2013 Travel Reflections & The People Who Inspired Me To Travel

The year is almost over.. and I can't believe that I have visited 10 Philippine Provinces this year! I have to say I am extremely thankful to the people who encouraged me to travel more.

Puerto Galera was the first place I visited this year. I didn't write something about it due to personal reasons. And yes, as everybody know, Puerto Galera is a party-beach-party kind of stuff-- the nightlife is just simply entertaining!

Baler was the second destination this year. It was our first time to surf & eat at a local buffet called Gerry Shan's. It was also the first time I met Lois Yasay of wearesolesisters.com! She shared a lot of inspiring stories that gave me the urge to travel more. She's my favorite blogger!

The next month, I went to La Union alone and had a short trip to Vigan, Ilocos Sur (the bus ride from La Union to Vigan was longer compared to my stay in Vigan). It was my first time to stay in a hostel. I will never forget the locals that I've met. They were very helpful and accommodating.. and I kept on coming back because of them!

April was my birthday month. To celebrate, we went to Palawan and spent a day traveling from one island to another. It was tiresome, but on the other hand, it also made me appreciate the beauty of Philippines even more. 

May was a family month for me. I spent so much time beach bumming with Jm, my cousins and family in Subic. Jm and I also went to La Union because I badly missed surfing and hanging out with the locals. I would never forget the stories that Lois shared over coffee.

June was some sort of a religious retreat for me. We got the chance to visit Lucban, Quezon and do some rest and relaxation at a resort called, Batis Aramin. Then, we visited Kamay Ni Hesus to thank Him for the blessings and opportunities he had given us.

In August, we traveled around Ilocos and tried some local food. Kapuluan Vista Resort in Blue Lagoon is extraordinary. The dorm-type room seemed interesting, the staff are polite and friendly, and the place itself is very serene. Calle Crisologo in Vigan, Ilocos Sur is my favorite-- it has always been romantic and special.

September is a not-so-good time to go to Boracay because of the gloomy weather but we pushed ourselves to travel 6 hours from Iloilo to get to the famous tourist spot. It was my first time to drive a motor -- uphill and downhill! I considered it as one of the "toughest" challenge because I wasn't really a good driver. Anyway, despite of the gloomy weather, we still had fun beach bumming, partying and diving! 

November was the celebration of our 2nd Anniversary. We originally planned to go to Surigao (we had booked a one-way ticket) but because of my "joblessness" status, we cancelled our plan and decided to go back to Baler instead. It was a blessing, actually, because I met James Betia of journeyingjames.com! This kick-ass traveler just completed my year! 

2013 was a very wonderful time for me. I may not have visited SOME of the places I planned to visit, I won't really worry a lot, because there's still 2014! I am planning to visit Calaguas (via journeyingjamestour, hopefully) and Mt. Pulag next year. Right now, I'm trying to save for Malaysia (January) and Indonesia (October) next year.. and maybe, Thailand? 


The "Donate For Indonesia" Piggy Bank

I've been wanting and hoping to visit Indonesia the soonest time next year. However, I make it a point that I'm financially, mentally, and physically well-prepared. I'm not good in saving money in the bank, because I find it hard to control the "impulse-shopper" in me. So, as a result, I tried to save-- the traditional way-- through a piggy bank. I'll make this piggy-bank-thingy work!

FOR THE MEANTIME (while I take a rest & concentrate on my work), 
I WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Review: Lola Nanny's Surf Retreat and Restaurant

Lola Nanny's is a budget-friendly accommodation located in Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan, La Union. It is owned by Lola Nanny, Luke Landrigan's (Billabong Surfer, owner of San Juan Surf Resort) mother.

Lola Nanny's Resort

We chose this budget-friendly accommodation because  we prefer a simple, clean and a beach front resort. A fan room w/ shared bath is 500 per night and 100 per hour beyond the check out time.

They do have aircon rooms w/ private bath, but I'm not sure about their rate. You can easily find this place because it is located just beside Hacienda Peter & Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa. You can just tell the bus driver to drop you off at Sebay or San Juan Surf resort and you can walk at the beachfront to find this place.

Common Area.

Our fan room.

Our fan room.

Shared bathroom.

Our room.

Check in is at 2:00 PM and check out is at 12:00 PM. Anyhow, I would still love to go back to this place again!

For more information about their rates, you can contact:
09154184034

Oh yes, Happy Surfing! (If there's a surf break! Haha!)

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San Fernando, La Union: Midtown Food Plaza, Chinese Temple and Filipino-Chinese Pagoda

After our Kayak activity in San Juan, we headed to San Fernando, the capital of La Union to eat at a popular restaurant called "Midtown Food Plaza." The restaurant is a 10 minute walk from Partas Bus terminal. The food tasted "so good" that I was able to eat everything that I ordered.

Lechon Kawali 55 PHP (with rice)

Vegetable & Steak 75 PHP (with rice)

Leche Plan for dessert 30 PHP

We went to the market to find a local delicacy called "tupig." While we were searching, I decided to buy an ice cream. It actually tasted better compared to the one that they sell in Manila.

Pinoy-Style Sorbet 20 PHP

Then, we went to Ma-Cho Temple. It's a Chinese temple located near Partas Bus terminal in San Fernando. There was no "mass" when we get there. We walked around and enjoyed the view of South China Sea. We felt like we were in China.

Stairs to the temple.

View from the temple.

Felt like I was in China..

Where they light the incense and pray..

From the other view..

They do have a couple of statue..

Large structure in front of the temple.

Entrance of Ma-Cho Temple..

Filipino-Chinese Pagoda is located near San Fernando City hall. It is constructed on top of a hill so it is recommended that you take a tricycle (40 PHP) when you visit the place. It was closed when we get there, but we decided to go over the fence to see the sunset. :-)

Welcome, everyone!

Taking pictures while JM and his relative were trying to figure out how to go over the fence.. haha!

The trip was all worth it.

Don't forget to visit these places when you go on a surf sesh in La Union! Ma-Cho Temple and Filipino-Chinese Pagoda have no entrance fee! =)

“I want to travel the world with two things on my hands-- a camera on one and your hand on my other."

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San Juan, La Union: Eat and Kayak!

I had my first solo trip in La Union last March 2013. I came back last month  with my partner Jm. Since he wanted to surf and the only option we have was Baler or La Union, we chose the latter--- which only has 6 hours of travel time.

We were not sure whether there will be waves or not since it's already the end of the summer season, but we still decided to give it a try. It took us 6 hours and 30 minutes before we get to San Juan, La Union (whatever happened to Partas Bus? The driver was very slow!).

We made a room reservation at Lola Nanny's-- there will be another post for this. =) We felt a little disappointed because the waves were smaller, even though there were some people who were having surf lessons.

 Lola Nanny's common area

We went to Angel and Marie's Surfer's Retreat to have lunch. The restaurant is located just along MacArthur Highway in San Juan, La Union. A good meal for two will cost less than 300 PHP. Last time I went there, I shared a "purely vegan" dish (Blue Marlin Kilawin and Mixed Veggies) with the Canadian photographer, Craig.

Inside the restaurant.

Blue Marlin Kilawin 199 PHP (good for 2).

Four Seasons! 78 PHP for 2.

For dinner, we went to Little Surfmaid Restaurant and ordered a plate of Carbonara. It's actually good for one only, but because it costs a lot, we decided to share in one plate. Hahahahaha! Anyway, the pasta was tasty and we liked how they put so many bacon in it!

Carbonara 240 PHP.

We had a drink at Lola Nanny's after dinner. We shared a few ideas.. argued... teased.. and laughed. Hahaha!

Beer at Lola Nanny's! 40 PHP

The next morning, we met Lois of wearesolesisters.com at The Circle Hostel. We talked over a cup of coffee and it was really great to see her again. Hearing her experiences makes me motivated to travel more. It was nice to see Maribel at the hostel, too! 

With Lois Yasay of wearesolesisters.com.

We had our breakfast at a local canteen along MacArthur Highway. We spent around 150 PHP--- relatively cheaper compared to other restaurants in the area. "Tapsi" costs around 60 -75 PHP. The taste wasn't that bad. :)

Adobo something.. 

At the beach, the waves were too small for surfing, but it didn't stop Jm from renting a surf board. We rented a surf board from Kuya Rey (my former surf instructor). One hour surf board rental costs 200 PHP. After 30 minutes or so, the waves were still small, so I decided to just rent a Kayak instead. 

One hour surf board rental 200 PHP

Drinking Coke before we go Kayaking 80 PHP

One hour Kayak rental 400 PHP.

We checked out at Lola Nanny's and rode a jeep to San Fernando to meet Ate Baneng, Jm's relative. We toured around Ma Cho Temple and Filipino and Chinese Pagoda.. that will be in my next post!

Total cost of damage: 

Partas bus from Cubao to La Union - 361 (student discount for Jm) + 449 (regular fare) = 810

Lola Nanny's - 500 (fan room w/ shared bath) + 200 (2hrs extension) = 700

Lunch at Angel and Marie's Surfer's Retreat - 297

Dinner at Surfmaid's - 240

Beer at Lola Nanny's - 80 (40 each)

Breakfast at a canteen - 150

Surf board rental - 200

Kayak - 400

Coke at San Juan Surf Resort - 80 (40 each)

Jeep from San Juan to San Fernando - 20 (10 each) 

Partas bus from San Fernando La Union to Cubao - 436 x 2 = 872

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3849 PHP for two, as always!

Check out my other blog post about La Union here.

Tipid tip #1: We ate a lot for breakfast so that we don't have to eat for lunch.

Tipid tip #2: Share! Even though my partner is a big eater, we decided to share a plate of Carbonara (since Carbonara is rich in calories and fat-- enough to fill our belly). Don't over-indulge!

Tipid tip #3: Use your school ID! We saved more than 40 pesos in transpo!

Tipid tip #4: If waves are not for surfing, just do other activity such as Kayaking! 

Enjoy Kayaking!

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Solitary Journey: The Circle Hostel, La Union

After my surf sesh in Baler, I decided to try another surfing lesson in La Union. I stayed at the Circle Hostel located along Mc Arthur Highway in Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan, La Union. The hostel is located behind Urbiztondo Grill (the grill is located across San Juan Surf Resort).

It was my first “solo” trip and I would really like to thank my parents for allowing me to travel alone.

Getting there:

Partas Bus Lines terminal in Cubao - Ride a Vigan bound bus and tell the conductor to drop you off at Urbiztondo Grill or San Juan Surf Resort in La Union (they already know where it is). The hostel is just right behind Urbiztondo Grill.

Cost: PHP450.00+

The Hostel:

I paid for the bunk bed which costs 400 pesos per night. They have separate dorm-type rooms for girls and boys. There’s also a common bath separated for girls and boys. The hammock costs 300 pesos. Even though I paid for the bunk bed, I decided to sleep in the hammock. Sleeping in a hammock was really uncomfortable because my legs were resting higher than my body. I really don’t know how James Betia managed to sleep in hammock during his trips. Hahaha.

They have the common area, where you can charge your cellphone or digicam battery, meet new friends, drink beer and just relax.

Meet my bunk bed!

"duyan" or hammock area.

shared bath (left side for women and right side for men)

 drinking with my surf instructor and Maribel, the hostel's receptionist (with my oily face)

drinking with the locals & Craig

Surfing:

There are surf lessons offered at the beach front. (Nasa kabilang side yung Hostel, so make sure you wear a cover up before hitting the beach because you actually have to cross the highway before you reach it.)

Cost: 200- 1 hour surfboard rental only

400- 1 hour surfing lesson w/ surfboard

my swimsuit and the surfing board! (something's not right with the color..)

I had my lesson at San Juan Surf Resort and Kuya Rey was my instructor. Sadly, no one was there to take pictures of me surfing. Kuya Rey taught surfing lessons in Club Manila East (Taytay, Rizal) before.

Sunday is the perfect time to surf.

Where to Eat:

ANGEL AND MARIE’S SURFER’S RETREAT

Blue Marlin Kilawin is a must-try! “Kilawin” is a Philippine exotic delicacy served with raw fish mixed with vinegar. It was my first time to eat raw fish (because my momma told me not to eat raw foods when I’m in a different place) and at first I thought I would not enjoy the dish. This has got to be one of the best seafood I’ve ever tasted. One serving costs around PHP170.00+. I shared this dish with another friend, Craig Pulsifer.

URBIZTONDO GRILL AND RESTAURANT

The foods were reasonably priced and they serve seafoods, as well. I spent around PHP 200.00 for the meal (grilled squid, rice and soda).

Total estimated cost of damage (in Philippine peso): PHP1700

Bus to La Union- 500
Lunch at Urbiztondo Grill- 200 (est.)
One night at The Circle Hostel- 400 (bunk bed)
Dinner at Angel and Marie's Surfer's Retreat- 200 (est.)
1 hr. Surfing Lesson- 400 

I didn't take the bus from La Union to Manila, because I did a side trip to Vigan (it's another story) before going back to the city. So, probably you'll be spending less than PHP2,500 for 2 days and 1 night stay in La Union.

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