Travel Story 3: Singapore and the comfort of the familiar

Some of my friends find Singapore boring or something they like but will not come back to because there’s not much to explore or it’s a bit too expensive (compared to other ASEAN countries probably). But a lof of my fondest travel memories are of this place, which is now officially the country I’ve visited the most (so far).

I like to refer to SG as a familiar and yet different place and every time I visit it, I feel like I’m coming home even though it’s not my home. Have you ever felt like that about any of the places you visit?

While I’ve gotten to know most of the streets and the areas and the tourist spots and the train lines and stations and the hawkers and the escalators that I think are out to kill me, there is still room for adventure. Whether it’s because of an event I’m going to or the people I’m going with or even if I’m traveling alone, I still feel this excitement bubbling up within me whenever I’m planning a trip there.

You’ve probably heard and read things about the country’s economic boom, the consequence, and fallout of a rigid society, the criticism of the government, the sorry situation of some of our countrymen working there and other issues facing this country, and I’m not discounting all of that as they are very real and they’re very complicated.

But when I think of Singapore, I think of

…walking around the Botanical Gardens heartbroken and crying my eyes out

…attending my first international conference and learning about people’s struggles from all over the world

…discovering nice little indie bookshops and then being overwhelmed by the National Library

…walking around the downtown area with a friend/officemate, listening to her tale of burgeoning love (she ends up marrying him a year or so later)

…attending my first international concert festival and seeing The 1975, Chvrches, and other musical acts fro the very first time

…watching my first international football game even though I was so sad coz Messi wasn’t playing

…getting my first taste of Nandos

…bringing my mom and brother around and showing them all my favorite places

…crying at the National Gallery as I beheld my first Impressionist artists “in person”

…meeting up with friends that I rarely/never see in Manila

…the endless walking from train stations to various places which I don’t really resent

…the joys of Ikea

…attending my first Formula 1 event

…ALL THE GOOD FOOD (and even the meh ones)

So the travel lesson is this: adventure doesn’t always mean skydiving or spelunking or getting lost in places and finding your way back. Adventure can also be found in embracing the comfort of the familiar but always looking out for spaces to explore. Adventure can be experienced not just in new things but also in the ones that you’ve previously done or been to. Adventure can be both big and small.

Singapore, see you really soon again.

Travel Story 2: My Formula 1 Baptism

If you know me, then you know that I am not much of a sports person. Okay, let me clarify: I love football and tennis enough to make up for all the other sports that I don’t like or I don’t know anything about but that’s the extent of my sports knowledge. I also don’t know anything about cars. Ask me the difference between a Toyota and a Honda is like asking me about math (meaning, blank stare).

So it came as a surprise to my friends that I actually went to Singapore to watch the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix when they themselves who are F1 addicts have never even watched a race live. I have to admit, the only way my friend Pam convinced me to go with her was the prospect of seeing cute guys and of course watching Muse and Red Hot Chili Peppers live.

In preparation for the trip, I watched the Netflix F1 docu-series Drive to Survive and the way they told the stories of the mid-tier teams (no Mercedes or Ferrari in this one) actually piqued my interest. But still I went to Singapore knowing next to nothing about the sport except for the names of the drivers and which team they were on.

First day was just “practice” and the second day was the qualifying while the last day was the actual race. Stepping onto the grounds of the Marina Bay Circuit even on that first day was already electrifying. You could see how everyone was so excited to see the cars drive around even if it was just basically practice sessions. And when I saw the first few cars drive around the circuit, I almost yelled “Guys, not so fast! You might crash!” But as I started getting used to the speed and the power of the cars and the skills of the drivers, I started to understand why people were crazy about this sport even though you would only see the cars drive past you for a split second every few minutes or so. Even though we were just passive viewers, the adrenaline and the amazement at those powerful machines and human beings was flowing through us.

So from Friday to Sunday, I was so caught up in the F1 fever that I kept checking news stories, tweets, social media posts of the drivers, etc all throughout the weekend. And now I’m still following the sport past Singapore although I still know very little about rules and techniques and all the power plays, but I’m fascinated with the behind the scenes drama and the actual races themselves. Since the Netflix docu was my initial exposure, I’ve started to root for the middle teams and the underdogs, although of course it’s hard not to cheer for the charming and insanely talented 21-year-old Charles Leclerc (it helps that he’s very cute too lol).

So for this part of the trip, my travel lesson is this: Say yes every once in a while to things that you know nothing about because you just might discover new things to love. It’s never too late to start experiencing new things as long as you keep that spirit of wonder and adventure alive in your heart.

Oh, and seeing Muse and RHCP live was the icing on top of this speedy cake. But that’s another story for another time.

Travel Story 1: Seeing Boracay With New Eyes

One of the things that I love most about traveling is that you get to see and experience new things and even if you've been to a place several times, you can always see it through different eyes because you're a different person every time you go there.

I've been to Boracay probably more than any other place here in the Philippines. I've gotten pretty blase about it, even though I still enjoy going there. This trip,half of us have never been and the other three have been there but it's been a long time since then. And so you could say I was the most Boracay-ed person in our group.

What I remember most from this trip is the discreet pleasure of seeing their faces light up as they beheld the glory of the beach, the sand, the water, the sunset, and all the things that people originally loved about this place. My heart "lit up" when I heard the sighs of contentment as they tasted almost all of my favorite food in this gastronomic paradise. My eyes were opened once again to things that I took for granted about this cleaner, more organized, still crowded but always glorious place.

Sans all the commercialization and closure issues, Boracay is still dear to my heart and to have shown it off in a sense to my friends is one experience I will treasure.

So the travel lesson here is: Open your eyes to things that can still be discovered and re-discovered about familiar places. It may not always be a place as beautiful or as "far" as this, but there are always new things or lessons that you can find, even if it's through the eyes of other people.

On a side note, I wasn't in a good place emotionally for the past few days and even several times during this trip. You have to look for the small and big balms to your soul that are just waiting around the corner for you. It hasn't made everything okay, but I will always look back at this trip with fondness and joy and a reminder that things will be okay.

Tips on How to Travel on a Budget

Traveling isn't just something that rich people do. Well, not anymore. In fact, if you have a pretty decent job, a determination to save up, and a few tricks here and there to learn how to travel on a budget, you can actually travel within your country or even outside, but within your means as well.

We don't have to extol on the virtues of traveling (if you're reading this, we're guessing you're already convinced) but we do need to talk about money. You don't need to be filthy rich, but you do need some sort of financial stability to be able to travel. It doesn't have to be in the millions. Here are some tips you can follow to be able to travel on your own financial terms. 

1. Choose a dream destination, but be realistic.

If you're looking at your bank account and you feel like a European tour is out of the question at this moment, then choose somewhere that is more realistic (financially speaking) and more feasible. You may have to settle for somewhere nearer, and then do that dream vacation somewhere in the near future (but start saving up for it too!). Once you've settled on your immediate destination, do your research so you know how much you need to save up for.

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San Juanico Bridge in between Samar and Leyte

2. Start an actual travel fund

Oh, we've all put that in our New Year's Resolution: start an honest-to-goodness travel fund. But how many of us actually do it? Well, if you're really determined to travel soon, you should actually put that bill (or coins) where your mouth is. Make sure that when you're setting aside that money every month, you will absolutely not touch it, even if there's a great sale on Saks or something. You can even moonlight or take on a second job if you still can, just to save up for your dream vacation. 

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3. Watch out for airline seat sales

While we all of course would love to fly first class and with a top-notch airline, chances are that would not be a priority if you want to travel on a budget. So your best bet would be to watch out for airline sales from apps like Skyscanner Flights, Kayak, etc. The planes are smaller and the service may not be that great, but hey, at least you're on your way to wherever it is you want to go. 

4. Find a comfortable, affordable hotel/hostel

If you're going to spend 80% of your time outside, exploring a new place, then why would you want to spend a lot of money on a place where you're just going to sleep and take a bath? Sites like Agoda, Hotels.com are the best ways to look for hotels/hostels/apartelles because they offer cheaper rates than booking directly. Air BnB is also a great option if you're looking for no frills places (meaning you most likely will have to look after yourself). But don't just book the cheapest one you can find. Do your research. Go to Trip Advisor and see what they say about the place you're eyeing. Google your potential accommodation just to be sure. Just choose the minimum viable things you would need (WiFi, a small closet, air-conditioning) and make sure that the hotel is somewhere near the main areas so you also wouldn't spend a lot on transportation. 

5. Set the itinerary after researching well.

Having a planned and detailed itinerary will save you a lot of money. Going to a place unprepared is always a no-no and will always be more expensive, because, eventually, you'll end up hiring a tour guide or going with a tour group because you know nothing. But going on sites like Trip Advisor, CNN Travel, Lonely Planet, various travel blogs can help you whittle down the things you need to see and then help you plan out how much you will spend or which places will fit in with your budget. Remember, DIY-ing it is always cheaper and probably more fun.

Senso-ji Temple is a must-see according to travel blogs. And they were right.

6. Don't fall into the tourist traps.

Every country has one, so make sure to do your research so you can avoid them like the plague. You don't really need that overpriced souvenir when you can get simpler, cheaper ones. You don't really need to go to a fancy looking place when you know you won't buy something or you won't enjoy touring it anyway. Travel bloggers are pretty helpful in weeding out these traps. 

7. Walk and take the bus or train as much as possible.

There are a lot of tourist places where walking is encouraged because after all, you can enjoy a new place more on your feet rather than on wheels. So as much as possible, walk. Or if their public transportation system is pretty good, go for the buses or taxis. Just try to avoid taxis as much as you can, especially if you're obviously a tourist. And if you have no choice but to take one, make sure you research beforehand what's the regular rate so you won't get duped.

Walking to the Meiji Shrine

8. Limit your shopping and shop wisely.

Of course you can never avoid shopping, even if it's just for small trinkets and souvenirs. But make sure that you set a budget for it, and then stick to it. Find out where the best places to go to are and check if these are legit shopping meccas or just tourist traps. Buy only things that you would need or you would give to someone. Yes, you can treat yourself to something silly and cute or something that's really nice, but only if you're not over your budget yet.

9. Look for "freebie" tourist spots.

Sometimes, you have to pay an exorbitant amount to get into museums, temples, etc. But if you feel like that is beyond what you can spend on entrance fees, look for ones where you don't have to pay anything. You can still go to one or two places, especially if the fee is absolutely worth it, but there are also places where everyone is free to look around and take selfies. Some galleries and museums also have free days, so you can check them out too. 

10. Make sure you have an emergency fund.

There's nothing worse than being in a strange place and you run out of money. So make sure that you set aside a certain amount which you will only touch for emergency purposes. Remember, you can't call anyone to come pick you up in case you come up short on cash.