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)
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.
