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| Crickets |
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| Grasshoppers |
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| Beetles |
More From Cambodia
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Cambodia is not just all about fried spiders. They also have crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles. Bon appetit!
25 Things to do in the Philippines
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Inquirer Lifestyle recently came out with an article on 25 things to do in the Philippines. To my joy, I have already done 12 things out of the 25 recommended activities.
Below is the 25 must-do things. I have included those that I have already finished:
1. Go white water rafting in Cagayan de Oro.
2. Visit Batanes.
3. See Mt. Mayon up close.
4. Swim with the whale sharks in Donsol. - This is next on the list.
5. Climb Mt. Pulag and be awed by its sea of clouds.
6. Dive, swim and explore Palawan’s underground river.
7. Hike and let the view of Mt. Pinatubo crater take your breath away.
8. Party in your bikini in Boracay.
9. Surf’s up! Choose your wave—La Union, Zambales or Real, Quezon.
10. Missed out on the pristine beauty of Boracay 15 years ago? Visit Malapascua, Cebu.
11. Dive and see the rich marine life of Anilao, Batangas.
12. Travel back in time—go to Vigan.
13. Let Bohol wow you with its many offerings—the Chocolate Hills, the tarsier, the Loboc River Cruise, old churches and the beach.
14. Go high! Drive to the Mountain Province of Sagada. Check out the caves, the hanging coffins and enjoy the laid-back lifestyle.
15. Grab a Viaje del Sol map, visit Ugu Binyan’s pottery studio, eat at Kusina Salud and unwind at Casa San Pablo.
16. Spend an entire week up north. Take a road trip from Manila to Vigan, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Aparri and Isabela!
17. Try wakeboarding in Camsur.
18. Check out Malate, Old Manila and all their secret spots.
19. There are many reasons to love Davao. Kublai’s artworks, its proximity to the beach, the tasty pastil and juicy suha. And did I mention that it’s a smoke-free city?
20. Spend a weekend roughing it in Anawangin and Capones in Zambales.
21. Check out our colorful fiestas and document them with your camera. Ati-atihan, Dinagyang, Masskara, Sinulog, Higantes, Panagbenga and more.
22. Pick your own strawberries at the Strawberry Fields in La Trinidad, Benguet. - We could have stopped in Benguet to check Strawberry Fields but we weren't able to do it due to lack of time. This is another reason for me to go back North.
23. Go to Pampanga for sisig.
24. If it’s too hot in Manila, grab a few friends and take a quick trip to Tagaytay.
25. Enjoy a food trip in Iloilo. You’ll never go hungry in this city.
Below is the 25 must-do things. I have included those that I have already finished:
1. Go white water rafting in Cagayan de Oro.
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| February 2009, my first extreme adventure! (Prudence, Jacs, me, Ian, Bill) |
3. See Mt. Mayon up close.
4. Swim with the whale sharks in Donsol. - This is next on the list.
5. Climb Mt. Pulag and be awed by its sea of clouds.
6. Dive, swim and explore Palawan’s underground river.
7. Hike and let the view of Mt. Pinatubo crater take your breath away.
8. Party in your bikini in Boracay.
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| New Year 2009. I wasn't in my bikini but I definitely partied at Hey Jude's annual New Year White Party. This is my second White Party. The first time was in 2007 with my sister, Prudence. In 2009, I went with my ex-travel buddy, Ian, and Prudence. |
10. Missed out on the pristine beauty of Boracay 15 years ago? Visit Malapascua, Cebu.
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| 2007. Played frisbee and got drunk in Malapascua with Bigfoot friends. |
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| April 2009. This is in Anilao but I'm not counting this since we just went there to eat lunch. I don't dive but I want to eventually learn how and Anilao will, definitely, be on the list of dive sites I want to try. |
13. Let Bohol wow you with its many offerings—the Chocolate Hills, the tarsier, the Loboc River Cruise, old churches and the beach.
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| March 2009. We went to Bohol to shoot a pilot episode of Dive the World with Cathal Twomey. Our location were the four dive spots around Panglao Island, Loboc River, Chocolate Hills, Bohol Bee Farm and Tarsier Conservation Center |
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| March 4, 2011, Sumaging Cave. This is the most amazing experience. It's scary, dangerous, and thrilling at the same time. This is definitely a once in a lifetime experience for me. |
16. Spend an entire week up north. Take a road trip from Manila to Vigan, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Aparri and Isabela!
17. Try wakeboarding in Camsur.
18. Check out Malate, Old Manila and all their secret spots.
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| June 2008. Riding the kalesa in Intramuros. |
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| June 2008. The first of many nights I will be spending in Malate (Me, Ivan, Jacs, John, Ian) |
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| January 2011. At Davao's Crocodile Farm. |
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| November 2008. Roughing it in Anawangin with Ian. This is definitely something I'll never forget. |
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| We went to Capones Island the day after. |
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| January 2008. You can't live in Cebu and not experience Sinulog. Viva Pit Senyor! (with Ryan) |
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| October 2010. I wouldn't be a true Ilongga if I have not experienced Masskara! Kari na! |
23. Go to Pampanga for sisig.
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| March 21, 2011. Business and pleasure at the same time. I went to Pampanga to visit our satellite office and rewarded myself with this super delish plate of sisig. |
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| November 2008. We went to Tagaytay Highlands when Ryan came to visit. (John, Ryan, Me) |
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| 2009. While waiting for my La Paz Batchoy order at the original resto of Deco's at La Paz Market, Iloilo City. Ian and I went to a cultural trip to Iloilo and included food in the itinerary. |
Ad Nau-sea-om
Friday, April 29, 2011
Things I learned from my trip to Camotes Island:
- Seasickness ranks as one of the most unpleasant things that I had the displeasure of experiencing in my life, right up there with "balisawsaw on the tennis court" and "having violent stomach problems with no CR in sight."
- Asking people if there is Internet connection at a resort causes people to give me "the look," which roughly translates to "you've got to be kidding me."
- There is nothing wrong with scrutinizing the fried fish you are eating because of its overbite.
- Before agreeing to the accomodations, one must make sure that the number of beds corresponds to the number of people present lest great awkwardness ensue.
- The things that crabs do to sand remind me a whole lot of "having violent stomach problems with no CR in sight."
- Seeing calamansi skin and a couple of de-fleshed sea anemones by the seashore is a testament to the gastronomical invetiveness of the Filipino people.
- I make the most unusual sounds riding on the back of a habal-habal, clinging for dear life.
- "Ay, may humps! May humps! May humps! May humps" fills me with such insane, irrational delight.
- Two people on a habal-habal = awesome. Three people on a habal-habal = uncomfortable. Four people on a habal-habal = what the hell were you people thinking?!
- After being left by the habal-habal man at some lookout point with darkness rapidly closing in, one is left to rue the complexities of the language barrier.
- The mere presence of foreigners causes an abrupt skewing of rates in the minds of local Filipino merchants. It's almost automatic.
- A popular thinking in our beautiful country—foreigners have lots of moolah, bug them for some now.
- Any pastry, however fashioned or crudely named, absolutely rocks as long as it's warm enough. On a related note—when was the last time you've heard of a bun that's called "elorde" or "everlasting."
- I have greatly underestimated the sophistication of the Camotes school system.
- Barring normal, human logic, the game "who can make the deepest imprint on the sand" is the best game to have spontaneously sprouted from our young, carefree minds.
- The difference between riding a 50-person boat for two hours after eating ample servings of junk food-as-breakfast and riding a 150-person boat complete with CRs for two hours after drinking two Bonamines and my friendly neighborhood tylenol pm? Vast. Like our puke-filled oceans.
- "Hello narcotics my old friend, I've come to talk to you again..."
- Filipino time is both a curse (waiting 20 minutes for the boat to actually move) and a blessing (making sure you still make it to the 11 a.m. ride despite arriving at 11:20).
- Knowing exactly where your boat's destination is apparently crucial, I am told.
- Being locked in a Jeepers-Creepers like cavern, a video cam and the possibility of being trapped in make me think evil, psychotic cows. Don't ask.
- "When midnight strikes, the cows come" is totally going to be the tagline for my first horror movie. It will feature lots and lots of booze. And Bonamine.
*Reposted from Belligerent Bliss
- Seasickness ranks as one of the most unpleasant things that I had the displeasure of experiencing in my life, right up there with "balisawsaw on the tennis court" and "having violent stomach problems with no CR in sight."
- Asking people if there is Internet connection at a resort causes people to give me "the look," which roughly translates to "you've got to be kidding me."
- There is nothing wrong with scrutinizing the fried fish you are eating because of its overbite.
- Before agreeing to the accomodations, one must make sure that the number of beds corresponds to the number of people present lest great awkwardness ensue.
- The things that crabs do to sand remind me a whole lot of "having violent stomach problems with no CR in sight."
- Seeing calamansi skin and a couple of de-fleshed sea anemones by the seashore is a testament to the gastronomical invetiveness of the Filipino people.
- I make the most unusual sounds riding on the back of a habal-habal, clinging for dear life.
- "Ay, may humps! May humps! May humps! May humps" fills me with such insane, irrational delight.
- Two people on a habal-habal = awesome. Three people on a habal-habal = uncomfortable. Four people on a habal-habal = what the hell were you people thinking?!
- After being left by the habal-habal man at some lookout point with darkness rapidly closing in, one is left to rue the complexities of the language barrier.
- The mere presence of foreigners causes an abrupt skewing of rates in the minds of local Filipino merchants. It's almost automatic.
- A popular thinking in our beautiful country—foreigners have lots of moolah, bug them for some now.
- Any pastry, however fashioned or crudely named, absolutely rocks as long as it's warm enough. On a related note—when was the last time you've heard of a bun that's called "elorde" or "everlasting."
- I have greatly underestimated the sophistication of the Camotes school system.
- Barring normal, human logic, the game "who can make the deepest imprint on the sand" is the best game to have spontaneously sprouted from our young, carefree minds.
- The difference between riding a 50-person boat for two hours after eating ample servings of junk food-as-breakfast and riding a 150-person boat complete with CRs for two hours after drinking two Bonamines and my friendly neighborhood tylenol pm? Vast. Like our puke-filled oceans.
- "Hello narcotics my old friend, I've come to talk to you again..."
- Filipino time is both a curse (waiting 20 minutes for the boat to actually move) and a blessing (making sure you still make it to the 11 a.m. ride despite arriving at 11:20).
- Knowing exactly where your boat's destination is apparently crucial, I am told.
- Being locked in a Jeepers-Creepers like cavern, a video cam and the possibility of being trapped in make me think evil, psychotic cows. Don't ask.
- "When midnight strikes, the cows come" is totally going to be the tagline for my first horror movie. It will feature lots and lots of booze. And Bonamine.
*Reposted from Belligerent Bliss
Good Friday Pinoy Style
Saturday, April 23, 2011
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| Good Friday, 2009 - Dalaguete, Cebu Photo by Ian Castanares |
Good Friday in the Philippines won't be complete without live crucifixion events. Although not supported and approved by the Catholic Church, this tradition has been going on for many decades (there's no record as to when this first started but some 'actors' have been crucified since 1985).
I have been to two live crucifixions - Dalaguete, Cebu in 2008 and San Fernando, Pampanga in 2009 - and I personally do not recommend this to anybody, lest you're with an international documentary crew.
Unless you enjoy sunburn, dehydration, and people stepping on your toes, there's no thrill or spiritual enlightenment to gain in watching skinny men get crucified. You are better off going to the beach or spending the day watching 7th Heaven re-runs.
Lesson One
Monday, April 11, 2011
*I posted this more than four years ago, during my first week moving to Cebu. I quit my job with People Asia and decided to take a marketing post for a film school. It was an interesting time in my life.
Things I learned from my first day moving to Cebu
- My problem is not that I have too much crap. My problem is I cannot part with any of them. Like, to the level of me panicking and bringing along six pieces of luggage and boxes through the airport counter.
- I have found the solution to my air tummy sickness (I just made that up. Can you tell? Like, really?): Don't sleep the night before your flight, walk half-dazed and half-stressed out through the airport, sleepwalk your way to the plane, fall into a coma during the flight and wake up tummy-ache free. A little crazed, but still, tummy-ache free.
- Bringing a plate from the canteen to your department's pantry can be a cause of controversy. Really.
- The fact that our company system prevents me from logging in to blogger and my personal E-mails is a source of great distress. Like I want to kill one of the owner's ostriches and slather its blood all over our building's orange facade. Where are my pills, damn it?!
- The presence of a 24-hour internet cafe pleases me.
- My anxiety over the possibility of embarrassing myself in public transportation is alarming. Especially in multicabs. (This might be attributed to the fact this appears be one of the remaining few types of PUVs where I have not lost a cellphone.)
- The absence of 50 or so fast food restos within 100 feet of my stomach would apparently be good for me. However, I am already feeling crazy-wild, like I am in some sort of evil-cholesterol-and-sugar-binge-eating-withdrawal-and-want-a-spicy-chicken-sandwich-like-right now.
- I find comfort in P30 meals and P6 fares. It's like I can live off the coins in my pocket.
- I should really stop being so shocked over malls that close down at seven-thirty pm and accept the fact that there are people out there that do not take into consideration my after seven-thirty pm retail needs.
- There is something really endearing (or depraved) about missing people whine, scream, play tag and lapdance at three in the morning.
- Sometimes people (my brother for instance) can really surprise you with I-never-knew moments that can cause you to tear up in the middle of the line at the airport. And I'm serious. Those are the moments that make me rethink my whole plan for world rulership and make me think that maybe the idea of me having heart isn't some myth.
Things I learned from my first day moving to Cebu
- My problem is not that I have too much crap. My problem is I cannot part with any of them. Like, to the level of me panicking and bringing along six pieces of luggage and boxes through the airport counter.
- I have found the solution to my air tummy sickness (I just made that up. Can you tell? Like, really?): Don't sleep the night before your flight, walk half-dazed and half-stressed out through the airport, sleepwalk your way to the plane, fall into a coma during the flight and wake up tummy-ache free. A little crazed, but still, tummy-ache free.
- Bringing a plate from the canteen to your department's pantry can be a cause of controversy. Really.
- The fact that our company system prevents me from logging in to blogger and my personal E-mails is a source of great distress. Like I want to kill one of the owner's ostriches and slather its blood all over our building's orange facade. Where are my pills, damn it?!
- The presence of a 24-hour internet cafe pleases me.
- My anxiety over the possibility of embarrassing myself in public transportation is alarming. Especially in multicabs. (This might be attributed to the fact this appears be one of the remaining few types of PUVs where I have not lost a cellphone.)
- The absence of 50 or so fast food restos within 100 feet of my stomach would apparently be good for me. However, I am already feeling crazy-wild, like I am in some sort of evil-cholesterol-and-sugar-binge-eating-withdrawal-and-want-a-spicy-chicken-sandwich-like-right now.
- I find comfort in P30 meals and P6 fares. It's like I can live off the coins in my pocket.
- I should really stop being so shocked over malls that close down at seven-thirty pm and accept the fact that there are people out there that do not take into consideration my after seven-thirty pm retail needs.
- There is something really endearing (or depraved) about missing people whine, scream, play tag and lapdance at three in the morning.
- Sometimes people (my brother for instance) can really surprise you with I-never-knew moments that can cause you to tear up in the middle of the line at the airport. And I'm serious. Those are the moments that make me rethink my whole plan for world rulership and make me think that maybe the idea of me having heart isn't some myth.
Crocs
Saturday, March 26, 2011
CROCODILE BARBEQUE—It doesn't taste like chicken. It tastes like rubber.
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| Crocodile Farm - January 2011 |
Best way to explore a new city
Thursday, March 24, 2011
"Go for a run, get lost and try to make your way back without any help." - Allan Hyde
Allan Hyde plays the role of Godric in True Blood. Follow him on twitter @Allanhyde.
Top Ten Things to do in China
Planning a trip to The Sleeping Dragon? Here are some suggestion that you might not find in travel guides.
10. Buy books by the kilo
Instead of buying key chains and refrigerator magnets as souvenirs, why not buy books in China? It’s not only music and movies that are being pirated nowadays apparently but also books. And there’s no better place to find them but in Chinese bookstores in the streets of Shanghai and Beijing.
Don’t go to bookstores inside malls but go for hole in the wall shops that sell books by the kilo. Buy the paperbacks because they (obviously) weigh lighter than hard covers. Momon and I bought eight books for only RMB100 (roughly P700). We estimate that the cost would balloon to P5,000 if you get them in Powerbooks.
9. Get a haircut
You wouldn’t normally include this in your itinerary but, trust me, it's worth it. Go to a local salon and ask for the latest trend in Asian 'dos. Get out looking like a member of F4 or a character from some random Koreanovela. Recommendation: Try the salon at FX Hotel in Shanghai near The Bund.
8. Numb your taste buds with spicy Ma La Tang
Ma La Tang is a hot and spicy dish from the Sichuan province. Try out the eateries along the side streets of Shanghai, which offer assorted vegetables and meat in sticks. Pick out your favorites and they will boil them in a very spicy soup then add some noodles and pork liver in your bowl. It’s so spicy it will numb your mouth for a while. My favorite mix is broccoli, pork teriyaki, squid balls and some tofu. I hope someday to discover the recipe of the soup and bring this dish to our shores. Recommendation: The best we’ve tried is a nameless eatery in Wujiang Road near the Metro West Nanjing Road Station in Shanghai. You can’t miss it because it’s just a short street full of budget food stalls.
7. Spiciest chicken wings
If Ma La Tang doesn’t challenge your spice threshold, then you have to try Beijing’s perverted chicken wings. Known as “BT” (biantai) or “perversion,” these chicken wings are the best-tasting spicy chicken wings in China. They are barbecued and loaded with insane amounts of spicy peppers. The flavors, which have the same mouth-numbing effect of Ma La Tang, include the distinct taste of Sichuan peppercorns and anise. The perfect match for the wings are potato salad and beer to cool you down. Recommendation: Tucked in a hutong (Chinese traditional courtyard) near the Houhai lake in Beijing is Han Chan, the best place to try these wings. The address is XÄ«chĆ©ngqÅ« XÄ«n Än LĒ HĆŗtĆ²ng. Copy this and just show it to the cab driver and he’ll bring you there.
6. Sleep in a budget hotel
If you are on a budget, China has a lot of budget hotels you can choose from. We tried a different hotel in each day of our trip. The Forbidden City Hotel in Beijing and FX Hotel in Shanghai offered us the best value for our money.
Forbidden City Hotel is situated in the middle of everything. It’s a 15-minute walk from Wangfujing shopping street and a bus ride away from Tiananmen Square, Qianmen and Forbidden City. They have very friendly staff who speak English well, a rarity in China. You can also meet a lot of travellers just hanging out in the lobby cafĆ© sharing stories. FX Hotel in Shanghai is the same. It’s near Nanjing Road, which is the central street in Shanghai and also The Bund, which offers the famous view of the Shanghai skyline. It’s just a hop away from the nearest subway station that also connects you to the airport. Check www.booking.com for great deals on hotel bookings.
5. Watch a play in Penghao Theater
Forget Chinese opera! Go to Penghao Theater and watch a couple of plays. Penghao Theater is located in Nanluoguxiang, a center of arts and culture in Beijing. From the outside, the theater looks like a normal hutong (traditional Chinese courtyard) but inside is a black box theater with a sectioned-off cafƩ found nowhere else in the city. Also around the area are shops and bars that can keep you busy for a full day. Visit www.penghaoren.com to know more about the theater or E-mail penghao35@gmail.com for play schedules.
4. Made-in-China shopping
Shopping is a must in every itinerary and where better else to do it but in the cheap markets of China. People say don’t buy Chinese goods because they’re either imitations or just plain low quality. We say buy Chinese goods because they’re actually not that bad and pretty reasonable. You just get what you pay for.
Two of the major shopping areas are in Beijing Zoo Market in Beijing and Qi Pu Lu in Shanghai.
Beijing Zoo Market (BÄi JÄ«ng DĆ²ng WĆ¹ YuĆ”n FĆŗ ZhuÄng ShƬ ChĒng / åäŗ¬åØē©åęč£
åøåŗ) is the Chinese version of Divisoria—only better. Everything is organized; each floor is designated to a section. We suggest that you go to the basement first where fashionable and cheapest goods are kept. You should keep in mind that the higher the floor, the higher the quality of the products and, consequently, the higher the prices. Qi Pu Lu ( äø굦č·Æ)is the place to be in Shanghai if you are on a tight budget. Don't worry if you can't speak Chinese because most of the shops here have price tags and you don't even have to ask. Bargaining is only done when items don’t have price tags. They get insulted if you still bargain with already cheap priced goods. Buy bags for only RMB30 (around P200), jackets for only RMB70 (around P500), shoes for only RMB100 (around P700).
3. Ice swimming in Harbin, China
This one takes a lot of courage to do. You don’t only need nerves of steel but a thick layer of fat to insulate yourself from the sub-zero degree ice pool. If -22C air is not enough for you to get frostbite then try dipping your legs in the pool for a minute. Otherwise, just visit the ice parks during the annual ice festival in Harbin. It kicks off every 5th of January and lasts for over a month. Harbin Ice Festival is one of the biggest ice festivals in the world. World-class ice sculptors from around the globe gather here annually to create magnificent ice architecture and sculptures. A must-see is the Harbin Ice and Snow World which I call the “Disneyland of ice parks.”
2. Road trip on the Silk Road
This is actually still in our bucket list. The Silk Road is an extensive trade route that connects China to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. It got its name from the Chinese silk trade, which started during the Han Dynasty. In China, the Silk Road covers the regions of Xinjiang and Gansu. Stunning landscapes await travelers in cities like Xian, Dunhuang and Kashgar. You will also be surprised to see that these cities look like they’re part of another country because of cultural influences that came from the Middle East and Europe. Since this road trip covers a large area, you probably need at least two months to explore the major cities and attractions and this leads us to our number 1 off the beaten path itinerary…
1. Trip to the PSB
A trip to China definitely needs a tourist Visa extension. For Filipinos, we can stay up to at most 30 days for a regular tourist Visa but this is just not enough to explore the country and experience what makes China tick. Good thing Chinese bureaucracy is very efficient and a trip to the Public Security Bureau (PSB) Entry & Exit Administration is just what you need to extend your stay.
They say it’s easy to get a Visa extension in the provinces but I’ve tried getting an extension in Beijing and I didn’t run into any difficulty. I just filled out the form, completed my requirements (photo, passport) and after a few days they gave me my Visa extension. This is in our number one spot not because it's lame, but because it leads to a lot more fun experiences in China. Have a safe trip!
Take a shot
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| With my friend Prudence at Camiguin 2008. |
"It seems positively unnatural to travel without taking a camera along... The very activity of taking pictures is soothing and assuages general feelings of disorientation that are likely to be exacerbated by travel."
- Susan Sontag
Connect
Friday, March 11, 2011
I was looking for a travel quote to use as a post on Little Things, Happy Life when I chanced upon this travel site.
Matador Network caters to everyone that has the travel bug, a passion that extends to film, photography and writing. It has an archive filled with insightful, inspiring and useful articles. The group behind the site also offers different courses on how to actually make a career out of traveling.
Mineral Junkie
Thursday, March 10, 2011
I'm not exactly a big fan of museums but when you're in Washington DC, there's really nothing much to do or see. When I visited the capital last October, my days were spent mostly by this. On the top of my list was the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The promise of seeing real Tricerotop bones and stuffed African predators got me stoked.
I was thrilled to discover a hall that probably holds one of the world's largest collection of minerals, crystals, rocks and semi-precious stones. I'm a huge fan of rocks so I spent hours going through the entire collection and I went back the following day to see it again. (Admission is free in all DC museums)!
There are thousands on display ranging from the rare "Hope Diamond," Saphires and Emeralds to Pyrite crystals, Stalagmites and Asbestos. It was overwhelming.
I was thrilled to discover a hall that probably holds one of the world's largest collection of minerals, crystals, rocks and semi-precious stones. I'm a huge fan of rocks so I spent hours going through the entire collection and I went back the following day to see it again. (Admission is free in all DC museums)!
There are thousands on display ranging from the rare "Hope Diamond," Saphires and Emeralds to Pyrite crystals, Stalagmites and Asbestos. It was overwhelming.
Now boarding:
Sagada, Finally!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
My visit to Sagada took two years to happen.
The first time I have heard about this Mountain Province town was two years ago when Ian showed me this website. (He mentioned that his friend Benj is the moderator of the site.) We were so impressed with the content that we immediately planned to go there.
Our original plan was to go there December of 2009, but because of budget and scheduling conflicts, we were unable to go. We decided to postpone it and do the trip the following summer, this time inviting more friends to come along. But none of us were able to go that summer either.
When Cebu Pacific had a piso sale last June, I grabbed the opportunity to book a flight to Manila and spend almost a week there so I could finally go to Sagada. I didn't care if I had a regular job. All I wanted was to go there!
But I succumbed to the corporate world eventually. I told my boss that I have these dates for next year booked already and they cannot be cancelled. (Job, be damned!) So even without any paid vacation leaves, I went ahead with my travel plans.
Last week, I spent my second vacation of the year in Sagada—one of the most exhilarating experiences I've had in my life.
The trip had a rough start because of missed and delayed flights, angry friends, crazy manila traffic and crazy bus schedules. But, in retrospect, this rough start only added to the wonderful and amazing adventure I had. (More details in a later post.)
What I learned from this experience is to never give up. Get what you want and don't let delays deter you. If you keep persevering, you will ultimately get to your destination. And trust me, it'll be worth it!
The first time I have heard about this Mountain Province town was two years ago when Ian showed me this website. (He mentioned that his friend Benj is the moderator of the site.) We were so impressed with the content that we immediately planned to go there.
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| Finally! I'm in Sagada! |
When Cebu Pacific had a piso sale last June, I grabbed the opportunity to book a flight to Manila and spend almost a week there so I could finally go to Sagada. I didn't care if I had a regular job. All I wanted was to go there!
But I succumbed to the corporate world eventually. I told my boss that I have these dates for next year booked already and they cannot be cancelled. (Job, be damned!) So even without any paid vacation leaves, I went ahead with my travel plans.
Last week, I spent my second vacation of the year in Sagada—one of the most exhilarating experiences I've had in my life.
The trip had a rough start because of missed and delayed flights, angry friends, crazy manila traffic and crazy bus schedules. But, in retrospect, this rough start only added to the wonderful and amazing adventure I had. (More details in a later post.)
What I learned from this experience is to never give up. Get what you want and don't let delays deter you. If you keep persevering, you will ultimately get to your destination. And trust me, it'll be worth it!
Now boarding:
- We took the midnight Victory Liner Pasay bus trip to Baguio.
- We arrived in Baguio past 6 A.M., and caught the 6:30 A.M. bus trip to Sagada. The Victory Liner terminal in Baguio, where we got off, is not far from the Sagada bus terminal. The cab fare was around P35/under $1.
- There were five to six stops along the way. We arrived in Sagada around 1:30 P.M.
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