A Note From Jessa

Hiya, guys!

It's been more than six months since my last update here, I know. Lame excuse but I really do have a whole lot on my plate right about now, which I'm gonna talk about when I finally get the time to sit down and write.

Just dropping by this blog to let you guys know that I'm still very much alive and kicking (hehe!) and will update you guys as soon as I could.

Hugs and kisses!

The (Anti-)Solo Traveler Diaries (PPUR+ Edition): Sleepless in Puerto Princesa

Can you imagine yourself burning the night oil at work the night before, fly to your vacation destination the morning after, and take a city tour for the rest of the day.

Sounds impossible? Well, I did just that. And I'll tell you how I did it.

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April 10, 2012. I spend the night before that at work, since I was assigned at the graveyard shift that time. I immediately left the office upon my time-out at 7am, rode an FX taxi towards a certain area at Commonwealth Avenue where I will be fetched by the hired van (it was our van actually) which will bring us to the airport.

Considering that I did the graveyard shift the day before, I could not understand why I could not fall asleep after hopping in the van to the airport. Probably because of excitement. Probably because I do not feel sleepy at all.

Anyway, this is what I look like that time:

Me and mom. See the dark area under my eyes? That's proof that I didn't get enough sleep.

Unlike my last visit to the NAIA Terminal 3, the services at the airport have greatly improved. However, there should have been more chairs near the check-in counters so that it would not be too tiresome to wait for their turn in the line. There should also be more chairs all over the area to reduce the SRO situation in the airport. Speaking of check-in counters earlier, there should also be at least a space or two for each airline for complaints and emergencies such as cancellations.

Our plane tickets

Ninez Abonal? But I thought your name was Jessa...

If you will notice, I'm using a different name in my plane ticket. It is because I replaced a Team Grade Six member who was included in the ticket booking months ago but backed out afterwards. Since having a name change bears an additional charge, Mom provided me an ID (teachers' ID) with my picture and the name of the backed-out member on it.

Me and mi abuela...

Group pic!

Mom and daughter -- I mean, my mom and my grandma...

For this trip, two members backed out of the trip due to valid (but unknown to me) reasons. They were replaced by me and my lola. Thus the reason for the old lady lurking around our group pictures. Which I find pretty cool, considering her age (my lola is 82 years old) and that she only started leisure traveling pretty late, albeit tagging along with my mom (her first trip was in Singapore lah! Inggit aketch!)

Here are more pictures of our flight to Palawan.

That's our plane!

Yes, we will travel smart...

It's nice to see someone like her enjoy traveling. For that, I hope I could be like her...

My profile pic-worthy shot

My lola's jet-setter shot

There goes the signature plane window shot again...

Mom and Lola touching down in PP!

Yay! We're in Puerto Princesa!

To be continued....

The (Anti-)Solo Traveler Diaries (Visayas Edition): Boracay to Iloilo

Back in Manila, Team Grade Six are required to come to school at 6am, since their classes start at 6:30pm or 7am. Because of this, they are obliged to wake up early in the morning to come to class, especially those whose first teaching class starts at the said time. Those who have their first teaching class at a later time may opt to come later, but most of them still come early to prepare their materials for class.

It was no surprise, therefore, that some of the team woke up early despite all the shindig the night before. After all, it's time to pack the bags. 'Cause we're leaving Bora and heading back to Panay Island, specifically in Iloilo.

Some of them (mom included) woke up so early that they managed to squeeze in some shopping along the shops at the beach.

Yet the shutterbug in us could not be stopped from taking more pictures, even as we are about to leave the lodge.

Vanity shot before leaving Bora. The shell necklace was a spanking-new purchase courtesy of mi madre...

A shot in front of the lodge.  

Unlike the motor boat that we rode on our way to Bora, we left the island at a more comfortable ferry boat. The way I see it, the boat was a bit like a run-down version of SuperCat.

Smile!

Upon landing in Caticlan, we searched for the first bus that will leave for Iloilo, and went up from there. Of course, I get the window seat, because that's my favorite seat in any vehicle.

Another window view pose...

Whoops... Even the pimple was captured...

Four hours and one stopover later, we got down at the town of Dingle. The area where the bus stopped did not have any prominent landmark, save for a bamboo-made waiting shed and some huts. Oh, and two pick-up trucks waiting for us.

The two pick-up trucks are owned by the family of one of the team members, Mrs. Maravilla, who was born and raised in the town. She arranged the house that she and her siblings built for her parents for us to stay in for two more nights.

Back story: every time that the team will go on a vacation or to an out-of-town wedding of one of the colleagues, they make it a point to visit the homes of one of them. Case in point: there was one time when one of their colleagues got married in my mother's hometown in Pangasinan. The day after the wedding, the team decided to visit my mom's place in Lingayen, even if it's a few towns away from the wedding location.

Back to Iloilo... it was quite a long ride, with a stopover at the town plaza. We ended up at a strip of dirt road lined with mahogany trees. The house where we will stay is at the end of that road strip.

A view from behind the windshield of the pickup truck

I found out later on in our stay in Dingle that these are actually coffee plants...

Trees all around...

Which leads us here. Taken from the 'end of the road' house, as I call it.

It's rest time for all of us for the rest of the day, because the following day would turn out to be a jam-packed one.

The (Anti-)Solo Traveler Diaries (Visayas Edition): The Sun Sets and The Night Falls...

After catching some sleep, it's time for some more explorin,' some gettin' wet, and some drinkin'.

We went out of the lodge late in the afternoon, and the sun was turning orange. It meant only one thing: sunset.

Such a beautiful sunset...

Postcard worthy...

At the same time, we tried out the banana boat ride. Since the entire team are scaredy-cats (me included, but not as much as they are), we requested for 'walang hulog,' meaning we will not be toppled down from the boat throughout the ride.

All of us before...

And after the ride...

Of course, we were wet (once again) after the ride, so we changed clothes and went out wandering the island strip once again. When we got out, the night sky was starless, and the only light shining from above was from a quarter moon.

And the night was a perfect time for another round of cam-whoring. This time, in front of a certain hotel.

Smile, Mom!

'Sensya naman, mahangin eh... :)

Unlike last night, we stopped at one of the beachside bars at Station 1 (can't remember the name, sorry) for some drinks. We had a minor in tow, so he was sent out of the bar and into one of the nearby henna tattoo stalls to get a (small) henna.

Everybody had their drinks -- alcoholics, that is. Except for me. It's because I've never had any alcoholic drink in my entire life (not until I get to Iloilo, and more on that on later posts). And even after much budging from my mom's friends, I still settled to a certain mocktail named Shirley Temple.

Smiling while trying to keep our hair away from our faces...

Mom: Peace, y'all...

And after a few hours of chatting and drinking, we went back to our lodge at Station 2. Because we have to leave the next morning. But I bet if my companions on that trip are about my age, we would blow out all our pocket money in our bar bill and drink like it's the last night of the world. And I wouldn't still drink anything that spells 'alcohol' all over it. But who knows? :)

The (Anti-)Solo Traveler Diaries (Visayas Edition): Boracay Night Lights (and Some Feeling Model Pics)

The jetty port as viewed from the boat

We arrived in Caticlan at around 5pm. Just a few walking distance from the airport is the jetty port that will transport us to Boracay.

The signature window view pose. You'll see more of this later on.

The waters as viewed from the boat.

Upon arriving at the island, the caretaker of the lodge that we booked was there to fetch us and bring us there. Along the way, we passed by a grocery store to buy some foodstuff.

I can't remember the exact name of that lodge, but as far as I could remember, it's a four-storey house with three to four rooms, each having two or three beds. Anyway, once we're there, we unpacked our bags and took some rest.

Pagpasensyahan ang mga hita... :P

Nightfall came, and it's time for some wandering around the island. It was the first time I understood how vibrant Boracay can be at nighttime. However, most of the activities are at shore, and the waters itself is unusually quiet.

Boracay Lights -- without the proper settings

With flash. Because mom always insists on having flash in every photo.

Which is perfect for some vanity-cum-cam whoring moments.

Fallen straps and sandy slippers.

Talikod-genic?

Panira ng moment yung dalawang mama sa background.

And I spotted some unusual stuff. Like this sculpture on a watermelon.

One word: Awesome!

It makes sense that the watermelon sculpture is placed on a tray of seafood.

So that's it for our first night in Bora.

Sweet California Berry

Yesterday was the last day of my officemate Minnie in our group, because tomorrow she will be working for another group in our department. So to send her off, we had a 'fro-yo' session in California Berry in Tomas Morato (herein after known as CB.)

Actually, we've been planning to go there since February. Upon seeing a discount deal for CB in Metrodeal, we immediately bought four vouchers for the deal. However, we have been putting off the plan because we have been assigned to different shifts for the past four months. We finally decided to use these vouchers now, before it loses its validity on... now. *wink wink!*

It was a rain-soaked afternoon when we got there, so much that we have to get a taxi to get there. AS you could see here, it was raining hard outside the CB.

Thank goodness for the quirky and cheery vibe of CB, with its white and mint-green interiors, with a little pop of pink at the counter.

The chair colors looks cute!

Mosaic tiled counter + white countertop = KEWL!

Love the origami lamps!

I sure have a Californiaberry day! :)

Now I know how much they really cost.

Even the utensils and materials lean on the cute and bright side!

How cute these cups are!

Spoons in rainbow colors. If only the spoons at home come in colors like these. Hahahaha!

Now we go to the fro-yos. We each had a large cup of frozen yogurts, topped with different flavors. Unfortunately, because Minnie is still observing Ramadan, she had to give her voucher to our other officemate, Mark. Notwithstanding that fact, she still watched us 'eat with our heart's content.' He he he. Anyways, here are our topping choices:

Choco cereals and mint choco cookies for me.

Cherries, banana chips and marshmallows for Ethel.

Cherries, marshmallows and mint cookies for Krisha.

I personally find the yogurt itself just right for my taste. It's sweet once it touches your tongue, but halfway through you taste the tangy taste inherent to yogurt. I actually winced when I tasted the yogurty tang when I got a big spoonful. (note to self: eat one small scoop at a time) But then, this is better than the other fro-yo that I tried (it's Yoh-Gurt Froz)

But of course, no food trip will be complete without the customary picture-taking!

Ethel while waiting for her turn...

Kuya Mark while surfing the Net via the CB WiFi...

Me and Ethel while looking at the available toppings...

Oh, Minnie. We'll miss you and your (sometimes) covered head. But we still hope to see you around some time. And have another cup of fro-yo. :D