caramoan island hopping

***you can also check caramoan at last HERE

caramoan at last

Kuya Ramil picked us up at Lutong Bahay and went to Paniman beach, the jump off point to Caramoan island hopping. The sky was dark and we’re praying hard not to rain and to give us even a little sunshine. Despite the weather Jayjay and I were excited this will be our first island hopping adventure.  Kuya Ramil brought us first to Cotivas Island, it was the farthest and took us around 40 minutes to reach the island. We pass by a mangrove area that serves as a short cut going to Cotivas. There was already one group enjoying the island.

caramoan at last

***you can also check our island hopping adventure HERE

caramoan at last!

After my first moment with cebu pacific we finally arrived at Naga Airport, it was raining and several drivers were offering van transportation going to SM Naga or to Filcab station or directly to Sabang port, I heard one quoting P400 up to Sabang port and the other was P250 up to SM Naga. Since I booked this trip way back in February I had a lot of time to research and found that you can just walk to the airport gates and ride a pedicab for only P10 up to the highway and ride a bus or jeep going to Filcab Terminal just beside SM Naga for only P15 and that’s what we did. From Filcab Terminal there were vans en route to different towns in Camarines Sur, it was just like the van terminals in the malls in Manila there were markers where the van was heading. What worries us was that we might not arrive on time for the last boat going to Caramoan. Fare is P100 per head, we left at 9.30AM and arrived at Sabang port at 11.25AM.

our moment with cebu pacific

killing time

I was able to book a Cebu Pacific Naga flight for me and Jayjay last February during the PTAA travel expo. I was happy that I had a good deal at 50% off then I learned that you can still get a much better deal that 50% off with these airlines seat sale (excited kasi first timer) it was still a good deal, not bad.

boracay with the girls

boracay at last!

I was truly hesitant with this trip. They have been bugging me to go on vacation. Since I’ve discovered my thirst to visit places I do not often think twice, but this one was different, my concern – budget. I do not earn as nice as them and I have a family to support. True that we really need money to go places but I strongly believe that there’s always a way to spend less and save money.

boracay activities

One of the things that excites me about Boracay are the activities that you can enjoy, I’ve read and heard that there are a lot to choose from. Being the sporty me one of the things that I searched when we arrived in Boracay are the activities that I can try, I already noticed the parasails (mukhang mamahalin), speedboats (ekis! Bukod sa mamahalin baka magsuka lang ako) and banana boats (have not tried it yet but with kikay girls chances are 50-50). There are also island hopping tours (pwede pwede), helmet diving (definitely want to try) and ATV (nasa top 3 list to do) to name a few. Several people with laminated pictures approached our group offering tours and activities. 

Le Soleil de Boracay

Le Soleil de Boracay

There are two things that I always consider in accommodation, clean and safe enough for us to sleep and nice staff. When we go places our main goal is to go explore the place and there is no point of spending most of your time inside your room, might as well not travel at all if that’s what you will do. A nice staff will also make your stay more relaxing. You might not have the clean and safe place but if they have the nice staff you may request them to do something about your room. You may have a clean room but rude stuff then you just have to bear and endure that, anyway you will not spend most of your time dealing with them. But if you have bad accommodation with rude stuff well I think you know what to do, look somewhere else haha!

hot and cold in tagaytay

The boys has been doing this for a while taking a road trip going to Tagaytay late at night to sip hot bulalo soup. I want to join them but cannot because of work. That is why when I saw the opportunity to do so I took advantage of it.

After Von’s von voyage party, I asked them who wants to sip hot soup, next thing we know we were on our way to Tagaytay. 

a day at corregidor island

One of my dreams was to visit the places that I only see in books and tv when I was a little school girl. I know that it is a big dream but I'm in no hurry and I'm already ecstatic to go to these places one at a time. I was able to visit one of the most famous landmarks in the Philippines - Corregidor.

dinner cruise at manila bay

sun cruise's dinner by the bay

Manila bay dinner cruise was included in the Sun Cruise’s promo that I was able to get from the travel expo. We decided to join the 4:30-5:45PM cruise, since we arrived from the Corregidor tour at 3:45PM. You may actually use it on different dates but we decided to use it for one day to maximize time and also the tickets were about to expire. 

There were already people waiting in line for the 4:30PM cruise. It was not a buffet dinner, Jayjay and I were joking that they might serve the leftovers from the lunch buffet in Corregidor.

"priceless" fun activities

boys will be boys

Since this was an overnight trip and even if we want to try water activities, we don’t have the budget to do so. So while I was still planning this trip weeks ago I thought of fun games that the boys will surely enjoy. I thought of forcing them to play pinoy henyo and whatever they feel like playing.

I did not tell them this before we left for batangas, some of them might find it corny or boring. I had all the things we needed – scissors, pentel pen, tapes and creative words that will surely make the guessing fun. And I only have one rule – bawal ang KJ!

weekend fun in laiya san juan batangas

laiya san juan batangas

We have been planning an outing since Von arrived for a vacation from his work abroad. As most of the group is under a school boy budget, schedule and location are the major considerations. I got excited and volunteered myself to plan and arrange everything. They thought of an out of town trip specifically a beach where we could enjoy for an overnight stay, budget friendly and a place where I have never been to (oportunista hehe). Laiya San Juan Batangas was the first place that came to my mind. And it normally takes 3-4 hours to reach Batangas.

casa remo apartelle - laiya san juan batangas

I was a little worried about having a place to stay for this trip. It was only a day before when everybody suddenly agreed to push through with this trip. I have been doing research for the past couple of weeks as to where we can stay for an over night trip in San Juan, Batangas. After exchanging lunch breaks to internet breaks I came across 2 resorts that we could possibly stay at - the Kabayan Austria Resort and the Casa Remo Apartelle.  So far we were 8 in the group, Kabayan Austria has these trailer homes that can accommodate 8-10 pax for P4500 while Casa Remo is only for P3600 a night (their rate for off- peak season).

la mesa watershed - a forest in the city

I've learned that the company I'm with now conducts several volunteer work thru the HR department they call it Angel Network. Couple of weeks ago they informed all employees about a tree planting volunteer work and forest trek at the La Mesa watershed. I have never been there and I immediately signed up. (and it was an all-expense-paid trip kaya go!)

BFFs at solomon's paradise

While I was cleaning and arranging my stuff (sa tagalog kalat) I saw our pictures from one of our summer escapades with my BFFs.

It was in 2008 when the four of us decided to take a weekend vacay and since Cha is a native of Pangasinan we decided to explore Bolinao. We have no reservations or any plans for that matter. It was mid-May and I was a little scared that resorts might be full. I was hoping that since it has been a gloomy week people will decide not to take their vacations that weekend.

jayjay's tong yang bday

One thing that we promised ourselves at the start of the year was to try and enjoy new things, go to new places that we've never been to and places we've never eaten at yet.

We cannot afford to go out anytime we want and eat out at our palate's desire and only during special occasions that we have reasons to eat out and jayjay's bday was one of them. I initially planned to go on a buffet lunch and invited my sister and her husband to join us. It's always nice and enjoyable to eat with a big group and with big appetite, not unless you both prefer to dine out in a romantic setting. I told my sister about our plan and she suggested that we try tong yang at Megamall, they offer shabu-shabu and grill during lunch time for only P399 per pax. I immediately agreed as jayjay and I have never tried shabu shabu yet. We meet them in Megamall and their youngest daughter was with them. I was so happy to see her because it has been awhile since the last time I saw her.

enchanted kingdom

"the magic lives on"

                 - enchanted kingdom

I'm not fond of company outings maybe because since I started working years ago the company I've worked for had only 1 company outing (kaya naman pala e). Anyways, I was with a new company now and they have been doing company outing since they started operation. For this year's summer outing, they decided to treat all employees at Enchanted Kingdom. At first I was thinking whether to join or not, good thing 2 of my close friends who were also previous office mates will join. It was also an all-expense paid summer outing - so why not!!!

summer family fun

"always think of the family"

                          - quote from my tita pong

If you're domiciled within the first few towns of the Rizal province and you're on a tight budget but would want to enjoy summer and have quality bonding time with your family, worry no more! There are several cheap and budget-friendly resorts in Binangonan Rizal.

It's been awhile since our whole clan enjoyed a summer vacation, since me and my sister were able to save enough amount to treat our family we decided that now is the best time. And with small amount means near/cheap/can be easily accessed/kid and kids at heart-friendly venue. I remember when I was young that we already used to go to these resorts for a day swim.

cainta at lent

I have lived my whole life in Cainta and have loved everything about it... Cainta is the first municipality in the province of Rizal, I oftentimes joke about it as the foot of the mountain and even if it’s a 1.5-hour drive from Manila (2.5 hours in worst traffic) I always say that I’m from Region 4. There were no beaches nor great historical landmarks that can be associated with it, but the town is rich in colorful traditions...

baguio in a rush

baguio bee!

OLA!!!!! This is how I greet my aunties and uncle upon arriving home hehe… It's been a while I missed this!

Moving on from my dragging March, I am ready to face the world again. One lazy morning (around 7am) after a nonsense, fruitless OT at work, I received a text message from jayjay asking me if I want to join them in Baguio for an overnight stay, he was in Tarlac and they will be leaving at 10am (goodluck kung umabot ako nasa Rizal kaya ako). It was a big mental debate whether or not to join them. Joining them means goodbye attendance bonus, 1 unpaid working day, up for 24 hours already and not in proper attire (my travelling stuff were in Manila) but joining them and meeting his ‘lil sis and mom coupled with bonding time with raquel and diko and with kuya dennis - PRICELESS!... and without batting an eyelash I was all set and already heading to cubao ready to hail the first bus going to Baguio. 

a dragging March

For most Filipinos it was the kick-off for summer, but for me it was a slow, frustrating and a dragging March...

I’m not the type of person who sulks when something bad or something wrong happened, that's why I always want to settle things right away there and then. But I can’t help but be sad for this month. No wandering (I was aiming of wandering at least once a month and I felt like I lost precious time for being idle for a month), less bonding moments, putting all effort mentally, physically, financially (at lahat na ng '-ly') for 5 months and having to wait for another 6 months only to find out I did not made the cut, haist!

But with all the things in life that I’ve been through and even if the Lord still keeps on testing me once in a while, I have learned that he will not give me something that I cannot handle but it was tough... 

sanmig light lang katapat nito e, tara shot! :) 

18th travel tour expo 2011

I have been waiting for this expo for quite some time, I was hoping that I could score some good deals for local travel from this event (wala pa kasi akong passport grrr, at hindi pa kaya ng budget ang international). It was just 30 minutes after it opened on its second day and there were already a good number of visitors. There were a lot of expo exhibitors, from international to domestic airlines, big time travel agencies to small scale travel agents, they were all there.

getting high with hot air balloons!

"I think I might fly away in my hot air balloon and hide from worldly worries on the dark side of the moon, there's but one thing I need before I float into the blue, I need a sky companion and I want it to be you."

                                                               - Balloon Graeme King

I was already expecting this trip as a solo experience as jayjay needs to go home to his province, but I was still hoping that he will join me. I was all set 2 days before the event when jayjay told me that he wants to join me (hindi ako natiis yebah!) We decided to go there in the morning since it will be the last day of the event and for sure there would be a lot of people and my digicam would not be able to capture the balloons at night.

how will I continue doing this…

“where there’s a will, there’s a way"

                           - old english proverb

peace out!

I am no rich kid nor am I living on a fat paycheck, so how am I going to continue with this dream… The moment I have decided to fulfill my dreams of travel and adventure, first thing that came to my mind was how I will be able to pursue this. I don't have my own family yet but there is a family who depends on me (breadwinner ba). Honestly it’s not cheap to travel and take on the adventures. That’s when I thought of looking for travel contests, adventure fairs, expo and online stuff where I could join and with luck be chosen as a winner...

let the adventure begin! first stop: mt. pinatubo trek

“Knowing where you’re going is the first step to getting there”

                                                                   - ken blanchard

mabuhay! first stop: mt. pinatubo

Determined to fulfill my dreams, I have been constantly searching the net for affordable yet super sulit adventures. Pinoymountaineer.com is one of the sites that I always check not only for the wonderful stories of their bloggers but also for travel adventures that they organize. It was my lucky day. Trail AdvenTours – one of the trip organizers, posted that they will have their first Mt. Pinatubo crater lake daytrip trek for this year. I cannot contain my excitement and my head started generating questions - is it too expensive for a daytrip, what should I wear, will Jayjay come with me, will I get to meet new friends and so much more. It was like in grade school whenever our class will have a field trip it was the same feeling! I feel like a kid again…