Los Angeles, California

What comes in your mind when the place Los Angeles is being mentioned? For me the images of the famous Hollywood sign and the Hollywood Boulevard would immediately pop out from my mind.

Los Angeles or the City of Angels is also commonly referred as the Entertaiment Capital of the World. As I've read and browsed through the photos, it's indeed like a big city that never sleeps, full of restaurants, shopping malls, media and business centers. I wonder how it is like to be there?

For those who's businesses are from Los Angeles, I'm sure the competition must be tough with hundreds of other businesses striving to be on top not just in the big city but in the global market as well. Every marketing strategy would have already been tried and tested. To be on top companies and businesses must realize the importance of Los Angeles SEO . For indeed the marketplace is now the whole world and SEO has one of the powers to make the business grow.

Well, I'm no expert here, but even for this little blog of mine if only an expert search engine optimization is applied here. Its page rank, traffic and reach could skyrocket and more opportunities could be given to earn and expand. Well, another wishful thinking.

Mt. Kitanglad Bukidnon Philippines

Photo taken from pbase.com by Bobby Timonera

Mt. Kitanglad is known to be the fourth highest mountain in the Philippines and has an approximate height of 2899 meters. It is actually a dormant volcano and it's a famous destination for the Filipino mountain climbers.

I've been there once with my father, brother and family friends. I couldn't really remember much since I was only 11 years old at that time. Even though it took us hours to get to the middle of the mountain but it was a fun experience for me. Hiking up and seeing the beautiful birds and butterflies, hearing some streams and seeing nature at it's best.

We brought our camping tents, cooking utensils, food and other necessary things. If I'm not mistaken we stayed there for a night. My brother and friends even attempted to go up to the peak, so we climbed up but then when we were halfway, we realized that we were not really prepared to go on top since we didn't bring enough food and water. So, we went back to our 'base'.

That was indeed a great experience for an eleven year old girl, sleeping underneath all 'big' stars in a very cold night. When we woke up in the morning, the fog was so thick and I remember drinking the native coffee which was made from corn.

Mt. Kitanglad... I wonder if I could ever go back there again.

Travel Tip # 4

So you want to travel but you think you can't afford to do so? As long as you have a regular job, I'm very positive that you can afford to travel anywhere in your country or even in other countries worldwide.

You just need to set a goal , where you want to go and when you want to travel. And then, SAVE, SAVE and SAVE some money meant for your trip. Once you've done your research for the cheapest airfare, cheapest accommodation and etc. You'll surely discover that you won't need so much of money to be able to go on your desired trip.

Be patient and wait until you reach your goal savings and don't be tempted to spend it elsewhere. I assure you it's really worth the wait. Imagine, traveling to different places, seeing different people, hearing dialects or languages different from yours and tasting different kinds of food... oh, the joys of traveling.

When you want to save up for a trip, it's good if you could open an account especially meant for the trip. Better yet, sign up for a free checking account from WaMu which offers free checks, free online banking, free wire transfers and a lot more. And then when it's time for you to be on the go you can access your money with their Debit Mastercard and thousands of WaMu's free ATMs.

Have a great trip ahead!!

Travel Tip # 3

How to do research on your travel destination?

1) Search..search..search - There are thousands of different websites that contains a lot of valuable information on your travel destination. All you have to do is look for the sites which are updated and has the information that is most necessary to you.

2) Join travel Forums - This is the place where you're most likely to 'meet' people who have been to the place you want to go. They can give you the real feedback, their good and bad experiences with the place, people food and etc, which you won't be able to read in travel or other tourism sites.

3) Ask around - You might know some of your friend's friends who has been to the place. You can ask them and they might be able to recommend you other interesting places to see, cheap accommodation, valuable directions, cultural advices and etc.

4) Print and take notes- And of course, after getting all those valuable tips and information. Make sure to print or jot them down. You won't want to be going to Thailand and forget the name of the most delicious food you wanted to try isn't?

That's all for now!! and have great travel experience!!!!

Thai Dishes You Must Taste - Part 2

continued...

4) Thai Stir fried crab curry or Poo Phad Pong Kali

I personally love crabs and there's no better way to cook them but with curry. It makes you want to savor every bit of the crab, even the shells.



5) Thai Fried Rice or Khaw Phat

If you're not into spicy stuff, the Thai Fried rice will work best for you. Thai fried rice has different variations from Fried rice chicken ( Khaw phat kai) , fried rice beef ( khaw phat Nua), fried rice seafood ( khaw phat thale') and veggies (phak) , every dish is a must try for everyone.



6) Thai Cashew Nut Chicken or (Kai phat phet ma muang)

This is another dish I can recommend for those who can not take spicy food. It's made of chicken with cashew nuts, mushrooms a lotof onions and sometimes with dried chillies.

..to be continue...

yes, I'm not finished with this Thai food sequel yet...there's just so much of delicious dishes ...

photos taken from www.templeofthai.com and www.thaifood.about.com

Traveling With Kids # 2

Making our kids comfortable during our holiday trip must indeed be the number 1 priority when we travel with them. So, we have to make sure they have all the necessary things to make them comfortable and thus make our trip a pleasant one. With kids trotting along with us, it's a bit more difficult to travel light. We bring their favorite books, toys, prams, carrier and etc. If only we could bring along their highchairs or car seats when were traveling by bus or train, then we would. :)

• Make a checklist of all the necessary items to be brought like disposable diapers, milk, food, water and etc.

• Check with the hotels where you'll be staying if they have baby cribs available. We ourselves get frustrated with this when the budget hotels we stay in don't have any. So, we ( 4 of us) end up sleeping on one bed with both kids kicking each other and wanting more space. If you have travel cots, then better yet, bring them along with you so as to make sure your baby and you get a good night sleep.

• Check the weather condition of the place where you're going. Does it always rain there or is it mostly hot and sunny?

• Take time to condition and prepare your kids for the trip. Brief them on the place where you're going, what activities you're going to do , how long you'll be staying there and etc.

b4uing1

Thai Dishes You Must Taste - Part 1

Thailand is known to have delicious cuisine. Wherever you go , may it be in the posh restaurant downtown or even to the simplest hawker shop on the road, you'll be assured to savor the best of Thai food.

Here is a list of my personal favorites and highly recommended Thai dishes:

* Warning: Living in Thailand for 6 years had made my tongue accustomed to spicy food. So, some dishes here may be too spicy for you..but you could always give it a try or tell the 'cook' or waiter/waitress not to make it too spicy.

1) Tomyum Goong ('kung') or Tom Yum Thale

I'm sure you've heard of this dish that is known all over the world. It's a soup that has all the mixture of tastes, spicy, sour, sweet and a bit salty. It's made of prawns ('kung), and sometimes mixed seafood ( 'thale') , kaffir lime leaves and a whole other bunch of ingredients. It is said to have a lot of health benefits too as it has a lot of hers and spices. You can also order it with or without the coconut milk and 'prik' tomyum paste.







2) Thai Green Curry

If you're into curry stuff, I'm sure this will work well with you. It's made of green curry paste, coconut milk, Thai eggplants ( which are rounded) and other ingredients. This Curry is usually served with rice or ' Khanon Jin' or what we just simply call the Thai white spaghetti.





3) Yam Pla Dook Foo or Thai Catfish Salad

This is made of shredded Catfish, green mangoes, peanuts or cashew nuts, chilli and other ingredients. It's a blend of spicy , sour and salty taste. Spicy from the chillies, sour from the shredded green mangoes, salty from the fish sauce and shredded fish. This is truly delicious!

Photo taken from www.dessertcomesfirst.com

......... TO BE CONTINUED

LEt's Celebrate!

I've received a BIG surprise this morning when I found out that this blog got a PR2! Yipee!! I hope this PR rating would stay. And I would like to thank you guys who constantly visit and check out my updates.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

'Til my next Post.

Lost WOrld of Tambon

Finally, we're back from Ipoh. And here's my report :) from our trip and experience from Lost World of Tambun located in Ipoh, Perak , Malaysia.

Getting there: If only we came from the North-South Highway, getting there should have been easy..but we had to ' check-in' first at the apartment where we were staying so, we ended up coming from the city center. In other words, we got LOST..going to the Lost World of Tambun. It was a bit distant from the city center.



This is the entrance of the park. The whole place is well designed having that ethnic design similar to that of the Mayans.

I love these Cat Sculptures at the Entrance

These are some of the attractions of the Lost WOrld of Tambun.

1) Tambun Hot Springs- Water is taken from the natural spring and being diverted to the pool. This is ideal for a late afternoon dip.

2) Waterfall Beach Garden

This is like the main highlight of the whole place as it is the first thing that you will see from the entrance. They said it's the biggest wave pool in Malaysia but it still so small compared to the real beach.. obviously.. LOL!


3) Adventure River

This is one of the scenes you see when you go through the adventure river. You simply ride on your tube and follow the waterway with the waves 'guiding' you. This Gorilla makes some noises when one passes by.

3) Paddle Boating


This is a very small lake with few Swan Paddle boats. Not very interesting.. it seems like they just put this as an after thought and to add a little bit of attraction in the place.


5) Tiger Valley



During the guided tour through the train, they will take you to the Tiger valley with a Tiger feeding show. It was okay. But still not so interesting, the Tigers were just lazing around and not moving at all. SO there's really nothing much to see, that is if you've already seen tigers before in the zoo.

6) Explora Bay

This is the pool for kids. For me it's the main highlight of the place as my li'l ones really enjoyed it. The water is not deep and enough for a 3 -4 year old to go around without the parents getting worried. And there's also a lifeguard on duty.


Overall, the whole place was just okay. We enjoyed it because our li'l ones had fun. The explora Bay was really great. There were many attractions like the merry go around, the Tiger Valley that kids would really love. But if you're an a grown up looking for some adventure then you'll get a bit disappointed. They have a little of this and that but not enough to keep your jaws drop. But then, if you want to just relax , take a break and have fun with friends then, this place would do. For 25 RM , I think it should be alright.

Dream Holiday

Image taken from www.sacredsites.com

I have always dreamed of touring Europe and I wanted to set foot specifically on France, Italy and Greece. One thing that interests me about these places are their arts and architecture. I want to see the the Mona Lisa and hundreds of famous paintings at Louvre Museum, climb the Eiffel Tower, go inside the Church of Notra Dame and climb the bell tower, visit the Palace at Versailles , ride the gondola and cruise through canals of Venice, visit the Acropolis and Parthenon and all the beautiful buildings or ruins in these countries. Whew! That's not even a comprehensive list of the things to do in all these countries and the whole of Europe.

All I can do for now is read through other people's travel experience in all these countries and dream. Just now, I was able to browse through a site that offers European Cruises and they are going to all my dream countries above and some other beautiful parts of Europe too. I could just imagine my family going for 7 days holiday in a cruise ship and embarking on these beautiful countries just for a tour. Wow! It must be an amazing experience! It would also be nice to go on Bermuda Cruises or Canadian Cruises too .

Oh well, I have to stop dreaming for now and try to travel and see the whole of Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines first and then..beyond! May all my dreams come true :)

From Thailand With Love - Give away

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From Thailand With Love - Give away

**This is a post dated entry, so please scroll down for newer entries**

Hello Everyone!! To celebrate the 'birth' of our new domain in our other blog, Day to Day Miracles, we are hosting a contest called " From Thailand with Love Giveaway" . We will be giving away a Thai Decorative Letter Holder to two winners. (Mailing charges will be on us, wherever you are.)

It's so easy to join! Click Here!

Future Destination : Ipoh, Malaysia

Photo from wikipedia

I'm excited! 2 weeks from now, we're going to Ipoh. Not for a holiday really, but it's more on a 'business' related trip. But well, since we're already there, why not mix it with a bit of touring around and a bit of pleasure huh?

I've been to Ipoh once but we never got to see the place. I just saw a bit of the place but I loved it! I love to see the colonial buildings with the lush, dark green mountains as the background. Ipoh is actually one of the biggest cities in Malaysia..it's a city but with a provincial 'feel'. It's a beautiful place, with beautiful buildings and scenic views.

Just a note: Ipoh is the hometown of the famous international actress Michelle Yeoh and this is also the place where the movie "Anna and the King" was shot. ( This movie has been banned by Thailand and many of the Thais are greatly offended by this movie as it's about their King.)

Anyways, I've already done a bit of research of the places to go in Ipoh and the places of interests that caught my attention were the following:

1) Lost World of Tambun Park - This is actually a water park with giant slides, man made river ( the longest in Asia, it seems), wild tigers, hot springs and theme park rides. Interesting huh? I'm sure my kids would love this but if we're not so sure if time will permits us to go to this place. But you'll know for sure soon because I'll be blogging about it later.:)

2) Taman DR or Coronation Park - This famous park is just located within the city and as opposed to #1.. There are no entrance fees .. :) It has a huge fish pond with boats and canoes, it has a Japanese garden and football field. It seems like a great place to relax. I would like this place.

Photo from Wikipedia

3) Old Town - This is where the beautiful buildings will be seen and a lot of places to eat too. Ipoh is very famous for some Chinese food and Poppiah too! So, I have to get ready to gobble up Ipoh food! :)


...What about you, have you been to Ipoh in Malaysia? Maybe you can suggest some interesting places for us to go..

My Favorite Places #3- Genting Highlands, Malaysia

Genting Highlands of Malaysia is known to be the " City of Entertainment". It has a big outdoor and indoor theme park, hotels, casinos , shopping centers, a wide variety of restaurants and a lot more.

This is one of my favorite places. Not actually a great place to rest since you'll be so busy trying out all the rides and going around to see the whole place. BUt, it's truly a great place to be entertained and the kids will surely love the place.

Since it's high on the mountain top, the weather is cool and nice.

One of the reason why I place this in one of my favorite places is because it's very affordable .. We've been here 3 times already and the last two, we were supposed to go somewhere else but because we were on a tight budget, we still ended up here. Imagine, they have a 2 nights/3days package for only 108 RM. That was last year's rate. The 108 RM included 2 nights stay in the hotel, buffet breakfast for two ( for two days) and 2 tickets for an international magic/acrobat show. Though the hotel ( First World Hotel) we stayed in was really cramped, It was really a great bargain since the show's ticket itself already cost 50RM each if you buy it without the package. I've just checked the rates now and it has gone a bit high but I would still say it's worth it. The show is just excellent and the breakfast is HUGE! We always ended up eating BRUNCH since the buffet is just overflowing. Well, that would be great savings right? No need to spend for lunch. :)

The highlights we had for this place would be their outdoor and indoor parks. The rides are just exciting and gives you that adrenalin rush. Below is the SUper Shot, that made me heart stopped a beat when we were going down at such a speed!! Whew!



We also enjoyed the going hotel hopping..since all the hotels are interconnected to each other. So you get to see all the hotels and shops in between. They also have a cable car , if you don't have transport going on top.

For all the faint hearted and don't want to have any adrenalin rush ( or you might end up in the hospital) for theme rides or cable car rides then I suggest you stay in the hotels down below where there are nice places to retreat and relax.

New Template

I've just changed my template because I wanted a 3 column template with a navigation bar. There was this template that i really love, it's called 'aspire'. It's beautiful and I think it would have fit well with my over all concept of the travel blog. BUt sadly, when I tried to download the html code. It didn't work. I tried and tried until I've decided to choose another one and that's why I settled with this.

THis will just be temporary and when I have time I'll have to search for the 'aspire' template with html codes that work.

Travel the Continents Tag

This tag is from Lalaine's WOrld and Day to Day Miracles.



Begin Copy

Rules :

1. Start Copy from "Begin Copy" until "End Copy".
2. Put your blog's name and url write in which continent you live, add the country you live in. Example : My Imaginary Travels (Netherlands)
3. Leave your url post in here and you'll be added in the Master List.
4. Please help spread this tag by tagging your friends as much as you can.
5. Don't play unfair! If you have more than 1 blog, you can participate all your blogs for this tag. BUT you will have to post this tag to all your blogs as well. So, please. Don't cheat!
6. Please come back again to copy the update of the master list, often. This process will help new participants to get the same gains as the first participants.
7. Don't forget to use the banner at your post, you can save as or you can just copy the code in here.

Master List :

A. Asia : 1. Moms... Check Nyo (Philippines) 2. Hailey's Beats and Bits (Philippines) 3. allinkorea (Korea) 4. kimchiland (Korea) 5. korean food (Korea) 6. idealpinkrose (Korea) 7. Manna from Heaven (Philippines) 8. and Life Goes On for... (Philippines) 9. Proud Mommy (Philippines) 10. Lalaine's World ( Thailand) 11. Day to Day Miracles 12. Budget Traveler 13. Trying to be Fit 14.Your next

B. Australia : 1. your turn

C. Afrika : 1. your turn

D. North Amerika : 1. your turn

E. South Amerika : 1. your turn

F. Europe : 1. My Imaginary Travels (Netherlands) 2. Juliana's Site (Netherlands) 3. Picturing of Life (Netherlands) 4. Portia (UK) 5. your turn

G.Antarctica : 1. your turn

~ End Copy ~

Now, I would like to tag Prily of Capturing the Moments, Charmed Blossoms, Raptured Dreams and Blessings In Life

Things To Do in Hatyai, Thailand

Image from bangkoksite.com

Where is Hatyai?? That must be the first question in your mind when you read the title of this post. For starters, Hatyai is located at the South of Thailand. It's one of the gateway to Malaysia and other provinces with the famous beaches.

Hatyai is the common 'holiday' destination of Malaysians since it's the nearest country to them (Singapore is nearer though but expensive) and has cheaper bargains. But this also the hub or the stopover of backpackers traveling from Malaysia before going to the beautiful Islands nearby.


So, here is my list of things to do and places to go in Hatyai, Thailand.

1) Go Shopping!!

Clothes, shoes, bags, fruits and other goods are cheap here. The best places to shop are : The Weekend Night Market ( Talat Paet Thai) which only opens from Thursday - Sunday from 6-10 pm, The NIght Market at the CIty center near Lee Gardens , they are open every night, Plaza ( Naa Ho ) where is open everyday from 8am-5pm. If you're really into shopping, you can shop till you drop. But you have to bargain to get the best price. Start from starting half of their original price. If you're an entrepreneur andwant to buy wholesale, their are wholesale shops around PLaza. You just have to walk around a lot of streets to see this. There are wholesale shops for accessories, shirts, bags, shoes and etc. And they are really cheap!!!

2) GO for a nice, relaxing massage

There are a lot of massage parlors near the city area. But the thing is they are quite pricey ( I guess still cheap for the Singaporeans and Malaysians). In the city center, a 1 hour foot or body massage costs 250 baht . But I recommend you go to Big C, since you can get that same price for a 2 hour body massage. Their masseurs are good and very polite.

3) Eat till you drop!



Oh, when it comes to dining options ...there are a LOT of restaurant to choose from. From pricey shops to the hawker shops..but believe me, everywhere you go, their food is yummy!! Here is a list of our favorite restaurants. Though there are still a number of restaurants we haven't tried yet. Sky Buffet at Lee Gardens for only 129-159 baht per person, it offers a wide variety of Thai food, salads, deserts. I just love the unlimited ice cream and coffee/tea. This restaurant is on the 33rd floor of Lee Gardens Hotel so you get to see the beautiful view of Hatyai city. Sugar Rock along Thamanonvitee Rd. , food and ambience is great and the price is very reasonable. This is our personal favorite restaurant since they have a playroom and we can eat while our daughter plays. Log Terrace, near Ket Pet Rd. I love the concept of this restuarant. It's along the river and they designed it in such a way, that it's like you're in a cave. There is a man made water falls inside and a real crocodile too. The food is good but a bit pricey. Rin Rua ( Moo Kata), this is another eat all you can restaurant for only 89 baht. They have a wide variety of meats, veggietables, soups and desserts. You get to grill and steam your own food. It's an outdoor restaurant with a big screen TV for football fans. Samila Restuarant, this is a new resturant along Rayjindee road. The restaurant design is beautiful specially at night. Ban Phuk Khaw , this is a restaurant on a hill. This restaurant will offer you a beautiful view of Hatyai. I can't write all the restaurants here..there are just LOT!! Of course, if you're bored of THai food and would want more familiar taste, don't worry there are Mcdonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Sizzlers, Fuji, MK restaurant.


4) Go to Songkhla Beach

Image from bangkoksite.com

This is the nearest beach in the city. (I'll write another post on Songkhla) It's only a 30 mins drive from Hatyai. You'll get a 'taste' of the famous white sand beach of Thailand. It's a great place to relax and eat sea food too. THough you have to be careful since the restaurants along the beach are known to over price tourist. We had a terrible experience. So, if you're in a budget and don't want to be a victim of 'tourist overprice' then I suggest you ask the prices first before ordering. Then beware that the bucket of ice cubes they 'give' you is worth 20 baht whether you finish it or not.

5) GO for a swim in Ton Nga Chaang Waterfalls

Image from www.davidjensen.org

This waterfalls has 7 levels. It's beautiful even if we were only able to go until the 2nd level. It's quite a hike but I'm sure it'll be worth it. By the way, if you're a foreigner, they charge 200 Baht as a fee to enter the park where the you'll see the waterfalls but if you're a Thai, you only get to pay 20 Baht. Hmmm...


I think these are only the top 5 things you can do in Hatyai. But even if there are only 5 it's already enough to keep you occupied.

My Favorite Places #2 - White Island

The White Island of Camiguin ranks the 2nd of my favorite places. The White Island or Medan Island as known to a few is a very small, isolated island. Its shape can be changed depending on the tide. It's just a white sand bar without trees, huts or anything. It's a plain island surrounded by the sea with the view of Mt Hibok-hibok and the mainland nearby. That's what makes the place simply beautiful.

If you go to during the off-peak season ( like we did), then most probably there'll just a handful of people on the island. Everything will be so quiet and still except the rushing of the waves and the beat of your heart amidst the turquoise sea and the greenness of the mainland you could see from afar. The experience is just awesome!

Travel Tip # 5

When you're in a different place- observe..observe..observe..and do.

Observe how people hail the public transport, observe how people eat, observe how people do things, how the local people dress and etc.

Though you may not really be able to learn the local people's 'culture' through a few days stay in the place, but through observation and following them, you won't be able to offend them. You as a foreigner will be a welcome sight and not an eye sore.

For example in Malaysia, it's predominantly a Muslim nation. Generally, people's dressing are more conservative compared to other nations. How would the local people feel if suddenly foreigner comes wearing skimpy , see through clothes?

Travel Tip # 4

Get the city map of your destination.

We cannot really underestimate the importance of a MAP. But somehow, even if we see the importance of it there are time that out of sheer laziness(?) we forget to procure one. :) So, result? Getting lost in a big city. ..hours and hours of going around the same place...a waste of gasoline or money..bored passengers which equals to cranky passengers.

So, before you hop on your car or the next plane, make sure to get the latest updated map of your destination. Von Voyage!

Traveling with Kids

It's quite a challenge traveling with children also have special needs and sometimes we couldn't predict their moods. So, when traveling always keep in my the necessities of the children from the very important needs like milk, diapers and etc. to the seemingly not-so-important but it'll become a life-saver for us to have peace and quiet..so this can be their favorite toys or books.

We had a very bad experience during the first time we traveled with our 3-month old daughter. As first time parents we really made one of the biggest mistake any parent could do, when traveling out of the country. I'll tell the details of the story later. ;)

Banaue Rice Terraces

The Banaue Rice Terraces, found in Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao, is considered by Filipinos to be the 8th Wonder of the World, this beautiful rice terraces made by human hands is a sight to behold.

It's too bad that I haven't seen this with my own eyes. This place has been tagged as one of the most beautiful places.

I'm proud that this is found in my beloved country, Philippines and I surely hope to go to this place.

Travel Tip # 2

Travel Tip # 2 : Do a Lot of Research on the Place Where You're Going.

The amount of research you've done to the place you're going is equivalent to the amount of time and money you'll be able to save on the actual trip. Researching about the place, accommodations, fares , food and etc. are just at the click of our fingertips. For sure there will be a lot of websites available on the information we want. Joining travel forums will also be very helpful as you will be able to chat with actual people who've been to the place and therefore get real feedbacks. I'll be posting some helpful sites and forums next time.

SouthEast Asia Budget Travel

Several years ago, when one travels outside their own country, it really costs a lot. Now, thanks to all these Budget Airlines because they made traveling internationally cheaper.

Just like six years ago, a round trip ticket from Cebu/Manila to Kuala Lumpur would cost around 24,000 Pesos or approx $ 500. Now, a round trip ticket of the same destination will be around 10,000 Pesos (approx US$227) on a promotional price. And once my Mom bought her ticket for only P 2,800 (US$63) since it was a Zero fare rate.

Here are the Budget Airlines that I know that travel around Southeast Asia and beyond :). It's really cheap and as one of the airline's motto says, " Now everyone can fly!"

1) Airasia - They are the very first brave airline in SouthEast Asia to think of schemes to cut their operational costs and therefore lower their fare. At the start, their planes were small and looked like flying buses from the interior but as they moved on, they improved a lot and now they have airbus 300. They're currently flying around some parts of Asia and Australia and even planning to fly to Europe.

If you're seriously planning to travel around,to get their zero or cheapest rate, you have to visit thier site frequently or subscribe to their updates.

2) Cebu Pacific Air - Thier international destinations are quite limited compared to Airasia but personally I like their planes better. I've only tried the 'bus-like' planes of Airasia (haven't tried the airbus 300 yet), so please forgive me if I make this comparison in my limited experience.

3) Tiger Airways- They've got good planes too. Their planes are based in Singapore and their destinations include India, China and Australia at good rates.

4) Jetstar- I haven't been in any of their planes yet. But some of my friends have tried it and they also gave good feedbacks. What's interesting with this airline is that the price of your ticket depends on the amount of baggage you have. Like for example if when you only have a carry-on bag, then you get the cheapest rate, while if you check -in a luggage that's more than 30 kilos then you get a more expensive rate. So, for backpackers or light travelers who are just interested to see Australia or other countries, then for sure you'll get a reasonable price.

5) COMING SOON! - Malaysian Airlines - Presently, this airline offers a zero rate only in their domestic destinations but, SOON they will be offering zero rates for their international destinations. I'm surely looking forward for this since they are the premier airline of Malaysia and therefore they have a lot more international destinations compared to the others.

So, here is my list. I can't tell you for sure which has the cheapest rates since it all depends on their yearly promotions. Most of these airlines offer ZERO so, you just have to always check their sites or better yet, subscribe to their newsletters.

So you think traveling internationally is only for the rich and famous? No,no,no....With all these budget airlines , now everyone can travel abroad. SAKAY NA!! ;)

My Favorite Places #1 - Tinago Falls

,
One of the most beautiful waterfalls that I've ever seen is found in Iligan City, Philippines. It's no other than the Tinago Falls, which means Hidden Falls. Yes, it is truly hidden in a deep ravine and one has to descend about 500 steps called the winding staircase to reach the foot of the waterfalls. But, once you get there, you won't regret it even if you're already panting and out of breath from exhaustion. The water cascading the the mountains is just beauty to behold and the deep blue color of the water is just refreshing. Indeed, an ideal place for rest and reflection.

I've been to Tinago Falls 3 times ( if I remember right) and everytime I descend down and hear the sound of the waterfalls, my heart just beats fast anticipating the beauty that will be seen in a few moments time..and then everytime I get the first glimpse of the falls, I never fail to just stop, be amazed and appreciate God's majestic creation. I'm not exaggerating, it's really VERY beautiful!..If only I'm good with words then I'll be able to give justice to the beauty of the falls with my description . But I'm not, so all I could do is describe it in my own way and convince you to go and see for yourself.

When we go back home, I'll surely show this beauty to my HUbby who hasn't been there before.

Tagboard / Shoutbox Campaign

I got this form A Piece of Idea... read on and you might want to join this tag.

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Tagboard / Shoutbox Campaign

"LET'S COMMUNICATE!"

Objective: To gather all bloggers who use tagboards like cbox or shoutmix. (at the same time, increase technorati ranking)

Rules:
1. Copy from "Start here" to "End here"
2. Add you blog(s) on the list below.
3. Let me know your name and url by leaving a comment here. I will add you in the master list and contact you through your tagboard whenever there is an update to this tag

I USE A TAGBOARD:
1. A Piece of Idea 2. WriteShy 3. Lalaine's World 4.Budget Traveler. Your Next...

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Off for a Short Break

No I'm not going anywhere (yet). But I'll be off for a short break from bloghops and maybe blogging...It won't be for long. I think I just need to sort out some things and organize my time a bit. As much as I want to update this blog and do bloghopping everyday but I realized that I can't do everything yet at this time.

I'll be back...I'll visit you all, drop my card, change links and comment on your blogs..I just need some time.

Travel Tip # 1

Travel Tip #1 : Save , save save!!

That's right before going out and even seriously planning for a trip, make sure to save money. Even if you want to travel on a budget but nevertheless, you still need money.

As we've talked to a lot of backpackers here in Thailand, we realized that they save up years before their actual trip. Once, they've saved up their money, then they budget this in such a way that they could travel in as many countries and see as many places as they can.

Culture Shock- Philippines

For those who don't know. I'm a Filipina, married to a Malaysian. Even if we're an Asian couple but there are still a lot of cultural differences between me and my dear husband. So, when my DH stayed in the Philippines for 4 months for a training, he together with our Norwegian classmate experienced some culture shocks. Here are bits and pieces of those 'shocks' they had. Not major culture shocks though, but some are quite amusing. All these are based on their observation, it may be true to all or not. So, no objections from fellow Pinoys please..hhehehe!

1) Filipinos point things or directions using the lips. Ask a Filipino, ( especially those whose hands are full) where the toilet is, and instead of pointing with their point finger, they point with their (puckered) lips matched with a head movement, " The CR ( our term for toilet , a short cut for Comfort Room) is there!" The first time our Norwegian friend saw this, he couldn't believe what he saw and thought the girl, wanted a kiss..hahahah!!

2) Filipinos say YES with our eyebrows. Try this! Move both your eyebrows , up and down, two times. Yes, that it..that's how we say Yes at times. When you ask someone, 'Have you eaten your breakfast yet?'..and then you won't hear a "yes" reply but when you look at the person asked, for sure his/her eyebrows have moved up and down with a little nod on the head. For some non-Filipinos, they would think that we are being flirty with them..

3) Inside the lift, bus or jeepney, Filipinos talk openly, laugh and share jokes in the presence of everyone. There are even times that when a joke is shared between friends inside the jeepney, the other passengers also laugh when the punchline has been said :) In other countries, once they're in the lift or public transport people seldom talk and when they do they whisper and not talk openly as do. So, the lifts/elevators are mostly dead silent even with a lot of people inside.

4) Filipinos cook and eat their fish with its head and tail intact. This was one major shock for our Norwegian friend and the more he got shock when everyone was fighting over who gets to eat the fish head. He said, only cats eat the fish head/tail in their country. But at the end, he also liked eating the fish head.

5) Psssstttttt.........Psssssssssssttttttt... That's how we call each other , our friends and family. In my Hubby's country it's impolite to call anyone like this. So it was a shock for him to hear everyone calling each other with a Psssst!!

That's all that I could think of now..I'll ask more from my Hubby and be updating this later..:)

What about you? Do you have any "culture shock' items that you want to add? Feel free to comment and I'll it up here too. Thanks!

DOs and DON'Ts in Thailand

If you're planning to come and visit Thailand, it's good to come with the knowledge of what's culturally acceptable or not. Generally, the Thais are very polite. If you offend them in any way, they won't tell you and but instead say, "Mai pen rai' or it's okay even if they're already offended. Here's a compilation (just based in my personal experience) of the things you can do and must not do during your stay or visit.

1) Show your respect towards the Royal Family. The Royal Family is very well respected in this country, therefore as much as possible, don't comment anything may it be good or bad about them. Don't ask controversial issues about them from the local people. It'll greatly offend them and neither talk to you about it.

2) Treat the Thai Baht money ( bill and coins) with 'respect' too. This means, you can't step on the Thai coins with your foot, in case it falls down.The reason? The King's portrait is on the coins as well as the bill, that's why it must be treated with respect. For Filipinos like me, we're used to hand the money, using our right or left hand..but here you'd notice they only give the money using their right hand as they believe that the left hand is for using somewhere else. Their bills here are very clean and no creases, while back home it's not that clean with "wanted penpal/ phone pal' messages all over it and folded 100 times over. :)

3) It's polite to 'wai' back when people 'wai' at you. Wyeing is a sign of respect. It's the folding of arms together like in a prayer gesture and bowing the head slightly.

4) Don't touch anyone's head, specially people older than you. The head is believed to be the most sacred part of the body so, it offends them when you touch their head.

5) Don't point your foot on people. Like when your sitting with your legs crossed, your foot must not point to a person. Just as they consider the head to be the most sacred part of the body, the feet are considered to be the lowest.

6) Don't go out with your hair wet, this is also considered impolite ( I've just learned this recently from a friend).

A Funny Experience

Well, not really funny...but I find this experience an amusing one and actually I learned a lesson after it.

It was during my 'single' days when I was still working and traveling a lot in various cities in Visayas and Mindanao. So, it was my first time visiting those cities too. In one of my assignments, I was to go to Bohol to check their Levi's retail stores there. I didn't know anyone in Tagbilaran, Bohol but I remembered that my classmate from high school, who's a med. rep. was assigned there. So, I called him and asked a name of a hotel where I could stay. He mentioned a hotel and with my backpack and Supercat (waterjet) ticket, off I went.

If I'm not mistaken, the name of the hotel was Meridien Hotel. When I landed on the city, I immediately hailed a taxi and confidently told him my destination. The taxi driver had a confused look on his face, asked me again of my destination and also asked me whether I'm staying there. I said, 'Yes' but this time I was already wondering why he's asking me again and again. Then he told me " Sorry ma'am, but that hotel is already closed' TOINK!

Since I didn't have any Plan B at all, I just asked the taxi to take me around the city and look for a place to stay. Finally, he sent me to a small hotel (I already forgot the name) that looks nice from the outside but has some funny noises at night. Oh..oh.. It was difficult to sleep at night.

Lesson learned: Before traveling, must always research first the place or destination you're going. With the internet now, we can get the information we need from the click of the mouse.

Canceled Trip

The Satun trip that I've blogged about last week has been canceled. That's what happens to spur at the moment decisions...the cancelation is also as fast..:)

So, Lesson No. 1 for me : Must alway plan trips ahead especially for us who're traveling with kids.

But anyways, we had a good weekend with friends last week. And little did we know that one of our friend who stayed with us for a night has a relative who owns a resort in Phuket and she's inviting us to go there and stay for a night or two for FREE! Hehehe!! I was so excited with the offer but I'm not jumping so much with excitement yet as our weekends are full and there are no holidays in between. But still we're not crossing out the possibility especially since we want to visit our student who's working there. hmmm....

Cagayan de Oro Here We Come!

Photo by Rex Tapungot

I'm just so excited to go back home..It's still several months away but I always tell my Li'l girl, ' We're almost going to the Philippines! '. I'm excited because, of course my family is there and this time we'll be staying for a longer period of time. That means, if we really plan well, we'll be able to visit a lot of places and do a lot of exciting things. Excting? you'll know why..read on.


I'm really 'determined' to show my HUbby the beauty of our beloved city since he hasn't really explored every nook and corner of it since we usually just go there for a short visit.


So, here is my list of things to do and places to visit in the City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro City.


1) First stop..HOME- YEs, there;s no place like home. We live just near the river and it's so refreshing to hear the constant sound of the rushing water and the chirping of the birds in the morning. When ever we're home, it always feel like we're on a holiday since the surrounding is just tranquil and serene. Surely, a great place to rest.




2) White Water Rafting in Cagayan River- It's the same river that connects from the place where they have the white water rafting to our house. I haven't done this yet but would really love to try. This will truly be an awesome adventure, just looking at the pictures will make your adrenaline rush. :)

Photos by Rex Tapungot

3) Canopy Walk at Claveria through a suspended bridge at the middle of the woods that is 120 ft from the ground. I'm sorry but as for now all I could to is to show you the pictures since I couldn't describe it real well yet as I haven't gone to the place.



4) Visit ECO Village in Malasag. This has only been the 'tourist' place during the time when I was staying in my hometown..I'm glad that there are more places to go now like no. 2 and 3. Anyways, the Eco village, is situated on a hill (overlooking the northern protion of Cagayan de Oro) and this exhibits the different tribes and cultures of Misamis Oriental through showing their houses, way of living and etc. As I remember there's also a butterfly garden, an aviary and chalets here.


So, here are the four major things I want my HUbby to experience while in my City. I heard there's an Ostrich farm in Opol too. So, I better take my kids there and let them see. For me, I'm contented to eat my favorite Buko Halo and Chiken inato' at Jo's Chicken Inato', buy the lechon manok ( roasted chicken) at The Barn, buy 2nd hand clothes at Agora Ukay-ukay and Night Cafe' and eat some delicious cakes at Blueberry Cafe'. :)

OK. I better go to sleep now and dream about all these..:)

Travelling the Philippines

I've been tagged my Ate Bernadeth and Janet. Thanks!

Show me how much of the Philippines have you travelled? Add your links here:1) mind bubbles, 2) may, 3) VANITY KIT 4) SOMETHING PURPLE, 5.) A DETOUR, 6) Big Eyed Gal, 7)The Chronic Shopper, 8) Free IT and Blogger's EBook, 9) Ness 10) Mica 11) Bernadeth 12. Bernisaac13. expressions and thoughts 14. our family story 15. Budget Traveller 16. Your Next!

Now I'm curious to know about you Maya, Portia and Tere.

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.



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I was quite disappointed with my grade. I thought I'd get a B, since I considered that I've been around in quite a lot of places due to my work several years ago. But then, I realized that indeed, I haven't travelled Philippines that much, see the white spaces on top and on the left side?

There are still a lot of places I want to go like Palawan, Ilocos, Aklan, Sorsogon and a lot more!

Weekend in Satun

I'm excited, it's going to be a holiday here in Thailand on Monday. So, out of the spur of the moment my Hubby and I ( together with our friends) decided to visit our dear friend in Satun.

Satun is actually a small province but is a gateway to many of Thailand's beautiful beaches too. Examples are Koh Tarutao, Koh Lipe, Koh Lanta and Koh Bolon. Though Satun's Islands are not as famous as Phuket's or Krabi's but we've had friends who's been there and loved the place. It's actually away from the crowded beaches of Phuket but the sea is as pristine and the nature as beautiful.

We won't be going to all these beaches. We'll have to wait for our 7 mo. old baby to grow a little bit bigger and maybe then we do more adventure. But as of now, we'll just be visiting some of Satun's famous spots and tourist area and of course try their food.

So, see you all on Tuesday! I'll be posting our pictures and some reviews.

Have a blessed weekend!!

The 40 Firsts in Taiping

photo from taipingtalk.com

While my recent post is about Taiping, let me show you what I found in the Wikipedia. The 40 Firsts in Taiping. So, that explains why my Hubby always talk about the oldest this and that in his own beloved hometown. I'll have to take note of this list and be sure to visit some of the places mentioned here.

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Due to the booming tin-mining industry in the 19th century and its previous position as capital of Perak, Taiping is the pioneer in many fields achieving many 'firsts' in the country. The list given by Taiping Municipal Council records a total of 40 firsts in the country under Taiping's belt. Dated as early as 1844, these firsts are either in monuments or events.

• Open tin mining activity in the peninsula (1844)
• Hill resort - Maxwell Hill (1844)
• Swimming pool - Coronation Swimming Pool (1870)
• Mosque - Masjid Tengku Menteri (1870)
• Rest house (1870)
• Artillery warehouse (1870)
• Magistrate court (1874)
• Balai penghulu (1875)
• Resident's house (1877)
• Port - Port Weld (1877)
• English school - Central School Kamunting (1878)
• Police force (1879)
• Government offices (1879)
• Post and telegraph office (1880)
• Lake gardens - Taiping Lake Gardens (1880)
• Taiping General Hospital, private and government (1880)
• Club - New Club (1880)
• Club - Perak Club
• Railway station and warehouse (1881)
• Museum - Perak Museum (1883)
• Market building - Taiping Markets (1884)
• Prison - Taiping Gaol(1885)
• Railway track - from Port Weld to Taiping (1885)
• Turf club - Perak Turf Club (1886)
• Anglican church - All Saints Church, Taiping (1886)
• English girl's school - Treacher Methodist Girls' School (1889)
• Clock tower - Taiping Clock Tower (1890)
• Esplanade - Esplanade (1890)
• Malay newspaper - Seri Perak (June 1893)
• English newspaper - Perak Pioneer (July 4, 1894)
• Tamil newspaper - Perak Verthamani (1894)
• Armed Forces - Malay States Guides (1896)
• Teaching college - Maktab Perguruan Melayu
• Ceylon association (1899)
• Punjabi association - Khalsa Diwan Malaya Association (1903)
• Indian association (1906)
• Recreation park - Coronation Park (1920s)
• Airfield - Tekah Airport (1930)
• Golf course (some claimed in Southeast Asia)
• Library - Perpustakaan Merdeka
• Fire brigade