The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has launched the “2009 Reasons to enjoy Singapore“  promo wherein visitors can take advantage of visiting 5 attractions for free or at a discounted rate.  The promotion runs every weekend starting last February 14 until March 1, 2009.

To take advantage of this promo, simply text ’2009′ to 79777 to get the SMS passport that gives you a chance to obtain free admission for the following attractions:

• Singapore Flyer
• Jurong Bird Park
• Sentosa
• National Museum of Singapore
• Singapore River Cruises

For more information please click here to visit the official website.

I just updated my WordPress blog from 2.5 to 2.7.1 and I’m loving the new interface. It’s a huge make-over from the previous version of WordPress that I have been using since WordPress 2.0. It looks a lot more cleaner, organized and easy to use.

I have not been updating my blog regularly since I moved here in Singapore last year.  There were too many things going on that I went on a hiatus for quite some time.

I’ve been planning to update my blog these past few weeks but never had the chance until today. With this new version of WordPress  I hope to update my blog regularly so stay tuned…

I have not been updating my Flickr these past few weeks.  I am just too tired that I don’t feel like going online after work. I just the check BlackBerry for new emails and if there’s something I need to check on my computer I turn on my laptop very briefly then go to sleep.

I also feel like I don’t have any interesting photos to post this Christmas season since I haven’t taken any pictures lately.

It’s christmas season but I don’t feel like celebrating yet due to all the pressures at work. I wish I get some breathing room soon…

Rough Riders, Photo by wantet.

A day after I arrived here in Cebu I traveled to Bantayan island together with my younger sister and my mom. It was around 8:15am when my brother-in-law drove us to SM City Mall to ride a V-Hire going to Hagnaya port however there was no van available going to Hagnaya. We took a cab and proceeded to the North Bus Terminal to a ride a bus instead. We boarded a Rough Riders bus but had to wait for 30 minutes before we left the bus terminal.

Buses plying to Northern and Northwest Cebu are now mostly non-airconditioned buses. I was quite surprised that despite being non-airconditioned, the bus fare drastically increased. I remember March of last year we took a non-airconditioned bus going Maya, Daan Bantayan and the fare was below PhP70. Hagnaya is nearer compared to Maya and the fare now is Php110.

The day started out beautifully with the sun shining brightly filled with blue skies.  It was great to be out on the road again.  Traveling always brings me joy. The journey took more than 3 hours passing by Mandaue city, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao city then Carmen wherein we have a short stopover before continuing our journey to Sogod, Borbon, Tabogon, Bogo City and finally San Remigio.

We arrived in Hagnaya port past 12 noon. I was shocked to find out that the barge fare was only PhP50 for Island shipping and Super Shuttle Ferry was even giving out free rides to Sta. Fe. I’m not sure if the reduction of prices or the giving of free rides has something to do that it was an off-peak season.  I thought it was great though as the fare for a non-airconditioned bus was already expensive.

The boat trip took an hour an thirty minutes. Around 3:30pm we finally docked at Sta. Fe port.

Less than 28 hours from now I’ll be flying back home. I am trying to contain my excitement until the moment my work is done tomorrow. I have to keep my concentration as I certainly don’t wanna screw up anything before I leave for my long vacation. I’m crossing my fingers everything is going to be fine.

Oh yes, it’s finally October! I can’t help counting the days I’m going to have my vacation and go home. It’s been a little over 7 months since I left home and there’s certainly a lot of things I miss. I am trying to control my excitement and telling myself to concentrate with the task at hand before I start celebrating. Just 2 more weekends and I’ll be seeing my family and my beloved city, Cebu.

Needing sunshine, photo by wantet.

Today is definitely not my day! Nothing was going right at all. I’ve never felt so bad as this. It leaves me wondering what’s wrong with me why I’m getting these unlucky cases. I am trying to tell myself there will be better days ahead and I just have to hang on tough.

I can’t wait for October to come. I can’t wait to be home. I can’t wait to taste my mom’s home cooking again and I am definitely craving for lechon. I am missing my favorite Cebu beaches as well too – Bantayan, Malapascua and Moalboal. I can just imagine myself lying in a hammock enjoying the view of the white sand beach. It would be so nice to have a time to just forget about all the work. A moment of unhurried life.

I got to join my first run here in Singapore last August 24.  I would not have found about it if not for my fellow USC-Mountaineer, Kentoy, telling me about the run.  I wanted to join the Nike+Human Race 10K but as early as July the registration was already closed. It seems that a lot of people  of people here in Singapore like to join marathons and races.

I had no idea how my first run in Singapore would turn out as I don’t run regularly. I was a bit worried that I would be left behind so I decided to just register for the 10K non-competitive run which was also much cheaper.

The run started at the Esplanade bridge just right in front of the Merlion Park at 7:30am heading to Collyer Quay, Marina Boulevard, ECP, Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Rochor Exit, Fountain of Wealth, Temasek Avenue, Republic Boulevard, Raffles Avenue, Connaught Drive, St Andrews Road and ending at the Padang.

I had never seen so many runners in my entire life. I read somewhere that there was a total of 70,00 runners who joined the SAFRA Singapore Bay Run. During the entire run I had to look out for other runners as I had to run side-by-side with other runners and there were runners that just popped out of nowhere.

The exciting part of the run was running across Benjamin Sheares Bridge and passing by the Singapore Flyer. I was able to run straight for 7Km but exhaustion got the better of me when I got half-way in Republic Avenue.  A blister on my right foot didn’t also help my situation. From that point I alternated walking and running until I arrived in Esplanade where I started to run all the way to the finish line.

I kinda regret I didn’t sign up for the competitive 10K run as I would have gotten a finisher’s medal  and  a personalized finisher’s certificate instead of just getting a non-personalized finisher’s certificate and it’s the same distance that I had run. Anyway, important thing is that I did enjoy the run and I am looking forward for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon this coming December.

It’s been a little over than 5 months since I moved here in Singapore and it’s been 3 months since I started working with my current job. Time flies indeed!

It’s been months since I last updated my blog.  A lot of things has happened since I came here that I’m not sure where even to begin. Looking back to what I have been through and what I have experienced the past few months, I feel so fortunate and blessed.

It was not an easy decision resigning from my previous job, leaving home and risking going here in Singapore without having any assurance of finding a job. People close to me know that I’m a risk taker and I do not mind trying even if the odd doesn’t seem very favorable if it’s something that I really want. For me, it’s better to fail than to regret for not having tried.

My passion for traveling, climbing and photography has fueled my drive to reach new heights and to explore what this world has to offer. Coming here to Singapore is only the first step of fulfilling my other plans and adventures.  It’s still a long way but I am just trying to tell myself to take it one day at a time and try to enjoy each day.

I am not sure if I can make it to Rinjani this year. In as much as I would like to make the climb this year it seems very unlikely given the time table I have. I still have to do a lot of research and I need to find someone who is willing to do the climb with me. I am just crossing my fingers the climb will be happening soon.