Lakwatsarah

Love the perks of shopping online! Imagine effortlessly hopping from one store to the next anytime you want, anywhere you want to be... even while wearing your tsinelas! More than a year ago, because of work, I was relocated to Mindanao. Into a province that's far from the hustle bustle of city life and outrageous Manila traffic. Apparently, it's also far from the biggest shopping malls. And when you have no big malls around you, chances are, your shopping choices are limited. Given the situation, I was left with my next reliable shopping solution - Online Shopping. Back in June, BPI introduced me to SHOPBACK. The website has already been featured in PhilStar, Manila Times and Inquirer. It's basically a site that refers you to some of the biggest and most trusted online stores here in the Philippines and abroad. Simply put, you shop online and earn a cashback.

I woke up seeing my aunt almost ready for the day's tour which I found odd because she has always been the last to prepare. She forgot that Vietnam is one hour delayed of Manila time!  Day 1 left our toes tired and muscles aching (the effect of our 10km marathon  stroll). The first day was more of 'DIY-slash-it's okay to get lost tour'. Day 2 turned out to be a more 'relaxed-slash-dive into Vietnam's historical tour'. Having booked a half day tour, we rode a bus that brought us to Cu Chi district. TNK Travel Our tour guide from TNK Travel was prompt, picked us up from our hotel, and assisted us to the bus where we'd be joining other tourists. Almost 80% of travelers inside the bus were made up of young American-European backpackers. Cu Chi district is approximately 1.5 hour's drive from Ho Chi Minh. It was a comfortable ride with our guide sharing his invaluable stories and insights about the Vietnam War. He was more than knowl...

This Southeast Asian budget trip took almost a year to conceive. Thanks to Piso fare promo, I have ample time to save up for the right budget. From Manila - Ho Chi Minh, the flight took almost 2 hours. We arrived in Vietnam close to midnight (Vietnam is an hour behind). Ho Chi Minh city as seen from the plane For airport pick up, I arranged two taxis prior to our arrival which was taken care of by our hotel. Our accommodation was an easy 30-minute drive from the airport. A few minutes down the road, the sleepy street was slowly turning into a vibrant nightlife as we arrived in the colorful street of Pham Ngu Lao, Vietnam's backpacker's district.

our millions of Vietnamese Dongs How much will a trip to Southeast Asia cost? This is the most commonly question my relatives and friends ask me after knowing of my recent backpacking trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. I won't be able to give you an accurate answer to that. But what I can share here is our personal journey from budgeting to spending. 10 days won't cost you a fortune, that's the good news. Asia is comparatively an affordable region to travel. We set aside a simple plan of knowing head on what to save, when to save and where to save. 

Check out our travel video taken during our summer backpacking in Southeast Asia. Travel Dates: March 12 - 21, 2015 Location: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam - Siem Reap, Cambodia and Bangkok, Thailand. Indochina  posts: How Much Should You Save For An Awe-Inspiring Asian Trip? Crossing Borders: Vietnam Itinerary (Day 1) Crossing Borders: Vietnam Itinerary (Day 2)  Crossing Borders: Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh to Siem Reap Crossing Borders: Cambodia Itinerary (Day 1) Crossing Borders: Backpacking with a Senior and Indochina Itinerary

Despite the occasional drizzles, I appreciate the cool Cebu Amihan breeze as I began walking along Osmena Blvd with ate Yan that afternoon of January 18. The Philippines for the past few days has been experiencing a lot cooler temperature than normal, and we Filipinos just gladly embrace it, after all, it's a weekend to celebrate. It’s the day the Solemn Foot Procession is happening and I can’t wait to experience this much-loved parade.  the crowd during the Solemn Foot Procession as seen from Robinsons Fuente kids wearing Sto Nino outfits From the streets, I can see locals with their families, patiently waiting for the arrival of the black image of Sto Nino. People wearing hats, cute kids donning their Sto. Nino costumes and tourists flaunting their ‘I Love Cebu’ shirts, all while chanting Viva Pit Senyor. There are cameras everywhere, helicopters flying above for like every 10 minutes. Surely, this is Philippine's grandest fiesta celebration.

Our first 2 days in Palawan  perfectly spells summer. Every photographer would surely drool over Coron’s many islands and underwater life, we sure did. I used and abused my newly bought camera. I wanted to capture everything, it's just a visual feast out there! It’s the kind of place that made me wish I have Google Glass in tow. Coron Town Our day 3 and 2nd day of island hopping tour was merely a continuation of a beautiful exploration where we experienced the majesty of nature’s exotic beauty, but it also made us taste the overwhelming power of the sea…  Like the 1st island hopping tour, we requested to start early since we want to visit Maquinit Hotspring before it gets dark. It’s March and I kind of assumed it would be a smooth less than 2 hour boat ride, I was WRONG!