By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net

On a recent trip to Hong Kong, I visited a good friend of mine who lives with his family in Lamma Island, about 20 minutes by ferry from the mainland.

It was my first time there and I had this wild guess that Lamma (not Llama as I earlier thought) is filled with somewhat luxurious beach houses for vacationing Hong Kong residents. As pictured above when I boarded down the ferry, it looks more like a quiet and peaceful fishing village, away from the hustle and bustle of mainland Hong Kong.

Walking along the narrow and somewhat crowded streets, it reminded me of Sabang Beach in Puerto Galera. I learned that Lamma is famous for its restaurants. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo paid Sampan restaurant a visit during a recent trip to Hong Kong.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Jerome Quinto
Contributor

On board the PR 211 cabin, I was seated face-to-face with an LCD screen, which lacks the brilliance and clarity of one. At first glance, I knew that the screen won’t produce a stunning picture. The images flashed were smudge with pinkish light stains and were high in brightness and contrast. In short, it was not worth viewing at all.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

Seeing the fluffy clouds from the plane, which looked like soft pillows, I felt like I was in dreamland. But I knew I was not dreaming when the plane landed on the runway of the Macau International Airport at Taipa Island one cloudy Monday afternoon.

As we headed to the arrival area, I heard voices spoken in different tongues. I opened my little notebook and jotted down a few conversation lines in Cantonese and Portuguese. But then again, they were of no help. Only a handful of people understood English. I noticed that they understood my English better if I imitated the way they spoke.

We later made our way to the hotel through a transport service from a travel agency, albeit most hotels do offer free shuttle services. When we arrived at the hotel, we checked in our luggage, grabbed a map and a booklet on some basic information about Macau from the concierge and went out to taste what it offered.

We took the hotel’s free shuttle to go to the Macau Ferry Terminal. The shuttle passed by a bridge connecting Taipa Island and the Macau Peninsula. The beauty of Macau bloomed as the sun set. Photographers would surely fancy the dazzling lights from the bridge and the exterior of the casinos.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

In places that you visit, there are things that you remember. And there are things you discover when you come back.

I have been to Khao San Road at least three times, but this is my first time to have actually stayed there. I first knew about it after watching “The Beach” movie, where a character played by Leonardo DiCaprio travels to Thailand and eventually discovers a yet unexplored beach. He stays in a rickety hostel in Khao San. I’m guessing it’s Khao San Palace, which I discovered early on, carries quite a negative reputation. I almost ended up there when I arrived without a booking.

Khao San is widely-renowned as a backpackers’ haven, and I’m pretty sure I was the only Filipino staying there during that time. That it attracts backpackers is not so surprising. From here, you can hop on a bus to Kho Samui, Kho Pangan, Kho Tao, and all these islands South of Thailand (also Kho Phi Phi, where I remember The Beach was filmed). I thought you can only go there by plane. In a way, that makes me feel glad to know it’s more affordable to go there. I hope I can someday.

And then there are things I remember about Khao San that never changed since the last time I was there. The scene is still jumpy, rowdy, and very much alive and almost feels like the strip is a world of its own, while the rest of Bangkok is quiet in slumber. The pad thai was still terrific, and at 25 baht (40 baht if you add chicken), it still is a lot better than anything I’ve ever had in Manila.

Eventually, I spent my last few bahts on another round, this time with spring rolls (hey, it’s my last night so let me splurge and pig out) and a tall Heineken, bought from 7-11. Yes, you can buy beer from there if you want to go cheap. Just don’t bring it inside a restaurant or bar. But don’t worry, you can go sit on the sidewalk and drink like the rest. You, and a hundred more souls from all over the world, are all part of this magical place.

And one more tip: If you should be getting a Thai massage (which undoubtedly is in a Bangkok first-timer’s checklist), try not getting one at night, unless it’s fine for you to have your muscles kneaded to the tune of Axl Rose’s Sweet Child of Mine.

By Jerome Quinto, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

I’VE always thought that a trip to Australia is as easy as climbing down a flight of staircases. Well, if a million steps down a thousand-storey building is for you a snap, the former rings true — for you.

For a Filipino (with the Pinoy passport, of course), going to Australia, or any developed country for that matter, starts with getting a visa. Well this wasn’t a problem for me, though preparing the papers needed to get the visa is a hassle. Not to mention the agony of the waiting period where I’m caught between being prepared for the trip and likewise uncertain for I don’t know whether I’m getting a visa or not. Good thing the dilemma wasn’t that long. Just about three weeks (compared to a month or more for most).

I don’t intend to plot in detail the pre-departure process. Suffice it to say that IT IS NOT EASY and one should consider so many factors before one’s flight. So how did I get “Down Under”?

[Read the rest of this entry »]