Early December Vacation Plans.

I admit that between the husband and I, it's him who is more organized in a lot of ways. For one, he absolutely hates cramming, thus, the word "panic" is unknown to him. He has a clear picture of his goals and of the future. He plans ahead. He doesn't procrastinate.

So call it overrated, but we have already made our December vacation plans. Apart from being excited, he just wants everything gets settled way, way ahead to avoid booking hassles. Actually, booking as early as 6 months or even 1 year before a December holiday is advisable. Slots and availabilities are secured plus one is able to get cheaper and cooler deals as opposed to booking at the last minute or very near the desired travel dates. The husband always has in mind that December is a peak month for travels. Hence, he's been an early bird in planning.

We've initially looked at spending Holidays in Devon and have even canvassed for Self Catered Devon Cottages rates. But the husband thinks that we might have a hard time securing a visa for now. Instead, we'll check out nearby Asian countries first since they're basically cheaper and doesn't have visa requirements for tourists. But we'll always consider a Devon vacation and staying in Self Catering Holiday Cottages in the future. We're attracted with the complete vacation facilities that they provide to a travelling family. The Devon Cottages are fully equipped with furniture as well as with other necessary equipment and utensils to make one's vacation truly relaxing, comforting and memorable. The wide array of properties such as casas, villas, apartments, beach houses and cabins for rent are strategically situated in an excellent position within easy reach of various activities and shops. Almost all have a great panoramic view of the sea and sunset from the decked balconies. Hopefully, next year we can finally experience our much liked Devon vacation.

2010 Travel Plan

As the year comes to an end and we're about to welcome a new year, it's never too early to start planning and writing down our goals/plans for 2010. I could say that our year will be mainly focused building and "beautifying" our little mansion. By the way, just heard another positive news about it last night *wink wink*.

Hubby's offshore work assignment next year is still obscure so we'll focus on among other things like domestic travel plans. I want my son to visit his great grandma in our hometown in Isabela where I know he'll appreciate the green fields, the farm scenery complete with animals and even farm automobiles and cattle supplies, the nearby irrigation to which I'm sure he'll drag us because he'd want to swim. Just by thinking about this trip makes me giddily excited. It's been a while since I visited the grannies so this homecoming will be great.

Can't Get Enough

And then..there are NINE.

Just one more blog and I can allot exclusively one of my ten fingers to each. My latest online nook is a travel blog where I will chronicle my latest trips and adventures but majority of the contents will be about the coolest travel deals I'll be seeing on the web. So do stand by while I put it up and ready for unveiling.

Addicted enough?

Hong Kong.

Christmas is near and the peak travel month is fastly approaching, too. I have several friends who are flying to Hong Kong with their families on December and January and have started finalizing their trips making sure that their bookings are all set even the non-intrinsic travel details such as the international travel insurance. They say, they have to be protected in case unexpected and unfortunate events happen like sickness or injury, travel delay, baggage loss, or worse.

Their currently finalizing their itineraries and of course, the common denominator in their travel plans? A whole day visit at Hong Kong Disneyland. I'd also want to go their with my family some day. We've been planning to travel there for the longest time however, we have so much priorities to work on first. Perhaps, in a year or two, we'll find ourselves boarding a plane bound to Hong Kong.

Hitting the Beach Soon!

Finally our summer will be complete (despite the rains) because we'll troop to the beach come May 9 to celebrate the Mother's Day with my in laws. It'll not be an all inclusive cancun beach getaway in one of the Riviera Maya hotels (I wish it is) but it'll just be at Laiya, San Juan, Batangas. This will be Asher's second beach experience and I'm expecting that he'll have a blast just like he did in Boracay last December.

Speaking of the Riviera Maya hotels, I can't help but browse their site over and over again. It has become a vacation dream for me because I got so drawn with their top of the line amenities and service - a truly pampering and relaxing getaway. They also cater destination weddings and even have special packages for wedding anniversaries. Hmm..celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary here on December is a brilliant idea right? I wonder if the husband will concur.

Travel Ad: Bohol, Palawan & Boracay (Promo Extended).

Good news! This promo is extended until June 22.



Enjoy your favorite paradise through these cheap travel packages:

BOHOL PACKAGE:
Php 5,498/person

* Roundtrip Airfare (Manila-Tagbilaran-Manila)
* 3days/2nights accommodation at Isis Bungalows
* Roundtrip Transfer (Tagbilaran Airport-Resort-Tagbilaran Airport)

Travel Period: July 1 - October 15, 2008.
Purchasing Period: June 12-22, 2008 only.

**Please note that the price quoted above is for a minimum of 4 persons and that rates and availabilities are not guaranteed until purchased.

PALAWAN PACKAGE
Php 4,250/person

* Roundtrip Airfare (Manila-Puerto Princesa-Manila)
* Roundtrip Transfer (Puerto Princesa Airport - Resort - Puerto Princesa Airport)
* 3days/2nights accommodation at Puerto Pension.
* Daily Breakfast
* Taxes and Surcharges

Optional Tours:
* Puerto Princesa City Tour (Php 650/person ):
--- Butterfly Garden, Crocodile Farm, Mitra Ranch, Baker's Hill, City Museum,
Plaza Cuartel, Cathedral.
* Honda Bay Tour with buffet lunch. (Php 1,250/person)
* Underground River Tour with buffet lunch. (Php 1,000/person)

Travel Period: July 1 - October 15, 2008
Purchasing Period: June 12-22, 2008 only

**Please note that rates and availabilities are not guaranteed until purchased.

BORACAY PACKAGE
Php 4,250/person

Inclusions:
* Roundtrip airfare (Manila-Caticlan/Kalibo-Manila) via Cebu Pacific
* Roundtrip transfer (Kalibo Airport-Resort-Kalibo Airport)
* Taxes and Surcharges
* 3days/2nights accommodation at Villa Simprosa Resort.

Travel Period: July 1 - October 15, 2008
Purchasing Period: June 12-22, 2008 only

Please note that the above package is for a minimum of 4pax and that rates and availabilities are not guaranteed until purchased.

Other travel packages are available as well for the following destinations: Sagada, Ilocos, Baguio, Caliraya, Corregidor, Davao, Dumaguete, Busuanga, Puerto Galera, Zambales, Pagudpud, Subic and international destinations: Hong Kong and Singapore.

Please leave a note or send an email to maileen1 AT yahoo DOT com for quote requests. Please indicate the following so I can get back to you easily and faster:
1. Destination
2. Preferred Travel Dates
3. Number of Travellers (indicate if with child or infant)

Stay tuned for more updates and promos.

Travel Ad: Bohol, Palawan & Boracay Packages.

Enjoy your favorite paradise through these cheap travel packages:

*************************************************************
BOHOL PACKAGE:
Php 5,498/person

* Roundtrip Airfare (Manila-Tagbilaran-Manila)
* 3days/2nights accommodation at Isis Bungalows
* Roundtrip Transfer (Tagbilaran Airport-Resort-Tagbilaran Airport)

Travel Period: July 1 - October 15, 2008.
Purchasing Period: June 12-17, 2008 only.

**Please note that the price quoted above is for a minimum of 4 persons and that rates and availabilities are not guaranteed until purchased.

*************************************************************
PALAWAN PACKAGE
Php 4,250/person

* Roundtrip Airfare (Manila-Puerto Princesa-Manila)
* Roundtrip Transfer (Puerto Princesa Airport - Resort - Puerto Princesa Airport)
* 3days/2nights accommodation at Puerto Pension.
* Daily Breakfast
* Taxes and Surcharges

Optional Tours:
* Puerto Princesa City Tour (Php 650/person ):
--- Butterfly Garden, Crocodile Farm, Mitra Ranch, Baker's Hill, City Museum,
Plaza Cuartel, Cathedral.
* Honda Bay Tour with buffet lunch. (Php 1,250/person)
* Underground River Tour with buffet lunch. (Php 1,000/person)

Travel Period: July 1 - October 15, 2008
Purchasing Period: June 12-17, 2008 only

**Please note that rates and availabilities are not guaranteed until purchased.

*************************************************************
BORACAY PACKAGE
Php 4,250/person

Inclusions:
* Roundtrip airfare (Manila-Caticlan/Kalibo-Manila) via Cebu Pacific
* Roundtrip transfer (Kalibo Airport-Resort-Kalibo Airport)
* Taxes and Surcharges
* 3days/2nights accommodation at Villa Simprosa Resort (located at Station 2..I think just in the Outer Banks of Station 1).

Travel Period: July 1 - October 15, 2008
Purchasing Period: June 12-17, 2008 only

Please note that the above package is for a minimum of 4pax and that rates and availabilities are not guaranteed until purchased.

For queries and should you be interested, please leave your email and contact details and my sister will get back to you shortly.

Fully Paid.

Our savings accounts were holed big time today as I fully paid the travel package we're availing for our December family getaway. We're actually coordinating with the travel agent for days already and it was just yesterday that she's able to finalize our booking. We're travelling on a peak period so she had a tough time booking our roundtrip flights. We're still lucky that she got us a package within our budget range so I hurriedly settled the fees and beat the option deadline today given by Cebu Pacific. So there, I can almost feel the pristine white sand, the sea breeze, the cool water and the party mood down there. I can't wait.

The Orleans Hotel.

For those of you who are heading to Nevada for the holidays, you better check out the cool deals being offered and place your reservations at Orleans hotel Las Vegas. Located two miles west of the Las Vegas “strip”, it houses over 1,800 comfy and attractive guest rooms and suites. The Orleans offers the best of everything from gaming, entertainment, shopping, fitness, outdoor fun, etc. Mardi Gras is also celebrated everyday here so do check it out and see for yourself.

Enchanted Weekend.

I haven’t blogged about our fun outing last weekend (which unfortunately caused my scary spotting episode the next day). My in-laws’ pre-school had its annual educational trip for the kids and for this year, we went to the National Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (the school’s patron saint) in Villamor Air Base, the Philippine Air Force Aerospace Museum and of course, to the delight of the kids, final destination was Enchanted Kingdom.

Well, I guess there’s not much story to relay since the preggo me just strolled around the park, watched how everybody enjoyed the rides, took pictures and watched the Halloween parade. Anyway, I had my own version of fun naman….food trip!!! I had 2 servings of tacos, a ham sandwich, squidballs, hotdog sandwich…delightful indeed! Besides, I was not the only one deprived to enjoy the rides as I had a company in my sister-in-law who’s also pregnant. We just chitchatted and roamed the shops in each of the park zones.

Here are some of the snapshots we took:

Paul's macro shots of a moth (?) on top of a flower taken in the garden of Shrine of St. Therese:
An airplane diorama inside the PAF Aerospace Museum:

The Enchated Rides:


I realized I haven't posted any preggo pics of mine. So here's how I look like at 5 months from afar. In fairness, I'm not that big pa noh? Hehe! Haven't had yet any close up pics of my bulging tummy..LOL!
Posing with Mom-in-Law

With Captain Hook and Brother-in-Law

Next Stop: Barcelona!

One of my favorite cities and would definitely love to travel is the city of Barcelona. It is the second largest city in Spain and is located along the Mediterranean coast. The country, as a whole, has a rich cultural heritage. With my Native Land (the Philippines) being colonized by the Spaniards in the earlier times, I’m quite familiar and could totally relate with some of their traditions, ways and customs. In fact several Filipino words are derived from Spanish or Espanol, the national language of Spain.

A lot of historical scenic spots and beautiful landmarks make up this wonderful city. Among the top destinations that tourists are dying to see are the Ramblas, the Barcelona Opera House, Barri Gotic, La Pedrera, Tibidabo, Picasso Museum, and Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia. Aside from the places, other things to rave about Barcelona are the food, the people, and the overall festive mood and colors of the city. Accommodation is never also difficult to find as there are five-star luxury, two-star Barcelona Hoteles which are priced per room.

Cuáles son que espera… vas tan visitar Barcelona!

(translation: so what are you waiting for..go and visit Barcelona!)

Next Stop: Rome!

Time to hop again in my blog warp zone. Our next stop: Rome!


Rome is the capital city of Italy. It is situated in the central-western portion of the Italian peninsula. It is where the holders of the episcopal seats reside as it is the sovereign territory and center of the Catholic Church. Rome has played a great part in the world history especially during the Renaissance and Baroque Periods. A lot of its historical marks are still evident with all the must-see beautiful landmarks. This old city houses over 200 palaces, 900 churches, major parks, well-known monuments and a lot more. Popular places include The Vatican, Spanish Steps, Termini and the Colosseum. There are also about 300 Cheap hotels in Rome. They've got the best and year round prices. So for your next vacation, be sure to consider this remarkable and heavenly destination.

Next Stop: Copenhagen.

Time to tour around the world again. Next Stop: Denmark.

Denmark is bordered by the Baltic Sea and the North Sea in Northern Europe. Its capital, Copenhagen, is Scandinavian’s most fantastic city, one of Europe’s oldest and most wonderful capitals with a royal touch. It has a lot to offer from the warm people, to rich culture and remarkable medieval history to the nicest attractions. They say summer is the best time to experience Copenhagen when nights are long and light. Among the must-see places include the Amalienborg Palace which houses the Danish Royal Family; the Rosenborg Castle which shelters the Royal Crown jewels and also served as the royal summer residence in 1600; the Round Tower and Trinitatis Church; The Little Mermaid Statue, a figure in one of the great Danish Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales; the Nyhavn, known as The Longest Bar in Scandinavia; the Tivoli Gardens which is the greatest Scandinavian attraction and one of the world’s best known amusement parks.

There really is a lot to see at Copenhagen. So the next time you experience Scandinavia, be sure to check out all of these places. A lot of Cheap Hotels in Copenhagen are nearby these attractions. Check out their current hot deals in their site and start planning your Scandinavian adventure now.

Grade C.

I saw this Lakbayan questionnaire from Dionne’s blog and tried it out myself. My Lakbayan grade is C..i’m just not sure how bad is this but I’d really love to visit and travel the rest of my native land especially down south! As you can see on the map, it seems I invaded Northern Luzon, it is because my folks are both from the northern part of the country. I was born in Isabela, making me a true-blooded Ilocana. We moved here in Manila when I was 6 so don’t expect me anymore to speak fluently the dialect, although, I can still comprehend their vocabulary and lines.

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out atLakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

HK Plans.

Hubby and I have plans of flying to Hong Kong for a 3-day (or perhaps longer) vacation on December. This is one of the places that we’ve been meaning to visit and in fact, it was an option when we were planning for our Honeymoon escape. Due to budget constraints then, we opted for a much cheaper Boracay vacation. Hopefully, my PPP earnings will allow us this time to finally pursue this long time dream.

Since budget is a big consideration, affordable airfares and Cheap Hotels are among the things that we are carefully looking at. As early as now, I am hunting online for travel agencies and hotel experts that could offer the greatest bargain especially that December is a peak month for travels and vacations.
One of the sites I’ve checked out is HotelReservations.com. Here are some of the points that are notable about this site:

1.) They have an extensive selection of hotels in any of the top city destinations worldwide. Their search function (shown with a map and filtered drop down menus) will let you browse with so much ease.
2.) They have discount offerings up to 70% off and they offer the lowest internet rate price guarantee compared to their competitors.
3.) Easy placement of reservations through their reliable and efficient online booking engine.
4.) A promo wherein you can get up to $100 rebate depending on the booking package that you availed.
5.) A $30 Gas Rebate for every 2-night (or more) bookings.
6.) Aside from hotel reservations, other services offered are reservations for Flights, Cars, Vacation Rentals, Group Bookings and Vacation Packages.
7.) Web site can be viewed in your language and currency.
8.) 24x7 Toll free customer support and phone reservations in US, Canada and some parts of Europe.

I tried checking out hotel availabilities on our desired dates and saw that prices are indeed reasonable. If in case, our plans will be finalized soon, HotelReservations.com would definitely be on top of our options.

Amsterdam.

Amsterdam, Netherlands – one of the coolest and most colorful cities in Europe. Spelled as beautiful, hip and laid back, with lots of must-see destinations and lots of to-dos, food from all over the world and friendly people. Noted for many outstanding museums such as Van Gogh Museum that houses the largest collection of Van Gogh’s paintings and drawings, world-class symphony orchestra, magnificent highway systems and freeways. Famous for Anne Frank’s House and the Red Light District.

For the best Amsterdam Hotel discounts, book your next travel via EasyToBook.com. They offer discounts up to 75% on rooms of the best hotels in Amsterdam. The booking process is fast, straightforward and accurate with their excellent customer service combined with one of the best and efficient online booking engines available. They also offer cheap accommodation rates for Barcelona Hotels, Rome Hotels and soon available, London Hotels and Prague Hotels.

Take Me To This Place Please...

Cancun consists of medium-sized coastal city and a long, thin island to the mainland of easternmost state of Mexico through bridges at its north and south ends. It boasts of world-class hotels, resorts, clubs and malls. The turquoise waters of Caribbean Sea surround the gorgeous white sand beaches of Cancun. Best way to explore the beautiful Carribean Sea is through various water activities such as scuba diving, jet skiing, parasailing, diving, snorkeling, boating, fishing, wildlife watching through the Interactive Aquarium and submarine tours. Cancun nightlife spells outrageous fun and entertainment as well. Several lively and colorful discos dominate the party mood at night. There is so much variety as well when taste buds must be pleased. From gourmet cuisines to authentic dishes, Cancun surely makes a memorable dining experience. As they say, Cancun offers something for everyone, from an all-day fun party beach to an isolated, serene island.


If I got you wanting also to get there, head on to Vacations.net for a irresistible Cancun all inclusive travel experience offer. The site was just launched with a new cutting edge feature and functionality. This newly redesigned site even gives you a treat of up to 50% savings from their regular rates. I find the site so easy to navigate with all their added features such as dramatic images, specified and detailed information on culture, activities, customs, history which let the traveler feel an outright experience even through just an online navigation of the destination. The website also allows you to view precise room availability through its intuitive customized booking engine. It even helps you decide among the various package options since the hotels and resorts are rated in accordance to travelers’ recommendations in terms of hotel service, condition, room cleanliness, and comfort. Interestingly, you can even view the hotel on a map so you can see where it is exactly located or learn about its proximity to the beach. Vacations.net is also your one-stop travel center…from choosing your vacation getaway, to planning your activities, to arranging your flights and hotel reservations and even to car rentals. It’s all in here. So go ahead, start planning your vacation and see for yourself that paradise is just a click away.

Perfect Sailing Vacation.

My idea of a perfect summer getaway with hubby is to enjoy a unique sailing tropical vacation: a week long cruise aboard a catamaran vessel sailing the waters of US Virgin Islands, romantic sunset and dinner cruises, enjoying a cool swim, scuba diving, snorkeling to see the dazzling underwater world, eat up good and sumptuous food, fishing, kayaking, sitting and tanning on white pristine secluded beach and just lounging around together enjoying the cool sea breeze.

All of these can be enjoyed by taking a st thomas sailing charter cruise courtesy of Scubadu, a premier catamaran sailing company specializing in private sailing getaways in the US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands. Aside from the wide array of activities lined up for your trip, the package inclusions are: a licensed captain, chef/1st mate, gourmet lunch especially prepared by chef Joe, sunset and dinner cruises, an open bar for beer, wine, softdrinks and cocktails, snorkel and kayak gears, swim mats, towels and fresh water showers. The vessel has a large shaded cockpit space for lounging and dining, nice interiors with wood finish and leather upholstery and two full bathrooms with showers. Payments can be made in cash, travelers checks, visa and mastercard.


There’s really a lot to look forward to with this one of a kind experience. We’ll definitely save up for this extraordinary vacation and hopefully, we get to spend our second honeymoon with this perfect getaway.