Great Ocean Road

One of the must do's when visiting  Melbourne, Australia is to take a trip to the Great Ocean Road. It is an adventure and experience in one. This coastal drive spans 243 kilometres in the South- Eastern Coast of Victoria, starting from Torquay to Abbotsford. As per wikipedia, the road was built by returned soldiers from 1919-1932 and dedicated to the soldiers killed during World War 1. 

Armed with eagerness for adventure, me and Joel set out to do the journey last March 26, 2018. We chose to drive down there so we can enjoy and hold our own time although there are a lot of online travel companies that offer the tour as well. Tours range from 96-105 AUD, depending on the inclusions and length. 

Our first stop was at Bell's Beach in Torquay. We came a week before the annual Rip Curl Surfing Competition so there were people busy putting up platforms and busy surfing. I also saw the famous shops of Quiksilver and Rip Curl here, very tempting to shop but we had an itinerary to follow :)

A few kilometers later, we saw this iconic spot. Everybody who comes to Great Ocean Road should have a picture or two here!

An interesting read about the road we are traversing.

Our next stop was at the lovely town of Lorne. While we parked our car, a bird rested on our side mirror. It is seemingly saying welcome to Lorne, visitors! But I was eating in the car so it must have seen my food. Lol

Lorne is a popular holiday destination in Melbourne. No question on this because of its beautiful one kilometer long beach and a sprawling park near the shore. During the time of our visit, the Lorne Sculpture Biennial 2018 was happening and was an interesting sight. Quaint shops were just a few steps away from where we parked so we got coffee and sat down for a while before heading off for the next stop. 

Kennett River is the next stop on our list. I've read that this is where seeing a koala in the wild is. Although I just saw one koala high up in the branches, Joel had fun trying to entice these colourful birds to rest in his arm. 

Driving out of Kennett River, we saw a pretty sight- a rainbow.

It was then almost dark so we headed out to our booked accommodation for the night in Apollo Bay. The following day, we headed early to continue our trip. We passed through Great Otway National Park and saw this beautiful view at Glenaire. 

A few kilometres ahead was Port Campbell National Park. We stopped to see for ourselves what Gibson Steps is about. It was an 86 step staircase down the cliff.

There had been rain a couple of hours before, so it was muddy and a bit slippery. There were a lot of people coming up and down the stairs at the same time so we had to give way so everybody can be safe. The natural scene of the beach was amazing but swimming here is not advised as waves are choppy and there are plenty of rip holes. 

Just a few minutes away was the Twelve Apostles, another iconic spot in the Great Ocean Road. We had to leave our car in the designated parking spaces near the Visitor Centre and take a bit of hike towards the opposite side. 

Right now, there are only 7 remaining. These spires were part of the mainland before wind and water eroded the connecting rocks. 

There was a throng of people everywhere enjoying the sight and the sound of the waves crashing from below. I was honestly not too amazed when I saw it myself but still I am happy to have gotten the chance to see the stones still standing amidst the pressure of the wind, water and rain. We concluded our journey at the town centre of Port Campbell to get some hot fish and chips and then drove 2 hours back to Melbourne.

That was another memorable adventure :) Thanks for reading and 'til next blog!

Phuket Shooting Range

A Shooting range is not my thing but I do not judge those who do. After our Ho Chi Minh trip wherein Joel was not able to try the shooting range offered at the Cu Chi Tunnel tour, he vowed to do it in Phuket. Just a quick Google search and we found out that there is one Phuket Shooting Range complex in Chalong situated near Kata Beach. 

The place is open from 8am until 6pm and parking space is ample. As we managed our own time, we arrived at the place at a little past 1 in the afternoon. There were a lot of tourists because there are a lot of exciting things to do such as go kart racing, a snake farm, elephant trekking, paintball and many more. We headed straight to the Shooting Range and the staff was quick to give us some ear muffs so we won't be deaf from all the background shooting. 

There is a poster on the wall detailing what type of guns and how much one would pay to fire 10 bullets from the machines. This is also detailed in their website and the staff are happy to help and explain further about it. 

After deciding what he wanted to use, Joel was asked to go to the counter and pay. The cashier then gave him his target and the 10 bullets he would use.

While he was doing so, I looked around the Shooting Range's display and found that they have  a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor. 

After paying, the patrons are asked to queue in the middle of the hall and an available guide will lead them to a seat. 

The place has a lot of reminders for safety such as: not to point the guns to any person. 

Before starting, the instructor is guiding Joel on the how to's of this activity. 

He then started to use his 10 bullets and  finally posed with his target!

He would have wanted another round but it was a bit costly for our daily budget. Anyhow, he was already happy to have experienced it and I was too, for my first time in a shooting range. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

Short Taipei Trip 2018

Eversince I knew about Taipei being visa free for a limited time for Filipinos, I dreamt of visiting the country. I am just so fortunate that my boyfriend, Joel, is up for it, too. We started to plan for the trip in the late part of 2017 and chose to fly from Cebu to Taipei thru Airasia last January 2018. The fare we got was about 2,000 PHP (39 USD) for one person for one way. I know we could have gotten it cheaper if there were seat sales at that time. 

As part of the preparation, I read many blogs and articles about Taipei. I made my itinerary from scratch. It was only a short trip to Taipei - just 2 nights and 3 days so the schedule was pretty tight. Also, I have read that it was winter season so I had to be ready with warm clothes!

At Mactan-Cebu airport, we both had to pay the Airport Terminal Fee which is 750 PHP (15 USD) and as a Philippine Resident, I had to pay Philippine Travel Tax of 1620 PHP (31 USD). After 2 hours and 30 minutes, we arrived in Taipei Taoyuan Airport. Look at that cute ceiling design behind us :)

Before leaving this airport, here are my tips:

1. Change money at the airport - I've read this is important because there are not many (or maybe there is none at all) currency exchange stations in the city. Note that they do ask for a fee/ commission when you exchange your money. 

2.Buy phone sim or rent 4g wifi via Klook.com - Another important thing especially when doing tours by DIY. We figured that renting a 4g wifi is more cost efficient and it did not disappoint us! For a bit less than 500PHP (10 USD), our internet connection was fast and cheap!

3. Get a tourist map - for someone who believes in old school ways, I love maps! I always make it a point to grab one from airport tourist counters. Important and tourist friendly information are in it and its free, so why not?

4. Buy Easy Card at the airport - We discussed about getting an Easy Card or Taipei Pass. Both has its pros and cons and we finally agreed on the easy card. There is a 100 NTD non refundable deposit but if you have a balance in the card before you head out, you can have it refunded at the airport counter where you bought it. 

5. ride MRT to Taipei City, cost 160 NTD (6 USD)- the MRT travels 35 minutes only from the airport to the city. A bit costly than the bus (125 NTD or 4.26 USD) but we figured out that it was an easier way to get to our hotel so MRT wins!

6. Choose a hotel near where the action is or near a train station - This is always what I do to save time, effort and save money from fares. 

We had a bit of difficulty locating our hotel and carrying our stuff around even with the help of Google Maps. But once we found it, we were so relieved! :) Since check in was at 5pm (this is the first hotel ever that I knew of a super late check in time), we left our bags in the reception and headed on to explore Taipei.

The intersection near our hotel

During our stay, here are the things we did in Taipei:

1. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

Entrance fee: Free

How to get there: Take the Blue Line and get off at S.Y.S Memorial Hall

This is a memorial built in 1972 as a tribute to the founder of the Republic of China. Walking towards it, we found many students practicing school activities on the grounds and a beautiful garden called Zhongshan Park. Inside we found historical relics of Dr Sun's life. We also waited for the changing of the guards which was awesome.

2. Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

 Entrance fee: Free

 How to get there: Red or Green Line to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

Upon exiting the train station, we were amazed of the huge building in Chinese Architecture. Entire complex is huge and there were a lot of students practicing. We had to sit down to take in the view. Unfortunately, during our visit, the hall was under renovation so we just stayed in the grounds and we were happy just being there. 

3. Shilin Night Market

Entrance Fee: Free

 How to get there: Take the Red line to Jiantian Station and take exit 1

One of the largest and most popular night markets in Taiwan, we came here not once but for 2 nights because we cannot get enough of the food, the sites and sound. As usual with any night markets, we found a lot of souvenirs of Taiwan. What amazed us were the many entertaining games like balloon popping, bottle standing and a lot more. Their prizes were stuff toys which were so huge, really enticing for the public to try the game.

Food was also a big factor. There were a lot of stalls that served delicious food. We particularly love this glazed strawberry for 50 NTD.

We found the food court of the market and inside it were rows of restaurants serving different kinds of cuisines. We had a difficult time choosing one and when we did, we ordered:

the Oyster Omelet.

Xao Long Bao

 In Taiwan, I had my daily fix of gong cha or milk tea :)

Lots of other drinks to choose from!

4. Taipei 101 Observatory

Entrance Fee: I bought our tickets ahead from KK day for our  visit to Taipei 101 Observatory. I got it for around 900 PHP ( 17.30 USD)

How to get there: Red Line to Taipei 101 station

view from Taipei 101 Observatory 

Claiming the ticket was a breeze from the counter and we were then asked to queue towards the world's second fastest elevators. We were lucky that the sky was clear that day and we were able to marvel at the city lights and 360 degree view  from the 89th floor. There were shops at the 89th floor for souvenirs as well. What's great with getting my voucher from KK day is that we had a free Oolong milk tea!

5. Longshan Temple

Entrance Fee: Free, Donations for the temple upkeep is accepted

How to get there: Blue Line to Longshan Temple then take exit 1

This is one of the largest and oldest temple in Taiwan. It was built in 1738 but was damaged by American bombers. Now, it is continuously improved and renovated by locals. 

6. Ximending Shopping District

How to get there: Blue or Green Line to Ximen

One cannot miss this shopping haven. With a vast number of stores, restaurants and shops, it is very easy to spend time just walking around this area. We had a quick lunch in a Japanese restaurant which is located on the second floor with a view of the busy street. 

These were only just a few sites that consisted our Taipei trip. There are other interesting sites such as Elephant Mountain, Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola but we didn't have the time to see all. Maybe in the future as we'd love to come back! Thank you for reading and 'til next blog ;)

A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman

Last Sunday, my sister treated me for a movie and we chose to watch The Greatest Showman. I have heard great and not so great reviews about the movie but most of my friends raved about it so it got my curiosity. 

The movie is a musical inspired from the life of P. T Barnum and how he made his dream of putting together a show featuring "freaks". Although the movie made adjustments to what really happened to Barnum's life to keep the audience entertained, I still loved how the casts gave life to their characters, how the songs were pleasing to the ear and the over all inspiration that the story is giving. There were a number of songs that I liked from the movie and one of them is the song from the first part of the movie, entitled A million dreams. While the song is being sang by the young P. T Barnum in the movie, it showcases the hardship that he had gone through and the many things that he hopes to achieve someday.

Here is the official Audio from Atlantic Records with the lyrics below. Enjoy! ;)

"A Million Dreams"

(from "The Greatest Showman" soundtrack)

[Ziv Zaifman:]

I close my eyes and I can see

The world that's waiting up for me

That I call my own

Through the dark, through the door

Through where no one's been before

But it feels like home

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy

They can say, they can say I've lost my mind

I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy

We can live in a world that we design

'Cause every night I lie in bed

The brightest colors fill my head

A million dreams are keeping me awake

I think of what the world could be

A vision of the one I see

A million dreams is all it's gonna take

A million dreams for the world we're gonna make

There's a house we can build

Every room inside is filled

With things from far away

The special things I compile

Each one there to make you smile

On a rainy day

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy

They can say, they can say we've lost our minds

I don't care, I don't care if they call us crazy

Run away to a world that we design

[Hugh Jackman:]

Every night I lie in bed

The brightest colors fill my head

A million dreams are keeping me awake

I think of what the world could be

A vision of the one I see

A million dreams is all it's gonna take

A million dreams for the world we're gonna make

[Michelle Williams:]

However big, however small

Let me be part of it all

Share your dreams with me

You may be right, you may be wrong

But say that you'll bring me along

To the world you see

To the world I close my eyes to see

I close my eyes to see

[Michelle Williams & Hugh Jackman:]

Every night I lie in bed

The brightest colors fill my head

A million dreams are keeping me awake

A million dreams, a million dreams

I think of what the world could be

A vision of the one I see

A million dreams is all it's gonna take

A million dreams for the world we're gonna make

For the world we're gonna make

Half day Trip to Lake Balinsasayao

I've always wanted to visit and see what the famous twin lake of Balinsasayao looks like. I wondered why I did not know about it during the 4 years of my college in Silliman University, Dumaguete City. Nevertheless, eversince I knew about it, I placed it on my bucket list of travel.

From Dumaguete City, me and Joel (my boyfriend) rode a jeep to Amlan. The jeep waits for people before it eventually starts the journey. It is important to tell the driver that you'd like to be dropped off at the junction of La-laan because you'd like to go to the Twin Lakes. The fare per person is 15 PHP (0.29 USD)  and the trip took about 20 minutes 

At the junction, we were immediately swarmed by (habal-habal) motorcycle drivers. As the road was steep and uphill, the driver said it is best to only have one passenger per vehicle. We had to pay a total of 800 PHP (15.36 USD) for the 2 motorcycle drivers. 

The road was mostly cemented but still it was uphill and winding and steep. I observed that there were a lot of dogs sleeping in the middle of the street. They would immediately scamper off when they hear that the vehicles are near. During the trip, I can't help but be amazed with the view of the town below and the many trees surrounding me. The entire ride took about 15-20 minutes until we reached the Visitor Center wherein we had to pay for the parking fee and entrance fees.

Tip: If you have a Government Identification card that details your address, you can get a discount from the Local Resident fee.

Joel is a foreigner so we had to pay 100 PHP (1.92 USD) for his entrance. But looking at the receipt now, I (as a local/ Filipino resident) am paying 90 PHP (1.73 USD) which is not far from his fee. LOL!

The staff of the Visitor Center also controls how many vehicles can go up or down at the same time.  This is good for the safety of the visitors. Joel had to go up first. 

While I was waiting for him, I had the time to look around the visitor center. 

It was then my turn to go up. When I arrived, Joel and I were then guided by the driver to the short down hill trek towards the lake. It was a bit dangerous because of the slippery road but at least there was a hand rail. 

The lake looked so serene and there were a few people ahead of us in there. It looked deep and huge at the same time. However there is not much to do other than stare at the vastness of the lake. There is, however, a row boat that one can hire for 350 pesos an hour to take people to see the other lake named Danao. There is also a trail hike which we did not go to because of the slippery path.

As part of the deal with the motorcycle drivers, they dropped us off at Dumaguete City. Now I can say that I have seen the lake with my own eyes and is now ticked off my bucket list.

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!