In my previous post, I wrote about some of the usual reasons for travel. But how about going to another place for techie stuff’s sake? My sis’ geeky hubby traveled all the way from Prague to the UK driving his car with a friend just to get these items he purchased online - two Dell servers, minidisc car audio player, minidisc desk player and about 8 hard SCSI drives. LOL, these are yummy items for him! He had the purchased items shipped to his friend in the UK since the seller is also from UK, thus delivery was free. They had to bring a car since the servers were big and heavy.
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31
May
2008
30
May
2008
These are some of the ‘whys’:
• Holiday, tour or vacation: This is the most common reason for travel bugs, yeah?
• Participate in a meeting, seminar or convention: I’ve recently chatted with an elderly lady while waiting for my turn at the Czech Embassy. She told me she regularly travels to Prague to attend their medical association’s convention which is always hosted in this city. My mom also traveled all the way to Goa in India for a business convention.
• Visit a relative or friend: This would be my reason in going to Prague (and of course to visit some tourist attractions too!).
• Attend reunion: We had a grand family reunion years ago which got us to Boracay! Sigh… I miss the white sand and cool blue waters.
• Attend burial: This is usually an urgent trip and a sad one too.
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28
May
2008
It’s been nine months already for happysteps.net and I am happy that this blog has been a venue for my ideas and musings about travel. Though I am not always going on a vacation or tour to some of the world’s famous travel destinations, I consider my trips away from home as something worth sharing in this blog.
Anyway, I am thankful for the nine months that has been and am looking forward to this blog’s first anniversary and the rest of the years to come. As I was musing about this, the idea of changing my blog’s template came up again. Actually it has been on my mind for a long time now. I really wish I could have more time to give my blog a new look or even do some tweaking on the sidebar and add some widgets.
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27
May
2008
Czech Republic recently became one of the members of the Schengen states, thus visa applicants once approved will now be issued a Schengen visa which allows them to enter any of the 31 states comprising the Schengen territory such as Germany, Finland or Austria. Thus, the Czech Embassy now issues, not anymore a Czech visa but a Schengen visa.
In the Philippines, the Czech Embassy is located at the 30th Floor of the Rufino Pacific Tower in Makati City, Manila. Office hours for the visa section are only during Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00AM to 12:00 noon. Applicants are entertained on a first-come-first-serve basis so be sure to be there at 8:30AM or earlier if you want to be the first. By 9:00AM, the guard on duty hands you your number and lets you write your name on a list. Only visa applicants are allowed inside, so if you have a companion, they can wait elsewhere. The use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited inside.
Here are some of the basics in applying for the Schengen visa:
1. Download the pdf file of the visa application form (in English) from their website: http://www.mfa.cz/visaform
2. Print in color the 4 pages of the application form and fill it up properly according to this guide: Instructions on how to complete the Application for Schengen Visa
25
May
2008
Yesterday my cutie sis in Prague showed me some pics of my parents posing by the trees at the park nearby their flat. It’s spring time there and the photos look so refreshing especially this:
Spring flowers in Prague
It left me green with envy (kidding!) – they’re finally in Prague and I’m still here - but I just tried to cheer myself up with the fact that next month I will be going there too. I can just imagine those hotels in Prague filled up with tourists for the summer.
One of the must-visits in Prague for tourists especially Catholics is the Church of the Infant Jesus or the Church of Our Lady Victorious where you can visit the famous statue of the infant Jesus (Pražské Jezulátko). Another tourist attraction is the Charles Bridge which crosses the Vltava River and is a historical landmark of Prague.
Tourists at the Charles Bridge
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24
May
2008
What’s up in Canada next month? My cousin who’s based in this country famous for its Niagara Falls told me that it is gearing up for the Canadian Grand Prix 2008. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the event to be held at the legendary circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal on June 6-8, 2008. The open house will be on Thursday June 5th from 9 in the morning till 1 in the afternoon. Lots of grand prix fans from all over the country and even abroad are expected to watch the show. It would be great to watch this exciting show but I’ve already made my own travel plans to Europe.
21
May
2008
With the rainy and slightly stormy weather these days, most flights were delayed much to the disappointment of passengers wanting to go home immediately. Just this week, both my flights to and from Manila were delayed for an hour. This left me with no choice but to open my laptop and do something worthwhile during the wait. One of my concerns was the unavailability of WiFi access in both domestic airports (the new Bacolod-Silay airport and the old Manila domestic terminal). Good thing I brought my SmartBro prepaid WiFi kit with me so I was able to surf the Internet a bit.
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19
May
2008
Being Hawaii’s third largest island and home to its capital Honolulu, Oahu offers many tourist attractions and things to do.
Why visit Oahu? There are many reasons why it is an island worth visiting. For one thing, it offers an interesting culture and historical background as well as white sandy beaches and beautiful landscapes. It’s a surfer’s paradise where you can take lessons as a beginner or get on your board and ride the waves as an experienced surfer at beaches such as the Sunset Beach, Ehukai Beach Park or Waikiki Beach. Other attractions are the golf courses, shopping malls, villas and resorts.
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17
May
2008
Imagine yourself staying at a luxurious and exotic resort surrounded by the sea.
It’s just like living in paradise isn’t it? Most of the resorts in the French Polynesia especially the islands of Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora are designed and built using all-natural building materials (timber and woven pandanus roofing) which depict the beauty of the islands.
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16
May
2008
When unexpected events such as delays caused by technical faults or bad weather conditions come up during a trip, one could only accept these circumstances and make the most out of the journey. It pays to be prepared though. For those who usually travel by car during out-of-town trips or vacations, they can avail of an auto club membership which helps with automotive concerns and provides roadside assistance. Yup, joining exclusive travel clubs and availing of their many services is a good option.
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15
May
2008
Meet Pavi, my laptop. 
It’s an HP Pavilion dv2518 notebook PC I bought at the Zeer IT Mall in Rangsit, Thailand. Buying it was a result of recommendations from techie bro and Cmoud (thanks guys!). According to Cmoud, HP is better than Acer. hehehe… I dunno if you agree with this. He actually based it on his work experience with Acers. Anyway, don’t worry if you have an Acer since techie bro uses an Acer Travelmate and it’s been doing well so far. I was with him when we toured Zeer looking for THE laptop for me with regards to processor speed, memory size, hard disk space and other features including its overall look and design.
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14
May
2008
With a major change in my Prague travel plans (my original flight date was changed to almost one month after), I am a bit sad but nevertheless I’m positive there will be better things coming up. Anyway, travel preparations are still on the way such as changing the insurance validity dates, verifying visa fee and other related matters.
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13
May
2008
A friend once told me how travel has been a big motivation for her to increase her savings. “I love to travel. I save (part of my earnings) to travel.” She also told me that one of her reasons for having studied on a scholarship grant in the UK is because of her love for travel. As a well-traveled person, I bet my friend would want to visit other countries if given the chance (plus of course the financial resources). Who wouldn’t?
With my trip to Prague scheduled next month, the more I realized that I needed to increase my savings and cut back on unnecessary spending these days. As my big sis told me, “It’s no fun going on a trip when you lack extra funds and have limited pocket money.” I couldn’t agree more. Travel entails a lot of expenses, and especially if there are unexpected hitches as what happened to me recently having to change my schedule and thus affecting all other requirements and their corresponding costs.
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12
May
2008
While most of us enjoy being out of our abodes, enjoying unfamiliar sights away from our usual homey surroundings, we also can’t help but be concerned about the safety of our houses. I know some people who are hesitant to go on vacations and even just for an overnight stay because they’re worried about leaving their homes. Good if you have a trusted house help or a friend who would look after things while you’re out.
Have you ever encountered home security issues whenever you’re going on a holiday? These are some important things to consider for those who will be leaving their houses:
Security: Doors and entry points should be heavily locked, windows have to be secure from external forced entries
Pet care: If you can’t bring them along for the trip, there are pet homes where you can leave them or let a friend babysit for them while you’re away
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9
May
2008
We all love to travel, but sometimes it’s just not fun packing up our stuff, isn’t it? The tedious task of arranging clothes and all those important things to bring can be a bit easier though if you have the right bag or luggage on hand.
Whether you will be going an overnight stay at Boracay or heading on a three-day business convention in Las Vegas or a month’s romantic vacation in Paris, it’s best to choose a travel bag that fits your style and need as long as you inspect carefully the luggage construction when buying one. Check out the inner seams, zippers (big is better), fabric, frame (should be lightweight), straps and those eensy weensy details that make up the whole bag. You might prefer luggages or bags with many interior and exterior compartments, they’re great for organizing different items.
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8
May
2008
In the south-west of Nicaragua lies San Juan del Sur, a city known for its beaches where many surfers and vacationers (especially families) go to. This coastal city is great for a Nicaraguan summer getaway. Whether you’re into sailing, fishing or surfing, the beaches at San Juan del Sur are for those looking for fun and adventure.
Doesn’t this photo make you dream of staying in a Nicaragua beach hotel and spending your days sunbathing, swimming or catching waves in the sea? Sigh. It just makes me wish I’m in the beach right now.
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7
May
2008
These days, I’m caught up in a dilemma regarding my travel plans. Due to some misinformation, I applied for a passport renewal at the Iloilo DFA when it shouldn’t be renewed yet since it is still valid within the dates of our upcoming travel. The result was that my visa application will be delayed, and I will be flying alone to Prague on a much later date. huhuhu…
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5
May
2008
These ladies are travel bugs too and are fond of going on weekend trips. So, who are the Grapevine girls? They’re Gabby, Shannon, Olivia and Raqui – four independent, smart, fashionable women whose life stories are featured in an interactive website Grapevine.com. The lives of these interesting fictitious characters make visiting the site fun with their daily updated serial featuring the girls’ tips and insights on travel, shopping, food, career and more.
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3
May
2008
I just can’t get enough of my recent trip to the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) last month. Aside from the spacious halls and lengthy corridors which could be easily tiring, we were not able to tour the whole compound since we were always pressed with time and would even go home at the closing hour. Since I will be in Manila for my visa application next week, I am looking forward to visiting MOA again. It’s a one-stop food and shopping paradise for tourists and travel bugs being one of the largest malls in Asia.
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3
May
2008
“Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.”
Marion C. Garretty
Throughout the world, Mother’s Day is celebrated on different days. In Thailand it coincides with Queen Sirikit’s birthday on August 12, while it’s December 8 in Panama, second Sunday of June in Luxembourg and December 22 in Indonesia. Most countries such as the US, Australia, Canada, Finland, Czech Republic and the Philippines celebrate it every second Sunday of May, thus it’s going to be May 11 for 2008.
This lunch time, while my sis was feeding her baby, I commented to her that a baby’s life is uncomplicated - just eat, sleep, play, cry, giggle and do her usual heartwarming antics. It made me think of how our Mom cared for us when we were still kids – from changing diapers, to giving baths and feeding us. Being a mother truly entails a lot of patience and understanding. It is just fitting that they are being honored and given recognition on a special day every year.
I’m sure the malls will be busy with shoppers looking for gifts for their mothers and anticipating some clothing or jewelry sale, and the restaurants will be filled up on that day as well. For those who want to give something special and lasting, without leaving the comforts of their homes, they can browse online for Mothers Day jewelry at MyJewelryBox.com where they have a Mother’s Day jewelry gift guide with items categorized into diamond flowers, pearls collection, birthstones collection and more. Those who are on limited budget can shop by price range.
Mother’s Day gifts such as jewelry are long-lasting and should be handled well. Aside from their wide range of products (emerald pendants, diamond rings, gold earrings, gemstone bracelets, bangles and more), MyJewelryBox.com also provides an educational page about diamonds, gemstones, gold and silver and how to properly care for your jewelry collection. Mothers would surely love receiving gifts such as this, though it’s really the thoughtfulness of the giver that counts, whether you bake her favorite chocolate cake or simply give her lots of hugs and kisses.
2
May
2008
Our modern lifestyle is getting to be more convenient and high-tech than ever - from heating food in the microwave, to watching our favorite DVDs at home or driving our cars. Consequently, our everyday activities affect climate change. Whether on a road trip or flying on business class, travel entails fuel consumption. This results to carbon emissions which are the biggest contributors of global warming gases.
Since travel is an essential part of our lives, we can do our own way of helping the environment by trying to offset our carbon emissions. In other words, we replace our travel emissions by incorporating simple environment-friendly steps in our lifestyle. Some carbon offset companies and airline carriers provide an online calculator for determining the equivalent CO2 emissions (in tons) for any given air travel detail.
Using a carbon flight calculator, here’s how to find out the carbon emission produced for a two-way international flight.
After entering the flight details for a two-way Manila-Prague trip via Amsterdam (Schiphol Airport), the distance traveled is 22526.5 km with an equivalent CO2 emission of 1.32 tons.
Knowing how many tons of CO2 generated for a given travel activity helps to increase environmental awareness. We should be responsible in doing our share to compensate for the carbon emissions brought about by our travel. The simplest could be a DIY effort at home (turn of unnecessary lights or lessen your TV watching). You can also purchase carbon offset products equivalent to the amount of tons of carbon emissions. Another option is to contribute funds to an environmental charity or getting involved in community green projects such as tree planting or forest preservation.
2
May
2008
More businesses and industries are now getting involved with environmental conservation measures, and the airline industry is no exception. For instance, Continental Airlines provides a paperless boarding pass for their passengers through their mobile phones. An encrypted bar code plus flight details are sent via email to the passenger’s phone or PDA device. This feature not only minimizes the use of paper, but also helps in reducing fake boarding passes and enhances customer service. This was just one of the travel news I browsed over at Lowfares.com, and I find it interesting since air travel always involves fuel consumption which unfortunately increases carbon emissions.
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2
May
2008
Guess what made a trip all the way from Finland to the Philippines? It’s a Valentine’s Day card from my little niece Anzel. My Dad was surprised to receive something like this in the mail – with no name or signature and no addressee inside the card but just some cut-out hearts pasted on it. Anyway, Anzel’s mommy (my big sis) didn’t even know how it was sent but she said it might have been part of their school project. Nevertheless it was heartwarming to receive a handmade greeting card such as this which made such a long travel from faraway Europe. At least the material used was just an ordinary paper so it was not that much of a concern with being damaged during transit.
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1
May
2008
It’s the first day of the merry month of May – a great month for fiestas, vacations, out-of-town trips and of course shopping!
To start off the month, SM Bacolod and Robinsons Place are having their Labor Day sale going on right now. So, why am I still here at home? Oh well, yesterday we already went to the city for some important matters and decided to drop by Robinsons. They already displayed some of the items for sale, we found some great discounts on clothes and shopped until closing time. It was an unintentional shopping but we avoided the rush by being there the day before. We also checked out their luggage, backpacks and travel gear on sale.
My sis and I planned to go back today but later decided not to since we’ve more important tasks to finish. Anyway, we already bought some sale items yesterday so it’s really no big deal. How about you, any great shopping finds this summer?
