destinations Traveling As A Passion

[dodo]

Travel is also a passion of mine. During a summer break in college, I spent two months in Europe backpacking with friends. My last trip was this last July to Puerto Vallarta. Next month I will be in Manila and here is what's on schedule after that:

 

March 2006 - Las Vegas Nevada - Annual Get Together with Friends

April 2006 - Sorrento, Italy - Family trip.

July 2006 - Back to Manila - Attend niece's wedding

 

The best part of travelling is experiencing the local culture. In fact, in August 2003, we spent an entire month driving around the northern part of the Philippines doing just that. We drove all the way up to Aparri from Manila and returned via the Ilocos, Zambales route. There was no plan of attack. We simply stayed at a place until we got tired of it and then drove off again to look for another resort. I have been thinking about doing another trip like this in the Philippines. I have been looking at the RORO (Roll on Roll Off) situation and would like to do something that takes advantage of this program. I am jus getting started so I don't know much about it yet.

[sliderule]

During a 5-month post in San Jose, Ca., I once got up at 11PM on a typically dull Friday night and right there, right then, decided to drive to L.A. to see some friends. Brewed some coffee, took a cold shower, stashed some clothes in the bag, got just enough cash, a tank full of gas, and off I went.

 

The 5 connects to the 101 through this canyon road named Pacheco Pass. At 1 in the morning, it could get really creepy since I was the only car on the road and heaven forbid I got into an accident, I'd be a goner.

 

Finally got to the 5 and it just went on and on and on....I couldn't believe I was going a hundred (mabagal pa yata yun, but takot ako mahuli eh) because it seemed like I was standing still ! I stopped over for gas twice (or thrice yata, can't remember), got breakfast and coffee at a Burger King, and finally got to Glendale....saw my buddy, and dropped off to sleep over at his flat.

 

I know to most residents in the US, such a trip would be common. But for me it was quite a thrill. I love those road trips!

[augustmoon]

During a 5-month post in San Jose, Ca., I once got up at 11PM on a typically dull Friday night and right there, right then, decided to drive to L.A. to see some friends. Brewed some coffee, took a cold shower, stashed some clothes in the bag, got just enough cash, a tank full of gas, and off I went.

 

The 5 connects to the 101 through this canyon road named Pacheco Pass. At 1 in the morning, it could get really creepy since I was the only car on the road and heaven forbid I got into an accident, I'd be a goner.

 

Finally got to the 5 and it just went on and on and on....I couldn't believe I was going a hundred (mabagal pa yata yun, but takot ako mahuli eh) because it seemed like I was standing still ! I stopped over for gas twice (or thrice yata, can't remember), got breakfast and coffee at a Burger King, and finally got to Glendale....saw my buddy, and dropped off to sleep over at his flat.

 

I know to most residents in the US, such a trip would be common. But for me it was quite a thrill. I love those road trips!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

On my first trip to the US right after college, My cousin, together with some of her friends and I went on a road trip that took us from KANSAS to TEXAS in five days...we went through hailstorm, a lightning storms and 5 Howard Johnson Motor Inns and miles and miles of darkness.. But the best thing about the Loooooooong trip IS Breakfast / Brunch at IHOP (Intl. House of Pancakes). Heaven !! decades later, I can still taste the fresh Blueberries on my pancake, Maple syrup and whipped butter.

 

Most if not all my endearing memories of travel is always related to FOOD.

 

Bangkok - for its spicy spareribs and dried fruits, HongKong - for its duck and roastings, In anytown US.., OLIVE GARDEN, WHITE CASTLE, and Funnel cake, Paris, for the choco-crepes in the food carts near the Eiffel.. Madrid/Barcelona/Seville/ Jerez for its Fabada and Jabugo ham, and more recently, Anchorage for its reindeer sausage and alaskan King Crab Claws, Toronto for the baked salmon.

 

I take home FOOD more than FINDS whenever I travel.

[masi]

Road trips, I'd do every chance I'd get -- be it a drive to Pampanga, Subic, Tagaytay anywhere. In fact this summer I plan to drive up to Pagudpud passing towns like San Fernando La Union, Vigan and Laoag. If time permits, I may pass Banaue and Sagada and do a final rest stop in Baguio before I hit the road for Manila. All this of course, requires that my wife and daughter be with me. So far, all this time in the car is abhored by my wife. Now, if I could only convince her to say YES!

 

As for road trips abroad, I've driven from SFO to San Bernardino on 5 to L.A. then back to SFO via 10. I've also driven from NYC to Orlando, Florida on I-95 using an extended full size RAM van. I alternated with my brother while the rest were just sleeping. It took us a good 22hours stopping only for gas, food and comfort. If you haven't heard of the term, walang katapusang kalsada, then take this drive. Oh, btw, we had to drive back to NYC.

 

I've also rode on the Autobahn. I was in a Opel Record estate and my driver was only diving upto 160kph. He said he could drive faster kaya lang basa ang kalsada kaya mabagal sya.

 

Took the Amtrak from New Jersey to Alexandria, Va. passing through the backroads of America... ghettos, prisons, stock yards, junk yards, etc. This gives you a different insight of American culture.

 

Took the ICE from Hanover to Hamburg and we were going more than 200kph. Of course when in Hamburg, one should never miss the Red street, the port and the cathedral. In Amsterdam, I walked by the old town stopping at tabac shops for some cigars and sipping an espresso in the Rembrandt square. In Geneve, old town walks and watching the fountain and swans in Lake Geneve.

 

GOLDEN MILE walks Singapore... Orchard Road (which is heaven on earth for my wife and daughter), Chicago, New York 5th Ave.

 

My work took me to several places. Now if I could afford it, I want to travel with my family.

[Guest globetrotter]

i do like to travel kaya lang yung line of work ko ngayon i travel due to business di pleasure.sayang.walang time magpasyal eh. been to most parts of southeast asia, a few countries in europe. US di pa.hopefully by next year or before the year ends.sana.para mapuntahan ko naman si *.

[kanski]

What is it about travelling that makes you spend bucket loads of cash, makes you broke, and will probably get you tired to do anything once you've come back? And for someone like myself who doesn't travel for business, who does it simply for the pleasure of it, and makes a living here in the islands earning much devaluated pesos, that's saying a lot. And yet I can't wait for my next adventure.

 

Last summer saw my family hopping around Europe for four whole weeks. Friends and family wondered about the saneness of our decision to go considering that we had a four year old son who probably won't remember details of this trip when he grows up (my nine year old daughter doesn't remember anything about our trip to... when she was four) and who probably won't appreciate any of the places we have been to (well probably except Euro Disney and Legoland). And yet off we trodded.

 

Now the house is in disrepair and is in dire need of refurbishing. Plus I'm late in paying our bills. And all I could think of is bringing the family to... in three years. I think I'm sick. Been bitten by the travel bug.

[sliderule]

What is it about travelling that makes you spend bucket loads of cash, makes you broke, and will probably get you tired to do anything once you've come back? And for someone like myself who doesn't travel for business, who does it simply for the pleasure of it, and makes a living here in the islands earning much devaluated pesos, that's saying a lot. And yet I can't wait for my next adventure.

 

Last summer saw my family hopping around Europe for four whole weeks. Friends and family wondered about the saneness of our decision to go considering that we had a four year old son who probably won't remember details of this trip when he grows up (my nine year old daughter doesn't remember anything about our trip to... when she was four) and who probably won't appreciate any of the places we have been to (well probably except Euro Disney and Legoland). And yet off we trodded.

 

Now the house is in disrepair and is in dire need of refurbishing. Plus I'm late in paying our bills. And all I could think of is bringing the family to... in three years. I think I'm sick. Been bitten by the travel bug.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

That is something my wife and I have been debating for so many years. At what age would children actually appreciate Europe? Well, devaluation has overtaken our never ending debate and it's become moot and academic. In other words, can't afford it na.

 

But back to my query? I woould think 15 is old enough.

[faceoff]

Travelling to see different places is a great experience. You see different cultures, different people and get to try food that is native to the place. But in almost all foreign travel you always get o see a familiar face of a Kababayan.

 

You get to travel as part of your job is a great way to seeing the world. You save on the cost of the trip and the hotel. Just wish the schedule of a business trip was not so tight. Not much leisure time.

[Podweed]

That is something my wife and I have been debating for so many years. At what age would children actually appreciate Europe? Well, devaluation has overtaken our never ending debate and it's become moot and academic. In other words, can't afford it na.

 

But back to my query? I woould think 15 is old enough.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

We brought our 2 1/2 year-old niece on a Mediterranean cruise in 2004. She loved it and until now, the little one can still recall the places she's been to (pictures help, of course). Such a joy having kids along on these kinds of trips. I think her lolo and lola (the 'rents) will be bringing her (and her new and now-year-old baby-sister) to North Africa for another cruise again next year.

 

Bring your kids whenever you can. To travel with family is one of the best ways to spend hard-earned money.

 

I hope you get to go, sliderule. Good luck.

[sliderule]

We brought our 2 1/2 year-old niece on a Mediterranean cruise in 2004. She loved it and until now, the little one can still recall the places she's been to (pictures help, of course). Such a joy having kids along on these kinds of trips. I think her lolo and lola (the 'rents) will be bringing her (and her new and now-year-old baby-sister) to North Africa for another cruise again next year.

 

Bring your kids whenever you can. To travel with family is one of the best ways to spend hard-earned money.

 

I hope you get to go, sliderule. Good luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Podweed, I couldn't agree with you more. Actually we've been bringing our kid with us to HKG since he was an infant. It's our once-a-year extravagance and it really makes it worthwhile. I once gave my wife my mileage points so she could join me in one of my Biz trips - just the 2 of us. It's just not the same.

 

But....Europe is a different matter in terms of cost and itenerary. I'm just not sure if a new teenager would get bored with all those churches, castles and other sites Europe is known for. My wife would very much enjoy a religious pilgrimage so Lourdes and the Vatican would be a shoo-in. But for a 14-year old? He says he would enjoy it, but maybe it's just the idea of travelling that appeals to him and not the substance of the destination. Sayang kasi if he just shrugs it off.

 

North Africa - that sounds very interesting. Wouldn't it be roughly the same geography as the Mediterranean? I haven't been to a cruise yet but I hear that food is free-flowing. hehehe

 

I've been dreaming of a cruise that goes through those fjords (can't remember what country). Or an Alaskan cruise.

[purple*wink]

To all you guys out there, I would suggest for you to visit this small island facing the Pacific Ocean. I highly recommend this place and it has white sand beaches even comparable to that of Boracay. IN my own opionion, the beaches in Catanduabes are far better than the number one, Boracay.

 

So all you guys out there, I got some few details about this land of the howling winds, Catanduanes. So read on......

 

Catanduanes - Eco-adventure Paradise

 

Brief Description

Catanduanes, “An Eco-Adventure Paradise,” is for those who love nature at its best. The whole strip of this pearly island of the Pacific is virtually untouched, unspoiled, and unexplored. It has a long string of palm-fringed beaches backed by jungle-covered mountains and crowned with jewel-like islets. It offers a totally laid-back rural charm, a beautiful natural environment and plenty of easy action at a pace that is always relaxed. The local folks have always preferred a relaxed rural village life. They seem to be disinterested in accelerated development or any head-long rush into the modern world. As a result, the tourism industry is still in its early stages. But if you are interested in outdoor pursuits, an easy lifestyle among warm and friendly people and a general escape from the frantic pace of urban life, Catanduanes is the perfect hideaway. It is a place where you could go back to simplicity and revel in the absence of man-made preoccupations and self-made entrapments; a total escape, they say.

 

Come, experience and enjoy the richness and wonders of nature in Catanduanes Island, Philippines!

 

 

Geography

 

Lies in the easternmost part of the Bicol peninsula, separated from the mainland Bicol by the Maqueda Channel and the Lagonoy Gulf. It is the first land mass of the Philippine archipelago to kiss the Pacific Ocean, making it directly open to the path of tropical cyclones, hence the appellation, “The Land of the Howling Winds.”

 

Political Subdivisions

 

Composed of 11 municipalities, namely: Virac, San Andres, Caramoran, Pandan, Bato, Gigmoto, Baras, Panganiban, Bagamanoc, Viga, and San Miguel. There are 315 barangays all over the province and one Congressional district.

 

Population

 

Total population of 215, 356 as of 2002 (Source: NSO).

Language/Dialect

 

Bicol is the native tongue but with different nuances and variations, especially when one goes up to the northern towns like Pandan, Caramoran, and Panganiban. English and Tagalog are commonly spoken and understood.

 

Climate

 

The best time of the year to visit Catanduanes is from the months of March to August when the weather turns dry. It is coolest and rainiest from October to the early part of January, hottest from March to May.

 

Major Industries

 

Abaca and lasa abound in the whole province. Native products made of abaca fiber like bags, lamps, utility boxes, handmade paper, among others, adorn the local souvenir shops and serve as local “pasalubong” and souvenirs. Lately, the indigenous abaca fiber, commonly called “pinukpok,” produced and woven by the locals of Baras, Catanduanes, has now found its niche in the local and international fashion industry. This indigenous fabric has shown its versatility in the globally appealing designs and creations of famous fashion designer Dita Sandico-Ong.

 

 

 

**** U GOTTA VISIT CATANDUANES BEFORE YOU START EXPLORING OTHER COUNTRIES****

[b_junzo]

diba mahirap puntahan yung area nayan? parang i dont remember any plan or bus rides going there?

[Podweed]

Podweed, I couldn't agree with you more. Actually we've been bringing our kid with us to HKG since he was an infant. It's our once-a-year extravagance and it really makes it worthwhile. I once gave my wife my mileage points so she could join me in one of my Biz trips - just the 2 of us. It's just not the same.

 

But....Europe is a different matter in terms of cost and itenerary. I'm just not sure if a new teenager would get bored with all those churches, castles and other sites Europe is known for. My wife would very much enjoy a religious pilgrimage so Lourdes and the Vatican would be a shoo-in. But for a 14-year old? He says he would enjoy it, but maybe it's just the idea of travelling that appeals to him and not the substance of the destination. Sayang kasi if he just shrugs it off.

 

North Africa - that sounds very interesting. Wouldn't it be roughly the same geography as the Mediterranean? I haven't been to a cruise yet but I hear that food is free-flowing. hehehe

 

I've been dreaming of a cruise that goes through those fjords (can't remember what country). Or an Alaskan cruise.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Your 14 year-old should appreciate Europe (I am hoping). How can he not? North America (or Hong Kong), I can understand if he's, perhaps, just itching to go shopping or what-not, but not the Old World with its rich history, ultra-modern cities, and cultural diversity. It'll be the experience of a lifetime. Teach the boy, sliderule.

 

I haven't been to North Africa. Yes, geography and climate are Mediterranean (same basin). I will go one day. For the moment, it's time to work, work, work, and save, save, save. In a few years, God-willing.

 

When my family goes, I will be them in spirit. Am paying for my two nieces' airfares. Their cruise accommodations are free (because of their ages). I want them to experience it. My eldest niece is quite the jet-setter already. At 2 1/2, (she's now four) she's been on two cruises and to many places in Southeast Asia, Europe, the U.S., and Mexico.

 

Food is absolutely free on a liner. Order anything and everything you can eat. Monopolize room service if you like. Hehe. You only pay for drinks. That's it.

 

Fjords are in Scandinavia. Norway is a popular destination if you want to see those fantastic coastlines.

My sister's been on one.

 

I really would like to go to Jerusalem. Ahhh, now to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is my dream.

 

Good luck again, buddy.

[sliderule]

While back reading, I noticed a lot of 'road warriors' in this thread, i.e., people whose work entails travel.

 

Sorry if this sounds OT, but I would just like to compare notes: What do you bring on your short (I mean just a few days) biz trips?

 

I always bring my Dell Latitude laptop, a digital voice recorder, a voice recognition microphone/headset, a smartphone, a small digital camera, an assortment of pens, markers, post its and my calendar book.

 

To pass the time on long flights, a small paperback, a DVD movie (dapat genuine, delikado pirated copies) and my iPod.

 

On my wishlist are noise-cancellation headphones (too pricey for me) and a lighter tablet notebook (again too mahal).

 

All of it are packed snugly in my Samsonite notebook bag that's small enough as carry-on.

[Guest Xfilemanx2001]

Hello Ladies and Bros,

 

Any suggestions on what to see and do in Beijing? I will be there early Dec for a 4-day business trip. First-timer. Been to Shanghai; I know these two cities are completely different.

 

Thanks!