Owner: justwandering.org URL:http://justwandering.org Join Date: Sun, 03 Sep 2006 07:24:23 -0500 Rating:1 Site Description: Travel blog of a backpacker wannabe Site statistics:Click here
New Seven Wonders Announced 2007-07-07 17:52:53 The voting finally ended and the New SevenWonders
of the World is announced (which overloaded the new7wonders.com website).
And the winners are:
Great Wall - China
Petra - Jordan
Christ the Redeemer - Brazil
Machu Picchu - Peru
Chichen Itza - Mexico
Colosseum - Italy
Taj Mahal - India
And retaining its status as one of the original seven wonders, The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:New Seven Wonders of the World - Have you voted?I’m home!Cebu Pacific’s 999 seat saleApologiesOne good reason to go to Hong Kong: The Spice Girls
September 1 - 3 2007-07-13 05:46:32 Anybody want to go anywhere on the above date? I’m starting to go crazy. Damn cabin fever.
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Cebu Pacific now flies to ChinaWhat’s really happening in Thailand?Travel plans for…2008?
Read more:September
Ranting on the side 2007-07-13 05:35:14 I just find it so funny that there are still people who can’t understand the concept of budget travel. Okay fine, it’s probably their first time to travel or they’re don’t travel as much. But geez, how hard is it to understand that you can’t expect too much if you pay so little.
What prompted me to write this post are comments like these:
Their idea of breakfast is pathetic: toast & coffee!
They didn’t serve us any food, instead they’re selling it!
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Midweek MadnessWhy do you travel?Where to go and what to buyGetting around Sydney5 reasons why I travelAdventure Travel & Backpackers ExpoLinksLet’s go to the Caribbean, yes?I have no lifeGoodbye, 2006!
10 Places I want to go to in the next 2 years 2007-07-16 14:52:57 As you may have surmised, I am terribly uninspired lately. Blame it on PMS, cabin fever or depression over my perpetually empty bank account, this month has so far been terrible.
In an attempt to cheer myself up, I’ve started reading up on places I want to visit from now until 2009. Hey, it’s never too early to plan, right?
I’m limiting it to two years because I want to make this list as realistic as possible. I don’t want just write down a place even though deep down I know it’s not possible. Then again, it wouldn’t hurt to dream
And so, the 10 places I want to go to in the next 2 years:
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Who, me?Travel plans for…2008?What kind of traveler are you?Where to go and what to buyBeing cheap in AustraliaGetting the itch again10 Things I miss most about SydneyIs it worth it?51 Ways to Cut Vacation CostsMagellan
Read more:Places
Fodors.com special 2007-07-18 15:34:34 5 Island Nations You’ve Never Heard Of
Nothing says “escape” quite like an island in the middle of a vast ocean. Below are five island paradises you’ve probably never heard of, and whose inhabitants probably prefer it that way. With a little ingenuity you can find these places. But once you do, keep it to yourself.
Source: Fodor.com
Do I get a prize if I know 2 out of five? I know about Niue; I would be crazy not to! My host, as well as my former domain, fork.nu is using Niue’s Internet country code. What a way to know about an island nation, right?
I know about Dominica from Globe Trekker/Pilot Guides Eastern Caribbean episode with Justine Shapiro. That and I’m maintaining this Caribbean travel blog.
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Will travelling change your life?Are you Boracay bound next year?What’s really happening in Thailand?Plan to track HIV-positive visitorsWhy is the sky green?Kuala Lumpur via Cebu PacificNew Se
Out for the weekend 2007-07-21 04:59:55 I am off for a mini-break this weekend to recover from the stress of the past week and to steer clear of any Harry Potter spoilers I might come across online. I plan to swim, maybe a get a massage, and indulge in glorious buffet food. Hopefully, by the time I come home, my cousin would have finished her copy of HP7 and I’d finish it before I go online to work.
In the meantime, feast your eyes on these gorgeous photos of Manila in the 60’s. Taken American photographer Harrison Forman, the set is part of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Cities Around the World collection.
Ciao!
Anybody who comment about HP7 spoilers will be shot.
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Happy Mardi Gras!Want 2 talk about sexual health?Holy packing sheet!Piso fares are back!10 Places I want to go to in the next 2 yearsOne Manly MorningSomething to tide you overHappy Australia Day!A different kind of tripTravel plans for…2008?
World’s Worst Taxi Rides 2007-07-20 09:11:24
Photo credit: Hugo Maes via Forbestraveler.com
I was actually prepared to be disappointed if Manila didn’t get a mention
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:I’m alive!Surving your next flightWas that really me?10 Places I want to go to in the next 2 yearsHappy Australia Day!Sydney BudgetThailand-Singapore ItineraryMusic is my lifeA day in paradiseWhat a difference 12 hours make
Read more:World
, Rides
More naked tourists 2007-07-24 13:52:14 Okay, why is it that tourists
feel more inclined to strip off their clothes in public while on vacation?
BELGRADE, Serbia - Two Austrians and a German were fined for cycling naked along the banks of the River Danube in Serbia where a heat wave has sent temperatures soaring.
Temperatures in Serbia and other parts of the Balkans have hovered stubbornly for the past week at around 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
Source: MSNBC.com
It’s baffling, simply baffling.
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Walking naked in GermanyWhat’s your travel gnome?
999 is Cebu Pacific’s magic number 2007-07-26 09:28:05 Cebu Pacific
offers P999 and P1,999 seat sale for international destinations!
Cebu Pacific
now offers a seat sale for its international flights! The international seat sale will run from July 27 to 31, 2007 or until seats last, and is good for travel from September 1 to December 15, 2007.
CEB is offering a P999 one-way fare for Manila-Hong Kong, Manila-Bangkok, Manila-Kuala Lumpur, Manila-Jakarta, Manila-Taipei, Manila-Macau, Manila-Xiamen, Manila-Guangzhou, and Cebu-Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the seat sale for Manila-Shanghai, Manila-Singapore, Cebu-Singapore, Davao-Hong Kong and Davao-Singapore routes is at P1,999 one-way.
Source: Cebupacificair.com
I just love how it starts exactly on the date I wanted to have a weekend getaway. Unfortunately, I can’t book & buy yet, as my credit card is maxed out (again). I have to wait until Monday, when I’ve paid my outstanding charges. Oh the agony!
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Cebu Pacific Seat SaleCebu Pacific’s 99
A land far, far away 2007-07-30 13:18:26 I want to go to Italy. I want to go not because of the culture, the history, not even because of the fashion. Well, they are part of the reason, but what really inspired me to want to visit Italy are books that doesn’t even have any pictures of Italy in it.
The first one was a book I bought when I finished the book I was reading in Ko Pha Ngan: Meg Cabot’s Every Boy has One. Okay, so it’s one of your run-of-the-mill chick lit. Girl meets boy, girl hates boy, boy hates girl, they end up falling in love, blah blah blah. In between the sappy exchanges, the author gives you a slice of Italian life and what made her characters (and possibly the author as well) fall in love with the place.
Meg Cabot showed me places in Italy I would never thought to go to. As soon as I got home, I started reading on Le Marche, researching when’s the best time to go, even picking out a tour guide. However, I put my dreams on hold and focused on more realistic goals.
The desire to visit
The Tiger finally found its way to Melbourne 2007-07-29 10:21:22 Starting November 23, 2007, Tiger Airways will be joining Jetstar and Virgin Blue as one of Australia’s budget airlines. They have been flying into Australia from Singapore, but only up to Darwin. This year, they will be starting their Australian domestic services, with Melbourne
as their hub. In Melbourne, Tiger Airways will be using Tullamarine’s Terminal 4.
The first flight out of Melbourne on November 23 is flight TT 7402 Melbourne - Gold Coast at 7:00 am. Other scheduled flights for the day are two other flights to Queensland from Melbourne: Rockhampton & Mackay.
Other Australian domestic destinations include Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Launceston in Tasmania, and Perth in Western Australia. Gee, I wonder why they aren’t flying into Sydney.
How much would flying via Tiger Airways to Australia cost?
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Calling all travellers!$1.99 tickets from TigerairwaysJetstar: Co
Food trip? Food trip! 2007-07-31 10:53:58 Youth Trip, in partnership with Alquimista, Inc. and The Sleepy Traveler, brings us Viajeng Cucinang Matua, a culinary tour of Pampanga.
This tour aims to showcase the culture of the Kapampangans through their cuisine, and to prove the saying “Basta Kapampangan, masarap magluto!”
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Pampanga Culinary TourFrench Bistro Cooking at the Diamond HotelI’m on TV!Shuttle service to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark)A different kind of review…Street food, great foodCapture the beauty of the PhilippinesCooking in the Thai KitchenBeing cheap in AustraliaOne good reason to go to Hong Kong: The Spice Girls
Internet onboard! 2007-08-05 04:21:30 American Airlines is set to be the first US carrier to offer Internet
access onboard their domesic flights.
Beginning in 2008, American will test the service on its 767-200 aircraft, which chiefly fly transcontinental routes, AirCell said.
AirCell Chief Executive Jack Blumenstein told Reuters that the equipment costs about $100,000 per plane and that airlines can offer the service for about $10 per flight.
Source: CNN.com
Hmmm, I wonder when Philippine carriers will have a similar service? (Not that I need it — if anything, I need to spend more time away from the computer)
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Greeting from Chagi Airport!I have no lifeInternet Check-InSurving your next flightCan’t come home without ‘emCebu Pacific’s 999 seat sale51 Ways to Cut Vacation CostsWhat *can* you bring onboard?How to pick a hostelInterview!
How twisted are your travels? 2007-08-05 03:57:09 Favorite local author, Jessica Zafra’s did it again. Following the success of her Twisted series, her latest book is about - you guessed it - travel.
Philippines Travel Blog is giving away free signed copies of Jessica Zafra’s Twisted Travels. To get your free copy, simply comment on the entry, stumble it or send in your own travel tales.
Or you can do what I did: blog about it
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Will travelling change your life?Travelers wanted!Getting around Sydneyjustwandering.orgBest content online
Updates, links and then some 2007-08-06 02:57:27 It’s one of those rare moments when I’m at home and awake during the day, and what better way to pass the time than to make necessary blog updates?
Wordpress upgrade to 2.2.2. The people at WP announced another security update to the WP2.2 Getz. You can download the complete installation file from the Wordpress download page.
Updated list of active plugins. I’ve also added the subscription information in the About Justwandering.org page.
Updated the About Me page. Following Darren Rowse’s advice to Conduct an About page audit, I’ve decided the two page I had before was uncessesary and trimmed it down to one.
Trimmed category listing. There’s just too many! What the hell was I thinking?
Added e-mail subscription form. If you look to your right, you’d see the not-so-new e-mail form for subscribing to JustWandering updates. I figured nobody scrolls all the way down to the bottom of the page to see the form there.
Added new travel blog links
. They
Be a part of history 2007-08-10 07:06:35 After several years, the A380 is finally ready to fly. Commercially, that is.
Singapore Airlines, its first customer, is auctioning tickets for the superjumbo’s first commercial flight from Singapore to Sydney sometime in October.
In response to requests from people all over the world to be passengers on the first flight, Singapore Airlines will auction the seats on global online marketplace, eBay.
Bids will be invited for seats on this history-making flight, and winning bidders will know that every dollar they pay will go to worthwhile charities. All customers will receive a personalised ceremonial certificate confirming they were part of the first-ever commercial A380 flight.
Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Chew Choon Seng, said the Airline wants to acknowledge the widespread interest in the entry into commercial service of this all-new airplane, and to use the opportunity to benefit worthwhile charities.
“The first commercial A380 flight will be a moment in aviat
Why it’s important to know the law in the country you’re visiting 2007-08-14 05:02:03 Because otherwise, you might not be able to take home your precious “souvenir.”
CAIRO, Egypt - Security officers at Cairo airport were horrified when the search of a Saudi passenger’s carry-on luggage revealed a mass of live snakes, baby crocodiles and chameleons, police said.
Police became suspicious of the 22-year-old man’s pair of carry-on bags when the X-ray machine at the departure gate gave odd readings. They opened the bags and found a large number of reptiles, including at least one cobra, squirming to escape.
Source: MSNBC.com
I once read this book, By the Seat of my Pants, a compilation of travel stories from various travel writers. Wickham Boyle, one of the contributing writers, shares the story of the time she had to smuggle a snake from the USA to Italy.
Like the guy in Cairo, she carried it inside her handcarry bag. Unlike him though, she got away with it. On the air, when the snake started stirring (prior to departure, she put it inside the fridge
Philippine Airlines’s new online booking facility 2007-08-12 10:36:15 Philippine Airlines
has introduced its new e-ticketing facility for booking domestic flights.
Effective 10 August 2007, we are using 2 systems simultaneously. The New! Low Fare Calendar Search which is available for domestic itineraries only and the current Low Fare Search by Schedule for International itineraries or combination of International/Domestic Itineraries.
Low Fare Calendar Search
This applies to Domestic Itineraries only. You may now check the low fare across a seven day period or the low fare for your exact travel date.
Low Fare Search By Schedule
For International itineraries or combination of International and Domestic itineraries. You will be shown the best internet fare applicable to your preferred travel date.
Source: Philippine Airlines website
I tried booking for a return ticket to Puerto Princessa using both systems. Surprisingly, there was a difference in the ticket prices. With the old system, the fare quoted was Php 6,873.00, inclusive of taxes. Using the ne Read more:Philippine
, online
Why I’m proud to be Pinoy 2007-08-11 10:08:26
You know the world is just a bit loopy when your blog entry about being proud to be Pinoy
shows up 2nd in a Google search for “Why I’m Proud to Be Malaysian.”
Cross posted at evilmartian.org.
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:The Three Reasons Why I’m Proud to be PinoyOnly in the PhilippinesFlying with Cebu Pacific21st century travelThe Philippines is Amazing
People really win on MTV 2007-08-17 08:58:41 I’ve always wanted to say that. But this one isn’t from MTV, it’s from LakbayPilipinas.com.
Inside, Ms. Zafra has written:
“You’re acceptable to Melo,
so you’re acceptable to me.”
How sweet.
I haven’t finished reading it yet, but I’m liking the three pages I’ve read so far. The book starts in Indonesia in 1996. I guess what made it appeal so much for me is that it takes me back to the first time I traveled overseas: to Jakarta in 1995. Ah, memories of dangdut, bajaj and kreteks.
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:How twisted are your travels?Will travelling change your life?Travelers wanted!Getting around SydneyBe a part of historyBest content onlineAbout Justwandering.org
Pay your Jetstar ticket through G-cash 2007-08-16 16:51:37 It’s been a while since I last stalked browsed Jetstar’s website (which probably meant I now have a life), and I was surprised and quite pleased to see Globe’s G-cash logo.
For individuals on the move, or those without Internet access, GCash in one’s mobile phone provides fast, convenient and direct booking of Jetstar Asia tickets.
Ms Chong Phit Lian, Jetstar Asia’s Chief Executive Officer says, “Statistics show that Singapore is now attracting younger visitors as traveling has become more affordable. We want to bring greater convenience to our customers so what better way to reach out to this age group than through their mobile phones. We are glad that Globe Telecom is proactive and equipped with the technology to handle what we want to do.”
GXI President Rizza Maniego-Eala notes,”This groundbreaking joint venture with Jetstar Asia further expands the capabilities of the GCash mobile platform as it diversifies its ecosystem, increasing p
Best headline ever 2007-08-16 09:42:09 MSNBC.com brings us this wonderful article (with accompanying slideshow!)
Where animals eat you
At these destinations, one misstep and you’re dinner
After barely surviving a lion attack, explorer David Livingstone wrote one of the most vivid descriptions of what it’s like to have the jaws of death literally clamped around your neck, an animal bent on munching you like so many corn chips. The lion “caught me by the shoulder as he sprang, and we both came to the ground together. Growling horribly close to my ear, [the lion] shook me as a terrier dog does a rat. The shock … caused a dreaminess, in which there was no sense of pain nor feeling of terror, though quite conscious of all that was happening.”
Livingstone survived his frightening encounter, but many others have not been so lucky — the hundreds of people around the world who perish from wild animal attacks each year. Despite mankind’s much ballyhooed “conquest” of Planet Earth, there are an awful lot of
flickr is LOVE 2007-08-25 12:59:15 I’ve been a flickr user since October 2004. I actually didn’t like them that much then because it takes too long to load (it was mostly flash-based then), and it doesn’t work well with Opera. Of course, back then I’m on a crappy dial-up service, so loading the site is just torture.
Eventually I warmed up to it. Getting tired of setting up and maintaining my photo gallery in my domain, I moved all my photos to flickr. I’ve been a happy flickr user ever since.
Last night made me an even happier flickr user. See, the flickr team came to Manila, as part of their world tour, following their recent international launch.
Together with fellow Pinkists, we flocked to M Cafe where the event was held. We took in the flickr-ness of it all: the pink and blue balloons and beach balls, the pink and blue drinks (lychee martinis & blue martinis), flickr pins, buttons and even the first flickr book and PRO accounts! Of course, what would a flickr meet be without pictur
Banaue Rice Terraces may get scratched off the UNESCO Heritage list 2007-08-24 17:56:24 This is really sad. Due to the continuous deterioration of the rice terraces, not to mention the shanties that has sprung up on the terraces itself, the Ifugao Terraces (Banaue, Batad, etc.) just might be taken off the list.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) on Thursday said the scenic Ifugao Rice Terraces in the Cordilleras was at risk of being stricken off the World’s Heritage
List should the Philippines fail to restore it in two years.
The World Heritage Committee in 2001 inscribed the Rice Terraces in the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger, joining 32 other endangered World Heritage Sites.
“The Rice Terraces is a delicate, evolving cultural landscape. In the absence of a systematic monitoring program or a comprehensive management plan, it is impossible to guarantee [its] preservation and sustainable development,” a statement from the Foreign Affairs department quoted the panel as saying last June.
Souce: GMANews.TV
- Read more:UNESCO
Taste Asia at SM Hypermarket 2007-08-23 18:47:26 August 23 marked two firsts: my first time to go to the Mall of Asia
, and my first “major” blog meet. I’ve attended a couple of blog events before, but never with over 400 bloggers!
Thank you, Clique Booth!
It was really overwhelming; I found myself suddenly getting shy and anti-social, as I do in huge gatherings. On the otherhand, it was great to meet other Pinoy travel bloggers: Anton of Our Awesome Planet, Eric of Byahilo.com, Ivan Man Dy of the Old Manila Walks, and THE Ivan Henares of Ivan About Town. Oh, and counted din daw si Aileen Apolo because she has a travel blog. Heehee. It was also great to see and chat with Chris & Apples Haravata. Mr. Chris told me about his month long backpacking trip to Hong Kong several years ago. A month! In HK! Living in a tent! Yeah, I don’t think I can do that.
Taste Asia II was held to announce the winners of the SM Hypermarket Blog Writing Contest. AnitoKid won the Kuala Lumpur trip with his heartfelt entry, with An
It’s a Wander-ful world 2007-08-23 18:21:30 When Ajay gave us tickets to the Wander
s show at the PAGCOR Airport Casino, she just said “it’s a Chinese acrobat show.” The venue is almost 2 hours away from where we live, but Heinji and I still went, and damn, we’re glad we did!
The Wanders is more than just an acrobat show: there are contortionists, gravity-defying acrobats, Russian dancers, and homegrown Filipino talents like the Maneuvers, Calvin Millado and Philippine Idol, Mau Marcelo.
Want a sneak peek of the show?
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Can’t come home without ‘emGold Coast BudgetThe Three Reasons Why I’m Proud to be PinoyPAL to operate NAIA3?Capture the beauty of the PhilippinesPay your Jetstar ticket through G-cashThe Philippines is AmazingTaste Asia at SM Hypermarket
Of blogs and cookies 2007-08-23 17:58:56 It’s been a busy week for me, which is a welcome change from the two weeks I spent moping around the house due to a pesky cold that wouldn’t go away, sleeping problems and typhoons.
First to happen this week was the formal launch of the Blog and Soul Movement, and of the Mrs. Fields Cookie Cafe at the Manila Pavillion last August 21.
Franchise owners Gerwyn and Sheryl See is relaunching the brand in Manila, aiming to attract the coffee shop crowd and bloggers with their cafe’s homey ambiance and free wi-fi. It doesn’t hurt that the cookies are great I heard that their coffee are pretty good as well. Hmm, will I be saying sayonara to Starbucks anytime soon? I think so!
Apart from the cookie and sweets overload (free flowing cookies, brownies, coffee and gelato… can you say heaven on earth?), it was great to meet the people behind the blogs. There were familiar faces: Anton, Rache & Aidan, Mrs. Noemi & her family, Ajay & her son, Mila, and Me
Search Query of the Day 2007-08-23 12:10:52 I’ve gotten a fair amount of traffic from people who Googled for “walking naked” “naked Berlin” “walking naked in public” “naked Germany” or its variations, thanks to posts about naked tourists.
I was also surprised that I ranked so high when Googling for “Why I’m Proud to be Malaysian.”
Search
es for Cebu Pacific is one of the main keywords that drives traffic to this blog. This one however, is a first:
In case you can’t read that, the search query is for “vibrator Cebu Pacific.” I’m on the first page too! Awesome.
(more…
---Related Articles at justwandering.org:Cebu Pacific’s 999 seat saleSingapore via Cebu Pacific?Holy packing sheet!Cebu Pacific Seat Sale999 is Cebu Pacific’s magic numberWhat *can* you bring onboard?Singapore via Cebu Pacific! - Updated!Flying with Cebu PacificIt’s sale season again!Cebu Pacific’s Puerto Princessa Sale
Read more:Query
Cebu Pacific’s Puerto Princessa Sale 2007-08-23 11:38:18 Cebu Pacific
just delivered some good news to my inbox:
Make way for an exotic adventure when you fly from Manila to Puerto
Princesa (or vice-versa) for only P98!
Visit the Philippines’ last frontier, Puerto Princesa and experience an adventure of a lifetime in one of the country’s prime tourist destinations. Experience the Subterranean River National Park, a World Heritage Site or simply relax in one of the numerous white sand beaches dotting the Island!
Hurry, the seat sale is from August 24 to 31 only, for travel from September 26 to December 15, 2007. Fares are exclusive of applicable government taxes and surcharges and are non-refundable.
Source: Cebupacificair.com
I was ready to throw caution in the wind and actually BOOK & BUY a flight in October, but it’s just not meant to be. Even with the low fare (only Php2,200+ for a return ticket, if both are Php98 fares), I don’t have enough available balance in either of my cards. GAAAAAAAAAAAH. *pulls out hair*
- Read more:Cebu Pacific
Another food trip! 2007-08-28 18:00:05 The lovely people at the Filipinas Heritage Library are hosting a food & photography workshop through the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga on September 29, 2007.
Filipinos love to travel and to eat. Whenever we go on a trip, we consider not only the sites we can visit but also the local delicacies we can sample. With a journal and a camera as travel companions, we hope to document our memories and experiences that are sometimes missed or forgotten. With Food Trip, you will experience a truly rewarding tour of Bulacan and Pampanga as you learn to cherish each memory with your own words and photographs.
A treat to every Filipino foodie
Where else can we enjoy a culinary feast but in Bulacan and Pampanga, known as the food capitals of the country? Situated in Central Luzon, they boast of their culinary treasures. Bulakeños and Pampanguenos take pride in their cuisines and recipes that have been handed down by their forefathers. Since both are agricultural provinces, the ingr
Recommend Site To A Friend
