30 August 2012

Lost in Translation: Google Maps Edition

I love being a tourist but I also love feeling like a local whenever I go on trips so I do tons of research beforehand. My itinerary would always end up looking something like this:
OC freak
Of course, itineraries don't always get followed but I try! They only serve as guides so I don't overstay and lose track of time in a certain place. If you noticed, I always include directions (sometimes even pictures) whenever I create an itinerary because I'm terrible at reading maps and street signs. Being the OC freak that I am, I wanted to see if I could easily follow the directions I put in so I tried finding my way to our hanok stay* guesthouse via Google Maps. After a lot of wrong turns, I finally found the right place. Yay!
Friends House
I kept on looking for the Arim Stationery store (one of the landmarks the guesthouse gave us) only to find out their sign's written in Hangul! No wonder I couldn't find it easily. Good thing, I took time to try and learn how to read and write in Hangul. See, I take my research seriously. Haha
Arim Stationery
*Hanok Stay refers to staying in a traditional Korean house. It is a good opportunity to experience traditional Korean lifestyle and culture. - Korea Tourism Organization

17 August 2012

TGIPF

Thank God it's payday Friday!
Oh, how I miss the days when I was this happy to receive my paycheck. And yes, I got my first paycheck in cash four years ago! Haha As new hires, our ATM accounts were still being processed during that time. I was so happy back then thinking how much more I'll make in the future. I don't know what happened. Well, wanderlust happened but I have no regrets. Sure, I want a fatter paycheck but I'm still thankful that I have a job that provides for my needs (more like wants, really). I guess nothing beats the thrill of receiving your first hard-earned paycheck after all.

Photo credit: summer bliss // - my old Multiply page haha define ancient!

09 August 2012

The Filipino Spirit is Waterproof

This photo (and several others) have been going around in social media sites. Sure, liking or sharing flood-related stuff help get the word out and lift our spirits up at the same time. But wouldn't it be much better if we can actually do something to help others out?

These past few weeks have been hard on us Filipinos. And the past three days have been unbelievably crazy. But it's times like these that bring out the heroes in all of us. If you're one of those people lucky enough to be safe and sound in the comfort of your own home, why not help out others who are not as lucky as you are? As my parents always remind me, it's better to help than to be in the receiving end. The fact that you have something to give is already something to be thankful for. Add to that the fact that you'll be able to change lives no matter how small your contribution may seem.

But not all of us have time or are fit enough to be out there doing rescue work. So here's some good news to those who can't go out but would like to extend help to flood victims. With just a few clicks and a few pesos, you can do your part in helping our brothers and sisters (and pets) in need. Several organizations have put up websites that accept donations online and I've listed some of them below. Just click on the links to get started. Happy helping!
The Philippine Red Cross
Hope in a Bottle
PAWS: Because pets need saving too

05 August 2012

Annebisyosa: SEA Edition

I have a love/hate relationship with seat sales. Every time I receive notifications, I get excited and nervous at the same time. Seat sales may be the answers to a wanderlust's prayers but they're also the quickest way to drain one's savings. Either way, I just couldn't resist especially when the timing is right. I even have a Cebu Pacific Citibank card* to prove it. In my defense, I didn't apply for it on my own. Citibank offered it to me and I guess there's no harm in trying it. Hoho

Last January, Cebu Pacific had a 50% off promo on all international flights and the travel dates included the month of April. Seat sales are hard to come by during peak season so I wanted to take the opportunity and book us flights that instant. But the question is, where to?

Japan and South Korea would be the perfect destinations in April as it is the month for cherry blossoms to bloom and it's a lovely sight to see. But I've already been to Japan during Spring and I've already booked a flight to Seoul this Fall. I wanted a new destination.

Summer in Thailand sounds pretty good and I've never been there so I guess it's finally time to go. Plus, I've been craving for Nestea's Thai Milk Tea for the longest time! We could spend the entire Holy Week with our cousins, nieces and nephews over there. After all, our cousins have been persistent in inviting us over ever since they moved to Bangkok about seven years ago. And this time, we might actually be there just in time for Songkran* - it's definitely the perfect time to go!

Thanks to Google, I learned that Holy Week falls on April 5-8, Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on April 9 and Songkran on April 13-15. Holy crap. 10 days worth of vacation?? Why not! But 10 days seem a bit long, why limit ourselves to just Thailand? Right then and there, Nee-chan and I started dreaming up our most ambitious adventure to date - a cross-country trip across Southeast Asia! As Filipinos, it's pretty convenient since we don't need a visa to visit SEA countries. Yay for ASEAN!

So I booked me and my sibs one-way tickets to Singapore and return tickets to Manila. From Bangkok. Crazy? Not really. When you put two OC freaks together, nothing is impossible.
Booked. Manila to Singapore and Bangkok to Manila
Our initial game plan? Board a plane from Manila to Singapore. Stay in Singapore for 2 days. Take a bus from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. Stay in Kuala Lumpur for a day. Board a train from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap. Stay in Siem Reap overnight. Take a bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok. Leave luggage at Kuya Kenneth's. Board a train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Stay in Chiang Mai for 3 days. Board a train from Chiang Mai back to Bangkok. Stay in Bangkok for 3 days just in time for Songkran. Fly back to Manila. Whew, now that's definitely easier said than done.
Initial travel plan: Manila, Philippines > Singapore, Singapore > Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia > Siem Reap, Cambodia > Chiang Mai, Thailand > Bangkok, Thailand > Manila, Philippines
The final game plan? Board a plane from Manila to Singapore. Stay in Singapore for 2 days. Take a bus from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. Stay in Kuala Lumpur for 2 nights. Board a plane from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap. Stay in Siem Reap overnight. Take a bus from Siem Reap to border. Take a van from border to Bangkok. Stay in Bangkok for a day. Go on a day trip in Pattaya. Stay in Bangkok for 3 more days just in time for Songkran. Fly back to Manila.
Final travel plan: Manila, Philippines > Singapore, Singapore > Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia > Siem Reap, Cambodia > Bangkok, Thailand > Pattaya, Thailand > Bangkok, Thailand > Manila, Philippines
Chiang Mai was crossed off our list because the train was already fully-booked due to Songkran. :( It couldn't be helped so I guess that should be saved for my next Thailand trip along with Phuket or Koh Samet.
So how did we manage to do all that? Through task delegation. I booked everything that can be done online and planned everything for our SG-KL trip while Nee-chan took care of everything Thailand-related. And what about Karly? Since he doesn't have enough experience in planning, we decided to assign the Cambodia leg of our trip to serve as his training without sacrificing our trip. As the date of our trip came closer, our travel party became bigger. From just us siblings, our cousins Gwen and Sha tagged along. And dad also met up with us in Cambodia. But that's another story worthy of another blog post.

Stay tuned for our SEA (mis)adventures in upcoming blog posts. This trip was truly an eye-opener and I can't wait to go on more ambitious ones! :)

*With the Cebu Pacific Citibank card, you get seat sale notifications in advance plus you earn CEB points whenever you use your card which you can use to book your next flights.
**Traditional New Year's Day celebration in Thailand.

Hallyu

Don't come close! But don't go far...
A few days ago, I started watching The Moon That Embraces The Sun (해를 품은 달) because of Kim Soo Hyun. I've never been a fan of historical dramas in general but I'm hoping this one will change my views. Being my first sageuk* ever, it's not that bad. It's quite good actually. The costumes are beautiful and the production is amazingly well done.

I didn't like the young protagonists at first but they grow on you. I've especially grown to like the young Prince Yang Myung who lives a care-free life even though he has a tragic story to tell. He and his friends (Yeom and Woon) look super cute together as well.
L-R: (Illegitimate) Prince Yang Myung, Crown Prince Hwon, Top Literary Scholar Yeom, Top Military Scholar Woon. F4 ang peg?
The Queen Mother is obviously the antagonist in this drama and I know I should resent her for meddling, but I found myself amused by the way she speaks in metaphors all the time. The head of the Personnel Ministry and his daughter, however, really gets under my skin. Talk about having kontrabida faces! And just like any other K-drama, this one has a complicated love story as well.
Royal love triangle, anyone?
After reading the plot, I couldn't wait for the young Yeon Woo to die so the kids can grow up! But as the story progresses, I found myself enjoying the performance of these young actors. Their acting is pretty convincing and they look so cute together! I was heartbroken for the two suns (princes) when they heard the news that Yeon Woo passed away due to a mystical illness. :(
Young Lee Hwon mourning the death of young Yeon Woo.
After watching five episodes, Kim Soo Hyun is still nowhere to be found. Well, at least not until the next episode's preview! Booooo~ I still have to wait for episode 6 to finish downloading before I see Joseon's fictitious king. :((
See you soon, my king!
So for the time being, I guess I should continue watching City Hunter (시티헌터) starring Lee Min Ho. I remembered I still haven't finished watching this drama thanks to the young Prince Yang Myung who was played by a different and younger actor named Lee Min Ho! That's a bit confusing, right?
Lee Min Ho in City Hunter
I don't know if it's the weather or the lack of new episodes from my favorite shows but it looks like I've been bitten by the hallyu** bug. Not that I'm complaining.

* Korean historical drama
**Also known as the Korean wave or the significant increase in popularity of Korean entertainment and culture.