Category: Travel

Beach Hopping Dorset from London: Bournemouth, Sandbanks, Blue Pool in Wareham, and Studland

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Lilac Penafiel (@me.lykee)

Bournemouth is just a 2-hour train from London so it’s easily one of the top choices for a beach getaway especially if you’ve been to Brighton (just 1 hour from London) and you’re looking for sand and not rocks.

This trip was my second time to explore Bournemouth. My first was when I treated myself for beach therapy after I passed my second take of the OSCE exam. But that was a rainy and chilly March so I didn’t get to enjoy the beach that much. This time, with friends, I was able to see nearby beaches and attractions.

Continue reading “Beach Hopping Dorset from London: Bournemouth, Sandbanks, Blue Pool in Wareham, and Studland”


Cornwall the Second Time Around: Visiting Truro and nearby attractions

This August 2020, I’ve arranged for an annual leave of a couple of days to attend a festival. Unfortunately, it was cancelled due to the pandemic. My alternative getaway wasn’t as grand but it was definitely memorable fun.

Unlike my first visit to Cornwall (by car hire), this time, I took the train. There’s a direct train to Truro from London Paddington with GWR. For my return ticket, it was £121. One way is 4.5 hours travel. Continue reading “Cornwall the Second Time Around: Visiting Truro and nearby attractions”


Autumn in Lake District: Windermere River Cruise, Aira Force, Gowbarrow Fell

This trip was slightly spontaneous so we had to spend a bit much for the transportation and accommodation. Also, this was the time when most areas in the north are in Tier 3. That’s one of our worries but fortunately, Cumbria was still at Tier 2. As one of the staff in the restaurant we’ve been in said, people just come visit anyway and if they do test positive, that statistic will register in his/her local place.

Transportation: We booked a train from London Euston to Windermere for £120 each, return. It’s about 3-4 hours of travel.

Accommodation: We stayed at Oakfold House in Bowness-on-Windermere. We booked 2 double bedrooms (4 of us), £108 per head. No breakfast is included, however, they serve breakfast for £9 or £15 for two days. The owners were lovely, a wife and husband duo who personally runs the place. It’s a good location being just a short walk from the station, a short walk to the river and shops and restaurants surrounding it, and the Beatrix Potter attraction. Also, just off the road is the bus stop going to Aira Force, if that’s one of your itineraries. Continue reading “Autumn in Lake District: Windermere River Cruise, Aira Force, Gowbarrow Fell”


Seven Sisters Cliffs from Central London by Public Transport

Disclaimer: Backdated post. This trip was last summer days after the first lockdown in the UK was lifted.

We were looking for just a day hike from central London so the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs is a perfect choice because it’s just around 2 hours by train. Based on our online research and hassling our friends who had been there, we gathered there are different ways to go there based on the level of activity you’re after.

Continue reading “Seven Sisters Cliffs from Central London by Public Transport”




Memories Before, During, and After the Alhambra: Madrid to Granada to Alicante

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.

Making plans

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”


3 Asian Countries, 28 Days, and a P48K Budget All-In

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”


Exam-Taking (IELTS, CBT, etc) on a Budget at Cebu from Iloilo: Transportation, Accommodation, and Taray Options

Read on if you are:

  • planning to take IELTS (BC) and CBT (or other exams with Pearson Vue) at Cebu City from Iloilo
  • looking for alternative ways to travel to Cebu from Iloilo (also Bacolod) apart from plane and vice versa
  • looking for cheap accommodation options within Cebu City given your exam location
  • looking for what to do or where to go next in between or after the test
  • still working and you want to estimate how many days you need to leave

Continue reading “Exam-Taking (IELTS, CBT, etc) on a Budget at Cebu from Iloilo: Transportation, Accommodation, and Taray Options”