Travel Wonders x Ford Philippines

ETL’s online video segment drives around with Ford to unravel Philippine destinations.

Do you love a road trip? Experience Travel and Living’s online video segment, Travel Wonders announces its team up with Ford Philippines as the official road partner of the video series.

Travel Wonders exhibits travel done by creative Millenials and share their experiences and knowledge they gained in a certain tourist destination in the Philippines.

With Ford Philippines, it is now easier for the Travel Wonders team to drive around the places and survive unbeaten tracks.

Read: 4 Days in Laoag, Vigan and Pagudpud with Kids

As for its first destination, Ford Philippines took the Travel Wonders team on the historic paths of Vigan. This monumental city in the North boasts of its preserved Spanish colonial sites and amazing facades that have made this place a UNESCO World Heritage City.

In the series, Experience Travellers will introduce viewers, Facebook followers and YouTube subscribers on why Vigan is on top of our Philippine destination.

From Vigan’s authentic Filipino culture that is still present up today to the historic brick road of Calle Crisologo, Wayne will tackle on the people, its jar-making, and weaving culture and it’s food that makes travelers come back to Vigan for more.

Together with Ford Philippines, Travel Wonders aims to track all travel destinations in the country, discovered or undiscovered by hitting the road and documenting the views they unravel during the trip.

Check out the first teaser video of Travel Wonders’ team up with Ford Philippines through YouTube  and on Facebook.;Let’s travel the Philippines!

The Great Geysir in Iceland

The Great Geysir is one of the popular landmarks in Iceland hence it is included in Golden Circle Tour. Geysir or geyser in English means intermittently hot spring that erupts in a tall column of heated water and steam into the air.

It is located in Haukadalur valley and approximately 100km away from Reykjavik. According to study, it became known more than 1000 years ago, though it is no longer active, you can still see the active Strokkur, other hot pools and little geysir around the area.

Geysir is our second stop on our Golden Circle Tour. Surprisingly, it is just a few steps away from the parking lot. Do not forget to read the reminders for your own safety. Take note that the nearest hospital is 62km away.

Reminders: 

1. Do take utmost care when walking in the area
2. Respect fences and barriers - for your own safety.
3. Do not break or collect sinter.
4. Do not throw rocks, coins or litter in the geysers.
5. Never stand on the edges or close to the hot springs.
6. Remember that the water is 80-90C (176-194F) it will burn badly.
7. Don’t test the temperature with your hands, it will burn.
8. The nearest hospital is 62km away.

The Great Geysir is no longer active so I did not bother to check it and we just stayed at the Little Geyser and Strokkur. As of this writing, how I wish I check it so I could take a picture, it is once in a lifetime chance din makavisit sa Iceland. But at that moment, our feet were already aching, napagod talaga kami sa ilang oras na lakad namin sa Thingvellir National Park.

Patience is a virtue if you want to see how geysers erupt, it can go up as high as 30 meters. The height of the eruptions vary, we saw small and tall eruptions. For Strokkur, you need to wait for few minutes to see the eruptions. Don’t forget to ready your camera to capture the moment. You can watch our video here.

It was a surreal moment, seeing the Geysir up close and personal. It is not something that you usually see during your travel. So if you are going to Iceland, don’t forget to include Golden Circle Tour and one more thing, there is no entrance fee. Yes, you can see the Geysir for FREE.

Beside the parking lot is a hotel and Geysir Center where you can eat or buy souvenirs. We had snacks at the cafe. I just can’t remember the price because my mom paid for it but one thing I know if you will compute it in PHP, it is really expensive. We just ordered drinks and pastries.

Read: Blue Lagoon
Reykjanes Peninsula Tour
Icelandair Experience
Gullfoss in Iceland
Bridge Between Two Continents
Thingvellir National Park

The Advantage of Having a Camera System with Sensors Installed in Your Car

As modern technology advances, there are now many types of car camera systems available in the market. In our present time, more new cars are being installed with car camera system. Those cars without any camera can have a camera installed to the driver’s advantage. There are many types of car camera systems to choose from such as Backup Camera with visor monitor, Backup Camera with night vision, Built-in digital wireless mounted RV backup camera, and many others.

There are many reasons and advantages of having a camera system with sensors installed in your car

1. With the increase in crime rate, installing a car camera video will provide evidence that can be used for a prosecution.
2. Patrol cars fitted with a camera will also affect the performance of the officers on duty. They cannot afford to be complacent knowing that a camera is recording all activities.
3. The car camera video review is proof and can verify any public complaints against the enforcement officers.
4. The car camera system with sensors acts as a blind spot detector by warning the driver of any cars coming up in your blind spot when turning or changing lanes. Blind spot detection is able to detect cars, trucks, motorcycles, and even bicycles that may come within the sensor area.

The blind spot detection technology uses ultrasonic or radar sensors on the side and rear of the car and comes in especially useful in your rear parking. It is also extremely useful for drivers when reversing their car out from their driveway. The blind spot detector will warn them in case their pet dog or child could be behind their car without their knowledge.

Car cameras are increasing in popularity because drivers know that we can’t rely on our rearview mirror to provide us with a complete perspective, and even the slightest blind spots can be disastrous. Having a car camera system installed with a wide selection of parking sensors, backup alarms, and backup cameras, drivers can drive with confidence, knowing that they have the ability to see everything in their path. There is a wide selection of cameras specially designed for different types of vehicles.

The Purpose of Hiding Your IP Address

Many internet users do not know the importance of hiding their IP addresses. Many do not know the purpose of an IP address. The IP address or the Internet Protocol address is a numerical label assigned to every computer or to mobile device. The IP address provides our location whenever we accessed any website online and it can track our activity while we visit the various sites. The Internet is not as simple as most of us think.

There are many reasons why it is important to hide our IP address. We can hide our IP address by using a VPN service, Tor, a Proxy server, or free/public Wi-Fi. Using the best VPN for torrenting, browsing, streaming, and others will keep the users anonymous and secure online. 

The Purpose of Hiding Your IP Address 

1. If I do not hide my IP address, I will be leaving behind a trace of my identity on every website I visited. I can remain anonymous when browsing online by hiding my real IP address via encryption.
2. When I am out of my own country, I can continue to enjoy streaming as an anonymous.
3. I can stay safe from snoopers looking to access my information because my real location is disguised.
4. I will be protecting myself from lurking hackers when using a Wi-Fi hotspot. Hotspots are open to everyone and are not secured, nor protected.
5. With my IP address hidden, I can access content not available in my location.
6. I can also bypass restrictions and hide my internet activity from surveillance and national internet censorship such as school, business, and organizations, and protects my online activities from being tracked.
7. By hiding my IP address, the internet service provider will not be able to track and hold on to the data generated by my online activities and my online searches will remain private.
8. My online activities will be hidden from search engines that track and store data on my browsing activities. Always remember to clear the cookies after every browsing session.
9. With my IP address hidden, I am guaranteed the privacy to enjoy internet freedom.

Lunch at Kuya J Restaurant

We were out yesterday because my husband needs to renew his passport. The line was long but fortunately, the process did not take that long. My husband finished everything in less than an hour. Yey! Off we went home, it was time for lunch and I suggested that we will just eat at Southwoods Mall.

Read: How to Schedule DFA Passport Appointment Online 

A few months ago, my son told me “Mommy, I’m the only one in the classroom na di pa nakapunta sa Southwoods Mall”. Waah! #FOMO naman ang anak ko. Southwoods Mall is the new mall that is near in our place kasi pero hindi pa niya napupuntahan, but in my mind, it will not make him less as a person kung hindi pa siya makapunta dun agad. 

So after 7 months, he finally visited the mall. We’re choosing between Pepper Lunch and Hukad, we ate at Hukad restaurant when we were in Cebu and now, open na yung branch nila sa Southwoods Mall.  Then we saw Kuya J restaurant and we wanted to try their new dessert. 

We’re the first customers so sa isip-isip ko, mabilis na yung pagserve ng food. I liked their menu, magazine type, of course, crush ko din yung cover. Hehehe! I ordered Pork BBQ Rice P165, Bicol Express P280, Rice at P45 each, Kuya J Saba Halo Halo Espesyal P109 and Ice Tea Pitcher P125. It took them 30 minutes to serve our order, same with other branches that we have tried. Wala na yatang ibibilis ang pagserve nila. 

Read: Kuya J Nuvali
Kuya J SM Sta Rosa

The Pork BBQ is good and the Bicol Express is really spicy, sa sobrang spicy niya hindi namin naubos. I tried other Bicol Express in other restaurant and carry naman ang spiciness but Kuya J' version is really spicy for my taste. I was a little bit disappointed with Kuya J Saba Halo Halo Espesyal, kasi wala na nga sago, hindi man lang dinagdagan yung saba. Ang layo niya sa picture so I find it expensive for P109. Next time, I will just order Halo-halo. 

As of this writing, they only accept cash payments. After our lunch, we dropped by at Mumuso.

Read: Buffalo Wings N Things Southwoods Mall 

Good Parenting Should Include Education on Menstruation

In the old days, menstruation or the monthly period is considered a social taboo. It is perceived as unclean and shameful or embarrassing to even mention or talk about menstruation in public or in private. There is hardly any public education on menstruation except for mothers preparing and getting their young daughters ready for their first period in the privacy of the bedroom. Some young girls would have learned from the whispering between their mother, aunties, and older sisters.

Many girls get their first period between ages 12- 14, but it can also start earlier or later. These day girls are getting their period at a much younger age, sometimes as young as 10 years. With this revelation, good parenting should include earlier education to prepare their girls for their first period and monthly menstruation, so that they will know what to expect and what to do when the day comes. They will not be caught unaware and unprepared but will be ready to enter into womanhood with confidence. The sight of blood stain on their panty could be shocking and frightening to them at such a young age.

Having a period is very normal and our girls should have the confidence to carry on with their normal activities during their teen periods. There is nothing wrong with taking baths, shower, washing of hair, and doing the normal everyday things. There is no reason to stop their sports activities. For those who are actively involved in sports, it is good to wear specially designed period underwear such as Knixteen boyshorts which has backup protection against inevitable leaks, odor, and moisture. It has a built-in thin panty liner which is absorbent to save you from embarrassing leaks. Knixteens are made seamless from a super thin good quality material.

Collagen Supplement to Keep you Fit and Healthy

These days whenever people come together, one of the common topics is about healthy diets and staying healthy and fit. People are feeling pressured to lose weight, recommended different ways to lose weight and try different types of diets by well-meaning friends or those out to produce the health diet products.

People diet for many different reasons. Those who are heavily overweight will need to pay extra attention to their eating habit and are encouraged to exercise more regularly and seriously. For some, they want to lose some weight in order to look better and younger. Others may just want to maintain their physical condition by dieting and keeping healthy and fit. If we really need to lose weight, we can use the safe and healthy weight loss method that is by improving our eating habits, with proper exercise and taking of supplements that will help us more than any diet.

For those who would like to find out more about how to eat right and what to eat and what not to eat, there are many wellness websites offering tips and advice with guidelines. Some even feature healthy recipes and healthy supplements such as the collagen on keto supplements.

What is collagen? 

It is a non-inflammatory protein found in the bones, skin, and tendons. Collagen is essential for energy production, detoxification, digestion, rebuilding of joints and tendons. Some collagen is also essential for skin elasticity, healthy joints, and beautiful hair. Collagen is like the glue that holds our bodies together.

What are the benefits of collagen on keto supplements? 

Collagen supplement helps make the diet easier and more accessible by making you stay full longer. Not only that, it also makes you feel better throughout the day and with more energy for your morning workout. There are many scientific pieces of evidence to prove that collagen gives you these powers and it also promotes better recovery. Collagen supplement can be taken in any way you want to eat it. You can add it to water, blend it into a fruit smoothie, your regular coffee or your regular glass of milk, etc.

Beat the Heat at Laiya Coco Grove Resort

The heat is on, we can really feel the summer. How I wish I can travel to cold countries to escape the heat. The scorching sun is unforgivable and it makes our mood and electricity go up. Well, there are many ways to beat the heat and one of them is going to the beach or swimming pool.

 A few weeks ago, our family had a family outing at Laiya Coco Grove in San Juan, Batangas. This is the 11th resort that we have tried in Batangas and you can check the other resorts here. I know that summer is peak season so as early as January, I was researching and inquiring about our weekend getaway. The first three resorts were all fully booked so I was happy that there are still available rooms at Laiya Coco Grove.

Couple Tree House

How to Reserve at Laiya Coco Grove

Reserving a room is easy, you just need to choose the date, enter the number of adults and kids and choose your preferred room. After booking, I received an email informing me “You are required to pay the 50% downpayment for this reservation within 24 hours through cash transfer with our bank account or personally at our sales office. Please send the Deposit Slip or proof of downpayment on or before your expiration time to (insert email)”

I was surprised with the 24 hours timeframe, buti na lang there are banks na open ng Sunday so I deposited the downpayment and email the copy of deposit slip. The following day, I received the confirmation email and eco pass. Everything was booked in less than 24 hours.

Fast forward to our trip, it was a long weekend so we left as early as 5AM to avoid the traffic. We had breakfast at Jollibee San Juan and we passed by the Tourism Collection Booth. We just gave our printed Eco Pass since P20 ecological fee (per person) is already included in our room package.

Laiya Coco Grove Resort

Laiya Coco Grove is a huge resort, they can accommodate different groups so if you are looking for a place for your family getaway, team building or special events, this is a good option. They have a separate place for overnight guests and day trippers. In fact, this resort is very popular because you have seen this in different movies and TV shows. At their reception, you can see the movies and shows that were shot at this resort.

Upon arrival, they just asked for my name, deposit slip and P1000 for incidental deposit. Check-in time is 2PM but since the rooms are all available, they allowed us to check-in at 9AM. Yey! For 13 persons, I booked Couple Tree House, Family Tree House, and Quadruplex Tree House but I did not like the Quadruplex Tree House so we moved to Family Tree House. Good thing that we arrived early so I was able to switch rooms.

The tree house really looks nice and it is situated on the beach front so you have a nice view. The sad part is, although the beach is just in front of our accommodation, it is not ideal for swimming. You have to ride a shuttle in order to swim at the White Beach.

Our family stayed in Family Treehouse, the room is good for 5 persons pero nagkasya naman kami 3 adults and 3 kids. The room still looks nice but the bathroom needs an improvement, it really looks old. Towels, basic toiletries and coffee/tea making facility are good for 5 persons too.

My mom and aunt stayed at the couple tree house, the room was nice and it has a small balcony but my mom was complaining na sira yung lock, she already reported it pero hindi pa rin malock.

Food at Laiya Coco Grove 

Bringing of food and drinks are not allowed so for overnight guests, you are required to pay for the buffet dinner and lunch which is P400 for adults and P200 for kids. (11 yrs old below) per meal. Our room package includes managed buffet dinner, lunch, and breakfast so we availed additional buffet lunch for our group.

As I’ve said, the resort is big so even the resort is fully booked, you won’t feel that it is crowded, except for the meal times. Ramdam na ramdam mo na madami tao sa haba ng pila sa buffet, tatamarin ka ng bumalik sa haba ng pila. The buffet spread and servings of foods are good enough, you have soup, pasta/noodles, rice meals, dessert, and drinks. When it comes to taste, it is just okay. Some meals are good and some meals are not. Among the meals that we have tried, our favorite is the buffet breakfast. Mas maraming choices for foods and drinks. Just check my YouTube Channel for more pictures and videos.

* Wet clothes or swim wears are not allowed inside the Main Pavilion or Dining Area

Meal Times:

Dinner: 7PM to 9PM
Breakfast: 7AM to 9AM
Lunch: 12N to 2PM

Things to do at Laiya Coco Grove 

1.Beach 

As I’ve mentioned before, the beach in the resort is not ideal for swimming so if you want to enjoy beach and water sports activities, you need to ride shuttle service so they can take you to the White Beach.This is the White Beach, there are reserved cottages for resort guests so just choose your spot.

Water Sports Activities are available for a fixed price, hindi ka man lang makatawad hehehe! We wanted to try the Disco Boat but there is an age limit so we settled on Dragon Boat. Same price with banana boat, para maiba lang. :)

P1500 for 5 persons (minimum)
P300 for additional person.

For snacks, there is a convenience store and yung mga naglalako sa beach ng food. Hehehe! There are bathrooms at the beach but it is not that clean.

2. Swimming Pool 

The resort has one swimming pool, it is a long walk from our tree house.

3. Mini Playground 

If you have kids in tow, there is a mini playground where kids can play. There are slides, swings and trampolines.

4. Board Games and Table Games 

You can also play volleyball, billiards, table tennis and other board games. Don’t forget to bring ID so you can borrow the materials.

5. Take a lot of pictures 

The place is huge and picturesque so don’t forget to take a lot of pictures. When my mom and aunt posted their picture on their Facebook, ang dami na nagtanung kung saan yung resort. Oh di ba, free advertisement pa.

Our family had a great time at Laiya Coco Grove, booking is easy, the place is peaceful and service is good. Thanks to my mom for the treat!

* There is free wifi but we have no connection in our room.

Anniversary Staycation at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila

Our family loves staycation so I have a list of hotels and resorts that we wanted to try and Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila is one of them. I’ve been meaning to stay in this hotel but every time I booked, the only available room is Club Room or Sofitel Suite. Waah! Pangmayaman naman!

As early as January, I was looking for a hotel or resort where we could celebrate our wedding anniversary. I saw the Magnifique Getaway Promo on their Facebook Page so I immediately inquired about their rates. Unfortunately, the cheapest room is no longer available so I settled for the next available room which is Luxury Room.

I’ve booked everything within 24 hours, ganun kabilis sila sumagot sa inquiry even through emails. There is nothing special with the promo because the only inclusion is the Breakfast Buffet for 2 adults and 2 children (11 years old – below) at Spiral Restaurant for Superior and Luxury Rooms. But I’m okay with it, at least my son is included in the complimentary buffet breakfast.

Fast forward to our staycation, when we checked in, the room was not available yet so we were advised that they would just call us, once it was ready. It was 10:45AM so we understand that the standard check-in time is 2PM. I paid my reservation in full + I gave P3000 for an incidental deposit. We left our luggage at the concierge, so we didn’t have to bring it anymore.

I asked for a flyer so I would have an idea of the activities for adults and kids but they don’t have any. We just went straight to the Kids Villa so we could check the different activities for the kids. They have Free activities and Paid activities. The Kids Villa is open from 9AM to 9PM

Free Activities: coloring, photo frame, bambike, badminton, kite flying, soccer
Paid Activities: cookie making, color buddy, coin bank painting, nail art, necklace

Kids Villa Rate 

1st hour – free for in-house guests (1 child) and P100 for walk-in guest
Succeeding hour P100 for in-house guests and P150 for walk-in guest
Guardian fee per hour P50 for in-house guests and P100 for walk-in guest

My son tried the coloring activity and color buddy for P200. While he was inside the tent, my husband and I stayed at the playground. We were waiting for the call but we did not receive so we decided to take our lunch first.

When we came back, we just waited in the lobby. We’ve been waiting for so long but patience is a virtue. When I saw the other guests going to their room, I told my husband to ask the receptionist if our room was ready since we had not received any call.  Twenty minutes before 2PM, my husband went back to the reception, only to find out that our room was already ready at 11AM. We were informed that they called us, but no one answered. Waah!

I was just holding my phone and I did not receive any calls and I did not see any missed calls. I don’t know if there is a glitch or what but I would appreciate if they would send a text message if they were not able to reach me so that at least I know that the room is ready. Almost 3 hours din kami naghintay, ready na pala yung room. Next time, I will leave two phone numbers.

Anyway, they gave us the keycard and we went to the concierge but we were advised that they would just deliver our stuff, they just asked for our room number. And off we went to our room. I’ve read some reviews and blogs about Sofitel and I was not impressed with the rooms so I was surprised when we entered the room. The room is beautiful. Watch the video here

Luxury Room 

It measures 42 square meters so we have enough space. We have private balconies with bay and city views. There is a work desk, couch, TV, Mini-Bar, Coffee/Tea making facilities, In-room safe, and free wi-fi.

I like the bed, pillows, duvet, and sheets and to be honest, this is the most comfortable bed that I’ve experienced. Parang ayaw ko na nga umalis, gusto ko na lang matulog. So this is their Sofitel’s signature Mybed TM. I asked my husband, if ganito rin ba yung bed sa Hotel Mulia but he said, medyo pareho pero mas malambot pa rin daw sa Hotel Mulia Senayan in Jakarta Indonesia.

Bathroom 

The bathroom is clean, it has a rain shower and bathtub. Yey! +1 for the bathtub. They provided basic toiletries like dental kit, shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, soap, and lotion. Look at the brand of their toiletries, “Les Notes De Lanvin”. Ang sosyal di ba, from Paris, France pa. Ang bango talaga so I took it home.

I love the bath towels, face towels, and bathrobe, it is white, clean, soft, and smells fresh. Mukhang bago and I was thinking my thread count din kaya sa mga ganito. Hehehe! This is the reason why I was so disappointed with Pico Sands Hotel’s towel, kasi ang mahal ng room rate pero ang luma ng towels.

Swimming Pool

When our luggage was delivered, my son immediately changed his clothes so he could swim. My son was so excited because he saw the wet play area of Sofitel Manila. This is one thing that he missed at EDSA Shangri-la Hotel, meron din pala sa Sofitel. So if you have kids in tow, add this to your hotel options.

Sofitel Philippine Plaza is indeed a hotel and resort. You won’t feel that you are in the city because of the ambiance. The pool looks like a resort, they have a lot of trees, and you have Manila Bay view.

Once you enter the pool, you are going to sign a form, and they will give you a wrist tag and towels. There are life vests available for kids and adults that you can borrow. Lifeguards are everywhere. They are very strict when it comes to food and drinks, they really check your bag. They have a water dispenser in the pool area just in case you are thirsty. A restaurant is also available, that is the reason why you are not allowed to bring food and drinks.

It was a long weekend so the pool was crowded but my son did not mind, he spent his time in the wet play area. Swim and slide, repeat for the nth. I saw that there are Aqua Zumba and free movie nights at the pool. I hope there is a flyer or note about the different activities that we can join kasi sayang talaga. If we did not go to the pool, hindi naman malalaman na may ganung activity. Konti lang tuloy nagjojoin.

Moving on, we learned that it was the first day of the 9th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition so we decided to eat our dinner at the pool so we could have a glimpse of it. There was a buffet dinner at the bay too and we were able to watch their show for free. Hehehe!

Nainip na ko kakahintay sa fireworks so I went back to our room, I was surprised when I saw the flower and personal card on top of the bed. It was our wedding anniversary and thanks Sofitel for the surprise.

Just in time, I heard the fireworks so I rushed to the balcony to take pictures and videos. It was my first time watching the pyro-musical competition and I’m lucky that we could watch it in our room. In addition, I did not pay an entrance fee. Watch the video here.

Spiral Restaurant

The following day, the diet is off because we’re going to have a buffet breakfast at Spiral Restaurant. I already blogged about this, so read my Spiral buffet experience here. After our hearty breakfast, we went back to the pool to kill time before check-out.

We had a wonderful time at Sofitel Manila. We like the room, amenities, and facilities. We enjoyed the food at Spiral too. Service is good and staff are always smiling and willing to help if we need anything. My son was delighted in their wet play area. It was our wedding anniversary and we received a card and flowers. The rate is not cheap but it is worth the splurge.

Read: Birthday Staycationa at Sofitel Club Millesime Manila

Daily Shuttle Service
Sofitel to SM Mall of Asia Drop off: 10:30AM, 11:30AM, 2PM and 4:30PM SM Mall of Asia to Sofitel Pick-up: 12PM, 2:30PM, 5PM

Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila 
CCP Complex Roxas Blvd Brgy. 76,
Pasay, 1300 Metro Manila