Trang Weekend - Around Town

Okay, this is the third and final post about my Trang weekend which was already weeks ago. Aside from the cave and food trips we had, we also visited a few places such as:

1. Waterfall (near one)

I forgot the name of the waterfall because we did not get to see it. This was taken from the waters near the waterfall. I was already injured at this time because minutes before this photo was taken, I slipped on the rocks. I can still manage to smile though. I had a few bruises and my left ankle was swollen thereafter. I guess injuries are inherent risks when you go out for an adventure.

2. Laem Yongstar 

Near this pier is a group of seafood restaurants overlooking the serene sea. The photo below is taken after our meal. I had to hold on to my hair because of the strong winds.

3. About an hour's drive from where we ate is a placed called Kantang Hot Spring.

The waters looked green because of the algae on it. The temperature of 60 degrees celsius helps release stress and tension. I saw some people either dipping their foot on the waters or taking a bath. One rule of the place is not to boil eggs on the hot spring. That's how hot it is!

4. Trang Night Market

I would not want to miss any night market in a place I'm visiting. These places showcase the areas varied food and specialties.

It is much like the Weekend Night Market of Phuket but relatively smaller. Varieties of food, cellphone accessories, stuff toys, shoes and sandals, souvenirs and clothing are here. We only spent a few minutes here as we have to hurry out since it began to rain.

Thank you for your time. Till my next travel! :)

Trang Weekend - Food Tripping

I love food however I am not quite adept in writing about food. Nevertheless, I want to try doing so because during my Trang weekend, our host has done his best effort to bring us to places with delicious food. So here goes:

Arriving Trang at around 10 pm, Joyce and I were starving. We were brought to a restaurant/bar named The Boxx. The place had a band that played English and Thai songs. I did not see any foreigners here. Come to think of it, during my stay in Trang, I did not see any foreigners at all. It was a cool place to hang out with friends much like the bars back in Cebu.

I forgot the name of what we ordered. All I know is that I was surprised with the food presentation. These were mussels placed individually on glasses. The sauce was very tasty and a little bit spicy.

The next morning, we were treated to another place which showcased a lot of Dimsum food. According to Wikipedia, Trang is known for a unique breakfast cuisine found nowhere else in Thailand. This may have been what they call as Trang breakfast.

I was stuffed for the day. I filled myself with shrimp wrapped in something like a siomai wrapper. The sauce was heavenly.

I forgot to ask the names of these dishes as I was busy tasting them. This does not look very enticing but as they say, don't judge a book by its cover (don't judge food without tasting it!). Here I was wrong to judge the food with its appearance. This is delicious crab meat shaped to a ball.

Our complete meal.

We also had seafood over load. These dishes are fish with mixed fruits (my first time to taste this) and shrimp in tamarind sauce (my all time favorite).

And of course, we also had desserts.

I'd like to believe I gained a few milligrams (not kilograms!) during my trip. Who wouldn't with all the tasty dishes served? As I am writing this blog and thinking of nice words to describe the food, my tummy also grumbles and my mouth waters just reminiscing them. Looking forward to my next travel and food tripping! 

Trang Weekend - Le Khao Kob Cave

I was invited by a good friend, Joyce, to go with her to Trang last week. Trang is one of the southern provinces of Thailand and is approximately 3-4 hours away from Phuket by car. We left at around 6pm and since it was already dark, she had to drive safely. We arrived at around 10 pm.

We stayed in Trang Grand Mansion which was a comfortable and very basic lodging house. I forgot to take a photo of our room, since we were so tired and sleepy.

On our first morning, we drove to a sub district of Trang which is called Huai Yot. It was about an hour drive from where we stayed. Seeing the entrance, I thought its just another boring cave that we have to walk through. I was definitely in for a surprise.

Our host paid for our trip and so I was not able to know how much the fee was. According to internet sources, it is 200THB per boat trip. We boarded a small boat with the driver in the front and the guide at the back. It took almost 10 minutes before we arrived at the entrance of the cave.

our host (in blue), me and the guide at my back

sailing towards the cave's entrance

According to sources, Tham Le Khao Kob is a tourist attraction of the area concealed under a huge single limestone mountain surrounded by a stream that also runs through it. Upon entrance to this cave, we were asked to lie down.

the entrance to the cave

We had to get off the boat at different parts of the cave to explore the area. The guide only spoke Thai and so my friend had to translate for me. We had to alternately walk or ride and lie down to reach different parts of the cave.

(upon entrering the cave)

There were different grottos inside. The developers/ care takers of this cave had colored lights installed in the area, this explains the different lightings. They did a good job in making sure that the place is clean and safe for the tourists to walk through.

A million of stalactites and stalagmites can be seen. Sadly some of them have been somewhat torn off. Maybe by previous visitors?

The stones at the sides of my head resembles those of an elephant's foot. It is said that if one wishes to have good health, they must pass in between this pair.

What is ultimately amazing with this cave is the way to the exit. Our guide asked us to lie flat for the full 350 meters. I was surprised of how the boat was just fit enough to pass thru the stone formation. The passage way for the boat was becoming narrower, our guide cannot even paddle and so used his strength and pushed from the stones above. It was very dark that we were entirely dependent on the flashlight the guide had.

It was a long journey to the exit. I even had to turn my head a few times because the stone was literally millimeters away from my face! I was praying hard that no earthquake would occur otherwise I don't know if I will see light again. From what I read online, passing through the hole is an auspicious activity as if going through the backbone of a dragon. The guide even pointed to a stone shaped like that of a human (or dragon's) heart that he mentioned would bring good luck with business if touched. My happiness was brimming when we reached the outside world again.

Definitely the boat-cave ride of my life! If I had known what I would be going thru beforehand, I must have chickened out. But then it was overall an exciting and nerve-wrecking unexpected memorable experience I'd recommend.

Brokenhearted

Psalms 34:18

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

I remember when I was dealing with the loss of a loved one. All day long I could not think of anything else. Memories of the times we were together always replayed on my mind. I cannot eat well and sleeping becomes elusive. My friends must have wanted to cover their ears to prevent themselves from listening to my repetitive monologues. When I was alone in my room, I would just lie on my bed for hours staring at the ceiling.

 

courtesy of www.lawfuel.com

 

Yes, I was a walking zombie. Everyday I pulled myself up from bed and dragged myself to take a shower and dress up for work. Work itself becomes a distraction. I cried literally buckets of tears. I knew I was overdoing it, but somehow it worked to lessen the pain.

 

I appreciated every ounce of comfort that I got from family and friends. But no amount of words eased what I felt inside. I stayed away from listening to songs or watching movies. I did not want to relate to them. They do not entertain me anymore. Instead, it made me feel how lonely and down I was. Sometimes, I bombarded myself with questions of what ifs and shoulda woulda couldas, but no matter how many times I did this, what has happened can never be taken back.

 

 

Losing a loved one is hard be it a friend, a lover or a family member. All of us must've experienced this once in our lives. There's this space in our hearts that they have filled and when they've gone away, no matter how teeny wee bit this is or how big this is, we ultimately feel the vacancy. I want to share how I came out of the storm and began to live again after this ordeal.

 

1. Pray hard and opened my Bible

 

Psalms 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds

 

I found a bestfriend in Jesus. I took refuge in His words. There was this thirst within me that I did not know how to quench. Comforting words were what I found in the Bible, especially from my favorite book - Psalms. The persons who have written Psalms were also faced with grief, fear and frustration and was calling out to God for help. At the same time, they praised Him for all the things He's done. I prayed really hard for him to deliver me, to make me strong to withstand what I am facing. I know the Lord is faithful to me and I confirm He did not fail me.

 

2. Talk it out

 

I offered my story to my close friends and found out that they had a similar story too. It made me feel normal and less alone. They must have felt what I did in some point of their lives and came out okay. I welcomed their advices but cannot keep them all. Talking it out became a therapy.

 

3.Take time mourning

 

I did not deny myself from mourning my loss and accepting this season of my life. Having a background about the stages of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance) somehow signalled that I will be ok soon. But first, I still have to undergo each phase and get a hold of myself. I saw a quote once that says: If you suppress grief too much, it can well redouble - Moliere.

 

courtesy of pinterest.com

 

 

4. Going out and travel more

 

Going out at night is usually not my style. But this time, I need to be distracted. Dinner and hang out with friends were accepted with ease. I also provided attention to planning my next travel. Travelling has always been my passion. The thought of travelling made me excited and forget for a while of what I have been going through. Travel planning and preparation took my time and exhausted me to the point that I am able to eat and sleep.

 

5. Exercise

 

Jogging was not on my list before nor exercising. But the more I stayed in bed, the more weak I became. Exercise has long been known to cause the release of endorphins. These endorphins are the body's natural pain medication. Aside from exercise being a distraction, it makes you feel good afterwards.

 

We all have different styles on how we cope with life and its not-so-nice surprises. The most important thing is to believe that we can come out from the dark triumphantly. To those who are currently grieiving and experiencing loss, I pray you find comfort and courage to withstand this season.

 

courtesy of pinterest.com

 

Our stay at Holiday Inn Express

During my friends' getaway, they chose to stay at Holiday Inn Express in Patong. As per Wikipedia, this hotel is mid priced and as an "express" hotel, their focus is on offering limited services and a reasonable price.

Upon walking in, we were greeted with a very spacious hall filled with comfortable chairs. Warm lights were placed on the ceiling to illuminate the area. Checking in was a breeze along with the giving of wifi passwords. We were excited upon seeing the pool and noted that it opens only from 8am until 8pm.

(sorry, kinda blurry)

We were then guided to our respective rooms. The room was not quite big but nevertheless ok. The bed was filled with thick comforters and soft pillows. A set of towels and toiletries were ready for use as well as bedroom slippers.

My friends stayed at this hotel for 3 days and noted that the buffet served was almost the same everyday. The buffet included fruits in season (watermelon, pineapple and guavas), different kinds of bread, sandwich fillings (orange flavor, strawberry flavor, butter), cereals (froot loop, koko crunch and corn flakes), rice, sausages and eggs.

During the morning of our second day, we hung out and tried their pool. It was only 1.5 meter deep and so diving was not allowed. We took a lot of photos and videos while having fun.

There was also a jacuzzi type of pool (or maybe kids pool?) which was quite hidden from view. Comfy sofa beds were placed here. It was early morning and most of the guests must have been still sleeping so we had the area to ourselves.

Wifi is good all over the hotel. Be it in the waiting lounge, on the elevator or in the pool, guests can manage to stay connected. Tidiness can be observed in every public area in the hotel, too. Cleaning ladies changed sheets and re stocked bottled water every day in the hotel rooms.

The hotel's location was superb. It had a convenience store right outside and only about 10 minutes walk to the beach. A lot of restaurants can be seen past when you walk to the beach, too. It was also only a few minutes walk to Jungceylon Mall and Bangla Road, where all the party's at.

All in all, our stay in Holiday Inn Express Patong was great and convenient. It pays to research on hotels and reviews before booking in so there's not much blaming and regrets afterwards. 

Thank you Holiday Inn Express for making our stay a memorable one.

Phi Phi Island Tour

Summer is almost over and I'm thankful that I haven't been left out from enjoying the sea, sun and sand.

I was fortunate to be with friends who chose Phuket for their summer trip. My high school classmate, Eajeer, and his friends decided to come here for their getaway.

meeting him and his friends (who later on became my friends, too) at the airport

Eajeer planned most of their activities and I was more than happy to just tag along. For their first day in Phuket, we had Phi Phi Island Tour. This  tour is a whole day activity which includes a visit to 3 islands namely: Maya Bay, Phi Phi Island and Khai Island.

Planning to experience this tour? Here are my tips to enjoy the getaway:

1. Get a good sleep the night before the tour.

Their flight from Manila was delayed and Phuket International Airport is about an hour away from our hotel. After check in, we immediately settled in our rooms and hurriedly got some snooze. It is important to get some shut eye to prepare for the following day's activity.

At our hotel while checking in

2. Eat a hearty breakfast.

The place where we stayed, Holiday Inn Express, offered a buffet breakfast with our hotel booking. We took advantage of this aside from not wanting to miss the most important meal of the day. They served fruits, cereals, eggs, sausages, bread and different kinds of sandwich fillings. Though we were not that impressed with the variety, we were still happy to eat and stuff ourselves.

3. Print your voucher and present to the driver upon pick up.

The voucher allowed our driver to confirm that we were the passengers he is supposed to pick up on that day. After presenting the voucher, there were no questions asked and we were immediately ushered towards the mini van the company sent to pick us up.

4.Wear comfortable clothes.

The day was quite gloomy but we prayed for the sun not to shy away. This did not stop us from wearing light clothes (of course we're going to the beach!). Some of us opted to wear rash guards and others wore sleeveless shirts. Light clothes help with being comfortable throughout the excursion aside from these drying up easily.

While waiting for the speedboat

5. Keep in mind the beach and getaway necessities.

Being in the sun for most of the trip, sunscreen and shades are must haves. These days, it is also important to bring cameras and selfie sticks to capture the moments. Island tours most of the time give out complimentary bottled water regularly, so no need to stock up on these.

6. This should have been number 1 priority, research well about the tour companies offering the same trip and choose the best one.

Some tour companies does not cost much because they put their guests on big boats. They leave late from the port and some even don't set foot on the famous Maya Bay. I prefer riding on a speed boat with 20-25 people on board. This means waiting only for a few people when the guide calls everybody back for boarding.

7. Take out those killer poses.

Island hopping and being on the beach is a perfect venue for photo shoots. We did not miss taking photos at every opportunity that we can. Me and my friends channeled our inner Tyra Banks along the shores of Maya Bay and Khai Islands.

Every time I see this photo, I always think I have photographed Butuan's next top model :-P

Taken on the shores of Khai Island

taken at Maya Bay

8. Drink in the scenery and enjoy the moment.

It's not everyday or every year that we can visit these islands unless we work with the tour companies. We savored every moment to chill and enjoy.

As the quote I saw on Facebook said, "Tan lines may fade but the memories last forever." It was definitely a fun trip that I had cool new friends and wonderful moments. .