November marked a significant milestone for me as I celebrated my 40th birthday in the vibrant and bustling city of Hong Kong. From indulging in mouthwatering burgers to shopping sprees and breathtaking views, each day brought a new adventure and a reason to cherish this special occasion.
The first half of 2019 was a difficult one. A lot of things kept piling up (physically, emotionally, mentally), that it was already too much to handle. My husband and I needed a breather from all the stress and challenges that OFW life and work threw at us, that we decided on a whim to travel somewhere in Asia. We initially wanted to explore other Asian countries that we haven’t been to yet then realized that we still had to apply for a visa, which might take some time. We had to leave in a few days, so that wasn’t ideal for us. But that’s when the idea of going back to Hong Kong came to us. Asia’s World City has always been a favorite destination of mine (been here twice already). So it just felt right to revisit it after nine long years.
{Trip from April 2010} Before heading back to our hotel, we would always make it a point to pass by the 7-eleven store that was a few blocks away from Anne Black. And we would always make sure that we purchased these cups of spicy beef noodles that had real beef pieces in them. These were either made into our late-night snack or into our breakfast. But whatever the case was, these sumptuous instant noodles matched with some Yakult always made us happy.
[Trip from April 2010] On our second day, we’ve managed to get ourselves to wake up real early for a Macau Day trip. Macau is actually one of the few places near HKG that is very easy to access (can be accessed by ferry/boat). And since you won’t be needing a visa to enter Macau, it was all the more very hassle-free to get into. And apart from its luxurious hotels and casinos, we were also set on exploring the beautiful make of this place (art-wise). It was my first time to go around Macau since I was only able to experience the Venetian hotel, the last time I visited it.
After ending my last sem in college and before my birthday, my Kuya EJ (older brother and cousin) and I flew to Hong Kong for a 4-day vacation. It was his Graduation/Birthday gift to me. It was also my first time to go abroad, let alone ride the plane.
Being a first-time overseas traveler, getting inside the NAIA (Terminal 1) Airport was a new episode for me. I’ve never imagined it to be that small in space. But despite that, there was still a lot of appreciation on my end. And being the first-timer that I was, I had a lot of anxiety in my system. But on the brighter side of things, I was able to learn more by asking further questions from people with authority with regard to my country’s travel procedures and payments. I am Pinay (Filipina) by the way.
Budget Biyahera is about finding fun and distinct food and destinations, accommodations, products/gears and activities that people can enjoy on a ‘regular’ person’s budget and schedule.
