Walking Around Legazpi Village, Makati City

It's been a while since the last time I stroll around Legazpi Village here in Makati CBD. Ever since the lockdown last March 15, I'm always at the condo because obviously, I don't want to get infected by COVID-19. More so, it was during that time when the national government imposed the strictest community quarantine. Basically, I was just confined to the four corners of the unit, except when I go to work. It was only this month when I decided to walk around Legazpi Village. I really love this neighborhood.

Hot Destination: Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park

Buzz Andersen / Unsplash

Volcanoes aren't uncommon in the continental United States. For instance, Yellowstone National Park is one of the most volcanically active regions in the world. There's also Mount Saint Helens, Mount Baker, Mount Hood, and a bunch of other volcanoes of various levels of activity.

The Things I've Learned during Quarantine 2020

On March 14, 2020, the president ordered a nation-wide lockdown to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Forced to cancel were flights from Manila. Unfortunately, I was one of the locally stranded individuals. I initially thought that this lockdown would only last for a month. Little did I know that we'd still be experiencing the same restrictions up to this date. As air traffic controllers, we still had a lot to do, even if only a few flights were flying in our designated airspaces, and the radar scope was almost empty. 

Today, there are still cargo and rescue flights flying to key domestic destinations of the country. While there's little that we can do about the global pandemic, here are the things I did during community quarantine.

Travel Restrictions for Filipinos during COVID-19 Pandemic

Today, community quarantine and lockdown in some countries have already been lifted, and borders have finally reopened. A few airline companies have mounted flights to major destinations. Some businesses have already opened to cater to the needs of the public. Everyone is gearing towards the new normal. Here are some of the travel requirements if you wish to travel to countries from the Philippines.

PAL July 2020 Cheapest Seats from Manila to USA/Canada

Ever dreamed of visiting the other side of the world? North America has a lot to offer. One can enjoy the beaches and sunsets in Los Angeles, or be amazed by the views of Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The lush landscapes and mild weather in Vancouver can be a perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, or if you're into big cities, be prepared to be enamored by the fast-paced life and the concrete jungle of New York City. Toronto is a mix between the two, making it an ideal city to visit.

Make these dreams into reality as Philippine Airlines is currently having a mid-year sale promo! Book your tickets now! I have the details below.

PAL Mid-Year Sale this 2020!

PAL at NAIA 2

I won't deny that I miss traveling. When everything's back to normal, I know everyone's itching to fly again. Well, I have some good news for you! Philippine Airlines is launching a mid-year sale promo in the coming days. Travelers can surely enjoy the safe skies and safe travels with the Heart of the Filipino.

Montréal Revisited

Montréal wasn't part of my original plan. The day before we went to this city, my good mate Jase surprised me and told me we were going on a road trip. I didn't expect that we would travel for more than 8 hours just to visit the largest city of Québec Province, the French part of Canada. I love this city! The charm is different compared to Toronto, a highly urbanized city filled with modern skyscrapers in downtown and midtown areas. Montréal kept its charm by preserving old buildings in the old downtown. While it's notoriously colder here than in Toronto, it didn't stop us to explore this quaint city of Canada.

Months ago, I downloaded a bunch of LR presets, and I tried some of them. While browsing my Montréal album on my hard drive, I still have tons of unedited and unprocessed photos. Since I have all the time today, these are some of my favorite photos of Montréal.

4 things that are guaranteed to ruin your vacation

There’s nothing more exciting than building up to your annual vacation. You’ve saved for months, you’ve worked hard and you’ve planned every activity, the hotel, and location down to the last minute detail. 

Sadly, not every vacation goes to plan, no matter how well you plan and strategize your days in the sun. Leaving you feeling as if you’ve missed an entire opportunity to relax, enjoy yourself, and make the most out of time away from work and ordinary life. So, it makes sense to make yourself familiar with the most common ways a vacation can be ruined – and do your best to avoid them!

Read on for 4 things that are guaranteed to ruin your vacation.

Eighteen Hours on the Road

Sunrise at Angkor Wat Temple

The longest flight that I have taken so far was almost sixteen hours. Last year, I flew nonstop from Manila to Toronto, and it was a dreadful experience. Don't get me wrong, the inflight services were top-notched, and the inflight entertainment system was up-to-date, but sitting for sixteen straight hours can be challenging. I have exhausted all the possible things inside the cabin to keep me preoccupied–I slept for six hours, watched The Greatest Showman and Crazy Rich Asians twice, and had a skincare routine while everyone was asleep. In a nutshell, I survived, and I think I won't be doing it again for a while. However, I just realized that this experience was nothing compared to what I've gone through when I rode a bus from Saigon to Siem Reap for eighteen hours!

PHOTO SERIES: Toronto Revisited

No, it's not what you think. I bought a new Lightroom presets and tried these for my travel photos, and man, I loved it. I hope you enjoy this photo set! I miss traveling, and this is the closest thing that I can do related to it. Hopefully, when this global pandemic is all over, we can freely travel again without worries.

Winter holiday driving advice – tips you need to know

It’s true that most people head off on holiday during the summer months. Endless sunshine and the guarantee of good weather are a huge draw for families and solo travelers alike. However, more people than ever are discovering how enjoyable and exciting a winter holiday can be.

Fewer crowds. Different activities to enjoy. Great food. Cozy nights in and crisp, fresh days in the winter air. Maybe you're driving to your winter holiday destination, or you're heading to the airport on winter roads, either way, you're going to need some winter driving advice. After all, the last thing you want is to get caught up in a car accident before you've even reached your destination. Click the link if you're looking for a car accident lawyer.

Read on some winter holiday driving advice.

PHOTO DIARY: Vivid Sydney 2019

Yesterday was supposed to be the first day of Vivid Sydney. Vivid Sydney is a festival of light, music, and ideas. It unites not just artists and music makers, but also tourists around the world. From 6pm each night mesmerizing art installations and 3D projections transform Sydney’s architecture and open spaces along the harbor foreshore including The Rocks, Circular Quay, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Darling Harbour, Luna Park, and Chatswood.

Unfortunately, this year's Vivid Sydney is canceled due to the ongoing global pandemic. Here are some of the photos that I took when I went here last year. It was a visual feast and a spectacular experience. Defo one of the highlights of my 2019!

Staying safe on the road – your guide to driving during the coronavirus pandemic

We're all familiar with the devastating impact of Covid-19 as it's spread across the world. Now, even the simplest of tasks such as shopping and driving from A to B seems much more complicated and worrying than before.

Now that some restrictions are becoming a little relaxed, more of us will be getting into our cars this weekend for a much-needed drive and a change of scenery. And if you’re someone who drives for a living, you may be eager to hit the road once again and enjoy a sense of normality – if you’re injured at work, including whilst driving for your employer, contact a workers compensation lawyer in Georgia. 

However, despite our eagerness to enjoy the simpler things in life, such as driving and travel, we still need to exercise caution and common sense. Here I’ve compiled some simple ways you can stay safe on the road during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Future of the Hermit Kingdom

Photo by Random Institute on Unsplash

Now that the news about the death of Kim Jong-Un's has been circulating online for days, North Korea's future hangs by a thread. Some say that his younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, could take over. But, in a patriarchal and reclusive nation, that's a very tough sell. Is this the perfect time for the two Koreas to reunite again?

Chicago, Illinois - see the real America

A while back I saw a funny meme of how the outside world sees America. There was a map of the States, and just three words, which left to right read “Vegas - Yeehaw - New York”. Of course, we’ve all heard of the flyover states, sitting there in the middle of the country, growing corn and having county fairs and using words like prairie and y’all. But this is reducing tens of millions of people and a range of ways of life to a comedy quip, which is most unfair. That’s why this time we’re not going to focus on the usual American hotspots that get all the attention, and we’re going to look at Illinois. Or specifically, Chicago. Chi-town. The birthplace of Kanye West, Harrison Ford, Jennifer Hudson, Bill Murray, Gillian Anderson, Melissa McCarthy, Robin Williams, Cindy Crawford, Karlie Kloss, and although he wasn’t born there, Barack Obama now lives in Chicago. That’s a strong list.

Remember, if you’re traveling to the United States, you need insurance and valid travel documents (have the number of your embassy to hand in case of a lost or stolen passport). Also remember that laws may differ from what you are used to - if you face legal matters following an incident such as a car crash, see car accident lawyer in Aurora IL.

Best Road Trips in the World

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

Once you decide to take a road trip, your head will be spinning about where to go. The easy bit is taking the leap to embark upon new adventures with friends, bonding over shared experiences and seeing the best sights in the world.

However, the hard bit is knowing which of the world’s most enticing routes to settle on. Firstly, however, get your license and insurance sorted as well as researching legal advice - you’ll need guidance from the likes of this company if anything goes wrong.

But, all being well, you will return back home safely with great memories and incredible photos. So, check out some of the most popular and famous road trip routes below:

Fraudulent Transactions

Photo by Code Mnml on Unsplash

Last week, as I was busy watching Crash Landing On You on Netflix. I received two text messages from BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands). Reading these messages gave me a heart attack. In the first text, I was charged by Facebook Ad Vietnam with an amount of VND 393,000. That's roughly Php 850. The second one was VND 20,000, or Php 50. Since these transactions were fraudulent, I immediately called the bank. It didn't take more than 3 minutes to reach them, thank God. I gave my card number and verified a few personal details to the customer representative.

Dangerous Crosswind

They say the less, the better.

Being an air traffic controller and a frequent traveler is not a good combo at all. You see, when your flight suddenly halts in the middle of the taxiway, you'd groan, "Oh no, give us some ample spacing for each arrival. I need to fly ASAP!" or, "Why aren't we taking off yet? There is no inbound traffic at the final approach runway 06?". Then, you'll check FlightRadar24 to monitor the traffic around the aerodrome traffic zone. But, I stopped doing it because it's stressing me out, to say the least.

Melbourne To Be Wild

If there's one city in the world where I can enjoy the laidback lifestyle, its sceneries, the accessibility, high quality of living and experience its unique local culture, it's Melbourne. Unlike its sibling, Sydney, which is now overcrowded and a highly urbanized area, Melbourne offers a character that no other city could offer.

The flight to Melbourne from Manila takes 7 hours and 40 minutes. This time, however, we left Manila past noon. We arrived in Melbourne at past midnight, and after the long queue at customs, we finally arrived at our hotel at 2 in the morning. My mom and I were dead tired from our trip and woke up late.