Cebu Pacific: You say Dubai, I say Hello!

I'm the kind of woman who'd rather book a hotel stay than buy a gold necklace. I'd choose food in a fancy restaurant over a new pair of shoes. And I'd rather spend thousands for a plane ticket rather than a designer bag! :) But I'm no big spender! Most of the hotel stays, dine-outs and plane tickets were on promotional offers. I think that explains why I went crazy over Cebu Pacific Airline's "You say Dubai, I say Hello" advertisement. Who doesn't love cheap airfares? I was so overjoyed! I told everyone at work about it, shared the ad on my Facebook Timeline and I even sent a message to my mom!

Photo from https://www.facebook.com/cebupacificair

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One Summer Day in Caluwayan Palm Island Resort

I have been curious about Caluwayan Palm Island Resort in Samar since last year. It all started when I saw beautiful photos of the resort on Facebook. I told my husband that we should include it to our vacation itinerary. So, I did a little research months before our trip. I was shocked to see the words "overrated" and "terrible" on some reviews. How can a place that looks so awesome on photos be rated as such? I was confused. 

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Ski vs. Snowboard: Which to Choose?

There will always be a debate among skiers and snowboarders, about which sport is “the best”, but in reality, when asking the question: Which is best? The answer is simply, neither. There is no right answer – the choice between skiing and snowboarding is yours and yours alone.

Whether you choose a European resort such as Soldeu in Andorra or you decide to head across the pond to Whistler, the opportunities are endless. If you would like to make a concerted effort to stick at one or the other, take a look at some of the factors that can often make the decision a little easier.

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Rafael's Farm: My Favorite Spot in Leyte

Blue skies. White fluffy clouds. Beautiful landscape. Palm trees. Green grass. Man-made lake. 

Native cottages. Sumptuous food. 

You may think I'm just daydreaming of an imaginary place while I typed those above. Well, I am actually thinking of Rafael's Farm! Believe me, Rafael's Farm is dreamy, picturesque and perfect! Today, I'm going to take you to my favorite place in Leyte. At the end of this post, I'm pretty sure Rafael's Farm will be your favorite as well! Lezzz go! 

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Ocho Seafood and Grill: Seafood Haven in Tacloban

Seafood!!! Just typing the "seafood" word makes me drool. It deserves to have that three exclamation points after! I'm a picky eater but I wouldn't mind having the freshest fisherman's catch anytime or anywhere, whether it is simply home-cooked or a chef's specialty in a restaurant. On our recent trip, Ed arranged a family dinner at Ocho Seafood and Grill, Tacloban's finest seafood restaurant. 

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Going All Inclusive

There are plenty of ways to enjoy a holiday. You can book a budget-friendly apartment or a private villa and whip up a storm in the kitchen every night, making the most of fresh local ingredients and trying your hand at the regional specialities. Or you could opt for a friendly B&B and enjoy a tasty breakfast every morning, followed by a picnic while you're out exploring and a restaurant meal at night. Or you could opt for a hotel, and take your pick from one of many different dining options on offer.

All inclusive is a dining option that's becoming increasingly popular for holidaymakers, and it's not hard to see why. With the cost of living on the rise and salaries being squeezed, many holidaymakers are budget-conscious and want to try to limit how much they spend once they're in the resort. So all inclusive is a great way to do it - whether you're on a package break with the likes of Thomas Cook holidays, or you've booked with the hotel direct.

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The Leyte Tour: It's Sweeter the Second Time Around

2009, the year when I was so young and restless... and homesick! I was a newbie in Dubai, while Ed, who was still my boyfriend that time, was in the Philippines. That year, I managed to go home, to be with him and my family every six months! On January 2009, my restless feet and my homesick heart brought me to Tacloban, Ed's hometown. I instantly fell in love with the town's laid back atmosphere, so I made a promise. Allow me to borrow Gen. Douglas MacArthur's famous line, I told myself that someday "I shall return".

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Riverside Inn: Affordable Accommodation in Ilo-Ilo

The overnight stay in Ilo-Ilo wasn't included in my flashpack itinerary. I originally planned to leave Bacolod in the morning, renew my license and  fly to Tacloban in the afternoon. Plans changed when my Mom suggested that we should travel to Ilo-Ilo one day ahead. Indeed, mother knows best! We could have missed our flight if I didn't listen to her!

Bringing the whole family to a flashpack trip requires a lot of budgeting skills; something I wish I am good at! For an 8-day trip, I tried my very best to be on the right track. I scouted for clean, accessible and most of all affordable accommodation in Ilo-Ilo three days before our trip. I found several cheap hotels in the net, but my top choice doesn't have an email ad for inquiries and reservation. I settled with my second choice. I sent an email to Riverside Inn and they answered my inquiries promptly; rates and discounts for Senior Citizens included!  A good sign for a good service!

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Spa and Skin Care Discounts in Dubai

One would think Dubai would have stricter laws about women and that women would find it difficult to travel and live alone here. Dubai is a more enlightened place and women can freely work and travel.

Dubai is hot and if you like trawling the street markets or going out to explore villages around Dubai and ride camels, your skin is going to take a beating, sunscreen and other protection notwithstanding. If you walk through the gigantic Malls, you are likely to have sore feet, a sore back and feel tired after a day’s shopping.  Head for a spa and refresh yourself. There’s plenty to do after sundown.

There is no shortage of spa deals in Dubai. You could drop in at Armada Womans Spa and indulge in a refreshing massage and treatments to take the aches and pains away. Try Dr. Shyam’s Ayurvedic Centre for some typically Indian style rejuvenating treatments with ayurvedic facials and herbal baths. The Mist Spa gives you a Thai herbal ball massage and hot stone massage. At Al Marasim Ladies Salon you can be really pampered with a full hour of body massage and foot reflexology. La Bonita Beauty Center gives you a Moroccan bath, hair treatment and full body massage. Over at the Turkuas House Beauty Salon you can have a royal turkish bath, massage, hair care and more.

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Pizza and Pasta at Afrique's

I have been to Ilo-Ilo several times; way back when I only have shopping malls and fast foods on my itinerary! :) I never realized the true essence of traveling when I was younger. On my recent trip, I vowed to do something different; heritage sites instead of malls, local restaurants instead of fast food chains. 

As you all know, I failed on my sightseeing goal because of a very unfortunate event. I was so determined to succeed in the food aspect, but I made an exemption for lunch as I wanted to let my Mom have her favorite Kenny Roger's roasted chicken. I love to please my parents. Oh well, who doesn't? For dinner, I had the authentic La Paz batchoy in mind while my mom whispered 'Kenny Rogers' for the second time! Hahah! I felt so sorry, but I had to say "once is enough, Mama". :) I would probably have batchoy for dinner if I'm alone, but since I wasn't, I decided to have a "real" family dinner in one of the local restaurants.

My parents are cool, go-with-the-flow type of oldies. When I asked them if they want to have something Italian for dinner, they cheerfully agreed. Afrique's is a popular pizza and pasta place in Ilo-Ilo. It is one of the best, currently rank 11 in Tripadvisor's list of 73 dine-out spots in the city. A friend told me that I should never leave Ilo-Ilo without having a meal at Afrique's. I'm glad I took the advice this time.

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