Manjamanak, Apo Whang od!

It has been a great trip.

<3

April 29 - May 2, 2015

Buscalan Village, Tinglayan, Kalinga, Apayao

with: Kevin, Martin, Potpot, Dada, Val, & Will

#BackpackerTeacher Monthsary. Haha!

Exactly a month ago, I blogged how excited I am for the project of Two Monkeys Travel. After seeing Kach's post, I sent her an email right away to show my interest about this life-changing project. And to cut the long story of emails, fb chat convos, and skype meetings, she was able to form a Core Team and that includes me as the Regional Coordinator for Luzon. Yay!!!

In just one month, we already accomplished the following:

1. Our team was able to put up our website - BackpackerTeacher

2. We got more than 200 volunteers from all over the country.

3. We got several sponsors.

4. We were featured on GNN - Global News Network 's HOTSPOT!

5. Our facebook page - Project Backpacker Teacher of Two Monkeys Travel  got 1,428 supporters as of writing.

6. And lastly, we were able to officially launch this Project!

If you share the same passion, come and join us!

Like our page or feel free to ask and send any questions at backpackerteacher@twomonkeystravelgroup.com

xx

Random Beach Trip

Burot Beach, Calatagan Batangas
04.10.15

Long hours of travel.

Trash.

Lying on sand.

Stars.

Wishing stars.

Laughter.

Peace of mind.

Starfish.

Wine.

Bonfire.

Mangrove.

Love songs.

Tears.

Answered 36 random questions.

College.

Friends.

Life

xx

Hashtag, BACKPACKER TEACHER!

After I saw the post of Kach Mu at Two Monkeys Travel Forum, I can't stop thanking God and the universe. haha!

Here's her post:

This is my MOM's ultimate dream, to have our own organization giving back to the community! So a lot of you have been asking about Volunteering, Teaching and Backpacking.. why not do it at the same time?

I'm creating the long project plan and now in progress with company partners. You guys can volunteer and gain teaching Experience before we help you teach English abroad! We can give certificate too!

Do you know any communities or local schools who need would like to have a long term English curriculum partners?

If you have books, school supplies please start collecting it as this new project of our community will start this summer in Philippines! IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA FOR THIS PROJECT, PLEASE MESSAGE ME (EMAIL: kach@twomonkeystravelgroup.com or facebook inbox! smile emoticon

We need 5 CORE MEMBERS who can help us with Marketing, Lesson Planning, Coordinating and Organizing Events! Hopefully we can pay you and give you allowances but might take for few months.

Everyone, hope you can start our campaign #backpackerteacher

~~~~~~

THAT is a photo I edited years ago just because I wanted to see myself teaching these kids.  Hahahahahha 

This was my post last May 2013...

Say I WANT! -not 'i wish'

Now I remember the dream I wrote two years ago...

Gusto kong maging guro.

Sa Pilipinas.

Sa liblib na lugar.

Yung hindi ka lang basta guro.

Yung tipong isa kang life-changer.

Ayoko mangibang bansa.

Ayokong magtrabaho para sa ibang lahi.

Gusto ko dito.

Gusto kong makitang unti-unti tayong umuunlad.
Lalong lalo na ang antas ng edukasyon.

This is it! Thank You for making a way when I thought there is no way.. Sobrang saya ko ngayon, G. :)

A Faulty GoPro Unit.

I recently bought a GoPro Hero 4 Silver Edition 2 days (February 11,2015) before my 2 consecutive trips up north - Mt. Pulag & Ilocos. The only time I saw it working properly was when the Sales Lady showed/tried it at SM City Calamba.

I didn't have the time to test its durability because I was busy packing up for my birthday trips. It started acting up on our first day going to the province of Benguet. The screen will just go black after I turn it on. It was freezing up and I couldn't turn it off. All I had to do to turn it off was to remove the batteries. I reset everything, I even removed/reinserted the SD card but NO LUCK.

I even read some articles online regarding my problem.. 

If your camera is freezing up, that usually means that you need to update the camera's software or there are some issues with the SD card. - http://gopro.com/support/articles/camera-freezes-up

Still, my GoPro Hero 4 Silver Edition was not working properly! I didn't believe it was about my SD Card because it is the one recommended by the Sales Lady! Btw, I am using SanDisk Ultra. After reading articles, I realized it would be better if I purchased SanDisk Extreme. But anyway... Again, it's not about my SD Card.

After my Pulag trip, the problem became unbearable. It wasn't working 85% of the time we were in Ilocos! It froze up, won't turn off, the battery was getting hotter than usual, screen would be divided into three or more parts, it was just black screen, sometimes pink, sometimes purple, and sometimes green! Dafuq?!

Look!

this is part of a video I took.

how it looked like. So upsetting. isn't it?

parting ways. chos!

*sigh

Imagine going on your vacation having this dilemma. Nakakawalang gana!

So last Friday, I decided to bring this hard-headed GoPro to iFix (one and only service center of GoPro in Luzon). Their website is down. There were several contact numbers of iFix which I got from facebook but those are not working. Fortunately, I got their working number from other bloggers. I called them first just to make sure they're open every Fridays, and if they're still in Kapitolyo, Pasig. I asked them if I can get my GoPro on the same day and they told me that I might just receive a new unit (this is after I gave them the serial number and the issue of my GoPro Hero 4 Silver Edition)

Friday... This is it pancit! I left Calamba around 10 in the morning and arrived at Shaw Boulevard an hour and a half after. Took jeepney going to Kapitolyo proper and asked the driver to drop me off at Petron Gas Station. Walked 2 blocks, turned right and viola! I'm in iFix Center.

It was already 12:20 and the employees were about to take their lunch. Ms. Marbie Rubio (a pretty, kind, and sweet looking lady) still entertained my GoPro issue. After less than an hour, the staff called my name and informed me that I got a defective / faulty unit and they will just provide a brand new GoPro Hero 4 Silver Edition. He told me that it has something to do with the sensor and mine was eventually an "old" unit.

Here's the serial number of my old GoPro: C3131125333632 - it might help you figure out why yours is acting up as well.

The employees at iFix Kapitolyo are soooo accomodating! Really!!! *insert all the happy emojis here*

Here's their contact information as of writing:

iFix Center, Inc.

4 United St. Cor. First St.

Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Philippines, 1603

(+63) 9275607676 , (+63) 9497199908

02 631-1705

service@ifix.com.ph

TIPS AHOY! How to score cheaper plane tickets.

I recently posted my super murang ticket going to one of my dream destinations in the Philippines, BATANES! I was asked numerous times on how on earth I scored that Php2,429 all-in/two-way ticket going to Basco, Batanes. So, here's how!

promo fares!!!

• FIRST - humanap ng kakilala na nagtatrabaho sa isang airline company. Chichika nila sayo before ilabas sa public if their company will offer promofares at 12midnight. hehe
• SECOND - like the facebook pages of these Airlines like CebPac, AirAsia, et al.
• THIRD - maging abangers at magpuyat till 12midnight para makakuha agad ng tix.
• FOURTH - join their newsletter
• FIFTH - memorize your creditcard info dahil mas mabilis pa sa kabayo ang pagkaubos ng mga tickets
• SIXTH - abangan at dayuhin ung mmga travel expo ek ek. maraming murang tickets dun!
• SEVENTH - wag magdadalawang isip. if you want it, get it. kesehodang wala ka pang kasama. You can always cancel your tickets naman eh if magbago isip mo.

goooood luck! :)

xx

Finally, ILOCOS!!!

ILOCOS

February 20-22, 2015

Few months back, I came across this Facebook page of  Extreme Outdoor Club -a travel and tour group that offers Ilocos Getaway for only Php3,000. It was my first time joining a group of strangers and I knew it would be fun!

INCLUSIONS:

• Private Van (Nissan Urvan 14 seater or Toyata Hi ace Commuter) - we were 17 including the driver and the guide. no biggie. I expected that. Though I was really hoping it would only be 3pax per row since Ilocos is really far.
• Vigan, Laoag, Pagudpud Tour - yes, your 3,000 pesos is soo sulit! 
• 2 nights room 4/6pax sharing accommodation in a beach resort - the room is actually good for two persons only. It has one bed and one extra mattress. I asked the guide, Kuya Mike if we can transfer to another room. He called Edzhel Herrera - the owner or maybe the founder of EOC. He agreed. We settled our things, freshened up, charged our gadgets, et al. and then suddenly, the air-conditioner stopped functioning. We transferred to another room which is actually bigger and good for 4-6persons. Lucky? Kind of. I guessed. Morning after, Kuya Mike was asking us to pay additional Php500 each because we requested a separated room. Of course, we firmly disagreed. They should have informed us about that fee before allowing us to get a new room.
• Entrance in Kabigan Falls, Kapurpuruwan Rock Formation, Entrance in Blue Lagoon
• Bagtag ID - no. we didn't receive any bagtag ids

My viewpoint:

EOC was on time! We left Manila at exactly 10 in the evening of Thursday.

Hope they would post a tarpaulin outside the van so we would know na yun na pala yung inaantay namin. 

Group tour is a lot cheaper than travelling alone.

Be open minded but know your rights.

Pack Light.

Always be on time.

Patience!

***To our driver, Mang Pedro -kahit inakala mong mga tilapia kaming mga sakay mo sa sobrang bilis mong mag-maneho, thank you pa din. Salamat for allowing us na makisabay hanggang Sucat though ang usapan is until Balintawak lang. hehe! To Pham Manayan and the family from Mindoro that became our instant friends, Thank you sa masayang kwentuhan, tsismisan, takutan at food trip. Haha! And to that woman (in her 40s maybe)- who blurted out "Hay nko! Nababadtrip nko ha!" after I said "Jan ho ata kami." calm down, momma. You could not choose your preferred sit inside the van. The organizers already prepared the sitting arrangement. Not our fault, madame. So please, wag ako. Charaught!

All in all, I will still recommend EOC. They offer tours in a reasonable price. There may be some issues on the road but it's amenable.

xx

Test Shots

GoPro HERO4 Silver Edition

I am officially in love with this!!!

#CambViet2014

It all started when CebPac offered promo fares for international and domestic trips last January, 2014. Our original plan was to visit Vietnam alone but few months after, we realized it'll be a good idea to check out Cambodia as well.

Here's the breakdown of our air fare:

Payment Details

Other Fees: PHP 0.00 

Other Taxes: PHP 0.00 

Base Fare: PHP 4.00

Fuel Surcharge: PHP 4,436.72 

Passenger Service Charge-VN: PHP 1,774.68 

Web Admin Fee: PHP 480.00 

INSRT: PHP 650.00 

Seat Selection Fee: PHP 520.00 

BAG15: PHP 1,600.00 

Total Amount: PHP 9,465.40 (or PHP 4,732.70 each)

...I know it's quite expensive despite the promo. Why? Because it includes seat selections and travelsure program of CebPac. Here's a tip!

TIP #1: Do not pre-select your sits. It will just cost you more hundreds. But buy your baggage allowance online since it's cheaper.

Our flight was at 10:50 in the evening and Alex was already at the airport few minutes after 6. I arrived past 9 in the evening because I forgot my passport and had to go back to Calamba. Sorry na. Ha ha!

At the airport, we had to pay PHP 1,620 for travel tax and PHP 550 for Terminal Fee. And we were like, SRSLY?! Ganun kamahal ang pag-alis? We also had our late dinner at Tapa King. 112 pesos for 4pcs siomai, steamed rice, and water. hashtag: tipidmode

We arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport around 12:30 AM - Vietnam Time (1:30 AM if you're in the Philippines). We took our time inside the airport by getting our luggage and looking for a Money Changer. We exchanged our $100 to Vietnam Dong and we're instant millionaires! It's my first time to hold 2,138,100 Dong. Again, that's two million! Ha ha

Tan Son Nhat International Airport

TIP #2: As much as possible, look for a Mai Linh Taxi when you need to use a cab. Do not ride a Vinasun Taxi because they are known for providing bad service.

It was pretty hard to spot a Mai Linh Taxi. And most of the time, they already have a passenger inside. So we didn't have a choice that time we arrived in the airport but to take Vinasun Taxi. We took a taxi going to Gotcha - a restobar that serves kebab, burgers, fries, beers, etc. The Vinasun Taxi driver asked for 180,000 VND eventhough his meter said 153,000 VND only. Since we didn't have the energy to argue, we just handed him our payment. Gotcha is located one block away from the bus stop going to Cambodia and we stayed there for hours and got 2 rounds of free drinks from tipsy / friendly travelers from America and Australia.

TIP #3: If you intend to go right away to Cambodia, you would save a lot of money if you'll just stay in an establishment which is open for 24hrs instead of staying in a hotel for just a couple of hours. 

Before daylight, we decided to just stay at the park in front of the Mekong Express to wait for our bus which would depart at 7:00 AM. Btw, I paid our Ho Chi Minh - Siem Reap (vv) bus tickets online so kindly check their website. It cost $26 each ($52 - two way / pax).

We left Vietnam at exactly 7 in the morning and arrived in Cambodia at 10 in the evening. Yes, it was 15 hours of seating and listening to i don't know if it's Vietnam or Cambodia's music. It was exhausting!

Vietnam-Cambodia Border

When we were still planning this trip, we agreed to keep it bold and cheap at the same time. We looked for several accommodations online and settled to Angkorwall HoHo right in the center of Siem Reap. This dormitory for travelers is perfectly located at Sivatha Street which is next to Night Market. We paid approx $30 for 2 nights. That's like 337 pesos per day / pax which is not bad. Really! 

TIP #4: Be adventurous! Try dorms on your next trip. It ain't bad at all. You'll meet several backpackers from around the world. It's fun!

On our second day, we planned to do it the tourist way. The Angkor Watt Tour! Since we're on a tight budget, we didn't get any tour packages online. It's reallllyy expensive! Most of the tours I checked online were asking for $60-$90 / tour. Kalurks! On our first night at Siem Reap, we met NoPro (means No Problem) - a tuktuk driver and asked him if he can be our guide the next day. He agreed to be our driver / tour guide for $15 or approx 660 pesos (PHP330/each).

One day pass at the Angkor World Heritage is $20.

Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations. - UNESCO

One Day Pass

NoPro - tuktuk driver / tour guide

We finished our tour past 3 in the afternoon and NoPro advised us to experience buffet dinner and watch the Traditional Khmer Dancing Shows at Koulen Restaurant. The food is alright, you got to taste the authentic Khmer cuisine that typically consists of rice, herbs, & vegetables. This buffet and live perfomance will cost you $12.

Our last night at Cambodia was spent at the Pub Street...

Our 3rd day was all about sitting again for another 15 hours and listening to nonstop Khmer music because we were going back to Vietnam. Again, we rode the Mekong Express Bus for PHP 1,144 (Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh).

We stayed at New Saigon Hotel for $50 (1 room for 2 nights) or approx 550 per night / pax. The next morning, we just explored the city on our own with the help of a map. 

MAIN EXPENSES:

AIRFARE

Manila - Ho Chi Minh (vv) + baggage                       -          PHP 4,733

AIRPORT

Travel Tax                                                                -          PHP 1,620

Terminal Fee                                                            -          PHP    550
CAMBODIA
Bus ticket from Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap               -          PHP 1,144
Cambodia Immigration                                             -          PHP     105

Angkorwall Hoho                                                      -          PHP     674

NoPro (driver / tour guide)                                       -          PHP     330
Angkor World Heritage One Day Pass                     -          PHP     880

Koulen Restauraant buffet dinner + show                -          PHP     528
VIETNAM
Bus ticket from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh               -          PHP 1,144
New Saigon Hotel                                                     -          PHP 1,100

      T   O   T    A   L                                                   =         PHP 12,808 ($291) for 5d/4n #CambViet2014

xx