Disclaimer: This post is 30% Boracay guide and 70% reflections and comparisons (of the old and the new), give or take. Also, if you’re not familiar about this Boracay reopening thing, it would be good to read at least one article online so you can relate. Continue reading “The New Boracay and Why I Miss the Old” →
Disclaimer, just to manage your expectation: This might be kind of a travel guide post as I will post some recommendations but more than that, this is a travel diary with more of my random thoughts and feelings.
The June rota (schedule) was out and apart from the five-day “birthday” off that I requested, there was another two days off after that making it into a week. I immediately texted my friend who I was supposed to come with to an every-6 months-college-reunion that was the reason for this request.
Me: Am I crazy if I’ll ditch the reunion to go home to the Philippines for a week? FYI: I already checked airfares as well as checked my bank account.
Friend: Definitely a bad idea. You need money when you go home. Pertaining not only to the airfare but to balikbayan expenses as well, you know.
Me: I’ll just hide at home, and eat nilaga from the karinderya. I was really craving for it at that moment, the karinderya type nilaga without the vegetables, full of sebo, with pieces of utok which is actually just bone marrow stuff.
Friend: Believe me, I’ve just been there, even if you don’t go out, your money will go places. Besides, we’ll have the reunion, it’ll be fun.
That was Plan A, not feasible, so crossed that one off. Because of the extension, I wasn’t still convinced Plan B is going to be the reunion.
Continue reading “Memories Before, During, and After the Alhambra: Madrid to Granada to Alicante” →
It had been a year since this backpacking trip that was very special for me. It had been a year since I wrote a three-part post about the trip, one for each country. I was supposed to write a fourth part but never wrote it. My sister hasn’t finished our travel video yet.
But anyway, I decided to write a 3-part post again. This post, as the first of the three, will be a summary of our itinerary for three countries. Click the respective links to read details of my adventures in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.
Continue reading “3 Asian Countries, 28 Days, and a P48K Budget All-In” →
Last night, I attended the Iloilo Dutch Pancake Night organized by Robin Vogelaar. He travels around the world and organizes a pancake night in places he goes to. To know more about the hows and whys of this event, here’s his Tedx talk: Continue reading “Dutch Pancake Night in Iloilo: A Night with Iloilo Couchsurfers and Friends” →
I admit I only knew about Bantayan Island because of the movie Camp Sawi. When I saw how lovely the place was, I told myself I’ll definitely visit this place. The last time I was in Cebu, I was about to go there but some typhoon came and I was told the boat operation was cancelled. I was stuck in Cebu City for a few days and was “sawi” to go to Bantayan.
Moreover, I discovered there was a boat from the island to Estancia, a fact that made it more accessible to me. So after the last-minute event that had me packing my bag to Cebu, I tried to squeeze in Bantayan in my itinerary. But, I was informed that the boat operation to Estancia was cancelled and my Couchsurfing host also cancelled, so that’s the reason I decided to settle with Moalboal. But then again, kung sinuswerte ka nga naman, I received the payment for a writing gig I did so I went, “What the heck! Let’s go to Bantayan!” Continue reading “Bantayan Island: Malaya Lang, Hindi Sawi” →
Note: I’ve written a comprehensive itinerary about the whole trip in the post 3 Asian Countries, 28 Days, and a P48K Budget All In.
I mentioned in my previous post that I met a Filipino couple back at a hostel in Singapore. We learned they just finished the Indochina leg of their trip with Malaysia as their last destination. They’d be traveling for three weeks all in all.
At the back of my mind, I was jealous. Indochina was really my goal so I can visit my friends in Laos but eventually, my travel plan changed. And wow! Three weeks! That’s something. Until I realized, oh, I was just one week in on my own travel schedule. Doing the math, I swallowed, the thrill of 20 more days of traveling hasn’t quite seeped in yet. Continue reading “Malaysia-Singapore-Indonesia Trip for 28 Days for less than P50,000 All In: Part 3- Bali, Indonesia” →
Note: I’ve written a comprehensive itinerary about the whole trip in the post 3 Asian Countries, 28 Days, and a P48K Budget All In.
My sister and I, being in Malaysia for five days, were shocked with the prices in Singapore. Maybe it was an overstatement but we laughed at ourselves for not restraining from eating too much in Malaysia. We were a bit downhearted when we realized we will not have that much liberty in tasting Singaporean food because we think they’re too expensive.
***This thought was because we first set foot at Arab Street where we stayed at a hostel for one night. We discovered some cheap finds somehow after settling in.
If you missed the first part, click this link to read about the Malaysia leg of our trip. If you want to skip to my overall 28-day expenses, follow this link.
So! On to the #PAMILYAgoals part of my trip in Singapore.
Summary: One day exploration with my sister, then three days with our parents (no, they don’t work in Singapore), and three days alone time before heading back to Kuala Lumpur for my Bali flight. Continue reading “Malaysia-Singapore-Indonesia Trip for 28 Days for less than P50,000 All In: Part 2- Singapore” →
All-in means every single bit I spent in this trip: travel tax, airfares, bus fares, etc. I also included the flight tickets for my parents since it’s sort of part of our deal (mother pays for food in Singapore which explains zero expense on those days). Though, there might be small discrepancies due to my memory gaps or some toilet usage fees.
Note: I’ve written a comprehensive itinerary for the whole trip in the post 3 Asian Countries, 28 Days, and a P48K Budget All In.
I’ll divide this into parts. Click on the link if you want to skip ahead to the posts, continue scrolling to read Part 1. If you’re just here for the detailed list of expenses, click this link: Lykee’s EPL Expenses.
Eat, Pray, Love isn’t really an inspiration of this trip. It just so happened I did eat a lot in Malaysia, couldn’t relate pray with my Singapore trip but it’s with my family, and that I found a cheap flight to Bali where I travelled solo. Continue reading “Malaysia-Singapore-Indonesia Trip for 28 Days for less than P50,000 All In: Part 1-Malaysia” →
Disclaimer: I traveled to Cebu for three days for an interview so I just went around the area where I’m staying. This is just an account of my experience in Cebu and stuff I’d recommend or otherwise or maybe I just like to mention. I didn’t take any photos too, maybe because of interview jitters before and after.
Continue reading “Cebu is the Queen: My Cebu City Recommendations” →
A few days ago, my friend and I checked out each other’s scar from having our moles surgically removed. I mentioned about people not mistaking me for being a talkative person anymore because my mole on my upper lip is gone now. Before, they would always joke how I have that facial feature which connotes being chatty and yet discover that I am this shy and quiet person. And she said,
“Lac, wakalan ka bala.”
I was also surprised someone thought of me that way, that I’m talkative. I just laughed at what she said but at the back of my mind, I sort of agree too.
I believe that not every person is just either on the introvert or extrovert spectrum. Some introverts have extrovert traits and vice versa. So in my case, I believe that I’m more of an introvert because I shy away from conversations especially if I’m not in the mood and a lot of times, I love me-time. Continue reading “An Introvert’s Guide to Talking to Strangers” →
