Her Trip - Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast)

Every trip has it's ups and downs, and our week-long vacation to continental Australia had it's own share too. But despite that, we had a pretty good trip.

Planning for the trip started almost a year ahead. Air Asia was having one of their big flight promos. The promos usually start at 1 o'clock dawn which in itself is a challenge. You either had to wait up til late, which is not easy, or wait until the morning which could mean sold-out tickets or limited booking dates. We chose the latter, and we were lucky.

The promo was also for flights for the following year. We never know what will come up 6 months or 1 year from booking. It meant the flight could possibly get canceled. And also with Air Asia being a low-cost carrier based in Malaysia, flights all start in Malaysia, which meant more flights for us.

Nevertheless, we booked the tickets 10 months in advance. Round trip tickets from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Australia (due to the promo) cost less then P10,000 (USD 200) each. From there, interior flights were slowly booked. Until finally, the local flights. Without the promos from low-cost airlines, booking round trip tickets would've cost us more than $850 USD each. Our tickets cost around the same, for 2!

Days leading to the trip were spent finding hotels and planning the itinerary. Applying for Australian Tourist Visas, which we got weeks ahead, was gladly not a problem.

The trip started with 3 flights. Cebu to Manila, Manila to Kuala Lumpur and then finally, Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. The 3 flights took almost an entire day, including stopovers and all.

Melbourne, Victoria

Melbourne was our first stop in Australia. Our trip coincided with the Australian Grand Prix. Held year after year in Albert Park, it is one of the most awaited sporting events of the country. Downside to having the Grand Prix in town was fully-booked hotels. We had a choice of either a hotel away from the city or a hostel with a prime location. And we chose a hostel with 4-bed mixed room accommodation at $31 AU/person per night.

Flinders Station Backpackers was located right smack in the city center. Located within a block from Flinders Street Station and several tram and bus stations, there were no complains about the location. The actual room though was a different story. It had 2 bunk beds and no private bath. The room was small, so luggage space was limited, and it had dirty carpets. There were lockers for our luggages but it was too much hassle having to lock up every time we left the room.

During our 2-day stay, we shared the room with European guys - French and English. Me and my better half shared a single bed on one of the top bunks. I was not comfortable sleeping alone on my bed. Having to go back to our room at the end of the day was stressful enough for me. I dreaded the thought every time. My better half though, didn't seem to have any problem with it.

F1 Practice Race

Being one of my better half's must-go-to places, we had pre-booked tickets for the Grand Prix. Though we only made it to one of the practice days, as prices on the actual race day were steep, we got a feel of how the actual race day would be. There were kiddie zones inside the park, as well as food stalls and souvenir stands. Catching one of their practice sessions, we saw and heard the F1 cars zip by so noisily.

Taking a shot with the racing cars needed a very quick finger as the cars were visible for just a few seconds. What I hoped on seeing was action in the pit stop. Watching each team recondition the cars in just seconds was something, while waiting for the cars to go round on round the tracks was pretty much boring. I didn't get a rush watching the cars fly by. There were also huge screens showing the race all over the park, just like how we see it on tv.

Transportation in Australia is relatively expensive. But Melbourne has a very convenient transportation system for tourists. Aside from the pricey shuttle buses which took us from the airport to the hotel and back, we didn't spend a penny going around the city. There were free City Trams that went around major tourist stops. There was also free buses which went around the city center as well. The free trams and buses, with clockwise or counter-clockwise routes, follow a rectangular path around the city. Everywhere else we had to go on foot.

Flinders Street Station

Victorian architecture was very much prominent all over the city, being a former European settlement. Flinders Street Station, the central railway station of the train network of Melbourne, was one landmark depicting this. With it's distinctive red and yellow brick wall and intricately-designed arches topped with green domes, it is an icon that proudly stands out. The train station is a popular meeting place among Melburnians. There used to be plans to demolish the station to make way for office buildings, but the plans were halted by protests.

Federation Square

Just across Flinders Street Station was a building with a unique facade. The Federation Square, it is an open square where Melburnians hang out. There is a very helpful tourist information center underground. Restaurants and museums abound all over the complex. There was the Australian Center for the Moving Image within the complex, which we visited. It housed exhibits of the moving image in all its forms - film, television, movies, fames. It wasn't bad, but there wasn't anything so amazing about it either.

Old Melbourne Gaol

Other places we went to were the Old Melbourne Gaol, which used to be an old prison complex. Some famous Australian criminals met their death in the gallows here, but the place was of not much interest to me. They had ghost-hunting night tours though, which would've been a different story.

I had high expectations of Melbourne before the trip. But after just spending 2 days, and running out of places to go to, I'd say it was pretty much boring. There were places I had planned to go to like the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Carlton Gardens (UNESCO Heritage Site) and Queen Victoria Market, but they somehow got forgotten. Up until now, I constantly wonder if those 2 places would've had given me a much different outlook of the city.

I had expected cool and sunny weather and packed flip flops, shorts, flimsy tops and cardigans. Temperature unexpectedly dropped that time we were in Melbourne, and we got cold, windy, chilly days. The cardigans were insufficient, the shorts stayed unused, and I had to brave the freezing wind each day. The long walks left me in no mood to talk as I had to save my strength, the freezing temperature made me want to stay put at a single place, and most of all, the hostel situation was the most stressful. I was left so down. And after just 2 days, the trip had already lost it's appeal to me.

Sydney, New South Wales

Sydney had a much better tone. We said good bye to our hostel and had a regular hotel room in the city. We stayed at The Great Southern Hotel, located right across Central Station. At a little over $100/night, it wasn't cheap but we later found out that that price was pretty much average in Australian cities. It was a pretty decent hotel, but after our stay at the hostel, it was 5-star accommodation to me. We now had our own bathroom, a television, queen-sized bed plus a little kitchenette. I had initially wanted to stay-in and not go out.

We started the tour of the city catching the 555 CBD Shuttle Bus 3 blocks away. Little did we know that there was another stop just right across the street. We hopped off the bus when it got to the northern most stop, and went around The Rocks. It was the area below the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It was a Sunday the time we were there, and it was a lively place with the weekend market.

The Rocks

We then had lunch at a nearby pub before heading back to spend an afternoon for our scheduled pictorial with a young French lass. We went around the Chinese Garden in Chinatown, and finally to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Mrs Macquaries Point. Sadly, it was a rainy day, but despite the rain, the place had a lovely view of the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House was the main reason we wanted to go to Australia. Having pre-booked tickets for The Essential Tour, we were able to get in and hear the history behind the structure. At $29 AUD, the tour was worth it, the interiors were magnificent and we learned a lot about the place. One can only imagine what happens when an actual play or symphony takes place. We had wanted to catch a show, unfortunately, the one in schedule didn't meet our taste. The Opera House had impressive interiors, outside though was a different story. I was in anticipation of an eye-gapping, jaw-dropping structure, having been elected a modern wonder of the world. Sadly, it didn't live up to the hype. The exterior had unique features alright, but in my opinion not too worthy of a place in the list.

Riding ferries was another nice thing we did around Sydney. Dropping the plan to join one of their buffet cruises (as they were expensive and I might get seasick), we took an ordinary ferry from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour. Being a means of transportation, it cost $5.30 AUD per trip. It was a cold but sunny weather that day. With the clear blue skies, and the Opera House and Harbour Bridge right in front of us, it was one of the things I loved best.

Darling Harbour is a large tourist precinct. With restaurants, shopping malls, museums and zoos all over, it was a place where one can lazily spend a full day people-watching, shopping or just relaxing. Having dreams of boarding an aircraft carrier, we dropped by the Australian National Maritime Museum, and boarded the HMAS Onslow submarine and the HMAS Vampire destroper. Sadly, it was far from the aircraft carrier-experience I had imagined.

The rest of the day was spent walking back to our hotel, shopping and dinning. Shops in Australia mostly close at 6 pm due to expensive labor, except on Thursdays which was payday where they close at 9. We retired early on most of the days, which was a relief. Long walks I can do. Long walks in cold temperature without warm clothes, I cannot. Gladly, we were nearing the end of our vacation. We just had one last stop, Gold Coast.

Gold Coast, Queensland

The Gold Coast is one of the cities where Air Asia operates thus making it part of our itinerary. Despite coming from a place where there were lots of beaches, the place was totally impressive. The length of it's shoreline couldn't compare to the beaches here. The beach was clean, there were life guards clearly watching over, and there were surfers all over. It would've been nice to take a dip in the water if the weather was a bit warmer.

The Grand Chancellor Hotel was right in Surfer's Paradise. The hotel room had it's own balcony and it was huge. Sound of the waves rolling in from the beach nearby could be heard from the room. We bought ice-cold Australian beers, hung out and took advantage of the balcony.

The Great Southern Hotel

Surfer's Paradise is an ideal place for a real vacation. It was where I felt most relaxed. There were no itineraries to follow, no shows to catch up, we took our merry time walking around the neighborhood going around the shops and admiring the place.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Home to multitudes of theme parks, Gold Coast is the ideal destination for family vacations in Australia. Queensland is also where one can cuddle koalas. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, miles away from Surfer's Paraside, was where one can have a picture taken with a koala. It is also where we got to experience hand-feeding the kangaroos. Being animal lovers, it was a wonderful experience for us.

I was more than happy for the Gold Coast leg of the trip. Being the last stop before we left, memories there were the ones I most vividly remember. And those were happy moments.

His Trip - Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast)

We just got back from a short but full one week trip from Australia. We visited the 3 major cities in 3 of the 6 Australia states in just 6 days. Yes, just 2 days each in Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast. The short trip is good enough if you just want to get a feel of the place and get around the central business area of each city.

Thanks to low-cost carrier airlines, this trip was made possible. We got our airline tickets for a fourth of the cost compared to flying directly with regular airlines. But it was a very long trip for us. We booked Philippine's Cebu Pacific Airline to bring us to Kuala Lumpur from Manila. Then we flew Malaysia's Air Asia Airline for our flight to Melbourne. Our interior flights to Sydney and Gold Coast were with Australia's Jet Star Airlines. All in all, we had a a total of almost 30 flying hours for the 8 different flights .

We were able to squeeze in a short tour to Kuala Lumpur on our 8-hour stopover there before our flight to Melbourne. The KL Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) airport have storage services where you could leave your bags for around 30 RM/bag (10 USD) and a bus service which could take you to Central Station in an hour for 8 RM/one way (2.50 USD). From Central Station, it's just a short train ride away to the famous Malaysia attraction - the Petronas Twin Towers Building. We weren't able to climb up to the viewing deck of the building since we arrived late in the afternoon already. So we just went around the KLCC Suria mall and took pictures of the impressive structure.

Petronas Twin Towers

Melbourne

Our Melbourne trip was scheduled in time for the F1 Australian Grand Prix. Most of the nice and cheap hotels in downtown Melbourne were fully booked that time. We ended up booking a hostel room for 4 with shared bathroom. It wasn't that bad though. We stayed in Flinders Station Backpackers Hotel which is situated just across the Flinders Station - the transportation center where most trains, trams and buses pass.

We spent our first day in Melbourne at the F1 Grand Prix in Albert Park. It's always a dream for most guys who as kids grew up with toy cars, to one day see and experience the fastest race of the fastest cars. And what an experience it was for me. Though we didn't get to watch the actual race, it was good enough watching their practice runs (tickets during the actual race are more expensive). I got to cross out another item on my list of major sporting events I want to see, after being in China during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Up next is the Fifa World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

It wasn't hard going around Melbourne. They have a free city tram that goes around the City Center and a free tourist shuttle bus that goes around most tourist sites as well. We spent our second day exploring the city. The best place to start your tour is at the Melbourne Visitor's Center at the Federation Square. It is where you could get all the information on all the places you could see and visit in Melbourne. It is also one of the stop of the free shuttle bus that you could take for your next destination.

City Circle Tram at Flinders Station

We took the free City Tram, which was maintained in its old vintage look, to go around the city. Most of the major attractions in Melbourne are situated in the CBD and are just within close distance with each other. We went to the Federation Square, the Old Melbourne Goal, the State Library of Victoria, and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). Its hard to get lost in central Melbourne since most of the streets are just in grids and the blocks are easy to recall with the repeated street names (eg. Bourke and Little Bourke Sts., Flinders St. and Flinders Lane, etc.). We also tried some of the restaurants in Melbourne's Chinatown and visited the outlet shops in Docklands Harbour area.

Sydney

We took the early morning JetStar Airline flight from Melbourne to Sydney. Sydney Airport is not that far from the city center so it's more practical to take the shuttle bus which cost around AUD 15/person. Sydney has a lot of choices of hotels but it's better to get one near the CBD especially along George, Pitt or Elizabeth St. since they have the free 555 tourist shuttle bus servicing this route. We stayed at the Great Southern Hotel along George St. near the Central Station.

A trip to Australia won't be complete without visiting the Sydney Opera House. It's one of the sites in my "places to visit before I die" list. I plan to visit all the New 7 Wonders of the World and the other 14 finalist. I have been to 5 places in the list already. I'm excited to crash out another one this July after our trip to India.

Sydney Opera House

I highly recommend visitors in Sydney to take the Essential Tour of the Sydney Opera House. It's an hour-long tour inside the venue and the concert halls, complete with information of its history for only 28 AUD (if booked online). There are cafes and restaurants nearby where you could eat and hang out, and which are also good vantage points to take photos of the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge nearby.

Sydney Opera House Main Concert Hall

Most of the other tourist sites in Sydney are situated near the Opera House. We walked along the Circular Quay, which is the main ferry transport point in Sydney, and The Rocks, which is a historic site in central Sydney. We also went to climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge up to one of its pylons. We spent some of our free time going around Sydney's Chinatown and Darling Harbour to dine and shop for souvenirs.

As what I wrote on my previous blog before, I was supposed to propose to my girl in Sydney. I was thinking of a dramatic proposal onboard a cruise ship sailing by Sydney Harbour with the Opera House at the background. We were already engaged before this trip, but we still took the harbour cruise but just to tour around the harbour area. We also had our pre-wedding photo shoot in Sydney. Thanks to Perrine Sacré, a young French photographer based in Sydney, who offered to take the photos of us at the Chinese Garden of Friendship and at the Royal Botanic Gardens with the Sydney Opera House and Bridge in the background.

Gold Coast

I highly recommend tourists who plan on visiting Australia to include the Gold Coast in their itinerary. Yes, I was impressed with the place because of it's long and clean beach fronts and relaxing atmosphere. Before the trip, I wasn't too excited on going to the Gold Coast since I come from a country with a lot of beaches. But I was glad we took this trip since it was what I consider the "real" vacation. Imagine yourself lounging around in your hotel room balcony sipping some cold drinks with a great view of the ocean. We stayed in Grand Chancellor Hotel in Surfers Paradise, where most of the shops and big hotels are situated.


Surfer's Paradise, Gold Coast

To complete our Australia experience, we decided to visit the Currimbin Wildlife Sanctuary to see a kangaroo and koala. It was fun to hand-feed the kangaroos and to cuddle a real koala. Gold Coast had a lot of theme parks also.

This is our last foreign trip together before we get married with my girl this July. Up next is our honeymoon to New Delhi and Agra in India. It would be a different trip with us being a couple already. But I'm sure our love for traveling and blogging about it still won't change.

Our Trip - Australia Pre-Wedding Photoshoot

Location: Sydney, NWS, Australia (Sydney Opera House & Harbour Bridge, Chinese Garden)
Date: March 27, 2011
Photographer: Perrine Sacré

Her Thoughts - Australia

I used to wear a large smile when I talk to friends about the upcoming trip. And I felt giddy every time I thought of it. I was super excited for it, counting down the months, then the weeks.. until a few days ago.

For me, planning for a trip is half the fun. Reading about the place, learning about a different culture, knowing your way around is comparable to the actual trip itself. In my past trips, everyone involved was invited to help out in the planning. Everyone was encouraged to read about the places we planned to go to and pick out the sites they wanted to see. Everyone's choices were supposedly incorporated into the itinerary, but only a few really did bother to read. So ultimately, the entirely planning was up to me. And boy, was I happy.

Fast forward to the current situation. Knowing that we both know that we both enjoy planning trips, I thought it would be fun if we'd both plan the trip together. So I quickly went on to put up an online document for us to post our ideas. Then slowly, I started filling them. Weeks passed and I didn't see any changes to the document. This didn't bother me at all as I thought we had the same things planned.

Slowly we started searching for accommodations. Days went by with us searching, deciding on nothing. I did my own search, listed them on the document, and waited for him to do his own research. For days, we sent links to each other back and forth showing the other of possible options. I thought that at the end of the day, we'd sort through our list and then decide.

On one of those searching days, I only got one link. Noticing that it was nowhere close to the city's main attractions, I went off and did another round of research. Little did I know that it was his final choice.

The fun began when I started throwing out other options. We discussed a little and went through more options. After realizing that the one he initially suggested was the best for us, I gave in and consented to booking it. But he now refused. Responsibility for booking our hotel was thrown at me.

After discussing it at the end of the day, I learned that what he wanted was only one person deciding on the accommodation. And the itinerary? Some items on my lists were highlighted, but he printed his own. So not what I had in mind.

So I've now backed off on the planning. The enthusiasm in me has died. But a part of me still looks forward to this trip, knowing that I'll be traveling with the man I love.

* Planning for this trip is a wake-up call for me. Being both alike and different, we have to learn to settle our differences and similarities. We are both the eldest, and as such, we are used to having our decisions followed. But this eldest-child syndrome has to go. We both need to be able to listen to each other and discuss with an open mind. This trip will pass and all will be forgotten. But what's greater and more important is being able to hand-in-hand sort out whatever life hands us.

Our Trip - Hong Kong Pre-Wedding Photoshoot

Location: Hong Kong (Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Star Ferry, The Peak)

Date: February 23, 2011

Photographer: Ming Wong

Our Trip - Macau Pre-Wedding Photoshoot

Location: Macau (Venetian Hotel/Casino, St. Paul's Ruins, Happiness St)
Date: February 21 & 22, 2011
Photographer: Renato Marques

Her Trip - Macau & Hong Kong (Part 2)

After having been in Hong Kong for the second time, I can still say that I love the place!

The hotel we stayed at, Casa Hotel, was strategically located near Yau Ma Tei MTR station. It was literally just a few steps away from one of the station's exits. At HKD 500 a night, it was rightly priced. The hotel was modern and clean. Downside to it was that it's size was just at around 10 square meters. It was not small. It was tiny. There wasn't room to walk around. The bathroom, just divided by a frosted glass partition, was literally part of the room. The bathroom only had space for the sink and toilet, and the shower nozzle was just hung by the sink. Taking a bath left the entire bathroom wet.

Land space in Hong Kong is apparently so expensive, thus the small spaces. But it wasn't too bad. I've previously been to a hostel, and the size was more or less the same. Difference was that the hostel felt like you were in a horror movie. The very old building elevator creaked when it opened and closed, and it made weird noises all the way up. The room still had old huge, square mouldings where, upon looking up while in bed felt like you were inside a coffin.

It was still Winter when we were there, but donning long-sleeved turtlenecks and boots made the weather tolerable, and it's fun. Living in a tropical climate, we don't get to dress up for Winter. Another fun part of the trip were the subways. I just enjoy riding them! The racing to catch the next train, and the beating other people to make the ride, it's tiring but I get an adrenaline rush.

Buses though are a different story. I feel nervous not knowing where to get off. We took a few rides though, but I was with my better-half, and I had nothing to be nervous about. He's good at navigating around.

Walking from one place to another is another thing I love when on trips. Though I don't really enjoy it back home, it's a different thing being in a foreign place. I feel that you get a closer feel of the place. Walking gets to a point where I could feel my legs about to fall off. But one foot right in front of the other over and over, and it becomes almost mechanical. Back pains and a bloody toe did not stop me at all. I'm not quite sure how my better-half felt about all the walking.

We had the third series of pre-wedding photo shoots in Hong Kong. We found a local photographer, and I believe we got along well with them (him and his friend) as I had fun! From the temple in Yau Ma Tei, to one of the subway stations, to Tsim Sha Tsui area and finally the Peak, we went to various locations. And truly, we got a lot of Hong Kong pics.

One thing I miss about the trip are their wanton noodles. After meals of having them and after seeing how they were prepared*, I switched to the usual rice and viand, and it's one of the things I regret doing. I crave their wanton noodles. I'm craving them as I write this post. Wanton noodles here back home don't come close.

I look forward to going back to Hong Kong. Though the usual attractions like Disneyland and Ocean Park are out of the list (we hate theme parks), there's still a lot to see. I also like that the place is vibrant and so full of life (blame the thick crowd). And since it's just a short flight away, going back is not impossible.

* It wasn't so sanitary.

Her Trip - Macau & Hong Kong (Part 1)

Macau was the first of two destinations for this trip. It used to be a Portuguese colony for centuries before being handed back to China in 1999. The Portuguese colonization introduced to Macau Christianity, thus the churches all over the place. It also left behind buildings with beautiful European architecture and design. Recently there are multitudes of casinos sprouting up all over the place. The rich history reflected all over the place made it an ideal location to have another photo shoot.

Despite planning to stay in the place for just a night and half a day, we made sure to prioritize the pictorial. As it was also not our first time, we also didn't have too many plans of touring the place.

First part of the pictorial was at midnight right after we landed at Macau. Still groggy from the flight, we had to quickly dress up and brave the chilly evening air. The shots were to be taken outside the Venetian hotel. The intricate building designs all over the place were magnificent. There's also the all-day blue-sky-ed ceiling painting. It feels just like looking up a real sky, and it never gets dark.

The next morning, we headed off to St Paul's Ruins. Being a famous tourist attraction, we had to be early to escape the crowds of tourists that flock the place. It used to the largest Catholic church in Asia during the 16th century. Built by the Jesuits, it was dedicated to the apostle, St Paul. A fire during the 19th century burned down the place, and what is left now is one side of the building facade. A museum containing religious artifacts and relics is housed at the rear.

We had some shots taken around the ruins and the cobble-stoned road leading up to it, Senado Square. It's a commercial district with boutiques and food shops. Macau is also famous for their yummy egg tarts. And you can find them along the way leading up to the ruins.

We got a room at the Venetian hotel that night, and stayed there with four other people. All their rooms are suites. Each has a living room area aside from the bedroom. Booking the suites a month in advance gives you a 20% discount. We got the room at around P8,400 a night.

I had so high expectations of our suite. It was the Venetian after all! Aside from the bathroom which was so pretty, it was not as all as I expected. But it was still good, except from the fact that no one realized that the room had a heater. We ended up freezing ourselves to sleep, and waking up to an even chillier morning.

Macau is not bad for first timers. But after the initial visit to the famous attractions, there's not much left to do except gamble. Getting around Macau would mean taking the taxi, bus or free hotel shuttles that run all over the place. There are no trains or subways in Macau, though plans to build one are underway.

For now, I think that's enough Macau for me. Will see a couple of years after.

P.S. We took no pictures as we were busy having ours taken.

His Trip - Macau & Hong Kong (Part 2)

After our short Macau trip, we took the hour-long fast craft (catamarans) trip to Hong Kong. We boarded the wrong vessels that brought us to the Hong Kong island side and not the Kowloon side where our hotel was situated. Had to take the MTR train again to cross to the other side. Hotels on the Kowloon side are much cheaper than on the Hong Kong side. And there are also much more things to see and do in Kowloon.

After checking in at Casa Hotel, we started the trip by going around Tsim Sha Tsui area looking for jewelries for our engagement ceremony. We spent the rest of the afternoon until the early evening strolling around the busy and crowded streets in TST.

Our second day in HK is scheduled for our photoshoot with Ming Wong. We met him in our hotel in Yau Ma Tei since its near the MTR station for our shots there. We took more shots around Yau Ma Tei area such as the temple, an old HK restaurant and some old buildings.

The most prominent landmark in HK is its stunning skyline which we didn't miss to include in our photoshoot. We took some shots from Victoria Harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui and other attractions nearby like the HK Clocktower and Cultural Center. Then we took the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island for more photos onboard the historic HK Star Ferry.

The last stop for our photoshoot was at the Victoria Peak which offers an impressive views of Hong Kong and Kowloon. Our photoshoot was a tour in itself since we get to visit most of the major attractions in the island. What makes it different is we have a professional photographer to take the photos for us instead of doing it ourselves (like in our trips before). I was really impress with how professional our photographer and the photos he taken for us (see related blog entry). He has a complete range of photography equipments and lenses which he brought along for our photoshoot. And he was easy to work along with also.

We end the day by going around the Hong Kong Island part taking the old Tram and the longest outdoor covered escalator/walkalator. Then we drop by the famous night hang-out spot in HK, the Lan Kwai Fong.

After the 3 hectic days we had in Macau and HK, we took our last day of vacation leisurely. We took a late breakfast in one of the fastfoods along Nathan Street. Then we stroll around Mong Kok shopping area and went back to Tsim Sha Tsui again to see the Avenue of Stars. Then we had a late night flight back to Cebu.

His Trip - Macau & Hong Kong (Part 1)

I wasn't able to write an entry about my thoughts for our Macau and Hong Kong trip due to the limited time after we got back from the Manila and Clark trip. Since we're back from the trip already, I'll just write about my experiences during the trip instead and also my thoughts about it as well.

It was our first foreign trip together with my girl - the first of four trips scheduled this year. I didn't prepare as much as I used to do when I traveled alone before coz I feel my girl did more of the research and bookings for us this time. But I'm not complaining. It made me realized traveling alone is not an option anymore when you get to experience traveling with somebody special to you.

We had company is this trip. They were also the ones who helped us plan things out. Three couples, who are all officemates of my girl, travelled with us. We were originally 11 when we booked this trip April of last year, but only 8 of us were able to make it. That shows how much these low-cost airline carriers make from unused airline tickets sold at cheap pre-booking prices.

I have been to Macau twice, and Hong Kong five times before this trip. But I know this would be different since we'll be there for "work" and not just for a plain vacation. With "work" I mean the pre-wedding/prenuptial photo shoots we scheduled for the trip - both in Macau and Hong Kong.

Before the trip, I searched for almost all wedding photographers there who could give us a good deal. Compared to local photographers here, the rates they have there are quite exorbitant. We ended up booking with a portrait photographer from Macau who doesn't have much experience taking pre-wedding pictures. But we got a good deal from the Hong Kong wedding photographer who gave out a promo price for us.

The trip started with a late night flight from Manila to Macau. It was my first time to take the trip thru Macau Airport since I only took the fast craft for a day-trip from HK the last 2 times I was there. When we arrived there, we boarded the free hotel shuttle service to Venetian Hotel. Yes, we stayed at the Venetian Hotel, the biggest casino hotel in the world. But we shared the room with 4 other people to divide the room charges, though we got a discount for booking a month before.

We immediately got to "work" upon arriving. The photographer and his assistant were already waiting for us at the hotel lobby. We wanted evening shots both inside and outside the hotel. It felt nice dressing up and posing for a professional photographer, while people gaze by wondering who the models might be. After the photo shoot, we went around the casino and the shops inside the hotel. Most of the shops were already closed but the casino was still so alive with a lot of Chinese people gambling. Going around the casino was the closest thing to Las Vegas we could experience.

Our second day in Macau was still scheduled for more photo shoot. After taking some day shots of the same sites we taken the night before, we went to the most famous landmark of Macau, St. Peter's Ruins. We took more shots there and in around nearby attractions like the Senado Square and Happiness Street.

After the shoot, we took some time for ourself to wander around the place. Being a stamp collector, we dropped by the Macau Post Office to buy some stamps. We went by some of the food and souvenir shops in that place to try on some macau delicacies like the egg tart.

Macau had completely changed since the last time I was there 5 years ago. A lot of new casinos have sprouted throughout the island. Most people go there not for the attractions anymore but to gamble. And you could still see a lot more on-going constructions of huge hotels and casinos all around. I can't imagine how Macau would look like if I go back 5 years later.

Our Trip - Clark Pre-Wedding Photoshoot

Location: Clark Airfield, Pampanga (Clark Hot Air Balloon Festival)

Date: February 11, 2011

Photographer: Paolo Feliciano

Her Thoughts - Macau & Hong Kong

Exactly a week after our trip to Manila, we'll be off again! This time to Macau & Hong Kong. This trip was booked 11 months ago on April 1 last year. It was supposedly a "promo" fare from Cebu Pacific. But at P4,000 round trip, it was not. But then again, the flight has been booked. Lesson learned.

The first leg of the trip will be from Cebu to Manila. We'd need to wait a few hours in the airport, then board again for Macau. The plan is to stay a night, tour the place a few hours the next day, then take the ferry to Hong Kong. Then stay 2 days in Hong Kong, and finally take the plane back to Cebu.

It will be a very short trip. But here's the fun part. We'll be doing the 2nd and 3rd series of pre-wedding photo shoots in both places! Yeah, we're currently addicted to posing and having our pictures taken. Our plan is to have the shots taken in famous landmarks, like St Paul's Ruins in Macau, and The Peak in Hong Kong. Anything that says HK or Macau!

Though it'll be my second time in these 2 places, I'm very much eager to go on this trip. I love Hong Kong! The crowded streets, the underground subways, the shopping markets, and the cold winter weather (at this time of the year). I find the place so full of life and energy. Macau, on the other, I find different. Let's just say I love Hong Kong more.

Upon leaving the place the place last year, I promised myself that I'd be back. And I kept my promise.

Her Trip - Manila, Clark

We recently got back from a 3-day trip to Manila. It was more of a trip for work, rather than for leisure. The trip was heavily scheduled. But as the saying goes, "Things never turn out the way you planned." And some of the plans we previously made had to be canceled.

The PRC Real Estate oathtaking ceremony was held at the Manila Hotel, the oldest hotel in Manila. It is strategically located along Manila Bay, just near Rizal Park and Intramuros. It was built by the Americans during the American occupation in the Philippines. Supposedly a 5-star hotel, the hotel to me very much needed a face lift. The chandeliers in the dining hall where the event was held, were not upright. It looked like they would come crashing down in the event of an earthquake. The food served, though just snacks, were not impressive at all.

The oathtaking event itself was boring for me, but I was just tagging along. My better half was the participant. Just like any normal ceremony, there was the usual introduction of officers then the keynote speeches. That and the meeting of other fellow participants. I usually do not socialize. A few minutes after the polite hi's and hello's, and I got bored. I just am not interested in the lives of people I've just met. I killed time playing mobile Monopoly, losing one game after the other. Drat.

An upside to that was the formal dress attire of the event. Donning the traditional barong tagalog*, my better half was the handsomest gentleman to me in the entire room. I rarely see him all dressed up like that. I can only imagine my groom on our big day.

Next stop was Clark. With the ever-reliable GPS navigator, we drove all the way. We stayed at DM Residente, got a suite for P1,395 the night. There were other less expensive rooms, but it was what was available that time. Aside from the usual hot and cold shower, cable television and telephone, it also had a little kitchenette. The room was decent, and especially since it was located in a quiet residential area, away from the night clubs, it was actually pretty good. The hotel is just not easily accessible, nor visible from the main road.

Clark was not as I expected. Being a former US air base, I expected an American-ish setting. The freeport zone was - bare. Except for the bars that lined up the streets, there was no hint of the American settlement left at all. The old houses and barracks were sadly replaced or renovated.

But we were there for the Annual Hot Air Balloon festival. And there were a number of them. The balloons were huge, and colorful. They looked nicer still being blown up on the ground, as they looked tiny floating up in the sky. We were able to get near the balloons for our pre-wedding photo shoot. A number of other couples also had prenups and postnups taken that morning. We took a few more shots around Clark, then slowly headed back to Manila.

Next stop was Binondo, Manila's Chinatown. We stayed at Binondo Suites, a hotel right in the middle of it all. Just like the Chinatown's of other places, it was dirty, it stunk, but it sold just about anything you could think of. And since we were looking for Chinese stuff, it was the only place to go.

The plan was to stay a day in Binondo, then head to Kawit, Cavite for Jose Mari Chan's concert. But sadly, the concert was canceled. Though we had still planned to push through with Cavite to see the place and relax, we had to forgo the trip to make way for the Binondo shopping. We were a long way from done, and it was the priority.

We spent the rest of the trip going around the streets of Binondo, Raon and made a quick visit to Quiapo church. As we were there on a Sunday, we tried to attend a mass in Mandarin. Funny as there were less than 10 people inside the church when the mass started. Felt like the priest was celebrating mass just for us. And we couldn't understand a thing! Regrettably, we had to leave and go to the nearby church.

We celebrated Pre-Valentine's Day that weekend. Coincidentally, we also turned 11(months) that time. We couldn't have dinner on Valentine's Day itself. But being together that weekend was more Valentine-y to me more than anything.

P.S. We were so busy that we failed to take pictures.

* The barong tagalog is an embroidered formal garment of the Philippines. These are usually worn over an undershirt, untucked. The finest barong tagalogs are hand-loomed from pineapple leaf fibers.

His Trip - Manila, Clark

I don't have much to write about this trip since it was more of a working trip than a vacation. It wasn't like most of our trips before where we had all the time to tour around and explore the place. We were there more for the preparation for our wedding.

We were able to go to Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga for the Hot Air Balloon Festival but we were there just for the pre-wedding/prenuptial photo shoot. We will post some of the pictures here once we get them. I want to thank Paolo Feliciano, our photographer there. He's really a professional in his trade and he made sure we got to have the best shots for our photo shoot by getting us inside the balloon flying area.

Our trip to Manila wasn't different. We didn't have a photo shoot but we spent our 2 days there searching and buying for Chinese engagement (Ting Hun) stuff. We had to endure the crowded streets of Chinatown in Binondo, Manila to search shops selling jewelries and chinese symbolic stuffs. We stayed in Binondo Suites Hotel which is kinda rundown.  There's not much choices for hotels in Binondo since there are not so many tourist who stays in Binondo. People go there just to do business or buy some chinese foods and stuffs.

We didn't push through with Cavite since the concert was canceled a week prior. We then had to cancel our hotel booking and car rental as well. Maybe we could schedule it some other time we could go back to Manila.

I hope that we'll have some more time to tour around, explore the place and relax in our next few trips to come.

His Thoughts - Manila, Clark, Cavite

Ever since we got engaged, the itineraries of all the trips we booked and planned before have to be modified to accommodate the wedding preparations. Instead of the usual touring around, we are planning to have prenuptial pictorials in Hong Kong, Macau and Australia while we're there. We also plan to buy some Chinese stuff and jewelries in Hong Kong for the Chinese engagement ceremony. And this includes our upcoming trip to Manila and Clark in Angeles City in mid-February.

This trip is scheduled for my oathtaking in Manila as a professional real estate practitioner. But since we'll already be there, we decided to go back to Binondo (see previous blog). Not for the food trip, but to buy stuff for the Chinese engagement ceremony (teng hun). We've also learned that the trip falls on the same weekend as the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark Airfields in Angeles City, Pampanga, so we've also decided to include it as one of our many prenuptial pictorial location.

So instead of the usual trip preparation of searching for the cheapest (but modest) hotels and sites to see in the locality, we need to find a wedding photographer and also figure out where to buy the things we need. I'd expect to do more of these again in our succeeding trips until the wedding is over.

And since our trip falls on Valentine's Day weekend, I tried searching for shows and events where we could celebrate. One I found was that of Jose Mari Chan's, one of the most romantic Filipino singers. But the concert would be in Kawit (a city in Cavite province) and not in Manila. So we decided to add Cavite in our itinerary since we haven't been there together yet.

I know it's supposed to be her saying this, but I am kinda excited for our first engagement photo shoot. Can't wait for this trip!

Her Thoughts - Manila, Clark, Cavite

The US trip won't push through.

But it's alright. Me and my better half have trips of our own this year. Trips I am more excited about. Aside from the 11 cities this year, we've added another trip before all that.

We'll be in Manila on February 10, for his real estate broker's oathtaking. While we're there, we've also decided to scout Binondo for the teng hun* items. There are tons of things to prepare, but we're trying to make it as simple as possible. Simple in the sense that we'll only include things that would be of use to us.

This trip coincidentally falls on the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark. We're planning to have one of our prenup photoshoots there with hopefully a gazillion, colorful, hot air balloons as the backdrop. One can even ride the balloons for a jaw-dropping rate of 150 USD! Flying a 2-seater plane also comes with the event, at an even higher price!

We'll be busy on this trip. Aside from the oathtaking, Binondo shopping and Clark photo shoot, it'll be Valentine's Day weekend! Star-struck lovers such as us, still celebrate that. It'll be our first and last Valentine's before the big day. We plan to catch A Night with Jose Mari Chan concert at the Island Cove Hotel in Kawit, Cavite.

Despite the hectic schedule, I'm looking forward to this trip. Though I'm hoping we won't get too caught up with our plans that we forget to relax and enjoy.

* traditional Chinese engagement ceremony. There's the Little Khan Chui Book for the guide of the things to prepare. Request for a copy in the comments section so I can email you a copy.

A Different Journey

All throughout 2010, we booked trips left and right for the upcoming year. Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, India, Korea, and just around the Philippines, traveling was the highlight of the new year. Until a week ago.

My better half was in town unexpectedly. This was fueled by the still-tentative plan of my going to the US early January because of work. We did the usual - ran errands during the day, then dinner to cap the night. Except that it wasn't any ordinary day. It was exactly a year and a day from our first date.

We had dinner in the exact same restaurant, took a stroll along the beach, then settled on the boardwalk, just like the previous year. We then had our usual conversation. I had no idea that he was up to something, until he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. And it was just at that moment that I realized he was proposing.

Though he had originally planned a more dramatic proposal on our upcoming trip to Australia, the still-tentative US trip moved things earlier. But despite not having too much drama, it was perfect. On our favorite little spot, on that cold, windy night, it just needed the two of us. No one and nothing else. And with the sound of the crashing waves beneath us, and his arms around me, I said yes* for the second time. The same spot where I said yes 9 months ago.

It was the perfect end to the previous year. The start of a new year would be the perfect time to start planning for our future. The wedding specifically, but most importantly, our marriage.

The trips we've previously booked will no longer be the highlight this year, though we'd still push through with them. The tons of preparations will be. It will be a crazy year, I'm sure. But it will also be exciting. I know that there will be times when we'd want to wring each others' necks, and there will be surprises lurking in every corner. But in the end, I know love with prevail.

Our trips will diminish considerably after this year. But then we will be embarking on a different journey, the most important trip of our lives. We will be starting a new life together. Unlike traveling for a holiday, this will be a longer journey. It won't always be as fun, but it will be more fulfilling.

Since the early proposal was because of the upcoming trip, I had to ask one question.

Me: So what happens if the trip won't push through?
A: I'll take it back.
Me: You are so mean.

And I was showered with a million kisses..


* I actually said 'of course'!