My First Boracay Trip

Here's a quick view of our adventure in Boracay as First-Timers.

Because we’ve always wanted to go to Boracay and believing that we’re so pitiable that we’re the only ones left who hasn’t been to Boracay, I was always on the look-out for low fares. And thanks again to Cebu Pacific, we were able to reach the desired island, with only 1,200PHP back and forth airfare. The thing here, though, is that, the trip back is in Kalibo.

The Cebu Pacific plane to Caticlan was smaller than usual, which again heightened my fear and worries during boarding. But with prayer, I was able to get through the flight, without any tension. J The flight from Manila to Caticlan was actually smoother than the flight from Kalibo to Manila (bigger plane). Now I know, the bumpiness may have to do more with the outside condition than the size of the plane.

Anyway, this is how our day went for the 3D/2N vacation (or more likely 2D/2N):

BORACAY ITINERARY:

DAY 1 – November 18, 2012

6:30 AM   Arrival at Caticlan Airport

7:00 AM   Transfer from Caticlan to Hotel through Southwest Tours (470PHP)

8:00 AM   Early Check-in at Seabird International Resort (Purchased voucher @ 1,999PHP/night)

9:00 AM   Picture picture

10:00 AM Parasailing (15mins) @ 750PHP

11:30 AM Lunch at Smoke@ 250PHP

4:00 PM   Walk, Picture, Street Food Merienda with Jonah’s Milkshake @ around 150PHP

6:00 PM   Rest

9:00 PM   Quick Snack at Ti Braz @ 200PHP

DAY 2 – November 19, 2012

8:30 AM   Breakfast at 928 Cafe & Grill (85PHP for a meal with free iced tea or coffee)

10:00 AM Island Hopping and Snorkeling @ 750PHP

12:00 PM  Lunch at 888 Seafood Restaurant @ 450PHP

2:30 PM    ATV (Puka Beach, Everland Farm, and Tower) @ 400PHP/hr or  800PHP/2hrs)

8:00 PM    Dinner by the Beach (Inihaw in front of Seagaia) @ 250PHP

9:30 PM    Pack-up

DAY 3 – November 20, 2012

7:30 AM   Travel from Hotel to Kalibo again via Southwest Tours (570PHP)

11:00 AM Airport Check-in and quick brunch

12:40 PM Flight Back to Manila

It was a very exciting yet tiring trip for me. Only 2 days for vacation, and every hour was fully utilized!

Now, I want to go back to Boracay just to chill out... J

Costs indicated are on a per person basis, unless otherwise stated. For a more detailed version of this trip, including reviews of our hotel, food, activities and some tips if there are still Boracay newbies out there, please visit http://kylikes.blogspot.com/2012/11/ky-in-boracay.html.

KY in Boracay!!

AIRPORT-HOTEL TRANSFERS:

OUR EXPERIENCE:

Because we were first timers on this island, and being poor in geography, I had no idea how far Boracay island is from the two airports (Caticlan and Kalibo). And because there were only two of us, both looking like lost little kids, I decided to arrange the transportation before hand. Our hotel helped arrange the transfer under Southwest Tours. The charge was 470 for Caticlan Airport to Hotel, and 570 for Hotel to Kalibo Airport. But I was so surprised that the distance of Caticlan Airport to our hotel was less then 30mins away. 

TIPS: 
The airport is less than 500 meters or so away from the port, you can even walk if you're an experienced backpacker. Thus I suggest that if you’re on a budget, just take the trike from the airport to Caticlan Jetty port, ride a banca (costs around 30PHP plus terminal fee), then take another trike to your hotel.  But if you’re after comfort and you got so much to shell out, then the Southwest Tours is for you. That's if you're travelling via Caticlan. Travelling via Kalibo is another thing. Kalibo is around one and a half hour ride from Boracay Island, so it's really recommended to book your transfers. I'm not sure though if there's any other bus travelling there other than the Southwest Tours. I didn't notice any.

ACCOMODATIONS

OUR EXPERIENCE:
We chose Seabird International Resort because back in June this same year, a couple of friends from college booked under the same hotel. Having heard no complaints, I decided to check out this hotel. The reviews were mostly good. And just in time, they were selling a voucher in Cash cash Pinoy, covering the period we were scheduled for a vacation, so we purchased 2 vouchers then and there (1,999 for 2D/1N). The place was good. It was very clean. And we were welcomed with a smile and orange drinks. The transfer has also been smoothly arranged. The check-in time is 2pm, but our arrival was 7am. We went straight there anyway just so we can leave our things and go explore the beach. But since there was a vacant room available as there were guests who checked out earlier that day, we were accomodated. A real lagniappe: 5 hours before check-in time and we got a room! (So unlike other hotels who would go by the strict rules of check-in and check-out times.) I also specifically liked the location. It was right next to D'Mall, that when we're in our room, GPS would actually say we're in D'Mall.

 TIPS:
It's easy to do research for accomodations in Boracay.  Trip Advisor is especially helpful. I think the reviews are more or less true. It gives you a good picture of what you would expect with the accommodation you’ve booked in. I've also seen a number of blogs about Boracay, which have given me insights on the different hotels. And of course, testimonies from friends would be the best. You could also await for vouchers, but be sure to check out reviews of those hotels. There might be a reason why it's being offered at a huge discount. It's also good to research on the location, especially if you're not that fond of walking or if you're coming with someone who can't walk too far. Station 1 to Station 3 is very much walkable though. Station 1 is where most of the activities are located (particularly the registration and bancas). Station 2 is where D' Mall is located. The night parties and events happens mostly in Station 2. And station 3 is where the more peaceful, yet quite boring side of the beach is.

ACTIVITIES

OUR EXPERIENCE:

There are a number of things to do in Boracay, other than rest, walk by the beach and sunbathe, such as Island Hopping, Snorkeling, ATV, Parasailing, Paraw Sailing, Banana Boat, Flyfish, Helmet Diving, Zorb Ball and Zipline. I would be focusing on the activities that we've tried.  A number of guys, who works on a commission basis, will approach you, asking if you'd like to try any of their activities. The first guy who approached us, and whom we contracted was Kuya Maco with contact no. 0928-2902906. We booked the para-sailing (to be held on the same day) and Island Hopping (for the next day). On the second day though, he wasn't available and it was Kuya Lito (someone from the same group) who accompanied us to the registration booth. It was also him who offered us the ATV for that afternoon.
Parasailing -The activity works this way - a person is attached to a parasail wing (something that looks like a big parachute), which is attached to a boat by a rope. The boat moves on and tows the person as the rope is bit by bit released and the parasail wing goes up in the sky. When we were up there, I can't help but remember Travis and Gabby in Nicholas Sparks' The Choice. I was just reading this book earlier this year, thinking how hesitant and fearful I might have been had I been Gabby. Yet here I am, flying a hundred meters up in the sky.
Island Hopping & Snorkeling - or more like an Island Tour. With this activity, we were able to see Boracay from end to end (I think) We even saw Pacquiao's house, and a number of other resorts in more secluded areas. We were also able to see what's under the sea and even feed fish with some bread. It was not as breathtaking as other snorkeling spots in the Philippines though.
ATV - The ATV can be taken in one hour or two hours depending on where you would like to go. We booked for two hours  and we were able to go to three places - Puca Beach, Everland Aviary Farm, and the Tower. The Puca Beach is a bare beach with big waves. It's a place you can take pictures on, where a couple of large puca shells are on display. But the beach itself doesn't seem to have any puca shells. It's more of the souveneir shops selling them and the display. The Everland Aviary Farm is the next stop. It's just like a mini zoo, where there were mostly birds and a huge bayawak. Photo-ops can be done with the animals. The tower is our last stop. It's just a series of steps going up where one can have a bird's eye view of Boracay at the top. 
TIPS:
If you are on a short trip to Boracay, I suggest you try at least one activity, then have the rest of your vacation just chilling out, having food trips, or long walks. We felt so used up the day we returned back home. All our muscles seem to ache. Or maybe....we weren't just used to these much air,sea and land exercises. :P

As to which activity to choose, I don't highly recommend island hopping and snorkeling. The waves were huge the day we went island hopping. Some people also mentioned the same experience. And because of this, we weren't really able to island hop. It's more of an island tour by the sea and snorkeling on some spots. The fish and corals weren't that great though. I've seen better ones in other places. The para-sailing is worth a try, at least experience it once in your life. Be sure to have the right amount of wind though. ATV was fun! I think if I'd ever repeat any activity, it would be the ATV. Or maybe I'll try the Buggy Car next time. :)
I would also recommend doing a canvass. I'm not quite sure if we got a good price from our contacts (Para-sailing 1,500 for 2; Island Hopping & Snorkeling 1,500 for 2; ATV for 2 hours 1,600 for 2), as another group who approached us later on was giving us lower prices (Parasailing for 1,200 and ATV for 2 hours for 1,200). It was a minimal difference though. What I didn't like was the fact that the rate given to us still excludes certain registration and other fees. For instance, the island hopping didn't include the ff charges per person (100 for Insurance, 200 for certain fees, and another 40 for whatever the sea farer was charging us). For ATV, it didn't include the parking rates (50 per pitstop per vehicle and 60 entrance fee to the farm) So if someone offers you a price, ask what it includes and how much more are you expected to shell out.
I'm not sure if people give tips. But we did. Though I realized later on that it wasn't really necessary because they already have a commission.

FOOD
OUR EXPERIENCE:
Because we are in Boracay, enjoying one of the best beaches in the Philippines, we decided to stick to Filipino food that's best eaten in this kind of environment. Our first stop was at Smoke. It was sort of a deliberate decision on the spot. Haha! It was decided around 11:30 of our first day, when my friend browsed through some blogs when we felt the hunger, and she came upon Smoke. Located in D' Mall, it was a very short distance from our hotel. Our orders are Tofu Salpicao, Lechon Kawali, and Bulalo. It was delicious! We weren't happy with the bulalo, though, because we were so used to Kansi Bulalo by now that we were looking for that sour taste of the soup. But it was superb, especially for the price! We downed it with a can of Coke and a bottle of water, and the full bill was less than 500.

Next stop later that afternoon is the street food. There were a number of vendors side by side, selling bbq (10), Isaw Manok(10), Isaw Baboy (10), and Chorizo Burger (40). We really like the isaw as they seem very fresh, unlike most of those bought here in Manila. We also ordered the much talked about Jonah's milkshake. I ordered a bestseller - Banana Choco Peanut (110) and my friend ordered Strawberry Banana (180). I don't know why most reviews I've read would say Jonah's milkshake is a must-try. We waited for almost an hour. (You can easily notice the time in the picture from we first walked in to the time we got our order). More disappointing is that it didn't taste that good. They were too thick for me, and the taste wasn't as excellent as I've expected.

 
We can't say if it was the chorizo burger or the shake, but after having these, our stomach just can't take anymore food. So we skipped dinner and had a late light snack instead. I was actually looking for soup, but most soup served there would require rice to be fully appreciated. So I decided to have a simple mango crepe (200) from Ti Braz instead.

 
For the next day, we had a simple breakfast of tapsilog and tosilog from 928 Cafe & Grill. For only 85, it already includes drinks (your choice of coffee or iced tea).

We went on with our activities and was back at the island by lunch time, where we had our meal at 888 Seafoof Restaurant. We had Garlic Crabs and Smoked Fish, with regular Coke and fresh Buko. It's more pricey though. But 900 for seafood is so worth it!

Because of our experience the previous day, we decided not to eat merienda and have an early dinner instead. We were just walking and trying to check out the restaurants when we came upon a guy who was broiling food. The smell was really good and when we asked how much is he selling them, the price was just right. For two rice, grilled liempo, and grilled sugpo, plus two regular coke, we only paid 500 (with small tip already). The serving was just right too. We were very much filled up with no left overs. What's best about this meal was that it was by the beach. I'm not sure though if the food is from Seagaia, but they are located in front of Seagaia and one of the guys serving is wearing a shirt with a Seagaia patch. For me, this was the best meal in our stay!

TIPS:
Be wise. The first restaurant we were supposed to eat in on the second day was Paradiso Grill. They were offering us a very tiny crab for 600. I didn't even like the girl's response when we commented "Ang mahal naman" (That's too expensive) and she said "Mahal talaga" (It really is expensive!) So we went to another restaurant in D'Mall instead and had our taste of fine crab that's rightly priced. There are a number of choices along the stretch from Station 1 to 3, and also in D' Mall. But if you'd really want lots of fresh seafood, some people are suggesting going to D Talipapa to buy then have it cooked. Maybe we'll try this too next time.

A side comment on Timing

While I was buying our Chorizo Burger, there were two friends beside me, discussing about the sand in Boracay. The girl was saying that she wasn't amazed as the sand isn’t that white after all, then the guy responded saying that ‘the sand is actually at its best during summer. November isn’t actually the perfect month to visit Boracay.’

Oh well, we’re done with the activities. Maybe next time we can try the summer months for a chill-out mode or party-mode vacation in Boracay. Because if there’s one sentence I’ll sum up my review of the place, it would be “It’s really worth going back to, again and again.”

The Mistress (Just because I'm still not over it 7 days after)

The movie presented nothing very spectacular, except for the fact that it's not your typical love triangle. The movie introduced a four sided love story (baka mauso naman ang love square :p), but the story is quite simple actually, except for the twist on the relationship of the Benefactor and the Lover. I didn't like the ending though. It's very Star Cinema typical - someone dying and quite open-ended.

But what made me cry, and what probably touched lots of people is how we can relate to the characters - their situation, their feelings and emotions, and of course the lines....

"Ang kunwari ba pwedeng magkatotoo?"
"Siguro sa kunwari na lang natin pwede mahalin ang isa't-isa."
"Hindi mo malalamang may kulang hangga't may dumating na magpupuno."
"Ang daming dahilan para hindi kita mahalin, pero may isang dahilan kung bakit hindi ko magawa ‘yun. Mahal kita,yun lang ‘yon."
"Walang babaeng pinangarap maging kabit."
"'Di dahil gusto mo, makukuha mo."
"This is not about what you can or cannot do. It's about what you should do. Kayanin mo."
"I'm working hard not to be a perfect man but a good man like the way my father was."

Those were the lines that hit me the most, but of course there are others that may hit others more such as: "As long as I'm alive, you will never be promoted to wife."   More quotes can be found here: http://www.iamthecoffeechic.com/2012/09/the-mistress-movie-quotes.html

Wag Kang Lalayo sa Amin, Bob Ong

Ang Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin ay ang ika-siyam na libro ni Bob Ong. Gumagamit ito ng script style ng pagsusulat at nahahati sa tatlong bahagi (para sa tatlong kategorya ng pelikula):
Bala sa bala, Kamao sa kamao, Satsat sa Satsat (Action)
Shake Shaker Shakest (Horror)
Asawa ni Marie (Romantic Drama)

Ang bawat isa ay  bumabatikos sa ating mga pelikula, social networking, komersyalismo, mga pambatang palabas, mga librong naililimbag at iba-iba pang klase at gamit ng media. Pinuna dito ang mga "reality show" (o bente kwatro oras na pagsubaybay sa araw-araw na pamumuhay ng mga taong ikinulong sa isang bahay), mga product placement sa tv at pelikula, mga paulit-ulit na eksena at katapusan mapa-horror, comedy, action, o drama (kaya minsan nauunahan pa nga natin ang writer mag-isip ng ending ng pelikula), pagkawala ng tunay na saysay ng sining sa media, star mentality, pag-ubos ng ating oras ng mga social networking sites, at marami pang iba.

Ngunit binigyang liwanag rin naman ng ating mahal na may-akda ang kabutihang maidudulot ng media kung gagamitin nga lang ito nang wasto....ng mga gumagawa nito, nagpupundar para maipalabas ito, at ng mga manonood at mga tumatangkilik dito.

Habang binabasa ko ang aklat na ito, hindi ko mapigilang maalala ang indie film na "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank". Maganda rin nga itong gawing isang pelikula balang-araw. Isang pelikulang kukutya sa kapwa Pilipinong pelikula.

Sana balang araw, tulad ng mga indie films ang sumikat sa ating bansa - yung may saysay, may sining, may kwenta. Sana balang araw, magbalik ang mga mas may dekalidad na pelikula, tv show, radyo, dyaryo, networking sites at iba pang mga uri ng media. Sana balang araw Lumayo Nga Sa Atin ang mga basura at mga negosyanteng nagpupundar sa mga basura. Sana balang araw lumapit naman ang mga tunay nating maipagmamalaki.

Bago matapos ang lahat, s'yempre kung may Bob Ong book, mawawala ba naman ang mga Bob Ong quotes?

"Walang pakialam ang tao sa katotohanan, sa tsismis lang sila interesado."

“Ako, ang hinahangaan kong tao na mahilig sa libro e yung may matututunan ka pag kausap mo, yung makikita mong naging marunong at mabuti siyang tao dahil sa pagbabasa niya ng mga libro.”

"Higit sa mga prestihiyosong pagkilala, mas kailangan ng libro ng mga mambabasa."

"May kapangyarihan na kayong kausapin ang mundo? Magaling! Ano ang sinabi ninyo? Bilis, ano ang sinabi ninyo?"

“Isa pa, pwede nga ring yung TV talaga ang may sumpa. Dahil ang TV, para ring drugs, pero ligal. Isipin mo, bakit isa ito sa mga unang-unang ipinupundar ng mga Pilipino kahit gaano sila kahirap? Kasi malaking tulong ang telebisyon para lumimot. Para tumakas sa realidad.”

“Kung ano ang nakikita at naririnig natin sa araw-araw, nagiging ‘yon tayo. Kinokondisyon tayo ng mga patalastas na hindi tayo masaya, na laging may kulang sa buhay natin. Tatlo ang magulang ng henerasyon natin. Ang tatay, ang nanay, at ang mga patalastas o media. Kaya kung mahina yung dalawang nauna, naaagawan sila nung pangatlo sa pagpapalaki sa bata.”

"Kuhang kuha natin ang mga katarantaduhan ng Hollywood, pero hindi ang kaunting pagiging responsable ng mga kanluraning bansa sa isyu ng pagtayo sa sariling paa."

"Lahat tayo may love triangle. Sa ganito lagi umiikot ang kwento. Pag ginawan mo ng diagram ang characters, makakabuo ka ng higanteng pyramid ng mga taong naghahabol, hinahabol, at mga magkakaribal."

"Kung gusto mong pang-award na palabas, lumipat ka doon sa kaisa-isang pelikula na may kwenta pero walang kita."

"Kung gusto mong matawa, dapat paminsan-minsan magpakababaw ka rin. Huwag nga lang sosobra"


"'Yon yung mali sa tinawatag na 'cool factor'. Paramaging 'in' ka, dapat magustuhan mo yung gusto ng iba. Pero pag sobrang dami na ng may gusto, dapat umayaw ka naman dahil magiging jologs ka na. Dapatkakaiba lagi ang gusto mo, para kunyari iba ka."


"Pero hindi lahat ng inaakala mong korni e korni. Minsan ikaw lang din talaga ang walang sense of humor at may diperensya, siguro dahil sa pagpipilit mong maging iba."


"Lahat tayo nami-miss ang mga paborito nating activity na panglustay lang sa oras natin sa mundo. Pero hindi tayo basta-basta makakaalis dito."

“Bata, kanya-kanya tayo ng paglalakbay. Huwag kang magpakarga, katamaran yan.”


At isang hamon??


"Mapapailing naman ang mga mambabasa sa buong kwento na kanilang nasaksihan, pero wala silang gagawin o babaguhin. Tatawa lang sila. Tatawa lang sila at sisisihin ang sistema...ang laging bida at walang kamatayang sistema."

TIME CHECK Life Planner

We all had a planner at one time in our life. Maybe when we were still in highschool, in college, or when we had our first work. And for some of us who wants to have an organized schedule, we continue to have them in our life. But the problem sometimes is that we get closed in on our plans that we forget to live life as is.

In one of my trainings (by Business Works, Inc.) in my previous work, I got this nice take home - TIME CHECK Life Planner (a different kind of Planner).

What makes it so different?
Aside from the fact that it was designed by Mr.Anthony Pangilinan, it is different as it has no dates, it's broken down into three categories (Professional, Personal, & Relational), and you get to have a month view and a daily/weekly view.It has a Doodle It page for every month and it has a Past Month in Review and a My Month In View where you can check how you fared for  your monthly mission and monthly goals, and guide you on how to plan for the upcoming month.

But what I like most about this planner is that,
(1) It has this small nice post-it kind of notes that remind us to " Pray!", "Be of service to others!", "Treat Yourself","Touch base with an old friend", "Read a book", "Smile" and so on.
(2) It also starts your month with a simple message of about 1-2 paragraphs, entitled as follows:
1. HONOR THY NATURE
2.WE ALL HAVE THE SAME TIME
3. THE POWER OF A VISION
4. IT ALL BEGINS WITH A DIAGNOSIS
5. MISSION POSSIBLE: THE BALANCE LIFE
6. STRESS ME OUT
7. MORE THAN LEFTOVERS
8. PRACTICAL PARENTING
9. THE OVERVIEW AND THE DETAILS CREATE THE PICTURE
10. IT AIN'T WHAT YOU DO BUT HOW YOU DO IT
11. ANTICIPATE CHANGE
12. WHAT ENTHUSES YOU

Seeing Singapore

AIR FARE

It was another promo day for Cebu Pacific airlines, and so we waited for the clock to strike 12, and booked our 2-way flight to Singapore. Our ticket was priced at PhP 5,328.08 for 2 persons, with a 15kgs baggage allowance. (That's around PhP 2,665 per pax)

The Travel Taxes is still the same as it was a year ago, when we went to HongKong, PhP 1,620. The Terminal Fee was surprisingly lower, at PhP 550.

THE HOTEL

Southeast Asia Hotel

190 Waterloo Street
(Located behind IBIS Hotel and beside the famous Kwan Im Temple)

We were actually looking at tour packages and Hotels in Agoda, and we're zooming in on Fragrance Hotels in Geylang (the hotel usually included in the package tours). But when we asked some friends who lived in SG, we were told to look for other places like Bugis since Geylang is the red light district of Singapore. We were referred to Southeast Asia Hotel by a friend. We contacted them only through email alone. And we got our room booked. Just like that! No hassle! No Downpayment even!

I like the location of the place. It is located in Bugis and it is walking distance to the Bugis MRT Station (less than 500m and around 5 mins walk) and it's also near some Bus Stations. Albert Centre (a food center) is just right in front and Sim Lim Square (one of Singapore's famous gadget malls) is also around 400m or 4 minute walk. The Bugis Village (something I would compare to the street market in Baclaran) is at the other side, also within 400 meters. You can buy a lot of stuff for pasalubong there, have a snack and taste thouse yummy fruit juices (2SGD). There's also a Bee Cheng Hiang store located in there (Victoria Street side).

The room was clean enough. We were actually a bit hesitant at first becuase we read about a review stating rooms with splotches or marks that would make you feel like there was blood before. Scary! But we found none of such. The bed was clean. The floor, ceiling, doors may not be new but they were clean enough for me. The CR was also clean. The room comes with a free shampoo and soap. And it also comes with 2 coffee sachet and 2 tea sachet, replaced on a daily basis.

Breakfast is included in the room rate. They offer two kinds of breakfast - The Continental Breakfast (Toast, Jam and Butter, Orange Juice and your choice of coffee or tea) or Vegeterian Buffet (there's raddish cake, vegetarian buns, vegetarian rice, and vegetarian vermicelli, plus your choice of coffee or tea). We tried the continental at first becuse we were quite afraid of what the Chinese Veggetarian breakfast would taste like. But the next day we tried it and it was delicious especially the rice (mmmm...yummy). It really is a better choice than the continental breakfast and so we had t again the next day. :)

What about the price? All that is just for 100 SGD per day, good for 2pax. (This is pretty inexpensive considering that the only hotels you can get for less than this are those located in Geylang) I think it's good enough value for money.

The only thing I wasn't too happy about was the receptionists not being too friendly. Being Filipinos, we are familiar to being treated with utmost hospitality, but hey they are Singaporeans, not Filipinos. And when it comes to service, I'd give them the credit.

You can find out more details by checking out their website in the following address: http://www.seahotel.com.sg/

OUR ITINERARY

Before the travel date, I was actually a bit bothered because I was used to just going along and not planning anything for our trips. There's usually someone more responsible to do these stuff, or we book no-hassle package tours. But fortunately, we made it through with my (ehem...) planning.

DAY1: The Merlion, Marina Bay, Esplanade Mall,

DAY2: Sentosa Island, 

DAY3: Universal Studios Singapore

DAY4: Shop for Pasalubong, Souveneir....Back Home :-|

DAY 1 -

We arrived in Singapore a little before 10AM. We called our hotel to confirm our arrival (free phones are available at the airport - there are no charges really!!). We then rode the Airport Shuttle for 9SGD per pax, which made us feel like real tourists (not backpackers on a tight budget...haha) as it  brings us directly to our hotel.

We checked in, walked outside for awhile, saw the Burlington Square and had our lunch at Burger King :p Then we went back to our hotel for a short nap (as we lack sleep due to our early flight). We went out again around 4PM, where the sightseeing on the first day began.

THE MERLION

MERLION by DAY

MERLION by NIGHT

THE MARINA BAY

ESPLANADE MALL

Before we went home, we had our dinner in Thai Express, at Marina Square. Our transportation for Day 1 was all by bus. It was faster (compared to the Philippines) but of course still slower than MRTs. Price is cheaper though, at approximately 2SGD back and forth to Fullerton.

DAY 2 - SENTOSA ISLAND

After having our breakfast, we went straight to the MRT Station and rode to Vivo City Mall to head on to Sentosa Island. We were supposed to ride the cable car to Sentosa but we were quite lost looking for its entrance in Vivo City. When we went out in one of its doors we saw the way to Sentosa. Little did we know that it's already the Sentosa Walkway. It was a bit far (roughly more than a kilometer or 15min walk) but there are walkalators and this will cost you nothing - only the 1SGD entrance to Sentosa Island.

There are three ways to get around Sentosa Island - by the Monorail, by Tram and by Bus. The Bus and Tram usually has a longer line but allows you to look around as you pass around the road whereas the Monorail gives you only a top view of the island.

We first took the monorail, got off in Beach Island and had our lunch at Kofu Foodcourt. Surprisingly, not all food is expensive. You can have a lunch somewhere between 4SGD to 8SGD. We even saw a store selling Black Pepper Crab for only 7++SGD, and we're so excited! Unfortunately, the crab is not available. :( So I had my wanton noodle instead, big enough to stuff me for the day.

We weren't really planning to take the rides except for the Cable Car which is worth 26SGD for a back and forth ride to Mt. Faber so we did not get the Day Play Pass. We were also thinking that we might lack time to fully enjoy the day play pass. But as we were going through one of the brochures, we saw the Noon Pass (44SGD) and immediately bought one. This pass entitles a person to choose 4 rides from the ff:

Fort Siloso  - $5

Flying Trapeze   -$10

Sentosa Cineblast  -$18

Tiger Sky Tower  -$15

Desperados in 3D   -$14

Sentosa 4D Magix  -$18

The Merlion  -$8

Butterfly Park & Insect Kingdom  -$16

Cable Car  -$26

Bi-pedal Cycle  -$12

Images of Singapore   -$10

Segway Fun Ride  -$12

Sentosa Nature Discovery   -$8

Maritime Experiential Museum & Aquarium   -$11

The Skyline Luge    -$12.50

(List down based on brouchure)

We chose and tried The Skyline Luge (something where one ride is definitely not enough!), the 4D Magix which featured the Pirates in 4D (I really enjoyed this one), the Tigar Sky Tower (just a 360 degree view of Sentosa from the top, and something I realized is a little repetitive for the cable car) and of course the Cable Car. I think the noon pass is worth it since we would have paid more if we bought each ride individually.

We had our merienda at KFC. The taste of their chicken was surprisingly different from here in the Philippines. It was like more peppery. But I loved the cheesy fries - just the normal fries like the ones we have here in Jollibee or McDo with melted cheese and mayo all over topped with these small green leafy stuff.

Because we were insistent on trying out the Black Pepper Crab and as we were strolling down Bencoolen Street we saw this good deal at Taste Restaurant in Ibis Hotel - Choose 3 small dishes for 15SGD

Thus the Chili Crab and the Black Pepper Crab with another dish before we end our day:

DAY3: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE

We rode the Sentosa Express this time, knowing now where it is located. We've already bought our tickets ahead online for 74SGD each so we  need not line up at the ticket counter. We were waiting for the turnstiles to open at exactly 9:00AM. 

Our first ride was the Transformer - it's all I have to ride for me to say my USS ticket is worth it! Fantastic! Amazing! The Revenge of the Mummy was next, it got me scared because there's a part where we're moving backwards and I couldn't see anything --total blackness and there's actual heat from fire. Shrek 3D is a good balance. So is the Waterworld. It was the first time I experienced this kind of show. Audience prepare to get wet! It was really nice, my heart was so happy I felt like a child enjoying an amusement park. We also tried the Canopy Flyer, poor me so afraid me of this somewhat kiddie ride :P And of course, more water in Madagascar: A Crate Adventure and more more water for the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure (good thing we were wearing our ponchos). I did not try the Battlestar Galactica and I wouldn't anytime in the future. It practically took the soul of my friend after her ride (haha!) We also didn't try the Accelerator and the kiddie rides like Treasure Hunter, Enchanted Airways, and Beach Party Go-Round.

There were also a lot of mascots like Puss in Boots, Frankenstein, Kung Fu Panda, and the Madagascar who even performed a dance number for the USS audience.

 

We had our lunch in Mel's Drive In. It was cool, the designs and style made me feel like I was in the U.S. in a real drive-in restaurant. There were even cars parked (displayed) outside. And just  outside too are the Beach Boys performing. Price in this place is a bit higher though, at aroung 11-15 SGD per combo meal.

DAY 4 - BACK TO REALITY

And now....back to reality. :(

Since our flight was scheduled at 2:20PM, we do not have much time to visit Chinatown or Little India or other places in Singapore, but we have more than enough time to pack our things, and go shop for pasalubong and souveneirs in the nearby Bugis Street market. There were lots of stuffs to choose from.
This is what I got:
Sun Glass for SGD10
Bee Cheng Hiang Prawn Rolls and Prawn Crackers for my family, aunts, uncles, and cousins SGD46.50

Shirt for my nephew @4SGD

Shirt for myself @3 for SGD10

Our Cebu Pacific flight back home was late, bumpy (due to the clouds),  but we landed safe and sound in Manila 3 hours after.

And so...back to reality. (How I wish I could just travel and just make money by being a real travel blogger)

OTHER HELPFUL TIPS:

*Because of my experience in HongKong, I learned one lesson - research before you visit a new place, especially the weather. I've read tons of reviews saying that it's a tropical country and you never know when it will rain so it's best to be prepared. But we didn't and it did rain. Good enough we were in USS that time, and there were ponchos for sale at 2SGD

*It's good to visit the USS Website and buy the tickets online. Not only will it free you up from the hassle of lining up to buy your ticket personally, it also allows you to see when are the expected peak and non-peak days so you can better choose on what date to visit.

*It's helpful to study the Bus Lines, because not all Bus Lines will stop at all Bus Stops. You might need to walk farther if you don't plan which Bus Line to ride...but you'll be where you want to be nonetheless.

*You do not need to buy Singapore maps or books. There are a lot of maps, and 'brochures' in Changi Airport and in the hotels that are free and very useful. Some would contain a list of places to visit, the MRT Line, and the Bus Line.