Seair’s 19-seater Let-410

Eight lucky bloggers will be chosen to join an all-expense paid bloggers’ tour of Boracay from September 10 to 12, 2010. The contest is pretty simple: just blog why you should be chosen to join the tour. Easy peasy, right?

Now go write that blog entry! Bear in mind that the contest ends on August 20, 2010, and for your entry to count, you must post a link on Seair’s Facebook Page (you have to Like it first before you can post!)

For more details, here’s the entire contest mechanics:
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 website .

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!

Originally published at Justwandering.org

Morning traffic in Ho Chi Minh city

She was standing on the curb, about to ride her scooter, when she called out to me in English. “I saw you on the other street,” she said. “You’re in the wrong part of town. Did you just arrive in Hoi An?” I was never the type to start a conversation when I travel, so to have someone engage me in conversation can be a treat, specially after traveling solo for a couple of days. I was just to ecstatic to be talking to somebody that even when the word “tailoring shop” was thrown into the conversation, I shrugged it off, and instead hopped into the back of the scooter when she offered to take me to the Central Market, where her shop was.

As we were riding through town, I recalled a similar ride in Ko Phangan, Thailand. The lady at the travel agent offered to take me with her when she went to eat lunch. I don’t know how to ride a bike and that was my first time to ride a motorcycle. She took me to this place where the locals eat, and though I can’t remember what we had, I remembered I was so grateful for her generosity and hospitality.

This encounter was different though. My new friend’s charming demeanor slowly melted when we got to the market. She was getting a bit impatient while I was eating my late lunch at her friend’s stall, and when we got to her sister’s shop, it has completely vanished. She wasn’t rude, you just can’t help but feel so used, specially since after going through the tailor’s catalogs and materials, she was pushing me to her friend who makes custom shoes, and even to an old lady who was doing mani & pedi.

I had another similar encounter in Hue, but not as bad as that encounter in Hoi An. I was making my way to the Citadel, and came upon this bridge. There was a no entry sign and most of the traffic were going in the opposite direction. I stop to ask a shopkeeper if I can go through this bridge and she said yes. Before I can leave she invites me to sit down under the tree for some drinks. The sun was pretty high up, so I figured I’d take her up on her offer and wait until it’s a little cooler before proceeding. Like the lady in Hoi An, she was very curt when I paid for my drink.

As I recounted these encounters to Carlo, a reader who’s been to Vietnam before, he describes the Vietnamese as very enterprising. I, on the other hand, would describe them as very good sales people who lack after sales service. But this is not to say that the Vietnamese are just after your money nor do they fail in customer service. I had more positive encounters in Vietnam, except that it’s the negative experiences that you remember sometimes.

On my first day in HCMC, the guesthouse staff gave me a dragon fruit, mainly because they have some (their standard breakfast is a baguette and a banana, so this is a treat). She even opened it for me, because I was just staring at the fruit, figuring out how to eat it. The guesthouse staff in Hanoi were also very nice. They were all so attentive, specially Ms. Chau who was treat everyone like they’re a part of her own family.

Of course, there might be some biases there, since these were service people. Luckily, I got to chat with some Vietnamese who weren’t in the payroll of any hostels I’ve stayed in or were in any way getting money from me, and they were genuinely nice. There was the couple who was in the same tour as I was in Hue. They were on a holiday, and we were soon chatting about nice places to see around Vietnam as we sit along the banks of the Perfume river. There was also the Vietnamese family who shared their baon (packed lunch) with me and another foreigner during our lunch on board the boat.

The most memorable though was the businessman who was on the same overnight bus to Hanoi. We were waiting at the bus company’s office in Hue and as soon as a bus rolled to the curb, the people at the office swarmed towards it. As the staff inside the office were suddenly busy, I asked him if this was the bus to Hanoi. He said yes, but we would be getting on the second bus. The bus had some empty seats, so the staff told some of us remaining passengers that we can hop on board.

After two hours of mad honking and swerving, the bus pulled up to a small restaurant. As the local passengers took seats, I spot the businessman and asked if this stop was for dinner. He said yes, and as the restaurant was filling up, I asked if I can share the table. There the usual small chit-chat, but the dinner progressed in comfortable silence. I realize there’s really nothing noteworthy with this particular encounter, but it just shows that even when the Vietnamese can be very aggressive when they’re trying to sell you something, you don’t have to be wary all the time when you’re in the country because there are those who will show you kindness and flash a genuine smile.

This is my entry for the Blogsherpa Blog Carnival. This round, Encounters, is hosted by Camden Luxeford of The Brink of Something Else. The Blogsherpa is a project of Lonely Planet that displays bloggers posts about destinations or interests on lonelyplanet.com. Read the other entries here.

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Heritage Hotel’s Hainanese Chicken Rice

After lunch, it was down to business. Lynette of the STB gave a short presentation about Singapore. Not much words needed to be said about the island state — all of us know that there’s so much to do in such small territory. There are activities and attractions for all types of travelers and all types of budget, so you can be sure that there’s something that’s distinctly YOU in Singapore. That’s why the Singapore Tourism Board has launched a new website: yoursingapore.com. The site showcases Singapore’s top rating events, cultural festivals, and of course, favorite tourist attractions. One nifty feature of the site is that it lets you organize your trip from home so you can make the most out of your trip to Singapore.

Lee of Contact Singapore talked to us about working in SG. As the years pass, more and more Filipinos are finding themselves in Singapore. Some are there for work, some are there as tourists, while some are there as tourists looking for work. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced last week that there’s as much as 100,000 jobs for foreign workers — an announcement I’m sure was met with much cheering from Filipinos who are looking for opportunities to work overseas.

Lee of Contact Singapore answering a question with Aileen listening with rapt attention in the background and Jay staring intently at something on the table

Lee explains that in Singapore they value skills and performance. If you can do your job and do it well, you are rewarded, regardless of race, gender or age. He also shared stories of Filipinos who are working in Singapore, like this OFW who works in Singapore from Monday to Friday, and spends weekends in Manila, thanks to the proximity of the two countries and cheap airfare.

He also shared that for Filipinos who are interested in looking for a job in Singapore might want to apply for an Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate or EPEC. This is basically a pass that lets you stay in Singapore for a year while you’re sending out applications and attending interviews. Though this is a much more convenient option to going on a visa run to Malaysia or Indonesia every 30 days, you *do* need to apply for the certification beforehand and you have to be qualified and present the required documents. Applications can be lodged online and is free of charge.

Thinking about working in Singapore? Visit the Contact Singapore website to learn more about opportunities in SG.

Originally published at Justwandering.org

Gloating aside, this year’s travel mart will be held on September 3-5 at the Mega Trade Hall of the SM Megamall in Ortigas.

“In line with the new administration’s vision for a better Philippines, we are constantly finding ways to promote Philippine tourism,” said Cesar Cruz, PHILTOA president. “The 21st Philippine Travel Mart is the perfect venue for Filipinos to be aware of endless tourist attractions and destinations the country has to offer.”

The Philippine Travel Mart will feature booths of different tour operators, regions & provinces and various tourism sectors, offering travel packages to fit the Filipino traveler’s budget.

For complete list of exhibitors and other information about the travel mart, visit their website at www.philtravelmart.com.

Copyright 2006-2010 Nina Fuentes | Justwandering.org

Vietnam was pretty cheap. Dining at the restaurants can set you back around Php 300, while dining in the streets or markets can go as low as Php 40. Accommodation is also relatively inexpensive. My rooms range from $15 to $18, all with air conditioning and a fan, with ensuite toilet & bath, cable TV, a closet and even a small fridge. While the xe om is the most popular way to getting around town, I prefer to hop on a cab. The taxis in Vietnam are well kept with good air conditioning. Meter starts at VND 9,000 for the small cars, VND 10,000 for the sedans and VND 12,000 for the vans (depends on the company). Be careful about the taxis though; there are rogue taxis that use a very fast meter! They use the same name as the big cab companies, only changing one letter and using almost identical hotline numbers.

Krabi, on the otherhand, is pretty expensive (as expected). However, in the midst of the Thai and Italian restaurants, there are small street stalls selling noodles and rice. I stayed in Ao Nang beach, and it’s small enough to walk around. You can take the tuktuk around town, but to go beyond, you’d either have to ride the government songtheow (with routes to Krabi and other places) or hire a taxi (taxis in Krabi are Toyota Fortuner. Sosyal!)

Bangkok and Kuala lumpur are only in the itinerary for transit and shopping.

Download:
Vietnam 2010.xls (24k)
Vietnam 2010.pdf (92k)

Chyng deliberately disqualified herself by saying outright that she wouldn’t take her guests around Manila, while Cornelio started with Manila, yet ventured out of town and had his itinerary spread for more than a day. I intentionally limited the itinerary to one day and only within Metro Manila. Why? Because most of those who travel to Manila only transit here — they fly in only because Manila is the main international hub and they use it as the jump off point to exploring places outside Manila.

Father Blanco’s garden circa 2006

Allan Reyes said he’d take his guests to Tondo so that they will see the real Manila, and erica yu-b said she’ll take them for a peek at Smokey Mountain so that her guests would help make the Philippines a better place. I understand what you guys are coming from, but let’s face it — those squatters is what the world already have in mind when they think about Manila. That is what’s often depicted in the media. I believe it’s every Filipino’s responsibility to make the Philippines a better place, not our guest’s.

I want our guests to see a different Manila. I want them to see beyond the chaos and see the beauty underneath grime. Yes, Manila is dirty and disorganized. But when you look hard enough and embrace all its imperfections, you’ll come to appreciate its unique charm.

Rizal Monument at the Luneta park

Most entries focused just on Manila. Intramuros, Luneta, Binondo, Divisoria and Quiapo are favorites haunts. Didi Paterno and Lily Ang were very specific about where they’ll take their guests to eat (and gave me a list of new places to try). Jesy A., cherry and feliz v agreed that the best way to cap off a Manila tour is to watch the sunset and unwind at MOA. Jo Tan goes the extra mile by taking his guests to Corregidor, while Nico Quejano got me curious about this Sto. Niño de Titi that can be found in Quiapo. Kris Ariza has both the Manila Ocean Park and Manila Zoo in her itinerary, as do KC Binay.

Mav, on the otherhand said she’ll show her guests what Broadway theater is like in Manila, though she never specified where. Jam puts some quirk into his/her itinerary, shouting “TAHO” and “PUTO” as soon as they leave the house. Or did he/she meant to say they’d buy taho and puto? April will be taking her guests to Luneta, as she sees that it is “reeking of history, Pinoy culture and the true face of reality what with the nearby squatter area.”

The Pasig River ferry at the Escolta station

There were those who looked beyond Manila; I did say Metro Manila afterall. Both Juned and Dante thinks one of the must do’s is to ride the Pasig River Ferry to Intramuros. Tina took her guests on both ends of the spectrum: shopping in Bangkal, Makati then moving on to Cubao X in Quezon City. Wheatcliff takes his guest all around the metro, from Manila to Quezon City to Makati, while quiam just focused on QC and Marikina.

Of all the entries, the one I like most is Rolly Nunez’s that beautifully captures the totally of the Filipino culture:

A foreigner seeks for the culture, food, history and hospitality of the Filipino people. As a teaser, we will ride the cab or taxi down to Intramuros. I’ll treat him to the lokal “turo-turo” offering one day old, the famous “kwek-kwek,” and some dumpling experience for a small break. The walled city hp the best destination for them to introduce the richness of our values. It explains the artistry, talent, bravery, social apt, and among others. We will ride the “kalesa” or the more humane way instead of pallanquin. Like Magellan, we will circumnavigate the vicinity and let him enjoy the area while giving insights of the spots.

Next is the shrine of Dr. Jose Rizal or the Luneta Park. I’ll bring my old paper money and several coins which portrays our National Hero. And I’ll tell him some of his contributions for our independence. He is my idol and role model, for the love of our country after God. A small meal from the local “Mang Inasal,” the most famous marinated chicken. I’ll also explain how to eat it using hands and dipping it to “toyo-mansi”.

The next pit stop is the EDSA Shrine. We will ride the MRT from Taft to Ortigas. Displaying the unity of the people for the past decades. The shrine itself, the Ortigas Ilalim route of bus and the People Power Monument for the few to be proud of. A small snack from the “Mamang Sorbetero” will be special. A bun filled with ice cream is very excellent after walking a half kilometer long journey.

Then, we will use the mass transport system of bus from Ortigas to Cubao. A stroll from AliMALL will shaken up the hot senses from the sun.

After that, we will ride the jeepney routing Cubao and Montalban. “Patok” jeepney is the name of those who have loud music, colorful interiors, overspeeding and very fast jeepney. I’ll explain to him that it serve us by transporting merchant and goods from provinces to rural or urban areas and now, even passengers. We will alight at the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, Marikina. For me, it is our symbol of cleanliness and development. The Marikina River is a great facade for a small talk. And I’ll bring him to our house to accommodate and take care of him. Rest assured, he’ll enjoy the hospitality of us.

Congrats Rolly! I hope you enjoy the Imelda tour as much as I did

Originally published at Justwandering.org | Subscribe via your favorite RSS reader.

Why don’t I have a photo of Carlos with the Imelda photo? Fail.

I’ve done the Imelda tour last March and the Intramuros tour last April. I thought more people should experience one of Carlos’ tours, and here’s your chance to try it out for FREE!

All you need to do to get this free pass for you and a friend is to answer a simple questions: If you have a guest from overseas, where in Metro Manila would you take him/her?

Give specific details — sights you’ll see, food you’ll try, transportation you’re taking. The more unique the itinerary is, the better your chances for winning!

Simple no? Post your answers on the comment section. Only one entry per person, so make sure it’s perfect! Contest starts now and ends at 11:59pm of July 8, 2010.

Contest Mechanics:

1. This contest is open to Filipinos living in the Philippines, provided that they will be in Manila on the following dates: July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31 (Imelda tour dates)
2. One comment is equivalent to one entry. Duplicate comments will only count as one.
3. Contestants must enter with a valid e-mail address.
4. Contest runs from July 4 to July 8, 2010.
5. The winner will be chosen based on the quality of the comment.
6. Winner of the contest will be announced in the website and notified through e-mail.

Copyright 2006-2010 Nina Fuentes | Justwandering.org

Bangkok has gone back to normal. Save for the gutted buildings, there were no signs that this was a city that has been paralyzed by the red shirts a month ago. The malls are open again, the BTS taking people from one end of the city to another.

I originally planned to stay for the weekend, but when Air Asia had their zero-fare sale, the June 27 departure was cheaper than June 26. Of course, whatever amount I saved on the airfare and accommodation was used up to buy a several cute things, including the most awesome wedding gift for a friend *evil laugh*

I know of three more people who was at Bangkok the same time that I was, and all our updates were the same: shopping in BKK is simply the best. Bangkok is well on their way to economic recovery, I see.

Originally published at Justwandering.org | Subscribe via your favorite RSS reader.

Hanoi has been… interesting. The city has an old world charm. The streets are small in the Old Quarter, lined with shop houses with French and Chinese influences. Sidewalks are nearly non-existent as some shops extend their wares, while most use it as a parking spot for their motorcycles.

Walking in Hanoi is an experience you’d hardly forget. Since the sidewalks are occupied, you are forced to walk in the streets, dodging cars, motorcycles, bicycles and other pedestrians going in all directions. Count on getting lost when you go out to explore, as street names change when you cross an intersection.

Like the other three Vietnamese cities and town I’ve been in, Hanoi has parks that everyone enjoys. It’s where the elderly do their tai chi in the morning, where the workers cool off on a hot afternoon and where the young ones hang out in the evenings.

Hanoi’s heat makes it uncomfortable to go walking during the day. The best course of action is to start out early when it’s not too hot (this works great since the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is only open from 7am to 11am), take refuge in an airconditioned place (like the Vincom Tower, which has a mall and a cineplex) or have a siesta to make up for waking up early, and setting out again as the sun goes down.

For going long distances, you can take the cyclo, a bicycle-like contraption where passengers sit on the front and the driver peddaling on the back. You can also ride a xe om, or a motorcycle scooter, either with you driving or hop on the back of a motorcycle taxi. Then there are the regular taxis. There are three kinds of taxi that ply Hanoi’s roads: the small cars (flag down at 9,000 VND), the regular sedans (flag down at 10,000 VND) and the mini vans (flag down at 12,000 VND). I’m a notorious taxi rider. They have airconditioning and are generally more comfortable, specially in traffic. In all of the taxi rides I’ve had in Vietnam, the drivers automatically use the meter. Unfortunately, some meter move so much faster than others, so watch that meter lest you end up with a 292,000 VND fare for a 34,000 VND ride.

Hanoi is also the jumpoff point for many Ha Long Bay tours. You can easily book a day trip, overnight or multiple day tours to this World Heritage site. From Hanoi, it’s a 3.5 hour drive to the city of Halong (with the 30-minute stop over, it’s closer to 4 hours). There’s a huge wharf where the ships are docked. Fashioned to look like the traditional Chinese Junks, these ships are equipped with a dining area and sleeping areas for the overnight cruises.

There are more than 1,900 islands in the bay, made up of towering limestone karsts. It can be impressivefor those who are seeing these for the first time, but after Palawan, it wasn’t so unusual for me anymore. What impressed me though is the cave. The ship docks at one of the islands and you go up the stairs into the cave. It’s quite a climb, but it gives you a spectacular view of the bay and the ships below. Once you get up, you go down some ways again to explore the cave. It has a cavernous (pun not intended) interior with high domes, stalactites and stalagmite formations, made even more dramatic with both artificial lighting and sunlight streaming from the cave opening. What I really liked about the cave is how they managed to fix it, making it easier for people to walk through so you can see everything without backtracking. The separate entrance and exits makes it easy for everyone to go through the attraction.

Back in Hanoi, I did what I always try to do when I travel overseas: watch a movie. I don’t know why, but I like watching movies when I travel, comparing cinemas in each country I’ve been in. It’s also a great reason for me to skip a city tour in favor of airconditoned comfort inside the Megastar Cineplex. The seats are comfortable, and the theatre, though small, wasn’t full. And much to my relief, they did not dub Toy Stoy 3 into Vietnamese.

I’m now minutes away from boarding. I was hoping to have a last bowl of pho for breakfast, but I ended up with katsudon instead. All the more reason to go back to Hanoi, yes?

Originally published at Justwandering.org | Subscribe via your favorite RSS reader.

Sayuri celebrated her birthday at the Imperial City

A visit to Hue is not complete without going to the Imperial City. Enclosed in a citadel across the Huong River, the walls are imposing and thick. When you pass through the arch that serves as a gate, it’s like you stepped back to a different time.

The Citadel, Imperial city and the pagodas, temples and tombs that you can see along the Perfume river shows the strong influence of the Chinese in in the Vietnamese culture. The Citadel and the Imperial city can be reached by foot from the city center, but be prepared with comfortable shoes and clothes.

Thien Mu Pagoda

Going inside the Imperial City elicits the same awe upon seeing the Angkor Wat for the first time (for me anyway). What circus you may chance upon outside disappears once you go through the gates. Buildings painstakingly restored to their former glory greets your eyes, and you find yourself automatically reaching for the camera and clicking away.

Khai Dinh Tomb

The pagodas and tombs along the Perfume river are impressive as well. What endeared me to them though weren’t the structures, but the lovely views of the river and the seemingly endless expanse of green. It’s the kind of place you’d want to go back to, if only to sit down and savor the quiet solitude.

Originally published at Justwandering.org

I woke up early to catch my bus to Hue. I waited for the bus in my guesthouse, and it arrived five minutes before 8am. From the distance it looked impressive, but as it pulled up, I notice with dismay that some windows were open. It’s not an airconditioned bus.

With a sigh I stepped into the bus, welcomed by a sea of feet and crotches. This is a sleeping bus: instead of regular seats, you get something like loungers as chairs. There are three lines of double deck loungers, and at the end, five laid out side by side like a huge bed.

I settled on my sleeper seat. Despite the heat, I enjoyed leaning back and proping my feet up on Viktor (my backpack) as we rolled out of Hoi An. The ride was pleasant enough, if not for the lack of cool air. We briefly enjoyed the cool mountain breeze, but just as it was getting much cooler, it gruffly replaced by a gush of hot wind as we entered a tunnel that goes through the mountain.

Save for the sweat and the occasion whiffs of earthly aromas from outside and human scents from within, this was a relaxing drive. There might be a speed limit in the city limits, as the bus driver never sped up, except when we got up in the mountains.

Of course, in the middle of that heat, the bus had to make a stop to have wheel fixed. Still, despite this setback, we rolled into Hue just past 12 noon.

The airconditioning gods must hate me that much, because once I got into my room, I discovered that there is no electricity. So instead of catching my breath and cooling off, I was forced to head to the nearby supermarket to seek refuge (and wifi!).

I’m liking Hue. After killing time at the supermarket, I made my way into the Imperial City. Sure, there are touts there, much like in any tourist places around the world, but the serenity you feel inside the walled city more than make up for it.

More posts about Hue tomorrow (or the next day, depends on when I feel like writing again). I’ve got to rest up before the full day tour tomorrow.

* Title is a line from Why God, one of the songs from Miss Saigon

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Hainan Chinese Temple in Hoi An’s old quarter

That’s what happened to me in Hoi An.

I arrived in Hoi An around 3:30pm from Ho Chi Minh via Da Nang. I was feeling cranky because I haven’t had lunch yet, but my spirits picked up as the taxi pulled into Hoi An. Unlike other legs of this trip, I haven’t booked a room in Hoi An. The reviews on Travelfish were uninspiring, and I figured I’d try looking for one when I get into town. The receptionist at my guesthouse in Saigon referred a hotel that would give me a good price if I say that I got the referral from them, so I decided to try it out.

Swimming Pool, the mirror behind the reception screams. Hoi An is a very popular destination, specially for those traveling overland from HCMC to Hanoi, so competition is fierce among the hostels. That’s why they would try to outdo each other with pools, free wifi, breakfast. In theory, it’s us, the customers who win because we have more options and (theoretically) better service.

Take my current hotel for example. They offered me a room for $12 without aircon. If I’m going to use the aircon, the rate for my room would be $15. So up we went through 4 flights of stairs, passing by the swimming pool looking so blue and inviting in the heat. The room was at the top floor, and it was disconcerting to see the short door. However, there was more than ample head room inside (though I really don’t get the short door. Did they run out of material?). The room was huge and it looked great. It was a double room with ensuite toilet, cable TV, fridge and a tiny veranda that looks out into the room across from mine and the one underneath it (and the occupant’s underwear that was left on the bed).

Looks nice no? Vinh Huy Hotel room. Book with caution.

However, once you get over the initial awe and start “living” in your room, you notice a lot of things. First, there’s no Starworld, National Geographic nor Discovery channel on TV. So much for cable — there’s only so much Start Sports and BBC World that I can take. The shower, though impressive with ths sliding doors to keep the water out does not have any soap dish inside so you’d have to keep opening and closing the sliding doors to get your shower things. Don’t even get me started on the water heater that doesn’t work (not that you need hot water; it’s been very hot in Hoi An). It was hot in my room so I gave notice at the reception that I wanted to use the airconditioning. They said yes and flipped the switch for the airconditioning unit in my room. Come nightfall, I was back in my room and sweating. The aircon was turned on but the room wasn’t getting any cooler. There’s no remote to check the thermostat.

Today, when I went down, I was told that I had to move to another room, since a group was checking in and needed the room I was staying in. Inside my new room, I immediately realize that my old room was part of the hotel’s new wing; my current room is dated. It shows its age: the TV and fridge has seen better days, the side table missing a drawer. The bathroom tries to impress with its tub, but it fails because there’s no shower curtain to keep the water off the bathroom floor. At $15 a night, I suppose I shouldn’t be expecting too much.

Back to my first day in Hoi An, I set off from the hotel in good spirits. I went out to look for something to eat and promptly got lost. While I was walking I was marveling how different Hoi An is from Ho Chi Minh; how peaceful life in this small town compared to the chaos of the capital. Nobody was even hassling me to buy their wares, a surprise since all the guidebooks warn travelers about this.

No pressure lah.

I must have looked more lost than I thought because a woman on a scooter chatted me up, saying she saw me on the other street and told me I was going the wrong way. She offered to take me to the ancient city. She owns a shop in the market she says. She’s a tailor. That set off the alarms in my head, but I was too eager to talk to people that I ignored it and went with her.

I knew what I was getting into. I figured, since this is what people go to Hoi An for, might as well be all touristy and try it out. The problem is, once you showed interest in one store, EVERYBODY pegs you as the tourist who has money to burn. One girl makes custom made shoes, an old lady does massage and manicure. They were all very persistent, and they all seemed unfriendly once I said no and walked away.

That pretty much set my mood towards Hoi An. I ventured out of the market and walked around the ancient city. Hoi An has a ticketing system for the top draws of the old quarters, but there are no clear signs around town. In one of the temples I entered, the caretakers with very limited English asked for my ticket. I said I didn’t have any and asked if I can buy from them. They said yes, but they didn’t give me a ticket, and they made gestures to put my 100,000 dong bill in the donation box. I walked out. I prefer to make my donations voluntarily, as it’s supposed to be.

My stay in Hoi An wasn’t a total loss though. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the beach this morning. Cua Dai beach is 4km from the town so I hailed a taxi to take me there. Unfortunately, despite looking like a brand new Toyota, the aircon doesn’t work. Didn’t stop it from racking up 68,500 dong in the meter though.

Sayuri at Cua Dai beach

Negativity aside, the beach was gorgeous. It exceeded my expectation. I would imagine this is how every overpopulated, overly developed beaches around the world started. The driver dropped me off at a beachside restaurant that has a gorgeous spot in the long stretch of fine white sand beach. There’s nothing like the sights and sound of the sea to calm you down.

I’m leaving Hoi An today for Hue. I had such high expectations of Hoi An, which I think partly the reason why I’m so disappointed. The old quarter, while preserved, is overrun with shops that distracts from what the small town is known for.

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It’s my first time in Vietnam and so far, I’m loving it. I’m loving the food an awful lot, though I seem to be the only one not enamored with the ban mi (baguette sandwich).

Nazuna and the Notre Dame

I love walking around Saigon. Admittedly, I had great trepidations about going to Vietnam after reading about how crazy the motorcycle traffic is. Crossing the street is not my strong suit, and the prospect walking in a city swarming with it is just too much.

Still I ventured out of my room and out into the streets of Ho Chi Minh. I was so glad I did because HCMC is a lovely, walkable city, crazy motorcycles notwithstanding. The city (the parts I’ve walked through anyway) is surprisingly green. Trees line the streets and there’s a number of public parks where you can sit down and rest after all that walking.

Of course, the hurdles come with every intersection. While there are zebra crossings in most streets, the motorists will not stop for the pedestrians unless there’s someone directing the traffic. Traffic lights help make the crossing easier, though only for a little bit — a red light doesn’t necessarily mean that the motorcycles will stop. Most will, but you can count on a handful making a turn as soon as there’s a break in the traffic.

The freaky thing is, it all seem normal. Yesterday, while crossing a big intersection, in the midst of a sea of motorcycles flowing in one direction, there’s a few caught in the middle, slowly inching their way through. Crossing the streets of Saigon is pretty much the same ordeal — wait for a break in the traffic and just walk. Be mindful of the oncoming traffic, but don’t be scared. These drivers are used to pedestrians. They will not stop to let you pass, but they will avoid you so just keep walking forward.

And that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to keep moving to overcome this blog slump. I’m sure you noticed I’ve been remiss with my blogging duties. I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and just can’t bring myself to write or create anything. I had every intention of doing my usual daily recap for this trip, but I thought it’d be best if I give myself a break and try to write little by little, take more pictures and heck, draw even though I don’t know how.

I do however, update my social networks more frequently. Pictures are already uploaded in my Vietnam set on flickr, and I’ve been posting updates on my Twitter and the Just Wandering page on Facebook. If you’re looking for trip updates, just follow me in any of those pages

Originally published at Justwandering.org

AJ Hackett Bungy at the Macau Tower

The jump was always in my mind in the days before and during the trip. When we arrived in Macau, I found myself looking at the tower in amazement — though most of the time I refrain from looking at it, as if to deny its existence. It felt so real when we were actually in Macau, and up until the last moment (well, until I got my ticket which says “no refund”), I asked myself if I really wanted to do it.

What was really stopping me wasn’t the height. Though I have plenty of paranoid thoughts about things malfunctioning when I jump, it wasn’t fear that was stopping me. It was the hefty price tag: MOP 1,718 to voluntarily jump off from a ledge 233 meters (764 feet) above the ground. How crazy is that? In the end, I decided to shell out the money (including an additional MOP 599) for the DVD video and photo CD package). I figured the trip was free anyway — it’d be a lot more expensive if I go back on my own account just to jump.

No refund!!

The AJ Hackett company operates the bungy, as well as all the adventure activities in the tower. Known the world over as the one who popularized the bungy jump, safety is high on their list. Everything is checked twice (sometimes even more!) to ensure that everything is in place.

When you book for a bungy jump, the schedule you pick is an approximate time: there is no guarantee that you will be able to jump that the exact time. This is due to many factors: the weather, the wind, and people ahead of you who take ages to jump. When I registered at the AJ Hackett counter on the ground floor, I asked the girl behind the counter for tips, since it was my first bungy.

I came, I saw, I jumped.

“Just jump,” she told me. She then tells me about this girl who took 10 minutes to jump earlier that day. She was so scared that she couldn’t get herself to jump. When she finally did, she was so elated and was raving about how awesome it was. As AJ Hackett say, bungy jumping is 90% mental. Jumping off that ledge is too easy. It’s getting yourself to jump that’s the problem. It’s the company’s policy never to push or force people to jump. It has to be you jumping at your own volition (and remember, no refund!)

The fall is so fast I can hardly remember how it felt. All I can remember is having this overwhelming feeling of flying, quickly followed by an even more overwhelming feeling of falling from a great height as the ground rush towards you. The rebound was strong, and according to Kaoko, I went back up about 2/3rd of the height of the tower. They have devised a system that would let you get into a sitting position after the first drop, but I wasn’t able to find the cord to pull. Hanging several hundred feet off the ground, I was paranoid about pulling the wrong cord. In the end, I just gave up and enjoyed the ride. A couple more bounce and I was nearing the huge inflatable square where two AJ Hackett crew are waiting to unclip me from the bungy cord.

The MOP 2,688 question is: is it worth it? Hell yeah! Despite my paranoia, it was really fun and exhilarating. The basic bungy jump package (MOP 1,718) includes the t-shirt, certificate and a membership card that entitles you to a 20% discount on all AJ Hackett operations worldwide. For the Macau tower, your next two jumps will only be at MOP 588 and the fourth jump is free. I’ve a feeling I’ll be making full use of this card

Copyright 2006-2010 Nina Fuentes | Justwandering.org

The sale started at midnight, and unlike other Air Asia sales wherein the site is painfully slow the first few hours of the sale, the servers earlier were surprisingly fast. Seems like people are still hesitant to go to Bangkok.

Wei and I were talking about the sale, and he told me about this awesome site that lets you easily find the lowest fare available on Airasia.com: www.flyous.com. The tool is very easy to use too — just select your origin and destination from the drop down box, and select whether it’s for a round trip or one-way flight. The site will go through all of Air Asia’s available flights for those destinations. Pretty nifty eh? No need to go through each date to find a zero fare! Now I wonder, do they also get bogged down when Air Asia has their massive sale?