Travel Budget: Southeast Asia

Cheap hotels in Boracay

A day in Ballarat

Updates from Malacca
I’m writing this from my room at the Twenty Guesthouse in Malacca. Marvin highly recommends this place, so when I was making my reservations for this trip, I didn’t bother checking other places. It costs much more than other guesthouses I’ve stayed in, but it’s right smack in the middle of Jonker Walk, and the place is gorgeous. Its nondescript facade gives no clue to the homey guesthouse inside. They even have a resident cat. I’m in Melaka again for the next couple of days. My previous post about missing Malacca was actually a prelude to this trip. Similar to my second

Notes from Changi Airport
Yes, I’m back. For the nth time. Don’t ask. I’m killing time because my Philippine Airline flight from Manila landed early — too early. My brother is just leaving his office so I figured I’d kill time by hoarding the free internet terminal before going through immigration. Notice that my post was after the flight, not before. The Centennial terminal’s wifi was wonky this afternoon, and the internet kiosks were pretty useless. Also, I’ve loaded my laptop with episodes of Queer as Folk, so I just watched an episode while waiting for my flight to be called instead of writing. The airport was quite busy this afternoon. Actually,

Germany and China at the World Pyro Olympics 2009
Germany and China faced off last Saturday to open the first night of the five-day World Pyro Olympics 2009. Rain seem to follow the Pyrolympics, as it rained pretty hard last Saturday. Still, the rain did not stop the spectators, nor did it stop the two countries from displaying their firepower. Fireworks display by Nico Lunig

Manila themed eco bags from Kultura
Kultura, since its launch several years ago, have been a favorite haunt of my sisters and I. Selling different kinds of Filipiniana items, they stock more than the usual tacky tourist souvenirs. There are a lot of chic homegrown products made with indigenous materials that made Kultura a favorite stop of ours whenever we’re shopping for gifts to give to friends and relatives abroad, or even for those living in the Philippines.

Breakfast in Tagaytay
It was just one of those spur of the moment things, you know? Rey had this sudden urge to head up to Tagaytay to watch the sunrise and to have breakfast. I was more than willing to go — I’ve been cooped up inside the house for a week and I’m only to happy to get out of the house. Southbound on SLEX Tagaytay’s location makes it the perfect weekend destin