Sep 02, 2010
There are many things tourists and visitors love about Thailand. For instance, you can’t miss the heart-warming smiles of the Thais with their friendly and polite wai greeting, the palms of their hands pressed together with a slight bow. Aside from the Thai hospitality, tourists are also treated to shopping galore in Thailand – with so many things to buy in the busy sidewalks or in posh boutiques and shopping malls.
When in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, tourists can stay at the Dusit Thani Bangkok Hotel, a distinguished Bangkok luxury hotel well-located across the Lumpini Park and few meters from the sky train, shops, restaurants and business establishments.
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Aug 26, 2010
Most of the people who travel are businessmen. They visit branches of their companies in different places to ensure that their programs or corporate plans are implemented or followed. This makes them busy, not only in travel, but also with the other activities they have to do and plan for.
An important area in business is marketing, and any help along this line is welcome to the progressive manager and/or business owner. With the present surge of high-technology gadgets, both software and hardware, many things are facilitated and made easy, unlike before when they were time-consuming and tedious.
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Aug 07, 2010
Imagine yourself on a relaxing vacation, indulging in a lavish and comfy accommodation and having that much-deserved R&R. After all that stress from countless days of hard work, it’s simply a must to pamper and reward one’s soul with a vacation.
Travel bugs, who would like to commune with nature by the sloping hills and beside the beach, can opt for an exotic vacation at a luxury Phuket resort in Amazing Thailand, the Avista Phuket Resort and Spa.
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Aug 04, 2010
As one of Europe’s top destinations, France is in my list of places to have a holiday. Aside from its rich history and culture, medieval buildings and landmarks, the beautiful regions in France, such as Brittany, Normandy, Cote d’Azur, the Pyrenees and many others, are reason enough for travel bugs to enjoy scenic views while exploring the outdoors.
Those who would like to have a family holiday in France that offers more flexibility and adventure can opt for a camping accommodation.
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Jul 16, 2010
Travel bugs are fond of going places, and for them, the best places for vacation are the beaches and mountains, where they can be with nature to have that much-needed R&R.
Those who are busy though and can’t have their vacation yet could use their creativity and imagination to bring the outdoors inside. How? Just make your home interior look like one of those log cabins in the mountains or a beach resort cottage, lol. Yup, bringing nature into your home can make you feel as if you’re on vacation.
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Jun 15, 2010
Flying via Cebu Pacific? Here are some helpful information for domestic and international flights regarding allowable baggage weight, excess baggage rates, prepaid excess baggage (PEB), baggage reinstatement fees (BRF), and rules for check-in and boarding times.
Before going on a trip, make sure to weigh your baggage as it really pays to know beforehand. Refer to the allowed weight for handcarry and checked baggage below. In case your checked baggage excess weight would be more than 5 kgs, then it’s better to avail of Cebu Pacific’s prepaid excess baggage (PEB) fees. Check out the fees below for every additional 5 kgs increment of excess weight.
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Jun 13, 2010
The recent BP oil spill disaster, aka the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, has greatly affected America’s marine environment as well as the local fishing and tourism industries in the Gulf of Mexico. It has also spoiled some travel plans for a tourist about to have a beach vacation in Florida. According to an ABC News Travel article, Kathryn Calley cancelled her trip because of the oil spill but unfortunately her travel insurance could not give her reimbursement for the cancelled flights. The reason? The oil spill is considered a manmade disaster and not a natural disaster which can be covered by standard travel insurance. Ugh, what a disappointment for not having to go on with a planned holiday and not even getting refund for the airfare or rebooking fees.
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Jun 03, 2010
It’s summertime again and with the sun’s heat becoming our companion during outdoor activities, one can’t help but put on his/her pair of shades.
When it comes to sports and recreation though, there are specific combination of frames and lenses that are highly recommended to achieve the best comfort and vision while being stylish and fashionable as well. For instance, it’s best to use non-polarized brown lenses for sports involving a ball, such as golf, volleyball, football and tennis. Don’t use grey polarized lenses as they are too dark for the eyes, thus you can’t accurately focus on the ball.
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May 27, 2010
“Grab Cebu Pacific’s seat sale to all Visayas destinations now!” That’s what you see when visiting the Cebu Pacific website (www.cebupacificair.com).
Dubbed as “The best Bai!” promo, I bet travel bugs would be excited to know about the latest travel deal from the country’s top budget airline, Cebu Pacific Air.
Anyway, here are the promo rules: Continue reading… »
May 19, 2010
Unless it’s really that urgent, Filipinos are advised to postpone traveling to Thailand these days. Here’s the official travel advisory regarding Thailand, from the Department of Foreign Affairs, dated 15 May 2010:
The Department of Foreign Affairs re-issued its travel advisory to Bangkok, Thailand in view of the increased incidents of violence in central Bangkok.
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May 19, 2010
Vacation is a great time to be away from the usual daily work one does, be it in the office or at home. The families of my two sisters are now in the planning stage for a getaway break, come July. My brother-in-laws are also busy trying to fit in their schedules for a mountain climbing stint at Mt. Apo, among others. They also have ideas to visit other beautiful tourist spots here in the Philippines which they have not been into, especially in the Southern part like Davao.
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May 19, 2010
It’s still summer, and this means “escape” time!
Many families are on vacation right now, like our family friend who went to Davao to visit her hubby in his current work assignment. Needless to say, the whole family is there, this means the three children are on a holiday with them as well.
Last vacation, if I remember it right, the whole family was in Cebu, as the hubby was assigned there.
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May 19, 2010
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dove Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.
I’ve been busy these days catching up on loads of pending tasks. Whew! How I wish I’d have some extra time off for a nice holiday getaway, but that would cause a dent on my savings again as I have other financial priorities to consider.
Oh well, if you’re like me who’s dreaming of a holiday somewhere and don’t have extra budget for travel, you might want to join the “My Mini Moment” contest courtesy of Dove Ice Cream. One of their mini-grand prizes is a mini-getaway to scenic Napa Valley. Now doesn’t the word “free” make it more appealing? The contest came about as a way for Dove Ice Cream to celebrate “Me-time” as important and cherished moments for their consumers.
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May 14, 2010
On Day 2 of our tour in Dumaguete, we visited the historical St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral, built in the 17th century and considered as the largest church in the city. The cathedral is located along Perdices Street in front of the Rizal Park. At the main entrance, a brief history about the church’s construction can be read: “Oldest stone church in Negros / Originally built in 1754-1776 / Reconstructed in 1885 / Extended with present facade in 1936”.
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May 04, 2010
After living in an apartment for about 18 years in Cebu, our family finally decided to go back to our home in the province and settle there for good. We were all done with college that time and some of my siblings are already working abroad, plus we were paying for the monthly rent and living in an apartment by the highway which was not a nice location for a residence. We already missed our home in the province, so we gave up our Cebu-based business, packed up all our belongings and finally moved back home.
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May 03, 2010
A recommendation from a friend took us to South Sea Resort Hotel, located in Bantayan, Dumaguete City. We had a hard time looking for the place, and got lost along the way. One has to go through a maze of residential houses to finally get there. There are road signs as you go nearer the resort but they were not that conspicuous and are too small to be read by motorists. Finally, we found the place and I noticed that it was a bit quiet with only us as visitors, maybe because it was a Monday afternoon when most of the folks are busy at work.
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May 02, 2010
Moving to another place can be mentally draining. One can easily get exhausted, not much with the actual physical sorting and packing tasks but with the mental stress that comes in deciding which items to keep, to sell, to throw in the trash or to give away. This is a big dilemma especially if you have a hectic schedule or you have limited space in the moving vehicle, you have to let go of some stuff you can’t bring.
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Apr 30, 2010
Continued from Road trip: Bacolod (Negros Occidental) to Dumaguete (Negros Oriental)
After about 5 hours of road travel from Bacolod with our trusty van, we arrived in Dumaguete, fondly known as the “City of Gentle People”. Compared to most Visayan cities such as Bacolod or Iloilo, Dumaguete is less crowded. The first thing I noticed about this city is its simple laidback atmosphere, no wonder it attracts many foreign tourists and visitors – not much traffic on the road, with a charming town-like environment.
Many tourists are attracted to Dumaguete because of its accessibility to nearby natural wonders, beaches and dive sites. One such popular diving destination is Apo Island, one of the world’s best known marine sanctuaries (with over 600 documented fish species and 400 varieties of corals), which can be accessed by a 30-minute boat ride from the coastal town of Zamboangita, south of Dumaguete. The nearby town of Bais is also known for dolphin and whale watching, while tThe caves of Mabinay and the white sand bar in Tanjay are also popular tourist destinations.
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Filed under
Art & Culture,
Hotels & Accommodation,
Tourist Destinations Tags:
Apo Island,
Bais,
bell tower,
Bravo Golf Hotel & Restaurant,
cathedral,
Dumaguete,
Forest Camp,
Mabinay,
Negros Oriental,
Rizal Boulevard,
Robinson’s Place,
Saint Paul University,
Sans Rival,
Sibulan,
Sidlakang Negros Village,
Silliman University,
South Sea Resort Hotel,
Sta. Monica Beach Resort,
ValenciaPosted by
happysteps at 09:54 AM |
Apr 29, 2010
We recently had a road trip to the “City of Gentle People”, Dumaguete, in the south-eastern part of the Negros Island. It’s my first time ever to visit this capital city of Negros Oriental and so I really didn’t know what to expect. I was thinking that Dumaguete is just like Bacolod or Iloilo or some of the capital cities in the Visayan region.
We had to attend a community event in the afternoon so we left Bacolod City at about 5:00AM. We’re thankful that we started out early as we didn’t encounter any traffic delays despite some of the roads being repaired along Bago City. Over all, the road trip was great, especially with well-paved roads going to Dumaguete, even as we passed by the winding and mountainous roads along the municipality of Mabinay. We were also treated to refreshing sights along the way as we passed by tree-lined roads, beautiful mountain scenery along Mabinay and the coastal views of Sibulan.
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Filed under
Going places,
Transportation Tags:
Bacolod,
Bacolod to Dumaguete,
Cebu,
Ceres Liner,
Dumaguete,
Mabinay,
Negros Island,
Negros Occidental,
Negros Oriental,
road trip,
SibulanPosted by
happysteps at 02:06 PM |
Apr 22, 2010
Summer is here again, a favourite season for holidays, and we know what most travel bugs do, they plan for a weekend trip or a few days’ vacation to one of their dream destinations. The other day, I got to talk to a friend who’s based in the UK, and she said we can meet up sometime for a tour in Europe, in case I’ll be going there again. Well, that really depends on my fairy godmother and mainly on my budget. Anyway, should I have another visit to Europe, I’d go down south, particularly to one of my dream destinations, Greece. I can still remember as an architecture student when we would study (and even sketch) ancient buildings and historical sites in Greece which is considered as the cradle of western civilization. Just think about the 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in Greece, and you’ll know what I mean.
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Apr 21, 2010
Bro-in-law was supposed to fly back to Finland last Friday April 16. I even got an SMS from him informing us that he already passed immigration. Well, hours after, we got another text message from him that “all EU flights are cancelled” due to volcanic eruption in Iceland. I immediately did an online search and didn’t expect that the effect of the volcanic ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano would be that serious, paralyzing world travel from Europe and spreading out to the US and Asia, leaving thousands of passengers stranded on a global scale.
So my bro-in-law and his fellow passengers were housed in a hotel as they waited for travel updates. Incidentally, a friend was lucky enough to have flown on April 14 to Prague, and thank God she arrived safely, just before all the flights were cancelled. A classmate from high school who will be departing for Europe today posted in her Facebook account that she’s “hoping and praying the airline won’t cancel the flight.”
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Jan 29, 2010
The recent launch of the iPad, Apple’s latest creation—a tablet computer which looks like an oversized Apple iPhone or iPod Touch—has got most of us curious about how it’s going to affect the way we travel. How useful will this new device be, with its large Multi-Touch screen at about one and a half pounds and half-inch thin, if we include it in our hand carry bags during trips? For travel bugs out there, are you willing to buy an additional gadget (don’t worry it’s not bulky and heavy) to add to your backpack?
I have a friend who travels a lot, whether by bus or plane, he’s always on the go because of his business. He uses an iPhone for communication and carries a relatively bulky laptop on his backpack on all his trips. My friend is no different than most business travellers out there, and with the coming out of the Apple iPad, I wonder if this device would be added to his trip essentials? Continue reading… »
Jan 26, 2010
We all agree that there’s no place like home, it’s where our heart is, and everytime we go somewhere, there’s always that longing to be home. Even travel bugs and those who are passionate about travel tend to appreciate more the little things about their hometown or neighborhood after coming from a trip someplace.
But what if you are given the option to move to another place or to relocate? Let’s say you visited an Arlington Property Management firm and given some various residential properties to decide upon, which place would you prefer to start over and settle with your family? If you have the whole world to choose from, which country or city would you move to? Continue reading… »
Filed under
Tourist Destinations,
Travel News & Information Tags:
Austria,
Berlin,
Berliner Dom,
Brandenburg Gate,
Czech Republic,
Europe,
Finland,
Germany,
Infant Jesus of Prague,
Mercer Quality of Living Survey,
Prague,
Prague Castle,
Tampere,
UNESCO World Heritage site,
Vienna,
Vysehrad Castle,
World's Best Places to LivePosted by
happysteps at 02:05 AM |
Jan 21, 2010
Hi all! Here’s another special travel feature courtesy of Alex and Odeth Mizuno, a couple based in California. Odeth is one of my close friends in college and even though we’re oceans away we still communicate via the Internet and I’m happy that she agreed to share one of her travels with us.
In this post, I’m featuring some of their photos taken at the Yosemite National Park located in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yosemite is a nature-lover’s haven offering scenic views with its diverse natural attractions – granite cliffs, waterfalls, lakes, hiking trails and more. Continue reading… »
Jan 21, 2010
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Coldwell Banker. All opinions are 100% mine.
With the start of the year, most of us have already listed down some goals and dreams to fulfill within 365 days. Aside from having important goals for the family, such as improving finances, going into business, allocating time for travel and relaxation, major goals such as moving to another neighborhood or buying a house could also be part of the list. The decision to relocate to another place can be challenging, and there are many options to consider when choosing the right neighborhood. Continue reading… »
Filed under
Travel News & Information Posted by
happysteps at 06:20 PM |
Jan 16, 2010
Hotels, airline companies, travel agents and travel websites are doing their share in helping Haiti after a devastating earthquake (measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale) struck about 15km south west of Port-au-Prince last Tuesday.
Airlines such as Continental, Delta, United Airlines, US Airways and other such companies encourage their clients to donate miles or money to the American Red Cross. American Airlines will award 250 bonus miles for every $50 donation. A Boeing 747 relief aircraft with volunteer pilots and cabin crew courtesy of British Airways will be flying to assist agencies in charge of emergency and rescue operations and services including equipment to Haiti. Continue reading… »
Filed under
Travel News & Information Tags:
Airlines,
American Airlines,
British Airways,
Choice,
Continental,
cruise lines,
Delta,
Haiti,
Hilton,
hotel loyalty points,
Marriott,
Norwegian Cruise Line,
Port-au-Prince,
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line,
United Airlines,
US AirwaysPosted by
happysteps at 10:17 PM |
Jan 14, 2010
Hi all! This is Part 2 of the Special Travel Feature on my good friend CB, as he answers some travel-related questions.
Do check out Part 1, Jordan tourist attractions (Petra, Dead Sea, Mt. Nebo and more) by CB, where he shared with us his memorable trip to the famous tourist attractions in Jordan in Western Asia. Thanks CB! 
Q. Any personal insights about travel and going places?
CB: “Before travelling to a world destination of your choice, you must try your best to at least do the following:
- Do ample research about the famous landmarks before travelling because this is one of your primary missions there.
- Study the norms and culture beforehand as many countries have different ways of interaction and behavior. Continue reading… »
Jan 03, 2010
Hi to my dear readers! My apologies for having written few posts before 2009 ended. I guess we were all busy during the holidays, huh? Anyway, to make up for that, I’m starting off the new year with a special travel feature. This will actually be the first in a series of posts featuring travels by family and friends.
For this post, I’d like you to meet my good friend CB, an Architect based in Dubai, who recently had an unforgettable trip to Jordan. Learn more about this Arab country in Western Asia, where the ancient city of Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is situated. Other tourist attractions such as the Dead Sea, the baptism site of Jesus Christ at the Jordan River, the burial place of Moses at Mt. Nebo and other historical and Biblical sites can also be found in Jordan. Continue reading… »
Filed under
Special Travel Feature,
Tourist Destinations Tags:
Amman,
Arab,
City of Hills,
Dead Sea,
Dead Sea Mud,
Jordan,
Jordan River,
Mt. Nebo,
New Seven Wonders of the World,
Petra,
Petra Monastery,
Petra Treasury,
Rose Red CityPosted by
happysteps at 11:00 PM |
Dec 24, 2009
What’s a holiday trip without experiencing a taste of the local cuisine and delicacies? For a tourist who’s just landed in a new destination, the excitement of seeing all the sights and visiting the top local attractions may all be gone when one is exhausted and starving.
For a popular destination such as Canada, it’s good to do a bit of research about good dining destinations especially if you’re completely new to a certain province. Browsing through restaurant guides such as enRoute and online directories such as Canada 411 can surely help. Continue reading… »
Filed under
Food & Dining Tags:
Canada,
restaurantsPosted by
happysteps at 02:13 AM |
Nov 30, 2009
One of my favorite stops whenever I’m visiting another place is the museum. Yup! I don’t find them boring at all and could even spend hours just going through the maze of historical artifacts and other interesting collection. For me, it’s like stepping into a time machine and learning about the past, the history and culture of that city or town.
Thus, for those already booked with flights to Tel Aviv, they can include visiting the new museum in their trip itinerary. To celebrate Tel Aviv’s Centennial Year, the municipality has restored the Old City Hall to be the home of the new Museum of the History of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. One of the highlights of the museum is the collection of old historic photographs by volunteers for the “Revealing the Hidden City” project. Continue reading… »
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