Educational Tour: Shanghai

This is a very late account of my September Shanghai educational trip...reasons why this is sooooo late? got tired updating this blog, and the recent calamities which hit the country, the first of which arrived 2 days after we arrived from our Shanghai trip.

I was offered this trip last summer...out of the blue, without preamble, they aske me if i am interested in some R and R in Shanghai. I remember my pulse literally leaping with frenzy, hahaha, but it would have been more heaven set if it was a Shangahi-Beijing trip...well we cant have it all.

Sept 22-26.

Discovering Ticker

Everyone of us needs to save right? But who among us is currently saving now?  For myself Im always lured by new gadgets and promo fares.  Theres a wonderlust in me that needs to travel.  So whats the relation with ticker?  I discovered ticker when I visited one blog with a  weight loss ticker tracking her attempts at weight los ( and mind you, shes on her glorious way to a sexier self).  so for this post in this blog on life Ill feature my savings ticker.  Hopefullly Ill be made aware on how little im saving thereby making a way to increase it or augment my income so that savings will increase.

Promo Fares

Got a notification on my cellphone...Cebu pacific is back to its P 1 promo fare starting Oct 31, 2009-Nov 2, 2009. I immediately visited the site and lo! and behold! the promo is already ongong...at 6pm Oct 30, 2009. With trembling hands from ewcitement and anticipation, tried booking for a family trip to singapore on june...and here begun my frustration which lasted the duration of the promo and the accompanying grandmother of all headaches. Maybe the site was congested, maybe my internet connection was slow, and maybe we were not yet meant to travel again. In short, I failed to get the very cheap seat sale, for my family and also failed to get a seat sale for myself to vietnam.Well i guess life is like that, sometimes frustrations hit us in every turn and disappointment ensues. But i bounced back and im hitting the internet again looking for another promo fare.

Cebu Pacific Rush hour promo fare

Despite the recession, a lot of us find ways to unwind and have some sort of rest and relaxation. What better way that to travel to a place were we can relax minus the constant pestering from work and well meaning relatives. However this type of R & R seemed at first an expensive one unless one can avail of fare promos or hotel promos. Since I started travelling, I am always on the lookout for this kind of promos. I Have visited the different asean countries using the promo fares I've availed from the different airlines. Currently Cebu Pacific have another promotional airfares.

Another Influenza A(H1N1) Update

Philipines already had 17 suspected cases of Influenza A(H1N1). Oopppsss, hold your horses, they were only suspected cases. And as of this afternoon 13 of the 17 suspected cases were already cleared. The laboratory results of the remaining 4 suspects will be released tomorrow by the RITM.
Will I just hope that our country will remain free of this dreaded viral infection.

Medical Mission or Beach Vacation?

I just received an invitation to help in a medical mission, of course I readily agreed. I love helping, especially in this times where a lot of our people needs medical help , not only because of the dreaded Influenza A (H1N1), but also because of a lot of other illnesses which equally needs the same attention. My immediate acceptance was rewarded when I perused the letter more. The medical mission will be in my mother's hometown and one of the best summer destinations here in the country. If you love to swim, if you love just gazing on the crystal blue water or walking on the seashore, or just comuning with nature, Gen. Luna, Surigao del Norte would be one of your best bet.
Gen. Luna is made famous by its white sand, crystal clear waters, and I wont forget to mention the annual International Surfing competition. Its double blessing indeed! To be able to help as well as to have a short vacation in that paradise. Hmmm, I'm already excited for that weekend of service and vacation. I just hope that the weather will cooperate. As a teaser for whats in store for us, this is a photo of one of the island in GL. Photo courtesy of the official website of Gen. Luna, Surigao del Norte .

Influenza A (H1N1) Update

The Swine flu or Mexican swine flu that wreck havoc to our self imposed security is a new influenza virus. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus. CDC has determined that Influenza A H1N1 is contagious and has proven human to human spread. Like the other influenza viruses, it is spread through droplet spread like sneezing and coughing. Currently CDC believe that H1N1 has the same spreadbility as the seasonal flu. Studies have shown that an infected person is contagious from day 1, even before symptoms can be seen, and up to day 7 of illness.

Like the seasonal flu, H1N1 infection presents with fever, cough, colds, runny nose, and sneezing, sore throat, generalized body malaise and muscle pains, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.

Currently there are 5 people suspected of being infected here in the Philippines. They are being observed in the Isolation ward of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City, in RITM, and in San Lazaro Hospital. Of these 5 suspects, 3 were already discharged after testing negative for the virus.

Cebu Marriot Hotel

I just had the opportunity to spend a night in Cebu Marriot Hotel. And here are my impressions. First, the location is definitely one of the plus factor for this hotel especially for persons like me who loves to shop, this is just beside Ayala Mall...Secondly, the staff were very accomodating. They meet my car, took care of my luggage, and escorted me to a special check in area ( since I was attending a large event thus the need for one). And when I get to my room, and I need a few toiletries which was not found on the ones they provided, a short call to their hotel services resulted on the delivery after a few min....definitely good hotel service! Thirdly, and for me one of the most important is a clean well vaccummed carpet on the aisles and on the room ( i have allergic rhinitis). Fourth consideration, clean rooms and very clean cr. The buffet breakfast is another plus point. Though the selection may not be as varied as compared with the other big hotel chains, the meals were deliciously prepared, the fruits are fresh and mouth watering and the waiters and waitresses were accomodating. Thanks to my sponsor for billeteng me in this wonderful hotel.
This is the address:
Cardinal Rosales Avenue
Cebu City, 6000 Philippines
Phone: 63 32 415 6100
Fax: 63 32 415 6101
Sales fax: 63 32 4156169
Toll-free: 1 800 1 888 2233

Holy week '09: Camiguin Island

The family decided to vary our holy week routine, instead we decided to spend the time in Camiguin. We left Surigao Tuesday afternoon hoping to rest (since I am a poor land traveller suffering from motionsickness. So by Wed morning we are already on the bus for Balingoan. The decision to use public transport became a very wise decision since when we arrived in the port of Balingoan, the line for the vehicles for boarding the ferry was sooooooooooo long reaching up to the highway.

Saving In This Time Of Crisis

Its recession...there's economic crisis. Are we ready to face this crisis? Are we financially free? Thus saving still follow since we are barely making our ends meet?
Despite the present economic crisis, it is still mandatory for each of us earning to still save since we never knew when personal crisis would hit us.
I am always lurking in any forums talking about savings and how to save today. Ive accumulated a lot of ways, tried and failed in some, and tried and succeed in other formula. The current method I'm following now is the concept of:

income - savings = money for expenditures

I usually allot 30% for savings on lean days and on comfortable days with better income i allot 50% to savings. Then the 30-50% savings will be divided to 3 bank accounts:
50% - savings account that will be transferred to time deposit account everytime Php 50,000.00 is reached
30% - for future investments ( mutual fund, stocks, business, etc)
10% - for expensive gadgets, toys, new car
10% - for future travels or vacations

How MUCH is your Blog Worth?

I came across this blog which apparently compute the worth of each blog...and to my heart's dismay mine is worth $0.00

My blog is worth $0.00.
How much is your blog worth?

Budget Friendly Bangkok Escapade

After 2 weeks from the Bangkok Vacation, I finally tallied all my expenses.

Manila to Bangkok roundtrip air fare - Php 5900.00 via CEbu pacific promo fare
Butuan to Manila roundtrip air fare - Php 2200.00 via Cebu Pacific promo fare

Dylan Wilk, Philanthropist... and Gawad Kalinga

I was just watching The Duke in AXN. This is a glossy men’s magazine talk show with Rovilson Fernandez, Marc Nelson, and Eunice Olsen. The show is based in Singapore and is the fruit of Marc's and Rovilson's participation in Amazing Race Asia 2.Whiler Eunice is a former Miss Singapore Universe and the yougest elected member of the Parliament
As for The Duke, they usually features the Duke of the week, who is either rich, famous, or both, and most importantly have laready live LIFE. The Duke of the Week for this week is Dylan Wilk. He is previously one of the richest man (9th) below 30 in England, all attributed to the success of his gaming programs. He lived a life then of luxury...fast cars, jetsetting all over the world, and all the perks of being rich. A Filipina friend shared with him some insights on the Philippines...including the fact that the price of one shoulder bag...or 1 luxury car can build homes for several homeless Pinoys. Wilk was in Sydney when he witnessed a beauty contest whose contestants raised enough money to build a few dozen houses in the Phlippines. His curiosity was piqued and decided to travel to Manila to see for himself the feasibility of this project. His discovery of the life most of the Pinoys are facing made him go back to England, and sold his latest BMW acquisition for $100,000.00....and build homes in GK. From then on, he was involve with Gawad Kalinga and helping alleviate poverty not only in the Philippines but also in other parts of the globe .

Edsa Shangrila...Comfort and Luxury

Just got back attending a 2 day convention on pediatric pulmonology and I got billeted in Edsa Shangrila where the convention was also held. My experience with this hotel chain defined comfort to a T. Anyway, unlike big hotels, check in was a breeze considering that there is a convention going and they would have to accomodate more guests. I was given a room in the garden wing on the 8th floor, which is non smoking...a blessing since im asthmatic. The room was great with very comfortable mattressess. The bathroom was clean, the carpet newly vaccummed. However the hallways have a peculiar, musty odor.. .though it didnt make me sneeze, thus maybe its not really dusty. Since there were 2 of us on the room, we asked for additional toiletries plus mouth wash...it was provided in a flash! Thats good service, right? And the breakfast was insanely delicious...goodbye diet, I simply have to indulge...though it was healthy indulgence. Food choices varied from the local taho to chinese dimsum, japanese food, assortment of fruits, for the kids and the kid at heart, choices of cereals, continental cuisine, and a lot more.

Kabuhayan Tours

Everybody would agree with me that careful planning and atttention to details would make every trip easy, hassle free and thus very relaxing and enjoyable. However, even the well planned trip, especially in another country with a very wide language barrier would have some unplanned problems. Our recent trip to Bangkok was just like most trip...hours spent in the internet and careful planning didnt prepare us for Bangkok...its high humidity that would make even the most seasoned and cheerful traveller lost her cool, the language barrier, and everything. Thus we were very glad of the help given by Kabuhayan Tours.

First House Hotel,Cheap Bangkok Hotel

We were searching for a place to stay while we are backpacking in Bangkok, when My, my co traveller, stumbled across this site on the net. It is located in Petchburi road which is just a stones throw away from Platinum mall and Pantip Plaza. For a place to spend the night and rest tired, aching muscles from too much site seeing and shopping, paying Php 600 per night per person seemed like a good bargain to me. Taxi and tuktuk drivers knew the place...if you are bringing a copy of the name in Thai, the breakfast is quiet decent for what we paid for, and the sheets were cleaned daily. But for me the most important part is the clean bathroom, the very cool AC and it is just across Kabuhayan Tours.

Bangkok and the 3 budget travellers

Of course its not only the new cam thats my indulgence for missing the christmas holiday. I have to have a some sort of christmas holiday! So I contacted 2 of my well travelled (takaw byahe) friends : Maricar and Mai-mai, we discussed several options and then booked the trip to Bangkok. Maricar and I availed of Cebu pac's promo seats for Php 5800+ round trip airfares for Mnl-Bkk, while Mai used her mabuhay miles also forking around Php 6k for the taxes.

We were blessed with good weather for the entire trip. Bangkok was hot, but very interesting, very exotic, and a wannabe's photographer's delight. The traffic is as horrendous as manila's. Only few of the locals knew good english but they are very accomodating with any enquiries. The streetlights at night is a kaleidoscope of colors. And the fruits and local delicacies is a gastronomic experience.

My New Baby...Canon SX10 IS

This is going to be a marathon blogging since Im going to be making several posts today...or until the desire/muse left me.

Naturally since my Christmas holiday was spent working, I have to indulge myself with a new pasttime...and I discovered a new hobby - photography. I have a somewhat new canon ixus 870IS (bought last November when my old cam surrendered to exhaustion after being borrowed by somebody). I was lurkring in several photography forums and became fascinated with macros, bokehs, street photography, night photography, etc. the old baby (canon 870is) limited my exploration to these fields. So I decided to invest in DSLRs, however the thought of dragging a big bag for the big cam and the lenses somewhat diminished my desire until i discovered the bridge cameras...a bridge between the pocket sized point and shoot cameras and the DLRs. My research lead me to these ultrazoom camera. The test photos shown in several review sites sold me to Canon SX10is. Thus the hard earned money parted with me, and my love affair with photography begun.

My Christmas Gift

I was not able to enjoy the Christmas holiday because I was given given a surprising gift for christmas, and on christmas eve no less: a 32 week premee (with a Ballards' score of 29 weeks)from a G3 mother with incompetent cervix. . . . pressure!!! In short, I spent the better part of the holidays and most of january in the nicu working on giving this mom the best christmas gift ever. He is a tiny bundle of energy during the first week that I thought..." is this going to be a benign, crisis free nicu stay and just concentrate on gaining weight, or is this the lull before the storm?" I prayed it would be the former because i intended to have a stress free beginning of the New year, however problems soon appeared on the the 2nd week of life. Apnea and neonatal sepsis sets in, and the supportive mother and I took turns staying awake to keep on stimulating the baby. Our hard work and prayers were answered, the little prince recovered, gained weight and was discharged weighing 1900 grams at 37 weeks corrected age.