Our Group's Travel Rules 101 - 5. Leave Your Comfort Zone (But Bring Along Your Creature Comforts)

Or, How To Make Sure We're Still Talking To Each Other At the End of the Trip - 5

We travel to get away from it all. Well, not quite. Travel always takes us away from our comfort zone no matter how luxurious our hotel/resort accommodations may be. It may be the Four Seasons, but it just isn't home. A little unsettling may occur along the way. If we're in a tiny hostel, or in a remote island, the unsettling may be major.

Some people embrace new situations with wild abandon, immersing themselves in the environment as if they had lived there in their past life, while some are able to sleep in a hotel room only by their third night there. 

Our group believes that part of the thrill and learning that occurs whenever we travel is brought about by this new-ness, the change, and the difference from our accustomed lifestyle, and how we cope with it. Not that we've waxed philosophical about it; we just know better than to leave home without some creature comforts. 

All of us are creatures of habit in some way, so there's certainly nothing wrong with bringing along a few creature comforts. If you want your coffee as soon as you wake up at 6 and the hotel does not start serving until 7am, then you'd be a lot happier if you bring along a handy electric water heater and sachets of instant coffee, like Mats does. 

Or, if you insist on eating your breakfast eggs with tomato catsup and nothing but, just tuck a foil pack of catsup in your bag, as Nancy does. Trust us, so many places in the Philippines stock banana catsup only.

 http://www.bunzlcatering.co.uk/bcs_webstore/p/288584039289152/A00839/

Tomato+Ketchup+Sachets+10g

If you're like Millet who likes to read in bed before sleeping, bring along a small reading light (the type that you clip on to a book or e-reader) that can also act as a flashlight. Not all hotel rooms have reading lamps and side tables. 

Some people, like Tony, want an extra pillow, and this may be hard to come by in budget hotels, so the best thing to do is to bring along a small pillow or neck pillow. It works for the head, back, butt, legs and..oh yes, the neck.

Scared of cooties in hotel towels? Get one of those microfiber bath towels that sell for P100 each at SM; they're very light but absorbent.

Scared of cooties in hotel sheets? Or roughing it up and not sure if there's privacy in the beach/forest/tent? Bring along a malong/sarong so you can cover up. 

Photo from http://pinoy-culture.tumblr.com/post/34332784469/asean2015-

\asean-community-malong-philippines

Not sure if the hostel/dorm has hot water in the showers? Bring along a portable water heater and ask the hotel for a pail and dipper. 

Bring all chargers for phone, camera, tablet, and such. Check beforehand not just the voltage output (110 or220 volts) in use in your destination, but also the type of electrical outlets used. Some Asian countries, for example, use a three-hole outlet, so you will need to bring a 3-pronged outlet adaptor like this for your electricals:

All this stuff is lightweight and don't make a dent on our 7-kilo carry-on baggage allowance, but they certainly pack a punch in terms of making for happier trips. 

We have another secret stash of creature comforts. After a day of "feeling-like-20" trekking and exploring, nothing soothes "so-feeling-like-55"  tired muscles like a  rubdown using any of our group's preferred "perfume of the night" (all kinds of liniments and salves). Take your pick!

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone". - Unknown

Our Group Travel Rules 101-4. Find the Positive in Negative Situations (Or, Sometimes the Unexpected Is More Fun )

Or, How To Make Sure We're Still Talking To Each Other At the End of the Trip - 4

Anything can happen on a trip..or not happen. We arrived in Cebu from Hongkong at 2am and found out when we tried to check in that the desk clerk of the hotel had mistakenly booked us for the following day. We had made a 50% deposit before leaving for HK but there she was, telling us they had only two rooms available for the twelve of us, and admitting that she had entered our reservation for the wrong day. 

Twelve tired and sleepy people slumped on the lobby, clueless desk clerk, only two rooms available..what to do?  Have a sleepover! We requested the hotel to provide mattresses for everyone, and decided to put all the girls in one room, and the boys in another - 6 girls in one room (2 on the bed and the rest on mattresses on the floor), and the same arrangement for the six guys in the other  room. We did not have the time and energy to argue with the clerk then (what happened the next day is best reserved for another story), and this did not turn out to be exactly more fun, but at least we got our sleep on proper mattresses. 

On another trip, we decided to fly from Davao to Clark, with plans of taking the bus from Clark to Manila. When the day of the trip came, there was a typhoon affecting the whole of Luzon, and the entire Metro Manila was flooded including the expressway from Clark. So we decided to go to Baguio instead, because we love the cold and we love Baguio in sunshine or in rain, and because in Baguio, we could stay in the terrace and just watch the rain and the pine trees, and still feel good. So we took the bus, got there in five hours, got ourselves in a cozy hotel, and met up with a dear friend, Flo.... 

..who took no time bringing us to activities indoors like bowling, and lots of eating. At other times, we simply had coffee and each other's stories and never-ending laughter. 

And one day, Flo decided to bring us down to La Union (an hour's drive away) for some sunshine, and brought us to the beautiful Thunderbird Resort.

Who would have thought that just a five-hour drive away, Manila was swimming in floodwaters?

On another trip, a road trip in Davao City this time, we had a flat tire that took much longer than usual to fix. 

So while waiting for the tire to be fixed, we decided to walk around the neighborhood, and made many interesting discoveries in the process. 

We found this neighborhood basketball court totally handmade of bamboo, for instance

And a saddle made of wood,rattan and abaca fiber...

And still another time, we were booked for the Underground River Tour in Palawan at 12 noon, but we arrived in Sabang (the takeoff point) at 10 am. We did not want to spend two hours in the hot pier waiting for our turn to board the boats, so when the van driver asked us if we wanted to go caving, we jumped at the chance..even if we were all wearing flipflops. The cave guides assured us that we would be fine.

So we climbed...

..and squeezed our way amongst the boulders..

...and ziplined our way out of the caves and over rice fields..

..and had the time of our lives. And this was even before we had glimpsed the underground river, our original destination!

Sometimes, you just have to make serendipity happen.

"If at some point you have not asked yourself, 'What have I gotten myself into?', then you're not doing it right." - Roland Gau

Batanes Diary 6 - In Batanes, It's All About Honesty.

Much has been written about Batanes' Honesty Cafe. The concept is simple, really...put up a small coffee shop, and count on people's honesty to keep it going. Honesty Cafe is located about a hundred meters from Ivana Wharf, the jump-off point to Sabtang Island. Trips to and from the island start very early in the morning, and the boat is not always on time, and the mornings are often cold, so what better way to while away the time than with a cup of coffee..and some honesty... 

The owners live nearby, and presumably come to the store every now and then to check on and re-stock the supplies. But most of the time, there is nobody at the store. The whole time we were there (about thirty minutes), people kept coming and going and buying stuff, but we never saw anyone connected to the store. 

What we saw was a greeting from the owners

The "REMINDERS" read:
"Self-service only
1.  Get what you need
2.  Please pay whatever (sic) you get. 
3.  If you have no change, knock at the next door. If no one answers, sorry, so you have to give more than the price. MAY YOUR TRIBE INCREASE...
4.  Remember-HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY!

THANK YOU AND HAVE A HAPPY AND NICE DAY!
                                                Joe and Elena"



And one more neatly-handwritten sign says it all

"Welcome to Honesty Coffee Shop

1.  Self-service po lamang dito.
2.  Get what you like and pay or drop your payment at the shelf.
3.  You give more if you have no exact money. The Lord will give you more later on....so may your tribe increase!
4.  In your journet remember the Golden Rule and that Honesty is the best policy,
5.  Have a good time and Happy trip.
6.  Goodbye and may God bless us all!
Thank You! 
                                           The Owners,
                                          Jo-El Gabilo"

Makes perfect sense, don't you think so?

The are thermos jugs of hot water, sachets of instant coffee, sugar and creamer. Inside a covered dishrack are mugs and plastic spoons. There are bottles of soda, packs of crackers, gum, candy, juices in tetrapaks. There is a simple wooden dining table with six chairs, and lots of souvenir items all around - hats, fans, T-shirts, etc. 

The little shop is trim, neat and clean; it even has a vase of flowers on the table. You make your selection/s, list down each item on the blue notebook on the table, and check out the price list on the wall....

....and then drop your money on the slot provided. 

One can even "rent"  a vakul (Ivatan headgear made of grass) for pictorial purposes.  Just make sure you return the items on the hangers, and pay the rental fee. (Note how intricate the inside stitching and weaving on that headgear is.)

Look, Ma, I'm Tina Turner!

We paid P40.00 to rent the headgear and the grass "rain jacket"

Out in the back, there's space to park bicycles for those who have gone to the island for the day...or days.

Only in Batanes! Dios Mamahes (Thank You) indeed, Honesty Coffee Shop!



"Travel in the younger sort is part of education; in the elder, a part of experience." - Francis Bacon

The Best Way to Enjoy Bacolod's "The Ruins"

"The Ruins" is one of the top tourist destinations in Bacolod City, Philippines. It is what remains of a very elegant mansion that a rich sugar planter built for his wife (see the story here: http://bacolodtheruins.blogspot.com/).

It is breathtaking both in the beauty of the structure and in the story behind it. However, you can totally miss out on the awesomeness factor if you go there at the wrong time. Here are some tips on how best to enjoy the Ruins.

It is dramatic and haunting and romantic at the same time. We took our time wandering through the garden, and inside the structure. The friendly guides were very helpful and knowledgeable. 

Because it is made of cement, it normally looks like this: 

(Photo from http://www.expatch.org/2012/07/24/the-ruins-in-bacolod/)

But there is a special, magical time when it turns to gold. if you go just before sunset on a sunny day, it will look like this....

MAGIC! See the big difference? No retouch, no Photoshop...promise! Just a change in the time of day. The rays of the setting sun touch the cement and make it look golden.  

We were so glad we decided to go there at 4:30 pm just as the sun was starting to set. 

And so happy that the tour guides had tricks up their sleeves for fancy shots like this.  

(And don't you think the all-white shirts were just right for the picture? Glad everyone agreed to wear white that day.)

The magic lasted only a few precious minutes. The atmosphere changed altogether as soon as the sun set.

The darkness made the ruins seem eerie and haunting...

But elegant just the same.

* Major tip for touring Bacolod: spend the whole day soaking up the other sights and eating all the delicacies. Save the Ruins to wind up your day. Bring beer or wine, if you want, for a relaxing prelude to dinner. 


"Life is short and the world is wide." - from studiesabroad.com

Batanes Diary 8. Sabtang Island

A visit to Batanes is not complete without a daytrip to Sabtang Island. It's 30-45 minutes away from Batan Island (where Basco,  the capital town of Batanes, is) but many visitors to Batanes are unable to visit the island because of the rough seas. 

In Sabtang, one will find whole villages made up of the traditional Ivatan stone houses, some in ruins, some in perfect condition and currently occupied. Aside from getting a glimpse of day-to-day Ivatan life, Sabtang also has some of the most amazing views in the country. It should definitely be on one's Batanes tour list. 

 This is a falowa, the traditional Ivatan boat, except that this one is motorized. This is what we used to cross to Sabtang. 

Among the cargo from Sabtang to Basco are a calf and a pig bound for the market. Poor things!

The 40 minutes of rough seas are soon forgotten when we see this.

And this...

 And this...

this too...

and this....

Enough already! Just go!


"All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, hay may learn to improve his own. And, if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.: - Samuel Johnson

The Coolest Ride from Singapore to KL!

On a trip to Singapore a few years back, we decided to go to nearby Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. We wanted to experience the trains and luxury buses going there. The train ride was forgettable (that's another story) but the buses were something else!

We paid around 30 Singapore dollars each for one-way, and the trip took about five hours.  It was the most comfortable bus ride we had ever taken! The deluxe seats were at the lower portion of the double-decker bus, and there were only ten seats in the area. Ten coomfortable reclining seats with full legrests. 

The biggest treat was when we found out they were massage seats . Just press a button at the armrest and certain points along the backrest (where your back, spine and shoulders rest) would vibrate for 5-10 minutes or so. If you want more, just keep pressing. 

There was a 15-minute rest stop for clean restrooms, sandwiches and chips  - look they have Philippine chips (jack 'n jill) ! 

and chilled fresh fruit slices in plastic packs, and cold drinks...

and then back to dreamland. There was a movie onboard but we all dozed off so no one remembers what it was. 

Soon it was time to stop at the border for very fast immigration processing. We were actually sorry that the bus ride ended so soon ;-) 

"To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world." - Freya Stark

Cheese Gorging in Davao!

Just when you thought you've done everything there is to do in Davao, here comes another must-do for visitors and locals alike. Cheese-tasting! (Cheese-gorging is more like it, actually!) Who would have thought that the Philippines, land of the lactose- intolerant, would would have an artisan cheese-tasting attraction, and way down south in Davao even? But thanks to Olive Puentespina, who is married to the family that owns Malagos Farms and Puentespina Resort, top quality cow's- and goat's milk cheese is produced in Davao City, and it is possible to arrange for a tasting of an assortment of her cheeses. Malagos Farmhouse is how the company is called, but there's no need to go all the way to thei resort in Malagos because the cheese shop is right in the heart of Davao City (Bolcan St., Agdao, behind Assumption College of Davao). 

Cheese-tasting sessions may be arranged for P300/person for a minimum of 6 persons. Reservations have to be made at least a day before the event, and Olive prefers tastings in the afternoons as their mornings are busy with production. Guests are allowed to bring their own wine at no extra charge (she will even provide elegant wine glasses for everyone), or they may buy any of the wines that they keep in stock.

Olive shows off the cheeses beautifully, adorned with pesto, dried fruit, fresh organic arugula, honey, nuts, etc. Impressive cheese table indeed!

A typical tasting consists about 6 kinds of cheese. Olive likes to guide guests through the tasting, starting with her fresh, mild cheeses - cottage cheese usually flavored with pesto or tropical fruit jam, then on to kesong puti,  feta cheese, and on to more mature cheeses  like Chevre, up to the harder, fully aged varieties like Blue Peppato, Blue Goat, La Maria, Rustica and Blush.  

On the sideboard, there's a raclette pan if you want to melt your cheese a bit, and slices of french bread to catch the gooey cheese. Yum!

Here, our favorite La Maria (disc-shaped) is drizzled with honey and sprinkled with pistachios, while the more mature Rustica is served with grapes and more honey. Olive provides a basket of bread, but guests may also bring more bread or crackers of their choice, and even deli meats. We brought some smoked salmon and salsiccia to make it a party!

Each cheese has a distinct texture and flavor, and the nuts, grapes and greens serve as excellent palate-cleansers. Smooth, sharp, creamy, goaty, melty, etc., etc.....all excellent! One time I bought a small wheel of La Maria, kept it in the fridge and promptly forgot all about it. When I found it three months later, it was all ripe, and tasted like a very good Brie. 

After the sixth or seventh cheese, ask each other which one they liked best, and then toast the choices with a glug...

....which was exactly what we did. And a marvelous time was had by all. 

A toast to cheesemaker Olive (3rd from right)

(P.S.  If you aren't big cheese eaters, you even get to bring home the leftover cheeses!)



"Eat well. Travel often." - Unknown

To arrange for a cheese-tasting, call:

Ms. Olive Puentespina

Artisan Cheesemaker

Malagos Gardens

Bolcan St., Agdao, Davao City

+63 82 2264446

+63 917 700120email: sales@malagosfarmhouse.com

website: 
http://www.malagosfarmhouse.com/index.php