Going to Newark?

If you are planning on going to New York anytime in the future, make sure that you make plans regarding your transport from the airport as well. Of course, you can always opt to take a cab - many people actually take this option - but then again, why should you do that when you have a better choice?

I am talking about Go Airlink Shuttle, which provides Newark Airport Shuttle services. They pride themselves on being the best and safest airport shuttle to and from New York City and the New Jersey Area. Go Airlink Shuttle provides two-way transport services to and from the three well known airports - JFK, La Guardia, and Newark. They can take you to your hotel or a residence or any other location as long as it is between Battery Park and 125th Street.

Aside from the fact that they pick you up at the airport (or from your home or hotel), they are also known for the quality of their vehicles, which have separate compartments for luggage, superior upholstered seats, and strong air conditioning and heating. What is really good is that you can book trips online. So if you are already making plans to go to any of these airports, you can get rid of travel arrangement glitches and make sure you have transportation waiting for you at the airport. Oh, and they carry out their operations 24/7.

This is a paid post.

Our Marikina Experience

We went to Marikina City today to look for furniture for the new apartment. Before that, we went to get some paint - it cost more than I thought! Livi told us to go eat at Luyong's Restaurant, where they serve pancit (noodles) with lechon (roast pork). We got lost for a while but we finally found it. I have to say, it was pretty good for the prices that they charged.

After we ate, we went to look for Ana's, the furniture shop that Livi goes to. Yup, she is the strongest advocate of this city. Anyhow, it was so funny because we were crawling along the main street, looking for a sign that said Ana's when this woman in a bright blue shirt flagged us down. She turned out to be Ana!

Her store is 3 stories high - packed to the brim with all sorts of furniture. It was really cool because we had so many choices and she gave us really good prices. There are more that we want to get in the future but we were not sure if they would fit in the new apartment so we had to settle for a wardrobe and a kitchen stand. On our way out - with 2 tiny jade buddhas and a golden bull, Ana's free gifts - when we saw a tall narrow stand with a mirror. It would be perfect for the hallway so we just had to get it.

All in all, I'd say it was a pretty good trip. I am broke like anything and I have no more energy left but I am feeling pretty ok. Now we're off the the company party.

Cebu Pacific Gives FREE Tickets

I was meaning to write about this but somehow I overlooked it but last week, we received an e-mail alert from Cebu Pacific that they were giving away tickets for local destination for absolutely free. Of course, I was skeptical but I tried booking anyway.

Ren and I were able to get 4 tickets (roundtrip) to Iloilo for November and YES we didn't have to pay a single centavo! So I guess that means we're going on a trip in November.

This also means that I need to get new luggage for the trip - our old bags are beat up.

Where to, Next Year?

It seems that once the travel bug has bitten you, you never get cured. Well, I know for certain that I have been bitten. I know we just got back from a short break but we are already thinking of travel plans for the future. This November, we are going to Iloilo - thanks to Cebu Pacific's ZERO FARE. For the New Year break, we might go to Catanduanes - they have really beautiful unspoilt beaches there. Next summer, who knows? Maybe spend time in reno hotels? Or how about Melbourne? Japan? We'll see...

Dreaming of a Greek Beach Vacation

I know, I just got back from the beach and I am already dreaming of my next trip. Don't get me wrong, I love the beaches of the Philippines - they say that we have some of the best beaches in the world - but I also want to experience beaches in other countries. Australia is on my list but so is Greece, which my boss says has the best beach ever.

I would give an arm and a leg to visit Greece but the costs are way too high. The airfare, the food, and even just the thought of Mykonos villa rentals are way beyond my budget. Then again, I can still dream, can't I?

Silas and Sam @ the Beach (Tamaraw Beach, Puerto Galera)

Silas and Sam had a blast last weekend. We could hardly get them out of the water. Well, where the water and the land met. The waves were too strong and Silas didn't want to get dragged by the crashing waves as Nikki, Myla, and Mom were dragged.

Silas enjoying the water and sand.See how big those waves are?

Whee!!! Sam loving it.

I wonder how I can go into the deeper waters?With Sam and Silas

On the Way to Puerto Galera with the Family

Our whole family hadn't been on a vacation together since forever. That is, until last weekend. Since Jerry and I had a really good experience in Puerto Galera last May, we decided to take everyone with us for Jerry's birthday. We headed out early Saturday morning. As expected, it didn't turn out that well (at first). Jerry is a stickler for time and we all know how families move slowly, especially with kids. There was also a slight drizzle that morning and that, of course, affected our dispositions. Nevertheless, the ride down to the pier was not that bad. We made in about an hour and a half.

The guys at the pier were a bit irritating, though, as they all screamed in our ears trying to get us to take their boat. We decided on M/V Golden Hawk as they were the only ones NOT shouting to be heard. It was hilarious to see how nervous Hannah and Mom were - they were expecting to get on a big ferry. Then again, we were all grumpy after waiting for an hour for the boat to actually leave.What I didn't expect was that the sea was going to be SO rough. It was exciting at first but after a while, it got so rough that I actually started becoming nervous. Let's just say that sitting up front, I was ready so drenched that I was ready to jump into the water by the time we got to the island. Thank God, though, because the weather was perfect in Puerto Galera - we all jumped into the water after putting our bags down.Sam was truly enjoying the rough seas!

Writing at the Beach

This is the life! The resort (Tamaraw Beach) where we are staying at has no WiFi - it got busted due to the storm - but the resort next door (Sunset at Aninuan Beach) has it. We met the owner earlier and she offered her WiFi for free, can you believe that?

We're here celebrating Jer's birthday with Nikki, Han, and Mark. I just finished a bit of work and I just wanted to write a short post here.

Seriously, I could live here!

All Worked Up

Despite my sleepiness, I am all worked up. I forced myself to get up when the alarm went off and I think I did a pretty good job. Instead of the usual 1 or 2 hour delay, I was only 30 minutes behind schedule this morning!

The reason for this is below:

In a little over 24 hours, we should be seeing this view! Woohoo!!!

Busy Weekend

Just another quickie. We just got home from Laguna and we are pooped. We left for Los Banos last night around 11:30pm and got there around 1am or 2am. We then had to get up early (relatively) and then go to Irvin's birthday party. It was fun - Jer stuck to his 2 beers! Lots of fun pics, which I will post tomorrow.

Some thoughts - I miss my family (immediate and extended) and I don't realize it till we spend time together. Then again, I think the current arrangements are great because sometimes, family time is best when they come in small doses. It was great to spend time with my cousins, aunts, and grandma. I don't know if I am being *evil* for feeling thing way. Have you ever felt that way?

I can't wait till next weekend when we go to Puerto Galera. It should be fun. Now it's time for bed.

Show Me the Cheap Flights

Yesterday, at work, we got to talking about going on a European tour, perhaps next year. As enticing as the idea sounds, I do not know if we will be able to afford it. The flights alone are way too expensive, not to mention the hotels and other expenses.

I found a site with really good flight deals, though, and looking through their offers, it just might be possible for us to buy airplane tickets through them. I think that what they do is aggregate other data that can be found on the Web and choose the best deals possible. I have to show this to Am and Ren, who are making plans as well.

Finding Cheap Cars For Hire

Going on vacation is a pleasure anytime but most especially in the summer. One thing about going on a trip, though, is that you have to have a means to go around. Naturally, the best option would be to hire a car. There are countless usa car hire options available to customers and this fact, which is actually a good thing, can also cause complications.

How would you know which company offers the best deal? You can do this manually but it would take a lot of time. One good option is to visit this site called Car Hire Direct. In the web site, you can compare the offers of different car rental companies (over 40 of them!) in one easy interface. It certainly saves you time and money.

Keeping Valuables Secure In Transit

We haven't been on a trip since May and as Jerry was telling me the other day, it feels kind of weird. After all, we should have been on another road trip at least. I guess the budgeting idea has changed things a bit, not to mention the additional expenses that we have to deal with.

Maybe a road trip this August would be good. I have really been hankering for the beach for the past month and with the workload that I have, I think that a break would be good - however brief it is.

One consideration that we have to pay particular attention to is how to keep our "valuables" secure when we travel. Before, we didn't really bring along valuables because they just add responsibility that could lessen the travel experience. This time, though, I think I shall bring Koryu along - not to mention Garcia.

How would I keep them safe? I found a manufacturer that specializes in travel security. Pacsafe has a lot of products that would come in handy when we travel. I am looking at some pouches for Koryu to make sure she is really safe while on the road. They also have phone purses, and other similar products which can store the most essential things.

Better safe than sorry, I always say.

Pacquiao-Diaz Fight And Las Vegas

After the long day we had yesterday, we didn't really feel like doing anything today so we spent most of it in front of the TV. At noon, we watched the much-awaited Pacquiao-Diaz fight on local TV, which provided a free telecast. After the first few rounds, I didn't think that Pacquiao was going to be able to knock Diaz out - the guy was one tough *#$! Manny found his sweet spot, though, and knocked him out, making history.

Anyhow, watching the fight made me think about going on vacation again. I know I probably would not be able to go and have a vacation anywhere in the United States until we actually go there for good (which would take a long time because of the visa processing) but the footage of the fight in Las Vegas made me want to have at least one Vegas experience.

Las Vegas vacations are well known all over the world to be quite an experience - something that would probably hard to equal. It could be quite expensive but the good thing is that you can find lots of good deals on offer most of the time. I am sure that when the time comes, I'll be able to utilize sites like Shermans Travel to plan a more affordable trip to the city that never sleeps.

I'm rambling...anyone here have any experience in Vegas?

When Wanderlust Hits

As a little girl, I liked to day dream about visiting various places in the world. I think that of all the places that I read about, I had two dream cities. These two cities really captured my interest and I remembering promising myself that one day, I would get to visit them. One is Paris and the other is New York.

I guess wanderlust hit me early on. The only thing that kept me (and keeps me!) from going is time and money - plus the fact that I was only in grade school when I felt the urge to discover the world.

Today, I can say that I am starting to live my dream. I have traveled to a few Asian countries and some areas in the Philippines. I haven't had my New York City travel or my Paris escapade yet but I am sure that they will come.

For now, I'll settle for a week in Singapore and Malaysia - if all goes well, this plan will push through in September. I do hope we'll get to go - the travel bug is nagging at me again!

Food Tripping in Puerto Galera: Luca's at Talipanan Beach

When I first heard of "the other side" of Puerto Galera, one of the things that stuck to my mind was Luca's. A colleague told me about this little Italian restaurant at the end of Talipanan Beach. He insisted that if there is one place we should eat at, it was Luca's.

Of course, being the lovers of Italian food that we are, we were hell bent on going there at least once. We were fortunate enough to have met friends on our first day at the beach - thanks to Jerry's extremely extroverted nature - and Jerry got them all excited about Luca's as well.

What we didn't know was that Luca's was quite far from Tamaraw Beach, that is if you take the road, which we did. I imagine that it would have been easier and faster if we could have walked on the beach but there was this huge boulder in between Tamaraw Beach and Talipanan Beach. So, unless we wanted to swim around it, we had to take the road. Anyhow, the resort offered their van. Since there were 8 of us, the PhP400 fee was not bad. I am glad that we didn't take the tricycle as we originally planned. The last part of the road was VERY rough. I don't think a tricycle could have taken us all the way!

So what about the food? Luca is Italian and according to him, he has found his place in this world - in Talipanan. I am just glad that we found his little place on the beach - the food was fantastic! I would have to say that it was the best Italian meal I have ever had in my entire life! I love Avenetos but it is nothing compared to Luca's pizza and pasta.

The funny thing was that in the beginning, Luca didn't seem too friendly at all. When we first got there, there was a bunch of men at a table. Jerry and the other guys approached them and asked if they knew where Luca was. This guy shrugged asked them who they were. So introductions were made and it was only after a few minutes of chatting that they guy said, "I'm Luca." Hmmm...

It doesn't matter - he was friendly enough to make baked ziti, which was not part of his menu. Not only was it delicious, the servings were so big that we were able to take home some of it!

I think the dish that I liked most was the seafood marinara, though. (Thanks, Moncho, for ordering it!)

The stromboli is something else as well - I will forever be comparing it to Fazoli's (which is the nearest place I can get stromboli at).

Sorry about the lighting - we had to turn the lights off due to the insects!

Oh, and it was at Luca's that I had my first taste of grappa. I have heard of this drink from my Italian learner but I never thought that it was going to be that potent! Moncho, our new friend from Spain, bought us all a round of grappa. I was so embarrassed because I was not able to finish mine - lightweight!

Was there anything negative about our experience at Luca's? Nothing with regard to the food. We could have done away with the insects that came in droves when darkness fell, though.

Of Caravans and Mobile Homes

Lately, I have been feeling cooped up and restless. Perhaps it is because I have just come back from a vacation - I always yearn for something different at the end of each trip. Yesterday at work, a colleague and I were talking about finding a different place to live, somewhere closer to nature and out of the big bad city.

I've always wanted to try living in a mobile home. Jerry used to live in one. I still remember Nikki's little boo boo about that when Jerry first came over. We were watching TV and the show featured those homes. Out of the blue, Nikki said "Jerry, don't homeless people live in mobile homes?"

You should have seen Jerry's face!!! Nikki's face, when Jerry told her he used to live in one, was even better!!!

Anyhow, I want to look into an extended trip - maybe a month or so - wherein we could live in a caravan. If things work out right, Static Caravans in Europe (North Wales in particular) seem to be a wonderful choice. For one, these caravans are set in very scenic places - I am sure I'll get the ambiance I am looking for. More so, from the pictures I have seen, the caravans are quite comfortable - even luxurious, by our standards. I should start setting aside the money now if this dream is to come true.

Thinking of Travel Insurance for the Next Trip

Now, I am not sure that my back pain was brought about by something that happened on our vacation. All I know is that I felt excruciating pain on the 3rd day of the trip. It went away when I took pain killers but it came back with a vengeance several days later.

It's been a little more than a week now and the pain is still there. It has subsided a bit - it only hurts when I sit in a certain position or when I move suddenly. Still, it is hindering me from functioning normally.

This led me to thinking...maybe next time, I should get travel health insurance. I don't really want to be pessimistic but you never know what might happen. Next time, it might be more than back pain.

Food Tripping in Puerto Galera: Tutti Frutti

The sound of the gently crashing waves, the warmth of the sun, the slightly pungent smell of the sea air, and the mouthwatering smell of pizza - our senses were treated to these each time we visited Tutti Frutti. We heard about it from Jerry's friend, Ali, but we didn't really go out of our way to find it. It was thus a pleasant surprise when we stumbled upon this little restaurant right next to Tamaraw Beach Resort.

We had just finished swimming for the night and were enjoying each other's company when the bright lights and the thumping beats of a fire dancer's show caught our attention from a distance. We decided to walk over and see what it was all about. It's a good thing we did - we saw the store and Jerry mentioned needing cigarettes so we headed over. That's when we saw the sign Tutti Frutti and we remembered what Ali was talking about.

It was way too late to have a bite so we decided to go over for lunch the next day. One meal and we were hooked. Their pizza has a thin crispy crust and a very light tomato base. It's not ready made tomato sauce, mind you. You can taste the freshness of the minced tomatoes with each bite!

For picky eaters, you can ask Raphael - the owner of the restaurant - to make a half and half pizza. I like everything on my pizza, Jerry only likes the meat. So each time we ordered a pizza, we had one side bare and had all the other toppings on the other side. The Margherita Pizza captured my heart (or stomach, rather). Pizza prices range from PhP200++ to PhP300++.

If you like adding a little kick to your pizza, forget about the regular hot sauce or pepper flakes. Try their garlic sauce instead - olive oil with garlic and crushed chili peppers.


The Weiner Schnitzel is a must as well. For around PhP300, you get two large slabs of pork and a nice serving of french fries.

Going to Tutti Frutti was not just all about the food, though. Raphael is a nice guy. He sits there and makes conversation with you. He's been in Puerto Galera for 15 years - you'd envy this guy's life! Oh, I shouldn't forget Tutti, Jerry's favorite buddy. Tutti is an 8-year-old monkey that Raphael bought from the natives. I think Tutti and Jerry made a connection - see for yourself.

Monkeys notwithstanding, you should make it a point to visit Tutti Frutti if you ever find yourself in Puerto Galera. Here's Raphael himself inviting you to come over and say hi - and eat his pizza, of course!

In Search of Good Luggage

Though Jer and I may not travel as much as other people do, we have had our fair share of traveling over the past few years. As a result, our trusty pieces of luggage are starting to show the effects of wear and tear. The black carry-on bag Jer normally uses has a broken wheel while the duffel bag I usually carry has torn zippers. It's time to get new luggage, don't you think?

I have been looking on the Internet to see what options we have and Swiss Army luggage has caught my eye. They have a very wide selection - various styles, colors, and sizes. I have to check them out at stores pretty soon before we go on our next trip.