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Staying Connected While in Taiwan
When on a trip, some people are able to stand not being connected when they’re outside their hotel while others can’t. For those who prefer to always be online, one way to stay connected while in Taiwan is by buying a prepaid sim card that comes with data. You can buy a sim card at the airport’s arrival hall or in stores around the city. When I arrived at Taoyuan International Airport, I didn’t have an immediate need for data so I purchased one in the city instead of the airport. I stayed in New Taipei City and opted to buy a Taiwan Mobile sim card days after my arrival.…
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I Scored a Cheap Flight from my Union Bank Credit Card
It was August 2016 when my friends and I passed by a Union Bank booth offering “free” roundtrip flights for their new credit card applicants during a certain time period who are subsequently approved. The new cardholder is then required to reach a certain spend requirement within a specified period to qualify for the “free” flight. It was kinda hard to pass on a chance for a cheap flight and we still had some time to kill so we decided to apply and fill up the forms. The new cardholder had a choice between domestic, short haul, or long haul Cebu Pacific Air flights. Once the spend requirement is met…
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Trekking Batad Rice Terraces to Tappia Falls
Prepare your muscles. If you’re planning to see the Batad Rice Terraces and Tappia falls, I suggest you start doing bit of exercise now. The trek will most likely be challenging if you have a sedentary lifestyle. One of my friends and I trained for and did a 21K run before this trip and still had sore legs a day after the trek. The trek might be a challenge but is totally worth all of your time and effort. We started the trek after lunch, with our guide whom we met there in Batad on our way to the inn. Going to the falls took under 1 hour, but going…
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Photo Journal: National Museum of the Philippines
Visiting the National Museum is now free of charge for both local and foreigners. You can visit from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. To be clear, the museum is closed on Mondays. The succeeding photos were taken during my Sunday visit with friends. I hope you’ll also find time to see it. To know more about the museum, you can check-out their official website here.
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A Weekend in San Juan, La Union
What will you do when you’re feeling some wanderlust but you only have the weekend to spare? Consider going to La Union! Here are some details about my weekend trip to San Juan with friends. TRANSPORTATION Very important note when you’re taking public transportation: take a bus which uses TPLEX! We took a Vigan bound Partas bus departing from its Cubao station at four in the morning one Saturday of September 2016. Our travel time took 8 hours! There were a lot of stops since it didn’t go through TPLEX. We actually didn’t check the route and just took the earliest departing bus. The fare from Cubao terminal to…
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Siem Reap: Banteay Srei (Grand Circuit) Tour
I also availed this tour from Siem Reap Shuttle Tours. Their rate for this was 15 USD per person with the following itinerary and inclusions (text lifted from their website): Tour Itinerary 08.00 hrs. Pick up from the Hotel in SIEM REAP for Temple Tour. 08.30 hrs. Deparute from the city Visit Pre Rup Temple Visit Banteay Srie Temple Back to Restuarant for Lunch Visit Mebon Temple Visit Ta Som Temple Visit Preak Khan Temple Back To the Hotel ( around 1600pm ) Service Include: Pick up / Drop Off Hotel Car / Van English Speaking Guide Cold Drinking Water & Cold Towel Service Exclude: Temple Pass & Meal …
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I Got Tested for HIV
Because of Prince Harry. I can never wrap my mind around the fact that I have never done it yet. It took seeing a famous person do it before it dawned on me that I had been at risk for a long time already and I should get myself tested. I turned to Google to search for available options in Metro Manila. One of the results is LoveYourself. As of this writing, they have two clinics in Metro Manila – one in Mandaluyong City and one in Pasay City. I took the HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis-B testing in their Pasay clinic. They offer these tests for free.…
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Siem Reap: Angkor Wat (Small Circuit) Tour
I availed a joined Angkor Wat Temple tour from Siem Reap Shuttle Tours. The tour costs 13 USD per person and has the following itinerary and inclusions (text lifted from their website): Tour Itinerary 08.00 hrs. Pick up from the Hotel in SIEM REAP for Temple Tour. 08.30 hrs. Departure from the city Visit Angkor Thom Complex Visit Bayon Temple Visit Ta Prohm Temple Back to restaurant for lunch time Visit Angkor Wat Temple Visit Phnom Bakheng (Sun Set) Back to the hotel (around 1830pm) Angkor Wat Temple. Only trousers or long knee-length skirt are permitted, Service Include : Pick up / Drop Off Hotel Van / Mini Bus English…
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Vacationing in Cambodia
APEC holidays were declared back in July 2015 which prompted me and my friends to set a vacation plan. Holidays for the private sector covered November 18 and 19, 2015 (Wednesday and Thursday). My friends and I thought about the possibility of going to Boracay. However, people started backing out one by one until I was the only one left who’s determined to push for an APEC get-away. I wasn’t very keen on going to Boracay alone given that I’ve already been there a couple of times. I started thinking of places I can visit given the following considerations: Somewhere I haven’t been to before Accessibility Affordability I haven’t…
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Banaue, Batad, Sagada before La Niña 2016
With peak season at work occurring during summer, my office friends and I planned a trip to Banaue, Batad and Sagada by end of May, when it’s highly likely that the teams won’t be busy anymore. We headed to Banaue on the night of 25th May 2016 by taking Ohayami Bus’ 10pm trip. The trip from Manila to Banaue should only take roughly 9 hours, but ours took 22 because of an accident in Nueva Vizcaya. We arrived in Banaue at around 8pm of May 26. Instead of continuing to Batad as planned, we just stayed in Banaue for the night. Accommodation in Banaue was at People’s Lodge…
my life. my travels. my thoughts.
