Texas Roadhouse

Whenever you travel, it is not only the place that makes you curious but also the food. Each country is known for its own cuisine and I’m pretty sure that you have your own favorites. 

Living in the Philippines, we are so used to eating American foods because of the different American chains of restaurants here in the country. So when my husband went to Austin, Texas, he did not have any problem with food. The only dilemma is finishing the order, every meal has generous servings which he is not used to. Masisira talaga ang diet mo. 

His hotel gave him a list of restaurants where he can eat if he wants pizza, mixed, Mexican, Seafood, Asian, Italian, BBQ/Steak, Counter Service, or Grocery and Convenience store. For the last two weeks, he ate at Pizza Hut, Cho Sushi, Napa Flats, Subway, Target, and Texas Roadhouse. Among the restaurants, he liked Texas Roadhouse so he ate there twice. 

Read: Marriott Residence Inn Austin Lake

Texas Roadhouse is an American chain of restaurants that was founded in February 1993. They are known for their slogan which is Legendary Food, Legendary Service. According to my husband, the service is good so mahihiya ka daw talaga na hindi magtip, hehehe! Ibang-iba sa service ng restaurant sa Pinas.

It is also famous for its free buckets of peanuts. As in peanuts are everywhere, you can just eat and eat while waiting for your order. You can just throw the peanut shells on the floor. 

Texas Roadhouse specializes in steaks, chicken, seafood, ribs, and side dishes made from scratch. He enjoyed the food so much that when we ate at Melo’s, “okay na lang ang steak sa kanya”. He prefers the steak of Texas Roadhouse na. And because of that, I need to eat at Texas Roadhouse, I've learned that they have branches here in the Philippines. 

Read: Texas Roadhouse Uptown Bonifacio

Steaks are cheaper in USA compared here in the Philippines. Yes, mas mura pa kinain ni hubby sa Texas Roadhouse compared sa kinain namin sa Melo’s which is promo rate pa. So whenever you are in USA, don’t forget to eat steaks. 

Read: Lunch at Melo’s 

Discover Kowloon Hong Kong With Your Kids With These Destinations

The difficulty with traveling with kids is not just worrying about their security. It is not even about the possible tantrums or the mess they would leave. Kids do that every day, and to be honest, even strangers who are pretty impartial about kids expect them to act that way. This is especially true in places like Hong Kong, a total tourist destination. Locals know that the island is one of the most sought out places for family trips, so they definitely know how to deal with kids.

When you go to Hong Kong with the little ones, the first thing you think of is Disneyland. Why not? It has rides, food, and entertainment -- all the things that will keep your kids occupied for a whole day. Extra travel preparations like getting them travel insurance for a trip to HK from companies like Chubb Travel Insurance, for instance, is not going to be much of a problem if you know the kids will enjoy the trip. But what else can you do with them? 

Hong Kong is not just a three-day affair. If you really want them to experience traveling and everything the island can offer, you would have to be there for a week. But you only have Disneyland to pacify them for the whole trip. Well, here we have listed down some of the places or activities you can do with your kids when you find yourself in Kowloon, Hong Kong. 

Go to the Science Museum 

Kids are naturally curious, and what better way to satiate that curiosity than with a trip to the Hong Kong Science Museum. It is located Tsim Sha Tsui and has some of the most interesting exhibits even parents can enjoy. It includes World of Mirrors and an interactive gallery for children. It’s free on Wednesdays, but the fee is very minimal.

Visit the Kowloon Walled City

One of the ways your kids can appreciate the places they visit is if they get to learn its history. During Britain’s occupation in 1842, the Kowloon Walled City was a garrison kept by the Chinese; but after a year, they had to surrender the city to the British. At present, the city is a park right by a lively Thai neighborhood. This could be the perfect chance to teach your kids that there is always more to a place other than its key destinations and shopping centres. 

Get the Best View of Kowloon from Above 

We all love skyline views of cities, there is something so magical about looking at the metro from a different viewpoint. Pay a visit to the deck of Sky100 located at the International Commerce Centre tower, Hong Kong’s tallest building. Here, you and your family will be treated to a 360-degree view of Hong Kong. For a more dramatic and enchanting feel, try to bring your kids there at night when Hong Kong’s nightlife is pretty much alive; it will be a breathtaking view especially for the kids.

These are just some of the things you can do with your kids on your visit to Kowloon, Hong Kong. You can go ice skating at Festival Walk Glacier or shop at the countless stores and boutiques around the city. You can even plan a food trip with them. For sure your trip to Hong Kong will be the most unforgettable trip they will have.

Read: 6 Days in Hong Kong and Macau

Marriott Residence Inn Austin Lake

My husband stayed at Marriott Residence Inn Austin Lake during his two weeks business trip in Austin, Texas. This is just a few minutes away from his office which he liked because he doesn’t need to wake up early unlike here in the Philippines, you need 2 hours allowance papasok pa lang sa office.

He stayed in a studio room which is big enough for one person. They only change the beddings twice a week. 

The room has fully equipped kitchen, dining table, living room area and office desk. This is a nice hotel for a family too because you can prepare or cook your own food. 

Bathroom has a bathtub. 

Whenever we visit a hotel, we always check their toiletries so my husband was surprised when he got there. Marriott Residence Inn only offers complimentary soap, shampoo and conditioner. There is no complimentary toothpaste, toothbrush, laundry bag and even slippers. No complimentary bottled water too because tap water is potable daw. 

My husband stayed in other Marriott Hotel such as Cebu and Shanghai so he was expecting that the toiletries are the same. He has no choice but to go to the grocery to buy his other needs. Lesson learned, not all hotels are the same. 

Read: Cebu City Marriott Hotel
           Marriott Renaissance Shanghai Yangtze Hotel

The room package includes buffet breakfast but it is not something grand. Here in the Philippines, you always look forward to buffet breakfast but in the USA, their buffet breakfast is very simple. It looks like a pantry or kitchen, malayo sa hotels in Asia. 

Everything is self-service, there are no wait staffs that will refill your drinks or even attend to your needs. 

They have an indoor pool but my husband was not able to try, crowded din kasi pag weekends, e yun nga lang free time niya. Lol. 

The hotel does not provide shuttle service from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport - AUS so you need to ride a shuttle or rent a car. My husband rented a car for two weeks at National Car Rental. Prior to the USA trip, my husband applied for International Driving Permit. 

National Rates

Standard 2/4 Door Automatic A/C

$133 per day
$181.50 per week
$726 per month

+ Taxes and other charges
+ Toll fee (if there's any) - the toll fee was not included in the receipt when my husband paid for the service. The posting was 2 weeks delayed, so we were surprised when we saw the charges on our credit card bill. 

Super Shuttle; 50 USD (one way) ; on request 

Driving directions: Get on TX-71 W from Presidential Blvd and Spirit of Texas Dr. Continue on TX-71 W. Take TX-360 Loop N to N Capital of Texas Hwy in Austin. Take the RM 2222 exit from TX-360 Loop N. Follow Ranch to Market 2222 W to your destination. Continue onto N Capital of Texas Hwy.Turn left onto Ranch to Market 2222 W. Turn left onto River Pl Blvd. Turn right. Destination will be on the right. Marriott Residence Inn Austin Lake 6608 River Place Austin Texas, 78730 USA 110 E 2nd Street Austin Texas 78701 USA

Read: Glimpse of Austin Texas

How to Deal with Lost Luggage

Last week my husband just came home from his two weeks USA business trip. He was excited to go home but the excitement turned into stressful moments. It started with a delayed flight, he woke as early as 2 AM, checked out and went to the airport. 

Upon check-in, he was advised that the 7:15 AM flight will be delayed because the airplane is under maintenance. After an hour, they were advised that the American Airlines plane is still under maintenance and they need to wait for the next airplane from Houston, Texas.

Travel time from Austin, Texas to Los Angeles, California is 3 hours and 35 minutes so my husband was really worried that he might miss his connecting flight. He was running late but thank God he did not miss the 11 AM flight. He was the last passenger to board, good thing Philippine Airlines waited for him. 

Then there was an unexpected stopover at Guam for fuel, which is an additional one hour from the 16hrs flight from LAX to MNL. Long haul flight is really stressful but the moment you landed, you felt relieved because you are back to your home country. 

As usual, he went to the baggage carousel to get his checked-in bag only to find out that his luggage is missing. He was the last person at the carousel and one staff already informed him that there is no more luggage. Boom! Lost luggage is one of the scariest things that could happen in your travel.

The staff ushered him to one counter so they could trace his luggage but they could not find it so he filed a Property Irregularity Report - PIR and was advised that they will contact him once they find the luggage. He was asked if he wants to pick-up the luggage or deliver. Of course, he chose the latter at sobrang hassle at gastos pa kung magbayad pa gas, toll at parking. 

So my husband went home without luggage, good thing he is back in Manila or else mas mahirap kung walang extra clothes or toiletries. The following day, I told my son about the missing luggage and he cried a bucket of tears because his pasalubong was in the luggage. Parang namatayan sa sobrang iyak, nakakaloka. 

It was our anniversary day but we could not celebrate because we were monitoring the luggage. We did not receive a call so my husband emailed and called PAL and he was informed that the luggage was already here in the Philippines. They are still waiting for the Customs to release the luggage so they can deliver it. 

At 4PM, my husband followed up again and he was advised that the luggage is on its way na daw. We received the luggage at 6:15PM so it is still less than 24hours. The lock was gone but thank God, no stuff was missing.

The baggage was delivered by Journey Baggage Handling and Transport Inc and I asked them if everyday ba sila nagdedeliver and they said yes. Waah! So this is really a normal case but I hope it won’t happen again. So if you travel by plane, expect unexpected events like this. Here is my advice on 

How to deal with Lost Luggage

1. Stay calm. No matter how stress you are, raising your voice or getting mad at the staff will not help you. 
2. Make sure that you can describe your luggage or it is better if you have a photo so they can immediately trace it. 
3. File a report. Keep the Property Irregularity Report Tag.
4. Get the airline contact information so you can follow-up for your missing luggage. Some airlines have a bag tracer on their website just like the American Airlines. My husband was able to trace his bag so he has an idea that his luggage reached Los Angeles, California. 
5. Follow-up. My husband was advised that they will call if they already found the luggage but we did not receive any call. We email and call them to follow-up. 
6. Be patient. You need a lot of patience on waiting.
7. Know your rights. 

When my husband’s luggage was missing, I was really worried. I read the Summary of the Rights of Air Passengers and I computed the possible cost of the luggage + 2 weeks clothes + 2 shoes + pasalubong. The cost is more than the compensation so I was praying hard that they will find the lost luggage. 

Right to Compensation for Delayed, Lost and Damaged Bag 

The passenger has the right to: 

1. Be informed of the fact of off-loading. 
2. P2000 compensation to the passenger for every 24 hours of delay. 
3. Refund of checked baggage fees if the baggage was not delivered within 24 hours from the arrival of flight. 
4. If the baggage is lost or if it suffered any damage.

For International Flights: The relevant convention shall apply. 
For Domestic Flights: The passenger has the right to a maximum equivalent to half of the amount in the relevant convention (for international flights) in its Peso equivalent.

5. Presumption of loss. If after a period of 7 days from when the passenger or consignee should have received the baggage and it is not delivered, it is assumed lost. 

Notice of Baggage Liability Limitations 

Liability for loss, delay or damage to baggage is limited unless a higher value is declared in advance and additional charges are paid. For most international travel (including domestic portions of international journeys) the liability limit is approximately $9.07 per pound (US$20.00 per kilo) for checked baggage and US$400 per passenger for unchecked baggage. For travel wholly between U.S. points, Federal rules require any limit on an airline's baggage liability to be at least US$2,500 per passenger. Excess valuation may be declared on certain types of valuable articles. Carrier assumes no liability for fragile, valuable or perishable articles. Further information may be obtained from the carrier.  

Baggage Liability Limitations for Journeys Entirely within the Philippines 

Unless a higher valuation has been declared by the passenger at check-in time, the Carrier's liability for loss of or damage to checked baggage shall be limited to PHP40.00 per kilogram.  

In our case, the baggage was delayed. My husband was able to make it on his connecting flight but the baggage did not make it so they boarded it to the next LAX to MNL flight. I was thankful that PAL has two flights on that day. Have you experienced this, care to share your missing luggage experience.

Philippine Airlines Baggage Assistance and Tracking 

Tel: (632) 851-3011          
       832-2939 
Fax:(632) 879-6028  
E-mail: baggage_tracing@pal.com.ph

Read: How to Deal with Damaged Luggage

Lunch at Melo’s The Home of Certified Angus Beef

We just celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary last weekend. Since my husband's business trips are so unpredictable, we did not plan for a vacation or staycation. But I have a few suggestions for my husband and he agreed to have lunch or dinner at Melo’s. He ate at Melo’s before and he liked their steak too. 

Ang liit ng Lobster Tail, additional P500 na yun sa promo rate nila. 

I’m a meat lover so one of my comfort food is steak. When you say steak, Melo’s is the most famous steakhouse in the country. I haven't read any bad reviews about Melo's steak so I’ve been meaning to try this restaurant but of course, the price is so steep. I was really glad when I learned about their promo.

Reservation is needed but I told my husband that we will just reserve once he got home. Good thing that I did not reserve immediately because when my husband went home last Friday, he had a problem with his luggage. His luggage was missing so we could not go out to celebrate our anniversary. We’re waiting for his luggage to be delivered to home. 

Read: How to Deal with Lost Luggage

Yesterday, I told my son to change his clothes. 

Me: Ethan, change ka ng clothes, kakain tayo sa labas.  
Ethan: What are we going to eat? 
Me: Steak 
Ethan: Ahhh, Jollibee 

I can’t stop laughing because he thought that we are going to eat burger steak of Jollibee. But I told him that we will eat a special steak because it was our wedding anniversary celebration. For the last several years, we always celebrate our anniversary with our son. 

My husband called the restaurant to reserve and off we went to Melo’s at the Westgate Alabang branch. The restaurant was not big and even though it was lunchtime, the place was not crowded. Upon seated, they gave us the menu and Citibank menu, we ordered Set D, E and F. Even though there is already a promo, the price is still not friendly but since this is our anniversary, there is a reason to splurge. 

Set D: 8 - 10 ounces Angus Steak and Lobster Tail 
Citi Rate: P1599 
Regular Rate: P3198  

Set E: 8 - 10 ounces Angus Steak 
Citi Rate: P1099 
Regular Rate: P2400  

Set F: 8 ounces Angus Burger with Truffle Fries 
Citi Rate: P300 
Regular Rate: P800 

The set includes a fresh roll with premium butter, soup of the day or salad. While waiting for our steak, they served the garlic bread which we liked. 

My husband chose Caesar Salad and we chose Pumpkin Soup. Taste is just ok since I’m not fond of pumpkin. 

Since we ordered a set meal, they did not slice the beef in front of us. Good thing that our table was near the cutting table so we were able to take a peek. 

After a few minutes, they served the steak. The steak is so big and it is really hard to finish the serving but since it is expensive, kelangan ubusin. I’m happy with my steak, it is tender, juicy, and flavorful. Now I know, why Melo’s is the home of certified Angus beef. You will enjoy every bite of the steak.

The Angus Burger is just ok according to my son and husband. Medyo matigas because my husband chose well done for my son. 

Service is good, the staffs are attentive, they always refill our drinks and remove used plates. We did not have a staycation this year but we enjoyed our steakcation. I still have a few steakhouses on my bucket list so I’m still waiting for a promo so I could also try it. 

Citibank Promo Period: November 24, 2016 – February 28, 2017 

Melo’s The Home of Certified Angus Beef 
41 Precinct, Westgate 
Alabang, Muntinlupa 
771-3945

When my Son had Hives or Urticaria?

Almost two weeks ago, while we were studying, my son was complaining about his itchy back and he asked me to scratch his back. I slightly scratched his back and put some baby powder. I asked him, what happened to his back and he said, maybe ant bites. I saw few red bumps on his hand and legs too, napaisip pa ko kung san nakagat ng ants. Nag-garden ba sila? 

Then the following day, while we’re studying, I saw the red bumps again on his body and I asked my son, kung ano ba ginagawa nila sa school? San ba siya nagpupunta at bakit may mga rashes siya sa katawan. He said, sa room lang daw sila. I was a little bit worried because it doesn’t look like an ant bite and nakikita ko lang siya sa hapon and dumadami sa gabi. I gave him an antihistamine. I started searching the internet because I was really clueless. 

When we woke up, I did not see the red bumps anymore so he went to school. When he got home and we started studying his lessons, I saw red bumps again and he kept on sneezing, as in non-stop na naluluha na siya. After dinner, I gave him an antihistamine. I was in panic mode already because the red bumps were all over his face and body. From Wednesday, padami siya ng padami. I messaged my husband about this but because of the time difference, he was not answering. I messaged my friend and she said, it happened to her son too and she even rushed her son to the ER. She advised me to monitor my son and just call her if I need to go to the hospital.

I could not sleep because I was observing the red bumps. I kept on asking my son kung hindi ba siya hirap huminga. He has colds too, so paranoid ko baka hirap huminga. My husband messaged me na baka “hives” daw. I started searching the internet because I really have no idea kung bakit nagkaroon siya. We ate bistik tagalog, tocino, daing na bangus and adobong chicken for that week. 

The following day, I did not see the red bumps but I told my son that we would go to the hospital. My son was worried, “How can we go to the hospital?” daw. My husband was not home so we had no choice but to commute. I know how to go to the Asian Hospital but the problem is, I don’t know how can I go home. Yes, that is my dilemma, di ko alam san sasakyan pauwi. I asked my friend for directions, kung san ba terminal ng jeep.

 Anyway, the doctor examined my son and he asked me kung ano kinain namin. He said, my son has “Urticaria”. So my husband was correct when he said, baka hives. The doctor prescribed me a new “antihistamine” and he said, to avoid eating foods with preservatives. In my son’s case, feeling namin yung tocino ang dahilan. So I told him, bawal muna ang tocino sa lunch niya. He likes tocino and lechon macau kasi sa baon. My son will take the medicine twice a day for seven days and tomorrow is the last day of intake. So far, after two days of taking the antihistamine, wala na siya red bumps.

According to Wikipedia, hives or urticaria is a kind of skin rash with red, raised itchy bumps. It can occur as a result of allergic reaction to a medication, food, insect bites, cold temperature, or psychological stress. 

Before going home, my son and I ate at Shakey’s. Napagod at nagutom kami sa biyahe. Matagal pa paghihintay namin na mapuno ang jeep kaysa sa travel. My son kept on saying “Mommy, ang tagal” or “I’m so bored” (repeat for the nth time). He wanted to go home na and hindi umaalis ang jeep. Imagine, more than an hour kami sa terminal ng jeep. Waah! 

Anyway, we ordered a Bunch of Lunch and Pannacotta. The presentation is not nice, ang layo niya sa picture. Tunaw na nung serve sa amin and the taste is just ok. It is not worth it for P115.

2 Days in Singapore

Time flies so fast, a few days from now, we’ll be celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary and 10 years ago we celebrated our first wedding anniversary in Singapore. It was a last minute decision. I booked this flight almost two months before our travel trip. 

I have to change status and renew my passport because my passport is still under my single name. Good thing I was able to renew my passport and got my passport, two weeks before our trip. This was not my first time to go out of the country but I was still excited because this was the first out of the country together with my hubby.   

Day 1 Manila to Singapore 

There is no time difference between Singapore and Manila. I brought USD and good thing there’s money changer inside the airport. It was past 12AM already so we took a cab to get to our hotel, I already forgot the name. lol! The taxi fare is around 32 SGD, which is very expensive for my budget. 

Due to limited time, I did not do any research and I just booked a hotel without considering the location. I did not know that it is located in Little India, it is athree-starr hotel so I did not expect so much. All we need is a decent room with private bathroom since we will be out the whole day. 

After check-in, we immediately took a nap before we start our Singapore tour. Because of the flight schedule, we only have two whole days to enjoy SG. 

Day 1 Evening flight to Singapore 
Day 2 Singapore City Tour, Singapore Zoo + Night Safari 
Day 3 Orchard Road + Sentosa  
Day 4 Early morning flight to Manila 

Day 2 Singapore City Tour, Singapore Zoo + Night Safari 

After eating our complimentary breakfast we went out to look for travel and tours agency. There were tour packages posted in our hotel but we still went out and look for other options. I did not have any itinerary so I really had no idea how to get to the tourist spots. After spending 32SGD for just one taxi ride, we thought that it is cheaper to avail tour packages. 

Singapore City Tour  

Four our first package, we availed Half Day Singapore City Tour. We visited Esplanade Theater, Merlion, Chinatown, Botanic Garden, Souvenir Shops and Little India.  It was a quick trip to each attraction.  

After the city tour, we immediately look for a restaurant where we could eat our lunch because our next itinerary is Singapore Zoo at 1PM.

Singapore Zoo + Night Safari  

Singapore Zoo is one of the must-see in Singapore, there are several shows and attractions available in the zoo. There is also feeding time which you can participate for a fee. It is very different compared to other zoos that we have visited because they have “open concept”. How I wish we have this kind of zoo in the country.  

Singapore Zoo is so big and since we were on a group tour we were not able to explore the whole zoo. Of course, we need to follow the tour guide. 

After SG Zoo, we immediately fell in line at Night Safari even the gate was not yet open. We took an early dinner while waiting so we can ride the first tram. I also booked this tour to see the nocturnal animals. You can explore the park via walking trails or tram. Of course, we choose the tram because we no longer have the energy to walk. 

There are shows but we only watched the Creatures of the Night Show which we also enjoyed. We bought Ben & Jerry’s ice cream before leaving.   

Day 3 Orchard Road + Sentosa Tour

Yesterday trip was really tiring hence we decided not to book any morning tour so we could sleep and rest. Since we have no itinerary after breakfast, we decided to explore SG by commuting. We want to experience the MRT of Singapore. 

Most of the shopping malls were closed because it’s Chinese New Year so we really have nothing to do except to walk and take pictures. 

Sentosa Tour

After lunch, we checked out early and left our luggage in the reception area. Then off we went to Sentosa Island. I just booked Sentosa Tour Package and I have no idea that we will ride a cable car. From Mount Faber, we need to ride the cable car to get to Sentosa Island. This was our first time to ride in cable car so I was a little bit excited but really scared. I’m afraid of heights so I really tried my best not to look down. It was a very long ride for me and I was glad I survived. 

Itinerary for the day: Mount Faber, Underwater World (closed), Images of Singapore and Musical Fountain. 

Images of Singapore is a museum where we spend most of our time, we’re so busy taking pictures and we had no idea that our group members were already waiting for us. We’re the second to the last group na lumabas. Kahiya! Cause of delay pa. That is really the downside of availing group tour you can’t manage your own time. 

Underwater World is their version of Ocean Park; it was small compared to our very own Manila Ocean Park. 

We missed the Musical fountain because we need to leave early so we would not miss our flight. We left Sentosa and went back to our hotel to get our luggage. We took a taxi on our way to the airport to catch out evening flight. That was really a short trip so I promised myself that we will go back to Singapore. Check below our trip last 2014 and 2016. 

Read: 5 Days in Singapore
6 Days in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore 
Things to do in Singapore

Mel Gibson Welcomes His 9th Child

A dad again at 61! Mel Gibson welcomed his 9th child on January 24. The little guy weighed in at five pounds, five ounces, and is doing well. This is his first child with girlfriend Rosalind Ross, and makes the seventh son for Mel. He has seven children with his former wife, Robyn Moore, (a daughter, Hannah, 36 -- and six sons -- twins Edward and Christian, 34, William, 31, Louis, 28, Milo, 26, and Thomas, 17.) Robyn and Mel separated in 2006, although their divorce was not finalized until 2011. He also has a 7-year-old daughter, Lucia, with his ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva. The 61-year-old actor and the 26-year-old champion equestrian vaulter/ writer Ross have been dating for about two years.

Mel and Rosalind named their new baby boy Lars, and in an interview with Mario Lopez, Gibson said that he was doing “just great” and “eating like a little pig”! A new baby is not the only exciting thing going on in Mel's life these days! His latest movie “Hacksaw Ridge”, was recently nominated for six Oscar nominations, including one for best picture, and the best director nomination for Mel. Sources also say that Mel is celebrating his tenth year of sobriety this year, following his arrest in 2006 which caused him to get sober. No matter how you slice it, Mel Gibson is a very busy guy, and we are so excited for him and his happy news! 

3 Days in Boracay

Boracay is a very popular tourist destination in the Philippines and it is always included in one of the best islands in the world. So there is no doubt that Filipinos and foreigners always visit this place. I’ve been meaning to visit Boracay for the longest time but I had a hard time booking a trip because I couldn’t score a seat sale.

Caticlan and Kalibo flights are very in demand during seat sales, good thing that I was able to book a promo flight via Zestair. As far as I can remember I only paid less than P2,500 for our roundtrip ticket (3 pax).

It’s been six years already since we went there and I hope we can revisit the island because our 3-day stay was not enough. We only had one whole day to enjoy Boracay island because day 1 and day 2 were our travel time from Manila to Boracay and vice versa.

Day 1 

From Kalibo Airport, it took us more or less three hours to reach Boracay white beach. We rode Southwest bus on our way to Caticlan, from jetty port we rode a boat to Boracay Island and a tricycle going to white beach.

How to Get to Caticlan: 

Our trip was in February 2011 so I'm pretty sure there is a big increase in the rate below. You can reach Boracay via Caticlan or Kalibo flight.

Caticlan Airport: you can walk or hire a tricycle to get to jetty port.
Kalibo Airport: you can either take a van or bus to get to jetty port.

Van rate: P200 Bus (Southwest or Island Star Express): P250
Jetty Port Boat pass: P30
Environmental fee: P75
Jetty Port Terminal Fee: P50

Going to white beach, you can hire a tricycle for P20/each or P100 special trip.

We stayed in Island Nook, it is located in Station 2 and near the highway so it is still a long walk to the beach. It offers modern basic accommodation with private CR. They have a restaurant too so just in case you're hungry, you don’t need to go far.

After our tiring travel to Boracay Island, we decided to stay in our room after check-in. We just went out to the beach for our dinner.

Day 2 

There are so many things that you can do in Boracay and most people say that 3 days are not enough to enjoy the beach but we only have 3 days and 2 nights to enjoy Boracay. And because of our limited time, we just enjoy the beach.

Enjoy the sun + sand + beach till sunset 

Visit D’Mall for pasalubong and souvenirs.

Mt. Luho Viewpoint

We have a son in tow so we could not do any water activities. We just visited Mt. Luho Viewpoint. Mt Luho Viewpoint is the tallest peak in Boracay so you can see the 360 view of the island.

After eating our lunch, we decided to go to Mt Luho via tricycle; the rate is P300 back and forth. I know that you can still haggle for the price but we forgot to do it. If you are an adventurous type, you can choose to go there via ATV or Buggy Car. The price may vary depending on the season. P400 for ATV and 800 for Buggy Car, it is for a 1-hour ride.

Mt. Luho entrance fee: P50 

On our way back to the white beach, we passed by Bulabog beach.

Food Trip in Boracay

There are so many restaurants in Boracay, it range from cheap to expensive ones so it would not be hard for you to choose from. I have read so many blogs and forums about the must-try food and drinks in Boracay and here are some of the foods and drinks that we have tried during our stay.

Island Kebab 

We have stayed in Island Nook so we were able to try almost everything on their menu. The price is affordable and the taste is also good. But I did not like the taste of their Kebab. We have tried their Bangsilog, Trondzilog, Tocilog, French toast, Kebab, and Kevins’ Bacon. Bambooze Buffet The tastes of the food and ice tea are all good. P240 buffet dinner/ pax Free bottomless iced tea 50% discount (children under 10)

Jonah’s Fruit Shake and Snack Bar 

They say that this is the best milkshake on the island but I did not enjoy their shake considering the price of P90 + 10% service charge. The taste is good but I did not find anything special about it. We have tried banana choco peanut and tropical shake. We did not like the banana choco peanut shake but they said that it is their best seller. I have tried other shakes in other stores for P50 which I like more.

Crazy Crepes 

I like crepes and I love crazy crepes. The price is P125 above, additional P25 if you want a scoop of ice cream.

Pancake House 

Dinner at Pancake House and we were so disappointed with the food and service. Ang tigas ng kanin.

Andok’s 

Bought some food before we left for our baon (lunch at the airport).

Day 3 

We availed the one-way transfer of Island Nook so the van picked us up at the hotel. The travel is still the same, the only difference is may nag-aasikaso ng ticket namin. We were so early at the airport only to find out that our flight was canceled. Nasa South Korea pa daw ang plane namin. Waah! We stayed for almost half a day in the airport, it is one of the moments that I don’t want to experience especially when you have a toddler in tow.

Now I know, why people keep coming back to Boracay, the beach is really beautiful. You can’t help but really fall in love with the place, very fine white sand and sky blue water. My 3-day stay is not really enough to enjoy the place. But I know that this will not be the last time, I will be back, hopefully soon.

Hubby revisited Boracay during their company team building and experienced island hopping during his trip. And of course, I asked him to buy the famous calamansi cupcake at Real Coffee and Tea Cafe in Boracay.

How to Organize a Fishing Vacation for a Group

I love nothing more than taking photos of my travels, not only do they provide wonderful memories for me to look at later on down the years, but it also gives me a chance to snap some of the finest landscapes around the globe. Whenever possible I like to combine my 3 loves into one, fishing, traveling, and photography, and each year I try to organize a trip for me and my friends to head off on a vacation where we can fish to our heart’s content, and of course, take photos whilst doing so.

Organizing a fishing trip can be a little testing and if you want to put a tour together for you and your fishing friends then here are some tips on doing so.

Go Professional 

When it comes to actually heading out on the water to your chosen destination then I would absolutely recommend hiring a tour company to help you out. We went to Miami last year and without using one of the Miami fishing charters group options then we would never have been able to get to the best fishing spots. It was the first time that I have used a charter for the group and I will be doing so again this year, why bother trying to find the best places to fish when there are companies out there who have fished there all their lives, pay the money and go with the pros. 

Get The Money 

First When people commit to joining your fishing expedition it is vital that you get the money from them before you book up. A couple of years ago I made a group booking on my credit card and trusted that everyone who said that they wanted to go, would do so. Come the eleventh hour and 3 people dropped out before they had paid, this left me with the unenviable task of trying to find others to fill the space or risk losing a great deal of money. I was lucky enough to find a few more people who can take the spots but ever since then I have learned to get the money from people before going. 

Book and Plan, Nothing More 

If you are organizing a fishing trip for a group then don’t take on every ounce of the responsibility, I have learned over the years that you should simply find the destination, book the fishing tours, flights and hotels and then let everyone fend for themselves. Too many times when abroad people would be asking me what was on the agenda for the next day or what restaurant we would be eating at. You are the planner of the main events and nothing more, make this clear to the group and once you are on tour, their free time is exactly that, theirs. 

These are just a few things that I’ve learned throughout my time planning group fishing trips, I thoroughly enjoy doing it but there are certainly a few areas that you need to watch out for to ensure it is all smooth sailing, no pun intended.

This is a guest post, you can read my personal fishing adventure here: Fishing Adventure in Norway 

Weekend Bonding

We started our year in Sagada but after that trip, I noticed that we don’t have weekend getaway anymore. Most of the time we just stay at home since my husband is back to work. Our weekend bonding now is always errands, yes, paying bills and groceries. I’m not complaining but I’m looking forward to summer break so at least we could have a vacation. 

Before January ends, we went to Furniture Source Philippines to buy Kallax cabinet and then we dropped by at Wilcon and Alabang Town Center. We had lunch at Pepper Lunch, we ordered Big Ribeye Steak P660, Beef Pepper Rice P295, Miso Soup, Ice cream and drinks. 

 

I was a little bit disappointed because I ordered Big Ribeye Steak P660 and when they served the order, I was looking for the mashed potato and we were advised that they replaced the mashed potato with monggo sprouts because they don’t have mashed potato. They should inform us that there is no mashed potato, because that is the reason why I ordered Big Ribeye Steak. If it is not available, I will just order Pepper Steak.

And I’m not happy with my meat, it doesn’t look fresh. Look at the color, brown na ang kulay. Ang layo sa dati namin order. My husband ordered Miso Soup but it was not hot. This time, we’re not satisfied with our order. 

Read: Lunch at Pepper Lunch
Dinner at Pepper Lunch  

After lunch, we saw Dino Play at Alabang Town Center. We just took pictures outside and we did not let my son play. As usual, namamahalan ako sa ticket, hehehe! 

Have you visited Dino Play? Let me know if it is worth it.