I never imagined I’ll be having lots of international travel this year, gratis et amore. Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Locally, I’ll be back in Cebu and then go to Gensan. Travel happening tomorrow, Saturday, 27 September.

You need not go to the Middle East just to experience sand boarding in the deserts. The Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes is just as perfect!

Think of cruising as something out of the ordinary. It’s not just another passenger ship going to a destination. It is a full service, mall of the seas, so to speak, considering the many amenities and things to do and enjoy while taking it slow to your destination.

The first time I heard about the flavor, guava-basil sorbet, my eyebrows raised. Not that I was taken aback but I was rather excited. I’ve always liked the taste of basil primarily in pesto and in other dishes but ice cream?

Bird Street in Yuen Po, Mongkok is famous for the songbird owners who congregate in this strip to meet other owners, buy supplies and other songbird species. It is a beautiful but small park with moon gates, airy and the sound of chirping and singing birds make this place tranquil.

There’s a whole lot to cruising as a different travel option than I thought it would be. Friends told me that they don’t usually do this as it is only for the oldies. But after experiencing one, upon the invitation of the Philippines’s fastest growing budget airline, AirPhil Express and cruise leader Star Cruises, I say, I changed my mind.

Both are temples, a Catholic church, and the other a Taoist (Chinese) temple. Both are equally interesting not only in terms of architecture but also the devotions done by their respective faithful.

Star Cruises is known for its huge fleet and holiday cruise travel around the world and for this AdvenTour, Filipinos can taste holiday cruise in Singapore and Malaysia aboard one of its vessels, the Superstar Virgo via AirPhil Express.

In a few days, I’m off to two other international destinations within Southeast Asia: Singapore and Malaysia. This is just after two weeks after visiting Hong Kong for five days!

I wasn’t just prepared to see a queue for branded items outside two of the brand name stores along Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong and I don’t know what to think or how to react.

The Philippine’s newest budget airline AirPhil Express now flies Cebu to Hong Kong everyday, their second international destination after Singapore.

It was my first maiden flight and didnd’t expect that it would be that eventful with speeches, dragon dances, and free breakfast at the departure lobby but I was more excited of flying, of visiting again Hong Kong.

I was invited by AirPhil Express to join them in their maiden flight from Cebu to Hong Kong and stayed for almost a week to explore, photograph and get to know more about this beautiful place south of the Chinese mainland.

The last time I was in Hong Kong was five years ago, invited to a butterfly meet. This time, I’m a travel blogger and will be there because of another invitation, now from AirPhil Express for their maiden flight from Cebu – Hong Kong. That is, barring any other hitches.

Philippine passport validity extension is possible but should only be resorted if all else fails. Extending it is really a breeze and not so expensive.

Looking farther along the stretch of beach, there are several more men and mound. Its really an industry here with the natural products probably making their way to construction sites in the city or beyond.

The costs of progress.

People have been raving about the Japanese style carinderia that is Joed’s Lutong Hapon with many blogger friends attesting to its tasty Japanese dishes at cheap prices that I got curious with it. Can tasty + cheap = Japanese cuisine go hand in hand?