A booster.. Something to revive our spirits..I wanted to post something positive and this is something of a good news. The Philippines has a lot of good things and I think we should all stop complaining and start working to build a better future for our children.. If other countries see something good here and even make it their favorite travel destination, then we must have something good going for us.

Ever noticed the influx of Koreans in the Philippines? The first thing I noticed about them are their really cute hairstyles, their very individualistic fashion sense, and their heels. Roam around Manila and you’ll see lots of Korean restaurants, stores selling Korean items particularly Makati area, and watch TV – you’ll get a lot of Koreanovelas airing.

We shouldn’t be surprised, recent surveys among Korean tourists indicate that the Philippines is the emerging favored travel and vacation destination.

Korea Travel Times conducted a survey to determine travel behavior and level of satisfaction among Korean tourists on a country-by-country basis. Korean tourists express a high degree of satisfaction with their Philippine travel experience, as evidenced by the 94 percent overall satisfaction rating the Philippines received in the survey.

I was looking at the calendar this morning and I just realized, Philippines do have a lot of holidays and with the president’s penchant for juggling the holidays to make longer weekends we get to have a lot of time in out hands. A good thing if you like traveling and if you need a break hopping on a plane and getting to your dream vacation destination would be pure bliss!

Planning a weekend getaway can be a bit stressful when you think about the expenses. A mom like me, would usually think twice about traveling whenever I begin to calculate the expenses on airfare, accommodation, food, shopping etc. But not since hubby and I discovered budget air traveling! You can get really cheap airfare so you have more room for other expenses. One of the best places to look for really cheap airfare is CheapOair.com Get $10 off on all Airline & $15 off on all Hotels. Book Now!!! No coupon Code Needed. Watch out for discounts and perks from that site! They are a real money saver for us.

The Philippines has so many possible vacation options, Cebu, Camiguin, Bohol, Davao, Boracay, Palawan the list is long, and these vacation hot spots can now be easily reached on a budget! And if you’re raring to go and see the breathtaking views from the SkyBridge of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur or have fun with your little ones in HongKong Disneyland, you can now do so with several flights by international low-cost airlines like Jetstar Asia, Tiger Airways, AirAsia, and Cebu Pacific.

Why does it cost so less? These airlines are no-frills. Reservations and purchases are all done online which eliminates the need to maintain ticketing offices. With a credit card and a valid passport you can easily book and pay for your vacation online. No-frills means flying without the usual amenities. Best to bring what you need like snacks since the airlines don’t provide or your will need to pay extra. Seating is usually on first come-first served basis. No airline lounges, but most international airports have comfortable waiting areas, for a few hour flight this wouldn’t be a problem.

I’ve tried flying budget airlines for a couple of times already and everything was smooth and pleasant enough so I’m always glad to repeat the experience. Some helpful tips to get the best out of your budget traveling experience.

1. Book in advance. You’ll get the best deals when you book a few months or weeks before. I have subscribed to email alerts from budget airlines so I can get the first look at the best deals.
2. Most of these budget airlines have links or partners with hotels and if your book through the site you can get really big discounts.
3. Before booking a hotel, do get feedback from friends and acquaintances. Cheap shouldn’t mean it should be dirty. I’ve stayed in a few hotels with great amenities but at really affordable prices.
4. Don’t bring too much luggage. Remember, budget airlines usually have lower luggage limits and its saves you time too.
5. Remember to keep a record of your transaction. Print your itinerary, this will serve as your ticket. Check also if your fare already includes travel tax, otherwise you have to pay at the airport before checking in.
6. If possible try booking a weekday departure and arrival, this is much cheaper.

Here’s my list of budget carriers:

• Tiger Airways – Flies from Clark(Diosdado Macapagal Airport) to Macau, Singapore, Perth and Darwin Australia.

• AirAsia – Flies from Clark (Diosdado Macapagal Airport) to Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

• Jetstar Asia – Flies from NAIA (Manila) to Jakarta, Indonesia, Phuket, Thailand, and Singapore.

• Cebu Pacific – Flies from NAIA (Manila) to Bangkok, Guangzhou, Hanoi, HongKong, Jakarta, Kaohsiung, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Saigon, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, and Xiamen.

I took advantage of my daughter’s birthday to take a few days off too (she wanted to have a party in lola’s garden..) I’m here in Albay..recharging and eating good food (that means, food I didn’t cook! ) There is just something so nice and relaxing about being in the place where you grow up and being pampered.

Its not as hot here as in Manila and it rains frequently.. I think its kinda weird since I used to remember summers here to be awfully hot and humid. But now I think climate is really changing, it rains every evening and early morning here so even if it gets so hot at noon time its still cooler compared to Manila. One thing I like about the province, the air is clean and cool. I rarely get my allergy attacks here

My mom is crazy about gardening and she has planted these huge ferns around the house, she says she wants the place to be cooler and it really makes for a tropical look.. It’s really cool and I love looking at how green it is – so stress relieving.. You can find these ferns along river banks and lakes and along the way up to Mayon Volcano ( no pics of Mayon this time, its always so cloudy and the mountain is always covered with it..)

Here’s the trunk of our pili tree.. Love the “manalo” plants

I’m having a great time except that we don’t have an internet connection here.. so my regular blog hops, reviews etc are on hold.. I’m connecting now using my mobile phone hooked up as modem but the internet speed is super slow..

will be back tommorow..

I think this is a bit odd, though it would probably be thrilling so long as the plane doesn’t need to refuel another plane while you’re in it..

From 2011, newlyweds can start their dream trip on a Royal Air Force mid-air refueling plane, and the chances are they will be blissfully unaware of their luck.

Britain’s military is leasing a fleet of aerial tankers from a private consortium led by Airbus parent EADS in a landmark outsourcing deal. The converted A330 passenger jets can carry 60 tonnes of fuel to refuel up to four fighters far away from base or else serve as transporters carrying 300 troops and their equipment.

Officials involved in the project say some of the jets will also double as charter planes for tourists to earn their keep whenever they are not needed to serve the front line.With a plain livery, most passengers should be unaware their ordinary looking charter jet may have seen action over Afghanistan or Iraq on — hopefully — separate missions. LOL!

The long-range, wide-body A330-200 model on which the tankers are based has a maximum range of 12,500 km or 6750 nautical miles, according to Toulouse-based Airbus. With one of its ordinary airline users, it flies daily from France to holiday and honeymoon destinations in the Caribbean.

1. Why is the Sunday before Easter called Palm Sunday? Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, is the beginning of the Christian religion’s Holy Week. By the late 300′s, it was part of a trend for Christians in Jerusalem to remember the last events of Jesus’ life by holding services at sacred sites in the city. Today, palm branches are still given out on this day symbolizing the palm branches that people placed on Jesus’ path as he triumphantly entered the city of Jerusalem.

2. Maundy Thursday celebrates the Last Supper. Many churches reenact the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday. This day, three days prior to the Resurrection, is the day that Christ washed the feet of his disciples and shared his last meal with them. “Maundy” derives from the word mandate, or commandment. After Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he commanded them to do the same for one another. In John 13:34, Jesus says, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another.”

3. What’s “good” about Good Friday? Good Friday, celebrated the Friday before Easter is considered a day of mourning by many believers of the Christian faith, but it is also the beginning of the three-day Easter celebration leading to the Resurrection. When he was resurrected, Christians believe, Christ paid for the sins of the world and gave everyone a clean slate. This is the basis of the Christian religion.

With nothing much to do last weekend, I dragged my husband and kiddo to take a walk along Roxas Boulevard, Manila. Gone are the restaurants along Baywalk, but still a lot of people were taking a leisurely stroll along the sidewalks.

One reason I wanted to go there is to take some pictures. It certainly one of the places I’ll be missing once me and my family moves back to Phnom Penh. We used to take regular weekend strolls here, buying fishballs, ice cream then having dinner on a restaurant along Roxas Boulevard. Here’s some pics of Manila Pier and Manila Bay Sunset..