TRIPOMATIC : You can make your own itinerary stress-free!

I am happy to have found this website on the internet while I am searching for destinations in New York. TRIPOMATIC helps you make your own itinerary. You just have to type the city you are going to, and all the main tourist spots and attractions will appear. It is really a great help in organizing your itinerary for your upcoming travels. 

First: Choose your destination.

For example, New York.  

Second: Select the date of your visit, or the date you wish to visit. 

Automatically, all the tourist spots and attractions will appear. By then, you will have an idea of the places that are closer to your hotel, and easier to go to.

Third: Select the places you wanted to go. 

TIP: Put them all on your DAY 1. So, you would know what are the tourist destinations that are near to each other.

Fourth: Regroup the places you have selected

Go to MENU, and click ITINERARY. 

This is why I suggested to put all your destinations on DAY 1. You can easily regroup the places depending on the number of days you are staying, and also to the places you are going to. You will know the places that are close to each other, and also to your hotel. At least, you will be less stressed, and end your confusion of "Malapit ba ito dito?", "Ano uunahin natin puntahan na malapit sa hotel?, "Hindi ba ito out of the way sa mga pupuntahan natin?". 

Here, I regrouped all the places that I've selected, and separated them from Day 1 to Day 5.  This will be our guide throughout our travel in New York.

Lastly: Generate your itinerary.

Click the TRIP MENU, and then choose whether you want to share or download it. You can download it and sync it to your phone or print it, or share it to your family and friends through social media. 

When you have downloaded the file, the address, contact numbers, admission fees, etc., are also included. In this case, you don't have to search on the internet all the details of your destinations. SO STRESS-FREE!

TRIPOMATIC is also available on your mobile phones. Get it on Google Play (Androids), Apple Store, and BlackBerry World for FREE! Enjoy!! 

Thank you!

Philippines : Taal Volcano

Tagaytay City is a well-known tourist destination in the Philippines, just a two-hour drive from Metro Manila, depending on traffic. I've visited Tagaytay many times, and surprisingly, I never get tired of it. It’s perfect for road trips, food adventures, sightseeing, or simply hanging out—a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila with family and friends.

The top three landmarks in Tagaytay are Taal Volcano, Picnic Grove, and The Palace in the Sky.

This time, my friends and I decided to visit Taal Volcano up close instead of just viewing it from afar. Since we've been there so many times, our curiosity got the better of us. We quickly arranged our booking online, and they offer day tours for just P600 and P900. The P900 package includes horseback riding, a boat ride, a tour guide, a face mask, and a sun hat. We opted for the P600 package because we wanted to hike and fully enjoy the experience. Sir Marvin was our contact and provided us with instructions on how to get to Talisay, Batangas.

When we arrived at the meeting place, Sir Marvin briefed us on safety precautions and important reminders for the hike. After that, we boarded the boat for a bumpy 30-minute ride across the lake, but we made it safely. Taal Volcano is still active, yet it's deemed safe for hiking.

First-timers are welcome to hike here, and you can go with or without a tour guide. There are plenty of fellow hikers to follow along the way. We hiked approximately 8 kilometers, which took us about an hour and a half to reach the crater of Taal Volcano. Just make sure to apply sunblock because it can get scorching hot!

It is really beautiful personally rather than seeing it from afar. Our tour guide said that we can actually go down, but we have to pay an additional cost for that.

We went to the other side of the crater, and paid 50 pesos for the entrance fee. No words to describe this picturesque view.

We ended our tour at Tagaytay City eating Bulalo and Sisig, and chilling at Starbucks before we headed back to Manila. 

Thank you Sir Marvin and Kuya tour guide for the great tour and service. We really had fun!

Salamat!

What's in my bag? : Travel Edition

In less than two weeks, my mother and I will be traveling to Canada and the USA. I can already anticipate the discomfort of the long flight, and I know it might not be the most enjoyable experience. To help ease the journey, I'm planning to pack a lot of my essentials from home.

My mom bought this bag for me, and I'm totally okay with it! I'm not really focused on style; what matters to me is its durability and ability to securely hold all my belongings. This Swiss Gear bag features a padded compartment for laptops up to 15 inches, a padded pocket for tablets, an organizer pocket, and additional spaces for a water bottle and sunglasses.

The best part? It comes with an unlimited warranty! If the zipper breaks, they will replace the entire bag.

I need to pack all my gadgets since we'll be away for nearly a month. I usually only bring my laptop for trips longer than a week, but I worry about running out of things to do at the airport and on the plane. We have a 6-hour flight to Korea followed by another 13 hours to Toronto, Canada.

I’ll also be bringing my DSLR and GoPro for capturing photos and videos!

I have these four fantastic pouches that I absolutely love. They help me keep my things organized, so whenever I need something, I know exactly which pouch to grab from my bag. It makes everything easy and stress-free!

1. Electronic Pouch

2. Makeup Kit

3. Instax and GoPro accessories

4. Toiletries

My Electronic Pouch contains all my chargers and usb cords. I was surprised that everything fits perfectly. With this pouch, you don't have to worry all the tangled cords inside your bag. 

What's inside? 

1. Phone's Charger

2. GoPro Dual Battery Charger (Ziplock)

3. GoPro USB Cord (Camera)

4. GoPro Remote USB Cord

5. Laptop's Charger

6. DSLR's Charger

7. Power bank's USB Cord

8. Earphones

I absolutely love taking my Instax with me on my travels! Just pose, click, flash... and voilà—instant memories captured!

I also make sure to bring an extra battery for my GoPro. From my experience, the GoPro tends to have a short battery life, even when I hardly use the remote or its WiFi. Still, I'm really happy with it!

Having a connecting flight from Manila to Canada (Manila-Korea-Canada) is definitely a relief! I can't imagine being on a plane for such a long stretch straight to the other side of the world. Freshening up in the plane's lavatory can be quite a challenge.

When packing your toiletries, especially liquids like facial wash, contact lens solution, lotion, and toothpaste, make sure they are in containers of no more than 100 ml. It's also a good idea to keep them in a pouch or a securely sealed plastic bag for convenience.

Let me know what's in your bag when you travel! 

Thank you!

Philippines : PANGASINAN

After spending Christmas at home, we had the opportunity to celebrate the last days of 2014 with our relatives on my mother's side in Pangasinan. It was also my Ate Carla's wedding, so we had plenty of reasons to be there. We stayed for five days, and it was really... f u n.

Weddings can get quite hectic! The preparations were exhausting. They set up a tent made of bamboo and covered it with tarpaulin in front of the house since the reception was to be held there. The food was prepared by the best cooks in town—the elders in the family—who were joined by some of our relatives in the kitchen. There was hardly any sleep during the preparations, and to keep the energy up, music played all night long!

THE WEDDING

DECEMBER 28, 2014

DECEMBER 29, 2014

THE BEACH

Not every trip goes as planned, and ours was no exception. We were supposed to visit Hundred Islands, just a 20-minute drive from our house in Mabini, Pangasinan. Everything was in order—we had rented a boat the day before and prepared all our essentials. However, one thing remained uncertain: the weather. The waves were massive, making it impossible for any boat to venture out, even the larger ones. We waited, hoping for a miracle, but eventually, the coast guard canceled all pending trips to the islands.

HUNDRED ISLANDS

So we decided to head to another beach, traveling from Alaminos to Dasol, which took us about an hour and a half. I've been visiting Dasol since I was a kid, but it's only now that I've come to truly appreciate its beauty. As a child, I was mainly focused on the sea, but I've realized that while it may not have fine, white sand or crystal-clear waters, it still holds its charm. I love the view of the palm trees against the sea and the swirling clouds above.

There's no entrance fee, but you do need to rent a cottage, which costs only 300 PHP. This cottage can accommodate 6 to 8 people. You can also grill fish, liempo, eggplants, or whatever you like for free—just remember to bring your own charcoal and utensils!