June Bug

Welcome June

Hello June! Time flies so quickly we're halfway through the year of the rooster. If you're born this month I bet your parents must've named you June, if that make sense at all. The Latin name for June is Junius, it is the sixth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the second month to have a length of 30 days. Amazing isn't it? Facts about the origin of month names amaze me and I don't know why. 

My mom during my dad's birthday

June is a significant month to me because my family and I celebrate my mom's death anniversary. It's been four years since she died and if she's still alive today she will be turning 71 next month. I remember whenever I come home to visit her during my days off she would always cook my favorite food. I miss her cooking and having conversations with her. She used to remind me to get plenty of sleep when I'm off from work because I work night shifts. There's something about moms that makes them irreplaceable and they just never stop caring even if you're old enough to take care of yourself. I still miss my mom every day but I know that she's in a better place now so I can't be sad that she's no longer around. 

On Kurt Cobain's Death: Suicide or Murder?

Kurt Cobain

It's been 20 years since the death of Grunge rock icon Kurt Cobain but I still can't wrap my head around the conspiracies behind his untimely demise. Years passed I just came to accept that he must've just really killed himself because he can no longer handle being famous...so be it. 

I was in sophomore high school when I started playing the guitar and became a fan of Nirvana. I still recall that their three-chord pattern song All Apologies as one of the few songs I learned to strum on my guitar, it was simply melodious and the lyrics may not make any sense but for teenage souls trying to find their place in this world it was something extraordinary, a piece of poetry.  Hence, I fell in love with this band, with Kurt Cobain. I'm not ashamed to admit that up to this time, Kurt Cobain is still one of my ultimate celebrity crushes. Funny how it seems, while my generation of teens is growing up listening to pop, hip hop or r&b, I suddenly became fascinated with classic rock and began listening to the likes of Led Zeppelin, ACDC, Rolling Stones, Metallica, Ramones, etc. I've always wanted to be different not to catch attention but because I'm happy with being myself. My dad is not a big fan of rock & roll so whenever I play rock music from my brother's tape collection, he'll say that all he can hear is noise so he'll turn the volume down but I'll turn it up again when he's no longer around. But compared to other teens my age, I was never rebellious. Whenever I feel angry or when I'm confused I find solace in rock music, it sort of has this calming effect on me. Teenage life has its ups and downs and maybe at one point or another, we all wanted to be just like Kurt Cobain, just not brave enough like him.  

Born Kurt Donald Cobain on February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington, he was just like any normal kid who enjoyed all the attention from his loving family until his parents' divorce takes its toll on him. Cobain's parents separated when he was only 9 years old, his mother stayed in Aberdeen with his sister while he stayed with his father and moved to Montesano, WA. His mother found a new partner so he made his father swore to him not to re-marry but eventually broke his promise that left him even more devastated. He moved from one place to another and turned to drugs and alcohol until he found an outlet to express his feelings through music. Cobain together with Krist Novoselic formed their band Nirvana in 1987, they went through a succession of drummers until Dave Grohl joined in  1990. Nirvana became one of the most popular rock bands during the late 80's up until Cobain's death in 1994. The rock & roll scene mourned the death of a truly great artist. He will be missed. I was heartbroken.

After 23 years, Cobain is still one of the most unforgettable artists that ever lived. If he was alive today he would've been 50 years old. My love for Nirvana and their music is unwavering, their album Unplugged in New York is in my Spotify playlist and still play it whenever I feel like remembering Kurt Cobain. Just recently while I was looking for something interesting to watch on Youtube, I came across the trailer of Kurt Cobain's documentary film Cobain: Montage of Heck. While glued to this video, more videos relating to Cobain's suicide and death started coming up. I found myself becoming slowly obsessed with Cobain's death. Clearly, his death remained questionable but how come nobody re-opened the investigation? Cobaincase.com recount the lies and inconsistencies surrounding his death. Another video entitled Who Killed Kurt Cobain Documentary, laid down facts that Cobain is not suicidal and have no intention of killing himself but his plans to divorce Courtney Love is a strong motive for her to plot his murder.  I was like, wtf? After all these years Courtney Love moved on with her life and their daughter Frances Bean grew up without her father and what happened to the possibility of foul play in his death? Cobain was merely a misunderstood young boy who grew up wanting to have another chance in life, unfortunately, it was ended prematurely by some lunatic woman who happened to be his wife. I feel sorry for him, he was used and left alone to die. 

His last words were: It's better to burn than fade away. I'm still hopeful that one day the truth will come out. Kurt Cobain may have been free from physical pain but as long as the truth remains in the dark, he will never be free.

Nirvana
Is never, nevermind 

All apologies

The truth is out there

- for Kurt -

Vlog Up: Backpacking Thailand

Here's the video blog of my birthday holiday in Thailand. We visited 2 cities: Pattaya and Bangkok. 

Enjoy. 

There's another version of this which is shorter and without the voice over. Here's v2.0.

If you like these videos, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe.


Khorb Khun (Thank you in Thai).

Backpacking Thailand

Formerly known as Siam (Sayam), Thailand's tropical beaches are a popular destination for tourists. I have always admired Thailand's rich culture and stunning architecture that is why my sister and I decided that this country would be perfect to spend our birthday getaway this year. Backpacking is a convenient way to travel on a budget but compared to other backpackers, we prefer comfort and would not mind spending a little bit more on hotels and transportation and spend less on other things like food, tickets souvenirs, etc.


Cebu Pacific bound to Bangkok (BKK)

Bangkok flights are usually at night. Our plane is scheduled to depart Manila at 9:40 PM but it was delayed for an hour and a half. I don't know why Bangkok flights are delayed for the most part. Whenever we travel there's always a delayed flight going to Bangkok that is why we are not surprised when it happened to us. Thailand is an hour behind from Manila and the travel time is 3 hours and a half from Manila. We left NAIA past 10pm and arrived at Suvarnabhumi International (BKK) Airport past 1am on April 26 (which is past 2am in Manila).

Excited

Boarded

We decided to stay in Pattaya first and traveled an hour and a half from Bangkok. Here is our 6D/5N itinerary in Pattaya and Bangkok, Thailand:


Day 1
April 25, 2017

Depart Manila to Bangkok (9:40pm flight via Cebu Pacific)


Day 2
April 26

Airport to Pattaya hotel, The Corner Lodge
Rest
Brunch
Sightseeing at: Art In Paradise, Mini Siam, Buddha Hill & Ripley's Believe It Or Not
Rest & dinner at the hotel


Day 3
April 27 - Happy Birthday to us

Breakfast
Day tour: Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya Floating Market & Nong Nooch Garden
End of tour
Rest and dinner at the hotel


Day 4
April 28

Breakfast
Check out from hotel at 12nn
Transfer to Bangkok via Cherry Taxi
Check in at Siam Place Airport Hotel
Rest


Day 5
April 29

Breakfast
Temple hopping: Wat Arun & Wat Pho
Hello Kitty Bangkok House at Siam Square
Back at hotel


Day 6
April 30

Breakfast
Rest
Check out from hotel at 8:30pm
Taxi to Suvarnabhumi International Airport
Flight back to Manila at 12:40am (May 1, 2017)



My sister booked us a taxi (in advance) that will take us to our hotel in Pattaya. Since we arrived late at BKK we thought our driver from PT Taxi must've left us already we're thankful that he waited patiently. We're supposed to meet him at Exit 3 of the Arrival area but he probably left for a while looking for us until I finally saw what looks like my sister's name, just misspelled. We took a nap in the car on our way to Pattaya. We only traveled an hour and a half but it seemed like the longest ride of our lives. We paid the driver 1000 baht upon arrival at the hotel.

The Corner Lodge, where we stayed in Pattaya

It's past 3am when we arrived at the Corner Lodge. We thought there's no one at the reception desk but I'm glad it looks like they are expecting us anytime. The lady receptionist asked for our names and a 500 baht (refundable) security deposit since it's paid ahead via Agoda.com. She handed us our room key and wifi password then we settled in our room. There's a lift at this hotel so we didn't need help with our trolley bags. It's a fairly new hotel, it's nice and clean. Our room was on the 7th floor we liked it a lot because we prefer the top floor. There's one large bed, a microwave, and a full fridge. There's also a retractable drying rack at the veranda if we need to do some laundry in case we run out of clothes to wear, we intentionally packed light so there's more room for new clothes and souvenirs. We slept a little over 4 hours, showered, then ate our first brunch at the eatery just across our hotel before we started our own tour. The weather is very hot in Thailand it's almost unbearable. There are way too many nice places to go to in Pattaya like the beach but we decided to skip that and just go to artsy places instead. One month prior to our trip I did a lot of research on places where we want to go to Pattaya which made our trip easier. We prefer to create our own itinerary and customize our tour instead of booking a tour with a travel agency simply because we are more comfortable traveling on our own instead of joining group tours so we can manage our time wisely. During our first day, I noticed that there are no taxis in the area of our hotel even if we walked a little farther but there are lots of convenience stores everywhere especially 7eleven and Family Mart. We bought a local sim when Globe's roaming service did not work on both our phones (sucks), but that's another story. We went back to our hotel when we realized that it is impossible to get a taxi so we just paid a shuttle for 50 baht to take us to our first destination which is Art In Paradise.

Art In Paradise
A3D art museum in Chonburi

Art in Paradise is Thailand's first 3D imaging or live art museum. They have locations in Bangkok and Chiangmai too. We thought that this attraction is the closest to our hotel in Chonburi that's why we decided to go there first. Ticket price is around 400 baht for adult foreigners and it's required to deposit your shoes before entering the museum. We loved the 3D experience, we enjoyed taking pictures and had so much fun it's definitely one for the books. Getting around Pattaya is quite a challenge because metered taxis do not use their meter especially for tourists. Taxi drivers usually set a price and you have to haggle unfortunately for us, we always end up saying yes because we just want to go to where we want to go. Our next stop is Mini Siam, a famous miniature park also in Chonburi but a little farther out. We're looking to get a cheap ride we tried riding a motorcycle for 160  baht (80 baht each) which is rather scary but quite an adventure for us because we never ride motorcycles back home even with helmets on we swore never to do that ever again. Nevertheless, we arrived in Mini Siam safe and sound. Inside Mini Siam feels like you have traveled the world in one day. The miniatures are exact replicas of famous tourist spots in the world. Families with kids will truly enjoy strolling this park. There is an onsite restaurant as well. Transportation is not a problem because there are taxis in the area.

Mini Siam
 A famous miniature park attraction in Pattaya

Wat Phra Yai Temple a.k.a. Buddha Hill
A Buddhist temple on Ko Phan

From Mini Siam, we rode a taxi for 200 baht to get to Buddha Hill a.k.a Wat Phra Yai Temple. Entry to this temple is free but beware of photographers who take stolen shots of tourists then sell you your photo as a souvenir for 100 baht. Before leaving the temple we met a tour driver who offered us a day tour for the next day. He showed us a catalog of tourist attractions where we can go but we told him that we already have a list of places where we want to go. We agreed at 700 baht for a day tour and gave him information about our hotel so he can pick us up the following day. He drove us to Ripley's Believe It or Not located at the Royal Garden Plaza. While looking for Ripley's inside this Plaza, we saw a shop that sells Thai soaps where we bought 3 soaps for 90 baht as souvenirs. Fruit and flower soaps are everywhere in Thailand. Ripley's website recommends to buy a ticket online at least a day in advance but we took our chances and decided to just go there only to find out that it actually cost more. Online price for Louis Tussaud's Waxworks is 500 baht but the walk-in price is 589 and that's quite a difference. They also offer discounted prices online like pick 2 for the price of 600 baht. Despite the hefty ticket price, we gave it a go because we didn't want to miss the chance to see these famous celebrities, well at least their wax figures lol. Across the plaza, there's 7eleven where we bought food for dinner before we rode a taxi. The driver offered us 300 baht to take us back to our hotel and FYI, metered taxis do not use their meter at all in Pattaya especially for tourists. 

Ripley's Louis Tussaud's Wax Works
Located at the 3rd level of Garden Plaza Mall

We spent our second day which is our birthday in Pattaya going to more attractions and buying souvenirs. The driver picked us up at the hotel at 9am. First, we went to Sanctuary of Truth, a religious construction made entirely of wood. We paid the 500 baht entrance fee for adults but if you book online it is discounted at 450. Before entering the wooden building they provide hard hats that must be worn at all times for safety. The hand-carved wooden structures depict Khmer architecture it reminded me of the images carved on temples in Cambodia when we went there in 2013. It's amazing how intricately made these structures are.  Just like in Buddha Hill, there are photographers or shall I call them paparazzi too who will take stolen shots of tourists so don't be surprised if someone will approach you to buy your picture as a souvenir before you leave. To be honest, I think it's kinda odd to have your picture taken by a stranger without your permission and have your photo displayed afterward, I'm not sure I like that idea. Before heading to Pattaya Floating Market we asked our driver where we can buy souvenirs and much to our surprise when we stopped by a place called Gems Discovery. There is no entrance fee and there's a tour of how their pieces of jewelry are made but we're not really interested in buying jewelry we bought something else like keychains and soaps instead. We met Filipino folks who assisted us while shopping for souvenirs they're just happy to see fellow Pinoys in Thailand we even had our pictures taken with them.

Sanctuary of Truth
A religious construction in Pattaya expected to be done by 2050

Gems Discovery
A gem factory, shop, and museum

Upon arrival at Pattaya Floating Market our tour driver asked us if we want to ride the boat for 800 baht each we thought it wouldn't be necessary so we just paid the entrance fee of 200 baht each. We arrived almost lunchtime that's why it's kinda crowded already. There are lots of souvenir shops, fruits stalls, eateries and art galleries we got really excited. It's no surprise that there's an atm machine there too in case you run out of cash there's just way too many stuff to buy. We had lunch while Indian sitting in one of the eateries by the river it was quite an experience dining like a local. We also tried customized fried ice cream.

Pattaya Floating Market
One of the major attractions in Pattaya 
where you can shop for  souvenirs

The last leg of our Pattaya tour is at Nong Nooch Garden, a 500-acre botanical garden good for families with kids. Our driver bought our tickets for 800 baht each. We're a little disappointed that we have to pay that much just because the ticket included elephant show but we skipped watching the show and just walked inside this very large garden for over an hour. I'm not sure why he did not give us the option without the elephant show which is kinda odd I thought there must be a cheaper ticket available. Elephant riding is very popular inside this park, poor elephants. Before we head back to our hotel we decided to swing by at Big C Mall to buy some cake and dinner food. We're so darn exhausted.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
One of Thailand's most extensive gardens

I think we pretty much accomplished everything in Pattaya. Good job to us. So much to do yet so little time but we're happy campers.


Hello Bangkok

Siam Place Airport Hotel
We spent our remaining days in Bangkok at this hotel

Because of traffic, it took us over 2 hours to get to Bangkok. The hotel that we stayed at is accessible to pretty much everything. Public transport is just a few walks from the hotel and there are eateries and convenience stores nearby. Despite all the good things in the area, I'm not satisfied mainly because it is not as nice compared to our hotel in Pattaya. This hotel is poorly maintained I've no regrets giving them a poor review in Tripadvisor.  One thing I learned from booking hotels online is to never again book a hotel that does not have its own website. They have no email address or any way to contact them directly even if they are legit. Our stay in Thailand would've been better if we stayed at a nicer hotel in Bangkok. This hotel is good as bed and bath, that's it. We stayed at the hotel to get some rest and went out for a walk to see what's around the area.


The next day, we went temple hopping at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) and Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha). Our hotel is close to the airport but very far from tourist attractions so we paid over 200 baht for taxi plus toll fees at 75 baht which is kinda expensive. We checked out Wat Arun first, a Buddhist temple in Bangkok. This temple is currently under construction but still open for tourists. The entrance fee is only 50 baht but there is a dress code and sarongs are available to rent in case you need to cover yourself since it is a sacred place. Siamese cats originated from Thailand and they roam freely inside the temple.

Wat Arun Temple a.k.a. Temple of Dawn
Is a Kmer-style Buddhist temple named after 
Aruna, the Indian God of dawn

We rode a taxi again to get to Wat Pho a.k.a Reclining Buddha. This temple is among the popular attractions in Bangkok because it housed the 46 meters long Buddha covered in gold leaf. The entrance fee costs 100 baht. Before entering the temple it is required to remove footwear but you can bring it with you as long as it is inside the blue bag.

Wat Pho a.k.a. Reclining Buddha
One of the oldest, largest and most revered 
temple complexes in Bangkok

We noticed that taxis in Bangkok use their meter compared to Pattaya. From Wat Pho, we paid 92 baht to get to Hello Kitty House Bangkok inside Siam Square 1. Siam Square is the fashion city of Bangkok. When we went to Hongkong about 2 years ago we visited Hello Kitty Le Petit Cafe in SOGO Causeway but it's just a pop-up store we thought we can take pictures there but we end up just buying cupcakes. I'm happy that we're able to finally eat some cake inside a Hello Kitty House this time around and take lots of pictures. Food is quite expensive from 100-300 baht but not that great, to be honest, but if you're quite a Hello Kitty fan then it might be worth it.

Hello Kitty House Bangkok
Located at Siam Square One, comprise 
a Hello Kitty Cafe, Shop and Spa 
under one roof

The following day we stayed at the hotel until check out time. Our flight back to Manila is past midnight we had to check out early from the hotel. We're supposed to check out at 12nn on May 1st which is the standard check out. The only reason why we book one more day is for us to be able to stay for a few more hours until our flight. why we book one more day is for us to be able to stay for a few more hours until our flight.

Suvarnabhumi Airport

That wraps up our Thailand birthday getaway. Just a few pointers in case you're looking to visit Thailand:

• Make sure to book you're hotel and airport transfer in advance. Do not book a hotel without a website or direct contact details

• Plan your tour itinerary well and do a lot of research on how to get around Thailand, the cheaper, the better.

• If you're traveling on a budget make sure to bring your essential toiletries kit, they do not provide everything for you. Not all hotels provide slippers so might as well bring one especially if you book a budget hotel.

• Bring comfy clothes. No need to wear too much makeup too, especially during the summer season (Trust me).

• Bring enough cash for tickets and souvenirs.

• Guard your belongings. One of the temples we visited has a warning sign that says Beware of pickpockets, better be safe than sorry.

• There's a long queue to get passed security check and Immigration at BKK Airport so be extra early.

There you have it. Every travel is a learning experience so enjoy it while it lasts. Sawasdee Thailand!

Bonjour Avril

Welcome, April. I knew you'd come. My birthday month is here and I cannot wait for new adventures. 

I'm excited about Summer. On that note, let me share an excerpt from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18. I can picture summer as beautiful as his words. 

  

Sonnet XVIII

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimmed,

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,

Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Thoughts on Ethical Tourism

March is coming to an end which means that my birthday month is just right around the corner, yay! It's still three weeks to go but I'm already excited about my twin sister and I's trip to Thailand. We are looking to visit Pattaya, a resort city located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand by the end of April during our birthday, not to get a tan but to do a lot of sightseeing. Pattaya is about an hour and a half drive from Bangkok. From Suvarnabhumi Airport, a taxi (that we booked in advance) will take us to our hotel in Pattaya where we'll be spending 3 days before we go back to Bangkok to spend 3 days as well. Whenever we travel I'm in charge of our daily itinerary, the places where we should go must be carefully thought out because I'm a little OC when it comes to these things I would never travel without a plan I'm just hoping that we can visit all the places that I have on our list. We're looking to visit Mini Siam, Art in Paradise, Ripley's Museum, The Sanctuary of Truth and many others. 

While I was doing my research about Thailand on Pinterest I came across this article about Ethical Tourism, I find it interesting and something worth knowing. So what exactly is Ethical Tourism? According to Google, Ethical Tourism is any form of tourism that can be consumed in a more responsible way which minimizes negative social, economic and environmental impacts. Generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities. 

In my understanding, being ethical is to be a responsible tourist, it does not involve anything that would tolerate cruelty or abuse to all living creatures including their habitats just for profit. For example, elephant riding for some tourists is considered a fun activity in Thailand. The whole travel experience would not be complete without riding an elephant or taking pictures with tigers and other exotic animals. I've been to a zoo as a kid but back then I have no idea what hell these animals are going through every day of their lives but growing up, I've seen a lot of documentaries and read about animal abuse in zoos and carnivals so I know that it is never entertaining to know that they are suffering just to make people happy. I swore to myself that I would never again tolerate animal abuse by paying for something that does not benefit these poor creatures.

Let's do these animals a favor. Ethical tourism is all about care and respect to all forms of life on earth because we share the same planet and we all deserve a life worth living.

Something to Smile About The Land of Smiles

My sister and I are cooking a trip to Thailand also known as the Land of Smiles in April for our birthday I'm already excited although I know that it's still over a month to go. I thought it would be impossible to visit another country this year but what the heck I haven't had enough of our trip to Myanmar this month so here we go again, yay! We've already booked our roundtrip flights and hotels so there is nothing that could get in the way of this trip.  

Thailand is definitely one of the countries frequented by tourists especially during summer to get some tan we all know they are known for their beautiful beaches just like the Philippines. To be honest, we're not really interested in going to the beach but we're looking at checking out artsy and cool places and do some more temple hopping as usual. There's a lot to get excited about this trip but of course we still need to do a lot of researching on how to get around Thailand. 

Any other interesting stuff I should know about Thailand? Kindly let me know and comment below, that would be very much appreciated.

Vlog Up on Youtube

Here's a video blog of my sister and I's recent travel to Myanmar. Please like and subscribe. 

Thanks!

Myanmar 2017

I usually plan my vacation at least 3 months before my birthday month which is April but this year my twin sister and I didn't want work to get in the way so we decided to just to go for it and travel 1 month ahead. Our country of choice this year is Myanmar. In case you're wondering why, I find this country interesting just by looking at pictures of famous local celebrities that I've been following on Instagram. Most people who visit Myanmar recommend to visit Bagan because that's where all the ancient temples are located. My trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia three years ago is one of my most memorable travels because I have never seen such beautiful and intricately made temples so I thought about going to another country that will mesmerize me the way this country did.

My itchy feet couldn't wait any longer so I book our flight a week before our trip and just planned our itinerary afterwards. There are no direct flights from the Philippines going to Myanmar, only connecting flights with stopover to either Singapore or Malaysia depending on the airline company. We agreed to book Tiger Airways with connecting flights to Singapore going to Yangon. 

Finding a place to stay is a challenge for us since we have no idea what to expect from hotels in Myanmar. I relied heavily on reviews from Tripadvisor and travel blogs. I booked via hotels.com for our first hotel in Yangon and we want one that's close to Aung Mingular Bus Station since we're looking at going to Bagan on our second day in Myanmar. My sister decided that we book JJ Express Bus ahead of time for our Bagan trip to avoid any hassle when we get there which is highly recommended by tourists. Just an fyi, JJ Bus or Joyous Journey is a reputable bus company in Myanmar with routes going from Yangon to Bagan and vice versa, Yangon to Mandalay and v.v., Mandalay to Inle Lake and other famous tourist spots. Booking with JJ Express online is such a breeze. What my sister did was to communicate with them via Facebook messenger and we got our assigned seat numbers for both trips in no time while I took care of another hotel reservation for us so we have a place to stay when we arrived in Bagan. I jotted down four famous temples that we'll be visiting in Yangon and Bagan and hopefully it wouldn't be so hard to accomplish. 

We're all set and ready to go.

This is it!

02.27.17

Boarding soon

Upon arrival in NAIA T1 we paid our travel taxes immediately. Travel tax still cost Php1,620 each. We were starving we decided to grab a bite first while waiting for the check in counter to open. For some odd reason there's no other dining option in T1 but Jollibee. Our flight is scheduled at 9:35 PM and the check in counter opened around 7. We boarded almost 10 PM, talk about Filipino time y'know. 

Hello Singapore!

(02.28.17)

Airport and Sky train hopping at Changi

Singapore time is the same as the Philippines. We arrived in Changi Airport Terminal 2 earlier than the e.t.a (estimated time of arrival) which is 01:15 AM. We strolled the airport and hopped the Sky train to get to Terminal 3 where Singapore Foodstreet is located because I've been craving for Hainanese Chicken rice all my life since I went to Singapore 6 years ago. Chicken rice is a popular dish in SG unfortunately the only stall that sells that is not open 24 hours so I ate Duck rice instead. We enjoyed the free wifi, foot massage and exercising through the travelator for 6 hours until it's time for our 07:20 AM flight to Yangon.

Yangon-Bagan, Myanmar

Yangon International Airport is practically NAIA Terminal 1. It is a very basic and small airport you won't get lost. The only familiar fastfood chain is KFC but we preferred to eat at this local resto called Bites because I don't like eating western food when I visit other countries as much as possible just for a change.

Chicken Lemak and Coke for brunch

We hailed a cab for 6,000 kyats from Y.I.A to High Five Hotel. We're able to check in early at 11AM at no extra cost. Check in time is supposedly not until 2PM but most hotels allow early check in as long as it's not too early like maybe earlier than 9AM otherwise if you want to check in immediately, might as well book one more day and note as very late arrival if it's going to be the following day already. 

High Five Hotel

High Five Hotel, Yangon
35, Thiri Kan Thar Street (Near North Oakalar Lane Zone), Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

We had 2 beds put together and an ironing board in the room as requested. There are large windows and the room is spacious for the two of us. The staff were hospitable and helpful but barely understand or speak English. We also noticed the frequent power outages and latency of the Internet at this hotel which is kind of frustrating I don't think they have a generator it's quite a shame to their guests. I'm aware that they do not have a lift because I read online reviews about this hotel but I did not expect the narrow stairs I regret wanting a room on the 5th floor which is the top floor.

Day 1. 

Yangon Day Tour

Shwedagon Pagoda 

After a warm shower and an hour of rest we took a cab for 5,000 kyats from our hotel to the infamous Shwedagon Pagoda. We paid an entrance ticket of 8,000 kyat total for both of us. We were given stickers and brochures of what we expect to see inside the temple. No shoes/socks allowed in Myanmar temples because it is a sacred place so we endured walking barefoot under the scorching heat of the sun our feet was literally on fire. We were in awe upon seeing golden temples we couldn't help but take lots of pictures and videos. It didn't take us an hour to get around this temple. 

Chaukhtatgyi Buddha
a.k.a Reclining Buddha

From Shwedagon Pagoda we rode a cab again to get to Chaukhtatgyi Buddha a.k.a Reclining Buddha and paid only 2,500 kyat. I suppose it's not too far that's why the fare is pretty cheap. Stray dogs roam freely at this temple but they're harmless and we really didn't mind since we're animal lovers. There are several souvenir shops around this temple we wasted no time and bought stuff like pashmina scarves, fridge magnets, and scroll artwork display. I also bought a longyi (lon-jee) for myself that I can wear every time we visit a temple. Longyi is a traditional Burmese wrap around sheet worn around the waist down to the feet, it's kinda like Sarong. Haggling is a bit of a challenge in this country probably due to language barrier but you can try, to get more value for your money. Souvenir prices range from 500 - 8,000 kyats but for high quality fabrics it can go up to 25,000 kyats. 

Souvenirs bought from Yangon

We dine at a local restaurant few blocks away from this temple then took a cab back to our hotel. We're so tired we had a good night sleep. Our first night in Yangon went well, I think. 

Day 2.

Off to Bagan 

(03.01.17)

At JJ Express Bus terminal. Snack on board and TV
made our trip really comfortable.
I fell in love with Faludah.

We checked out at 01:00 PM from High Five Hotel then went to straight to Aung Mingular Bus Station where JJ Express is located so we can pay and claim our tickets for our 08:00 PM trip. It was extremely hot in Yangon we couldn't wait at the terminal for 6-7 hours we decided to look for a place to eat and cool down for a while. There are many local restaurants in the area however, locals don't speak English and their menu is written in Burmese we nearly gave up thank God we found one restaurant with pictures of their menu posted on the wall with corresponding prices it definitely made things a lot easier we just pointed at the picture of the food that we want to eat and there we have it. We ordered fried rice chicken curry and strawberry shake because those are the only food that's familiar to us. I think Myanmar is spicy food haven because anything we ate so far are spicy. While waiting for time to pass without wifi, we edited pictures on our phones just so we will not get too bored. Later on we ordered Faludah because I read somewhere on the Internet that it is a must try dessert in Yangon we told ourselves we must not let this chance pass. Faludah tastes so darn good it's made up of rose syrup, jellies, vanilla ice cream, milk, etc. This yummy chiller made my day. 

They serve free hot coffee at JJ Express which is kinda awesome especially if you're getting kinda sleepy. We boarded the bus 10 minutes before 08:00 PM. Snacks like biscuits, bread, bottled water, soda and blanket came with our first class ticket. There's also a small TV for each passenger I watched Tom and Jerry, lol. We had a really comfortable trip so to speak. It's a 9 hour trip from Yangon to Bagan but there are stopovers for passengers to use public restrooms and find some place to eat. The first stopover is for 30 minutes and the last one is 14 minutes. It was a long ride but time passed by so quickly when you're tired and asleep anyway. We arrived in Bagan around 6 AM.

A chilly morning greeted us.

Day 3.

Good Morning Bagan 

(03.02.17)

Sky View Hotel
No. 69, Shwe Knat Kaw Street, Zay Ya Waddy Quarter
Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma)

View from our room Sky View Hotel

Bagan full day tour

Spicy and yummy tofu
at Be Kind to Animals the Moon
Restaurant

After the receptionist scanned our passports we settled in our room then had our first breakfast in Bagan at the rooftop. No wonder this hotel is named Sky View because there's literally a view of the sky and some hot air balloon from afar at the rooftop, it's kinda cool. I told my sister that this hotel offers half or full day Bagan tour. I saw a tarpaulin by the reception area so I called the receptionist from our room phone to inquire about the tour rates.

We took advantage of the full day tour for 35,000 kyats. What I like most about this hotel is that they offer private tours, we have group tours we want be able to take charge of our time y'know. The driver of the SUV awaits us outside the hotel and picked us up at 09:00 AM. We went to several temples in Old and New Bagan where we took a lot of photos and videos as usual. We went shopping for more souvenirs and had lunch at this vegan restaurant called Be Kind to Animals the Moon located in Old Bagan. We decided to end our tour at around 3 in the afternoon and head back to the hotel to get some rest. We missed seeing the Bagan sunset supposedly at 5 PM which is still part of our tour but we're already very tired from our trip last night and we've been walking all day.

Bagan have too many beautiful temples

Keep walking

Awesome structures

Very rich culture

At Mahabodhi Temple

I love rooms with large windows. This hotel do not have coffee and tea making facilities, a hairdryer and in-room safe but there's a mini fridge and we're okay with that. Free breakfast and wifi is offered in most hotels in Myanmar but the Internet is not fast just like in Yangon.  

It's a nice room we got. No power outage.

We slept soundly.

Day 4.

Leaving Soon

(03.03.17)

Palm tree farm in central Myanmar

Check out time is at 12 noon but we have nowhere to go after leaving the hotel. The cab driver who drove us to JJ Express terminal told us that we're too early to be at the terminal because our trip back to Yangon is not until 08:00 PM so he offered us a tour to Mt. Popa for 35,000 kyats but we asked him first to take us to downtown to have our money changed since we are running out of kyats then we went back to the bus terminal to pay for our tickets before going to Mt. Popa which is an hour drive located southeast of Bagan in central Myanmar.

View from Mt. Popa summit

Bright as the sun

Spicy stir fried noodles and monkey
guarding the temples at Mt. Popa

On our way to Mt. Popa we had a quick stopover at a Palm tree farm where we saw interesting products made from palm tree juice, leaves, etc. Upon reaching Mt. Popa the driver parked the car across the entrance of the temple that we have to climb. I got a little scared because there are monkeys everywhere and they are not very friendly but I kinda pity them when I saw how poor their health condition was. They have scabies all over their bodies and they feed on anything that tourists will throw at them no wonder why they snatch food because they are not fed properly. It's a long climb to get to the summit I just realized that we climbed 777 steps when my sister Googled how many steps there are to get to the peak of Mt. Popa. Well, that explains why my legs are shaking really bad after.

We arrived at the bus terminal around 5 PM  which is still quite early but I think we're able to manage our time wisely. I booked us another hotel in Yangon via Agoda.com while at Sky View Hotel but I forgot to note that we'll be arriving really late. I called the hotel from JJ Bus ticketing booth I'm glad the lady was kind enough to let me advise the hotel. 

It's another 9 hour bus ride from Bagan to Yangon.

Goodnight and goodbye Bagan. 

Day 5.

Back to you, Yangon 

(03.04.17)

Galaxy Hotel
No.(2A/5A). Okkalar Thiri Garden Street, (D) expand,
North Okkalapa Township, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

Our room at Galaxy Hotel.
They have a lift and nice dining room

Galaxy Hotel have a western feel for me. It's modern and newer compared to High Five. We arrived in Yangon as early as 5 in the morning good thing it's not very difficult to get a cab from the bus terminal to our hotel. Upon arriving at Galaxy Hotel I showed the booking number from my phone to the receptionist. She gave us orange juice as refreshments and asked us to wait while she scan our passports. After giving our room key and wifi password we immediately went to our room at the 4th floor unfortunately we had to come down after a few minutes because the wifi isn't working. The receptionist couldn't figure out what was wrong why both our mobile phones wouldn't connect to the Internet she eventually rebooted the router and that solved the problem. We're about to head back to our room when she called my attention that breakfast is ready. I honestly enjoyed breakfast at this hotel because they have more options compared to all the other hotels we've stayed at. I also like their dining room, it's nice and clean.

We thought about visiting one more temple since it's our last day in Yangon but our plans changed we decided to just stay at the hotel and get a good rest. We bought snacks at a nearby convenience store then spend the rest of the day watching movies.

Day 6.

Goodbye Yangon

(03.05.17)

Goodbye Yangon!

Our flight is scheduled at 09:25 AM (Yangon standard time) so we checked out from the hotel at 6 AM. We arrived at the airport before 7 but the taxi driver dropped us off the wrong terminal we had to walked passed 2 terminals good thing terminals at Y.I.A are not too far from each other. The check in counter is not open yet we had our last breakfast in Yangon at KFC. We thought about spending all the local money that we have left so we bought flavored gum and bottled water. I'm kinda sad our vacation is almost over but still excited for our 12 hour layover in SG.

Our plane departed kinda late I guess Burmese people also have their own version of Filipino time.

Goodbye Yangon!

Back to you Singapore

I love Changi and chicken rice!

Our plane landed in Singapore earlier than 01:15 in the afternoon, our e.t.a. We didn't have to go through Immigration check since we purchased Tiger connect which is kinda convenient unfortunately we didn't get our passports stamped nevertheless, we're glad to be spending more time in Changi this time around. We availed of the 24 hour free wifi we just scanned our passports in their self service wifi kiosk then we had our late lunch at Singapore Foodstreet. I'm a happy camper I was able to finally savour Hainanese Chicken rice, yay! We went souvenir shopping afterwards. We changed some of our $US to $SG so we have some money to spend on food and drinks while at the airport. We bought pizza bread before checking in at Aerotel Transit Hotel located at Terminal 1. We had a hard time finding this hotel for some reason maybe we're just really tired or something but thank God the front desk guy whom I suspect is a Filipino too, adjusted our check out time because we booked for 6 hours from 4-10 PM supposedly however, we arrived late around 4:30 PM already looking for this lounge, geez.

Aerotel Transit Hotel
Level 3, Departure Transit Lounge, Terminal 1 (above Gate D41)
Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore 819642

Our room at Aerotel Transit Hotel

I'm in love with that life sized
cosmetic mirror

We had a really comfortable stay at Aerotel. We booked a 6 hour day rate package (minimum length of stay) for $76. We got a medium twin room with an ensuite shower room, TV, coffee and tea and free wifi (Changi airport's public wifi). There's no in-room safe or mini fridge but it's no biggie. Their rates may be a little overpriced but we didn't mind because we really need a place where we can rest comfortably and shower before our flight back to Manila.

We stayed at The Wings Transit Lounge in NAIA T3 last year when we went to Hanoi, Vietnam because we intentionally arrived really early for our flight to avoid getting stuck in traffic. We booked a twin room with bunk beds but the actual room size is rather small. There's no air conditioning and no private bathroom. There's free meal to boot but we didn't have a comfortable experience for a hefty price of Php1,800 only for 4 hours compared to Aerotel.

We checked out before 10:30 PM although our flight is not until 01:55 AM so we still have time to eat and stroll Changi.

Time is up. Goodbye Singapore!

Touchdown Manila

(03.06.17)

Our plane landed past 5 in the morning at NAIA T1. I'm not a fan of  this terminal simply because there's no place to eat but thank God at least there's Foreign Exchange around the corner. We had our foreign currencies changed back to PhP and finally travelled back home.

Travelling is such a wonderful experience. I cannot wait to travel again.

Right on!