Pasalubong, anyone?

You know how bringing pasalubong is so inherent in almost every Pinoy? Most of the time we do it because we feel obliged to bring something back home after we've had our fair share of a wonderful vacation. But let's face it...we love receiving some too, don't we?

I was at Market Market last Saturday when it suddenly dawned on me that having these kiosks with pasalubongs from different regions has its own pros & cons.

Well, to begin with, if you're pregnant & craving for pastel from Cagayan de Oro, your hubby need not worry about boarding the next Cebu Pacific plane anymore. It's now just a cab or even a jeep away! Plus, the prices are pretty much the same too as buying it straight from the province. And don't they make such wonderful presents to our relatives abroad too? Now we're no longer limited to the usual chichacorn & dried mangoes. The choices are endless, you might as well consider your budget too!

Now the downside is, it takes out the novelty & sheer pleasure of bringing & receiving pasalubong from the province. I used to bring P500 worth of pili tarts to Manila every time I go to Daet, but now, I'm too lazy already coz well...you can buy it here anyway, so why fuss?

But come to think of it, if Baguio, CDO, Bacolod & Cebu are just a few steps away, why not satisfy your illusion & go around the Philippines as many times as you please.

So....pasalubong, anyone?

My New Bestfriend

Everyone, meet my new bestfriend...my fridge! No, it's not what you're thinking. I maybe on the heavy side now but no, I'm not into emotional eating.

You know how it is...you're too gloomy coz you can't go on a trip for the meantime, so you find consolation in other things.I've tried going through my travel photos, re-counting my shot glasses & key rings...but right now, my ref magnets are the ones that give me the ultimate satisfaction! Apart from my travel photos, these are the next tangible memory I definitely treasure the most. Every morning, as I take my breakfast, I make a quick scan & ...sigh!

Of course there are those which were purchased just for the sake of having a souvenir, but there are some which still bring a silly grin on my face...specifically that "Crazy Weed" I got from Amsterdam!

Do not be deceived by the disarray though, coz believe it or not, I know how many they are & where they are exactly located. I even know which ones are yet to be placed, broken & missing. So if you're thinking of asking for one...I don't think so, honey!

These are the artifacts of my crazy travel life & while I'm at it, maybe it's time to buy a bigger fridge?! What do you think? (Wink wink)

Ang Mahal ng Dollar!!!

I can't believe it! The peso just keeps going down! Bad news for lakwatseras like me! Wasn't it just 5 months ago that the exchange rate was P41 to a dollar? I remember clearly how I was having a grand time shopping in the US (at the outlet malls, of course!). And now, it seems like it's just a thing of a distant past.

I was actually supposed to go to Bangkok next month, but when my trusted Rajah Travel agent sent me the bill via e-mail a week ago, I almost fell off my seat! Whoa! When did this happen? Guess I got stuck with converting dollar to P41++, so it was really a total shock when I found out that the airline rate has jacked up to P48++! Oh well, that's what I get for not regularly reading the newspaper & watching the news.

Yes, I'm a bit sad that my short vacay had to be postponed, but I'm consoling myself with the thought that maybe...just maybe, the universe is preparing me for something bigger...Kenya, is that you?

Kenya on My Mind

I'm itching to go to Kenya...I don't know why? Maybe it's because it's something out of the ordinary. Not your usual "touristy" place where people crowd in one area...trying to take gazillion photos of a single landmark.

I'm imagining what it would be like to stay "closer to nature". The sound of roaming lions, maybe? The sight of giraffes & elephants & all the other majestic animals freely running around. The fact that for once, after several years of traveling...I am not surrounded by any man-made structures, but the beauty of nature itself.

Am I trying to be too poetic? I don't think so. A bit ambitious for this luxurious holiday maybe. But who knows? Maybe by some stroke of luck...I'd soon be basking under the African sun!

Til then, I'd keep dreaming of you...Kenya!