Boracay Revisited

The last time we were here was 3 years ago. C just turned 1 and there was just the 3 of us.  Now D just turned 1 and it's now 4 of us for this revisit.

After the rehabilitation,  Boracay is cleaner but still have a lot more to go.  Many establishments in Station 1 are still closed, main road fixing is still on-going from the Church to the City Mall.

Still a variety of good  restaurants, so you don't have to worry where to eat.

The beach front is cleaner and wider.  Soft, white powdery sand still attracts people to walk the strecth of the beach, day or night time.

Thought that after 3 years the airport terminal would be world class considering SMC is constructing it... but the structure remains skeleton at this time.  Terminal is old, small and crowded.  Hope they get to continue and finish the new terminal building.

#Boracay still have a lot of improvement waiting to be completed, but the beach is just so beautiful that we keep going back again and again. 

Until our next adventure!

FUN TRAVEL: 5 years after…

It’s been a while since my last entry... and it's been also about 2 years since we traveled by air.  The past year was limited to land travels as we adjust to parenting C.  We worry about how he would behave during the trips and we worry about the chances of diaper changes during the trip.  For our 5^th anniversary, C would be 13 months and we decided to take him on his first flight and re-visit Boracay.

3 months earlier, we have already reserved our hotel, bought plane tickets for our return flight and considered taking chances on our flight to Boracay. Fast forward… we finally made our first trip together as a family and it was FUN and memorable!

1st day, Sunday. 

We headed for the airport to catch the first flight to Caticlan, Boracay.  We were flying as chance passengers as benefit for working with an airline but it was a Sunday, and getting onboard to Boracay was hassle-free.

At the airport, C was very active.  Walking to one direction to another, following other kids and toddlers roaming around the pre-departure area.  He was too tired and fell asleep even before we boarded the aircraft. 

The whole flight he was asleep.  We didn’t have the chance to see how he would behave inside the plane.  He woke up just before we landed and thought he did not know that we were inside an airplane.  As we alighted from the stairs, it seemed he recognized the airplane behind us as he pointed to it.

Calaguas Island Adventure

We decided to take a break and get our share of summer before it ends.

We headed home to Paracale and decided to take a side trip to Calaguas Island to get our share of Summer Fun!

 Our boat ride courtesy of Pulandaga Calaguas Adventures

ENTOURAGE GOES TO BORACAY

There is a saying that the travels that you don't plan, those that were decided at the spur of the moment are those that usually happens... so at the spur of the moment, a few days after Que and Lester's wedding (26 NOV 2014)... the entourage goes to Boracay.

PARACALE RE-VISITED

It has been about 2 years since we last went home to Paracale (Camarines Norte).

After travelling for about 8 hours by bus, we reached Daet early in the morning.  At 4am, it's too early for van transfers to Paracale so we decided to hang out at McDonalds and kill time.  At around 6am, we caught the first van trip and it took us another hour to finally reach Paracale.

Upon arrival, Dad was heading for his morning walks beside the beach and we decided to stroll along... 

This is the view just a few meters from the house

PHUKET, THAILAND --- 2 YEARS AND COUNTING

It's been more than a year that promised Tutel that we'll travel outside the country...so for our 2nd year Anniversary I bought tickets and arranged for a travel to Phuket, Thailand. 

We managed to arrange for a 2 day island tour and an extra free day to just walk around and see the place.  Let the FUN begin...

RE-VISITING THE CITY OF PINES WITH TUTEL'S SISTERS

Last weekend, we planned a vacation to Baguio with Tutel's sisters.  It would be a re-visit for us (for the nth time, haha! Just love the place!), but a first for them.  (You can read about our previous Baguio Adventures here >>1. Baguio City 2. PMA  3. Revisit )

Now, let the story of our journey begin.

We took the 11:55pm Victory Liner trip from Pasay to Baguio... arrived at 6:30am... and Baguio, as always, has welcomed us with her cold morning breeze, beautiful greenery and flowers.  I demonstrated that "smoke" comes from my mouth when I exhale, just a simple way to say that it is cold.

KULIT @ BAY WALK AND MOA

The day is almost over, but Kulit's FUN day is not yet over.  Before heading back to MOA, we decided to walk through Manila's "Bay Walk" area.   This place used to be filled with "gimik" stalls when the night falls.  There were a lot of makeshift bars that served beers, food stands,  never ending music being played by different live bands,  street mimes... now the place is left for joggers, fishing enthusiasts, people who love to stroll along the bay... sunset watchers.

Ships anchored from a far under the beautiful sunset.  Kulit taking interest in watching the shore.  Fishing enthusiasts patiently waiting for some fish to bite.. Beautiful Baywalk. Calm waters, and Sunset.

KULIT @ CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

For our next stop, we headed to Museo Pambata (Children's Museum).  Tutel and I haven't been here so this is also a first visit for us.  Let the FUN begin.

VISITING MANILA ZOO WITH KULIT

Tutel's niece visited us for a vacation and one of our itineraries was to take her to Manila Zoo since she has not been to one...

Entrance Fee:  40 for adults and 20 for children (below 4 ft).

So we started the stroll... first a visit to the elephant, Mali.

Through My 2P Years

Aug 2000, 5 months after my graduation, I was hired by Air Philippines Corporation (2P) as a Customer Service Agent (CSA), under Ticketing.  This was my first job.  I  went through opening shifts to night shifts just like all other entry level positions... but it was the exciting years of my working life.   I was living far from my family, so I have to learn to be independent.  Provide for my needs, pay my bills, balance work and play.  Through the years, not only that my realization about family grew but also living the realities of life.  Years flew by, friendships grew stronger. Official Business travel comes with the job. Vacation travels became more frequent and until today, my 2P "ride" is still a FUN adventure.

EL NIDO, PALAWAN

Time really flies and we are now on first year together as husband and wife. For our 1st Anniversary, we dreamed of going somewhere we have planned to go for years... having a short time to decide and arrange for something, we managed to  get ourselves an El Nido, Palawan escapade. Let the FUN begin at El Nido!

Our El Nido Adventure was really a blast, I'll leave it to the pictures to tell the stories....

CORON ADVENTURE DAY 3

Looking  forward to our 3rd day in Coron.  Itinerary for the day is to visit 3 islands - Bulog Island, Banana Island and Malcapuya Island.

It was a long boat ride, but worth the wait.  Along the way, there were areas where the sea was so calm... first time we saw flying fishes, and we had the chance to see a turtle swimming. 

CORON ADVENTURE DAY 2

Our 2nd day in Coron. Itinerary for the day - Island hopping.  Another day to relax and have FUN!

CORON ADVENTURE Day 1

9 months ago, I purchased 2 tickets for Busuanga, it was a surprise for Tutel. We both have not been to Coron, and I just thought it would be a nice birthday present.

Our flight left for Busuanga at 11:30 am. All things packed including our snorkeling sets, aqua shoes and cameras (we managed to borrow an underwater camera). Well, this time we arranged for a tour package knowing that walk-in to Coron would be very expensive. We got ourselves 4D3N at Darayonan, City Tour, Coron Ultimate Adventure and Island Tour to Malcapuya Island.

Weekend Get-away at Tagaytay

Sep 09 2012 - we went out with Tutel's relatives for an out-of-town adventure to Tagaytay.  Tagaygay is considered to be one of the cold places to go to for relaxation since the place is cold due to its elevation.

Overlooking the low lands

Davao Getaway Part 2 > Hagimit Waterfalls

After breakfast, our room was not yet available... so we decided to make most of the morning instead of sitting around waiting...  The previous night, we googled and found Hagimit Falls at Samal and decided right away that we wouldn't miss going there.  So to Hagimit Falls we go!

Environmental Fee: PHP 5.00 per person

Entrance Fee: PHP 40.00 per person

The thrill of finding out what is waiting for you while going down through the long steep stairs...

Davao Getaway Part 1 - Paradise Island

11 May 2012. Tutel and I decided to get out of Metro Manila to relax and forget about work for a while.  With no travel arrangements, we took our tickets, packed our bags and decided to fly out of the Metro.  We took Airphilexpress flight 2P 981 departing at 4:15am from Manila to Davao where we had our first buzzer-beater experience flying! Head to the airport, security check, check-in, terminal fee, security check... when we got to the pre-departure area, last call for boarding was being announced.  We were rushing to the boarding gate.  What a RUSH! hahaha!

Bangalore, India

Last 04 - 10 MAR, I was sent to Bangalore, India for a training.  It was my first International trip... and I was traveling alone.  To get to India, I took a 3 and a half hours flight via Philippine Airlines to Singapore

 

and then took another 4 hours flight via Tiger Airways from Singapore to India (at 9:45 pm).  The longest time I spent flying in one day.... I just slept most of the time.

India's time is -2.5 hours from my home time (zone)... and so I arrived at around 12:00 Indian time.  The trip from Bangalore Airport to my hotel took about more than 1 hour cruising at a speed of 60kph or more... that's the only way I measured how far it was from the airport.

Checked-in at "The Zuri Whitefields, Bangalore" at around 2 am.  The hotel was nice, room was nice, I was sleepy but I managed to un-pack some of my things before I doze off....

 Stayed in Bangalore for a week for training.  There was not much to see around, so it was hotel-training-hotel most of the time.  Had some visits to malls and other shopping areas to buy souvenir items.  But that was about it.

11th Mar, Saturday, I headed back to Singapore.  Flight was 12:40 am so I just slept most of the time... Singapore is 2.5 hours ahead so the 4am arrival was 7am already in Singapore.  I stayed in Singapore for the rest of the day and took Airphilexpress flight 2P 801 for my Singapore-Manila flight (around 8 in the evening).

It was a memorable experience... this was just the start, I know that I'll be traveling again... soon.

MANILA OCEANPARK

We would like to share our Manila Ocean Park Adventure.  It was our first time to have a chance to go to Ocean Park and although we waited in line for more than an hour to get our tickets, the FUN was worth the wait.

We availed this promotion -Marine Life Encounter 

@ PHP500, you get to see 3 attractions.  The Jelly Fishes,  

The Sea Lion Show and the Oceanarium.