Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour

Dec 5, 2017.

We were a bit tired from the trip the night before but we had to wake up early for our Underground River Tour. I had a very good sleep because of Inn Greenspace's very thick and heavenly mattress and pillows. Although our breakfast was not prepared early by the kitchen staff, they gave us bread and bananas for take away since our pick up for the tour came in early.

The van contained 10 of us tourists: 6 Filipinos, 2 Belgians and 2 Scottish couples to be exact. Our tour guide was Marie who was very enthusiastic. The drive to the Underground River was about 1 hour and 30 minutes and instead of waiting in the port where there are a lot of tourists, Marie gave us an option. We can either do the Mangrove boat tour or the Zipline. Majority of the group voted for the Mangrove Tour and so all of us went on a boat to see and learn about Mangrove Trees. This costs 350 pesos per person.

Fun facts I gained from the Mangrove Tour:

1. Mangrove trees are either male or female. This can be distinguished with their leaves.

2. Mangrove fruit is elongated and are eaten by monkeys.

3. The crocodiles get stuck in the mangrove roots and so they are not seen in the area.

After the tour, we had lunch which was included in our package. It consisted of Filipino dishes such as pancit, adobo and fried chicken. We ordered another dish, the Tamilok or wood worm. It is one of the must try exotic food in Palawan. It was scary to taste at first but when you do so, it tastes like squid.

We then went to the port where we rode a small boat to where the Underground River was. We transferred to a second boat with a rowing boatman to get into the cave. The staff made sure that our audio device was working before heading inside.

The Underground River is pretty big - 8 kilometers long and was explored by the group Laventa. Only 1.2 kilometers is navigable by boat. I liked that there is an audio device wherein you can clearly hear the information about the site. There were a lot of bats and stone formations - stalagmites and stalactites formed by nature. There is a part of the Underground river named as the Cathedral where stones are somehow shaped like that of a big candle, of Mother Mary and of the 12 Apostles. I can't help but tilt my head and stare upwards and open my mouth (but opening the mouth is not advised as there are a lot of bats and their poop may be land in your mouth!)

After the tour, we were brought back to Puerto Princesa City and dropped back to our respective hotels.

I am super happy to have had the chance to visit this UNESCO world heritage site. This one is now  checked on my list. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog! :)

TS Vinta

image taken from weatherph.org

So, I am heading home for the holidays and it is all over the news about Tropical Storm Vinta expected to have its landfall in the Philippines around the holidays. The weather stations even said to seriously treat it because although it is fast moving, at around 18-20kph, it also brings quite a lot of wind and rain.

I was already feeling a bit anxious starting 21 December when the airline: Cebu Pacific already announced their Travel Advisory about cancelled flights. I felt like I'm a bit of a stalker when I visit the Pag-asa website almost every hour to check on updates as well as the airline's advisory page.

I am writing this post to commend our weather men and women in the office who are working hard to update the Filipino people of this typhoon that comes at a very crucial time: when almost every body is rushing home to the provinces to be with their families and celebrate Christmas with them. I am sure it is not only me who is praying for this storm to move on or be over and allow us to travel back safely to our waiting families. Here's to hoping and praying that all will be okay.

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

Niall Horan - Too Much To Ask

I am not very sure why I play this song on repeat. It is a bit sad but maybe because of its rhythm and Niall's voice.

Here's the video with lyrics. Enjoy! :)

Our Trip to Puerto Princesa, Palawan

I saw a promo flight from Cebu to Puerto Princesa which falls on my birthday and persuaded my sister for our annual family trip. She agreed and off we went for my birthday. I want to share with you all how I arranged our trip and fell in love with Puerto Princesa. 

Flights:

AirAsia has 1 direct flight to Puerto Princesa from Cebu daily. This was the flight I chose for our trip and was scheduled to depart 1845 and arrive PPS (Puerto Princesa) at 2000H. Our departure was delayed for about 30 minutes but we didn't mind it too much because we were excited. The promo I got was 990 pesos for 1 person.

Since my sister didn't want to fly back to Cebu late at night, we opted to buy our return ticket with Cebu Pacific. Our flight was supposed to depart PPS at 1230H but was delayed to 1330H and finally left PPS at 1600H. It was an excruciating wait at the airport but we had no choice but to do so. The promo fare I scored was 999 pesos for 1 person.

So for 1 person, the total flight cost was about 2,000 pesos. 

Accommodation

There are tons of accommodation options in PPS. Me and my sister researched for nice hotels near or in the city. I capped our budget and found Inn Greenspace which is at the heart of the city and just a few minutes walk to the center of action. For 3 persons in a room and for 3 nights and with breakfast included, we paid a total of 4,700 pesos. What a great bargain! I also love that they have free wifi and gave us free pick up and drop off to the airport.

Underground River Tour

our tour mates for the Underground River.

This is one of the must see sites  in Puerto Princesa. There are heaps of agencies and hotels that offer the tour which ranges from 1700 pesos to 2200 pesos. One has just to read reviews of these agencies and research a lot. For the three of us, I paid Tripidito Travel a total of 4,800 pesos for the whole day tour which includes pick up, buffet lunch, and environmental fee. 

I will write a separate blog about our Underground River Tour :)

City Tour

I opted not to take advantage of the city tours offered by popular agencies because they cost a lot. While doing my research, I found out that there are tourism accredited tricycle drivers that do the tours. I was lucky that I came across Kuya Ricky's number from another blogger and messaged him if he can do a tour for us. This was just a few days from our trip and he obliged. For our city tour, I paid a total of 600 pesos. You can contact Kuya Ricky at 09157816964(globe) or 09194074955(smart). He is very kind and knowledgeable about Puerto Princesa and we had a great city tour with him. 

I will write a separate blog about our PPS City Tour :)

Some fun things I learned while visiting PPS:

1. Their dialect is Kuyunin or Cuyonon. It is a mix of Visaya and Spanish therefore we can understand some words but they generally speak to Filipino tourists in Tagalog.

2. There are a lot of Opp Shops or Wag-wagan (ukay-ukay) in the city. For me who loves to get nice fashion in cheap prices, this is truly paradise.

3. It is the greenest city in the Philippines and has strict laws about tree cutting.

Our itinerary:

Dec 4: 1915H - departed Cebu City

            2030H - arrived Puerto Princesa. We immediately found our driver waiting for us :)

            2045H - Check in, freshen up, dinner and sleep

Dec 5: 0700H - breakfast at hotel

            0730H - pick up for Underground River Tour

            1630H - back to the city

            1730H - explore some Op Shops (ukay-ukay), dinner, watch news

Dec 6: 0800H - breakfast at hotel

            0930H - start City Tour

            1130H - Lunch at Ka Inato

            1330H - Mitra's Ranch

            1400H - Baker's Hill

            1700H - dinner

Dec 7: 0800H - breakfast at hotel

            1130H - left for airport

            1600H - depart PPS

            1700H - arrive Cebu

This is just a simple itinerary because we now like vacations that are not so busy and with enough time to relax and sleep.

I want to come back to PPS in the future and also try their Iwahig Firefly Tour. Please stay tune for my blogs about PPS Underground River Tour and City Tour. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog! :) 

Defining the Relationship

I saw this quote from Godly Dating101 in their Instagram account which rings very true as a friend also told me about this before. I myself have been kept wondering by a man that I liked and I assumed that he liked me too but he never really said anything about it. There's always peace of mind when someone defines the relationship and doesn't keep you hanging. 

The Tale of BPI and Phishing Emails



Dear BPI,

I keep receiving this kind of email in my inbox. I've only been a client of your bank for 2 months and yet I am experiencing phishing scams like this. Please strengthen your bank security as it is where your clients trust you. I sincerely hope that innocent people won't be lured into answering this kind of emails and God forbid lose their money.



Sincerely yours,

Katmeifucan

Miss Universe 2017

Once again, Filipinos were hooked to the television today: 27 November 2017.


We were all rooting for our candidate, Ms Philippines Rachel Peters to bring home the Miss Universe crown again but this time she only made it until the top 10. Nevertheless, we are still proud of her. Congratulations to the winner, Ms South Africa: Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters :)

image taken from http://images.indianexpress.com/2017/11/miss-universe_reuters_759.jpg

Getting skills assessment from ANMAC

image taken from https://www.anmac.org.au/sites/all/themes/anmac/logo.png

After getting hold of your Australian Registration for Nurses, you can then try your luck at finding a job. It is very challenging as Australian employers are being mandated to hire citizens or Permanent Residents first and only after making sure that there are no qualified persons who have applied, they then can hire foreign workers.

Otherwise, it is best to start the process of skills assessment. Documents can be authenticated by the JP and then sent to ANMAC. Some of their requirements for Modified Skills Assessment are: 

1. Certificate of Good Standing - arrange this to from your country's professional registration body. In my case, I got it from Philippine Registration Commission and it was they who sent it directly to ANMAC. I just had to pay a nominal fee. 

2. A colour copy of your proof of identity. In my case I photocopied the bio statistical page of my passport. 

3. Current Registration certificate from the NMBA program 

4. Professional reference from your paid work experience wherein you had been for at least 3 months and on full time status. 

5.  Completed ANMAC application form 

Waiting time for skills assessment is updated in their website and it usually runs for up to 8 weeks. Usually they send 2 emails: the first one is when the assessment has commenced and the second one when it has been finalized. It is best to lodge an expression of interest (EOI) once the letter has been received as the EOI will ask the exact date of when the ANMAC decision was finalized. This can only be found in the letter.

Some would prefer to have an immigration agent help them from getting a skills assessment from ANMAC up to applying for a visa. I was also contemplating to have this but what set me back was the huge fee so I resolved to read and research the tiniest details online and do it on my own.

I got my ANMAC Letter of Determination 10 weeks after I applied for it. It felt like forever and I did call and email them to follow up. They were very happy to let me know regarding the status so I remained patient and prayed that all will go well - and it did!

For more details about ANMAC skills assessment, you can check out their website: 

https://www.anmac.org.au/skilled-migration-services/registered-nurse

Their FAQs do help a lot too: https://www.anmac.org.au/skilled-migration-services/faq

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

Salute!

(image taken from Facebook)

Salute to the brave men and women who fought against the terrorist invasion in Marawi. Our happiness is as obvious as the face and jump of this boy. 

New Rules by Dua Lipa

I've been listening to a lot of songs by Dua Lipa recently. I find her voice smooth and and unique. She does have a lot of likable tunes such as Scared to be Lonely (with Martin Garrix), Be the One and Blow your mind.

Another song that I like from Dua Lipa is entitled New Rules. At first, I didn't like the title that much so I refused to listen to the song. However, when I heard a clip of the song, I got hooked! The song talks about how girls are supposed to act during a break up. Lesson: never run after a guy. If a guy wants to stay, he will come back or better, will never leave. This song fits women who are not able to get over their boyfriends yet. Realize your worth, ladies!

So here is the video and lyrics. Enjoy!

One, one, one, one, one...

Talkin' in my sleep at night, makin' myself crazy(Out of my mind, out of my mind)Wrote it down and read it out, hopin' it would save me(Too many times, too many times)My love, he makes me feel like nobody else, nobody elseBut my love, he doesn't love me, so I tell myself, I tell myself

One: Don't pick up the phoneYou know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone
Two: Don't let him inYou'll have to kick him out again
Three: Don't be his friendYou know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning
And if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him

[Chorus]I got new rules, I count 'emI got new rules, I count 'emI gotta tell them to myselfI got new rules, I count 'emI gotta tell them to myself
(Nowhere to turn, no way)
(Nowhere to turn, no)
Now I'm standin' back from it, I finally see the pattern
(I never learn, I never learn)
But my love, he doesn't love me, so I tell myself, I tell myself
I do, I do, I do

One: Don't pick up the phone
You know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone
Two: Don't let him in
You'll have to kick him out again
Three: Don't be his friend
You know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning
And if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him
[Chorus]
I got new rules, I count 'em
I got new rules, I count 'em
I gotta tell them to myself
I got new rules, I count 'em
I gotta tell them to myself
[Bridge]
Practice makes perfect
I'm still tryna learn it by heart (I got new rules, I count 'em)
Eat, sleep, and breathe it
Rehearse and repeat it, 'cause I... (I got new...)

24 hours In Adelaide

I am truly blessed with friends that don't forget about me especially when they are travelling.

Eajeer came all the way from Perth to Melbourne to visit Lalaine, his bff whom I became friends with, too. It was his birthday trip and the original plan was for me to visit Geraldton, W.A. It changed for the better and the three of us went for a long drive to Adelaide. 

We started to leave Melton, Victoria at around 4 in the morning. It was another cold dawn in Victoria so it was pretty hard to get up and get ready for the trip. There was also a bit of heavy rain along the way. We had coffee and made an effort to talk to each other so that no one would sleep. The total drive to Adelaide was about 7 hours or 726 kilometers.

It was already sunrise when we decided to take turns sleeping. Here is Eajeer using Hippo as his pillow :P

We had a few stops along the road to get food or to get to the toilet. We also passed by the awesome silo painted with children. How cool!

We arrived at the border of Victoria and South Australia at around 7am and were too happy to take turns and have our photo taken.

The scenery towards Adelaide was gorgeous. There were a lot of green valleys and mountains in contrast to the plains of most of Victoria. A few hours and stops later, we arrived at Adelaide.

My first expression of Adelaide was that it was like a quiet town. There were not a lot of people in the CBD. I immediately fell in love with its laid back vibe. The CBD had a lot of food places and it was quite difficult to choose one because all were lovely. 

Finally, we chose The Belgian because of their great deal for the day. Lalaine and I had Chicken Schnitzel and Beer for 15 AUD while Eajeer got a bowl of mussels for the same price. 

After satisfying our tummies, we headed to our hotel: The Ibis Grosvernor which was at the heart of the city. We didn't how exhausted we all were until our heads touched the soft pillows and the bed. The three of us dozed off for about 2 hours and readied ourselves to visit a friend of Eajeer who lives in one of the suburbs in Adelaide. 

The hosts were gracious to us and filled us with food, stories and laughters. Time ran so fast and we found ourselves on the road again back to Adelaide. This time we stopped by at the Casino which was right across our hotel. It was Eajeer's birthday and he wanted to try his birthday luck. Sadly it was just not his lucky dawn so 

The following day, the three of us woke up early to try on the hotel's breakfast buffet. I do love this kind of perk on hotel stays any where I go. It wasn't so much but as a great lover of food and breakfast , I was satisfied. We then checked out of our hotel to start our city exploration. 

Here are the places we visited during the day:

1. Grundy Gardens

This is a small park situated along the River Torrens. The bridge that can be seen here is the University Bridge. This garden was named after a councilor of the city. A lot of bikers were passing by as the park does not have a crowd. I think it's a perfect place if you would like to sit alone and think. 

The place has quite a bit of space to run around. There were white birds who were busy getting food while I was also busy watching them. They don't seem much afraid with humans near them even though I did not feed them. 

2. St. Peters Cathedra;

Adelaide CBD is pretty small and easy to navigate. It is also the city of churches. I love visiting churches wherever new place I go to but as we only had limited time in this trip I only had a photo of one. Unfortunately, during our time of visit, it was closed too. I bet the inside of this huge church is beautiful as it's facade. 

3. Rundle Mall

We then went to Haigh's Chocolates to buy some presents for people back in Melbourne. The building where they are located is one of the oldest and loveliest building in the city. While crossing the intersection towards it, Eajeer managed to get a cute photo of it with me included :)

A lot of people were in the store that time but I bet this is most of the time! Haigh's is a famous and trusted brand of chocolate- who can refuse? We still had a bit of time to kill so we went to the Bath Bomb Shop and other nice shops in the CBD,

There is one shop that caught our attention because of its beautiful and colorful facade. It was Blackebys Old Sweet Shop. Yes, we went from one sweet shop from another. LOL

I was sad that it was time to leave Adelaide. I felt I haven't seen enough. I secretly promised myself to come back to Adelaide in the future. 

4. Hahndorf

Next on our list was the town of Handorf. It is a town settled by Germans in the state of South Australia. It is very famous for its German influence and array of stores ranging from dolls, candles, clocks and most especially food. It was only a few minute drive from Adelaide, too. We had fun walking down the lane and going into lovely shops such as this.

We also met two lovely dogs whose owner graciously allowed us to pat them. He even gave us a card to like the Facebook page of these little beasts but unfortunately, I think Eajeer lost it.

Eajeer was celebrating his birthday that day and we all haven't had lunch yet. We found this nice little restaurant that offered a meat platter. The only food I know from this plate is the German Franks. Nevertheless, all of them were delicious. 

We went out full and happy. The drive back to Melbourne was another 6-7 hours. We finally arrived at 2am, all tired but happy that our trip was a success.

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog :)

Getting into the mudpack craze

Because of Facebook, I have learned about my acquaintances using mudpacks to help smoothen and soften their skin. It made them momentarily appear as if they went out from a pig pen but they raved about the result. I have never tried one myself and was curious about it. I found that my friend was a re-seller and when I had the money, I immediately ordered one. I am pleased to see that it is non greasy and has no scent.

I know I should have put a lot thicker on my face but I did not want to shock myself of how I look like :P Anyway, before putting it on, I washed my face with soap and water and patted my face dry. I left the mudpack for about 15-20 minutes. I can literally feel it harden on my face. Surprisingly, it can easily be washed off. I do agree that it leaves my face smooth and tight but I have yet to see the long term effects of it on me. 

I'm excited to use it 3 or 4 times a week and just praying I will not be lazy to follow this skin routine. 

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog! :)

Coming Back to Cebu

image taken from https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews

The province of Cebu is the land of my father. Me and my sister have lived and worked in Cebu until I decided to try my luck in another country. Back then, Cebu was interesting for me. It had a number of shopping centers that I regularly go to and transportation was easy breezy. Now that I am back in Cebu after 3 years of being away, I find that there are more malls, more people and heavy traffic. I have successfully found a job in one of the busiest hubs in the metro and going to the place is quite a burden. I need at least 2 hours prior to my work time to get ready and catch a jeepney ride. Jeepneys going to and from are most likely full more so on rush hour. Otherwise, I will have to resort to getting a taxi or uber or angkas ride which is expensive but still are good ways to get to the job on time. Since I am petite, jeepney drivers could still let me ride in their already full vehicle and I end up sitting with only 1 butt on the seat. But in the name of work and getting there on time, I have to sacrifice and bear all this. I just hope God sustains and gives me strength. 

My Pathway to Becoming a Nurse In Australia

A couple of my friends have urged me to come to Australia. At first, I was hesitant to try as there are a lot of requirements and fees that need to be covered. Finally, I realized that while I am still somehow young, I should try. Metaphorically it was like climbing a mountain for me. But I did not climb it all in one day. What I did is to do things, big or small everyday just to achieve what I want. Here is a summary of what I did.

1. Take IELTS- This is the very first step to be able to enroll to a school. This will also help to get work and visa in the future. For nurses, we are required to get an overall band of 7. An overall band score of 8 is desired if you would like to have higher points for the Skilled Migration Points System (for 189 visa).

2. While waiting and praying for the IELTS result, gather requirements asked for by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). The form to be accomplished is AGOS 40 and is readily available at their website. It is a  straightforward and clear form.

3. Once IELTS results are in and it is satisfactory, have all documents certified as true copy and mail these to AHPRA together with the form. Do not staple all the documents. Also, it will be asking you to include how you would like to pay the total fee of 520 AUD.

4. Wait for AHPRA's email. Sometimes they will email if they need further documents. Otherwise, they will email to let you know of their decision/ recommendation. In my case, I was recommended to proceed to an NMBA (bridging) program.

5. Look for a school that fits the budget and is reputable for the program asked for. My friend studied at IHNA Melbourne so I also chose the same school but I studied in Perth. You will be asked for a set of documents again including immunizations. They can all be sent via email. 

6. Depending on the school, pay for their admin fee and they will give you back a confirmation of enrollment. This will reflect that a slot has been reserved. Their slots were filling up fast so I chose the earliest which was February 2017.

7. You can now start to process for your visa. The school has advised me to get a Visa subclass 600 good for 3 months of studying. I created an online immigration account and followed the instructions. Then, I had a HAP ID as reference to have my medical tests done. I paid 135 AUD for my visa which I got after 3 weeks.

8. Next up was to look for flights and accommodations. The school was offering an accommodation for 200 AUD per week which was expensive. I asked help from family and friends. Luckily, my sister had a classmate living in Perth and I was able to stay at their house. For the flights, it was about 5 months before I had to fly so my ticket to Perth via Singapore was not quite breaking the bank.

9. Save money and make sure that all documents were sent to the school before coming over. I couldn't stress this enough.

10. Pack clothes fit for the season that you are coming. At the same time, make sure that you are within your allowed baggage. This proved to be difficult for me. I had quite a number of things that I really had to leave behind. 

11. Arrive in Australia a few days ahead of the start of classes. This would give time to look around and familiarize with the transport as well as get a simcard, open a bank account and settle in.

12. Be prompt on the first day (and all days). I met Filipino classmates for the program and was happy to make new friendships. Almost half of the class were Indians, and there were about 3 Europeans.

13. Study and work hard to achieve the assessments and requirements of the school and practicum.

14. After the bridging program, gather necessary requirements and accomplish AGBP 40 form from the AHPRA website. Pay the amount of 300 AUD along with their form. I personally went to the AHPRA office in Perth to submit my papers but these can also be sent via post. 

15. Wait for a couple of weeks and they will email you if you need to present more documents or that you have passed all requirements and that you are now a registered nurse! Congratulations!

I still have a long way to go as it is quite difficult to score a company that sponsors a work visa but I know that with God's grace I can make it.

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog :)

Longing for Perth-adise

I studied in Perth for my Nursing Bridging Program. I chose Perth because of my high school friend though I also had friends from other Australian states. School lasted for 9 weeks and on the last day wherein we had to pass our final requirements, me and a classmate went out to sightsee parts of the city. 

First off we went to St George Cathedral which was only a few minutes walk from our campus. This church is the principal Anglican church in the city of Perth and the mother-church of the Anglican Diocese of Perth (Wikipedia). 

I've always loved visiting churches and looking at the pretty architecture inside of them. I also believe that by praying for a wish to be granted in a church newly visited will be granted. Nevertheless, what I always do is talking to God and thanking him for the blessings and hardships that come my way. 

Next up, we visited the City of Perth Library. Now another place that I love visiting are libraries. There is such a whole new world for me when I am surrounded by books and magazines. I would have loved to read but we don't have much time so we just looked around every floor. I used to remember when I was a child that our library was only one floor and most of the books were torn because some children were not careful enough or because the books were always borrowed. 

This particular library has many floors and a lot of tables, chairs and couches were people can comfortably read. I liked that they have a separate floor for teens to have their kind of books (though I am way beyond my teenager years lol).

We chose to go up the floors via the elevator and go back down through the lovely spiralling staircase. 

We then a few minutes across the street where Stirling Gardens is. It is just a small public park with sculptures, lovely flower gardens and benches. It was noon time when we came and we saw people enjoying the sun while sitting on the grasses or benches. 

Just a few minute walk was Elizabeth Quay. It is the perfect place to do people watching, dining or relaxing. As it was so hot that day, we decided to buy some gelato to cool ourselves while taking in all the view.

My classmate and good friend, Clarisse,who was with me during this entire time :)

Another place that I miss in Perth is King's Park. It is such a cool place to hang out with friends, see the city and sunset and have a picnic.

I really had a wonderful time in Perth. Wherever life takes me, Perth would always be the first city I fell in love with in Australia. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

Prayer to St Expeditus

image courtesy of molossia.org/stexpeditus.html

(This prayer is to be said daily until your request is granted, Be sure to publish thanking Saint Expedite, so that his name and glory will grow.Please do not post entire prayer in comments section. Thanksgiving, Intentions & Testimonies only)

Saint Expedite, you lay in rest.

I come to you and ask that this wish be granted.

(Mention you urgent request)

Saint Expedite now what I ask of you. Saint Expedite now what I want of you, this very second.

Don't waste another day. Grant me what I ask for.

I know your power, I know you because of your work. I know you can help me.

Do this for me and I will spread your name with love and honor so that it will be invoked again and again.

Expedite this wish with speed, love, honor, and goodness. Glory to you, Saint Expedite!

NOTE: Saint Expedite is the patron saint of those who hope for rapid solutions to problems, who wish to avoid or put an end to delays, and who want general or immediate financial success.Not much info is available on St. Expedite. The most popular and accepted one is about him being a Roman soldier back in the days of the Christian persecution. During his service, he witnessed the martyrdom of several Christians at the hands of their persecutors, and was so taken by their humility, faith, and their requests that their persecutors be forgiven even as their persecutors tortured and killed them, that he chose to convert to Christianity - a choice that caused him to be imprisoned and ultimately killed for his beliefs. He is generally depicted as a Roman soldier stepping on a raven who is saying "Cras" (tomorrow) while holding a cross that says "Hodie" (today.) This comes from before St Expedite was martyred, Satan came to him in the form of a raven saying "Convert tomorrow, convert tomorrow," and St Expedite refused, insisting he be baptized a Christian that very same day and crushed the raven under his feet. The day after, he was martyred for his Christian faith.

Budget Travel Sydney - day 4

I did not do much on my 3^rd day in Sydney. I just walked the whole day exploring the areas near the Harbour Bridge, The Rocks Weekend Market and Opera House. I was planning to visit the Blue Mountains on my 4^th day but I did not want to join the usual tours. I have read online that it can be done by yourself. Thankfully I found a roommate in the backpackers dorm who was interested to do this too. By the way, the cheapest group tour we can find was around $85 and was beyond our budget.

The next day, we went out to Sydney Central Railway Station and caught the 7:21 train to Blue Mountains. The station was huge and there was a lot of people for the morning rush, so we had to run to get to the platform and we caught it just in time.  The travel time was 2 hours but it did not really feel tedious because of the smooth train ride. We even fell asleep and finally arrived at Katoomba Station at 9:23.

Upon exiting Katoomba station, we found that there were booths selling the Blue Mountain Tours. We chose the Blue Mountain Explorer which was just across the street because it was cheaper. We each paid 30 AUD and was given our ticket and and guide book. We then waited in front of a hotel which was about a minute walk from the store. At 9:45, our bus came to pick us up. I was particularly awed with the trees that were turning red. It was autumn when I went and it was so lovely for me.

There were only 4 of us for the first bus ride so the driver took his time to talk while driving us through the stops. This was my first time ever to ride a hop on hop off bus but I knew about it from my friends. The driver would stop at bus stop points and we can get off, explore the place  and wait for the bus to come back which probably was an hour later. Bus drop off and pick up points were not hard to find and looked like this.

Here's my friend, Connie, on the first stop that we hopped off the bus. We only spent a few minutes on this lookout because we were worried that there'd be a lot of people on Echo Point by the time we get there.

We went down from the bus again at Echo Point. It has the panoramic views of the Jamison Valley and the iconic Three Sisters.

It was especially freezing that day but it did not stop us from enjoying the view of the Three Sisters. According to Aboriginal legend they were sisters who were turned to stone. It was a bit early during the day, possibly around 11am and that is why a shadow has quite hidden the magnificence of the stone. But either way, I am happy to be there and see it for myself. 

It was also majestic to just look around and take in the entire view of the valley. I liked that there is a map to inform which particular mountain you are looking at. 

The place has 2 viewing  platforms and tourists can go to the lower one easily. There is also a clear sign that says Prince Henry Cliff Walk. This details how to go to Katoomba Falls or to Scenic World. 

Just a few feet from the Visitor Center is an archway where we saw people were either heading in or out. 

It led us to a walkway with a lot of trees and views of the Jamison Valley. 

Then we saw a short set of stairs which were very steep and only 1-2 persons at a time can pass by. We were very careful not to fall and definitely going down was easier by just holding on the railings and looking at where your foot lands. I didn't expect to hike but maybe because I did not do much research before coming. Either way, I am happy to get a bit of exercise. 

The stairs was connected to Honeymoon Bridge which then allowed us to be up close with the first sister. 

We stayed for a few minutes to take in the view and retraced our steps back to Echo Point. Since our bus was not scheduled to come yet, we decided to walk to the next bus stop which was only a few meters ahead. The next stop was near the Blue Mountains Chocolate Company.

Lots of chocolate options, cake and a coffee were available there. It is a quaint place to relax and fill yourself up after the hike and freezing temperature outside. 

We weren't able to catch the bus so what we did was have a bit of an adventure. We studied and followed the map to Scenic World. We did not plan to ride any rides of the Scenic World because we did not budget for it. So we just walked and walked until we saw a part of the Katoomba Falls. 

We were satisfied of how our day went and finally decided to run to the next bus stop. We caught the bus just in time! Connie and I decided to end our gallivanting in Katoomba by filling up our tummy with Fish and Chips at a local shop. 

It was a fun short time that we had in Katoomba. I found out that there is a local bus 686 that stops at Echo Point and other sites in Katoomba. Fares are paid thru Opal cards just like the one used to ride the train from the city. Nevertheless, me and Connie were happy with what we chose and did. 

It's been more than a month since I've been there. I've been pretty lazy at home and just found the strength to finish all this so that my friend, Mel, whose planning to come to Blue Mountains can get an idea of what I did there :)

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog :)