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Killing Time in SM Mall of Asia

12 hours. Itâ€™s how long we waited in Mall of Asia in order to kill time before our trip to Sagada. We arrived from a Cebu to Manila flight and we decided to burn the hours online and stroll around this shopping and recreation center. We also bought some grocery items in order to spend less as they say that food is a bit pricey and weâ€™ve been squeezing our resources because weâ€™re really tight on our budget. Lunch and dinner are actually composed of those Jollibee 39er meals which keeps me full after an extra serving of rice.

abusing the free WiFi in SM.

If you want to chill and hang out like any other tourist in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the Pub Street is for you. This is where the night life happens when traffic is blocked so restaurants and bars can occupy a better portion of the street with tables and chairs.

On our 2nd day in Siem Reap, we quickly finished touring the temples and asked our tuk tuk driver to drop us off at the Old Market. We’ve had enough temples to visit for the day and we wanted to scan through the number of stalls selling different merchandise in the original marketplace. I still had some pending requests for items to buy and I was about to panic since we only had limited time left. Didn’t find much to explore there as most of the items were also in the night market.

We also wanted to explore the pub street when it’s not too crowded with people.

pub street during day time

alley

The place has a number of nooks and corners and each of these are filled with shops that scream ART in every direction. There’s also a rich display of colors and designs which create a quaint but cozy look.

saw this shop first in Marcus of Ambot-Ah.com and his site

Still not yet done with my posts about my trip to Cambodia but I figured I’d post an entry about how we got back to Bangkok, Thailand from Siem Reap.

I received a couple of notifications from readers about how to travel from Siem Reap to Bangkok so I’ll post this one quick as it was also an easy trip.

Still at our hostel (Bousavy Guesthouse), we asked for directions on how to get back to Bangkok. We initially planned on following our original steps on how to get to Siem Reap via train. But when we asked the owner, he offered to arrange a bus trip to Bangkok. We immediately agreed to their offer when we learned how cheap it was to get back.

8 USD – Siem Reap to Bangkok – Travel Time (8-9 hours)

We bought our tickets directly at Bousavy, arranged our pick-up for the bus and just went through with the trip.

back at the Cambodia border

Compared to the Bangkok to Siem Reap trip, we cut down our transportation expenses by almost half! We asked the owner of Bousavy Guesthouse why their bus line only has buses to Bangkok. He said that rules are more complicated from Bangkok to Siem Reap compared to Siem Reap to Bangkok.

lining up at the Cambodia Immigration center

We arranged a tuk tuk pick-up to the bus station and at around 9am, we were already inside the shuttle going to the border. I sat beside a Spanish woman and practiced whatever PR skills I had left.

“Sir, sir.“, I hear a faint voice calling.
“3 for 1 dollar, 3 for 1 dollar.” A sweet girl was selling her items in a small basket she was carrying. Trinkets and what-nots were inside.

She was about five years old but her frame seemed as if she were three.
I turned around, trying to shrug her away as I didn’t want to buy any of her goods despite the relatively cheap price.

After a long day of walking, I was heading for the loo to take a leak when this kid wouldn’t budge. She kept insisting that I should buy some bracelets as souvenirs; hoping I would give in any time soon. Only when I had to hurry my pace did she also attempt to walk faster; giving me a better deal for her merchandise “Ok, 4 for 1 dollar, 4 for 1 dollar.”

Khmer kids selling merchandise

Unfortunately, I still didn’t want to buy anything. Even after I got back from the bathroom, she still kept pursuing her items. I fell into a game of patintero (gatekeeper and trespasser), looking for a way to avoid her.

After realizing that I was too stubborn, she followed other tourists passing by. Going back to her old spiel, she was able to sell a few items from those foreigners.

people-watching

Bou Savy Guesthouse (Bed and Breakfast)
Siem Reap, Cambodia

I received a couple of questions from readers on where to stay in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Being the ever-resourceful person that I am (insert sarcastic tone), I relied on my friend to search through different hostels there.

My only criteria I wanted for hostels in Siem Reap was that it should be cheap and should have free WiFi. No need for air conditioning, TV and the like. After all those searches, we ended up staying at Bou Savy Guest House which is a family-owned inn and is located 5 minutes away from the main road. It’s about a 10-15-minute walk to the Angkor Night Market. If you don’t want to walk, you can always hire a tuk tuk taxi.

Perks include:
• FREE Pick up & Transfer
• Free Breakfast
• FREE 24-hr High-Speed Wi-Fi (if you don’t have a laptop, they have 5 computers available – free to use)
• FREE Daily Bottled Water in Rooms
• FREE Map of Temple & Town
• Hot Shower

Bousavy Guesthouse, lots of trees inside the compound

This hostel was highly recommended by Chyng Reyes (a fellow travel blogger) of chyngreyes.com.

We took advantage of their 3 nights/2 days package wherein we had a tour around all the temples good for two days. We didn’t have to bother negotiating with tuk tuk drivers or search for the temples on our end.

bousavy guesthouse compound

Learned the art of haggling in the night markets in Siem Reap. Only a couple of hours after arriving at the Bousavy Guesthouse, we proceeded to the downtown area to have dinner and dropped by the Angkor Night Market which was a playful sight to behold. So many goods being sold and at cheap prices too.

Me: How much is shirt?
Vendor: 12 dollars.
Me: Last price?
Vendor: 10 dollars.
Me: Never mind.
Vendor: Ok, how much you want?
Me: I pay 6 dollars.
Vendor: No, I give you 8. I no profit if I give you 6 dollars.
Me: Ok, thank you. I come back, I come back. *walks away*
Vendor: Ok ok! I give you 6!

…and so the item was bought. This is usually the scene whenever attendants manning their booths would catch you fancying their merchandise.

Angkor night Market in Siem Reap, Cambodia

At first, you’ll probably get confused on why they have so many labels for their markets. Angkor Night Market, Siem Reap Night Market, Noon-Night Market, Central Market, Old Public Market etc. They have so many names for every area of their markets but all of which usually carry and sell the same stuff.

colorful corners and goods in Cambodia

Earrings, bangles, Buddha statues, scarves, dresses, knock-off bags and shirts and other useful and decorative items. Prices vary as they are dependent on your haggling skills. After a series of purchases, you’ll get the hang of haggling for these merchandise to get a good price.

Note: Cambodians use Riel as their currency but during transactions, vendors quote prices in US Dollars. I guess it’s because of the number of tourists that go to the country. They will still accept either of the denominations but most of them prefer dollars as it’s more convenient too.

1 USD = 4000 Cambodian Riel/Khmer Riel

people flocking at night

I claimed a backpack that I won from a contest that was organized by R.O.X. Philippines. The Backpack for Bloggers was a contest on Facebook wherein participants were tasked to write about their most memorable Outdoor adventure for 2010. In my case, I shared my bungy jumping experience at the Macau tower which is hands down the best moment as I conquered my fear of heights and I achieved one of my goals that I planned for over a year. Heck, I still can’t stop talking about it as it’s always something I’m proud of doing.

I received the news that I won the bag some time in January but it took me awhile to get it since I’m from Cebu and they needed to ship it to the R.O.X. branch in Ayala Center. Recently, I just had a trip in Zambales and decided to drop by Manila before heading back home. Just shows how anxious I am to get the prize.

Mountain Hardwear Scrambler

Just got home from another set of adventures during our trip from Cebu to Clark wherein we headed to Zambales to experience and see the amazing views of their islands and coves.

I’ve been meaning to visit this part of the Philippines ever since I saw photos of pine trees on the beach and the vast landscape. Took me about two years to finally reach this province and I’m glad to have conquered it.

Beach on one side, lake on the other. Pine trees in between and mountain ranges at the back. I’ll be posting more entries about each spot in the future. I just thought I’d share a couple of snapshots because I don’t think I’ll be able to write my experiences any time soon.

ANAWANGIN COVE

This is the most famous among all the spots in Zambales and I fell in the process of going down from a climb. I’ve a couple of scars that will soon vanish in due time. Will write more about it later.

Anawangin Cove, Zambales

pine trees on the beach

NAGSASA COVE

Nagsasa Cove was the main spot I wanted to visit because of how everybody said it’s a better option compared to Anawangin. I still prefer this cove though. It’s indeed peaceful because there aren’t as many travellers as Anawangin.

wide landscape (photo by Doi)

You just came from a long vacation and now you’re leaving again?

The expression on his face was priceless. There was no need to answer as I understood that it was a rhetorical question. I just had to smile to eliminate the moment of silence between his eyes and my smirk.

Hong Kong – Macau – Cebu – Boracay

After a trip to Hong Kong and Macau, I spent one day working at the office, and then headed to the airport to catch a flight to Boracay.

September 1-8, 2010 – Hong Kong-Macau
September 9, 2010 – Cebu (working at the office)
September 10-12, 2010 – Boracay

Thailand – Cambodia – Cebu – Davao

After a trip to Thailand and Cambodia, I spent one day working at the office, and then headed to the airport to catch a flight to Davao.

January 18-26, 2011 – Thailand-Cambodia
January 27, 2011 – Cebu (working at the office)
January 28-31, 2011 – Davao

Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong | Fisherman’s Wharf, Macau | Station 2, Boracay

Khao San Road, Bangkok | South Angkor Thom Gate, Siem Reap | Isla Reta, Samal

History repeated itself and recalling these two scenarios crack me up. It’s such a crazy situation that even my manager asked me if I was alright.

Malapascua, you’re silent killer. I heard so much about you. How travellers describe your beauty without comparison. How a smile was the only response I received from people I asked about what you could offer. It was a rough ride before I reached you. Countless times when trips were postponed without reason. But when I … Read more

I Call Myself a Travel Blogger, But…

Let me be honest here. I call myself a travel blogger as I own a travel blog. But there are number of things I don’t know about travelling and I’d like to set things straight just to show how amateurish I am about this passion in general. Sure, I’ve been to places and I’ve so many photos to prove how much of a tourist I am. But those are probably the only things I can be proud of as I have so much to learn. I call myself a Travel Blogger, but…

I don’t know my geography.

I can’t locate a country or region in a map to save myself. A friend laughed at me when I thought that La Union and Camarines Norte were near each other when they’re on totally different ends.

Met a fellow traveller during a trip to Thailand and he asked me which country I’m from. Traveller: Where are you from? Me: I’m from the Philippines. Traveller: That’s nice, I haven’t been there. Me: What about you? Traveller: Mauritius Island. Me: *I gave him a dumbfounded look* and with my big mouth, I had to ask – Where’s that?

If I had an online device, I’d turn away, Google it up and then get back to him to continue our conversation. I have difficulty locating destinations in a map that’s why I easily get lost which is a problem when it comes to budget.

…and still maintain your full-time job.

No, I didn’t take my job with me when traveling in those months but I filed for vacation leaves in between. From October of last year to January of this year, I visited four countries within four months; all of which happened in different times. It was no easy feat considering that I have a day job in a BPO industry. I was apprehensive too, if all my plans would push through considering the number of vacation leaves that I had.

Hong Kong, Macau (Ok, Macau is not a country but just a region of China along with HK, but my passport was still stamped), Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand. I visited these five places which makes me wonder if what I did was a rare opportunity to achieve or if everybody can do it as well.

Friends would ask me if I’m still working in my current company due to my constant travelling. I tell them I’m just lucky to also have a boss that understands my needs to get away from the office environment once in a while. Sure, you may not be able to choose your manager but there are other circumstances that you can control.

KL Monorail, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Here are four basic tips that you can take note of so you can travel while keeping your job.

Book Ahead – Check out budget airline websites for dirt-cheap promotions which they hold regularly. You’ll be able to save a ton of money because of booking in advance at ridiculously low prices.

My trip to Hong Kong cost me 1200 Php and those are round trip tickets already. (Cebu to Hongkong)
My trip to Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia cost me 850 Php; and that’s riding four planes! (Cebu to Clark to Kuala Lumpur and back)
My trip to Bangkok cost me 6000 Php; actually it’s 5200 bucks more because of a huge mistake of being late at the airport but you understand the point of booking during promo fares.

Suggested websites are CebuPacificAirlines.com and AirAsia.com once in a while to what they’re offering. Better yet, subscribe to their feeds to notify you on their next big airline ticket sales.

Venetian Hotel, Macau

Second day of our tour of the temples in Cambodia. We were supposed to meet with our driver at 8am but we departed at around 9. The destinations were far from each other which explains the early call time. But it didn’t matter, we still ample time. I wanted to rent a bike (1 USD … Read more

Cambodia Trip: Walking Barefoot at Angkor Wat Temple

I removed my sandals and went barefoot in Angkor Wat. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision which wasn’t a big deal as dirt already gathered inside my footwear. I was hoping to connect with the temple when my skin touched the stones of the shrine but I was unsuccessful. It wasn’t the day to reflect as … Read more

Killing Time in SM Mall of Asia

Cambodia Trip: Chill Out and Relax at Pub Street in Siem Reap

Cambodia Trip: Shuttle Bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok, Thailand

Cambodia Trip: Those Khmer Kids Selling Merchandise

Where to Stay: Bousavy Guesthouse in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodia Trip: Haggling Prices in Angkor Night Market

Won a Mountain Hardwear Scrambler Backpack from R.O.X. Philippines

Zambales Trip: Anawangin Cove, Nagsasa Cove and Capones Island

ANAWANGIN COVE

NAGSASA COVE

One Vacation after Another

You just came from a long vacation and now you’re leaving again?

Hong Kong – Macau – Cebu – Boracay

Thailand – Cambodia – Cebu – Davao

Malapascua Island: A Silent Killer

I Call Myself a Travel Blogger, But…

How to Travel to Four Countries Within Four Months

Cambodia Trip: Pre Rup, Banteay Srei and East Mebon Temples

Cambodia Trip: Walking Barefoot at Angkor Wat Temple