcade.org/

Travels & Photographs

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:53:00 +0000

One of the most important travel essentials is a camera. My family and I have been traveling since I was a baby and we already amassed so many snapshots and photos from all the trips we took through the years. I bought my first digital camera in 2005 and it was a breeze since then to upload, store and document all our travel pictures.

One of our recent travels in Cebu, Philippines, last May. This was taken at the Magellan's Cross
Everyone's smiling except for my dad who was already hungry when this photo was taken! Hehe!
My dad, who's very traditional, still prefers the old analog cameras with films since it can be printed easily through developing centers. I, on the other hand, thinks that digital camera is one of the best inventions in modern history. It's very easy to share photos online unlike with hard copies where you will still need photo scanning when you want to upload and share.

Since I'm very much into documenting our travels and vacation days, I recently dug our photo collection and saw a bunch of these:

These are just some samples and I have boxes and boxes of these at home. Aside from family travel photos, I also found so many old pictures, like my baby snapshots from the 70s and highschool pictures from the 90s. I really want to save and preserve all of them in digital formats. I even considered on buying a digital scanner for my photo scanning project but realized that it's a not-so good investment if I am only going to use it once or twice just to scan these old photos. Plus, photo scanning will surely take a lot of time especially if we are talking about more than 1,000++ photo prints.

A little Google and searching led me to PhotoBin, a photo scanning service and digital photo sharing company, that will likely help me in my dilemma. They offer photo scanning service from 1 to 2000+ photos with choice of 300 or 600dpi scanning resolution for as low as $0.10 each. It's fairly easy to order. All one has to do is fill-out the form online at PhotoBin.com, wait for the photo scan kit and box that will be sent, put in the box the photos, then send it back to PhotoBin for the actual scan. The scanned photos in CD/DVD and the hard copies will be sent back 2-10 days after the receipt of the photos. This unique web service is truly worth a try. I will read more about it and will really consider on ordering. It's a very good and unique photo scanning service for busy people like me who wants to keep and preserve mementos in a very, very affordable price. Check it out!

Saisaki Tempura All You Can!

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:37:00 +0000

One of our ultimate guilty pleasures is a regular food binge at Dads Ultimate Buffet at Glorietta 4. Our favorite is the Saisaki section where they have melt-in-your-mouth sashimis, yummy sushis and, of course, the crunchy but soft tempuras.

It was really good news when I learn their one-day-only promo on August 26, Thursday, for their 33rd Anniversary: Eat All You Can Tempura for only P330!

Who can resist this yummy offer?

Are you ready for lots and lots of this?

Here are the numbers to call for reservations:
SM Megamall 636-3785
Padre Faura, Manila 528-1723 to 24
EDSA 722-8125
Glorietta 4 892-8897 to 98
West Avenue 413-6359/60

See yah, foodies!

Want some links? Join BC Bloggers 4!

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:12:00 +0000

Want to have some precious and legit backlinks? Then join BC Bloggers 4!

Here are the details:

Are you new to blogging and is finding it hard to gain links to your blog?
Are you tired of exchanging links one blog at a time?
Are you looking for friends in the blogosphere?

If you said yes to all of the above then you have come to the right post. BC Bloggers will help your blog gain those precious inbound links in an easy and systematic way. It is also a cool way to meet friends in the blogosphere.

So what do you need to do? Just follow these simple steps and you’re in.

1. The success of BC Bloggers depend on the number of people joining. So please spread the word about BC Bloggers 4 and invite other bloggers to join.

2. Put the BC Bloggers badge shown below in your sidebar. You can find the code at Paula's site.

3. Make a page dedicated to BC Bloggers where you intend to post the links. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the navigation bar or at the sidebar as long as it is linked in the homepage.

4. Once you have done steps 1, 2, and 3 fill out the Application Form. One blog for each form. Deadline of application is on August 12.

That’s it. Spread the word everyone and let’s cross our fingers for the success of BC Bloggers 4!

Let's get all those links together, join the BC Bloggers 4 now! Get more information and the application form through Paula's blog. See yah!

Seair and Microtel Boracay's Contest For Bloggers

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:42:00 +0000

Want to go to an all-expense paid Boracay tour? Then read this. SEAIR together with Microtel Boracay is having a contest for bloggers from July 26 to August 20, 2010. Eight winners will have a grand stay in Boracay with round-trip tickets via Caticlan and accommodation at Microtel Boracay from September 10 to 12, 2010. This is, of course, a blog writing contest. :)

Here's the SEAIR Facebook Page announcement:

1. South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) and Microtel Inns & Suites will be choosing eight lucky bloggers to join an all-expense paid bloggers' tour of Boracay from September 10 to 12, 2010. This includes round-trip tickets from Manila to Caticlan and accommodation at Microtel Boracay.

2. To be selected, you will have to write a blog entry telling us why you should be chosen to join the tour. Each blog entry must have a link to the SEAIR website, the SEAIR Facebook Fan Page , and the Microtel Philippines wesbite .

3. You can publish your entry from 12:00 a.m. of July 26, 2010 to 11:59 p.m. of August 20, 2010. Only one entry per blog will count.

4. To let us know about your blog entry, post it as a link in the SEAIR Facebook Fan Page . It has to be posted from 12:00 a.m. of July 26, 2010 to 11:59 p.m. of August 20, 2010. Once it is acknowledged by our administrator, your entry is counted.

5. Three winners will be selected by a panel of judges based on which is the most compelling. The top three entries with the highest scores from the judges will be invited to the tour.

6. Three winners will be selected by fans based on the number of "likes" to the link. The three entries with the most number of "likes" by 11:59 p.m. of August 25, 2010 will be invited to the tour.

7. One winner will the selected by the SEAIR Adventure Club. The entry with the most number of votes from our resident travel bloggers will be invited to the tour.

8. One winner will be selected at random in a manner to be determined by the organizers.

9. We will notify the eight (8) winners on August 27, 2010. In case any of the winners cannot make it, we will invite the one next in line.

10. The decision of the organizers in final. Good luck to everyone!

Am I going to join the contest? Nope, I have to pass this one. I'll be very busy in the coming months with budget preparation for next year and other important work stuff. Plus, I already have planned travels and vacations for the rest of the year.

How about you? :)

Western Japanese Food at Tokyo Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:45:00 +0000

This is not only a travel blog, this is also a food blog! Here's my first entry on one of my favorite activities: dining and eating.

The parents and I went to the Franchising 2010 Expo last Saturday at SMX Convention Center. We were in the expo for more than 2 hours so we were pretty tired and famished after we were done scouring for new business opportunities. We went to nearby SM Mall of Asia to look for a place to eat. My dad, who gets cranky when hungry, demanded that we eat at the nearest available place where he can seat, relax and eat good food.

Tokyo Cafe SM Mall of Asia

I suggested that we dine at Tokyo Cafe, a Japanese restaurant that offers Western food the Japanese way. The concept is quite weird especially if you're used to the usual tempura-sushi-sashimi Japanese restaurants. I've been wanting to try Tokyo Cafe since I first saw it years ago but it was always set-aside for other restaurants at SM Mall of Asia.

The feel of the restaurant reminds me of Pepper Lunch minus the amazing sizzling steaks and pepper rice. It's also a westernized Japanese set-up but specializes on Japanese coffee concoctions and crepes. They also have other food like pizza, salads, pasta and hamburger steaks. My mom ordered Hamburg and Shrimp (Php 268.00 / $ 5.77); and my dad had the plain Hamburg Steak (Php 178.00 / $ 3.83). The food they had were hamburger beef patties served with Tokyo Cafe's signature gravy with some breaded prawns.

I was still full from the food samples at the Franchising 2010 Expo so I just ordered a simple Light Rice Meal called Omurice, a chicken dish mixed with rice topped with scrambled egg. It's like a tomato-based omelet with rice at the bottom. It was very delicious and I absolutely loved it. Even my mom asked for some when she got to taste it.

Tokyo Cafe's Omurice, Php 135.00 ($2.91)

Tokyo Cafe is worth a try. My parents did not enjoy their burger steaks but they loved my rice meal. My dad was expecting some Japanese tempura and sushi (because of the name of the restaurant) so he was a little bit disappointed. As for me, I would love to go back, drag Witt, and order some more Omurice and a plate of Kani Salad. Their prices is also quite affordable compared to other restaurants with the same food and concept. You'll spend around Php 250.00 ($5.38) per person including drinks.

Tokyo Cafe currently has three branches in Manila. They have one at McKinley Plaza, SM The Block North EDSA, and the one we dined in at SM Mall of Asia.

Tokyo Cafe
SM Mall of Asia
Ground Floor, South Wing
Main Mall Building
Pasay City
Tel No. +632-556-0517
Website: http://www.tokyocafe.com.ph

NAIA Terminal 2, A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:22:00 +0000

Let's start from the beginning, the airport, the jump point of most destinations and adventures!

My favorite airport in the Philippines is the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, otherwise known as the Centennial Airport. It currently serves international and domestic flights of our flag carrier, Philippine Airlines. I love NAIA 2 for its simplicity and average size. The new NAIA 3, which primarily serves Cebu Pacific, is too big, impersonal and a bit overwhelming for me. Give me Terminal 2 any day. :)

Here are some notes and photos I took of the Centennial Airport Domestic Wing on my way to Cebu two Thursdays ago. I hope that this would be able to help first-time travelers and foreign tourists who will be using NAIA 2 as their gateway to their destinations and vacations.

NAIA Terminal 2 is the smallest among the airports in Manila but it's probably the most efficient. I've been to Terminal 2 several times because of numerous business and work trips. It's mostly operated by the Philippine Airlines crew since it's the only airline allowed to use it. It has the usual rules and hi-tech x-ray scanning like any other airports. There are two scans that travelers has to go through, first is at the entrance after ticket inspection and the other before going through the waiting and boarding lounge. Terminal Fee is Php 200.00 ($4.32) regardless of destination.

Philippine Airlines is notoriously known for having delayed flights (though they are improving in the last few years) so you better a bring a book or a laptop to entertain yourself while you wait.

There are three Laptop Areas in the boarding gates with several electric outlets and plugs. Just remember to bring a modem dongle (eg. Smart Bro Plug-it) because the last time I checked, WiFi is not yet free at NAIA 2. You have to buy a pre-loaded card in one of the shops to access the wireless connection.

It's not an International Airport so don't expect any Duty Free or luxury shops. But it has some basic gift shops and magazine stores with astronomical airport prices.

The Christian Ventures shop, located at the West wing of the boarding lounge has a well-stocked of local and international magazine titles to choose from. It's one of my favorite shops in the boarding lounge and I already bought several things from them through the years.

They also sell maps and Philippine souvenirs like miniature jeepneys, pedicab and Pinoy sorbetes carts.

There's also an abundance of food stalls and mini-cafes inside the boarding lounge. Their cost is a bit higher than their non-airport counterparts so don't be shocked if you have to shell out Php 50.00 ($1.10) for a can of Coke or a bottled water.

I was able to dine several times at Food Enterprise, located at the East Wing. They offer Filipino dishes like Adobo, Spareribs and Afritada for Php 150.00 ($3.22). They also have coffee and boxed pastries like cinnamon for gifts and pasalubong.

There are also outlets of Dulcinea, Mister Donut, Red Ribbon, Goldilocks and Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Dulcinea and Ya Kun Kaya Toast even has an exclusive dining area for customers. I tried to eat in Dulcinea before and I must say that it's the best among the food establishments at the boarding lounge.

The airport is also fully-equipped with the usual services like ATM machines (located outside, near the entrance), SIM cards and mobile loading kiosks and charging stations.

The general ambiance of the airport is really good. You can easily relax while you wait for your flights. I will book and choose Philippine Airlines any day just for a chance to board at NAIA Terminal 2.

Speaking of Philippine Airlines (PAL), here are some bonus tidbits on what to expect on a PAL flight. I was surprised when I learned that we paid Php 8,000 ($172.00) on a round-trip Manila-Cebu flight on our last trip. This was very high compared to the Cebu Pacific flight that my family and I took last May. We only paid P3,000 ($64.50) for that particular round-trip flight and it's not even on sale.

So, what is the difference of a PAL flight?

Here are some of my observations:

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has bigger and better planes. Their fleet has 747s and big airbuses compared to other airlines. Bigger planes mean wider legrooms and bigger baggage compartments.

The high fares will also get you some blankets, copy of the day's newspapers, and in-flight snacks. They used to offer coffee, tea or juice but it's now limited to just coffee and water in the Economy Class. First Class and Business Class travelers are still being offered real food like pasta and rice with viands. :)

Fita + PAL Salted Peanuts

Waffers + PAL Salted Peanuts + Inquirer Newspaper

They also give you views like the picture below. Of course it doesn't matter if you fly PAL or CebuPac, Philippines will always have aerial beauties like this - wherever and whenever.

Until next time! More NAIA2 Photos can be found on my Flickr account.

Happy Travel!

Cebu Pacific's Plane Truth Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 04:13:00 +0000

There's an ongoing Cebu Pacific Seat Sale until Monday, July 19, which they call "Nothing But Plane Truth". The travel dates for the sale is from November 1 to 30, 2010. There are 32,000 seat up for grabs on this sale.

Here are the details:

You deserve nothing but the PLANE truth, so pack your bags and fly on our P320 ‘Go Lite’ seat sale to all our domestic destinations starting now until July 19, 2010, for travel from November 1-30, 2010.

The P320 CEB seat sale to any domestic destination slashes as much as 84% off the lowest year-round ‘Go Lite’ fare flights from Manila to Davao, Surigao and Cagayan de Oro, among others.

Included in the seat sale are flights to Boracay (Caticlan), Cebu, Dumaguete, Naga, Legazpi, Bacolod, Iloilo, Palawan (Puerto Princesa), Coron (Busuanga) and Bohol (Tagbilaran).

Aside from the domestic promo, Manila-Osaka flights are also on sale for as low as P2,999 ‘Go’ seats. This is for travel from September 1 to October 31, 2010.

Don't wait until the last minute! Go ahead and book your well-deserved holiday at www.cebupacificair.com.

As usual, I tried and did some mock booking to really know how cheap the airfare tickets are on this particular sale. I booked for a round trip Manila-Dumaguete seat and cost is only Php 768.00 ($16.50) including taxes and surcharges. It's a pretty decent seat sale, though not as cheap as the one I got during the Inaugural Seat Sale last June. It's worth considering since some of their "sale" is Php 999 ($21.48) and above.

Happy Travel!

On A Roadtrip!

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:47:00 +0000

I love roadtrips! I love it especially if I am the one driving. I like cruising through straight and well-paved highways with upbeat music coming from my trusty iPod. I've been more of a rider than a driver lately, but despite that road tripping is still one of my favorite travel activities.

Here are some of my unforgettable roadtrips through the years:

The longest drive I've had was in May 2007 on a day trip to Gumaca with my family. Gumaca is a small town in the middle of the Quezon Province here in the Philippines. I drove for five straight hours back and forth on a years-old Mazda sedan. It was nice that it has automatic transmission but the drive could have been easier and faster if the car was a Honda Civic. I was dead tired when I arrived in Gumaca and took a nap for two hours while my mom and dad attend to their affairs. I have no pictures of the place (because of the tiring drive) but I remember that it's a pretty little coastal town.

Another memorable roadtrip was the Vigan vacation with my girlfriends. We've always wanted to go to Vigan and visit its world-recognized historic Spanish-styled houses at Calle Crisologo. We finally made the trip in May 2008 and stayed at Grandpa's Inn, a very unique antique hotel in Ilocos Sur. It was a very memorable vacation not only because of the wonderful time we had but also because of our long trip back to Manila. We boarded a Partas Bus around 9:00 pm expecting to be back in Manila by 6:30 am. Unfortunately, Typhoon Cosme decided to pay North Luzon a visit so we were stranded in San Fernando, La Union for quite a while. We were on the road for 17 hours and we arrived 2:00 pm in Manila. It was truly one road trip for the books. Good thing we bought so many Vigan delights at the bus station. All praises also for the Partas bus for having enough gas, good head gasket, and for keeping us well, safe and alive! Whew!

The Famous Calle Crisologo

Spanish-era Dining Room at The Syquia Mansion in Vigan
The last happy roadtrip I want to share was the one I had with the boyfriend last December 2009. It was a short but memorable trip to Lumban and Pakil, Laguna. We first went to Lumban to buy a Barong Tagalog, a traditional formal Filipino attire for guys, for Jako & Charu's wedding. Lumban is known as the "Embroidery Capital of the Philippines" since they are famous for making those Jusi and Pina cloth embroideries. They also sell it at low prices compared to Manila designers and fashion houses. Php 2,000 ($43.00) can already get you a very good Pina Barong in Lumban. We went to Pakil after Lumban to visit one of my favorite churches, the centuries-old San Pedro de Alcantara Church. The church is very grand, well-preserved, and it still has the old pulpit where the Spanish friars used to hold their sermons. The miraculous Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Turumba is also enshrined in the church. This is a must-visit especially if you're a history buff or a photographer who loves taking photos of nice architecture.

San Pedro de Alcantara Church in Pakil, Laguna

Sunday Mass and The Pulpit

Airplane rides are cool but sometimes roadtrips are better. It can give you more bonding and sharing moments with friends and families. Just remember to load up your iPod with really cool music, have your car check before the trip at local auto shops like the ones in Los Angeles auto repair shops, bring lots of water and snacks (7-11 stores are not always available on the road), bring a book (in case you get bored) and be spontaneous! Be ready for the unexpected - like what happened to us in Vigan.

Drop me a line via comment box if you have other roadtrip tips, suggested roadtrip routes, or memorable road journeys you've taken. I want to do another big roadtrip this year. I'm thinking of going to Ilocos again but this time to Laoag and Pagudpod.

Grandpa's Inn
#1 Bonifacio St. cor Quirino Blvd.
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines
Tel No: +63-77-722-2118
E-mail: reservation@grandpassinn.com

San Pedro de Alcantara Church
Taft St., Pakil, Laguna, Philippines
Tel. No.: +63-49-557-0211

Happy Travel!

Cebu Once Again

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:30:00 +0000

I created this blog to document all my travel and food adventures. I've already migrated some of my trip diaries and posts from my other personal blog to this blog, but I still have a long long way to go. Work is busy as usual and I have a lot of things to attend to so I think it would take some time to fill-up this blog with travel stories and photos.

Speaking of work, I'll be going to Cebu again in a few hours to cascade some important stuff to our Visayas colleagues. This will be a strictly business trip so there's nothing much to tell. The only personal agenda I have is to eat good food (as usual) and to buy and bring home the bacon(s) - literally speaking.

I want to have dinner or lunch at the original Casa Verde and binge on the famous Brian's Ribs. I've been trying to eat at Casa Verde on my previous Cebu trips but it was always trumped by other local favorites like Harbour City, Cheaver's, Bigby's or Golden Cowrie. Let's see if I will be successful this time.

My flight is at 1:30 pm and this will be my ride:

Withstanding delays, I will arrive in Cebu before 3:00 pm and I will stay here:

I'm already giddy! Nice hotels and big airplanes make me excited, even on strictly business trips! All aboard! See yah!

Photo Credit: Waterfront Cebu

Airphil Express Pick-A-Price Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:51:00 +0000

Airphil Express, one of the country's budget airlines, is having a seat sale again from July 7 to 11, 2010. The promo has the same rates and prices like their sale last week, but it has more routes and flight offerings. Travel period for the sale is from August to October 2010. As usual, the later the flight date, the cheaper it gets. :)

Routes included in the sale are Manila to Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman, Kalibo (Boracay, anyone?), Masbate, Naga, Ormoc, San Jose, Tugegarao and vice versa.

Here are the details and the rates:

Average rate for the round-trips in October is P900.00 ($19.00) including taxes and surcharges. It's really cheap and I'm truthfully tempted to book myself a ticket. I've always wanted to visit Coron (via Busuanga) or Ormoc in Leyte. Let's see. I'll keep you posted.

The Airphil Express seat sale is until Sunday, July 11, 2010. You may check their website or call (632) 855-9000 for more information. Check this blog regularly for more information on travel seat sales and promos.

Happy Travel!

How To Get A Cebu Pacific Promo Ticket

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 10:24:00 +0000

The travel lifestyle of the Filipinos changed when Cebu Pacific launched their Zero/Piso Promo Fares years ago. A lot were amazed and astonished on how they managed to do it. Other airlines tried to follow and recreate the low fare promotions in varying degrees but Cebu Pacific remained as the top choice for budget travelers.

I already bought so many travel tickets through the years as a result of these promos and discounted fares. I already bought and used tickets to Cebu, Boracay (Caticlan), Puerto Princesa and even Hong Kong. So, I would like to share with you some tips on how to effectively book and buy tickets from Cebu Pacific Promos that is now a regular thing for the airline.

Cebu Pacific Seat Sales usually lasts from 1-3 days, and it's primarily available through the Cebu Pacific website. It's available at times through the Cebu Pacific Hotline (+632-702-0888) but goodluck on getting through. It's still easier to book on-line.
I noticed that they have big Seat Sales near the end of the month or if there are national holidays or occasions (eg. Independence Day, Inauguration of President Noynoy Aquino). They also have pocket and smaller promos throughout the month for regional routes (eg. Cebu-Davao, etc.) so always be on the look-out and check the website regularly.

Subscribe to Cebu Pacific's Twitter or Facebook accounts. They announce their sales and promos through these on-line channels a day or hours ahead of the public announcement via print ad. They usually announce it during lunch time.

Decide where to travel as early as now (yeah, as in NOW). If you're traveling with friends, family, colleagues, ask them where they want to go and how much they are willing to spend. Seat sales are very popular and the early bird gets the BEST worm. You have to act fast! Tickets run out fast especially for popular destinations.

I noticed that Cebu Pacific only gives 2 to 6 promo seats per flight on a particular promo. Best to book in one-go if you are traveling in a group. Individual booking is not recommended.

Speaking of destinations, Boracay (via Caticlan) is a very popular vacation place year-round; I noticed lately that Cebu Pacific hardly gives Sale Seats on these flights. But you can still try, of course. Or make a Kalibo as an option.

Cebu is also popular destination but since they have many flights to Cebu, you'll have a high chance of getting discounted tickets for this trip - even if you're bringing the whole clan.

There are also seat sales for International Flights but they are limited compared to Domestic Sales. I was able to get cheap Hongkong tickets this year for only Php 2,000 ($ 43.00) but I only got evening flights because of its popularity.

No credit card? Fear not! The best mode in paying Cebu Pacific tickets booked online is through Bancnet or Megalink ATMs. Cebu Pacific allow travelers to pay for their booking via ATM until 11:59 pm on the day of their reservation. The booking will be canceled if unpaid before the mentioned time.

Only choose Go Lite Fares (no check-in baggage) if you're super sure that you'll only be bringing a 7kg hand-carry luggage. Excess baggage fee is high.

Drop me a line via comment box if you have other tips to contribute or questions about Cebu Pacific Promos. Check this blog regularly for more information on travel seat sales and promos.

Happy Travel!

Airphil Express Is On Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:23:00 +0000

Airphil Express is having a 5 Day Express Sale from July 1 to July 5, 2010. Travel period for the sale is from July to October 2010. Routes included in the promo are flights to Bacolod, Iloilo and Puerto Princesa. Discounted rates start at Php 399 ($8.48) for the October trips.

I tried booking for an October flight to Bacolod and I was able to get a ticket for Php 911.00 ($19.38) for both ways. One-way ticket costs Php 399.00 with an Aviation Security Fee and Tax for Php 113.00 ($2.40). It's not as cheap as Cebu Pacific Seat Sales but it's still inexpensive especially if you need to book your tickets now. I was able to ride Airphil Express (when it was still branded as PAL Express) on a Boracay Trip once and I must say that it was a pretty good experience.

Other reasons why AirPhil Express is cool:

Their baggage allowance is 15kg.
No Web Admin Fee when you purchase on-line (other airlines charge per person).
They have less forms and requirements to fill-in when you book online.

The only letdown is they only allow credit card as payment for online purchases. I hope that they will include other payment channels like ATM Payments or Internet Banking Payment in the future to make it more convenient for travelers.

Book your flights now! Sale is until Monday only, July 5, 2010. You may check their website or call (632) 855-9000 for more information. Check this blog regularly for more information on travel seat sales and promos.

Cebu Pacific Is On Sale For President Noy!

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:45:00 +0000

There's a lot of specials, promotions and memorabilia in celebration of the upcoming inauguration on June 30 of our 15th President, Noynoy Aquino. One of them, and the most enticing I've read and seen so far, is the Php 15.00 ($0.32) Domestic Travel Ticket Sale of Cebu Pacific. which they called "The Chosen JUAN". It's not yet announced publicly but their official Twitter account already made the announcement hours ago. Travelers can already book and avail discounted tickets through the Cebu Pacific Air website.

Photo Courtesy of Ariel2009's Flickr

I tried it myself and I was able to book for a trip to Puerto Princesa on November 2010 for 3 days. I only paid Php 158.80 ($3.45) for a round trip ticket including taxes and surcharges. I also tried to book myself for an International Flight and got a Php 3,793 ($80.70) fare, also on November, for a Manila-Singapore-Manila route.

Here are some tips: Cebu Pacific usually announce their sales and promotions a day ahead through their official Facebook or Twitter accounts. I also noticed that they primarily have seat sale promos before the end of the month. Duration for this particular promo is until June 30 for October to November 30 , 2010 travel dates.

On a personal note, I can't wait to go to Puerto Princesa and experience the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Filipinos should really visit the Underground River NOW before it become very expensive and popular due to the New 7 Wonders of Nature recognition that it's expected to get by next year.

Boracay's Scenes & Sounds

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:15:00 +0000

I was fortunate to be in Boracay last Labor Day weekend for an event. I was not really expecting the work trip and I only learned that I was going less than 24 hours before my actual departure. I went to the island to oversee one of the activities of our premiere summer event.

It was only my third trip to the island and it was fun to learn and experience new things and visit different places which I haven't been. It's also nice to discover a different Boracay apart from the watersports and beaching that we all love. Read on!

1. I was "almost" and "mostly" solo on the trip and it was both good and bad. Good because I can do all the things I want and bad because I don't have anybody to share it with.

2. Labor Day weekend was the second busiest period of summer! I was early at the airport but I was still bumped off because AirPhil Express overbooked my flight due to four canceled Caticlan flights that day.

3. PAL Express transferred us to Seair and it was my first time to ride a 20-seater plane (I counted)! The plane was bare and I can't sleep. I was finally able to sleep 30 minutes after take-off but the repeated turbulence woke me up.

4. The upside of Seair? We were only 9,000 ft. high so I was able to take some overhead shots; and land and sea travel to Boracay were also free!

5. There were so many people in Boracay that weekend! It was so crowded! You have to line-up for almost everything. It was also raining on and off but the people were dedma about it.

6. I met and worked with colleagues from Boracay, Iloilo and Makati who helped me with agents stuff, booth supervision and reaching the target. :)

7. First lunch meal was at The Big Mouth in D'Mall with colleagues. I ordered a small bowl of Pesto Pasta and a glass of Coke. Damage? Php 200! Welcome to Boradise of Expensive Everything!

8. I was supposed to stay at Patio Pacific (it was overbooked) or at the Fairways (it was so far) but I ended up at this simple, beachfront hotel at Station 1 called Casa Fiesta. It was right in front of our event venue and it was just less than a hundred feet from our Wireless Center. Perfect!

9. The lady who owns Casa Fiesta was very kind and accommodating. She did not ask for even a deposit or a down payment for my 4-day stay. She just asked me to fill-out some forms. The room was spacious and the bathroom was clean. It has a double bed, a TV, a ref, a/c and a veranda overlooking the beach. Message me via comment box if you want to the number of Casa Fiesta.

10. Work on my first day was very stressful. The target was high and it was really stressful working in the beach. Unbelievable but true.

11. I took a break and a stroll along Station 1 mid-afternoon to check out the scenery. I was hoping for a Jonah's shake but it was jam-packed as usual.

12. I'll be fit as a fiddle if I live in Boracay with all the walking and strolling. I loved all the solitary walks I had.

13. I love great hotels so I took note of all the resorts and boutique hotels I want to stay in. Here are some of them: Zuzuni, Las Brisas, Residencia Boracay, Two Seasons, Bluewaves Beach House, Seawind (always been on my list since 2001), Boracay Regency and, of course, DS.

14. Since it was a work trip, we obviously had meetings! I had two on my first day.

15. I love the I-don't-care Boracay attitude that gave me the convenience of wearing anything I want. Shorts? Check! Floral overload? Check! Non-black stuff? Check! It was also the first time I wore white in years!

16. Our first day dinner was buffet at Seawind where I was able to taste one of the best pastas I've ever had = Oil & Garlic With Mushrooms and Hams. I am now hunting for a recipe!

17. There was also something in the Boracay air that makes one thirsty! So I ordered a glass of Bailey's on one of the beach bars near my hotel. I had the shock of my life when the bartender gave me two glasses. I apparently ordered one their "buy one, take one" drinks. Geez!

18. I was up bright and early on my 2nd day for our actual Summer Samahan event. I was happy and excited. I was up until 2:00 am devising a strategy that would "sell". It DID sell and we had a favorable outcome. Yey, me!

19. I was busy the entire day working non-stop. I only stopped for a well-deserved lunch at Tribraz along Station 2. Tribraz is a french bistro near Cafe Del Mar. I had Potato & Meat Casserole and Rice Pilaf. Yummy!

20. I had an EX moment across the miles. I can't believe it! *shakes head, roll eyes*

21. Speaking of #21, I learned that all my pasts and possible future are all Smart subscribers. Galeng!

22. The Summer Samahan event was so great! Bosses will be happy. I realized that I can also be an excellent frontliner and on-ground person. Chat will be proud!

23. I would like to thank Aqtiv 100 Plus Energy Drink (Hi, Jomar! Hello, Mark!) and Colgate for the support and sponsorship. Until next time!

24. I was so exhausted the whole day but it did not hinder me to peek at my Social Networking Sites and tweet.

25. Second night's dinner was another buffet at Le Soleil De Boracay at Station 2 with colleagues. It was just so so. Nothing spectacular.

26. I strolled along Station 2 and 3 after dinner. I discovered new restaurants, saw the new Mandarin Spa and took note of all the places I can take my family on our trip in June.

27. Looks like the best chill-out places in the island are (and still are) Guilly's, Bamboo Lounge and the new Obama's Grill at Statiton 1; and Bombom's, SummerPlace and Hey Jude at Station 2.

The new Obama Grill at Station 1

28. Spongecola is the best! 'Nuff said, love 'em. The Summer Samahan Event culminated with a concert of Spongecola, Rocksteddy and Bamboo. Rock on!

29. I caught a fever because of the on/off rain and the high temp of my room's AC. I spent the night on-line with my favorite fattening snack bought from D'Mall: Lays & Coke.

30. I am the biggest loser in Boracay because I spent the day in bed resting and nursing my colds on my 3rd day. I was awoken by cheers before lunch as a result of Pacman's greatest boxing battle against Hatton. I wasn't able to watch the match live but I learned from Twitter how the bloodshed happened.

31. I spent my final afternoon doing usual Boracay stuff like eating Chori Burger, strolling along Station 1 and sipping Jonah's Fruitshake. I tried the plain Mocha flavor and it was delicious.

32. There was, of course, the Sunset! It was not a magnificent summer sunset and it was very cloudy but it was great nonetheless.

33. I love the All Flip Flops By The Beach store at Station 1. Nice lighting, too!

34. My favorite Boracay activity is Massage By The Beach so I obviously did not leave the island without it. It was relaxing and refreshing as usual.

35. I had my first-ever Henna Tattoo! I was so happy about it so I had two. One on my right ankle and the other one on my right leg.

36. One of my best ever meal was at Aria. I had the Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino pasta for my last lunch at the island. It was so delicious. All the raves about Aria are indeed true!

37. The flight back home was breeze. I took a PAL Express flight and I must say that it's the best ride I've ever had from Caticlan to Manila. It's not as "uncontrolled" like Cebu Pacific and Seair.

38. I arrived around 4:00 PM on a Monday and was both happy and sad about it. Sad because I just came back from one of best places in the world and happy because I am back in my beloved city with my family and friends on it.

I'll be going back to Boracay in June but this time with the family. We will be celebrating my brother's 27th birthday there. Hopefully, I'll be able to swim and do beach stuff and watersports by then.

This post was originally posted on this blog.

Cebu & Davao Delights

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 04:28:00 +0000

I went to Cebu a week ago and to Davao last Thursday. Both are quick trips where I attended two important regional meetings. Both were good trips and I feel confident that the huddles we had will yield positive results in the next months (Go, Team!).

Cebu was a delight as usual! I stayed for less than a day but it was still a joy nonetheless. I arrived 8ish and immediately checked-in to my hotel. I was upgraded to one of their suite rooms but I soon realized that it was freaky to spend a night alone in a very huge room (but the plasma TV was great). I had a late dinner at Bigby's at my now-favorite Ayala Terraces, browse a few books at Fully Booked, took some night shots, and had a very relaxing well-deserved massage at The Spa at Cebu.

The new Ayala Terraces

Grilled Rodeo Chops

I've wanted to try The Spa at Cebu since last year but I never had the chance until last week. The facility is okay and they truly made the effort to make the place relaxing and zen-ish. They adapted some styles and elements from the original The Spa here in Manila (but I think they are not related) and it turned out great. It was by far the best spa massage I had in Cebu. Try it on your next visit.

The Spa at Cebu

Davao did not fail to excite me as always. I was unbelievably stressed and anxious on the trip because I left a ton of work at the office and I unknowingly lost my ATM card on my way out. I only realized that it WAS gone when I was about to withdraw money at the airport. Good thing I have SMART Money so a colleague was able to lend me some moolah through our mobile phones and I was able to withdraw it instantly. The joys of SMART Money! Clearly one of our best innovations ever! It's really handy on "ooppps" moments like these.

The highlight of my Davao trip was probably our dinner at Pard's. Davao is known for its hole-in-the-wall restaurants which serve delicious seafood and grilled delights. We had prawns, fish, crabs and one of the best tasting tuna sashimi I've ever had! It was fresh, thinly sliced, and it doesn't have the funky taste that sashimis usually have. Too bad I wasn't able to bring home some because of an early morning flight the following day.

Durian - the most misjudged fruit in the Philippines

I ordered Chocolate Mousse from Room Service. Yummy.

Early morning at Davao International Airport.
Travel SMART, of course!

One of the most memorable moments I had on this trip was my first taste of Durian (the most misjudged fruit in the whole Philippines). I've had durian candies and shakes before but I've never tasted the actual fruit. The smell was so weird that even if it was good it was still weird for me. I took just a bite and gave up on it entirely. Sorry! :)

This post was originally posted on this blog.

I Am In Bohol

noreply@blogger.com (Abbie) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:32:00 +0000

I am in Bohol and blogging.

We just got in our hotel after a nice by the beach shore dinner at one of the restaurants along Alona Beach here in Panglao Island. We are so beat and tired after a full day of Cultural Tour all over the Bohol province. Whew!

So what we been up to?

THE FLIGHT THAT I ALMOST MISSED
The most stupid thing I did today was sleep after I posted my blog entry last night. I should have NOT slept at all because I almost missed my early morning flight. I race through the airport and I arrived at the NAIA Terminal 3 around 7:30 am for an 8:00 am flight. Good thing there was an Express Lane counter so I was able to make it without checking-in my baggage.

I met Libay, Marj and Anna near the boarding gates; and went inside our Tagbilaran flight with a queasy feeling. Blame it to anxiety and stress of a maddening week at work. It turned out to be the worst flight I had in my life. Cebu Pacific did not do anything wrong and I was actually entertained by their in-flight activities but I was just too out of the weather. I was really happy when I heard Bob, the Flight Attendant, said “We’ve just landed at Tagbilaran National Airport”. I was one of the first people to go down from the plane.

There are only four of us on the trip!

Marj, Anna and Libay with Kuya Kim

BOHOL! BOHOL!
My first impression of Bohol: peaceful countryside.

As we traveled through Tagbilaran City, the province’s capital, to Panglao Island, I cannot help but notice how serene and peaceful Bohol is. It was a 30 minute drive from the capital to where the Panglao white beaches are. The city is surrounded by mini malls, simple establishments and carefree living. The weather was very nice and perfect for swimming, tours and island hopping. Truly different from the rainy Manila weather we left behind.

We are staying at Alona Tropical Beach Resort along Alona Beach in Panglao Island. The resort is conveniently located at the northern part of the beach near a cove just fronting the beach. There's a swimming pool, jacuzzi and lots of nooks where you can relax and rest. We also scored a very nice room complete with a mini dining room and living room just in front of the swimming pool (which I will try tomorrow).

A sight to behold!
Here's the view from our hotel. Serenity at its best!

Swimming pool in front of our room

A nice nook overlooking the beach where I can do "work" tomorrow

Playing with silhouettes inside our room

I am really having a wonderful time here in Bohol. It's very peaceful compared to the rowdy upbeat lifestyle of Boracay. I have so many things to write about this beautiful place but I have to sleep early for our early morning 6:00 am island hopping tomorrow. We will go to Balicasag Island and watch some dolphins which can only be seen early in the morning before 7:30 am.

Alona Tropical Beach Resort
Panglao Island, Bohol
Tel. No. +63-38-502-9024 / 502-9031
Website: http://alona-tropical.com

This post was originally posted on this blog.