Amuy Probinsya

Basic Expenses:

300.00 PHP - Jeepney from Clark Maingate to DMIA (if you're with other people who will also go to the airport you can divide the fare among yourselves)

(less than) 6,000.00 php - Roundtrip Ticket (arriving in Changi Airport SG, leaving from KLIA)

1620.00 PHP- Terminal Tax (Clark Airport)

450.00 PHP - Travel Tax (Clark Airport)

20.00 SGD - Metered taxi from Changi to @ The Little Red DOt hostel at Lavender St

(less than) 800.00 PHP per person - lodging at @ The Little Red Dot Hostel booked via Hostelworld.com

74.00 SGD - ticket to Universal Studios (the hostel sells the tickets for $69.00 SGD if available. Some taxi drivers also sell them)

(less than) 20.00 SGD - taxi to Universal Studios from the hostel

5.00 SGD - Drinks at Universal Studios (to save money you can buy bottled water from outside)

(more or less) 20.00 SGD - fare from Universal Studios back to hostel

* A taxi can hold 4 passengers so it will be more economical if it's 4 of you. If not you may want to try the MRT which is a walking distance from @ The Little Red Dot hostel

(less than) 2.00 SGD - MRT to Marina Bay to see the Merlion

* We were told that he nearest station to Merlion Park is "City Hall" but we disembarked to Marina Bay Station instead so we had to walk quite a distance to get to the Merlion. We spent some of our time taking pictures of things we see along the way.

(more or less) 2.00 SGD - MRT to Chinatown from Merlion Park (I already forgot what station we boarded)

(less than) 15.00 SGD - taxi from Chinatown to the hostel

(less than) 20.00 SGD - taxi to Golden Mile Complex

25.00 SGD (Starmart Express Bus ticket for Kuala Lumpur bought from Golden Mile Complex)

*Travel from Golden Mile Complex to KL is approximately 6-7 hours

Singapore Day 1: Universal Studios (April 24, 2013)

We arrived at Changi Airport at past 10:00 AM. My sister was getting ready to wear her sunglasses because it's hot but we were surprised that the plane landed right on the door of the airport. No need for us to walk under the hot sun. The ground our feet readily landed on was carpeted which was awesome J

Arrival at Changi Airport

We asked customer service how much it may cost us to take a taxi to Lavender Street and the receptionist said maybe $20.00 SGD and she's right :) It was 19.00 SGD and some change :) The taxis are metered. You would see a paper pasted on the taxi windows showing their flagdown rate of $3.00 and some change. It is the first time that I saw taxis with computer-like monitors installed on them. I'm not sure if that's a GPS tool but it has the taxi driver's name and it looks like they use it to locate their destination. It was a 20-30 minutes travel to the hostel and it's nice to observe the outside surroundings. You will notice that there are trees everywhere and the air looks and feels really clean and unpolluted although the windows are close. We passed by Arab Street, Beach Road and just a few minutes after, Lavender Street. Once you reach the hostel you have to ring the doorbell, once you see the light on the doorbell turn green you can already open the door and it will unlock. We arrived before lunch and although Hostelworld said check in time is by 2:00 pm they already had us go to our rooms. It was an 8-bed dorm and since we're a group of 8 we occupied the whole room.

We bought USS tickets from the hostel but they don't have tickets available however Desmond was kind enough to find us 3 tickets which we paid $69.00 SGD each, the rest we bought from Universal Studios at $74.00 SGD each. We got to Universal Studios at around past 1:00 pm.

For starters we tried Shrek 4D. It was fun and interesting but I think it's more for kids :)

Then me and my 2 other cousins tried Battlestar Galactica's Human and Cylon which are rollercoaster kind of rides.

Battlestar Galactica: Human and Cylon

When I tried Human I already felt a bit nauseated however I also want to try Cylon which I did. Halfway through the ride, I already felt like crying because I don't know what to feel anymore but I also survived it however it totally drained my energy and I was no longer my sober self and it's unfair because my cousins didn't look affected at all!

5th Ave

New York Public Library

We also tried Treasure Hunter which is boring (not much to see and it's too brief. We spent more time on the queues).

Then for water rides we tried Madagascar and Rapids Adventure. You're in for a little surprise with Madagascar. I find the ride relaxing and very suited for children.

Madagascar

Rapids Adventure is more upbeat :)

Rapids Adventure

More importantly, you should not miss Transformers. It’s something you would want to try over and over again. i can't describe it but it's highly-recommended :)

Transformers The Ride

Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time anymore to explore the whole place as it's already dark.

Hollywood

USS's version of the Merlion

If you've been to USS please drop me a line of what we should also have tried so we can try it if we ever come back :)

Singapore Day 2: Merlion Park and Chinatown (April 25, 2013)

Me and my sister woke up early so we can walk around. What we noticed was the sun doesn't rise early in Singapore unlike in the Philippines where the sun is already up at past 6:30 am. It's already past 7:00 am but the sun is still not felt and it's still gloomy outside. You would also rarely see people walking outside unlike in the Philippines where at past 6:00 it's already rush hour. As far as I can remember, if you turn to Hamilton Rd you'll see a 711 on the side of Horne Rd.

Walking straight from the hostel, (the side where you'll pass by Backpacker's Hostel) you'll eventually encounter a red and white striped barricade then you'll see a pedestrian. you cross that and you'll see the Kallang Rd signage, to the right is the way to the Lavender Street MRT.

the path to my right is the way to the Lavender MRT Station

straight ahead is the Lavender MRT Station

After we found the MRT we went back to the hostel, took a bath and got ready so we can visit the Merlion. After disembarking at the Marina Bay Station we walked and asked people how we can get to the Merlion Park.

a little respite from the scorching sun

It was a very hot day as usual so we bought some Starbucks frappe along the way which costs $7.00 SGD and some change.

After taking some pictures of the Merlion we searched for another MRT station to bring us to Chinatown.

The Merlion

Singapore's MRT

From Chinatown we asked people where we can buy delicious and affordable foods and they pointed us to the Hawker Center where we bought meals for $3.00 SGD and $5.00 SGD.

Chinatown

Since we already have to check out by 12:00 pm and it's just 30 minutes before 12:00 we just took a taxi to the hostel. We then checked out and proceeded to Golden Mile Complex to buy our tickets to Kuala Lumpur.

i wish we had stayed longer in SG. There’s still a lot of places to see.

Sagada, Mountain Province

Basic Expenses:

306.00 Php - Fare from Mabalacat Terminal (Dau Mabalacat, Pampanga) to Baguio (onboard Dagupan Bus Co.)

Cab fare from Baguio (Tourist Assistance Desk) to the Dangwa Terminal = Php 43.00 (rate is Php 35.00 as of December 2012)

220.00 Php - Dangwa Terminal to Sagada (onboard
GL Trans) =

250.00 Php - Canaway Resthouse (person per night)

220.00 Php - from Sagada (onboard GL Trans found near the church) to Baguio

57.00 Php - Cab fare from Baguio market to Victory Liner terminal

306.00 Php - Victory Liner Terminal in Baguio to Dau Terminal (you have to buy a ticket on the 2nd floor)

* First trip for Sagada at the Dangwa Terminal is supposedly 5:00 am but last Dec 22 the bus arrived at about 5:30 am. Travel time from Mabalacat Terminal to Baguio is approximately 6 hours and travel from Dangwa Terminal to Sagada is also approximately 6 hours.

Lumiang and Sumaging Cave - (5 persons in a group) = Php 400.00/person for tourist guide

Vehicle to Pongas Falls = Php 650.00 for up to 10 people
Guide to Pongas Falls = Php 600.00 for up to 10 people
Registration to Pongas Falls = Php 10.00/pax

Gallon of water from Canaway Resthouse = Php 40.00

Lumiang and Sumaging Cave Connection (December 23, 2012)

After breakfast, we went to the SAGGAS office to get a guide for the Lumiang and Sumaging Cave connection. We got Sylvester and Kuya Machu (I'm not sure if that's his real name) as our guides. We started walking towards town (upward) but our guides said the way to the cave is the opposite way. The cave is about 10-20 minutes walk from town. Upon entering the Lumiang cave, we can't help but be amazed how such thing can be created. Like how can you make a hole or pathway which could contain groups of people out of rocks? Not just a hole but a creative hole. It should have taken quite a long time and for it to exist until now is really remarkable.

To the Sumaging Cave

Road to Sumaging Cave

the path to the mouth of the Lumiang cave

Lumiang Cave

the coffins on the entrance of Lumiang Cave

Read Before You Enter

As our guides instructed as to, we should put both hands at our sides holding the rocks as we descend which we did. The first part was very enjoyable for me, I was like thinking i'm like made to do this hehehe. It was really fun but as the trek goes on it starts to get a bit hard and tiring. Whenever we poke ourselves into a hole we would always ask our guides where to step or what to do next and they would then say right foot here left foot there and if we can't find the crevice to step on they would lead our foot to it. At times when my sisters had gone to the holes first I would ask them if it's deep and sometimes I would think it is when it's really not, it's really funny. At one time, i got nervous when my camera as I was wearing it on climbing, banged on a rock, good thing it didn't crack. I hurriedly gave it to my father for him to hold instead.

Rocks and the first sign of water

others who were also here

Water used to be higher here. I was expecting to experience waist deep water as mentioned on other blogs but water we passed on is just about ankle deep. Maybe because there's less water in December. There was an optional activity where you can wade in above waist water but we passed since my sister was sick that time.

After a while, we finally reached the interesting part of the cave which is the place of the rock formations or the part where the rocks don't look like the normal rocks anymore. It gets more difficult on this part because there's water so it's slippery and the rocks are smoother which makes it harder to tackle them. The rock formations portion of the cave (Sumaging cave) is like a museum. Everything is gathered in one place, the guides would lead us from one formation to another giving us trivias of what their names are and how they were named as such.

Other spelunkers making their way down

"where we came from"

the curtain

the prince

the cake

the molars

the turtle with the flat back

Facing the... can you guess what?

on top of the snake

After touring this place, we started climbing back to where we came from. This is the part when I already started to pant and i found it harder to climb because my slippers had gone wet and they have gotten slippery. It's when we have begun asking if we're still far from the exit.

climbing up

Would you still want to go to the small cave?

I think you would know if you're already near the exit when you can already touch the moist bat

dungs but even on that part, near is still far from near. From there you can already see the light but you still have to climb a paved stairway. Our guides said it's 175 steps high but I was already too tired to count lol.

Light at last

The stairs to the exit

the stairs that never end

to the Sumaging Cave entrance

other people who are also making their way out

It had been a tiring, thrilling and scary experience but very fulfilling. My mother can't believe that she was able to survive the caves as well. As for doing it again, I may still but the second time around I will take time to sit and enjoy the sight more and trek in a calmer and more serene way and "feel" it.It had been a frantic and frenetic trek.

Caving Rules

Pongas Falls (December 24, 2012)

We felt the aftershock of the previous day's caving the next day. Our muscles felt sore and climbing down the stairs is painful and effortful but we still have to see Pongas Falls. My sister had a slight fever and got colds as well so she decided not to come with us anymore. We're supposed to walk to the falls from town however our guide told us it's too far and said we should take a van there so thinking it would be an easier trek since we're already on a vehicle, we persuaded our sister to tag along.

hanging bridge to Pongas Falls

Terraces on the way to Pongas Falls

Crops

We never thought that even on a vehicle the walk to Pongas would still take a while. Our trip to Pongas Falls always reminds me of the narrow roads and paths that we walked on. If you would be walking here, you should not be thinking too deep and should concentrate on the road that you're walking on or you'll fall to the other side. It's not a level road.

notice the left side of the stairs

narrow roads

It was a looong walk. I can't remember how long anymore. Maybe what made me unconscious of how long it took was the surroundings. Finally, we heard sounds of water falling and saw boulders. It was my first time to see a falls. I used to think of a falls as water coming from a higher place to the ground, I never thought that you also need to climb to where the water is. The climb is not too difficult but there had been a couple of times i stumbled. It's best to walk on the rocks barefoot.