2010 Travels

2010 was another great year for traveling. I mean, I got to travel a lot this year, which is always fantastic.

I made my second trip to Singapore last July in time for the Great Singapore Sale and the quarterly IT Show, and I got to see my BI/DW friends again, which is always great. I also returned to Hong Kong and Macau last November, this time with my new teammates. The weather in Hong Kong and Macau that time was perfect. I was also able to appreciate Macau more this time around since I got to walk along the Historic Centre of Macau (and we got to visit more hotels and casinos too.)

I attended three destination weddings this year. Two of the weddings were held in Baguio (Victory Liner's deluxe buses are awesome, as is the PNKY bed and breakfast), and the third one was in Iloilo (where our airfare was only around 300 pesos, roundtrip! Thanks, CebuPac.) It was my first time in Iloilo, and I stuffed myself with La Paz Batchoy from Ted's and Deco's, and oysters and other seafood in Tatoys and Smallville. I also got to see the Miag-Ao Church, which is just a beautiful structure.

After the Iloilo wedding, we went Guimaras to see the beaches and eat mangoes. Guimaras is a very scenic place and the mangoes I brought back to Manila were the yummiest mangoes I've ever eaten.

The highlight of my traveling year was definitely Batanes. I've been wanting to go to Batanes for several years now, and this year, the trip finally happened. And Batanes definitely didn't disappoint (even considering that the end of our trip was ruined by a typhoon that made a direct hit on the islands and left us stranded in Basco for 3 days.) Batanes is just absolutely stunning, and the people in Batanes were nothing short of kind and welcoming. The Ivatans definitely embody that hospitable trait we Pinoys love to bandy about when promoting Philippine tourism.

Batanes is right up there with Coron and El Nido as the best places I've ever visited in the Philippines. Scratch that. The world.

Why I Love Traveling The Philippines, II

Second day of our Batanes trip.

We took the early morning 30-min faluwa ride (traditional Ivatan boat) to Sabtang Island. Upon arriving, we had breakfast near the Sabtang port. Our first stop after finishing our breakfast was the village of Savidug, where most houses were made from the traditional coral stones. Our next stop was Chavayan, but before heading there, our guides took us to Lime beach, the place where Ivatans baked coral stones so that they could use them to build the walls of their homes. This practice isn't being done anymore though.

After that, we passed by one of the most beautiful sights in Batanes. We were riding on the topload of our jeep, so we had a great view of the green fields that looked just like The Shire. It was hard to take a good picture since we were on top of a moving vehicle, but the place is really, really beautiful. I seriously wouldn't be surprised if I saw hobbits living there. Hell, I could live there :p

I think the theme for the day was overload of beautiful sights, because after seeing that place, our guide dropped us off on the Chamantad-Tinyan viewpoint. This is probably the most incredible view I've ever seen in my life. The green, rolling hills bordered by dramatic stony cliffs leading sharply down a cove to the clear blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. The beach was lined by white sand and rocks that were being pounded by splashing waves. My pictures don't do it justice.

We finally reached Chavayan. Chavayan is a beautiful village filled with traditional stone houses on a backdrop of green-covered rock formations and hills. Chavayan is such a charmingly quaint village. We went to a house that sold traditonal weaved products, and took a pitstop on a small plaza where we drank some fresh buko juice served by a bolo-carrying lola. Apparently her father, Lolo Marcelo, is the oldest man in Batanes at 104, so she invited us to meet him. She also invited us to see their kitchen, which was used for a Nescafe ad.

After Chavayan, we went back past to Centro to Nakabuang beach, where we had lobster, lapu-lapu and adobo for lunch. After lunch, we just enjoyed the beach and taking pictures of the Nakabuang arch. The waves were pretty strong so we just waded around, and we were all pretty burnt by that time so we didn't stay long, which was good since it turned out the falowa going back to Batan island was already waiting for us, along with about a dozen other passengers.

Sabtang Island, in summary, was just unbelievably amazing.

Why I Love Traveling The Philippines

Batanes. There's really nothing else to say other than it is an incredibly breathtaking place made even more beautiful by its very nice and friendly people.

Mia, Kian, Ish, Geebee, Chrissy and I booked our tickets last February/March when Seair had a sale on its Batanes flights. We've seen nothing but good pictures and heard nothing but great things about Batanes, so we were all excited for it, even if the trip wasn't gonna happen until six months later.

So, six months later...

We started our Batanes trip by exploring the northern part of Batan island. For the second day, we headed to Sabtang island, which just completely amazed me. The 3rd day of our trip was spent going around the southern part of Batan island. The 4th day, Kian and Ish climbed to the top Mt. Iraya despite the heavy rains, while the rest of us were stuck in our hotel rooms because of it. The 5th day, we were supposed to go home, but Ester rained it all out. Instead we just stayed at our room watching Here Comes The Bride (hiliarious) and taking a short walk around the town, which was supposed to celebrate its town fiesta (Ester completely rained it out too. Not hilarious.) We spent about 5 hours of the 6th day waiting at the airport, since we were chance passengers on the two Seair flights. Only four seats were available for the six of us on the 2nd flight to Manila, so Kian and I ended up staying behind. So we just walked and biked around Batan island the rest of the time there since we were running short of money. We finally got home by Day 8.

Batan Island

The sights of nothern Batan island is very subtle. The beautiful rolling hills covered by the greenest of grasses, a church and a hotel made of stone, wide green fields parted by hedges, rock formations that were used as fortresses in the old times, a beach covered by huge boulders instead of the typical white sand, a lighthouse that provides you with stunning views of the sea and the hills and the cliffs and the setting sun... This part of the island doesn't pound you in the head with its amazing beauty, it doesn't insist itself the way other touristy places do, you know what I mean? It's very charming, and polite, if you can use that to describe a place. But don't mistake it for something else, because it's breathtaking nonetheless.

Now, the southern part of the island is nothing but subtle, with its amazing blue lagoon and Rakuh-A-Payaman (more popularly known to tourists as the Marlboro country), the cliff by the coastal road in Imnajbu, and the postcard-perfect Mahatao Lighthouse. The places we saw here were all just begging to be photographed.

See what I mean?

Boracay! With CSI! Pt. 3

Third day in Boracay - we went reef walking in the morning, but we had to wait until lunch time for our turn since there were many batches. We killed time by swimming from one boat to another (namely: kayak, banana and speed.) Reef Walking (aka Helmet Diving) in Boracay was an okay experience. The visibility in the water wasn't that great and there was exactly one (1!) coral reef formation to see once you're down there. Lots of fishes to feed though.

As I said, it was lunch time when we finished, so we had lunch at basically the first restaurant we saw after getting back on the beach, which was Hawaiian Barbecue. And I'm not complaining at all because the huge baby back ribs, Hawaiian-style lechon manok and fried fish were all yummy, and paid for by the very generous Pat.

After resting up a bit, we went to the zorb riding park for some downhill, wet, ball-rolling fun (and no, I don't mean for that to sound dirty.) I was really, really excited to try this. I remember the 5th season of The Amazing Race, on the New Zealand leg, this was the roadblock and part of the task was filling the zorb up with air, then rolling yourself on the plain to the pitstop, good thing we didn't have to do either... We just had to get inside the giant globe and wait for it to fall down the hill. And it was awesome! I couldn't stop laughing the entire time, even while water was splashing all over my face and Pat and Manny's limbs were kicking/hitting me all at the same time. Sana magkaron ng ganito sa Manila (or kahit sa Tagaytay.)

After that, we walked around the beach again, and ended up at Jona's again, ordering a set of milk shakes again. Honestly, I wouldn't mind if that became my daily routine. Also part of our daily routine: Happy Hour. This time we went to the rooftop lounge of The Tides Hotel for some beer and cocktails (and calamares and oysters and cheese sticks.) Their happy hour promo was Buy 1-Take 1 instead of the usual 50% off, so we ended up drinking more than our usual drinks (but it was our last day anyway.) So after happy hour, we went to Ele's at D'Mall for dinner. I guess reef walking and zorbing was too labor intensive for us, so we just kept on eating and drinking the rest of the day.

After dinner (which ended at about 11pm), we (around 8 of us) capped our Buhay Baboy day with a nice massage. Where the masseuse told us all to strip off our clothes. Which was kind of awkward since there were no dividers and we could all see each other, as well as everyone else who happened to be in the (public) area. I took off my clothes anyway.

Pics!

Boracay! With CSI! Pt. 2

Day 2 in Boracay - Played some frisbee (kunyari marunong), then met up with the rest of the CSI folks for lunch at D'Mall. After lunch, we went to Jona's (again) for some milk shake, then met up with Stephie and Eileen for some Flyfish action, which is always FUN. Manny and Pat weren't able to join us because they just got their henna tattoos and were waiting for it to dry up. On the bright side, they were able to ride the speed boat that was pulling the flyfish and were able to shoot some great videos (including the part where we were all trying to help Eileen get back on the ride.)

After that, we hung out on the beach and played some frisbee again (which I was really lame at, so I just decided to swim after a few minutes.) We also played our favorite Boracay game, batuhan ng lumot. After the games, it's safe to say I went crazy on taking pics of the sunset (which is what usually happens when I'm on the beach and there's a sunset and I've got a camera.)

We went to Hey Jude for happy hour drinks, had dinner at a buffet place near D'Mall, then went to Summerplace for some more drinks. As I said in one of my tweets, Summerplace is Boracay's Cafe Havana (Greenbelt.) Ang daming foreigners na may kasamang exotic-looking gnolutaks girls. We left after one bucket.

Pics!

Boracay! With CSI!

I didn't get to go to Boracay last year, so I was excited to go back. It looks even more like Glorietta/Greenbelt since I was last there two years ago. So yeah.

The CSI/L3 Team went to Boracay for their team building activity, so we (me, Pat, Mats, Becca, Yome and Manny) tagged along since kaladkarin kami.

First day in Boracay - March 14, 2010.

We arrived at around 3pm and were shuttled to Island Nook Resort. Island Nook is just beside D'Mall and along the main road of the island. It's a nice budget boutique hotel with really nice rooms, designed in exactly the way you'd think a budget boutique hotel would be designed (all white and minimalist.) Island Nook also has nice Persian resto called Island Kebab that servers good food and has that typical resto-on-an-island feel, complete with surfing photos and Bob Marley posters. It's just kind of weird that they've got Shawarma Rice and Pita Bread on their menu, but when you order the actual shawarma (the ones served on a pita bread), sasabihin nung waitress na hindi sila nagseserve ng ganun. Anyway.

We walked along the beach to our first destination: Jona's for some great milk shake. We just hung out at the beach in front of Jona's till the sun set (where Pat asked a random kid if we could bury him on the sand. The kid ran away.) After that, we went to Juice Bar in Plazoleta for some happy hour drinks (we were the only ones there.) Then we had dinner at Andok's in D'Mall, before joining everyone else at Club Parao (or what used to be Club Parao, I forgot what it's new name is) for more drinks.

/End of Day/Night 1.

Pics are uploaded on my Multiply and Facebook pages.

Traveling and Budgeting

Funny how last January, I was complaining about not having enough trips planned yet for the year. Fast forward to now, and I've got Boracay, Baguio, Singapore, Iloilo and Guimaras, Batanes, and Baguio all lined up.

Woot! Cheers to airline promos! Ubos na naman ang pera ko!

The Iloilo (with a planned sidetrip to Guimaras) and two Baguio trips are actually for weddings of friends/current & former officemates (Mich and James, Marlon and Camille, and Karon and Wayne), so those are pretty much planned out. The Iloilo flight is probably the cheapest flight I've ever paid for at 300 pesos (round trip!!!) from Cebu Pacific. And Guimaras is less than an hour's boat ride from Iloilo City, so that trip is definitely a steal. Baguio is a 7-hour bus ride, so we actually haven't planned those ones yet.

Last January when Cebu Pac had another seat sale, I was asking (a.k.a. begging) my office friends to go to Bohol/Singapore with me, but not enough people bit the offer for various different reasons... So when we heard that another team in the office was going to Boracay for their team building activity, Pat, Mats & Becca, Rommel, and I decided to tag along with them (we're crashing in on the other team's team building trip since they found discounted PAL flights and cheap accommodations there. LOL.)

And then last week, my college/office friend Mia was planning for a Singapore trip and found discounted flights on Singapore Airlines, so when she told me about it and found that an IT Fair and the Great Singapore Sale was going to happen around the same dates of the trip, and Mike confirmed that Universal Studios SG is now open, I jumped in on it too. We're planning on just crashing at our former officemates/currently Singapore-based friends' apartment to save on costs. Thanks for not objecting to our planned invasion, Ben, Jyue, Mike and Geebee!

Finally, we've been planning/trying to plan a trip to Batanes for several months now. We even have a discussion on Google Wave for it (because we're dripping with technogeeky hipster coolness as it is. Heh.), but found most travel options either too expensive (14k + on Seair, or a chartered flight from Tuguegarao), or too um, hardcore (boat from Curimao, Ilocos Norte, anyone?) So when Seair released their promo fares in time for this year's Philippine Travel Expo, we were finally able to finalize the dates of the trip. Woohoo!

So... now I really have to work hard to stay on my monthly budget (also: I guess now have to start setting a monthly budget) and reduce unnecessary expenses. As a first step, magce-Century Tuna at Ligo Sardines na lang ako araw-araw.

Also, kailangang humanap ng role na malaki ang on-call pay.

Boom De Ya Da!

It kinda makes you want to... break into song?

I love the limestone cliffs,


I love the big lagoons,


I love the scenic sights,


I love this kick-ass crew*,

*plus Tim who was taking the picture

I love Coron, in all its greatness.
Boom de ya da, boom de ya da, boom de ya da, boom de ya da!

I love the blue sea,


I love the fine white sand,


I love the sunset,


I love the wildlife!


I love Coron, and all it's awesomeness!
Boom de ya da, boom de ya da, boom de ya da, boom de ya da!!!



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More pics here:
http://bloodsportandriot.multiply.com/photos/album/57/Coron_Awesomeness_-_Day_1
http://bloodsportandriot.multiply.com/photos/album/58/Coron_Awesomeness_-_Day_2
http://bloodsportandriot.multiply.com/photos/album/59/Coron_Awesomeness_-_Day_3
http://bloodsportandriot.multiply.com/photos/album/61/Coron_Awesomeness_-_Day_4
and check out ceravi, miabaybeh, randmcnally and firithduialion39 on multiply for more pics.

Trip of the Month

This month's awesome trip was brought to us by...







Singapore! (and KL)







Before I rave about the trip, let me just say:

1. See that small blue thing on the lower left part of the pic, about half an inch away from One Fullerton? That's supposed to be the Merlion, but it got struck by lightning the week before, so it's all shy and covered up now.
2. Singaporean taxi drivers must've sucked all the awesomeness from Malaysian taxi drivers. Because Malaysian taxi drivers? Not awesome.
3. I should've used Tricia's classic line about hostels on my travel-mates. No illusions of grandeur when you're paying 20 SGD a night on hostels! Lol. (Fernloft FTW!)
   
4. Singapore Zoo was really nice, but we got rained out, so we didn't get to walk around as much as we wanted. Boo!
5. Sentosa is a bit expensive, and for such a huge island, there aren't that many things to do there...
   

Now for the raving...

Well... Singapore was nice and all. It's orderly, mostly efficient, modern and has all the trappings of a big city without all the hassle. I'm not exactly jumping out of my seat here, but that's not really a criticism on SG. I just like my cities to be rugged, chaotic and falling over itself with life and adventure, and I like my countries to be filled with scenery and beaches and nature.

At least that's what I use as a reason on why I'm not uploading a resume on monster.sg yet.

Clark Quay and the Marina area is pretty nice. And I got to try the G-Max reverse bungee with Mike. It's hella expensive (and Mike didn't want to treat me for the giant swing ride, so we didn't do that), but really, really, really, fun. Definitely a highlight of the trip (for me at least, everyone else didn't want to try it for their own reasons...)

The other highlight of the trip is of course, the company I applied for was with. My HK (now HK/SG) travel friends were fun as always (only Primo and Mats weren't able to come. Mats was supposed to be with us, but didn't realize that his passport was expiring in less than 6 months, or that you're supposed to have a passport that won't be expiring within 6 months to be able to enter another country...) Where next peeps? And it was also nice seeing former officemates Karon, Mike (who left for a quick Manila trip on the same weekend we were there...), Ben, Jyue, and Malvin, and college friend and loyal merienda buddy Del, who are all now based in Singapore earning lots of money.

On the 3rd day of our trip, we took a quick side trip to Kuala Lumpur, which is a 5-hour bus ride from SG (and what a cool bus! We rode a 20-seater double-decker bus, fully reclineable seats with individual monitors for movies.) Our main objective was to get to Petronas and go up the skybridge. We got there by 4, had breakfast at McDonald's, and headed straight to the Petronas Towers lobby to line up for tickets to the skybridge. It's my second time in KL, and the Petronas Towers is as awesome as I remembered it. Malaysian taxi drivers flat out suck though.

Taking it all in, Singapore (and KL) was really nice. But now I can't wait for Coron next month!



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Now playing: Modest Mouse - Paper Thin Walls
via FoxyTunes

But I Did Get To

OK, so I didn't get to bungee jump from the Macau Tower. But I did get to buy a brand-spanking new running shoe, a duffel bag, and 2 dry-fit shirts all for half the original (Manila) price.

I didn't get to enjoy the best-most-authentic-tastiest-delicious Hong Kong-style dimsum, and I got duped into eating a huge plate of fried rice and spiced beef innards, but I did get to go home with a box of dark chocolate Royce'.

I didn't get to walk along the Victoria Harbour, but I did get to go to HK Disneyland and ride the Abyss at Ocean Park.

Hong Kong was awesome. It wasn't Siem Reap-levels of awesome, but it kicked ass nonetheless.

Pics here: http://bloodsportandriot.multiply.com/photos/album/34/Hong_Kong_08_with_Macau_on_the_side
and here: http://primopen.multiply.com/photos/album/66
and here: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=-3&id=610357851#/album.php?aid=40029&id=610357851

HK!

I'm off to Hong Kong in a few hours, for a quick vacation with friends from the office. Hopefully it doesn't rain too hard there as it does here in Manila right now. We might make a side trip to Macau (where I really want to try out the bungee jump from the Macau Tower.) Be back on Sunday!

Made of Awesome

I've been back in Manila for more than a week now, but I just haven't found the time to write about my insanely awesome 8 days of travel around Southeast Asia. Good thing Ish made this kick ass video chronicling our SEA Backpacking trip.

Seriously, just watching this video makes me excited all over again. I can't wait to pack my bags and travel again. Walking around bustling cities and amusing small towns, seeing all kinds of amazing sights and sceneries, meeting both the most gracious and the most (endearingly) enterprising kinds of people, experiencing different cultures and thinking about how similar and different it is to my own, tasting authentic cuisines and the exquisite local fare...

That is why I love traveling. That trip was just made of awesome. I can't wait for the next one!


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Now playing: Mogwai - We're No Here
via FoxyTunes

KL -> Siem Reap

Just a quick post, I'm on blog leave...

We just arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and I'm at our hostel's internet area :-)

Kuala Lumpur was awesome! The close view of the Petronas Twin Towers was worth all the long walks. I'll post pictures when I get back. Meanwhile, I'll get back to vacation mode now. Angkor Wat waits for us tomorrow!

See you in a week!

After The Jump

As Paolo Nutini sang it: Where'd the days go when all we did was play? And the stress that we were under wasn't stress at all, just a run and a jump into a harmless fall.

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Big typhoon last weekend, and while I love the rainy season, I kinda felt sorry after reading my teammate Mich's accounts of what happened in her hometown.

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I'll be going on a trip around Southeast Asia with some friends next week. Everything has been planned out well for several months now, but damn, mofo Cebu Pacific strikes again. I guess it really is true what they say about Cebu Pacific giving no value for your little money. Unfortunately, I still have to deal with them some more in the future because I've also booked another flight with them to HK with my F/OM/FTM*. They better not fuck that up.

*friends/officemates/former teammates
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Why is a convenient excuse so hard to come by when you most need it? I guess now I really have to do something. Then again, the excitement of jumping off of cliffs or planes or skyscraper rooftops is in the falling. It's the landing that ends the thrill and begins the thirst for the next jump.



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Now playing: radiohead - jigsaw falling into place
via FoxyTunes

Angkor Whuuut!!!

Just saw a documentary on The History Channel (don't laugh) about the Khmer Empire, and all I have to say is


ICANTWAITICANTWAITICANTWAITICANTWAITICANTWAITICANTWAITICANTWAITICANTWAIT!!!!!11!!!!1!!!



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Now playing: Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
via FoxyTunes

Lumot and Long Walks (Boracay 2008)

(click title above for pics)

Just got back from Boracay last Sunday. I went with my teammates from work, and most of the trip's expenses were paid by our company, which proves that company-sponsored off-site team building activities are still worth the stress of organizing. Boracay was fun! (Well, obviously.)

We stayed at a "resort for the budget-conscious backpacker" (or the budget-conscious office drones young professionals on a company-sponsored trip) and walked long enough most of the time to get to nice restos and bars and places that sell fruit (and mocha rhum) shakes that our legs got tired and stomachs well-starved for a nice big (free) meal but not enough that we could use it as an excuse to skip work when we get back to Manila.

Thanks to Club Paraw for selling us 5 expensive towers of mud slide and that blue drink that's like the Illusion Shaker from Cocomangas, and unknown numbers of Red Horse and San Mig Light bottles (and for making me buzzed enough that I was able to bust out my signature left-right-left-right dance =D).

And thanks to the boat guy who accommodated two dozens of us for some sunset sailing in paraws and snorkeling somewhere off the Coral Gardens in front of White Beach.

I passed on the island hopping trip on our second day because I've done it before (and it's not really island hopping if your only hopping off one island and then getting back to the same island, is it?) Anyway, those who did go on the trip didn't get to go to Puka Beach either because the sun was already setting. I spent my time instead walking all the way to Station 2 and swimming in the best no-lumot zones that I could find.

Speaking of which, I'd also like to thank the lumots for making their seasonal trip to the shores of White Beach and making it look like a group of vegans and various goats, cows and other herd animals puked on it after having a steady diet of broccoli, lettuce, and native grass.


(Oh, and right, thanks to SEAir for selling me last minute tickets because I umm... missed my original flight on that piso-fare selling airline. I love SEAir.)


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Now playing: James Morrison - under the influence
via FoxyTunes