Taiwan Adventure: Part 2

Good morning Taipei! Woke up with a slight sore throat and colds! but of course I wouldn't let these stop me from having a great day.

I know it shouldn't be and it's crazy but I felt very pressured on this trip. I wanted everyone to have a great time since it was the first time the group will be travelling together. There was also the feeling that everything has to go as planned or maybe more of I wanted everything to go as planned. I did most of the planning and of course prioritized the places and things I want to see and do hehehe. Buuut I made sure to consult my family on what they wanted too and incorporate it in our very tight itinerary. So you can just imagine my frustration whenever there would be delays and all.

For our 2nd day I was very excited to start the day exploring but we were just able to get off the hotel at almost 12 noon! We're kind of a big group - 7 people in total. Since it was a vacation, everyone was just taking their own time, relaxing and etc. I think you can picture what I mean. I was the only one who feels like running after time. Because of this and adding up how I'm not feeling very well, my mood's turning from happy to a little cranky hahaha. 

After a few minutes of deliberation we decided to visit Chang Kai Shiek Memorial Hall first then go shopping afterwards. We took the subway for the first time and it's very convenient. In no time we were able to arrive at our destination. 

CKS Memorial Hall is such a huge quadrant! We're thankful that the weather was great during our visit. It was sunny but windy, perfect for a noon walk in the park. It's like Luneta Park but more spacious I think and the vibe is really different. After some photo ops we took a sit to just marvel at the place while my brother, uncle, aunt and grandmother's aunt went up the memorial hall. I decided to stay and rest with my mom and grandmother since my cold and sore throat started to pull my energy down :(

During the late afternoon we hopped on the subway again to go to Ximending for shopping. It started to drizzle and since it was a Sunday the place was quite crowded. We tried our best to stick together but then realized that it would be better if we just split up and meet after 30 minutes in a certain place. So we did and agreed to meet outside Uniqlo afterwards. As expected, there would be some surprises along the way hahaha. Rain started to pour and we had to buy umbrellas first. When we got outside Uniqlo they weren't there. My mom, brother and I thought that maybe they went back to the hotel already. Nobody was on roaming and I was the only one with internet so we had to scurry ourselves up and look for each other! After about 20 minutes my brother was able to find them at the basement of Uniqlo! Ahhh the feeling of relief haha just in time for everyone to meet and head on to a family dinner reunion with relatives who we bumped into the first day!

This day taught me a number of lessons that I should apply in my everyday life hahaha. First is to just relax and go with the flow. Allow things to take you by surprise. To stop being so stubborn on wanting  things to go my way because somewhere over the rainbow it just won't. And I have to be mature enough to not let it ruin my mood and my day hahaha. Second is if you do number 1 you'll end up happier because having no expectations will make the experience more memorable and worthwhile. :)

Taiwan Adventure: Part 1

Flash back to a year ago, I remembered how I passed going on a trip to Taiwan with my high school best friends. It even caused a friction on our friendship, but thank God all is well now. I'm thankful that this year I had the chance to visit the very beautiful city of Taiwan. It was actually an impulse driven trip, I was just coaxing my aunt who just returned from a Taipei trip to go back again, this time with me. From that "joke" she invited my grandmother and uncle. Little did I notice, we were already researching for visa requirements, airplane fares, hotels, itineraries and etc! By the end of the week, we've got almost everything planned out that even though the fare was not really that cheap, we decided to give it a go since it would be crazy not to book when we already went all out planning.

One of the reasons why I passed last year's invitation aside from having a tight schedule was because I felt there's nothing much to see and do in Taiwan.  I was very wrong! As I've mentioned in previous posts, I appreciate scenery and nature very much. I prefer sightseeing than shopping or going on a food trip though of course I also enjoy the latter two very much. Just from researching, I saw a lot of amazing places to visit! From cultural places, shopping districts, to old cities and awe inspiring nature places. It was difficult to fit everything in our itinerary since we're just staying there for 4 day. Planning stage got a bit crazy but it was fun! I even got partly stressed in the midst of it! hahaha

Our team consisted of 7 family members! Me, my mom, brother, aunt, uncle, grandmother and my grandmother's sister. To make things more convenient, we contacted a driver (a friend's referral) in Taiwan through Line to pick us up from the airport.

Our first encounter with the driver got me almost laughing out loud. Upon reaching Taiwan, I contacted him through Line to no avail. Was about to get paranoid that he might not show up! Good thing we got a sim card at the airport for 250NT (unlimited internet usage for 5 days! and 50NT worth of calls). When we finally got through immigration and claimed our baggage, a man approached us and introduced himself as our driver. Typical paranoid me is a little skeptic since I remembered him telling me he was wearing a white cap. Having also a paranoid aunt, we gave his number a ring. We heard his phone rang but he cancelled the call and continued introducing himself. My funny aunt innocently gave it a call again and he still didn't take the phone out of his pocket. I was already trying not to laugh out loud but deep inside I can feel that he must be thinking we're a crazy group for ringing his phone when he is already in front of us! Well, we're just trying to be sure, he's still a stranger. We got into 2 cars since we wouldn't fit in one. Airport to our hotel took around an hour drive. I wasn't able to relax much since I'm being challenged with my Mandarin skills since the driver we got doesn't speak English that much! I felt like Tarzan uttering Chinese words that I can remember and piecing it together for it to makes sense! 

We stayed at Tango Hotel Xin Yi. The ambiance is cozy and the staffs were very pleasing and nice. Check in was a breeze, we got to our rooms and as expected loved it! We chose the hotel since the bed is really huge! (Can fit up to 4 people). And the bathroom! is just heavenly. It was spacious and it has a jacuzzi with a ceiling shower! I'm not very OC when it comes to bathrooms as long as it's clean and complete with amenities I'm already good. But who would say no to a 5 star bathroom, right? ;D Oh, I almost forgot to mention that our hotel serves free food all day round! From buffet breakfast to pika-pika all day long! It's also just a few minutes walk to/from the subway and Breeze Mall, and a very short taxi ride to Taipei 101 and Sogo.

It was almost 7 in the evening when we finished settling in. Trying to adhere to our jampacked itinerary, we took a taxi to Taipei 101 to have dinner at Din Tai Fung and go up the observatory deck to have an eagle's eye view of the city. As tourist we first took photos of the building and appreciated the chilly weather. We took a number for Din Tai Fung and decided to walk around while waiting. Amazing how we bumped into our Taiwan based relatives in the supermarket! We had a little chat, and asked for local tips. Dinner was great, it got us re-energized :) We didn't get to go up the observatory deck anymore since it was closed by the time we got there haha so we just stayed at the 5th floor where there's a huge screen showing what you'll see in actual.

We called it a night, tomorrow the real adventure starts! Or did it? :P

Philippines Travel Bucket List

As much as I try to convince myself that travel can wait and not to get myself preoccupied with day dreaming of the next adventure or looking for promo fares and the likes, I have to face the present reality that travelling is somehow part of me. With the many beautiful places here in the Philippines, I've decided to list down the top places I wish to visit when given the chance.

1. El Nido, Palawan
Palawan will always have a spot in my heart. I remember wanting to visit Coron back in my highschool and college days and it finally came true last 2014 :) It was truly an amazing place and I would love to go back again and explore more. I would also love to visit El Nido! It would be amazing to see the Big and Small Lagoon upclose. Also the different beautiful islands there, will definitely call for a chill day. How I wish we can stay at the El Nido resorts! :)

2. Surigao/Siargao
Swim with stingless jellyfishes, take a dip in the Enchanted River, chase waterfalls and go surfing are just some of the things I want to do in Surigao! I've been seeing lots of pictures from this place and they are beautiful! 😍

3. Cebu
I've been to Cebu but I want to go back haha! Because there are still plenty of other places to visit especially the Northern part like Bantayan Island and Malapascua Island. Improbable but it would be a one of a life time expereince to swim with thresher sharks and go sky diving! Didn't get the chance to stay at Mactan too where resorts are just so luxurious.
Aannd since I wasn't a gamer during our trip I missed swimming with whale sharks and the shoal of sardines hehe. Hopefully I can get a next time for this and get to see a pawikan too :)

4. Davao
If flying an ultra light plane, going on a white river rafting and chilling at Samal Island doesn't excite you then I don't know what will haha.

5. Ilocos
Up north! Another place full of adventures! Sand dunes, sky diving, 4x4 ride and many mooreee!

And the list goes on and on, I'll stop here for now cause I might just include almost all the Philippine provinces in this list hahaha! :)

The day I accidentally stepped on a snake!

It's not everyday that you get to be surprised by the unexpected presence of a "scary" animal by this I mean a long, wide snake. Just last night I decided to take a walk along our street after dinner which I really do so in the past. I consider this my exercise already hahaha. So I was walking for almost an hour, enjoying the breeze of the wind and my new playlist when I felt like I stepped on a rock. Normally I don't stop and just continue walking along but thankfully this time I stopped. I was shocked to see that I actually stepped on a snake! It was a big one not the usual eel like snake that I've already seen in our village. At first I couldn't believe it because what in the world would a snake be doing in the middle of the road! 😓 But then its head moved and I instantly turned and ran back to our house as fast as I can. I even looked back to make sure it was not chasing me. I was in a panic state already and was very relieved to reach home. It took time before I got to settle down. Told my family the whole story and they couldn't believe it either! Called the guard also so they can check it out. For a moment I considered that someone might just be pulling a prank on me cause it's almost Halloween - I think I just watch a lot of movies!

I'm just very thankful that the snake didn't harm me, that I was able to stop the moment I stepped on it, that it didn't chase me! I know things could have turned out differently and just the though of it gives me a scare :( Thank you Lord for protecting me during this unexpected moment ❤

A Comeback

It's been months since I last updated this blog. Believe me, I wanted to write something for the longest time. Actually I have a lot kept on my drafts but none is worth posting because most are unfinished entries. Well, I guess I had a difficult time writing because I don't know what to write of anymore. I was lost. I needed inspiration not just when it comes to writing but also in other aspects of life.

Come to think of it now,  the past few months should actually be tagged as amazing! I met a lot of new people some became my close friends already. Some inspired me to dream, to push myself more. I also learned a lot of new stuffs! I got immersed with doing reports, communicating with different sorts of suppliers, chance to attend conventions, monitoring and followup-ing a LOT of stuffs haha but it was all fun! The important thing is I'm learning something new almost every day. I'm being exposed to new things and everyday is a day to improve. To cut the long story short, I'm blessed to be where I am now.

But truth be told I had a hard time viewing these past months as something amazing as I just said it was. Because it was also during these past months that I struggled with regrets. I regretted a lot of things! And because of that I had a hard time being genuinely happy and grateful. There were times that I'm happy because of some great things/news. But it fades away and I'm back with my discontented self. I want a lot of things to happen now which is kind of improbable.

Lately I've learned a couple of things. That a lot of things are actually choices/decisions. It's a choice to be happy and to love. That is why right now and the succeeding days, I just want to focus on the blessings that God has showered upon me. I want to appreciate every moment.  I don't want to appreciate it when it has already passed. I hope this isn't too hard to accomplish! 😁

I know that God has/and will have my back. I know that it was my decision that brought me to where I am now. I can't blame Him. But I know that God can turn anything to something beautiful if we allow Him to. Things may not go back to how it was exactly before. But I know that God has good plans for me. It will be better, I just have to trust in Him. 

Chronicles of Cebu: Chasing Waterfalls

Who doesn't love the sight of waterfalls? It exudes beauty and power. In fact waterfalls are few of the lessons I can recall from my elementary Social and Civic classes haha. I remember being taught of Maria Cristina Falls and Pagsanjan Falls.  It was actually just last year that I got to see upclose my first waterfall and it was in the Khulen Mountains in Siem Reap. :)

This year I'm blessed to see two more in the Southern part of Cebu: Kawasan Falls and Tumalog Falls. I was so happy when I first saw the 3rd level of Kawasan Falls! It was just so refreshing to look at. Also the 2nd and 1st level ofcourse which are both majestic!

As for Tumalog Falls it was very enchanting, the flow of the water can be likened to a curtain. Locals said that the water used to be stronger and the effect is much more beautiful than what we saw.

I wanted to take a dip in the falls but the water was just freezing for me. But nonetheless I'm already contented being able to see it in person :) Hoping to go back to Cebu again soon for more adventures. This is actually one place I'd love to visit again because I know there's still so much to see!

God works in mysterious ways

I'm still trying to understand and accept how something that seems so perfect can't just work out. I honestly thought that this was it. All the experiences I went through was to prepare me for this great thing. You know that good, confident feeling when you know that something's for you. That's what I felt. I was hopeful that everything was going to work out just well. True it did take time, tested my patience and faith, but in the end I got there. I can't believe that I was finally on the finish line. 

That is why right now, I just couldn't understand why it has to fall apart. Why it can't just work out. Sometimes I think that this may just be a test from God that if I pass He'll give it back to me :) I know that God can turn things around, a hopeless situation to a victorious one. I'll just have to faithfully trust in Him. I know that He knows best. It may not make sense now but in the right time I may get to know why. I know my God is good. He has always been. Looking back, God has made everything perfect for me. He has also made some of my dreams come true that is why I know He is good. I just have to remind myself of how God has been good to me and my family and since He doesn't change I can be assured that He's working something greater for me. I may have moments of doubt since I'm having a hard time to understand His plans but I would like to choose to trust in Him and continuing living in his love and goodness. 

Time to beat the heat

Yep, summer's really here! I can feel the intense heat especially during early afternoons and it's just starting oh noes hahaha. Summer reminds me of beaches and more travels! Hoping for a new adventure soon. But of course I have already realized that travelling is not everything. There should be balance in life. And I guess another thing that makes travelling exciting is that it's not something you do every now and then so there's the feeling of excitement and suspense. Unlike if you get used to it already the thrill might me gone. Well that's just what I think, but hopefully whatever happens I hope I wouldn't lose the wonder of travel. Like a little kid who's opening presents on Christmas. Sometimes the thought of making travelling a career still crosses my mind but I know it's a long shot, a dream for now. I'm also not sure of how I would actually respond to it. I love travelling for the sake of travelling itself. Seeing and being to places for the first time, doing exciting activities, bonding with family or friends or both! It would ofcourse be kind of different if done for a living. I just feel that maybe I won't be too immersed with the experience because at the back of my mind I'll have to think of how to transform the experience for a living. Those are just the thoughts for know but who knows maybe I can actually live the best of both worlds :D

How far are you willing to go?

Nothing comes without a price, as they say. Well, I guess this is true because in order to achieve one of my dreams I had to face one of my fears twice! (I hope there wouldn't be a third time). As I go through the process, I reluctantly went out of my way, my usual comfort zone hoping to realize a dream. In short, sacrifice. I learned to patiently wait for really long hours just to get something processed. (I believe that it's good to be tested this way once in a while since we live in the age where everything is instant. It shows us that the virtue of patience is very essential in life) I know I'm not even in half of the journey of realizing this dream. But I really hope that I'll be one step closer day by day. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. I pray for God's guidance and blessing throughout this journey and be able to say to myself one day  that this fight was totally worth it.

Chronicles of Cebu: Blue Water Sumilon Island

Blue Water Sumilon Island. So far, this has been the most serene, beautiful, and charming island paradise I have ever been to. I'm so happy that
our day trip plan pushed through. It almost didn't to cut on cost. But all I can say is the few hours we spent here was worth it! Their infinity pool overlooking the sea was just the perfect spot to stare at the sky and think of nothing for a moment. I also got to try kayaking, and guess what our kayak didn't flip over. We were also served a hefty and delicious lunch buffet. After which we spent time lying on the hammocks by the beach and enjoying the chilly weather.  I would love to visit this island paradise again and hopefully get to spend a night or two here. :D

Chronicles of Cebu: Canyoneering Adventure

Read more about our Cebu experience in
http://magazine.tripzilla.com/author/kimberly-chua

It's been almost 2 weeks since our Cebu trip and I'm still trying to replay in my mind everything that went through in that very adventurous 4 days. I learned new things about myself during this trip - I'm far from the adventurous type of girl that I hoped to be. My fears and worries hinder me from just doing things. But still I'm happy that I was able to experience new activities during this trip. Things I thought I can't manage to do.  Anyways to cut the long story short, my friends and I tried canyoneering or canyoning! I was initially planning to just stay in our inn and relax around while my friends go for it. I have already convinced myself to pass this activity since I don't have the guts (yet) to jump from high cliffs. I read in a blog that the first jump which is 20ft high is mandatory. I know that I just can't do it that's why I told my friends that I'll meet them in Kawasan Falls since this is the last stop of the canyoneering adventure. But during the day of the activity my friends and our guide were able to convince me by saying that "we're already here might as well do it. The whole trip would be a waste since this is one of the highlights." Our guide also presented us another option which is to trek parts where I can't do the jump. Well, everything sounded so convincing. So finally on the last minute, I changed to my canyoneering outfit and decided to join them.

We did downstream canyoneering which is the easier way to go. It would start with 20 minutes habal habal ride (motorcycle ride with 2 passengers). It was drizzling during that time but nonetheless the ride was fun! The first jump off point is in Kanlaob, Alegria. My brave friends one by one did the jump. I just stood there enjoying the view of the place. It was a wonderful sight to behold.

I opted to do the trek than to jump. The trek allows you to reach the next area quicker but in a more exhausting manner. We took photos along the way and appreciated the view. Everything around the place was just beautiful, the cascading waterfalls, the pristine waters, the rock formations, the canyon itself.

Since it was still drizzling during that time, the water was extra cold for me. I tried not to get soaked in the water for too long. I realized that trekking is definitely the more difficult way to go that I decided to just take the slide than to climb the side walls of the canyon. In just a split second I was already in the water.

My friends were already ahead so they didn't see me take my first official plunge. After hours of trekking, jumping and swimming we reached a resting spot with locals selling barbecues. We all had a break to catch up with our energy. Recess was over, followed by few more jumps that is around 30-40ft. high. The last jump was fairly low but it was on a ledge. We then passed through rocky terrains wherein we had to be extra careful.

We reached the 3rd level of Kawasan Falls. It was a great feeling to see the falls. Not only does it offer a great view of nature but it also means we're nearing the finish line.

Our journey continues, a few more minutes of trekking then we reached the 2nd level of Kawasan falls and just 5 minutes from it is the 1st level of Kawasan falls.

This is the highest falls in the area and we were able to witness 2 brave souls jump from 70ft high! Alas after 6 to 7 hours, we finished our canyoneering adventure. I thank God for sustaining me and giving me strength during the entire time. Thank you also to our guides who assisted us all through out. Canyoneering was definitely not easy (my muscles were so sore afterwards that it was hard to climb up and down the stairs) but looking back I'm happy that I got to try this adrenaline rushing activity. So for those who's hesitant to jump like me you can still try canyoneering since there's actually another way to go which is trekking :D just choose the parts where you're willing to jump.

I left my heart in Batanes

Isn't it wonderful to see places that you've never thought to have existed at all? That there's such a beauty in this world. It's a wonderful feeling to see these kinds of places especially when it can be found in our very own country.

I consider our Batanes trip last year as one of God's greatest blessing in my life. Travelling has become one of my "cravings". I love the idea of visiting new places to just chill or go for an adventure. When I saw the beautiful landscapes and the view of the ocean in pictures I immediately fell in love with the place and hoped to visit it one day. I couldn't wait for that one day to happen so my travel buddy and I decided to book a flight despite of the sky high fares. Our flight was scheduled during the APEC holidays. I was very excited and as usual researched on things to do and see, places to eat and stay. However, weeks before our departure we learned that airlines have been cancelling flights for APEC days for security purposes. I got worried upon hearing this news because I knew our flight may be affected and truly it was. I'm thankful that PAL rebooked our flight without any surcharge. We decided to move it a week earlier instead.

En route to the airport I can't believe the gravity of traffic in Manila. It was 3 in the morning but it felt like rush hour during late afternoons. Trucks were everywhere and traffic was bumper to bumper. I was thankful that we left early and reached the airport with ample time to relax. We had breakfast at Cinnabon and I had a good chat with my friend who I haven't seen for a long time since she's based in Baguio. My mom and her sister who decided to go with us just days before the trip also had a good morning breakfast. 

My friend was surprised to see the plane we're riding to get to Batanes was very small. Despite its size, the flight was comfortable and turbulence free. Another thing to be grateful about. After almost 2 hours we were greeted with the beautiful island of Batanes. Upon stepping foot on the ground I already felt the serene province vibe. We were picked up by the hotel's service and a few minutes later we were already at Batanes Sea Side Lodge. I was already very excited to explore the place. It was a dream come true! The receptionist welcomed us and invited us for breakfast at the ground floor. I don't know why but I'm usually hungry after flights even if all I have done is just sit in the plane! Over breakfast we talked about how we're going to tour the place. We wanted to make the most of it and in the end we decided to hire tricycles to go around places to lessen the cost. 

For our first we day we did the North Batan tour. It's a good start since it's just a half day tour. We didn't get exhausted that much and the places were near to our hotel. Our first stop was the Vulugan beach. The view was spectacular, I can see a clear view of the ocean with big rocks on the shore formed by volcanic eruptions. We seized the moment to just enjoy the view and of course took photos and videos as these are the best souvenirs we can actually have.

We then proceeded to visit the Dipnaysupuan Japanese tunnel then to PAGASA weather station. Here we just relaxed and enjoyed the ocean view for a good 30  minutes. The place is also near Fundacion Pacita, the most expensive hotel in Batanes. After which we went to Tukon Church, a church made of stone. It was very beautiful to look at. We went inside and said a prayer, I thank God for allowing this trip to happen. It's a trip that I've been dreaming of and I was just so happy that finally I'm here!

After we went to Vayang rolling hills. I'm a scenery person so for me every place we visited in Batanes were really beautiful. The pastures were very green and there were carabaos in the area too.

For our last destination for the day we were brought to Basco Lighthouse. I love light houses! I'm in love with everything that's nautical - anchor, lighthouses etc. We went up the lighthouse and saw a wonderful view of the ocean and the green land. It was also very windy up there.

After the sightseeing we were kind of hungry and asked our tricycle driver/tour guide to drop us of Pension Ivatan first. The price for their food was just right. The food was also very tasty and we enjoyed a wide variety of Ivatan cuisines. After eating, we went back to our hotel to have an early rest.

The next day we did the South Batan tour. Our first stop was Chawa View Deck wherein you can have a very cool view the ocean. Everything's so blue and serene.

We also went to the Spanish Lagoon. We decided to have a mini adventure and go down to reach the lagoon. The pathway was bushy and we were told to watch our steps since the right side area is already a cliff! We had fun while taking photos and just immersing ourselves in this beautiful place.

My favorite destination is the Marlboro Rolling Hills. Pictures won't do justice to show the beauty of the place. We intentionally spent longer time here to chill. I love how I can enjoy the view of the ocean, the hills and the cloud in just 1 sitting. It was just perfect.

We also visited stone houses and the Honesty coffee shop where no one's manning the store. We just listed down and drop the payment for the goodies we bought.

For our third day we visited Sabtang Island which is 30 minutes away from Batan Island via a faluwa. Sabtang can be likened to a hidden gem in Batanes. My favorite place here was the Chamantad Cove and Tinyan Viewpoint. It was like we were in New Zealand. There were also some youths who were taking buwis buhay photos standing on rock cliffs. I'm actually the one scared for them!

We had lunch by the seaside. The sound of the waves was very relaxing. After lunch we head on to the part to go back to Batan Island.