I had the privilege of participating in the Grand Marikina Tour last October 24, which was organized in time for the Sapatos Festival. Along with notable media people and Marikina bloggers, we were taken around the city by the wonderful Public Information Office team (special mention to Charlie and Ela), and the very bubbly Mr. Brian Tenorio.
After our short briefing, we proceeded to our first Shoe Factory in Marikina: Bristol Shoes. I've been to the city several times since 2014, as I've been managing a small shoe venture as well. Not that I'm looking to transfer suppliers, but I never really had the chance to explore its neighboring businesses. So it was a nice opportunity to get acquainted with other shoemakers who were also into manufacturing and distribution.
I love doing walking tours, as it gives me a chance to grasp and recognize all the noteworthy sites at a steady pace, just like the Heritage Walk in Roxas City (formerly called Capiz). It may have been a short trip. But I definitely enjoyed the nearby attractions, as each one was remarkable and travel worthy.
I had the privilege of meeting some of the people who manage the Cadimahan-Libotong River Project. Other than being recognized as one of the major tourist attractions in Roxas City, this particular undertaking is also known for promoting Eco-cultural tourism and more.
Capiz, the Center of Seafood Trip Tourism in
the Country, was not an immediate destination in my list of places to see in the Philippines.
I’ve been allergic to crustaceans for as long as I could remember, so I delayed the idea of traveling to the province. But when an opportunity to visit the seafood
capital was offered to me, I just couldn’t say no. And it was one of the best
decisions yet, as exploring parts of Capiz showed me so many interesting places
and eats, several of which I would’ve missed if I overlooked the chance to explore the booming region.
Life has been challenging the last couple of months, that all I yearned for was some rest and relaxation, to help rejuvenate the senses. The universe finally heard my silent pleas, thus granting me a weekend that was filled with positive energy and inspiring people. I was brought back to a happy place, a happy home that once welcomed me with open arms. And like a giddy child, excited to explore once more, I was back in Zambawood.
Ever since our stay at Tune Hotel, Downtown Kuala Lumpur, Rubel and I talked about staying in one of their Philippine-based hotels. And given that they have plenty in and out of Manila, we decided to try one of their nearby branches, and booked 2-nights in their Ortigas branch (summer of 2014).
I started looking for wedding venues in Quezon City right after getting engaged, since we wanted a nearby space that could be turned into both a ceremony and reception place. We've already decided to do a very simple wedding, so planning things on a very limited budget had to be carefully considered. I believe that we’ve come to think and act the way we do due to us being budget travelers. So we definitely wanted our practical and resourceful side to show, without leaving out a few wedding traditions.
***UPDATED LIST*** I'm obsessive compulsive. But I've always seen this 'trait' as an advantage. Not only does being OC keep me on my toes. It also helps me to be coordinated and disciplined at all times. Being an OC traveler has certainly pushed me to be more organized with my trips. And whenever I plan my travels (local or international), I always make sure to produce certain 'lists' that will help show my progress in the planning stage. This way, I won't have any excuse to forget things. Moving forward, I have my (1) things to do, (2) things to bring, (3) trip itinerary, (4) and of course, my expense/budget sheet. These four elements always assist me from the beginning until the end of my trip.
Now, as a traveler who's always on the look out for reasonably-priced trip deals, I'm also constantly searching for affordable travel essentials that will help keep my trips more meaningful. So with that in mind, I'll be sharing to you some of my travel must-haves. Some of which never fail to keep my trips fun and hassle-free.
My Travel Essentials:
1) Point & Shoot Camera - I traded my DSLR Nikon D40 for a Nikon P300. Yes, it was a downgrade. But purchasing the P300 was super worth it! Not only did it lessen the load off of my shoulder (considering its weight), the bulk of having to bring the camera bag, my lenses, weren't a burden to me anymore. I did enjoy having a DSLR back in the day. But I enjoy more, the lightweight wonder of my new camera. The Nikon P300 is remarkable for a Point and Shoot. It has a Nikkor 4.2X wide optical zoom, and a bright f/1.8 lens. Other than that, it's also able to capture FULL HD movie/s. Awesome gadget, right? :)
A 2013 Philippine Statistic Authority study says that around 9.4 million Filipinos aging fifteen and up traveled within the country for leisure in 2012. That number sounds like a lot of people. But in fact, that is just barely 15% of that age group, and not even 10% of the country’s total population. Roughly 85% of Filipinos stay within their home and work vicinities all year long. For Filipinos, traveling usually means visiting relatives. Leisurely vacations are something we rarely give priority to.
It feels different when you've been to a place that you've passed by a few times, yet you never really took the time to appreciate it. That's what I felt towards Libis and nearby Eastwood City. Now, regardless of these two areas being located in Quezon City (my hometown), I still never made the time to explore much of either, as it was a far commute from where I lived. But when I was recently given a chance to stay at Microtel by Wyndham - Acropolis, I realized how much the locale has changed since the last time I was there.
I've lived in Quezon City all my life. But there are still so many places in my hometown that I haven't explored yet. Fortunately, I was recently invited by Microtel PH to join their City Media Familiarization Tour, along with several travel bloggers. I've actually been to a few of the city attractions that were listed on the itinerary. Surprisingly, several of the QC sites that we visited were new to me.
The plant box was a gift from the Tapia Family for Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon.
I was already planning on booking a hotel somewhere in Quezon City, so that I could give myself that much needed R&R. But I no longer had to, as I was recently invited to a weekend stay in two of Microtel's well-appointed hotels: Microtel-UP Technohub and Microtel Acropolis.
Several people have wondered why our LAKHAMBINI shoes are priced the way they are. But then I ask myself: why not that price range? If you only knew how much we value the process in which the material is made, up until the construction of the shoes (and how they're very comfortable when worn), then you'll know that owning a pair is truly worth every peso. :)
My best friend got married last December, and her wedding was held in St. Benedict Church by Ayala Westgrove Heights. Since it was a destination wedding, my family and I decided to stay in Laguna for the night to avoid the late drive back to Manila. Several factors came with looking for a proper accommodation, like the location for example. I, for one, needed a hotel that wasn't too far from the church or reception venue (Angelfields Nature Sanctuary). I also wanted a nice lodging that would accommodate the needs of my family, especially with an 8-month old baby traveling with us [Click Here]. That's when I found Microtel, South Forbes. It was so perfect because not only was it 5 minutes away from the church, it was also a 30-minute drive to the reception venue.
This world-class Laguna hotel is located inside South Forbes, "a 500-acre, world-class township with residential, entertainment, academic, and sports components that encompasses the Metro Sta. Rosa-Silang-Tagaytay growth corridor". We loved that it was just minutes away from Nuvali Sta. Rosa, Paseo de Sta. Rosa, Tagaytay City and Laguna Technological Park.
If given the extra funds when traveling, I would book a hotel where all my comforts will be met. So you can imagine how hesitant I was into booking a room at Daylight Inn, Davao. But since I was following a certain budget, and only needed a place to stay in for one night, I took my chances there. Surprisingly, I had a good experience. They even honored my reservation through text message. So that was a plus for me. By the way, this recount was from last year, January 2014 to be exact.
It has been more than a year since Rubel and I celebrated our 6th anniversary at Best Western, A.venue Suites (December 2013). I would've blogged about it sooner. But time just got the best of me!
In our brief time in KL, we spent our days sleeping in the comforts of Tune Hotels, Downtown Kuala Lumpur. It was a hassle-free stay, as we didn't experience any problems from the booking stage to checking out from the accommodations (we loved the staff at Tune, as they were super courteous and helpful). We booked our stay from November 16-18 and 20-22, 2013 (we were in Penang in between these dates), and only had to pay PHP1,500 or 120 Malaysian Ringgit per night.
We availed of the Double Room, which we paid to have a 12-hour AC use, and a day's worth of Wi-Fi access.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, BIYAHERAS! Here's to starting 2015 by sharing to all of you a few tips on how to start your own travel blog.
I started blogging when Live Journal and Tabulas were still in fashion. But I never really focused on a specific niche back then. But when I started traveling more, I decided to create a blog for most of my explorations.
2014 has been the best year for me, by far. It's the special moments that were spent with loved ones, budget travels made with friends, and the challenges that I experienced getting into business that have truly helped define my year.
The birth of LAKHAMBINI has given me so much to learn about and reflect on. And because of this exciting venture, I've decided to do something that'll show how grateful I am to those who've continuously showed us love and support since Day 1.
Everyone deserves to feel blessed like I do, especially this Christmas. So what better way to say THANK YOU than to host a giveaway before the year ends, right? That's why I'm throwing one, and you can easily WIN A LOVELY PAIR OF LAKHAMBINIS THIS YULETIDE SEASON!
It all came to me on a hot and humid August day, like a sudden rush of blood to the head. Finally, I had a business plan in mind that I could definitely see through in the long run --- something that I felt I'd be pursuing head on no matter what. I knew there would be a lot of risks, especially on the financial end of things. But I just knew that it was going to be worth chasing after.
Everything just came together. My love for traveling, my interest in meeting different individuals on the road and listening to their stories, discovering cultural treasures, and finding purpose in every trip that I come home from. I've always known that traveling, as one of my passions in life, would always lead me to some of the most fulfilling adventures. And exploring the Philippines, my home country, has led me to a venture that I instantly fell in love with --- LAKHAMBINI.
I really had no plans to travel in the last quarter of this year due to some financial priorities. But Travel Expos happen to have this charm that just seems to attract you into purchasing at least a ticket or two. As for me, I ended up booking a round trip plane ticket that was bound for General Santos via Philippine Airlines. General Santos, which is the southernmost city in the Philippines, is part of the SOCCSKSARGEN region (stands for the region's 4 provinces and one of its cities: South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City). Although governed as an independent city, "GenSan" is geographically located in the province of South Cotabato. It also serves as the gateway to several municipalities such as Maasim, Alabel, and Malungon in Saranggani, as well as Polomolok and T'boli in South Cotabato.
Like everyone else on transit, looking for a place to stay-in is very important. And for a budget traveler like me, I always make it a point to find affordable accommodations that also offer quality spaces. That's when I found Microtel by Wyndham - General Santos.
I loved everything that Microtel General Santos offered us. Everything was impeccable, from the complimentary pick-up at the airport to our smooth hotel checkout. But it doesn't end there. So allow me to count the ways, as to why I loved our accommodations in the "Tuna Capital of the Philippines".
One of my must-do's when traveling to a new destination is to look for a budget accommodation --- a lodging that isn’t too far from where all the action is. That's when I found PEDAL INN via AirBNB. The lovely guesthouse is located just along Lorong Macalister, George Town, Penang.
For first-time travelers in Malaysia, going on a road trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang was quite an adventure. We might have gotten lost along the way. But our modes of transport gave us one heck of an experience!
DISCLAIMER: This is a late post. This was my experience commuting to LCCT, back when it was still operational. It was our first time to travel to Malaysia. But the city's transportation system was something that we quickly learned about. It's fairly easy to commute to the metropolis when coming from Kuala Lumpur's Low Cost Carrier Terminal. So regardless of the time of your arrival, there will be buses parked right outside the airport, ready to transport you to downtown KL.
Rubel was set to leave for work abroad on a September. So we made sure to book a quick getaway to celebrate our advance anniversary, and to also do a sort of despedida for him. We wanted to go the beach, and just have a relaxing time, so going to Boracay was an immediate choice. But since we lacked the time to do any decent research on where to stay, we chose to browse lodging options via Agoda. And after narrowing our selections, we eventually booked LSM Square Residences.
Rubel had to travel back home for a wedding. So I was left alone in the hotel, and in Kuala Lumpur for another 24 hours. But that didn't stop me from wandering around the city on my own. It was actually nice of my friends to invite me again for some girl bonding. So we went around the city's hip and happening shopping centers that morning.
Christmas decors at Berjaya Times Square (November 2013)
On our 4th day in Malaysia, Rubel and I spent the whole morning traveling by bus from Penang to Kuala Lumpur. The entire road trip took around 4 hours, since other passengers were picked up at the Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal (plus one stopover). But we were able to arrive in KL just in time for lunch. We also met up with Rubel’s sister-in-law, Melody at KL Sentral (where we alighted), and went directly to Tune Hotel via cab. Yes, we came back to the same hotel since we loved its room and amenities. It was a budget traveler’s haven!
Penang to KL via Alisan Golden Coach (comes with reclining seats, power outlets, Wi-Fi connection)
Melody wanted to show us around the Central Market area, so we left immediately. So when we finally settled in at our hotel, the three of us headed straight to Sultan Ismail LRT (a 5-minute walk from the hotel via footbridge). The single journey ticket from Sultan Ismail to Pasar Seni is 2.20/person.
DIRECTIONS: From Sultan Ismail, get down at Masjid Jamek Station. Then alight at the next train that’s bound for Pasar Seni.
Did you know that Penang is a thriving Malaysian destination? It sure is! Considered as one of the country’s well-developed states (being technologically advanced and highly urbanized), Pulau Pinang (in Malay) is an island state that nurtures an interesting multicultural community. The “Pearl of the Orient” is also known for its remarkable heritage sites, multiracial citizenry, and diverse yet sumptuous cuisines.
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.
