The Eventful New York Vacation

The recent trip we had was quite the adventure! I still vividly remember feeling scared to a point of getting very terrified about Hurricane Sandy. I can still hear the howling of the wind, I can still feel the cold and moist air biting my face and I can certainly remember how it feels to be really scared stiff.

Images were running in my mind. What if we had to evacuate? What if the flood reaches where we were? What if the tree falls on the apartment? What if the water surge is so high that we would go down? Flashes of various images were running in my head like seeing many police patrols, ambulances, medics running around and carts pushed in the hospital just like the ones I see in the Howard-Medical.com hospital carts.

I know it was negative to think such thoughts but when you are in a situation where you and everyone else is at the mercy of Mother Nature, then you can only hope and pray that everyone will be safe and that everything will calm down.

Despite of the recent calamity and the exciting adventure we had gone through, I still want to visit New York. I will just have to make sure that no storm is brewing nearby.

Bucket List

I think I was 5 years old when I started my bucket list. I remember writing them down but somewhere along the way, I lost the list but have them in my memory. One of that is to see the beautiful cherry blossoms up close. And I did!

I made an itinerary before traveling to New York with my husband few days ago. I told him that I have to see the cherry blossoms in Central Park and it was a must. Although this is the second time we have been in the beautiful city of New York, the last time was November so there was no cherry blossoms blooming. It was autumn and the leaves were wilting.

I am glad we had this short trip back to NYC to see the beautiful flowers. I even saw plenty of tulips so it was actually hitting two birds with one stone and I am very happy to see that most of the things I have written in my bucket list are actually getting ticked. Blessings! I am very thankful for the opportunity.

Back from NYC!

We just came back from New York City. My darling husband decided to spend the Eid Holidays there and it was a decision made in haste. We had no plans nor itinerary laid out which was unusual because I always made it a point to organize the trip.

We stayed in the Upper Manhattan area along 96th street in Days Inn Hotel. The location was perfect because it was walking distance to the metro station. The hotel was also close to the Central Park, some Catholic churches, Michael's (my favorite arts supplies store), TJ Maxx and cafes and restaurants.

People there, like in Seoul, are health buffs and exercise all the time. The metro was packed and we walked around Time Square and Central Park. I felt that I lost more than a kilo just by walking around the city. It was as if I have taken fat burners because my pants has gotten a little loose! Wow!

I like the place. I love the weather! I love New York!

Vacation Mode for Most Dubai Folks

It is that time of the year again when most of the locals and expatriates from Dubai and nearby emirates relocate to some place cooler.

The long and extreme summer months here cast away people because the heat is just unbearable. Also, the school ends on June and will not open until mid-September. So they take that opportunity to leave the country and explore the colder regions of the earth.

Other families prefer to drive to Salalah in Oman where the weather is not harsh and slightly cooler than its counterpart in the Middle East region. The big SUVs pack the road towards the UAE and Oman border together with their trailers and RVs. I sure hope they have checked everything before setting on their long drive. It is wise and important to have a travel insurance too and to check if 5th wheel warranty is applicable on their trailers or RVs.

I would like to embark on a road journey too before I leave the UAE. Driving to the neighboring country of Oman will be a scenic and wonderful experience for us.

Gearing Up for a Short Vacation

It has been more than a year now since I last had a vacation back in the Philippines. I was trying to manage my finances in this difficult time. I avoided every opportunity presented in the past for a trip back home because every time I come home, money just disappear so fast. That was not something I was ready to accept. My budget is so tight right now that my short vacation to see my family is planned to the minute details. I cannot over-spend on unnecessary matters and cannot eat out. It will just a pure R and R with the people who matters in my life.

So, I will not be blog-hopping for few days starting 2 July. I just want to spend my time with my family and enjoy the vacation even for a short while.

Tough Luck

That's what I am telling myself right now. Well, something terrible happened to my passport and I don't know how it happened and when. Okay, I'll rewind the past events leading to yesterday's revelation.

• Dec. 28 - I placed my passport inside my bag to have it scanned. The day went by without me doing that.
• Dec. 30 - Passport was still in my bag thinking I would find time to scan it. Again, failed!
• Dec. 31 - Went home and forgot about my passport in my bag. I placed my bag on the floor which I do not normally do under any circumstances. I cleaned the house, cooked and slept through 2010. Again, failed to scan my passport.
• Jan. 1 - What passport?
• Jan. 2 - Enjoyed my off!
• Jan. 3 - Extended off! Noticed the bottom of my bag to be damp so I just wiped it off not thinking of checking the contents. How it got wet is beyond my comprehension!
• Jan. 4 - I gave my passport to my hubby to have it scanned. I did not notice it had absorbed so much "beverage" (it smelled a faint sweetness, like a tea or something. I couldn't recall drinking tea during the weekend...) because I held it from the top part. Went to work and was shocked to learn when hubby gave me a ring to ask why my passport was wet! I said "what wet?" I ran straight to their office to check and lo and behold! My passport was soaking wet! The stamped departure and entry details were smeared and bled through the other pages. My personal information had been tainted by the stamp ink. My US visa (my visa of all visas!!!) had a stain in the middle. My residence visa though was the only one not affected at all.
  

So, it's really tough luck for me! I think the Lord is telling me something. I had postponed this US trip twice already. We were supposed to spend a week in San Francisco this coming 15 Jan. but I don't think that is possible at the moment. I just had my passport renewed/replaced with a "machine-readable type" which would take a month to be delivered. I have to check with the US Consulate if they will allow me to use my slightly stained visa. I have been calling their office and all I got were rude responses from some operators! If not, forget it. I think this is where the Lord wants me at the moment. I can always go back if I want to but for now, I will heed the signs.

Tough luck... and I thought Lady Luck was just peeking in the corner! What a way to start my 2010 huh?

Moral of the story: Do NOT procrastinate. Do NOT leave your bags on the floor. And lastly, do NOT ever, ever leave your passport in your bag at all cost! These are lessons I learned the painful way.

A Jamaican Holiday

I have been hoping for our company to add a flight in Florida so my family and I can have a side trip to Jamaica. I have heard so many nice things about the country and its pristine beaches. Not to mention the amiable people in the island.

Some of my colleagues have been to Jamaica and seeing their pictures made me list Jamaica in my one of the places I need to visit before I leave this plane. There are jamaica all inclusive packages available for airline staff so we can get good rates. Fortunately, I am an airline staff and I can find good rates if my family and I decide to visit Jamaica.

Gone for the Holidays

Let me greet everyone a Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful 2009! My family and I will be in Manila for the holidays but I will be back after Christmas here in Dubai. I cannot take a long leave now so I am cutting my vacation short (for financial reasons as well). I will not blog for a week to spend my time with my family so please bear with me. However, I will really appreciate your comments, greetings and well-wishings. I shall resume my normal blogging activity by last week of December or perhaps on January 2009.

I pray for the grace of our Lord to shine upon all of us on this blessed season. Let our Christmas be measured by the love of our families and friends, instead of the material things that commercializes this blessed time. Money may come scarce to some of us but we will all get through this through our faith. May 2009 be a year of new hope, new dreams, new goals and the spread of peace to all.

A Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful New Year to all of you.

I'm back!

Yes! I was itching to type away! I have definitely morphed into an addicted blogger. Few days away from my laptop didn't do any good. I am never leaving my typing activity at all.

The trip was tiring and I am sad that I was not able to meet a good blogger pal - Jade. We exchanged texts and I was really hopeful to see her. However, travelling with other parties can be very tiring too because they have their own plans and I have mine and somehow, I have to cancel mine to accommodate theirs (I don't want to hurt some one's feelings so I had to give way...).

It was still a fun-filled vacation for us especially for the young princess since it was her first time to visit Singapore. A lot has changed indeed since the last time I have been there; 6 years to be exact! There were so many constructions which I had not seen back then. I think Singapore is busier now as it was before but it still remains to be one of the nicest cosmopolitan places in the world.

We spent the whole day in Sentosa. Due to time constraint, we were unable to visit Jurong Bird park and the Night Safari for the little princess' educational tour. Well, the day spent in Sentosa was enough to excite her senses especially the glass-bottom cable ride, the pink dolphin show, the fish and other sea creatures in the Underwater World and the great show of the Song of the Sea.

We'll be back in Singapore for sure. The next time will definitely be a longer one and I WILL HOLD THE REINS!

Munich - Part 2

Apologies...

I have moved this post to www.riatravelbug.com which is my blog for all our travels and travel-related posts. You can read the post here:  http://www.riatravelbug.com/2013/05/munich-germany-part-2.html

Thanks!