happy steps

“There are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror.” Orson Welles

To the frequent air traveler, riding an airplane can be thought of as just one of those trips that would take you to your destination the fastest way possible. One has to find ways to entertain oneself while onboard – watch in-flight movies, chat with a seatmate, get a nap, tinker with the laptop, listen to music, read, order more drinks… anything to while away the time. Sometimes the long distance flights can try your patience too, and you just wish you’ve already arrived.

The feeling of being ‘trapped’ miles above the ground could also make one imagine some morbid thoughts and others tend to worry a lot during the trip. Oh well, even the jetsetters would admit to being tense sometimes. Watching the safety demonstration by the crew brings one to the reality that anything can happen during the flight. Nothing beats the feeling of relief during touchdown though. Personally, it’s a sort of spiritual experience for me when inside the plane. It’s not only trusting the pilot, but praying for a safe trip.

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”
St. Augustine

This quote is what I chose for my blog’s tagline since I find it meaningful and very well defines why travel is such a great learning experience. When one leaves home and ventures to other places, it always brings not just fun and adventure but valuable insights as well.

One thing I love about travel is learning and discovering about the place – the people, culture, history and language. You get to know more about how the locals in that area welcome strangers, if they’re warm and friendly or a bit cautious and aloof. Whenever I’m in a new place, I like to observe the ancient and modern buildings and architectural edifices especially the ruins. It’s also my habit to try most of their local cuisine and go shopping for native products which showcase their art and culture.

The journey to the place itself provides opportunities for more life lessons. You become better at packing up your suitcase and stuff, lining up patiently at the immigration, sleeping overnight at the airport, keeping your cool on some trip inconveniences or striking up a conversation with another passenger.

All these experiences you bring home with you and make you realize that while we live in various places and differ in many ways, there are countless wonderful and interesting things to share and learn from each other.

It was a chilly December night at the Chiang Mai night market in Thailand when my techie bro handed over something in a plastic packet. He urged me to try and taste it. There was a tone of persistence in his voice that made me suspicious about it. I peeked and realized they were fried worms! Yikes! I tried to be brave and adventurous, so I ate one. It was another one of those fun Thai food tripping experiences.

It tasted like fried shrimps but juicier and not so meaty. My little niece exclaimed, “Potatoes!” after tasting some.

Here are more of those exotic Thai delicacies on display that night.

Hmmm…wanna try?

“Most travel is best of all in the anticipation or the remembering; the reality has more to do with losing your luggage.”  Regina Nadelson

How true. Whether you lose your mobile phone or your air tickets, the downside to travel is when you seem to be so excited about the trip and got careless about your things.

I remember during one of our recent Thailand trips when I realized my passport was missing in my bags. I was teary eyed while I called up our new found friends during the trip (they gave us their numbers before we parted ways) inquiring if my passport was accidentally left among their belongings.

I finally called up the airport’s ‘Lost and Found’ section and thankfully the guy told me somebody left it with them. I am very careful about my stuff during trips but I guess being with my parents that time and attending to their needs made me forgot to be attentive to my belongings too.

Losing and forgetting – these are part of the valuable lessons we learn as we travel.

We had our dinner yesterday at 21 Bar and Restaurant, popularly known to Bacoleños as Bar 21, located at 21st Lacson street in Bacolod City.

If you’re looking for some fine dining with a quiet, homey ambiance - a relaxing family dinner or sweet romantic date - then this is the place. Service is great with very attentive staff and food didn’t take too long to prepare.

Prime Rib (standing roast)

Calamares with marinara sauce

Steamed fish (Lapu-Lapu)

We will definitely be going there again for snacks next time to try their famous special Batchoy.

When it comes to going places, having your own vehicle can be a big convenience, and I mean not just within the city but for out-of-town trips as well and even for inter-island travels. Yup! We’ve traveled twice between the Negros and Cebu islands with our trusty van. This was made possible with inter-island vessels or barges which regularly travel between these two islands and could accommodate about 10 vehicles (not only cars but big trucks and container vans too).

If you have your own vehicle and need to use it in Cebu, then loading it on an inter-island vessel is the best option. It’s really convenient especially if you’re traveling in groups, or if you plan to transport some stuff or go on a shopping spree. Using a bigger vehicle such as a van is more practical too since you have additional space to accommodate the items you bought and there’s the added comfort of bringing more trip essentials like food, plates, glasses, and necessary utensils, pillows, and of course your loads of pasalubong.

It’s not just a land of amazing sights, but of varied tastes and blends as well although Thailand is more famous for its spicy cuisine. Indulging in Thai food is one of my fave things to do whenever I’m on a visit in this country, and the best thing is that these yummy treats usually don’t cost that much.

Strolling along the sides of the streets could really make you hungry and stir your appetite as you’d see all sorts of food on display – from sweet corn, fried fish and squid balls, to yummy pork barbecues, grilled fish, fresh fruits, cool juice drinks and even exotic food. Of course, Thailand boasts of numerous food joints, restaurants and bars to satisfy whatever kind of food and ambiance you’re looking for, from fast food to fine dining.

The first Thai dish I tasted was their noodles topped with pork sausage, few veggie leaves and a slice of manaw (lime). This later became my usual snack when studying on late evenings. One my favorites is Khao Phad (fried rice) which is the easiest to order and offers various toppings such as pork, beef, shrimp, crab meat or chicken.

Other favorites are Tom Yum (spicy and sour soup usually with seafood, pork or chicken with lemongrass and mushrooms), Paad Thai (stir-fried noodles with shrimps, monggo sprouts and tofu), chicken with cashew nuts, Som Tam (spicy papaya salad) and Moo Nam Tok (spicy grilled pork or beef salad).

Photos courtesy of Essential Tidbits.