Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
On Turning 25 and Other Concerns
I am suffering from mild headache as I type this entry here in my ‘office’. I slept at 3AM, woke up at 12noon for lunch with my grandparents and went back to bed at 2PM. My supposed short nap was extended to four hours. I think oversleeping is the cause of this sudden headache of mine. I thought that a Jollibee meal and a dose of my favorite Iced Mocha can cure me. I guess I’m wrong.
Smooth-sailing at 25.
Heavy rain. I want to buy medicine, but the rain is making me lazy. I just finished a Mother’s Day post and the fact that I have a lot of travel-related backlogs makes me want to hit my head on the wall. How can I not blog about these wonderful memories from the past months?
Now that I am stuck here, I will just write and write and write whatever hits my head.
The Wrangler Road Trip Notes
SIQUIJOR is one of the places in the Philippines that only a few people would dare to visit way back. Blame it on the media hype about the Balete tree and horror flicks with it as the prime location, it somewhat drove our kababayans away from this beautiful island.
Life is like a Wrangler Road Trip
I have to admit that I am one of those who would think twice to visit Siquijor, but I am truly curious about it. I’m lucky to have met Dylan, a travel blogger who was born and raised in Siquijor. I read some of his blog entries related to Siquijor and he narrated some stories about the beauty of his hometown when we met last December in Moalboal. I asked him if the stories about Siquijor were true. He told me that he doesn’t believe in such things and he only found out about the so-called legend when he saw the Halloween Special of Magandang Gabi, Bayan about the Balete Tree.
Living the Dream and Wandering – Why?
I am seated right now in a pizza and pasta place somewhere along Pub Street in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It is my 3rd night here and I am truly savoring every moment. I am not a Tomb Raider fan and I only saw the movie once in an unclear copy, but I knew that I wanted to explore Angkor Wat. During the release of the Angelina Jolie starer, traveling from Manila to Siem Reap is not easy. Well, it is not really that easy since there are no direct flights yet (although a local airline announced that they will launch their Siem Reap routes by June.
I Wander while I work
It is my first time to cross borders. Thailand and Cambodia are two different countries with a certain charm that makes them a favorite destination of foreign travelers. I spent two nights in Bangkok and will be going back in a few days, but I now know why the tag ‘Amazing Thailand’ worked. I met a number of Thailander students in Pangasinan who are studying Medicine and they’re thoughtful especially to my grandparents. Gallivanting along Khao San Road is an overwhelming experience – it is chaotic yet I love it. I even went on the middle of the famous backpacker’s lane and danced like nobody’s watching. Well, a lot of people were watching hehe 
Chasing The Flight
I’m back in Manila after spending almost a week in Cebu with the PTB Bagets. It’s my 9th time (or 10th? I lost count LOL) in Cebu, but it was my first time to visit Moalboal and Bantayan. It is a jam-packed trip full of activities and expected things that happened. Want me to start with storytelling? Let’s start with the trip going to the airport…
Motivational photo to not give up on the Cebu Flight!
A day before the trip, Robbie and I agreed to go together. I’ll take the taxi and pick him up on his place so we can go straight to the airport sharing the fare. At 6pm, he told me that he’s about to leave Quezon City and he is taking the MRT train going to the Bonifacio station. I lacked sleep so I fell asleep while waiting for his next update. He gave me a missed call at 7:10pm prompting that he will just do the last minute preparations and he’s ready to go.
With a sleepyhead and hungry stomach, I picked up my things and wore the slippers next to my bed. I went to the lobby to wait for a vacant taxi. There are two more passengers waiting before me. It started to rain and the Saturday traffic jam starts to go crazy. I hailed a cab after 30 minutes and while waiting, I was texting Robbie to just ride a cab when he sees one and i’ll try my very best to follow. We were both worried that we’ll miss our flight. Gah.
On Airports, Departures and Arrivals
The Airport is such a busy place. Everyone is roaming around with their luggages and you will literally see people from different walks of life patiently waiting in line to put their bags on the check-in area. Most backpackers prefer the hand-carry option by bringing less clothes and stuff in order to save some money. They have different reasons on why they’re here: Majority flies to go on a vacation, some have work-related tasks to do while there are those who are eager to go home.
I consider the airport as one of my favorite hangout place no matter how big or small it is. For my domestic travels, I usually go two hours before my departure date, while I go to the check-in area three hours prior to the scheduled flight if i am going out of the country. It is really nice to compare flights beforehand in order to get cheaper plane tickets. You can still use your extra money to buy some snacks while waiting.
It is already a habit of mine to observe the passengers at the departure area especially if i am traveling alone. My laptop is useless when I can’t find an outlet so I tend to just sit in the corner and wait. I remember on my first solo moment at NAIA 1. I met a married couple already in their 50′s who are excited to visit their daughter in Dubai. They were excited and looking forward to their unica hija’s treat as she promised that they will shop ’till they drop.