Can't Decide

Can't decide.

Isis Bungalow or Golden Palm at Alona Beach in Panglao Island, Bohol?

Map based from http://jimspears.net/alona/map.htm

Both Isis and Golden Palm quoted me the same price, except that Golden Palm included airport transfers and breakfast, while Isis did not. Cheapskate Chinese would opt for Golden Palm, especially since it has good reviews. But it's not that beach front, unlike Isis which is more beach front. And I want my kiddo to play on the beach. On the sand. On the beach. But I want airport transfers as well. Because also of kiddo. The more comfortable she is, the more comfortable we all are. Haha!

Yes, sometimes I obsess about these small decisions.

With Kids? Here's Uncommon Advice

Travelling with a toddler, they say, is a nightmare.

Well I've travelled with Zoe, rode cars, jeepneys, tricycles, buses, planes, boats, and so far, so good. Zoe has a relatively happy disposition. Give her enough food, enough sleep, and she'll be relatively patient with all the things one goes through while travelling. She's a happy camper, and you just have to really tire her out so she'll be a happy sleeper too. Even at malls, she never threw a tantrum because she wanted something.

Until that last day in Hong Kong.

When we bought her a toy at the airport. And then she wanted to open that toy. Right this very moment. Now na! So there we were, lining up to get into immigration at the Hong Kong airport, and Zoe was bawling. BAWLING. Crying her heart out. No explanation from us could soothe her. She wanted that toy opened, now! We went through the security check area, towards the immigration area, and still she was crying. (We couldn't open the toy though, because the toy had several small and large parts that weren't play-able while walking). I was carrying Zoe that time, and I was seriously rethinking this plan to bring her along for a longer future trip.

So this advice I will share with parents -- Don't buy toys for your kids at the airport. If buying toys, make sure they can easily be played with while on the go. Explanations about patience don't really work too well with two-year olds.

We got home to Manila around 11pm. Zoe was still awake then. You know the first thing she did when she came home? She opened her toy.

Hmm. Some kids never forget.

Walking - the pre-rituals

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to arrive at City Garden Hotel North Point from Hong Kong International Airport.

Since I was trying to save some money, instead of taking the Airport Shuttle from HK Airport to City Garden Hotel North Point, I wanted to take the Airport Express instead. The Airport Bus shuttle would cost $140 one way, a total of $280 roundtrip. The Airport Express, on the other hand, would cost $180 roundtrip, or just $90 one way. From the HK Station I could then take the MTR to Fortress Hill station, at an estimated cost of around $4.40. Total would then be $188.80 via the Airport Express, saving me almost $100 per person! There were 3 of us, so $100x3 = $300 HKD savings! Go!

So there I was googling the "how" of actually trying to walk to City Garden hotel from the MTR station. Based on some travel sites, it's really just a short walk, from 10 to 3 minutes. There was even a site that said it was "just a minute's" walk:

Reading more closely, no one really did describe "how" to walk from the MTR station. Since I've got a two-year old with me and another possibly irritable adult, I didn't want to take the chance of being unprepared and lost. Thank God for GoogleMaps!
Fairly straightforward huh! Looks quite a bit far, but fairly straightforward. But wait...here's another set of directions I got from someone who's already there:

• Take the exit to King's Road
  
• Take the footbridge beside the exit and walk to the end (Market), and down to Electric Road
  
• The hotel is on the toher side and entrance is around the corner

I need to take the footbridge...there's a footbridge??? Aww...we'll see how it goes...

Zoe's Zoobic Subic Trip

Long weekend.

We took the spanking new SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) to Subic, and travel was a breeze! It took us around 3 hours to get to Subic from Cubao. We had stopovers to eat, pick up the folks, and look for some supplies, and Bok always drove within the speed limit! (100 kph). So...potentially travel from Manila to Subic could even be faster! :)



The Return to Grande Island
Bok and I visited Grande Island two years ago as part of his company outing. This weekend, the place was still packed with people going on company outings. I think there were around 2 different companies having day trip activities, while another famous accounting company even spent the night there. Well, Grande Island is conducive for company team building activities. They have a pool, an okay beach, clear waters, dining/ballroom/sleeping facilities -- plus you get to feel you're so far away because you have to board a 15-minute ferry to get there. Hehe.

Zoe Pole Dancing on the Grande Island Ferry

Rough cost: They have aircon hotel rooms that cost a little over 2K and can fit 4 people. (2 double beds). Buffet breakfast is included in the hotel rate. Other meals aren't. But their restaurant does serve delicious food in generous servings. Rough range would be 200-300 per small dish good for 3-4 people. Merienda is a bit expensive -- pasta would cost almost 300 pesos, and a small bottle of mineral water costs 30 pesos. If possible, bring your own drinking water and snacks.

For information on Grande Island, rates, and how to get there, visit their website.

Zoe's verdict: Happy Baby

Zoobic Safari
Zoobic Safari bills itself as the only tiger safari in the Philippines. Like a regular zoo, it has different animals like snakes, goats, deer, rodents, birds, crocs, etc. But the highlight really is the tiger safari -- where you get to ride in an enclosed jeep through the "open" area where they keep their tigers. The catch? When we rode through the 'safari', we spent only about 15 minutes and viewed only 3 tigers. Well, according to the tour guide, only tigers less than a certain age (I think it's 3 years old) are kept in the open safari area....when they get older, they get too wild, and are kept in cages in their "Close Encounters" section.

Hooters

There are areas where animals like ducks, chickens, pigs and goats roam free, so there are petting opportunities for little kids.

Some notes: Not really handicap friendly. Lots of walking, and getting on and off jeeps or vehicles. And notice...there are no lions. Yet. According to our tour guide, the owner wanted to really just concentrate on the tigers...but since people keep on asking where the lions are, eventually the owner just might give in to crowd pressure....

Rough cost: 395 pesos for the tiger and croc package.

For more information, visit Zoobic Safari's website.

****************************
Other areas of interest in Subic:

• Ocean Adventure
• JEST camp
• and a lot of other areas of interest
  

Siem Reap, Cambodia

All Around Pinas

Ok, got this from Monna and also Dennis. There's this site where you can check the places around the Philippines that you've been to, and it rates you as a traveller.

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

My Lakbayan grade is B-!

Well, there are a lot of places I haven't been to. But what's surprising is it seems I haven't even set foot on north eastern Luzon! Hmm...more places to visit soon! :)

Manila and the Days Gone By

An article written last year for a travel writing workshop. Yes, I attended a travel writing workshop. Yes, it was fun. And yes, the title probably sucks. :) But anyway, I'm still sharing this article, which has been described at some point as a bit depressing. Read on. :)

“Intramuros is the Philippine’s Angkor Wat,” declared Carlos Celdran, one of Manila’s celebrated walking tour guides.

Wow, I thought. And my friends and I were wondering where to get money to visit the magnificent stone temples of Angkor Wat in far away Cambodia, when all along there exists stone-walled Intramuros in our beloved Manila.

My friend Jao would’ve loved this tour. She who always wonders why backpackers rarely come to Manila, and concludes that one reason is we don’t have enough “culture” to attract them. Now, here was this flamboyant guide Carlos saying Manila abounded in culture – when once upon a time Manila was the first-world city of Asia, thanks to the Americans – except that the spirit of glorious Manila died when the city was bombed and shredded in the aftermath of World War II, also courtesy of the Americans. So what now, is the real Manila still alive or dead?

As a resident of Manila, I live on its fringes, and rarely come down to visit Intramuros. Intramuros for me was for field trips, for occasional night outs with girlfriends, visiting the WOW Philippines exhibitions, and the occasional wedding. I used to wonder how it would feel for the people who actually live their lives within the Intramuros walls – surely, students who study in the schools around the area must feel more nationalistic when surrounded with the history of the Intramuros walls?

But such it is that we Filipinos rarely live and breathe history. We bemoan our lot, the lack of progress, the corruption of our officials, and we do our best to survive from day to day. Taking care of culture and history is not one of our primary goals. Even government does not prioritize the propagation of pride in our culture. The city of Manila tore down the historical Mehan Gardens, built by the Spaniards in 1858, to make way for a city college so more Filipinos could go abroad and earn a living.

"Before you can change how Manila looks, you have to change first how you look at Manila." For a few hours, Carlos Celdran takes you on a quick tour of the history of the Philippines, from the nipa huts of the pre-Spanish period, to the arrival of the Spanish, their importation of the stones used to build Intramuros, to the American colonization and to the aftermath of the Japanese occupation and WWII. And throughout that time, safe in the confines of what is now the Philippine’s oldest church, you are treated to a vision of how Manila was in those times. Your view of Manila changes. Yes, Manila has a soul. Yes, Manila has history, and she is alive and well for it.

Pride swells at such a thought. For a few brief moments, I am proud of my city. But at the same time, thinking of Celdran’s description of the ruin of Manila after World War II, I am sad too. It seems we never have risen from that fall, we have never regained our former glory. A few days later, eating at one of the little carinderias lined up along the Intramuros walls, I gather my thoughts. Yes, Intramuros may be steeped in history, but it is a history we choose to forget. Most of Intramuros has been reconstructed (San Agustin Church is the only authentic building still standing), and though we do try to evoke the beauty and mystery of Manila during the Spanish period, we can only look at Manila through rose-colored eyes for a few brief moments at a time. After a while, the intrusions of real life distract you -- from the abandoned warehouses within the fringes of the Intramuros walls, to the poorly maintained roads and the squalor of some of the houses just a few blocks from the grandiosity and romanticism of Manila Cathedral and San Agustin.

I can change the way I look at Manila, but I cannot turn a blind eye towards its other aspects. Manila lives and breathes, at times beautiful, at times frustrating. For what it’s worth, Celdran’s walking tour seeks to open us up to another aspect of Manila, and helps us see the history beneath the city from the vantage point of Intramuros. Intramuros then, is a temple that enshrines the history of what Manila had been. For this view alone, the tour is well worth its price.

*** Take Carlos Celdran's walking tours and see Manila in a different light. Check out his blog at this link.

Manila - Frankenstein but Home

"...Frankenstein explains the city's visual style as well as its strength and resilience...Improvisation and cheerfully making do characterize the Filipino attitude toward poverty.

That poverty may be ubiquitous, but so is the energy. Teeming, corrugated-iron slums surround decaying Art Deco mansions. Lush bougainvilleas peek from behind high stone walls trimmed with barbed wire. Chapels hear confession in the middle of decadent shopping malls, and hand-painted billboards advertising movies like Brazen Women overlook vendors touting T-shirts that read JESUS OF NAZARETH. At stoplights, peddlers tap on your window proffering newspapers and Marlboro Reds, while children wave garish feather dusters and delicate lace handkerchiefs. And wherever you go, there is music, in the endless strips of "videoke" lounges, pouring forth from bars and clubs, and in the broken strains of a busker's ukulele. "

Thus Lara Day describes Manila in her article "The Bold and the Beautiful"*, featured in the May 7 issue of Time Magazine (Asia).

The article evokes mixed emotions for me. Pride, in having Manila featured somewhere. Sadness, disagreement, and yet in some parts, a rapid nodding of the head in concurrence, especially to that part regarding videoke. Heck, you can be in the middle of the remotest barrio in the country and still hear someone singing videoke. But still. The article describes Manila as hard to categorize -- there's no such thing as distinctly "Filipino", unlike Bangkok that has its temples, or Mumbai with its saris and spices. Instead, we have a Manila that is a mix of everything -- Frankenstein as the author describes it. Colorful, bold, but Frankenstein. And the beauty, as the author sees it, is not from that mish-mash of culture, nor from its people, but in the little things she struggles to see.

* Read the full article here.

Bantayan Island

After relaxing Malapascua Island, we proceeded to Bantayan Island for the second part of our vacation.

Bantayan is four hours away from Cebu City. The island itself is composed of 3 municipalities -- Sta. Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos on the northern tip. It is supposedly the "Egg Basket" of Cebu since it generates over one and a half million eggs a day to supply the growing demand of eggs for mainland Cebu, Negros, Panay and even Leyte.

Getting There

To get to Bantayan Island, take the bus bound for Hagnaya from Cebu's Northern Bus Terminal. There are also non-stop aircon buses. Buses leave hourly.

In our case, we were travelling from Malapascua (in Cebu Island's northern most tip) to Bantayan. From Malapascua island, one can actually hire a boat straight to Bantayan Island. That costs around P1800-P3000 per boat, depending on the size of the boat.

Since we were only two people, we opted to ride the boat back to the town of Maya, from where we can take the bus back to Hagnaya. But, since the bus at Maya was to leave a lot later then we thought, we rode a habal-habal (for-hire motorcycle) back to the town of Daang Bantayan, where we boarded the Cebu City-bound bus. We asked the bus conductor to drop us off at a place called Don Pedro, where one can either take the tricycle to the Hagnayan Wharf (P20 per head, P100 for the whole tricycle), or wait for the bus bound for Hagnaya Wharf.

At the Hagnaya Wharf, there are fast craft boats and roro ferries that travel to Bantayan Island. Fare is P134.50. Expect to pay around P5 for the terminal fee. And expect to be harassed by ferry barkers.


Accommodations


There are a lot of places you can stay in Bantayan. Some of the most pricey ones are Sta. Fe Beach Club and Ogtong Cave. Most accommodations are cottage-type. We had an aircon cottage. Try Kota Beach Resort or Budyong Resort beside it. Another famous one seems to be Sugar Beach. You can also opt to pitch a tent on the beach.


Things To Do


Like most beach towns, you can hire a boat and go snorkelling. Or you can walk along the whole beach area, from Ogtong Caves to the Bantayan Pier, and maybe even to the Sta. Fe Beach Club. You can try some overpriced seafood dining at White Sand Seafood Restaurant, where the view is nice. It seems though that the wind really picks up at night, so it's a bit hard to sip your sinigang when the wind is blowing the soup all over the place. There are also some species of birds that you don't normally see around Manila.


The sand bars are perfect for some skimboarding. You can fly kites, chase small crabs, play habulan, or just laze around the beach front. The tide usually rises around noon time, so it's actually more fun to swim around then. If you wait till sunset, the sandbars become more prominent, and you can walk for miles in shallow water.


Ride a tricycle or multi-cab (smaller than a jeep) into the town proper of Bantayan to visit the Bantayan Market and the 400+ year old Bantayan Church. You can buy lots of dried squid, fish tocino and dried fish (danggit) in Bantayan Market. This is only around 30 minutes away from the Sta. Fe beaches. If you have more time, you can hop on a multi-cab to the town of Madridejos, and check out their board walk.

*** More pictures here: Multiply***

Malapascua Island

5 months pregnant.

But according to this book I got, it's the perfect time to travel! So travel we did -- to Malapascua Island in Cebu. The sand was white. The waters blue. The pace idyllic. A perfect place to slow down and relax.




Getting There

Malapascua is around 4 hours away from Cebu City. Take the bus bound for the town of Maya in Cebu's Northern Bus Terminal. Buses leave hourly, from 5AM til before lunch. Fare is around P60 for the non-aircon bus. Sit on the driver's side of the bus if you want to avoid the morning sun. Sit on the other side if you want to catch views of the ocean.

Once in Maya, walk past the gas station to the boat docking area. Boat fare is P40 for the almost-1 hour ride. Expect to get your feet wet. The boat will land directly on the beach front of Cocobana Beach Resort.


Accommodations

There are available accommodations, from aircon to fan rooms. Cocobana Beach Resort is owned by this friendly Swiss guy named Freddy. Non-aircon beachfront rooms (with 2 double beds) can cost PHP 1700 a night. On the far left side of the beach lies the Blue Coral resort, where non-aircon rooms cost PHP 500 a night. There are plenty of other accommodations around the island.




Things To Do

Eat. Sleep. Laze around. Island hop. Snorkel. Dive. There are dive shops that organize dive trips and rent out dive gear. Just chill out. Almost all of the resorts have their own restos/bars. Of course, it's not as lively as Boracay, but if you want beer, you can find beer. Take note though that the island runs on electricity only from 6pm-12 midnight. Beyond those hours, generators provide electric comforts. Restos usually close at 10pm.



Try Ging Ging's Eatery and Flower Garden if you're hungry. Prices here are relatively cheaper as compared to food from the other resorts. Ging Ging's can be found somewhere in the back alleys near Cocobana. Also, don't miss dining at La Dolce Vita, an Italian restaurant with a spectacular view of the sunset. There are signs leading to La Doce Vita -- just go near to the end of the beach. There's a shortcut from Blue Water resort. La Dolce Vita is located near the Maldito resort. If you're confused, try this Malapascua map.

You can also visit the barrio/town proper, which is just a short walk away from the beach front. Or if you're really energetic, you can visit the lighthouse near the northern tip of the island. Obviously, Bok was not energetic. Hehe. I had to practically drag him around, and beg him to let me snorkel. (But to be fair, he was only concerned about my health.) Hiring a boat for snorkeling/going around the island can cost P600 a boat. Add around P100 for snorkel gear rental. You can also have a massage/hilot -- a massage can cost P300, and they have "official" masseuses (dressed in yellow shirts) roaming around.


I therefore conclude...



After 3 days and 2 nights in Malapascua, and despite Bok always scowling, we both actually enjoyed our vacation. And what are some things we learned here?

• Buy a tripod. It's really very very hard to take night shots without a tripod or without a table that will act like a tripod.
• Pregnant women float funny.
• Don't take your room key home with you!
• It's great to relax and enjoy the quietness of just being there.

** More pictures at my Multiply site.

Bok and the Crocodile (A Tale from Davao)

Bok and a baby croc at the Davao Crocodile Farm

I'm actually cleaning up some of the picture files I have on the computer, and it just occurred to me that I haven't shared anything yet from our Davao trip two months ago. Yeah, yeah, I'm a delinquent blogger. :)

So for those of you planning to go to Davao, go! There are a lot of interesting sights to see, from the Davao Crocodile Farm to the Philippine Eagle Farm to the relaxing beaches of Samal Island. You can ride non-aircon taxis around the city without getting bothered by air pollution. The city has top notch restos and coffee houses, and it seems everything is accessible. Don't forget to try the Durian Coffee! And if you have more time, you can even go whitewater rafting!

We spent 3-4 days in Davao, mainly to attend our college friend's wedding. We stayed at We R Inn, just across from the Gaisano Mall.

For pictures, check out these links:
Day 1: Philippine Eagle Farm
Day 2: Davao Crocodile Farm & Butterfly Park (insert whitewater rafting here)
Day 3: Samal Island



And special thanks to Bok's Davao Frisbee Friends :)

Dried Fruits

Dried Fruit Vendor at Xian's Beiyuan Men Islamic Street (Xian, China)

In truth, I have never really seen this much dried fruit before. Dried apricots, dried cherry tomatoes, dried prunes, dried everything! They even had dried mangoes, which I didn't taste because I still believe Manila's mangoes are the best (home pride syempre!). The dried fruits I did taste were sweet. We even bought some dried cherry tomatoes to munch on. Yum!

Which Way?

The journey started out with hope, and ended with the tale of the Harvard MBA and the fisherman. In our version, like the tale, the fisherman wins hands down. Why live to work when your end goal really is to sustain a relaxed life, taking siestas and enjoying drinks with friends?

So which way is the right way? Then again, the advantage of being older is realizing that there really is no right way, and it is up to your convictions to stand by your own decisions about your own life.

And the truth is, most of the time, I do enjoy what I'm doing.

It's just a struggle sometimes to fit that in with everyone's expectations, especially in a world that will judge you based on your so-called achievements. The joy of being proud of your work is tempered with the realization that sometimes those things do not matter, and oftentimes "talk" and "politics" will get you anywhere, faster. In my experience, nice guys finish last, but that doesn't mean you don't have to be nice. My end goal is not to finish first anyway. It's to finish with dignity. And to do it. My own way.

Another View

"Yet for me the first great joy of traveling is simply the luxury of leaving all my beliefs and certainties at home, and seeing everything I thought I knew in a different light, and from a crooked angle."

-- Pico Iyer, "Why We Travel"

Companion piece: Lala's Blog

My Almost-Diving Trip

One rainy day we decided to go to Dumaguete, the "land of the gentle people", as they call it. We had our itinerary -- the first day would be the city tour (Siliman U!); the next day we'd go diving at Apo Island Nature Reserve, one of the most beautiful dive sites around; the third day we'd go dolphin and whale watching at nearby Bais City; and the last day we'll just laze around.

Well, you know what happens to well-laid plans ... they either get done or they don't, and something else about mice and men. So here are some pictures of Apo Island, where we snorkled. Well to be fair, the snorkeling grounds had beautiful corals and big fishes, that will entrance you and make you forget that you are swimming against the big waves of the rainy season. But still...since I wouldn't be diving again till next year, maybe I should've gone ahead and dived. :)

In any case, we had fun viewing the beautiful corals, and the fun is what matters sometimes.

More pictures about Dumaguete on the next post.

Batanes and Other Destinations

One of my friends from our hiking club attended a summer photography workshop, which included a trip to the Batanes Islands, one of my dream destinations. So kahit sa photos man lang, I hope to imbibe the essence of Batanes. Haha. Catch their Batanes photo exhibit at the Rockwell Powerplant Mall this weekend.

Buko King

He guards the Tigbao hanging bridge at the town of Loboc in Bohol.

Or rather, he sits by the foot of the bridge and will husk a coconut with his teeth for a "donation". Apparently, he's also almost famous, with home videos taken by tourists posted at Google, and mentioned several times by several people travelling in Bohol. His teeth must be a dentist's dream! Haha.

Meet Buko King. (As made famous by a noontime show's segment on weird pinoy talents)

First, he'll tap the coconut on the floor...

The he tears the husk to pieces with his bare teeth...

a happy Buko King

Bohol, Part II

Other Bohol pictures at my and jao's fotopic sites.

O diba parang bored na bored yung tarsier? Tapos ito pa, picture from jao. Diba ang cute cute nila? Hehe.

O, napaka-articulate ng post ko. Nakakainis. Ano ba ang mga gusto kong sabihin? Marami.

• Ulan ng ulan ngayon sa Manila.
• Nag-dive kami sa bohol, sa may Balicasag Island
• Nag-stay kami sa may Alona Beach, kung saan pino at maputi ang buhangin. Tumira kami sa Bohol Diver's Lodge, na 800 pesos bawat gabi ang isang standard room
• Walang murang pagkain sa Alona Beach. Wala. W-A-L-A. Maliban na lang siguro sa 20-pesos na BBQ. E binebenta nga ng 150 pesos yung bote ng gin dun sa sari sari store na malayo na sa beach front eh.
• Nag-Bohol din pala ako last year. At July din ha. Hanapin nyo na lang dito yung mga interesting things to see in Bohol.
• Last year, nag-PALakbayan kami, yung promo ng Philippine Airlines na package na ang airfare at accommodations. Ngayon, nag-Cebu Pacific promo kami, lumalabas na 3K para sa roundtrip airfare. Idagdag ang 1K na binayad namin tig-isa para sa apat na gabing accommodation, at panalo diba!
• Syempre hwag lang bibilangin ang mga ginastos sa pagkain, sa paglibot libot, at sa pag-dive. Haha
• Magba-bike at ATV sana kami para ilibot ang Panglao Island, ngunit nagkulang ang mga mountain bike na available. Note to self: matuto mag-motorbike. O magsama ng marunong mag-motorbike.
• Syempre di ako makatiis. Ito yung itinerary namin nung nandun kami:
  

  Day 1: Plane arrives. Look for place to stay. You can opt to stay at Tagbilaran City itself (there are many accommodations in the city), or you can stay at any of the resorts in Panglao Island. There are numerous beaches in the island, we opted to stay at the Alona Beach area. If you have more time maybe you can stay at Balicasag or Pamilican Islands. For honeymooners, Panglao Island Nature Resort on the other side of Panglao Island would be perfect. And for party people, you can look into Bohol Beach Club, among others.

  Day 2: Tagbilaran City tour. Hire a car or van and visit Hinagdanan Cave (on Panglao Island), Blood Compact Site (in the city), Baclayon Church (and museum) and the Chocolate Hills. Have buffet lunch on the Loboc River Cruise, and then go ahead and take a picture of the tarsiers kept near the Loboc Church. On the way towards Chocolate Hills, stop by the Man Made Forest in Bilar town. Take a picture of the different churches of the different towns you'll pass through. Pass by the Hanging Bridge. If you have more time, visit Prony the giant python at Alburqueque. Prony eats only virgin pigs. Most of the sites have "by donation" entrance fees.
  

  Day 3: Whale watching (if possible). Unfortunately the rainy months bring upon strong waves which for some reason the whales shy away from. In other words, there are very few whale or dolphin sightings during this time. So go diving instead. Balicasag Island has beautiful dive sites. And if you can't dive? Go snorkelling.

  Day 4: Swim. Eat. Bum Around. Go to Tagbilaran City to visit the malls and do pasalubong shopping. We went to the Island Mall where we spent the afternoon. Actually we planned to go biking around Panglao Island to visit the different beaches, but that didn't pan out. So went shopping instead. Bus fare from Panglao Island to Tagbilaran is 20 pesos. From Alona Beach, just head out towards Rona's Corner Store. Mini-buses and jeeps usually pass this way. It will be a bit of a long and bumpy ride however.
  

  Day 5: Eat hearty breakfast. Pack stuff. Head home.

The Adventurer's Handbook

When it rains, it pours. Meaning, sometimes, you get what you need just when you need it. So to spread a bit of goodwill, I'd like to share one of the fun books I've read, with the hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I have.


The Adventurer's Handbook
by Mick Conefrey
published March 2006

This was one of those "impulse" buy books...those books you don't really look for, and don't really plan on buying.

At that time, I was in a bookstore looking for a slim light-weight book to buy so I can kill time while waiting for a flight. But as I was browsing through the bookstore, I came across this book and got intrigued by the title. Surely, it would be one of those boring self-help books ("life lessons" nga). But the magic word ("adventure") was there, so I gingerly took the book from the shelf and browsed through the pages.

The book is a collection of different anecdotes and stories from the glory days of Exploration. As Amazon.com describes the book, it is "a powerful punch of self-help, how-to, popular history, and humor....Mick Conefrey takes a new look at the larger-than-life tales of many famous American and European adventurers." The descriptions of the adventures are funny (and factual), there is tongue-in-cheek humor there, plus real life lessons on forming teams and planning ahead. What caught my attention then was the section on the difficulties that women explorers then encountered with regards to attire...how difficult would it be to hike up Everest in a skirt? There are numerous other anecdotes about explorations to the Antarctic, the numerous failed Everest expeditions, expeditions through the Sahara and the Australian desert. These are funny, insightful, and bite-sized stories that you can read and come back to again and again.

When In Montalban

visit venue92 bar
** drinks, food, bands, stand-up comedians

Venue92 is located near Roosevelt Highschool in Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal. From Cubao, take an FX going to Montalban and ask the driver to drop you off at the "highway" (The landmark would be a Mercury Drug store on the right side, and a BPI Family Bank across the street.) Then take a tricycle and tell the driver to drop you off at "venue92". If they tell you they do not know, then tell them "sa roosevelt high school". Venue is located at the corner.