Bags that Travel Well

I am not a good packer. I always over-pack. (Thankful for the packing cubes, I manage the space in my suitcase nicely...). And, more often than not, I have trouble stuffing everything back into my suitcase when it's time to go home. Or, during my uncontrollable days... I over shop and need extra storage space.

And this is why I always carry these chums with me, behold: bags that travel well.

1. Longchamp Le Pliage bag, Large

cost depends on where you buy! I got mine through Power Retail (search for her on Facebook) 

 

It's not that trendy anymore, but I love, love bringing my Longchamp for travel. It can be casual for a stroll around the city, and can be a bit serious for a client meeting or a business conference. Since I hand-carry a backpack or a laptop bag when I travel, my Longchamp stays folded and flat in my suitcase. Out it goes to serve me when I reach my destination.

It's big, spacious, has a zipper, slightly water-resistant, and oh so portable. I recommend using a bag organizer with it, if you don't want to go crazy when looking for something inside. 

Can fit: Usual ladies' stuff like wallet, mobile phone, kikay kit. Can even fit an iPad and a small laptop.  When fully loaded, mine can function as a deadly weapon as well :D

I own two large long handles (in dark purple/ "bilberry" and brown) and a medium-long handle one in blue that I use on weekends. Longchamp calls their colors something else, and you have to know what to get because they come in a variety of size and handle length combinations. I personally think these bags are expensive, but worth it. I've had mine for ages.

2. Foldable Grocery Bag

 free from La Farge :)

Expands to about 12" x 15"

Made of nylon, carrying an ultra-light grocery bag is a must during travel. It prevents you from accumulating tons of plastic and paper shopping bags, especially if you get carried away with shopping. It is eco-friendlier, too! These can be bought from different places as well. (Recently, these are favorite giveaways in conferences or events!) I prefer the ones made of nylon (same material for umbrellas) because they are more compact. But you can find eco-bags made from canvas or non-woven cloth (paper-like cloth).

3. Herschel Convertible Backpack

Php 1,400 from Flight 001, Bonifacio High Street

 

Big things come in small packages.

Made of rip-stop nylon, this Herschel backpack is as handy as it is cool! The small pouch opens up to a 1.2 liter backpack with a durable zipper and an outer pocket. I first saw this advertised in a Cebu Pacific magazine, and then chanced upon it while window shopping at Flight 001 in Bonifacio High Street. 

I like this because I can just stuff it in a suitcase without it taking too much space... then whip it out if I need an extra carry-on bag. Again, for last minute shopping, or when you over pack and need to move some weight from your checked in luggage to your carry-on. It's also good as a "going around" bag, when you need to bring a backpack (a day-hike? Island hopping?) but don't want to carry around your whole gear. In my recent Mindoro trip, I kept my big backpack stowed in the van, and carried this with my jacket, water, snacks, other personal effects, with me at the "people" section of the RoRo.

The material of this Herschel looks flimsy, but based from experience, it's really durable. I once bought a bag like this from Divi(Soria) for Php 100.00, but it was a pain to roll up , and the zipper broke after one use. This Herschel sports a nice design, super flexible fabric that's easy to compress, and is obviously made from quality materials.  I've tried carrying my laptop with it, and it still felt safe (the bag is not padded, so if you want to do that, make sure you have a laptop sleeve to protect your computer.) 

Happy Travels!

Budget Hotel in Singapore: Hotel Fragrance - Selegie

View from across the street. 7-11 right below the hotel!

Hotel Fragrance - Selegie
183 Selegie Rd, Singapore 188329
+65 6337 7888


At P3,000.00 (around $70 USD) I wouldn't consider Fragrance Hotel - Selegie a budget hotel. But since I was in Singapore, that may be as good as it can get! At this price, one can get a bigger and better room in Thailand, Vietnam, or the Philippines.

Reception Desk

Fragrance is a budget hotel chain in Singapore (http://www.fragrancehotel.com), the one in Selegie is just one of many Fragrance Hotels. I found this hotel through TripAdvisor, and by filtering the search results from cheapest to highest! Selegie was one of the cheaper hotels with a convenient location, since I had to transfer to a nearby hotel for business. 

I booked the hotel through www.booking.com, where I had to pay in advance. The site said no refunds for cancellation. Unfortunately, I had to reschedule my trip and was ready to face the consequences of forfeiting my payment .. but the Fragrance Hotel management and the Booking.com staff were kind enough to reschedule my stay, without additional charges! :-) Good job guys!

Getting to Hotel Selegie from the airport was easy enough. As it was my 3rd time in Singapore, I didn't have any qualms about public transportation. Two MRT stops and one bus ride later, I thanked the bus driver for bringing me to Selegie Road. What a surprise ... the bus stop was right smack in front of the hotel!

Bed and then Door

The room was small but clean. In Singapore, you will be out exploring anyway, so a bed and bath is all you need :) There's cable TV, free WiFi, basic toiletries, coffee, and a hair dryer! The lobby was good enough to accommodate a steady stream of visitors, who looked to be mostly tour groups.

My favorite part about the hotel is the location. Aside from being right at the bus stop, there are several restaurants around the area, and a 7-11 below the hotel. It is also just a block (or two?) from the busy part of Little India. You can also walk from the hotel to Sim Lim Square, a gadget-lover's paradise.

I definitely recommend this hotel for budget travelers. The area is not what you see in promotional ads about Singapore (it is far from the touristy places), but I am confident about the overall safety in all of Singapore so I didn't mind :). I will definitely stay again at Hotel Fragrance - Selegie, and won't hesitate to bring the rest of the Pacuanderers next time!

Chicken Rice Lunch for SGD 4.00 at a nearby roadside eatery.

The colors of Little India. Just a few blocks away from the hotel.

The Joy of Packing Cubes

I've tried it all. All those "packing tips."

I've rolled shirts to save space. I've laid them flat. I never preferred one over the other. Probably rolled them when I use backpacks, and lay them flat whenever I had to pack something dressy or when I used suitcases.

The packing cubes changed my life :) It was introduced to me by Sam and I was hooked. He showed me how he can fit in 10 shirts in one cube, and 3 cubes in one backpack. He showed me how they keep your bag organized and your gear grouped together as needed!

Pink and Black from Daiso. Khaki at the bottom from SM Makati.

They're is particularly helpful when you are traveling to different destinations with one suitcase, since you can just pull out what you need without messing up the whole bag. I hate having to fix to dig through a full suitcase to get what I need. Or pulling something out of a backpack and having 3 other shirts fall out too!

I also like re-organizing contents in the middle of a travel period, when I classify used clothes vs clean ones. And.. packing cubes come real handy when you exceed your luggage weight limit. You can just transfer one cube from your checked in bag to your carry-on!

Some packing cubes are better than others. We like the really thin and flexible ones made of thin nylon or mesh. They are extremely lightweight and can be stuffed together to fill in "empty spaces." They make your suitcase organized and keep personal effects in wraps, just in case they inspect your luggage for everyone to see (underwear popping out during inspection!).

With backpacks, the cubes keep your clothes from getting all jumbled together.

When traveling as a family, I allocate cubes for each person. 

"This is the way we pack away" - prevent embarrassing surprises when customs inspects your luggage. Or when your kid decides to "help" you pack :-/ 

There are also foam padded options (can be used to store more fragile items like toiletries - like the striped one you see in the photo), or the ones made of thicker fabric. Though we veer away from these ones because they can get bulky and take up space.

They can also come in different sizes, though we like the 9" / 10" the best since they fit folded shirts perfectly. I once bought a large one meant for jeans, but it was pretty useless (since I don't usually bring bulky stuff for travel, the large packing cube just went topsy turvy inside my suitcase and was just an extra thing to open). Better to just lay down your jeans flat in between smaller packing cubes :-)

Where to buy:

Cheaper Options
SM Department Stores (less than Php 100  - says Sam, though difficult to find them lately)
Japan Home or DAISO stores - between Php 66- Php 88, several sizes - available in pink / black the last time I checked. They also have flat "envelope" mesh bags good for shirts / towels.

Pricier Options
Powerbooks (that travel brand that they have) - available in 3-size sets, made of 'Jansport-like' fabric+mesh (a bit bulky for my needs)
Beabi - Php 200 ++
Muji - Php 400 ++

"Poke" at Patricio's Cevicheria, Fort Bonifacio

Where: Patricio's along Bayani Road, Fort Bonifacio
When: June 5, 2014, Dinner
Who: Hanna and Lolo Ross

The warm glow of Patricio's Cevicheria along Bayani Road (as well as the "LECHON" sign) called on us to stop and check it out. I remember that this place used to be a to-go stall only, so I was pleasantly surprised to find a new, cozy dine-in place with a nice, no-frills atmosphere. I loved the terra-cotta and yellow interiors, multi-colored mosaic tiles, and creative lettering :-) The feel of the place is what I would want to have for my own kitchen.

Loved that lamp.

The food looked promising, too. According to the menu, "Ceviche" meant "to prepare seafood, fish, or meats by using citrus juices spiced with peppers." It did sound like our local "Kinilaw." Sure enough, the menu had a lot of kinilaw variations. It was a bit difficult to choose, since everything sounded new and interesting, so we relied on the ones that were featured quite prominently on the menu.

Poh-Key "to slice" in Hawaiian. It was like sashimi with a twist.
 

Dad ordered the Tune Poke, pronounced "Poh-Key." It was fresh tuna with sesame soy dressing, nory flakes, and what I believed to be caramelized onions. It could use a bit more dressing/ flavor, but it was nice. Dad liked it, too. One order is okay at Php 220, rice not included, since it was meant to be an appetizer or as "pulutan" (i'm guessing here).

Lechon Flakes and Black Bean Rice

We were supposed to share the Tuna Poke (one order is good enough for two people!), but at the last minute, I decided to try the tempting lechon flakes. Patricio's lechon flakes were served on top of black bean rice, which was tasty. I think they complemented each other well. The meal cost Php 125.00 and served with liver sauce and spiced vinegar on the side. You can also buy a bottle of their spiced vinegar separately.

We cleaned out our plates and will definitely go back to try out their other stuff :-). The place is really small and has limited parking space (you will park along the road). They also offer imported beers (caught a glimpse of Stella Artois, Heineken, and other things my beer drinking friends usually order abroad... sorry, not a beer drinker here!), which will probably go well with your lechon/ kinilaw, ceviche!)

Party and Play at Active Fun, BGC

Date of Visit: Saturday May 17, 2014 (cousin Jake Almeda's First Birthday Party)

Weekend wanderers: Mom, Tonyo, Wowo Ross, Wowa Nenet

Website:
http://www.activefun.ph/

Location:
It's at 9th Street corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City. If you are coming from Bonifacio High Street, it's the colorful building behind the Krispy Kreme.

Tonyo's Day Out @ Active Fun, BGC from Hanna Fernando-Pacua on Vimeo.

We've been to Active Fun in Bonifacio Global City before, when Tonyo was about 2 years old. He had loads of fun, so we were happy to be back again for Jake's birthday party. Thanks to dad Raygan and mom Kristine Almeda for inviting us! Reagan is my 2nd cousin, mom side.

This party at Active Fun was probably one of the best kids parties we've been to. It was fun and very entertaining. Tonyo really enjoyed the party thanks to "Amazing Arnold," the magician. He was really good with kids, and spoke very well. He even told some Bible stories while he did his magic tricks!

Amazing Arnold and the 2F Party Area at Active Fun

Mom and Tonyo had a goofy time at the photo booth :-)

The highlight of the day was the play time at the Play Area. Active Fun has a three-story play area with nooks and crannies, tunnels and trampolines, ball pools,  places to squeeze into, to climb, and jump! It is what every active kid should experience, especially if you need to woo them away from their gadgets.

Sharing with you the Admission Rates from their website. Be sure to bring socks for the kids, and for the adults who will accompany them in the play area. I highly recommend accompanying kids below 4 years old. The play area itself is safe, but the older kids can get rowdy and careless, and might trample the smaller ones!

Weekdays/ Weekends & Holidays

30 minutes - Php 175/ child

1 hour - Php 225 

Each 30 minute extension - Php 115

Unlimited Play - Php 395

Adult Pass - Php 125

Play Area Operating Hours

(Monday – Thursday) – 10:00 am – 9:00pm
(Friday – Saturday) 10:00am – 10:00pm
(Sunday) – 10:00am – 9:00pm

And... as a pahabol, during our day at Active Fun, we saw a poster for the Mom and Kid Photo Caption contest! And since I am an avid contest-joiner, we were able to beat the deadline and our photo was chosen to be one of 20 photos for on-line voting !

Please help Tonyo and Mommy win more Active Fun Days by liking the Active Fun Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Active-Fun/82238015269 AND then looking for our photo in the Mom and Kid Photo Caption Contest Album (Hanna Fernando) and liking that as well! (Yes, 2 Likes please -- one for the Active Fun Page, and one for our Photo!)

Post by Active Fun.

The Bellevue Resort, Bohol

Travel Dates: April 24-25, 2014

Travel Buddies: BPI Sustainable Energy Finance (SEF) team and SEF award winners

Trabaho muna!

As an incentive for booking the most "green loans," BPI treated some of their account officers to a work/ leisure trip to Bohol. I came for the "work" part, as a guest speaker to help them evaluate their existing energy efficiency or renewable energy projects, learn from previous lessons, and to replicate their success. The bankers also visited a hydropower plant in Loboc. (I didn't join them to give them time to bond as a team!)

We stayed at the posh Bellevue Resort, situated in Brgy. Doljo, Panglao Island, Bohol. Its location was a bit surprising - right smack in the middle of a residential area. Imagine a small barrio road with houses and sari-sari stores - then you turn towards a short driveway, and voila: a luxury resort!


I was a bit taken aback by the size of the Bellevue. The lobby was massive! I imagine that it is a good venue for large groups, like conventions or big weddings or family reunions (though all the noise and activities will disturb the people who would want to relax. The architecture and the detail of the Bellevue reminded me of Balinese or Thai art.

The room was huge as well. I had two beds in mine, and couldn't help but wish I brought the rest of the Pacuanderers with me.  :o) This always happens to me whenever I travel for work.

My room

I didn't have much time to enjoy the facilities, because I only stayed overnight. But I did have time to walk by the beach, and to take a dip in the infinity pool.

Bellevue Hotel, the facade by the beach

At Bellevue, you get honest pictures. There are other places that look good in photos, but :blah: in real life. In this case, I can probably say that the real thing is better than the photos, because pictures couldn't capture the relaxing atmosphere and the smell and sound of the sea.

One of the 3 restaurants in Bellevue, the Marea

The hotel is not for budget travelers. The brochure they gave me said Php 18,000.00/ night! However, the concierge told me they always have online promos. This site has 2014 rates, and lists Php 7,700/ night for off-peak (Chinese New Year and Holy Week, which are all done for the year, so do check!).

#YogaAnywhere #FormaEverywhere at the Infinity Pool

If you have the budget for it, (and be sure to spend at least 2 nights to enjoy the place), the Bellevue Resort is a sweet destination. It is away from the more popular Alona Beach, and the water is good for kids - smooth, clean, no rocks, calm water, and lots of starfish ! The resort staff can also help you book island tours or snorkeling excursions (premium prices, of course.)

Travel (In)Sanity: Tips and Etiquette

My (*hanna) recent trip experience to and from Cagayan de Oro did not go oh-so-well. I’d hate to rant about it in this new blog (keeping it positive for now ;-), so let’s try a different approach. Here are some tips and recommended etiquette while traveling! I hope it will make your life easier – and also make you a joy to travel with. 

Traveling can be stressful. Do yourself and others a favor by planning ahead and being considerate.

1. When in Manila… check your Terminal

We have three (or four?) airports in Manila. NAIA 1 (the old, rundown airport, with the ramp that sort of looks like the CCP), NAIA 2 (the Centennial airport, also known as the PAL hub), and Terminal 3 (the newest, controversial one in front of Resorts World Manila). I am really not sure if the Old Domestic is still in operation.

Keep in mind that Philippine Airlines’ domestic carrier, PAL Express, now also operates in Terminal 3. Some people learn that the hard way, especially when one is used to going straight to the Centennial Terminal for a PAL flight. So, check and double check!

There may also be cases of sudden airline and airport changes, when airline staff in your point of origin will tell you to call your pick-up because you will be arriving in a different Terminal (and not the one indicated on your ticket).

There would be fewer issues on Terminal confusion if our terminal system were closer together. But no, you have to navigate the Pasay traffic to get from one point to another.

2. Respect Lines

Do people really need to push ahead during boarding? The seats are numbered, and we have the boarding passes to prove it. Some even push ahead in the tube, or worse, along the plane’s aisles!

Well, maybe they push because the overhead stowage bins get filled up quickly, so you have to get a good spot. (So that’s one more thing to expect). Should you need to move stuff in order to get your hand luggage in, have the courtesy to ask the owners of the luggage. He/ she might have trouble finding it later.

Or, maybe people push because someone might be on their seat? Yes, with the same seat number on the boarding pass as well! I don’t know how this happens, but I’ve had two flights this year where the airline had to “bribe” one passenger to get off the plane to accommodate over-booking (?)

3. Respect Lines (again)

Backtrack a bit to the security checks. If you have a lot of luggage, or have a lot of personal effects you have to take off before the security X-ray, be courteous enough to allow people to pass through. Do not block lines.

This is the same concept when people stop on top or at the bottom of escalators , blocking everyone's path.

4. Get an aisle seat if you pee a lot

So you minimize having to wake up the person beside you.

5. Use headphones

It would be great to catch up with your Game of Thrones/ Living Dead/ favorite movie onboard. But please wear your headphones because this disturbs the people around you.

(Oh and get headphones for your kid, as well. Hindi ko madinig ang dialogue ng Living Dead mo kasi ang lakas ng sounds ng Despicable Me nya, eh)

6. Make sure your mobile phone's alarm is turned off

Alarms still go off even if your phone is turned off.

I was once in a long haul flight, finally just able to catch some sleep - when the Blackberry of the guy beside me started to vibrate and beep its annoying, increasing alarm. I think he was sitting on it and not hearing it, because he stayed fast asleep! It went on snooze and back on again for about three rounds before the flight attendant finally woke him up.

7. Please, Please, Please be careful when opening the overhead stowage bins!

You might kill the person below it. I was thankful that the guy just brought a box of Pastel (stuffed bread) as pasalubong. A pineapple would’ve been worse.

Takeaway: When traveling, always expect the unexpected – and bring loads of patience and consideration! I am not one to yell or pick fights, but I have seen people do this, and it is never a pretty sight.

Happy Wanderings!