Category Archives: Transportation

Reblogged: Holiday Vacay Round-up: New Year in New Delhi

Reblogged is a series of blog posts on my life in India coming from the weblogs I set-up. It’s an attempt to put the stories all in one place! The post Holiday Vacay Round-up: New Year in New Delhi was originally posted on January 12, 2013. I spent the New Year celebrations in Delhi with VSO co-volunteers, the welcoming family of Tito Ben and Tita Agnes, and friends. This was part of my south-to-north holiday vacation from December 23, 2012 to January 7, 2013.

This is a part of the Holiday Vacay Round-up Series. For Goa, the Christmas destination, click here.

After spending Christmas in Goa with co-vols Sue and Rosie, and her twin Penny and Pen’s BF Tom, and my friend Leah and fellow CouchSurfer Sumin (who were both hosted by my former CS host Warren), I proceeded to New Delhi, where I’ll celebrate the coming of 2013 with fellow Filipinos and VSO volunteers! Plus the wedding of Minrose and Shishir (which provided an opportunity for us to wear sarees!) and Rajie and Pras’ housewarming party!

 

But before that, I had to take a 43-hour train ride first from Madgaon in south Goa to H Nizamuddin in New Delhi! It was supposedly just a 38-hour journey but due to the fog in the capital of India, we were delayed for 5 hours! This train ride with Goa Express is the longest I have taken, beating the 36-hour journey from Bhubaneswar to Mumbai last October!

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#100Days Photo 13: Clarke Quay, Singapore

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Like most Filipinos, the first international travel I did was in Singapore, back in 2010. It was mostly a choice of Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong at the time. And since going to Singapore means easy access and a side trip to Kuala Lumpur, the choice was clear. Hehe 🙂 Clarke Quay in Singapore is probably one of its most photographed landmarks, especially from the angle where the Merlion, Singapore’s well-known symbol, stands in wait to greet the travelers. This photo, however, was taken while crossing the fascinating double helix / DNA bridge connecting the area of the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands. In late 2011, which was when I took it, the helix bridge was already built. Either way and either angle, Clarke Quay is such a sight both at daytime, with it’s clean and calm waters and floating tour boats, and night time, with the shining lights and bustling night life. If you thrive in the urban jungle but would at times seek the comfort of calm water scenes, Clarke Quay is a must-visit place whenever in Singapore! >

#100Days Photo 10: Nagsasa Bay, Zambales, Philippines

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Not really being a morning person, I normally only get to see sunrise in two instances — when I come back home from a really fun club party or when I’m traveling. This photo was one of the traveling mornings while we were on the way to Nagsasa Cove, aboard possibly one of the smallest boats I have taken, ever! It was a good thing that the sea was really calm when we sailed on that May morning, like a lake, calm and soothing. The topography (naks!) of Zambales and its coves is actually really nice, suited for different travelers. With the mountain range on one side for you to trek and the sea on another for you to swim, it’s something I would gladly wake up early for. 🙂

#100Days Photo 9: Loboc River, Tagbilaran, Philippines

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A vacay trip to Bohol won’t be complete without taking the Loboc River cruise…with buffet lunch! 🙂 I’ve visited Bohol twice — first in 2011 and second in 2013. The first time we visited the province of Tagbilaran, it was a group of 6 with and we took a 3D/2N package tour. Though it wasn’t part of the package, the driver asked us if we would like to go for a zipline (flying fox) ride and of course we said we would! I took this photo while I was screaming my lungs out while wheezing past the Loboc River and all its lush greens! I had the camera strapped to my neck and I just kept clicking! 😀 the second time I was in Bohol with my friend Leah, we had a DIY tour and we were lucky to get into the cruise in time, only through hitching a ride with tour package tourists coming from the Chocolate Hills! The buffet, of course, was awesome and totally worth the amount we paid to board the Loboc River floating restaurant!

#100Days Photo 5: Kampong Ayer (Water Villages), Negara Brunei Darussalam

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One of the things I love most about traveling is the learning that comes with it — just like the way I was taught of Brunei’s water villages not from the books but by experiencing it myself! Though there’s no sand and sea (in the sand, sea and sky peg of #100days), the river that flows through Kampong Ayer and the web of water villages in the area deserve some attention and focus too! As Brunei, or at least the Sultan, is among the richest in the world, i didn’t really expect to see water villages as it reminds me of slums in the mega cities. I was, however, amazed at how and why the people of Kampong Ayer, though most likely as rich as the average mainland Bruneians, chose to preserve their history and local heritage by living and thriving in the water villages. To learn more about the water village life, read my blog post on the Kampong Ayer and do some armchair traveling via a walking photo tour and a viahera vlog.>