Filipino Travelog

Monday, August 20, 2012

SINGAPORE

Aug 6-8, 2011
Better check the weather report before you travel. Good thing that my friend OJ was not able to book the ticket in Universal Studious. It was raining cats & dogs that day. We just waited till the rain stopped. Another funny thing was, I hadn't seen Captain America even in the Phil due to hectic sched. So his family decided to watch it in Vivo City, a shopping mall not too distant to Sentosa and Resorts Wolrd, SG. All in all, i stayed in SG for several hours and not to spoil my day I visited Bugis St. to find new interesting stuffs and to freshen up my day as well. I came back to my friend's pad to have some quick rest before my flight back to Manila

(Singapore at night)

Mode of Transportation:
1. Taxi:

Pasir Ris Street
Taxi Fare: $SG 15
From Changi International Airport to OJ’s residence in Pasir Ris Street (East Coast), which is 5 to 10 –minute taxi ride.
Suntec City
Taxi Fare: $SG 13.80
From Pasir Ris Street to Suntec City Mal

2. MRT Train

MRT stored value card: $SG 15
$SG 5 for the card and $SG 10 for the card’s minimum fare

Village:

Pasir Ris

(this is the village where my best friend and his family stay)

Day Tour Package

website: http://www.ducktours.com.sg/
prices: http://www.ducktours.com.sg/tours.php

Tourist Sites:

1. Universal Studious Singapore (USS)

website: http://www.rwsentosa.com/Attractions/UniversalStudiosSingapore

ticket price: http://www.rwsentosa.com/language/en-US/Attractions/UniversalStudiosSingapore/Tickets

2. Sentosa

website: http://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/

play pass price: http://www.sentosa.com.sg/sentosa-play-pass/

3. Fountain of Wealth- free attraction
website: http://www.sunteccity.com.sg/

4. Esplanade- free attraction
website: http://www.esplanade.com/index.jsp

5. Merlion- free attraction

The Merlion (Template:Zh-) is an imaginary creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Its name combines "mer" meaning the sea and "lion". The fish body comes from Singapore's ancient name back when it was a fishing village — Temasek — meaning "sea town" in Javanese. The lion head represents Singapore's original name — Singapura — meaning "lion city" or "kota singa" in Sanskrit and Malay. Gushing proud at Merlion Park next to the One Fullerton wine-and-dine complex, the Merlion is iconic of Singapore. This mytical creature with the scaly body of a fish and head of a lion was birthed with the 11th-century legend of Sumatran prince Sang Nila Utama, who christened our island "Singapura" after spotting a lion-like creature on arriving at the idylic fishing village

(Merlion at night)

6. Orchard Road- free attraction

7. Singapore Flyer

website: http://www.singaporeflyer.com/

Singapore Flyer city pass: http://www.singaporeflyer.com/unique-experiences/singapore-flyer-city-pass/

8. Bugis Street- free attraction

Food & Drinks:

1. Hawker

Breakfast Meal

(The sauce tastes great! It's the lighter version of our very own 'bagoong', but this one is a lil bit spicy. It costs 2-3 SG$)

Market & Shopping Malls:

1. Bugis Steet Night Market

2. Vivo City Shopping Center

(at the Harbor Front, outside Vivo City)

Souvenirs:

1.Shot glass- bought in Bugis Street
Price: SG$ 5 (P 170) for 3 pieces

2. Merlion Figurine- bought in Bugis Street
Price: SG$ 10 (P 340) for 3 pieces (small size)

3. Magnetic souvenir- bought in Bugis Street
Price: SG$ 10 (p 340) for 4 or 5 pcs

4. Starbuck's demitasse set

5. Merlion Figurine (medium size)- bought in Bugis Street
Price: SG$ 10 (P 340) per piece (big size)

Thursday, June 14, 2012

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Travel Essentials #1: mosquito repellent patch

(the newest innovation for keeping mosquitoes away while traveling in countries with high cases of malaria and dengue)
Price: P150.00 ($3.57) for 24 pcs.
Note: Adult: ideally 2 patches a day
Children: 1-2 patches a day

Travel Essentials #2: Coin and bill organizer
Since we're heading for 3 different countries in Asia, my partner has thought of this clever idea, why not segregating bills from each country to avoid hassles while doing some transactions.
1 purse for DONG (Saigon, Vietnam)
1 purse for USD
1 purse for PESO (Philippines)
1 purse for BAHT (BKK, Thailand)

Travel Essentials # 3: Toiletry Bag
With more than 6 compartments
bought in Beabi
Price: almost P500 ($11.90)

Travel Essentials #4: Sunblock SPF 36
Price: almost P200 ($4.76)

Most of the time, you are out and exposed from the sun when traveling. To be protected from the harmful effect of the sun, you should have a sunscreen lotion that will really last long. The higher the SPF the longer the protection.
Ideally, apply this every 2 hours.

Travel Essentials #5: Sleeping Eye Cover or Sleeping Eye Mask
Price: P100 ($2.38) by Tickles

Travel Essentials #6: Key Tags
To label each money organizer
Price: P65 ($1.54) for 10 pcs (various colors)
@ Nat'l Bookstore

Travel Essentials #7: Universal Adoptor
bought in Bali, Indonesia
Price: P266 ($6.33)

Travel Essentials #8: Neck Cushion
For long hours of traveling.

Travel Essentials #9: Antibacterial wipes
Very essential when traveling remote places with water scarcity and limited access to toilets
Price: P33.00($.78) @ SM Supermarket

Note: Use it with caution due to alcohol content. It might be stingy when used on sensitive parts of your body.

Travel Essentials #10: Traveller's Checklist (pg 1-3)
Something that I always prepare for every time I go out of town or out of the country is my own traveller's checklist. I never miss most of the essentials and things I need to bring back home like souvenirs and 'pasalubong.' So when I return, I can also check the ones I accidentally left or lost during the entire trip.
I usually make my list using excel in Microsoft Office for a more organized and customized look until I got a new one from Travel Club for free. Now you could have your own by copying this photo, have it printed, and use it when you will travel.

Travel Essentials #11-malong (scarf)
Price: P100 ($2.38)

For those who are visiting countries in South East Asia, malong or scarf is very essential.
This will serve as your blanket or cover from the sun, especially on areas with cold and hot temperature.
Countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, etc., are famous for their centuries-old temples. This particular travel essential is very important because if you're not dressed properly or just wearing short pants, you have to cover your legs upon entering this religious sites as mandatory for worshiping their gods and goddesses.You will surely save some bucks for bringing this or else you have to rent one.
Price: P100 ($2.38)

Travel Essentials 12: Bag tag
A good locator of your baggage while it's on the conveyor machine.
The more stirking color the better.

Travel Essentials #13- Digital lock
Security is always the #1 priority when travelling

Travel Essentials # 14- Heavy-duty backpack
Very important for backpack traveler with lots of compartments

Travel Essentials #15- E-dictionary
a multi functional e-dic will suit your needs for travelling. you can view videos of basic languages, listen to music and use fm radio, read e-books, record important interviews with the locals, learn other languages with the translator, and a lot more.
a Product of Iriver
Price: P18-20k ($428)

Travel Essentials #16-Sewing kit

I always ignore this in a hotel like Sofitel until I found out the use of it when my jeans was accidentally ripped in the middle of my tour. So whenever I travel, I always bring this handy kit with me.

Price: free

Travel Essentials #17-First Aid Kit

One thing that I can't live without when traveling is a first aid kit. You can never really predict what is gonna happen even you try to be safer during your trip, but rather anticipate the accident which might come your way whether it's a mere laceration from fall or small scratches. You must have something at hand to alleviate the pain and disinfect the wound. A typical first aid kit must have at least the following: a digital thermometer (mercurial thermometer is dangerous because of its mercury content), a small roll of gauze (wrapped on a clean paper), betadine (povidone iodine as antisepctic), some clean cotton buds (used for applying some ointment and betadine), anti-inflammatory cream (for severe muscle pain), micropore (tape for the gauze), citronela oil (for mosquito repellant or bug spray), plastic medicine organizer with 6 compartments, and a durable first aid kit (with some compartments).
Medicine must be included of course: 3 pcs of mefenamic acid (analgesic or med for pain), 3 pcs of paracetamol (anti-pyretic or med for fever) 3 pcs of loperamide (antimotility or med for diarreah), and symdex (antihistamine or med for allergy and decongestant)
Price

First Aid Kit by Deuter: P430.50 ($10.25)

Content:

Gauze Bandage: P13 ($0.30)

Micropore (half-inch width): P30 ($0.71)

Cotton buds (traveller's size): P5 ($0.11)

Citronella bug spray by Human Nature: P100 ($2.38)

Digital thermometer by Omron: P170 ($4.04)

Anti-inflammatory cream by Vi-Gel (1.0%cream):

Sterilized plastic strips for 15 pcs: P20 ($0.47)