Fishtastic Experience at Tibiao Fish Spa

My flashpack trip started with a ferry ride from Bacolod to Ilo-Ilo. Day 1 in Ilo-Ilo was not purely for pleasure as I needed to renew my professional license at PRC's regional office. My previous renewals were easy peasy, I'm usually done with the whole process before lunch. I thought it will be just like 3 years ago, so I planned to visit the heritage sites in the afternoon. But then, my plans shattered into pieces when I saw a huge crowd outside the PRC office! It looked disastrous, major trip hassle! So, there I was, on queue on several windows for almost 12 hours; only went out for snack and lunch. Anyway, enough of the ranting, let's jump to the happy part: I successfully renewed my license before 7 pm. Then, I treated my exhausted self and my family, who got tired of waiting for me, to a relaxing fish spa and foot massage! 

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Lady: The Jinx Flashpacker

I have always considered myself a flashpacker, not a backpacker. Why? Well, first of all, I can't carry a backpack! Hahah! I was diagnosed to have scoliosis (abnormal spine curvature) when I was in College. It is a medical condition with no cure, only prevention to keep the curve from getting worse. So, I'm pretty sure my fragile spine couldn't handle the weight of a heavy backpack. Secondly, I love to travel in style! I want to wear clean and nice clothes everyday, matched with accessories and footwear. Third, I love fancy restaurants! I'm a picky eater, a self-confessed foodie who have constant and unstoppable food cravings. Lastly, my husband and I can't live without internet connection! We are a tech savvy couple. We look for WiFi or 3G signals everywhere. We go to Starbucks not mainly for coffee, but for free internet. :) Though I have an affinity to fancy trips, I still have a little backpacker soul in me. I also look for cheaper travel options, like bus trips instead of air flights, couch surf (stay in a friend's home) instead of booking a hotel stay! 

You might wonder why I call myself a Jinx Flashpacker. A jinx is a person that attracts a series of misfortunes. I hate to call myself one, but I can't deny the fact that I often encounter misadventures while I'm on the road; a flat tire, a rip on my dress, a broken ferry engine in the middle of the sea and more! Despite of it all, I am a happy traveler. You'll find me upset for a while, then laughing out loud a minute later.

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Sights and Sundown at Bacolod Baywalk

Weeks before my flight to the Philippines, I saw several posts about Bacolod Baywalk on Facebook. The photos on the news feed made me so curious about the place. Bacolod Baywalk is the newest attraction in the city. It was inaugurated last February 14, 2013. The 2 hectare area at the coastline of Bacolod can be a dine-out spot for foodies, an entertainment venue for music lovers and a perfect place to watch the beautiful sunset for hopeless romantics.

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Family Dinner at Bacolod Chicken House

Whenever I am away, I often think about my loving family, good friends and chicken inasal! Food has always been a part of my daydreams. Hahah! :) Chicken Inasal is a famous grilled chicken dish from Bacolod. This is not your ordinary chicken barbecue! A lot of restaurants in the country and even abroad have inasal on the menu, but nothing beats the original. Here in Bacolod, the chicken is marinated in a special secret sauce, then grilled to perfection!       

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Pope John Paul II Tower: Bacolod's Sacred Landmark

It's the third week of my month-long vacation in the Philippines. My whole body, most especially my brain, is on a hiatus! As much as I need to write a vacation update, I didn't know how and where to start! Well, I guess I have to stop lazing around for I got a lot of escapades to share.

In case you don't know, I was born and raised in Negros Occidental, a province located in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. My hometown, Silay City, is known to be the "Paris of Negros". 21 km away from Silay is Negros Occidental's capital, Bacolod, also known as the "City of Smiles". The province's growth is in full swing. There's always something new to see every time I come home. Last week, I had the chance visit one of the prominent landmarks in Bacolod, the Pope John Paul II Tower.

I have watched the tower from afar the last time I went home for vacation. I wanted to visit since then, but didn't had the time since Ed and I were too busy with our wedding preparations. This time, I didn't let the opportunity pass.

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Making New Friends and Arabic Cuisine in Dubai

Relocating to a new country like Dubai can be stressful. There are forms to fill in, you need to learn your way around the city, you need to set up an account (international banks like HSBC do good current accounts for expats), you have to learn a new language etc.

But this list does end and once you've settled in, you can enjoy your new way of life and appreciate the local culture. If you’re trying to make new friends, you may want to invite the neighbors round for dinner. And what better to way to impress them than by making some traditional Arab cuisine?

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The 2-hour Intramuros Do-It-Yourself Tour

If there's one thing I hate about traveling, it's jet lag! My sleeping pattern was totally messed up! Though I was really worn out, I still didn't get my desired hours of sleep on my first night in the Philippines. I was already wide awake at 4 AM, quite weird since that's 12 midnight in the UAE. I can't blame the change of time zone, so it's most probably because of my short naps in-flight, or maybe I was just too excited to wake up and see the sights of my beloved country!

Though I only had 4 hours of sleep, I was still determined to accomplish one of my vacation goals: to have a tour in Intramuros. I have been to the walled city when I was in High School, around 16 years ago. It was one of the places I greatly appreciated as a student. I can't remember the details though. The memory of my first visit is now a blur.

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Resort Guide: Malta

While thousands of families will be heading for the popular tourist destinations over the next few months, a summer holiday doesn't always have to include the Balearics, Costas or Canaries. Despite being one of the smallest countries in the world, Malta has an incredible amount of attractions to offer her visitors, including oodles of history, culture and delectable cuisine.

Photo from www.thomascook.com

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Overnight Stay in Bayview Park Hotel Manila

After almost 17 hours of journey, 2 airplane rides with a 9 hour Singapore lay-over escapade in between, Ed and I arrived in the Philippines exhausted, yet too happy to be back in our home country. Since our domestic flight to the province was scheduled the next day, we booked an overnight hotel stay in Manila. Two months before our arrival, we scanned the list of accommodations with promotional rates at Booking.com and found Bayview Park Hotel Manila, a hotel near the bay and the heritage sights.

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The Long Way Home

I'm currently on vacation at the happiest place on Earth. Nope, not in Disneyland! I am blogging all the way from the Philippines! Woohoo! :) I'm looking forward to more sweet escapades; this time, in my home country. Before that, let me share the long journey Ed and I had through pictures. If you are my Instagram follower, you must have seen the series of side trips we had before reaching home; it was fun, tiring though, but it was epic! 

Dubai

February 28, 2013: Instagram Pic at 4:30 PM (Dubai Time)
*patiently waiting for boarding time at Dubai International Airport*

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The Difference between Cruise Line Options

With so many cruise lines on the market, it can be quite overwhelming trying to distinguish the difference between them. Whether you are liking the look of the Vision of the Seas liner, from the Royal Caribbean line, or you are favouring a family friendly P&O liner, knowing the difference between them all can be a sure-fire way to choosing the best one to suit your needs. It’s difficult to know which would suit your itinerary plans and, of course, the budget; with clearly defined categories, the choice can be significantly easier.

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