Pinay Traveler

Shanghai to Beijing on a Budget

2011-12-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

Exchanging money to CNY

Instead of having your money exchanged in the airport which is a total rip off, once you get to Shanghai you can easily look for Bank of China. It is a government bank, and there is a big one at The Bund, a major tourist area. Rates there are better.

Arriving at Pudong International Airport
I think one of cheapest mode of transportations you can take is the subway, not the MAGLEV or the high speed train. Both Shanghai and Beijing have excellent subway systems that take you everywhere. It will only cost you about 14¥ or less depending on where your hotel is compared to the MAGLEV that costs around 50¥. Take note though that the subway system has different lines that are interconnected. You have to ask your booked hotel which lines to transfer to and at what stations so you can arrive at your destination. Buying a ticket can be a bit of a headache, you have to get the help of a subway official or approach some Chinese guy who seems to know English to help you buy a ticket because instructions of ticket machines are in Chinese. I think there is a way for you to get English instructions, but even if I did, because of the many subway lines interconnecting, I still found that confusing.

Accomodation

Being a cheap finder, I was happy having stayed at MINGTOWN YOUTH HIKER HOSTEL. It’s a backpacker hostel with a dorm option where you get to share rooms with other backpackers. Only costs about 50¥ per person with a public toilet and shower area. You also get a locker for the safety of your belongings. I found the place clean and the staff efficient. Rooms are provided with comforters and heaters in case you are travelling in winter. They had a nice restaurant-bar so you can mingle with other travelers. The place is also very close to The Bund. I booked by calling because I didn’t want to pay 10% of the cost in advance if I do it by websites.

明堂上海旅行者青年旅舍，

Mingtown Hiker Youth Hostel

上海市江西中路450号

No.450 Middle Jiangxi Rd，Shanghai

电话Tel：021-63297889

邮编zip code：200002

Getting around Shanghai
Travel by foot; Shanghai is a walkable city and a delight to walk in. Getting around, you can take the subway that cost only 2-4¥ if you’re going short distances. You can also take the taxi if you’re a group for nearby places. I think the flag down rate in Shanghai is 14¥. Best if you avail of the city bus tour, every hotel sells a ticket I think for 30¥. The bus will take you to the major tourist sites in Shanghai and your ticket will be valid for 24 hours. You can go off anytime if you want to stay at one place and catch the next city tour bus for another ride. IMPORTANT: Wear REALLY comfortable shoes.

The Shanghai City Tour Bus and Khai and me inside it. :)

Shanghai is a walkable city.

Train from Shanghai to Beijing

We opted for the cheapest train ticket of course, that would be on the T or D-train. You have to ask your hotel where the government booking office is. There is one very near Mingtown Youth Hiker Hostel so that was convenient. We took the overnight T-train that was 15-hour ride and we got a hard-sleeper slot for 311¥ per person. Beds are bunk type and our bed was on the third deck! Really fun experience! Getting a ticket from the booking office was a bit tricky because the woman in charge didn’t know any English so we had to get the help of our Chinese dorm mate. You can also ask the hotel staff to write your ticket preferences in Chinese before going to the ticket office for easier and faster transaction. Note that you cannot book a roundtrip ticket from Shanghai; you have to be in Beijing to book a return ticket. The important trick is booking early and booking in advance. That would also better the chances of getting cheap fares (low-priced seats get full easily and you might end up taking the high-priced left). IMPORTANT: Be in the station 30 minutes early. The train leaves on time.

The 15-hour ride to Beijing

Arriving in Beijing
I’m not 100% sure about it, but based on my experience, Shanghai has more English speakers. Getting off the train at Beijing West Station, we wanted to take the cheaper bus option to get to our hotel but nobody can understand when we asked where the bus station is. People want to help you but you still can’t understand their instructions. After two hours of frustration, we opted to take the taxi. Taxis can be a rip-off so you have to be firm that you want your ride to be on meter or it would help to know from the hotel in advance how much a taxi would cost you. Ours should only cost us 30¥, a Chinese guy was kind enough to haggle for us and we got the ride for 50¥.

Accomodation

I loved Happy Dragon Hostel, a backpacker place which also offered dorm options for budget travelers with a private shower/toilet for each room. Rates are 30-40¥ per person for dorm rooms. I loved the happy atmosphere and the cool staff they had. They also have a bar for mingling with other guests. Staffs were also efficient. IMPORTANT: Get a subway map from the reception. Convenient and helpful because the hostel is near a subway station.

Website: www.happydragonhostel.com

Address: Ren Min Shi Chang Xi Xiang

29 Hao Dong Cheng Qu Beijing, China

Tel no: (0086)1084015584/8402571

Email: happydragonhostel@yahoo.com

Getting around Beijing
You can join a group tour or you can go DIY. Beijing has an excellent subway system that even the Great Wall is reachable by subway. I recommend the DIY more because I didn’t enjoy my group tour experience and you only have a limited time per place besides the fact that they try to sell you things.

In the Badaling Great Wall, you can take a cable car to take you to the middle of the Great Wall and back which will cost around 80¥ (important that you don’t lose the ticket). I have no information about how much the entrance fee is because I took a crappy group tour and that was tour inclusive. All I can recommend is that a minimum of a half-day (6 hours) should be enough to really appreciate the Great Wall’s beauty (because it really is).

You can also easily access the Forbidden City by subway. Lots of walking involve here, since the whole area was said to be as big as a hundred football fields. Three to four hours should be enough to enjoy this place.

If you want to go to the Panda zoo, be aware that the zoo closes at 5 o’clock pm.

Cable Cars at the Great Wall

The subway train is jam-packed with people during rush hour (starting at 5 p.m.), and transferring at lines can be stressful in those hours.

Train from Beijing to Shanghai

You can ask your hotel staff to book for you for an additional cost of 20¥ (because a ticket agency will deliver the ticket to the hostel). We got an overnight T-train hard seat for 306¥, a 12-hour ride. We booked late so there were no cheap sleeper tickets left. The seats were not so bad; they were well-spaced, big, comfortable, and not cramped. IMPORTANT: Book early and in advance. Be in the station 30 minutes early. The train leaves on time.

Chinese Food

I wasn’t big fan of Chinese food, and because we were on a budget, we thrived mostly on street noodles. It costed 7¥ to 10¥ per serving (servings were BIG). Dumplings (10¥) were awesome too. Milk teas (4¥) were also nice and can be bought at convenience stores.

Chinese People

Generally nice and helpful even if most can’t speak English.

All in all, we were in Shanghai and Beijing for a total of five days and spent only around 350 USD or 15,000 php per person, this includes the Christmas gifts and souvenirs we bought for home.

Happy backpacking!

Musings from the Open Sea

2011-08-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Our team was tasked to film in the open sea in Mindanao for five days. The boat didn’t have beds, didn’t have comfort room, and I had to work uncomfortably with seven men.

I’m writing about this because I’m not sure If I learned something, but I think I did.

I am sure many women field producers like me have been where I have been and experienced even worse things. Being the boss-julalay (slave) of testosterone-filled men can bring about the most stressful, heart-wrenching, funny, unforgettable, and meaningful experiences.

On the first day, my problem was how to pee and to top that I had a period. I did my usual tasks of supervising and making sure I had all the shots I need. But by afternoon I cannot hold it anymore. The fishermen emptied the boat storage and suggested I pee there. So wrapped in malong (a moslem cloth) and equipped with an improvised arinola (chamber pot), I learned in that instant, that women can pee standing up.

On the second day, the waves were killing me and standing up was a pain. We were getting seasick.The waves forced us to lie down the whole day. It wasn’t nice as one would expect. The horizon was blank, there was no cell phone signal, I slept with two men in a deck that can fit only one and our legs cannot stretch. We were forced to look at the clouds and amuse ourselves with the care bears, elephants, and dragons forming.. We didn’t talk about it at the time; you can’t expect men to point to the sky and say “Hey, there’s a carebear!” But we all saw them and they gave a bit of relief.

On the third day, the waves got bigger and I was having drowning thoughts.

We had to amuse ourselves by telling stories to one another. It has been a long time since I last listened. It was not very nice either, because the whole time, large waves would make your back hurt, and the stories make you forget them a little while. We weren’t friends; we were strangers who work together. But in the boat we relied on each other, and talked comfortably like brothers and sisters. I learned that we shared the same religion; that Vince lived in Commonwealth while Christian lives in Pateros. I was thankful to God I slept with two perfect gentlemen. We are not friends still up to now I think, but we are not strangers to each other anymore.

I also revived my love of music in a way; because after your lips grow tired of talking, you turn to music to amuse you. I sang a lot in that ocean, both worship and secular songs. But I loved the worship songs especially. It was dramatic in a way; to sing to God “When the oceans rise and thunders roar, I will soar with you above the storm…,” while you actually see the ocean rising. I felt like I was in the movie Titanic. We were the only boat in the ocean, but the worship songs assure us that we are not alone. We are being watched over.

On the fourth day, my problem was how to poop. But I don’t want to discuss that.

And then there was Martin. Before pulling out for the shoot, I asked him why he never had time for me, and he said “I want to change the world is that too much a goal? I miss you, but not seeing you does not ruin my life.” It felt like being dumped.

I haven’t seen him for three weeks and before I left I was insanely mourning over his lack of time. I cannot sleep for weeks and even tried to take medication. It was a case of heartbreak insomnia. At the start of my shoot in Mindanao, I was already awake for 48 hours. My menstruation came earlier than usual because of the stress.

I realized, while staring at the marathon of big waves, that I was self-destructing and being stupid. That there is more to life. I am letting my life revolve, circulate and spin in hero worship of human love. And while singing the line from a worship song, “Jesus, You are my King… Jesus, You are my King…,” it dawned on me, that I have let a human being become my king, where only God can be. And instantly I loved Martin for being the guy who wants to change the world and whose life cannot focus on me but only on others. And how much I need to make it up to God.

On the fifth day, the issue was not taking a bath for five days and it was damn itchy. I was dead tired when we reached land. We had to swim to the shore because the waves were too big for the boat to dock properly. “It was hard enough swaying endlessly for five days, and now I had to f*cking swim?,” that was my line of thought. And so I jumped, nearly drowned, the rope attached to the boat scratched my belly and I had to shout in pain. Because of shouting, I accidentally drank sea water. So effing great. The big waves came, I was dragged… and it was… surprisingly nice. The kids swimming at the shore laughed and I had to laugh too. It was like the waves saying sorry for giving me five days of hell and I forgave them. I let the waves drag me once more.

2/52 Urban Gardening

2011-08-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

Taking inspiration from what I've seen on Pinterest lately, the picture below is originally from www.notjustahousewife.net, wherein the ingenius housewife turned boring crates into something wonderful in the garden.

So I decided to take this idea and do it in my own garden. I live in the city and I don't have much space in our balcony and this is a really perfect space saver! I took some abandoned drawers and had some boys mount them in my garden wall.

I painted them green like my wall, and put some green plastics for wood protection whenever I water my plants. Voila!

Living in the city and having a small space shouldn't be an excuse for not having a garden. : )

1/52 Write 52 Weeks Challenge

2011-08-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

I can't finish everything... I just can't. I wasn't able to update this supposedly travel blog. I wasn't able to come to the gym. I didn't finish art class. I didn't finish the flickr 52 weeks challenge (yet).And here I am starting another project... that means, I'm good at starting things!Yey!

I have to sleep now because I have to be up early for church tomorrow, so for a quick recap of the things I learned recently:

1. Pinterest
I am totally losing sleep because of this website. Not good for the health, but really good for creativity. It's a website that compiles things that turn you on (creatively speaking), makes you drool, makes you feel drugged with inspiration, and others. This is a place for people with good taste and likes to see, discover, create and imitate beautiful homes, diy projects, fashion, recipes, etc.

2. PBCOM
So my last post before this was about my search for the highest interest rates for time deposit given that I want to earn without doing anything. So based on that search, PBCOM turned out to have the highest. Around 2.75 % annual interest rate regardless how much and how long (or short) you intend to keep the deposit. Not bad.

3. Go Flex Desk 1 Terrabyte External Drive
So recently I went to Gilmore, Quezon City to shop for an external hard disk. And I bought Go Flex Desk 1 TB External Drive with USB 3.0 cable for P3,500! It's such a good deal! Whenever I tell this to techie people I know they go like "Are you sure it's 1 TB? Are you sure it's a hard disk? What's the brand?" And I then say it's Seagate and they ask, "Are you sure it's Seagate?" Haha. Bought mine at PC Options.

4. Lovely New House
I am posting pictures of the lovely new house I am living in right now once it's all complete. It's the reason I'm obsessing about Pinterest in the first place. Well the first weeks I've been living here I keep on spending money on buying new things for the house, then I got broke (didn't surprise me) and now Pinterest helps me decorate the house at no cost with DIY projects. Right now I am crazy over this small and beautiful house that my mother built for me.And it has a garden! :D

5.Stranger Than Fiction
The most unforgettable movie I have seen lately. I'm hard to please when I'm watching something on DVD or in my computer. I have the tendency to wash the dishes, cook or mop the floor while watching. But this movie, made me watch for two hours straight without blinking (nahhh... i blinked). I loved it. <3

Funny Investment

2011-05-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

I read Colayco's Wealth Within Your Reach book last week. The book tells you that no matter how hard you work, you can never be wealthy. What makes one wealthy is letting money roll without working. The book also advises one to invest money where it can earn an interest higher than the inflation rate so your money do not lose purchasing power. The best investments for "safe" people like myself, who like to cross the streets using the overpass in fear of being run over, would be investing in risk-free treasury bills and time deposits.

Which brought me back to a time deposit I made Nov 2009 in Banco De Oro. I was not really after the interest back then, I was just after having money safe in a bank in case an emergency arises.

Today I went to BDO to inquire about my time deposit. The teller really took the time to write the updated amounts, filled up almost 12 lines at the back of the certificate of deposit. She handed it to me. And guess how much my money earned after two years? Guess?

P 206. 68

That is the funniest investment ever! I let my money sleep in a bank for two years and I earned P200? I said I wasn't after the interest. But P200? Seriously? Hahahaha!

So lesson learned, shop around for the best interest rates. I thank the Colayco book because now I can invest smarter. Nerds rule!

Drive

2011-05-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

My boss entered the comfort room and laughed. She caught me with a towel on my head because I slept in the office floor the night before and took a shower on the fifth floor. It was the last day of editing the show before it airs that day.

Before she entered, I was having thoughts. I am 25 years old. And for the success-hungry 25 year-old generation, sleeping on the floor, on a dirty thin foam not decent enough to be called a mattress, is not exactly “success” material.

Plus, I should seriously be on the look-out for a serious relationship by now. The biological time-bomb ticks. I should be elsewhere having a good time, enriching my social life, and not enclosed in a four-walled building with other workaholic zombies.

But I think I am over that phase. I panicked early and am now more relaxed. I have been on the look-out since I was 13 and nothing. Nada. I am not exactly a head turner or the type that makes a guy say “Who’s that girl?” But I am proud to say that by accepting that fact, I lost all loneliness that came from being single as of this writing. It was replaced by something more, if not equally, consuming. Drive.

Which drives me back to my sleeping-on-the-floor story; before my boss entered I was asking myself “Why was I in the office last night? What is this I’m doing with my life? I am not even required to do this.” But then I told myself its okay, because today I will learn more, and that’s reward enough. It was positive thinking at its best that I even impressed myself.

I am so driven these days. And this is exactly why we need to let teenagers pick which major to take in college. So when they grow up, they sleep on the floor of their office. And they wake up happy.

The Backpackers guide to Manila

2010-08-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

In Manila, be street smart and you should do fine. I was born here, and when I’m on the street I only trust security guards for directions. They are the ones in white polo uniform tucked inside blue pants. They have guns and are outside almost any private establishment. For some reason, they are also always asked for directions.

A friend of mine said that the best place to stay in Manila is Malate Pensionne.

BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN MANILA AND NEARBY CITIES

HISTORY:

For a slice of history, you can visit the walls of Intramuros and Fort Santiago. I recommend contacting this Carlos Celdran guy for a tour around Manila because if you go to Intramuros without a guide, it will just be another street with old houses and horse carriages for you.

Fort Santiago is a place where Jose Rizal, the coolest Filipino who lived (google him), was imprisoned during the Spanish occupation.

I also like going to Binondo, Manila’s chinatown, to pig out. I love authentic Chinese food.

MUSEUM AND ART:

I think the best museum I have been to is the Ayala Museum, you can reach this place by taking the MRT (name of train station) and getting off at Ayala Station. The museum is part of a mall called Greenbelt. They have gold collections, Filipino art, history section, the works. Entrance fee cost P250 and it’s worth it.

There is also a place called Cubao Expo in Cubao, Quezon City. It looks a bit scary from the outside because it looks like an abandoned mall, but if you go in, you can see a strip of art galleries, antique stores, art stores, and some unique restaurants with art designs. There is also a bar there that offers free film showings named Mogwai, you can click here for film schedules. This is where artists hang out.

NIGHTOUT:

For a nightout, I go to Tomas Morato in Quezon City (a network of streets with bars and restaurants), Eastwood in Libis, and Metrowalk in Ortigas. When I’m in Tomas Morato, I eat in Kalye Juan (great Filipino Food) and Nomnomnom (cheap vegetarian restaurant).

When I’m in Eastwood, I eat in Something Fishy. Every 10pm onwards they have this incredibly cheap (just more then P100) eat-all-you can breakfast buffet. It’s crazy and thinking about it makes me hungry.

PARK:

I honestly think if you are in Manila, you want to be here because of the history and probably the food, but you didn’t go here to be in a park. The Philippines have really rich forests, virgin beaches and any park is just nothing compared to that.

But you might want to check out La Mesa Ecopark. This is probably the nearest protected forest to Manila. You can go biking here (it’s for kids though), go on a zipline, ride a horse or paddle a boat. If you like to people watch, this is the best place to see how Filipino families bond. It’s only open till 6pm.

SHOPPING:

Divisoria is a place within Manila where Filipinos go to buy the cheapest goods. I assure you that if you go here, the cheapness of everything will drive you nuts. During Christmas month, Divisoria becomes so jam-packed with people shopping that you don’t need to walk anymore because the flow of the crowd will just take you where you need to go. You will literally be squeezed.

But on normal months, this place is a haven for shopping. Clothings and accessories cost P50 up to P300 max. And you can ask for a discount on everything. There is also a night market here. But here’s the catch-- since a lot of people shop, a lot of pickpockets make a living too. When we go here, we make sure we don’t have any valuables with us and that we are dressed very simply (slippers, shorts, really old shirt) so the pickpockets will think we have no money.

I recommend that you only go to Divisoria with a local.

TRANSPORTATION:

You can ride a passenger bus, jeepney, and train if you are on low budget. If you’re taking a cab, make sure you insist to use METER. Just get out of the cab fast or don't get in if the driver insists on a fixed price instead of using meter. I usually give a tip of P20 if I like the driver (which I usually do). At night, the safest cabs you should ride are labeled MGE, R&E and E&E. They are manila’s most reliable taxi company.

I think going to all these places can fit in two days if you are competitive. :)

If you have any q's, you may send me a message through ym. My id is pinay.traveler or you may email me at pinay.traveler@yahoo.com.

Caught in a Daydream

2010-05-31T20:38:00.001-07:00

It’s one of those quiet dinners you have in a strange country. It was in my favorite diner, only a few walks away from the flat I share with five Filipinos like me. I munch on strange food. I keep my head down; like being visitor in a mansion where expensive furniture looks intimidating.

But then I caught sight of you. You are the first familiar face I saw here. You saw me and our eyes met. You look handsome, but then I remembered I am not allowed to find you that way anymore. I rushed eating and left.

The next thing I felt was hands; hands surrounding my waist. And you’re heavy breathing in my ear. You told me that you have been driving yourself crazy trying to find me. I opened my eyes to look at you… wondering if I was dreaming.

And I was dreaming, daydreaming that is.

In real life I’m sitting beside my editor, trying to focus on the video we are editing. But my mind had traveled across the Pacific already. I have been thinking about you.

It’s not you though. It’s me. You are not the first man I daydreamt about. And now that I’m trying to process how to stop thinking about our relationship that has long been over even before it officially was; I realized that it has been my habit to daydream even before I met you.

I remember being awake still at 4am, dreaming about how to get even with Fat-trick (Patrick) who poked my butt back in fourth grade.

The classroom hours I spent thinking if my varsity crush will propose to me on the school party (which he didn’t).

The four-hour bus ride to Pangasinan with my Mom, which I spent thinking about Mico, my grade six crush.

The bus and jeepney rides I spent thinking about the zillion of crushes and love interests I had that are faceless to me now...

Thinking about it now, those valuable hours lost, is really giving me a headache. And I’m realizing that at age 25, I think it’s time for me to grow out of daydreaming.

Author David Foster Wallace thinks our thoughts can be a conscious choice. (I have no idea who he is but what he said is brilliant). “It's about what we decide to think about during everyday, mundane tasks – waiting in line at the grocery, sitting in traffic. We can let our thoughts follow our brain's default mode – annoyance, pettiness, outrage, selfish fantasies. Or we can make a conscious choice to "exercise some control over how and what you think".

I have been asking God how to stop thinking about you. Right up to now… while my editor Mel is already sleepy, and I’m trying my best to make him stay awake so we can finish on time… I’m still trying to reason with myself why I should make a decision to block you out of my creatively senseless mind.

I do believe that if a man puts his heart and mind into a task, he can overcome anything no matter how impossible it seemed. Now, I’m convincing my heart and mind to join me in this fight against daydreams. And they’re both not up to it yet.

I took a leak, and that Bible verse I heard back in college popped into mind, “…take every thought captive.”

If you’re a policeman and you want to arrest a guilty suspect, I think you need two things: a gun and some form of readiness. You have to expect that the person will fight like hell to break loose. If that person is fierce you have to be fiercer. You have to be more psycho and heartless than the criminal.

And now I need to “arrest” these really tempting, beautiful thoughts. Because no matter how nice and comforting they may feel; they are thieves. They are stealing my time away from productive thoughts, tasks, and relationships. They steal me away from actual moments, where instead of seizing the opportunity to live this day to the full, I can only offer my distracted self. Instead of actual conversations and actual steps to make the world or just that piece of soil within my reach better; I am locked within my secret world. I have to stop this sick role-play of made-up situations already, so I can live my situation now before it passes me by.

So how do I do it? No idea. But I plan on mentally gunning down every thought about you with a prayer. And should the daydream become too tempting, I plan to work on making reality irresistibly and mouth-wateringly better.

Divilacan, Isabela: Face to Face with Crocodiles

2010-03-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

I think this is the farthest place I have been to.

It was a ten-hour land trip from Manila to Tuguegarao, a 45-minute 20-seater plane ride from Tuguegarao- Maconacon and another 20-minute kuliglig ride (a.k.a. tricycle) from Maconacon to Divilacan. And hell yeah, it was so FARRR.

But for the unstoppable adventurous, this is a place you shouldn’t miss. This is where you get to be face to face with crocodiles.

No kidding, I meant crocodiles. The reptile with sharp teeth, yeah, that one.

I know, I know. Crocodiles have a reputation for eating people. And you’d be nuts to want to go there. But the man-eating ones are the humongous saltwater crocs. These ones are Philippine freshwater crocodiles, locally known as Bukarot. They only grow three meters long and are quite shy and evasive in nature and in my experience too. And they are among the world’s MOST critically endangered species, more endangered than the Philippine eagle.

Last 2009, Mabuwaya Foundation released 50 bukarots in Dicatian lake in Divilacan in hopes of reintroducing their species in the wild. You MUST go in the lake in the morning because not only does it have crocs, it has the most wonderful birds flying by around that time. We saw a lot of Rufous Hornbills, Grey-headed Fishing Eagles, some Coleto I think and other birds I cannot name.

You explore the lake by boat. The lake was originally a forest that was made into a dam for irrigation, and now a sanctuary for crocodiles. Dead trees decorate the lake in such a creepy, serene and wonderful manner. Your local boatman will be able to help you spot crocodile eyes lurking in the water. Crocodiles do this to better see their prey. And don’t worry; you are too big to be a prey. And no, they won’t try to get near your boat. In my experience, they will swim away or dive deep if disturbed. I stayed there for three days and rode the boat seven times.

There is almost a 100% chance of seeing a wild crocodile, but if you were born THAT unlucky, Mabuwaya has built a three-storey tower where you can watch crocodiles bask in the sun in a hot afternoon, and provides a scenic view of the whole lake. The tower can be a place for you to sleep if you have a sleeping bag or a hammock. There is one decent bathroom in the area, a dining table among trees and a cooking area. There are also camp sites where you can pitch tents. But if you’re afraid of the crocs, you can stick to the tower.

But hey, I am not trying to sugarcoat crocodile behavior here. I am still human after all. These animals do bite when they feel threatened. But they can’t eat you, sorry. They are way too small for that. Last Feb 2010, there was an incident of a pregnant woman bitten by a croc while she was bathing in a lake she knew had crocodiles in San Mariano (another town, same province).

So moral of the story, even if the crocs are evasive in nature, don’t push their limit by bathing with them, or trying to “encounter them” by getting too close, touching them, or thinking you can play with them like you do with your dog. Should you feel threatened by a crocodile, Mabuwaya Foundation advises for you to make a noise by tapping the water or the ground.

Better to coordinate with Mabuwaya Foundation before going. These people have been handling crocodiles since the 90s and they have trained locals who can guide you for both yours and the crocodiles’ safety.

Other activities in Divilacan would be beach bumming and forest trekking (this area is part of Sierra Madre, a virgin forest, mind you).

Other things: The town has limited electricity. Some houses run generators at night while some have their own solar panels. The only phone signal there is SMART and they have no internet. They don’t have a lot of pork and canned goods are VERY expensive. It’s best that you shop before going there. But they have cheap, big and delicious fishes in Maconacon market.
You can arrange your transportation around Divilacan with your host. I forgot the name of our host but she lives in front of the mayor’s house and her husband is the Municipal Agriculture Officer. She’s very nice and cooks well. There are no hotels yet in the area (though they are building one), so tourists stay with families.

And lastly, you might want to read this before going…

http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-an-Encounter-with-a-Crocodile-or-Alligator

Contacts:

(+63919) 653.1698
Flor- the town mayor’s wife, who can arrange a host for you

(+63921) 575.8535
Tess Balbas- Communication Officer of Mabuwaya Foundation who can help you find a guide

Please do take a SKYPASADA WCC flight which is considered the safest. To book, call the following numbers:

WCC Office in Tuguegarao
Telephone: (+6378) 844.1011
Mobile: (+63929) 184.1388
Website: http://www.skypasada.com/contacts.html
Pengue Ruyu, 3500 Tuguegarao City,
Cagayan, Philippines

(+63919) 501.2696
WCC Office in Maconacon

About the pictures: No, you can’t handle crocodiles because they will bite the hell out of your hand. The one handling the crocodile in the picture is a TV show host-veterinarian who has been handling animals for almost 10 years. It was taken during Mabuwaya foundation’s scientific survey in Dicatian Lake.

To watch a clip of that feature in the show:
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/56371/born-to-be-wild-croc-capture

Hard Year to Forget.

2009-12-12T04:06:00.000-08:00

I have been losing much of my inspiration lately. This acute cough shames me on public places. Yet I still go to work because I honestly feel that I don’t do anything else better.

Adding this historic cough to the equation, this is going to be a hard year to forget.

The historic flood claimed many lives and possessions. It brought out our hidden heroes within, as well as our hidden monsters.

Mud-filled mansions, chairs and tables hanging in electric cables – these are images from Provident Village when the flood subsided.

A stranger bought me a Smart sim card after hearing me curse that I need a signal very badly and Globe network doesn’t work.

I remember being in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig when a mob of hungry flood victims almost attacked our truck for relief goods.

I remember riding a boat in Paete, Laguna while we film houses fully submerged in Laguna lake months after Ondoy. People living in their roofs.

They all smiled differently. Some only a managed a faint smile, some managed to laugh; but they all smiled. It made me proud how my countrymen could carry such smiles amidst a difficulty of great scale.

I am Filipino, yet I find it mind-boggling.

Then there was the nightmare of the Ampatuan mass killings, like a scene out of a sickening movie. It was hard to believe. It was hard to calculate why such monstrosity was needed to secure political seats.

Waiting for justice feels like forever. And you know that even if there is justice in the afterlife, even hell might not be hot enough. You really wish they burn.

And now I live in a country where being a journalist is the deadliest profession.

This is not a good year to be a journalist. This is not a good year to be Filipino. And I am both.

It’s going to be election next year; another circus with gorillas, puppets, fake magicians, vote riggers and past presidents.

And I’ll be there to witness it with media eyes again, because I do nothing else better.

Lost

2009-11-28T01:31:00.001-08:00

I have been sick for more than a week now.. :(

The endless coughing makes me sleepless at night, and the meds I'm taking make being sleepless worse by making me throw up!

But this is merely little discomfort compared to what my Muslim brothers in Mindanao are experiencing...

I think the whole world have heard about the Ampatuan Massacre by now. In the international news they call it Philippines Massacre, in the local news its Maguindanao Massacre. And it's creating a very bad image for the Philippines and Maguindanao Province, which both don't deserve such reputation just because of one evil clan called the Ampatuans.

And now the death toll is 64.

Unspeakable evil. It's not even power-lust, it's monstrous. It's psychotic. It's sick. Even these words fall short of the evil they've done.

I wish for them justice equal to their evil, both in this life and the next. I wish for them the meanest punishment possible.

It could've been me, or one of my friends. As part of the media, we venture into danger zones with only courage for arms. We venture into death zones equipped only with prayers. The media victims aimed to document truth and hope. They did not fail.

Because the nation will make sure that their sacrifice shall be the end of tyranny, in that part of the country were hope never beamed before. They were buried deep using a backhoe. Their lives shall be the seeds where trees of change grow.

Bye Bye Turtles!

2009-03-07T07:41:00.000-08:00

In Morong, Bataan, a Community-Based Pawikan Conservation Project Center can be found.

The center maintains a hatchery where turtle eggs can safely hatch instead of ending up in people's plates.

The baby pawikans (tagalog for turtle) will be coming back after 20-30 years to nest. A magnetic force will guide them back to where they first crawled as a baby to lay their eggs. They are known to nest in the same place throughout their lifetime. They are one of God's most awesome creations. : )

Sadly, for every 100 pawikan guided to the shore, only one usually survives. Baby Pawikans are vulnerable to predators (big fishes), entrapment in gill nets, and of course, dying from pollution (thanks to man. psh).

Entrance fee here is P20 per pax.

You can opt to adopt a pawikan for P250 and you'll have the chance to guide a baby pawikan home to the shore...(and get a free shirt).

IMPT. NOTE: IN CASE YOU DO DECIDE TO ADOPT, DON'T DROP A BABY TURTLE, AND BE CAREFUL NOT TO HARM IT IN ANY WAY OR ELSE YOU ONLY LESSEN IT'S CHANCE OF SURVIVAL IN THE WILD. CAREFULLY LISTEN TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE CENTER VOLUNTEER.

Optional:

P2000 airconditioned room good for 6
P 700 non-a/c room good for 2
Tents 300 each good for 3 pax

Note:
Swimming in their beach here even without the pawikan experience is still awesome. Shallow water, fine sand... you'll love it.

Directions:
In Cubao, ride Genesis Bus and get off at Balanga. Ride a minibus to Morong and tell the driver to take you to the pawikan center. Total ride takes about 4 hours (or less). The center is in Bgy. Nagbalayong, Morong, Bataan.

You may contact Ate NIDA 09287185721 for inquiries and reservations. Bye-bye baby pawikans.. : ) Wish you long life.

A Place to Hide

2008-09-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's crappy scriptwriting or a standard romance story "must-have", but I'm sure all of us Filipinos are familiar with this movie (or tv) scene:

The guy takes the girl to a quiet place (preferably with a view) and tells her that its his "sacred place, or sanctuary, or secret hideout." He tells the girl that it's the place he uses for thinking and quiet reflection when he feels the need to be alone (as if). And of course, we can all assume that the girl is the FIRST woman he ever brought there because he said so (as if strike 2).

I have dated a few men and NO ONE has ever brought me to his secret place where he hides to achieve nirvana so far. But what I do have is my own, my VERY own secret place. And no, you're not the first person I'm sharing this to.

I have been going alone to the Touch of Glory Prayer Mountain in Paenaan, Rizal since time immemorial for various reasons like~

I want to eat pineapple cheese sandwich.
It's my birthday and I want to hide from people (and pray).
I just graduated from college and I wanted God's direction.
I won so many awards and I wanted to thank God.
I am so seriously seriously lonely.
I miss lying in the grass.
Just for fun.

It's actually a praying place where people from all walks of life can go to seek God. OTHER activities aside from that isn't really advisable here. I think they caught lovers being sweet in one of the spots here and they let loose dogs to chase the lovers around. : ) That's what I heard, no idea if it's true.

NOTE: If you plan to go there, bring a picnic blanket for maximum experience. Of course, a Bible, a notebook and a pen.

Directions: From Cubao, ride a jeepney going to Cogeo, then from Cogeo market, ride another jeepney going to Paenaan . Tell the driver to drop you off at the prayer mountain.

Faster route: Take MRT2 to Santolan. From there, ride the jeepney to Cogeo.
Entrance Fee: P50

Room rates (pax/night): P100 (attic), P200 (dorm), P500 (exclusive)

IMPT: Bring an ID, and sms first at +639178401288 for room reservations if you're staying overnight or longer.

Batlag Falls Escapade

2008-05-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

Since its been raining cats and dogs lately which makes going to the beach not a very good idea; my siblings and I went to BATLAG falls in Tanay, Rizal.

BATLAG is a hidden, private-owned falls. The place is serene because most tourists often stay in the bigger Daranak falls which is the entry point to Batlag. From Daranak, you will have to pay the P20/pax entrance fee, and also P20/pax fee upon entry to Batlag. Cottages in Batlag cost P250 while tables cost only P100. You can opt to stay overnight for P60 but there is no electricity yet in the area and you would have to make do with lighted torches.

BATLAG is best if you're with children because the swimming area where the cascading water falls is shallow. There is a small, separate deep water pool reaching 10 ft. below that is not really advisable to jump into because the ground beneath is uneven. But the water there is cooler and clearer. You can always opt to rent a salbabida or life-preserver for P30.

It's really not necessary to bring sunblock here because the trees surrounding the pool provide enough shade. What you have to bring is a mosquito repellent because mosquitoes are plenty in the cottages. Bring katol if you can, you won't regret it. Daranak and Batlag close up at 5 pm.

The most convenient way of getting there is by Starmall (ride the MRT and take off at Shaw), and riding a coaster to Tanay (fare P60/pax). From Tanay market (which is the end point of the Tanay route), you can hire a tricycle. The usual fare is P150 per tricycle which can accomodate 3 persons. You have to ask the driver to come back for you because the way to the main road is a long hike. Jonny (09108159910) is the one we hired and he was so nice for coming back for us even if it was raining.

It's just so bad that tourists have carved their names into the stone formations. As if pictures aren't enough remembrance, they felt the need to make vandals so big that it would take thousand of years before they become naturally erased and eroded. There are many ways to appreciate nature and surely, vandalizing IS NOT one of them.

Paddling through Artex Compound

2008-04-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

if you’re friend is a rich brat, take him to Artex Compound.

Artex is the so-called Venice of Malabon. There is no tourism facility there; nor is there any recreation area in the compound. But now tourists are going in the area to take pictures of the “floating store” given to Lanie by the GMA Public Affairs show Wish Ko Lang.

Artex didn’t start as a village in water. They used to host happy fiestas and basketball tournaments in dry land. You will see the ruins of their church, a basketball ring, and first floor houses submerged in their water world and you could almost feel the happy memories of children playing and neighbors gossiping in their front yard. But now there is no front yard, only flood, only water.

The women and children in the area make money out of boat driving. The fare per ride is five pesos. A boat, for the residents, is almost like a part of their body. It is something they cannot live without. You need a boat to buy one sachet of shampoo (some houses with a nearby store get their goods by string transport). You need a boat to fetch water. You need a boat if you want to leave or return to your house.

According to Claire Yocogco, a resident of Artex for 26 years, the water gets almost 10 feet high during storms. The violent sound of water rushing makes her fear her house might get washed away anytime.

The residents have their hunches on what caused the permanent flood in their compound. Some says it’s because of the raised roads that left their low-lying area as catch basin for rainwater. Some says their place has become the natural channel for the ponds and rivers that used to surround their area before being reclaimed by residential subdivisions. The water naturally comes back in their place no matter how often they pump it out. Eventually, they got tired of pumping it out because it is costly, and because it is a waste time. The water never really leaves.

The people of Artex have formed a cooperative to make improvements in the area. Upon entering, visitors are required to log their names and make donations to Information Officer Vivian Regudo. The funds they have accumulated last year were used to build a mini-wharf for the boats.

Nobody from the government or from scientific groups has studied ARTEX yet. Once there was a group of students who went there to get water samples but they never returned again.

And for the meantime that nobody cares, ARTEX residents are forced to cope with their own Venetian world, one paddle at a time.

How to get there:

Ride a jeepney or bus going to Malanday. Jump off to Jollibee Malinta, then ride a tricycle going to ARTEX Compound (Panghulo).

If you have your own car, take Mac Arthur highway to Malinta then turn left upon reaching Jollibee which is across a gasoline station. Drive straight to Panghulo. You could easily ask people there where Artex is.

Contact person:

Vivian Regudo 02-2797683
Lanie 09227949142

2008-04-28T23:45:00.001-07:00

This blog is the hitchhiker's guide to existent and imaginary places, singlehood, and life as a Filipina.

The Pinay travels alone

2008-04-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

I've always dreamed of going places. And though I can't find someone to go with, I'm going anyway.

Here's a blog about the places I've been to, the places I'd like to visit, and finding my own soil.

There's a notion that a Filipina cannot travel alone, or that a woman has to be accompanied at least by a man for a safe journey. "Alone" has become a stigma translating to loserdom. Being seen alone has become something to worry about-- it's either people will think you have no friends, or that you are too ugly or too difficult for men.

People do not realize that even with family, lovers and friends, we still take the journey alone. Nobody can fully comprehend your pain besides you. You alone can decide your happiness. You alone suffer the consequences of your actions and decisions. You alone is responsible for what did, or didn't become of you. You.

I'm breaking the stigma. I refuse to stay home just because my friends aren't available for my next trip. And even if I have someone to go with, I'm aware that they don't hold the key to my enjoyment. The key belongs to me.