Words by Dumbledore and More

I'm a late bloomer for Harry Potter, I know. Well, I never thought I'd be engrossed in reading this series. But I was. Maybe because somehow I was brought into a magical world, away from all the stress of reality. (Though I'm still far from being a fanatic.) And yet, there are very nice quotes from the headmaster and others that are very much applicable to reality. Below are my top 10 favorites:

"The trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them." - Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

"Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself." - Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

"The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution."
- Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." -Sirius, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

"Curiosity is not a sin, but we should exercise caution with our curiosity..." - Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

"Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery." - Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

"We are only as strong as we are united, and as weak as we are divided." - Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

"Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open." -Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire


"No good sittin' worryin' about it, what's comin' will come, an' we'll meet it when it does." - Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

KY in Korea

With Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare Promo, I was again able to travel out of the country. This time, to one of the most popular countries to visit in Asia - South Korea. With the promo, and a lot of patience, we got our airfare ticket for only 5,361.55 PHP per person.

Being on a budget, we had to look for an inexpensive place where we can stay for 5 nights. Friends have recommended guesthouses. On top of my selection criteria is the location, the price, and a private CR. As I was doing my search, most of the guesthouses are around the same price - affordable enough, but our problem was the common CR. With more patience, I was able to find one in the heart of Seoul - Kimchee Myeongdong Guesthouse. At 55,000 KRW per night for a Double Private Room (good for 2), we were able to book 5 nights for only 275,000 KRW, without any deposit! We just had to pay in cash upon arrival. The room is quite small, but it was clean and good enough for a night's rest. The CR was also small, but each room has its own private CR and that's what matters to us. There are times when we would hear sounds from the other room, but these didn't bother us once we fell asleep. The staff Martin was also very friendly. He would always greet us in the morning before we go on our trip, and at night when we come back. He's always joyful and excited to see us. We were just very tired each night that we regret not having enough conversations with him. As for the location, the place is just a 3-minute walk away from the Seoul Subway Euljiro 3-ga Station (with Green Line 2 and Orange Line 3) so it's very accessible.


ITINERARY:
DAY 1- Departure from Manila/Arrival in South Korea 
Arriving at past 9:00 PM in Incheon Airport, we had to travel for about an hour to Myeongdong, Seoul. There are actually 2 ways to reach our guesthouse - via the AREX (Airport Rail Express) or the Airport Limousine Bus 6015. We chose the latter which cost us 10,000 KRW per person. We got down at bus stop Euljiro Ib-gu, which was around a 10-minute walk to our guesthouse. It has a sign out front so it's not that hard to look for the place, though the GPS helped us too.

DAY 2 - Everland 
The Everland is by far the largest outdoor theme park I've been to (Note: I've only gone to PH theme parks, Sentosa, USS, HK Disneyland, and HK Ocean Park). The entrance ticket is at 35,000 KRW for foreigners. The price is higher for the locals! There were a lot of rides, a lot of garden and flowers, and places to eat. There's also a mini-zoo and we even got to feed those colorful birds!

DAY 3 - Nami Island; Lotte World
Nami Island entrance is at 8,000 KRW. The place became famous (I think) because of the Korean series Winter Sonata. Though I haven't watch the series and can't exactly relate to specific spots where love was shot, I definitely loved the place! If we would have come just a little later (like a month after), then the leaves would probably be more colorful. There are spots in the island that's so serene. There are spots full of activities. There are so many things to do in the island, and lots of choices for food too.
If you plan to visit Nami Island (and it's highly recommended that you do), it's best to leave early in the morning as there are a lot of people visiting the place and it may get crowded. The train ride is around 2-3 hours from Myeongdong. And the ferry is just around 5-10 minutes.

We stayed in the island until 4p.m. and got back to the city around 7p.m. Just to be able to say that we've been to Lotte World, we dropped by at around 8:00p.m. We got a huge discount as the prices go down the later you come. First discount is at 4:00p.m., and next is at 7:00p.m. we only paid 18,000 KRW for ride-all-you-can. This themepark as an indoor one, located inside Lotte Mall. It's like Story Land here in Manila, only bigger, wilder, and more fun.

DAY 4 - Seoul City Tour via Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
The Seoul City Tour Bus, operating from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, is a great way to tour around the city of Seoul. There are actually 4 kind of tours - the Downtown Tour, Palace Tour, and two Night Tours. Price differs for each of the tours. We took the Downtown Tour, priced at 12,000 KRW which stops on the ff:
Gwanghwamun Gate --> Deoksugung Palace --> Namdaemun Market --> Seoul Station --> USO --> Yongsan Station --> National Museum of Korea --> War Memorial of Korea --> US Army Youngsan Base --> Itaewon --> Crown Hotel --> Myeongdong --> Namsangol Traditional Korean Village --> Grand Ambassador Hotel --> National Theater --> Namsan Seoul Tower --> Hyatt Hotel --> Shilla Hotel --> Dongdaemun Market --> Daehangno --> Changgyungung --> Changdeokgung --> Insadong --> ChongWaDae --> National Folk Museum of Korea --> Gyeongbokgung Palace --> Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

We only hopped off at certain spots due to time constraint. If you would really want to visit all these places and spend some time in each place, it is suggested that you get the 2-day ticket.

More than the ability to go through many places in a day or two, the bus includes a record for each seat that narrates something about the next stop. It even comes in different languages. Hop-On Hop-Off tickets are available at Gwanghwamun Station (in front of the police station).

DAY 5 - Suwon City; Gyeongbokgung Palace, Dongdaemun Market
Suwon city is my personal favorite. Though Suwon City is an hour of train ride, it's all worth it! This was a very peaceful, relaxing and happy place. We went inside Hwaseong Haenggung Palace and paid 1,500KRW. We also visited the Hwaseong Fortress (which is like a mini great wall). We even took a rest at one hut that overlooks the city.

Because we were not able to arrive on time at Gyeongbokgung Palace the previous day, and because it's a must to visit at least one palace, we headed to Gyeongbokgung  station after our day at Suwon. As we weren't too tired for the day, we proceeded to Dongdaemun Market to shop a little for our pasalubong.

DAY 6 - Shop for pasalubong at Myeongdong 
Day 6 went by a little fast as it's time to go back to Manila in the evening. :( The check-out time was at 12noon, but since our flight is still at night, we checked out earlier than the said time, and left our packed baggage at the lobby before we head off to Myeongdong. We spent the day mostly wrapping up our pasalubong.

FOOD:

The food in Korea is really delicious. It's healthy, and at the same time yummy. Most of the Korean restaurants however are in Korean so I can't share the names here as I was not able to take them down. We also tried fast food - and my travel buddy loved the KFC there. It's really crispy and fresh, and huge! You don't even need a gravy (they actually don't have it) to enjoy you finger lickin' good chicken.

Below are some pics of the food we ate:
The Galbi and Bibimbap are really a must try.

SHOPPING / GIFTS / PASALUBONG
There are lost of stuffs to buy in Korea. They have products for the skin everywhere! Plus, there's always a freebie whenever you buy something.
Myeongdong, Itaewon, Namdaemum, Dongdaemun, and Insadong.
For our pasalubong to officemates, family, and relatives, we bought the ff:
Nature Republic Hand Sanitizer (in various scents) at 2,000 KRW each
Pepero Snacks at 1,000 KRW each
Chewable and Gummy Candies at 500-700 KRW each
Shirts with Korean prints at 4,000 KRW each

For my personal shopping, I got a pair of grey boots worth 38,000 KRW. It's not really very cheap, but I liked the style. I really loved all the styles of shoes in Korea. Why can't we have them here in the Philippines? :s

FINDING MY SOUL IN SEOUL
It really felt like I found my soul in Seoul.
I love that Korea is a very successful country (the home of Samsung and LG Technology) and yet it remains in tune with its culture. There were many free performances - dances, taekwondo, changing of the guards, at most of the tourist spots. There are even places where you can see the youth practicing these willingly.
I love that couples in Korea are very proud to proclaim their love. Couples usually wear what is called a couple shirt. But it's not just the shirt. We saw one couple who wears the same....everything! From head to toe, one can't deny they are a couple. Guys hold their ladies and appear very proud to have them.
I love the  Subway train song. It always lifts up my spirit. How I wish I can ride the Seoul Subway to work everyday! Haha. And so I just downloaded the MP3 so I can listen to it and still feel like I'm in Korea.
I love how Koreans dress - kids, teens, adults, including the elederly are clothed in their own trends. It's not the fact that they all look fashionable, for me it's actually more of how confident they look with whatever it is they are wearing. And people don't care! The public won't stare if you wear a neon colored pants, if you wear boots on an ordinary day, or if you wear rubber shoes with your slacks! And more than confidence, they look so comfortable.
I love the friendliness in the air. No, they are not like Filipinos who may give you a smile all the time, they don't. But they talk to you. Out of nowhere, someone will just ask us where are we from, what are we there for, where are we staying, always wanting to make conversations. Someone even asked us out for a drink (though that didn't sound that good :s)
I love the Incheon Airport - it's so huge, and bright, and clean. But I hated the feeling I got when I was last there - the feeling that I was about to lose a part of my soul as I was leaving the place. :(

Seoul, Korea is a must-visit city, country. I haven't been to many places but like many (if not all) of my friends, I also fell in love with Korea. I know you will too!

Note:
Because there are so many blogs and sites available for the specifics of the places we've visited, I didn't elaborate on each. You may visit the ff. for more details (most helpful sites for me):
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/intro.html
http://www.wanderrgirl.com/2012/11/how-to-get-a-korean-visa-for-filipinos
http://www.chyngreyes.com/2012/10/south-korea-visa-application-aprub.html

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Summary & Reflection:
A story that begins with the end; A fiction that cuts through the heart - The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a story about Eddie's journey to heaven, as he meets the five people that will make him understand his life on earth.

Person 1 - Blue Man
Lesson 1 - "That there are no random acts. That we are all connected. That you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind."
The Blue Man, a sideshow worker at Ruby Pier, was unexpectedly connected to Eddie through one of life's most unfortunate moment - death. The first lesson, as the Blue Man tells, is that we are all connected, that one small act affects another in a totally unexpected manner, and that one story when seen in a different perspective may turn out to have a totally different ending. Reading this, I remember the series Touch, and how this thin red thread connects us all. We just don't realize it, and may never come to know how specifically, but we definitely are connected to each other, even though geographically apart, or even an era apart.

Person 2 - The Captain
Lesson 2 - "Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you're not really losing it. You're only passing it on to someone else."
The Captain - Eddie's Captain when he once served in war, was that one person who saved Eddie's life, not once but twice. The first instance was from a burning hut, and with a bullet shot through his leg - an act with a lifetime effect and memory.  The second instance was from an explosion of a land mine that took the captain's life but saved his men's lives. Both of these remained unknown to Eddie until his death.
Having shared this so, the Captain had no regrets. He wasn't even sorry. The same goes with most sacrifices in life. The true sacrifices are the ones where something is given up for another's benefit without any second thought about what might be lost. Because as the Captain says so, it's not really lost but only passed on.

Person 3 - Ruby

Lesson 3  - "Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves."

Unlike the other people Eddie meets in heaven, Ruby is a person who has not really met Eddie in person while on earth. In fact, she lived in a time before Eddie's own time. Ruby is to whom the Ruby Pier (the pier where Eddie worked) was once dedicated to. Though unknown to each other, they were related and affected by the mere existence of one times ago.  She was the one who teaches Eddie one of the most important lessons in life - letting go of anger, as she showed to him a story of his father that was again unknown to him.
Sometimes, it's easy to let our emotions take over. It's hard to simply contain it, and much harder to simply let go. But sometimes we also have to pause and take a look at how a certain emotion is ruling our life. And then maybe, that's when we'll realize how destructive some of them are, and how it will make life better if we can just let it slip away.

Person 4 - Marguerite

Lesson 4 - "Lost love is still love, Eddie. It takes a different form, that's all."
Marguerite is Eddie's love - his one and only love. And when Marguerite died, Eddie somehow died too. He simply survived but he forgot to live.
They say that 'it's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.' And this is true. A love may be lost to death, to an opportunity, or to someone else. But that's still love. And simply losing it doesn't change that fact.

Person 5 - Tala
Lesson 5 - "Is where you were supposed to be."

Tala was the shadow in the earlier chapters - a shadow that somehow caused Eddie the pain he's carried through life. A shadow, now a person, was just a child who died in the fire, that Eddie tried to save. Tala, a small girl was the one who assures Eddie that while he may have lived his life thinking that life would have been much better somewhere else, he is actually where he is supposed to be - to serve his purpose well - to protect small children and keep them safe, even if he may have missed one during the war.
Many times in our life, we wonder and ask if we are right where we are supposed to be. Sometimes there are regrets, and the question "what could have been" and "if only" surfaces. We may not realize it but sometimes I guess we just have to trust that we are planted right where we can serve our purpose on earth. It may not be the purpose we have in mind, but by simply being where we are and simply doing what we do, we are already serving our life's purpose.

It was actually my second time to read this book. But just the same, I can't help the tears from flowing chapter to chapter, lesson to lesson, as stories once unknown on earth get revealed in heaven.

Makes me think....who could be the five people we'll meet in heaven?

Other Favorite Quotes:

"But all endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time."

"No story sits by itself. Sometimes stories meet at corners and sometimes they cover one another completely, like stones beneath a river."

"But the running boy is inside every man, no matter how old he gets."

"People often belittle the place where they were born. But heaven can be found in the most unlikely corners."

"Each of us was in your life for a reason. You may not have known the reason at that time, and that is what heaven is for. For understanding your life on earth."

"People think of heaven as a paradise garden, a place where they can float in clouds and laze in rivers and mountains. But a scenery without solace is meaningless."

"This is the greatest gift God can give you: to understand what happened in your life. To have it explained. It is the peace you have been searching for."

"Take one story, viewed from two different angles. It is the same day, the same moment, but one angle ends happily, ..., and the other ends badly,..."

"Fairness does not govern life and death. If it did, no good person would ever die young."

"It is because the human spirit knows deep down, that all lives intersect. That death doesn't just take someone, it misses someone else, and in the small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed."

"Strangers are just family you have yet to come to know."

"No life is a waste, the only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone."

"It's the thinking that gets you killed."

"War could bond men like a magnet, but like a magnet it could repel them too."

"In the middle of a big war, you go looking for a small idea to believe in. When you find one, you hold it the way a soldier holds his crucifix when he's praying in a foxhole."

"Time is not what you think. Dying? Not the end of everything. We think it is. But what happened on earth is only the beginning."

"But our eyes are different, what you see ain't what I see."

"Things that happen before you are born still affect you.and people who come before your time affect you as well."

"Silence was his escape, but silence is rarely a refuge."

"Which was worse when left unexplained: a life, or a death?"

"People say they "find" love, as if it were an object hidden by a rock. But love takes many forms, and it is never the same for any man and woman. What people find then is a certain love."

"Life has to end, Love doesn't."

The Devil and Miss Prym

Summary:
The story is set in the town of Viscos, a town so laid back it was almost forgotten by the world. The story began when evil visited Viscos in the person of Carlos, a stranger who himself seeks for answers about Good and Evil. He has experienced Evil himself, and now he has chosen this small town to make a conclusion about what happened in his past. His plan started to be realized when he came upon Miss Prym, a young lady, who has her whole life ahead of her - the only young person remaining in Viscos.

The number of characters in this novel can be counted in your hands. There is the mayor, the mayor's wife, the priest, the hotel landlady, Berta (the old woman), the landowner, the stranger who goes by the name of Carlos (and the epitome of Evil), and Miss Chantal Prym. Each of them plays a significant role in depicting the different motives and desires a person may have, to which they might decide to go with the Devil.

To Chantal Prym was first given the choice, and she's torn between reaching her dreams by doing evil, or being the messenger of death and sin. Or also risking her own life by simply keeping quiet.

Reflection:
Another short novel from Paulo Coelho, this book is a story about the battle between Good and Evil. Starting from the story of St. Savin and Ahab, and going through the story of the man with his horse and dog who went to heaven and hell, Ahab's son buying salt, the story about the death of Berta's husband, the story of the priest, the brief background on firing squads, and the last supper's painting, to the whole plot of the Devil and Miss Prym, we clearly see how evil tries to battle against good in each of us. It may be about our desire for power, authority, wealth, a better future, or freedom.

More than being a book about the battle of good and evil, however, this is actually more about choices. True, each of us is visited by evil at a point in our lives, but it's the choice we make that will conclude how things will end. Most often than not, we neglect to see the ripple effect of that one decision we make to give in to evil.  We are overcome by our desires and we are blinded by what's shining in front of our eyes, that we sometimes decide and act without thinking.

This book is a must read because more than just being about the battle of good and evil, it's about fear, it's about choices, it's about freedom, it's about..... Each one of us.
As was told by the stranger, and Miss Prym thought in the end,
"The story of one person is the story of all humanity."

 My Favorite Quotes:
"In the beginning, there was only a small amount of injustice abroad in the world, but everyone who came afterwards added their portion, always thinking it was very small and unimportant and look where we have ended up today."

"It was all a matter of control. And choice. Nothing more and nothing less."

"So you see, good and evil have the same face, it all depends on when they cross the path of each individual being."

"Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed."

"It isn't the desire to abide by the law that makes everyone behave as society requires, but the fear of punishment. Each of us carries a gallows inside us."

"Perhaps the fight between good and evil is raging all the time in every individual's heart, which is the battleground for all angels and devils; they would fight inch by inch for thousands of millenia in order to gain ground, until one of them finally vanquished the other."

"Man needs what's worst in him in order to achieve what's best in him."

"Words don't matter in the end, let them talk, and life will see to it that they act differently."

"There are two kinds of idiots - those who don,t take action because they have received a threat, and those who think they are taking action because they have issued a threat."

"Because silence does not always mean consent - usually all it meant was that people were incapable of coming up with an immediate response."

"People want to change everything, and at the same time, want it all to remain the same."

"Water: it has no taste, no smell, no color, and yet it is the most important thing in the world."

"Anyone who loves in the expectation of being loved in return is wasting their time."

"You were in paradise, but you didn't recognize it. It's the same with most people in this world, they seek suffering in the most joyous places because they think they are unworthy of happiness."

"She had just realized: there were two things that prevent us from achieving our dreams: believing them to be impossible or seeing those dreams made possible by some sudden turn of the wheel of fortune, when you least expect it."

"Life can seem very long or very short, according to how you live it."

"Fear again, If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid."

"Death often frees us from a lot of senseless suffering."

"Evil would never bring Good, however much they wanted to believe that it would."

Too Dumb to be Happy?

Too dumb to be happy? This just might be the book for you: Happiness for Dummies, refreshed by Coca-Cola

Summary:
Happiness for Dummies is a very thin and small book, much more pocket-able than most pocket books. As the title suggests, it's a book that will teach dummies how to be happy. It gives tips, warnings, and key concepts about happiness.

Chapter 1 explains how Anyone can be Happy, how happiness is a universal emotion, and the resources that can be built by having a positive emotion.

Chapter 2 The Recipe for Happiness, lists the four basic  ingredients  (Safety, Satiation, Perspective and Quietude), and the add-ons (Satisfaction, different kinds of Pleasure, Gratitude, Serenity and Wellbeing).

Chapter 3 is about the Personality Attributes that Lead to Happiness, which are optimism, conscientiousness, engagement, and Being Hardy.

Chapter 4 Behaving your way toward happiness lists down various tips and tactics on how we can start to lead a life of day to day happiness.

Chapter 5 enumerates Ten Ways to be Happy as follows:
1.Live life in the present
2.Put your smile on
3.Choose to be optimistic
4.Laugh out loud
5.Focus on family and friends
6.Realize money doesn't buy happiness
7.Forgive and Forget
8.Help others be happy
9.Don't worry, Be Happy
10.Feed the soul

Reflection:
When I first got hold of the book, I wasn't too excited to read it. Who are they to teach anyone how to be happy anyway? Isn't happiness relative from person to person, situation to situation? It also seemed too light to contain anything worth poring over. But I decided to read it anyway being curious by this additional refreshment from Coca-Cola. And no regrets! You can actually read the whole thing in less than 30 minutes, but I decided to read one chapter a day, careful to digest every tip.

And here are some of my take-away(s):
I need to LINGER more. Currently, I usually have my To Do's laid out weeks or even months before. It doesn't matter how petty it is, like to read a chapter in a book, watch a telenovela , or finish a level in Candy Crush, it has to be done! And most of the time I HURRY, without any time to linger anymore. And this might just be one thing that I missed doing - to linger in a page of a book, to linger as I hang out with friends, to simply linger in the moment.

I also need to be more open to Surprises, Spontaneity  and Serendipity. As we grow and mature, we tend to move towards rituals, plans, and jam-packed schedules. There' s nothing wrong with the latter. It helps us be more organized and orderly. But sometimes we need to balance things. By being more open to the 3S, we open ourselves to more opportunities for happiness.

The ingredients to happiness are also insightful, though I think that Satisfaction and Serenity are more of the main ingredients than is Satiation and Quietude. A person who is not content will always feel that their glass is half empty, and thus will find it hard to be satiated. But if one feels satisfied, he or she is more easily satiated. Though Quietude might be important to gain serenity, it's not always the case. I've always wanted to go out of town to experience quietude, and thus serenity. But even with quietude, I sometimes find it hard to have a serene mind, with all the noise going on inside my head. It might be more efficient to have a serene mind before we go into quietude and be in an appreciative perspective.

How to become happy is actually plain simple common sense. One does not need to be a psychologist to be able to realize what makes them happy. But in the world today where people seem to be more busy on things that make them rich but lonely rather than happy (and where common sense is not so common), this book serves as a great reminder.

Five years ago, I was hapee. But I left as I decide to take on a path that will make me more mature and responsible though I know will surely make that happiness dwindle. Quoting my farewell letter almost 4 years ago, "Hindi naman kailangang lahat ng gagawin natin ay makapagpapasiya sa atin. Dahil ang buhay ay hindi naman tungkol lamang sa pagsasaya."And so I went on with my life with this firm belief. And boy, did I attract too much sadness and loneliness! But now I've realized that though happiness may not be one of life's main purpose, having Happiness in our life not only makes us more productive but makes life itself more worthwhile.

So....after 28 pages, 5 chapters, and a bottle of coca-cola, here I am trying to stir my path back to happiness.

Quotes from Happiness for Dummies:
"The attitudes you have today largely determine how things turn out tomorrow."
"All people have something in their lives they can be thankful for."
"You'll always have the plan. The question is, will you ever have this opportunity again?"
'Helen Keller once wrote, "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us."'
"Learn from the past, hope for the future, but live in the present!"
'Bernard Meltzer said "Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it."'

Cancelled Trip to Kota Kinabalu

Today is the day when we are supposed to fly to Kota Kinabalu.
Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on one's perspectives), the trip has been cancelled.

We have booked our round trip plane ticket at Php 2,061.96, last November 2012, though I couldn't remember what promo of Cebu Pacific it was.

By December and early January, I started to plan our itineraries by reading blogs and reviews, contacting hotels to make a reservation, and posting questions to forums. Initially, we decided to do this trip the backpacker style. So we made a booking for Masada Backpacker through hostel world. They seem to have positive reviews everywhere. We made an initial downpayment of 10.24 EUR or Php 300+.  But then, when we found out that there was only shared bathroom even if we booked for the twin room, we changed our mind and looked for another place to stay (backpaacker daw ha!). I came upon Hotel Eden 54 in the forums, but it was fully booked for our travel dates. I've also reas about City Park Lodge, which we then contacted and were successful at booking a room, without any reservation fees!

As the days passed, and our travel dates come closer, our excitement starts to peak...only to be washed away with fear around two months before this date. There seems to be conflicts on going between Sabah and the Philippines over Sabah island. We then started to check over Twitter for any happenings. There were some cancelled trips too and rumors going on in KK, but nothing seems to be worth the worry. There wasn't really any travel ban. We even had to ask Ces Drilon (who was in Kota Kinabalu that time) if it was safe to travel, and she responded positive. However, on March 12 this year, we received a text and an e-mail from Cebu Pacific notifying us of the changes in our flight schedule.

The original schedule was ETD April 19, 2013 15:25, ETA 17:15. This was changed to April 19, 2013 ETD 23:40, ETA April 20, 2013 01:40. The schedule for going back to Manila was also changed from departure of April 22, 2013 17:50 to April 23, 2013 02:15 AM. We took this as a sign - so we chose the refund option and cancelled the flight. Haha!

But just for reference, this was supposed to be my planned itinerary.

4 Days/3Nights Itinerary for Kota Kinabalu:

Day 1
Arrival at 17:15
Check in at Hotel by 18:00
Dinner @ Filipino Night Market by 19:00

Day 2
Mt. Kinabalu and Poring Hot Springs (08:00 - 17:00)
Rest for an hour
Dinner

Day 3
Visit Gaya Sunday Market (08:00 - 10:00)
Island Hopping to Mamutik and Manukan Island with lunch on the island (10:00 - 15:00)
Rest
Dinner

Day 4
Quick City Tour inclusive of the Floating Mosque, Atkinson Clock Tower, Sabah State Museum, Puh Toh Tze Temple, and the Handicraft Market (08:00 - 12:00)
Lunch
Airport Check-in @ 15:00

My planned expense for the trip is around Php12,000 to Php15,000 per person, budgeted as follows:
Round trip plane ticket, travel taxes, terminal fees 4,000
Accomodation 3,500
Activities including Entrance Fees to Museum and Kinabalu Park, and Island Hopping 2,000
Transportation 1,000
Food 3,000

For the activities, I found these helpful sites:
http://oibtours.com/
http://borneoadventure.com/tour/sabah/
http://www.sabahtourism.com/sabah-malaysian-borneo/en/
Though, these are just mainly for reference. It's still cheaper to do it on your own.

For the meals, I have added Kota Kinabalu Eats in facebook for reference. I also checked out the ff. blogs regarding the best eats in KK:
http://www.ahbing.com/top-15-best-food-at-kota-kinabalu/
http://travelerfolio.com/filipino-night-market-kota-kinabalu/

Though we felt more safe, we're somehow sad that our travel to Kota Kinabalu didn't push through. Well, there's always a next time. I really do hope we can still visit Sabah sometime soon.

Adventures and Misadventures in Ilocos

The Adventure begins...

This trip was booked because my brother and sister-in-law had a membership in RCI (Resort Condominium International). There are certain points that are earned and redeemed via a 1 week stay in hotels that are also members of RCI.

Having always wanted to go to Ilocos, they looked for a hotel member of RCI up north. The hotel that was confirmed available for the travel dates they submitted was Green Nipa Hut Beach Resort.

And so does the Misadventures...

We brought our van (a Mitsubishi Delica) along. 2 hours after leaving Manila, we had our first misadventure - overheat. We paused for a while, refilled the car with water, then went on. After another hour, though, we experience another over heat. This was when we noticed that the radiator hose had a hole. We had to drive by some place in Pampanga, to buy a sealant. My dad did the work. And 13 hours after, we arrived at our destination! - A total of 16 hours on the road! ( Well, that includes an hour of lunch, an hour of dinner, and an hour or two of pause to refil water and gas, plus a 30 minute reroute as we got lost and had to go back =p!)
We reach our supposed-to-be hotel at past 11pm - but as it turned out it became the third and worst misadventure - you can read up on it in Exposed.

And so the adventure continues...
Despite the fact that we've totally lost one whole day on travel, and were almost on the verge of sleeping on the road, these events actually lead to a much more fun trip...Blessing in disguise, ika nga...

Anyway, this is how our 4 days went...

Day 1 - From Manila to Currimao


7:30AM - Depart Manila
11:30PM - Arrival in Currimao
12:00AM - Check in at Playa Tropical Resort



               





Day 2 - Tour in Vigan

7:00AM - Breakfast at Playa Tropical Resort
8:00AM to 12:00PM - Free time for swimming in the pool or at the beach, picture takings =P, Massage, TV, or more sleep! Haha!
1:00PM - Check out at Playa Trocical Resort
1:30PM - 3:00PM - Ride back to Vigan
3:00PM - Late Lunch at Chowking, Vigan
4:00PM - Vigan Church, Kalesa ride to Burgos Museum, St. Augustin Church and Bantay Bell Tower, Pottery, and Kalye Crisologo
6:00PM - Early Dinner at KuboVille
8:00PM to 1:00AM - Ride to Pagudpod
1:30AM - Check-in at Hannah Lou's Homestay

Day 3 - Around Pagudpud

7:00AM - Sari-sariling Breakfast
9:00AM - Saud Beach via Polaris Beach Resort
12:00PM - Checkout at Hannah Lou's Homestay
2:00PM - Picture taking at Patapat Viaduct
2:30PM - Blue Lagoon
5:30PM - Bangui Windmills
7:00PM - Checkin at NorthView Hotel



Day 4 - Tour in Paoay and Batac

10:00AM - Checkout at Northview
11:00AM - Marcos Mausoleum, Shop for pasalubong
11:30AM - Paoay Church
12:00PM - Malacanang of the North
1:45PM - Checkin at the airport for SEAir Flight at 3PM

A Word on the Hotels/ Homestay

Playa Tropical
Barangay Victoria, Currimao, Ilocos Norte

The room we booked is good for 5 persons, which costs Php 3,800. We had to add 2 single beds (priced at Php 600 each) as there's 7 of us. So the total cost is Php 5,000. It's pretty expensive, but the room comes with 2 breakfast, and a 15 minute massage for two persons, plus free use of their swimming pool and facilities.
The breakfast has a number of choices - Tapsilog, Longsilog, Tosilog, Omelette and your choice of coffee, chocolate or tea. And since we got the 2 additional mattress, we were entitled to 2 additional breakfast!

The place was very clean and well maintained. The pool was clean too. They have small nipa huts situated in the middle of a small pond, and you can have your meal there. Other than the rooms, they also have a number of small houses. I was only able to peek at one, it has a sala with TV, and the room/s seem to be upstairs. The only thing I didn't like was the beach at Currimao as the water seemed black, not blue.

You can check out their website at www.playatropicalilocos.com/

Hanalou's Homestay
Pagudpud

Because the plan to stay at Nipa Hut in Currimao was scratched, and for efficiency purposes =P, we decided to book at Pagudpud next day as that's the next in out itinerary. It was like sort of a backpacker style room. I think it costs around 300 per head, but we got the whole room, with 4 large beds (each one good for two persons), at Php 1,800.

It was okay. But it wasn't what we expected. I had no idea what homestays are before. Now I do. Room was not that clean.There were even bits of sand on one of the beds. The aircon wasn't working at first, they had to open a switch somewhere outside to make it work. And the CR was even locked when we got there. And when it was opened, it was dirty, we even had to clean it ourselves.

I couldn't find any website, because it's just a homestay. But I found this ad in olx.com - http://pagudpud.olx.com.ph/cheap-tricycle-for-rent-in-pagudpud-homestay-in-pagudpud-accommodation-in-pagudpud-iid-67197385

Northview Hotel
Laoag City

The room we booked was priced at Php 2,600, with an additional mattress for Php 500, so a total of Php 3,100. The room was clean and big enough. It also has a small pool at the back and a restaurant at the front. We had our dinner here on our Day 3 and they cook good. The room rate also comes with 6 sets of breakfast. There are no choices provided though. We were served a plate of egg, rice, and Iloco longganisa, with 2 slices of yellow watermelon. They also had a do-it-your-own coffee, or you can ask to replace it with Iced Tea instead.

You can check out their website here - www.northviewhotel.com/laoag-city

Since we always check-in late, we always asked for a little bit of extension. They were all very accommodating  They didn't push back to tell us that they're strict with check-in and check-out times as other hotels may have done.

A Word on the Food

Since you're in Ilocos, it's a must to try out Bagnet, Longganisa, Coconut Crab, Puqui-puqui and Empanada. We all did. But because of lack of planning (and the unfortunate events that happened), I believe we were not able to try them out from the best places. Cost of our Coconut Crab is Php350 and Bagnet is around Php250-350.I'm just not sure how many kilos, but it seems to be the standard serving. Our meal expense is normally Php1,000-Php1,500/meal for a group of seven.

It would really pay to do research and plan the whole trip to include the must-try foods in your itinerary.

A Word on the Transport

The ride from our home to Currimao is around 475km. If we were riding at a constant speed of 60km/h, we should reach our destination at about 8 hours. But because of the numerous stops, and being new with the place that we somtimes go at speeds of 40-50km/h, it became almost a 12-hour drive. The fuel consumption was around 80liters, that is around Php 3,000 for a 2.4 engine diesel.

Our first agreement was that we'd trade place as drivers. But  I only took the driver seat when we were already in Ilocos, doing the tour. It was my first time to drive in a provincial setting. Though I was nervous at first, I got the hang of it and realized how fun it is to drive along sort-of-zigzag roads. There was no traffic. The only stops we experienced are due to roads being repaired.

On our way back, we had to go first because of work deadlines (Boooo!) So me and my friend/office mate booked a plane back to Manila via SEAir. It cost us around Php 1,450, as we only booked a week before the travel date. It was my first time to ride in Tiger Airways SEAir. And so, I was kind of nervous. But, other than the slight feeling of swinging side to side before the plane took off, there was nothing during the ride that made me nervous at any rate. The landing was very smooth - much smoother than some Cebu Pacific flights I've had.

Because we brought our van, we didn't have a hard time going from one place to another... even late at night. I haven't seen much public transport so I'm not sure how to commute around Ilocos. There are package tours that could be availed though I think this includes the ride to and from Manila.

I suggest that the ride to Pagudpud be done early. Our drive there quite scared us. It felt like thriller movies, where a group of friends go to a very secluded area...... There weren't much houses along the way, nor are there lights. So the driver couldn't (SHOULDN'T) really drive at very high speeds.

But if there could be tours booked only around Ilocos, that might be the best option. Then take a plane from Manila to Laoag to save time then go down by bus, so you can also enjoy the scenery at dawn.

The Activities

Though there weren't much planning, (and even if we had, it would have been scratched out anyway), we still had fun as our days were filled with activities.

Among them are the Kalesa ride around Vigan city, which is worth Php150/hr. Though an hour of tour won't be enough. We had almost two hours. You can be brought to the pottery, Bantay Bell Tower (where Kampanerang Kuba was shot), Burgos Museum with entrance fee at Php 20/head, Kalye Crisologo. There could have been much more if you won't spend much time on any of the above. I think we spent a big bulk of our time was spent at Burgos Museum. The entrance already includes a tour guide who would explain the artifacts. Two facts that remain clear in my memory: 1- the way they once buried their dead; 2 - their women's culture on dressing up.

In Pagudpud, you can experience a Class A or Class B Boracay (haha!) in Saud Beach. You can enter via Saud Beach Resort and Hotel. I think the entrance there is at Php50/head. We went via the Polaris Beach Resort at Php 20/head. Then, you also had to visit the Patapat Viaduct, Blue Lagoon where Hanah's Resort is located, and Bangui Windmills (all for free).

In Laoag, we visited Marcos Mausoleum (free entrance), the famous Paoay Church, and of course the Malacanang of the North with an entrance fee of Php30/head. The tour here also includes a tour guide who will guide you through the different rooms and different plans/blueprints of Marcos. I admired him more after seeing these, though the thought of him forgetting some rooms (was it the kitchen?) in his house plan was quite ridiculous.


So... that is the summary of our trip to Currimano, Laoag, Vigan and Pagudpud -

It was indeed a very tiring trip, yet a very fruitful one!