My Hongkong Trip - "Get Ready Hongkong, Here we Come!"

Sept. 30, 2011 - This is it! I told myself, today, is the day that I'll have my passport marked. I've had my passport since last year but I have had no opportunity to use it yet until this time. I slept about 4 hours today. I checked the weather forecast online for both Hongkong and Philippines and so far, mother nature seems to be on my side today. Thank God! So Hongkong, get ready because here we come!

Yesterday, it took us some time to know our way in the Airport. We don't know where to go and what to do but this time, we know our way in. By the time the check in counter opened and i got my boarding pass, I smiled and thank God silently. This is DEFINITELY IT! I am about to embark into a travel adventure. Both me and my travel buddy have not been to Hongkong, so this will be our first. We are both excited and can't wait. We were definitely counting the seconds as we come near our boarding time.


The flight went smoothly, there were some turbulence for some time but not too much. And overall, we arrived at our destination safely. When the plane landed at Hongkong airport, we are full of excitement. We can't wait to get off the plane, the funny thing is, we're not the only ones. Normally, the flight attendant advices everyone to get out of the plane slowly but this time, we heard the radio differently. The flight attendant specifically said to get out of the plane faster. One passenger made a joke about it but it didn't bother me much as i was in a hurry to get off that plane anyway. The Hongkong airport is big. Our airport here in the Philippines is no comparison to the Hongkong airport. We were just following the rest of the passengers as we don't know exactly where to next. Along the way though, we decided to go to the comfort room and what a huge comfort room it was. There's an area where ladies can just sit down and apply make up and powder their noses. Another area for washing of hands. The cubicles are big and comfy. They have Toilet seats' paper, another toilet paper for drying of hands. It was definitely a place of comfort for women. I even took pictures because it was amazingly big and comfortable.

After doing our thing, we went back to following other passengers. We reached the immigration area and everyone was lining up for their turn. There were free Hongkong maps on display and we took two before lining up. The line was long, there were a lot of people waiting for their turn to be interviewed. I silently prayed that we'll both be able to answer their questions and that the immigration personnel would approved of our trip. One thing i like about Hongkong is that they are very disciplined and organized. You can see that in the airport. There's a system followed in lining up to be interviewed by immigration and so far it worked. Despite of the long line, we didn't wait that much. The Hongkong residents have a different line while visitors from other places are lined up in one. The airport also have a lot of signs so as long as you know how to read English, then you will definitely find your way.

My buddy and i went together to be interviewed. We were asked of our purpose in visiting Hongkong and what are our plans. I guess, with our angelic faces, sweet smiles and smooth communication with the immigration personnel, we got approved! Well, having a plane ticket back to the Philippines also played a big role in that interview. But whatever reason that drove that personnel to approved our stay, I don't really care anymore. I was just thankful that we're IN! By the way, we got approved for 14 days of stay in Hongkong and we would have stayed and consumed all 14 days if we could but as you already know, this is just a 3-day trip :)

After immigration, we went to get our baggage. They have boards displaying all flight arrivals and the corresponding station numbers where the baggage were. They also have customer service specific to inquiring about your baggage. They have about 15 stations where you can claim your baggage and our baggage were at station 13. After getting all our baggage, we are ready to start this journey! But first we need to talk to "Nanay Cora", she's our contact in Hongkong for our accommodation. We went to a pay phone and called her number. It took us some time to get thru her number. The difficult part was that after keying the number, all we get is an operator talking in Chinese. And yes i am partly Chinese but i do not understand a single word so it was really hard for both of us. We tried a couple more times, calling the number Nanay Cora gave us and at last, we were able to get thru and we spoke to her. She gave us instructions on which bus to ride to get to Tsim Tsa Tsui and she said that she'll meet us there.

Before leaving the airport, we decided to walk around and eat first. Most of the restaurants in the airport are already closed but we found a 7-11 store and decided to buy microwavable food. It's gonna be my first meal in Hongkong and we took our time choosing which meal to buy considering our budget for this trip. In the end, I settled for a chicken with rice meal and bottled water, costing about 25-30 dollars on our 1st meal. When we got out of the airport, it started to rain. Luckily, our bus (N21) was parked at the bus stops and waiting. We were told that we need to give the exact amount of the fare as the bus drivers doesn't give any change. The fare was 23 dollars from the airport to Tsim Tsa Tsui, that's about Php138 if you convert it. The bus was big, it has a 2nd deck. It has an area where you can store your baggage. We found our seats and made ourselves comfortable. We didn't know how long will it took to reach Tsim Tsa Tsui but Nanay Cora did say that it will be the bus' last stop so everyone will be getting off the bus when it reaches our destination. My friend was seated at the window side but still the windows are big and so I get to see the view while we were traveling to Tsim Tsa Tsui. Hongkong was definitely a big city! The buildings are amazingly high! I can get my neck hurt just checking the building out. Hongkong is also known for their lights and you can see the buildings covered with it. It creates beautiful view for all the passengers. I don't know how long exactly we were traveling but i'm sure i almost fell asleep during the whole trip. When we arrived at Tsim Tsa Tsui, it was windy and the rain has not stopped yet. We have seen some people getting ready and opening their businesses already. It was about 5AM and they are starting their day. We, on the other hand, are still ending ours. We found a pay phone and we tried contacting Nanay Cora again. Since we last talked to her, hours already passed and we cant seem to find her anywhere in the area. Again, we had trouble calling her number. And then i realized, that you have to press each key harder so that it will get thru. We did that and spoke to Nanay Cora. She said to wait where we are and that she'll come and get us.

We waited near Watsons and after a few minutes, we saw two lovely ladies. One, immediately spoke in Bisaya and asked if we are her new tenants. No doubt about it, the lady with a big smile and a big heart is Nanay Cora. She brought her friend "Inday" who was originally from the Philippines too. We rode a taxi going to Hung Hom where we will be staying. We paid 30 dollars for the taxi, that's Php180 cab fare. The building has 13th floor but our home is at the 2nd floor of the building.

The house was small but complete. We have our own bathroom, sink, bed, fridge, and a little kitchen. It was small and enough for 2 people but definitely homey. Nanay Cora started giving instructions on what and what not to do in the house and left us to rest.

It was about 6AM of Oct. 1 already but we are still ending our day. Believe it or not, our Hongkong journey now begins.

My Hongkong Trip - "Tomorrow is another day!"

Sept. 29, 2011 - I barely had any sleep, my first ever travel experience outside the country is just hours away. I came home with a planned activity for the day. The plan was for me to sleep then wake up after 7hrs and meet with my travel friend at a mall. Unfortunately, the day didn't go as planned. I was too excited thinking, packing, thinking, dreaming, and thinking again...I'm sure you get the picture. Our flight was scheduled at 10PM that night so we need to be at the airport by 7pm. we were so excited that we arrived at the airport before 7PM. We waited for our counter to open so that we can check in. My friend and I can't stop discussing our itineraries on our 4-day travel in Hongkong. We went over each day's itinerary over and over again, covering all possible scenarios or obstacles that we can think of. This kept our energy and excitement up. We didn't mind the long wait, we are so eager to where we will be after a few more hours. By 8:15PM, the counter opened and we lined up. However, we were greeted with bad news! Our flight has been cancelled because there's an on going typhoon in Hongkong and that day, it was signal number 8 there. Of all the days, why does it have to be today? I don't know what to feel after hearing the news. I'm disappointment, yes, but it happened. I wanted to be mad, this will be my first travel outside the Philippines and seems like, mother nature just doesn't agree with my plans. i want to be positive and it was hard. I kept thinking that there's a reason why they cancelled the flight and it was obviously for my own safety. Still, you can't blame me for feeling disappointed. Luckily, we were told that they can booked us in by tomorrow at the same time for another flight to Hongkong. I was happy with that news but our 4-day travel plans has now been reduced to 3 days. I guess better 3-days than none at all. We both went back home and rested thinking that tomorrow is another day!

Tsunami, the awakening

Today, i was awaken with sweat rolling down my cheek. I remember feeling a little irritated that the door to my balcony was pushed by the wind outside leaving me sleeping in a close room with no ventilation. If only i can scream at the door to open and it will do it by itself, i would have done so. Im staying at the 3rd floor of my building and normally, i enjoy the wind that comes thru my balcony however today that was not the case. I remember, struggling to decide on whether i should stand up and open the door or leave it and go back to sleep. In the end, I had no choice but to wake up, i decided that it's better to wake up now and get some air to stay alive than go back to sleep and suffer in the heat. When i stood up and opened the door, i was surprised of how strong the wind is outside and here i am, sweating in my sleep. Is that fair? I guess i'm just being dramatic but really? everyone is enjoying the wind outside, while i struggle to get some cool air in my sleep. But for some reason, the wind seems to be telling me something. I have this strange feeling inside but i shrugged it off, thinking that it's nothing. Before i went back to bed, i decided to check on my cellphone, just to see if i got any new messages. I have a team outing activity by tomorrow so i need rest because after the activity, i will be off to work immediately so it's gonna be one busy day for me. I want to make sure to get enough rest today to have energy for tomorrow. Also, i have to think about an activity for this team outing and i havent thought of any yet. But for the meantime, i took the time to listen to my instinct and picked that phone up and view my inbox.

As i scan thru my inbox, i saw a message from one of my friends about the Tsunami incident in Japan. I was so shocked and somehow a sudden sadness embraced me. Here i am, worrying of getting enough rest for tomorrow's activity, irritated of the fact that i have to wake up because of the heat, and feeling "unfair" with how i was treated in my sleep but all the while, people from the other side, is screaming for their lives, fearing for their loved ones and worrying for the next few seconds that they're in this predicament. Now tell me, how is that fair?

I can't help but realized how insensitive we get nowadays. We just think of ourselves, what can i get from this? What's in it for me? How can i get what i want?

What has happened to us? They say no man is an island but how come we live thinking that everything revolves around us? It is ironic because all of us, at one point or another, have this need inside us to be wanted, to be accepted and to belong in a group or to someone and if we do, we end up just ruining that because of our selfish thoughts and acts. The funny part is that whenever there are calamities such as the tsunami incident in Japan, this is when we get to think about these things and then for some time realize that every moment of life is precious. But the realization is just a start and it doesn't end there. It's only the beginning. They say it is not your fault that you were born poor or bad but it will be if you stay that way. I guess, what's important is after we reached this realization, what do we do about it?

After hearing this news, i know i still have to go to the team outing and I know i still have to think of the activity i need for tomorrow. Life will still go on. But inside me, all i can think about is the people who have lost their families, their homes, their wealth, and their loved ones. Were they able to tell their families that they love them? Were they able to say sorry and reconcile? Did they get enough time to finish what they were called to do in this life? Then i asked myself, have i done these things? have i said i'm sorry or i love you or i miss you or thank you to the people who deserve these from me?

It's not too late, we still have time. Every second counts and every moment is an opportunity. Let us not waste it. So today, pick up that phone, call your mom, your dad, your family, your friend, your enemy, or anyone who deserve a "sorry", a "thank you", or "i love you" from you. Don't make the mistake of not telling them. This may or can be your last.

Villa Igang at Guimaras Island

Have you been to Guimaras Island? If not, then you should. It's a place worth the sight. Last December 2010, I had the chance to visit the island the 2nd time around with my family. My 1st visit was fine but i didnt get to see the beauty of the place itself. We spent our time there at a crowded resort, it was a sudden trip and was not well-planned. But it was worthwile because it was spent with my family. However, last December, my sister took the time to search for a good place there and booked us in to a more private resort than the 1st one. This time around, i had the luxury of getting to know how beautiful this small island is. I tell you, it is a wonder.

Guimaras island is a small island known as the "Mango country". I grew up in Iloilo City but with all my years there, i never had the chance to visit this 15-minute boat ride island. I guess as they say it, most people are a foreigner in their own land and i'm one of them. But majority of it was because i was really not the outgoing type when i was young. I think this is the reason why if i get to travel, i marvel with the little details of the place i visit to. I easily get awed by the beautiful works of our God. So before the year 2010 ended, I got to see one of God's marvelous workmanships one more time in this small island called "Guimaras".

We had a reservation at a place called "Villa Igang" located at poblacion, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras. At first, i was not expecting much of this planned vacation, because 1st, i already visited the place, 2nd, "Igang" in Cebuano means "hot" and i'm not a fan of hot places, and 3rd, this is just an overnight stay because we had to go back to iloilo in time to celebrate the new year. SO what can you really expect in an overnight stay? Not much right. Anyway from the port, we rented a "multi-cab", it's a small jeepney-like ride to bring us to the resort. The travel was about 30-45minutes and it was smooth, no traffic and I enjoyed feeling fresh air blowing all over my face. When we got to the gate of the resort, we had to either wait for a motorcycle to bring us to the resort because they won't allow our ride to bring us there (I guess, that's part of their business) or walk for about half a kilometer to get to the place. That time, we had no choice but to do the latter because there was no ride available. So we took the challenge of walking. I say it's a challenge for us because if you've seen my family, you'll know that walking is not part of our everyday routine. Yes, we are a "BIG" family (literally big) but we also have "BIG" hearts and together we conquer "BIG" challenges such as walking hehehehe.

As we walk our way towards Villa Igang, i can't help but walk in admiration and be grateful to the Lord. Leading our way are beautiful old trees, looking strong and lively. It's as if they're welcoming us towards the resort. Also, beautiful views that made us stop along the way to capture every scenes. Me, my eldest sister and one of my nephews made sure that each scenes are captured with us in it eheheheh. It was a "Picture-picture" time for us. I learned that Villa Igang was originally planned as a conservation area for tropical foliage and marine life. No wonder, the place was well taken cared of. Also, i forgot to mention that they have a butterfly garden at the entrance and mangrove sanctuaty. Though I didnt get to visit the garden and the sanctuary because we wanted to settle in the place already.

Finally, we reached the place and got 2 rooms for P2,200 only and each room is good for 6 people already. We comfortably unpacked our belongings and enjoyed the scenary. My neice and nephews decided to jump into the water and started their own world. Some started preparing for lunch and we, siblings, had the chance to bond and reconnect.
The next day, i woke up early in the hopes of getting a glimpes of the sun rising. I positioned myself at the end of the bamboo walkway facing the water, patiently waiting for the sun to come up. Unfortunately, the sun was shy that day and spent its time hiding behind the clouds. Nevertheless, i managed to have my quiet time, meditating and mostly thanking God. This is truly a "must-need" escape from the day-to-day crowded city i've been spending most of my 2010. God truly is amazing!

Around 9AM, we rented two "bangka(s)" (small boat) for an island hopping. We visited the "pawikan" island, where baby pawikans are kept and taken cared of until they are big enough to venture to the sea. We also visited a cave (i forgot what it's called) and a white-sand island. We spent an hour or two visiting different islands, cave, etc for around P400 for an hour per bangka and P100 the hour after. We got back to Villa Igang with just enough time to prepare to leave.
I don't usually enjoy an overnight outing because i see it more of a hassle than an enjoyment. Just think about all the preparations you need for just a short stay, i feel that it's not worth it. But i don't want to spend my time with my family purely in iloilo alone. I wanted to visit places with them even for just once every year, that's why, i agreed to visit Guimaras again though originally, i was hoping to go to Bacolod. However, this expereince was never the same as the 1st time. At first, this was just an ordinary trip for me. I went with no expectations but i fell in love with the place and left with complete satisfaction!

Thank you Lord and thank you Villa Igang!

How are you today?

A few days ago, i had lunch with some of my friends at work. We chat about a lot of things but one thing really stuck to me. A friend was talking how amused he was with his nephew and shared that kids when hurt tends to disregard it when no one sees what happened to them. However, when someone asked, if they're okay? or if there's something wrong? They won't be able to stop themselves from crying. Then i realized that this is true not only to kids but to everyone, old and young. It got me thinking what is causing us to break down when someone tries to comfort us? We spent so much time trying to deny getting hurt or in pain. We put up a mask and pretend that things are fine. We do everything to avoid conversation about what's hurting us and we are very successful in doing so. However once someone who knows what we're going thru, tries to comfort us, just a simple question of how are we doing or are we okay, will break us down to tears. Why is this? Is this something out of human nature that when one comforts us, we are uncapable of masking our emotions? Why is it so difficult to feel numb when you look into familiar eyes and hear words of comfort?

Earlier today, i realized that when we are in pain, the 1st human reaction is to deny it. We reject the idea that we are hurting. But when a friend tries to comfort us, this CONFIRMs the pain we're going thru and that's why we break down. That's why it's harder to hide the pain because now, someone else has confirmed its existence in our lives. Now, we can no longer deny it. Funny in situation like this, we most likely bury our feelings deep down inside and turn on the "stone-cold" mode persona of us. Instead of letting it out, we keep it within. We want it to go away but we hide it within us. Isn't this an irony?

Today I want to tell you that God is our Comforter. Everyday, he wants to ask us how we are doing? He posts this question to us but day after day, we avoid that conversation and we go on our daily routine, doing our best NOT to fall into that confrontation with Him. Why are we so afraid to admit that we're not okay. Why are we pretending? Is it really easier to run away from this and pretend to be happy when we're not? They say that the 1st step in moving on is when we've accepted that we're stuck. And the best person to reveal this is the Person who knows it all, God Himself. So today before anything else, take a little time with God and say what you really feel. It's okay, He knows it anyway.