happy steps

Whether you’re on a business trip with colleagues or on a family vacation, having an airport shuttle ready to service you as soon as you get out of the airport arrivals area, is a great way to start off your day. Isn’t it nice to be pampered with comfortable and reliable transportation to get you to your destination?

With the many airport shuttle services around, here are some of the basics needed before deciding on one:
1. 24/7 customer assistance
2. reasonably priced (based on your comparison list)
3. clean interiors, comfortable seats, reliable and on time
4. operates daily
5. added convenience such as separate luggage compartments
6. 24/7 online reservation service
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As a travel bug, I would often dream of travel to the other side of the world, across the Pacific Ocean, and you guess it – to the large American continent where I haven’t set foot yet.

One of my dream destinations is New York City, the most populous city in the US, and home of the United Nations headquarters. There are many NYC attractions for tourists such as the Statue of Liberty, the Rockefeller Center, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Times Square to mention some few places of interest.
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Most of the airline companies are now catching up with global awareness and incorporating some environmental safety measures and practices in their systems. Some companies even encourage their clients to “go green” and provide educational articles to enlighten them including options for clients to purchase green products to offset their carbon emissions brought about by travel.
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I would say that one of our most priced blessings as a family is having the trusty van, for our own vehicle. It comes very handy when we go places, even just for leisure or traveling for some urgent need, or even just for shopping (we can dump a load with no worry as to space!). But wait, this has to be prepared especially when we go to a far-away place, like twice we already crossed two islands, Negros and Cebu, on a land-sea-land travel. The van was transported on a roll-on-roll-off (roro) barge from San Carlos City to Toledo City of Cebu.

Before departing on a long journey that involves rough roads and hilly terrains (or even on concrete-paved highways), it’s important to check your vehicle first to make sure it will survive the demands of the trip. This is what Dad (who’s a mechanical engineer and the one who drives us around) does when preparing our van for a long trip:

- check the levels of motor oil, water in the radiator tank, brake fluid
- check the condition of engine belts, brakes, lights, battery, wiper, tires
- check the vehicle’s engine by running and revving it up

The above list is just the basic vehicle check-up; Dad still recommends bringing it to a reliable auto shop for a thorough check-up by a competent mechanic. Sometimes it’s necessary to replace some parts, just like when we had to change the van’s worn out tires with brand new ones. For those who would like to hit the road in style with custom wheels and tires, there are some really good-looking packages which can browsed online at WheelFire.com where you can search by vehicle brand, tire brand, or tire size (width, profile and diameter). They have designed a fitting program that guarantees an accurate fit and clients are welcome to inquire 24/7 from their tech center. They also provide free shipping on wheel and tire packages.

Being prepared is the key to a safe and enjoyable journey, and Dad recommends bringing some road trip essentials such as flashlight, car tools, towing rope, early warning device and spare tire. When your vehicle is in good condition, you’re ready for a fun trip ahead.

The sea always beckons especially if you are a travel bug. There’s the yearning to experience, not only air travel which is the fastest or the leisure of land trip where views of mountains or coastal sights are common, but a sea ride, where you can enjoy the gentle feel of sea breeze and the serene sight of the vast view of water around. Though I have rode in motorboats going to nearby Negros islands such as Lakawon or Jomabo, I haven’t experienced yet a leisurely ride on a yacht or sailboat.

Owning a boat therefore is not far from the mind of an avid traveler. Some even have their own collection of sailboats in different sizes and features. There are many boats for sale at everyboat.com, an online portal for boat owners and buyers where they can buy or sell used boats or even do a trade in. There are so many choices from their varied categories, power boats, sailboats (cruiser, catamaran, racer, daysailer, etc.), non-powered boats, personal watercraft such as jet skis and even commercial boats such as ferries and trollers.

Photo above is a 2000 Doral 360SE - 36′ Boat
Photo credits: everyboat.com

Traveling is fun but unfortunately it also brings with it some disadvantages to the environment. Fuel consumption brought about by travel results to carbon emissions which consequently contribute to global warming. So what should travel bugs do? We love our Mother Nature, this is why we go on sightseeing tours to see its wonders around the globe, but we should also be responsible about how our travels impact the environment.

This is where the concept of carbon emission offset comes in; to do a positive environment-friendly activity to compensate for doing an activity that uses fuel consumption. There are companies and organizations where you can purchase carbon offset products. On a larger scale, it also helps to be involved in community projects for the environment and donating to environmental conservation causes.

Basic carbon offset activities at home are not really difficult and only needs a little change in our lifestyle, such as conserving electricity, recycling, waste reduction and management or buying eco-friendly products.

For industries, it is essential to have a waste audit implemented. Finding out which types of waste are produced, the amount of waste generated and many other factors. More information about recycling can be browsed over at the Veolia Environmental Services website, a company focused on recycling in Australia. Informative articles about recycling are being featured, such as how to implement a recycling system in your workplace which involves staff education. Other topics such as recycling tips, recycling for business, industry and home, and details about their resource recovery facilities can be browsed at this recycling Australia site.

This is yet another tour I have to experience - being in a helicopter while enjoying the view below. How would you like to tour around the New York Uptown in style with a helicopter ride and fly past the city’s skyscrapers such as the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings and watch other scenic views from above such as the Hudson River?

Helicopter tours from Xperience Days are offered within the Metro Area - Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati and more. For the NYC Helicopter Tour, the total experience time is about 45 minutes and is available daily. Guests are advised to dress comfortably and follow security requirements. Flights are subject to cancellation if the weather condition is not suitable. Helicopter tours offer a mode of sightseeing from a different viewpoint, many miles above the ground.

Photo credits: XperienceDays.com

Just a quick update…I’m back in the Philippines now. My apologies for not updating this blog lately. My Europe vacation is over but it seems like I’m still on holiday mode. *wink* Anyway, thank God for the safe trip home. I just watched two in-flight movies and spent most of my time sleeping during the long flight. I stayed few days in Manila to meet Mom and finalize some important documents. Going to Bacolod, we flew via Cebu Pacific which thankfully is now serving in a much better and spacious terminal, the NAIA Terminal 3. The downside was their new baggage allowance which caught us by surprise during check-in since we were not informed by the travel agent about it.

Here’s an important advisory for those who will be traveling via Cebu Pacific:
1. Free baggage allowance = 15 kg (instead of the previous 20 kg), for tickets bought starting September 2008.
2. Excess baggage will be charged at Php100/kg (previously at Php50/kg)

It’s always good to weigh your baggage before the trip so you won’t exceed the limit and be sure to carry extra cash with you.

Anyway, I will be posting more photos about my Europe vacation soon. Ciao!

I still dream to be on cruise, leisurely enjoying the serenity of the sea, feeling the gentle breeze any time you go out into the deck. Speaking of cruise vacations, I’ve browsed from the net that in the later part of 2009 there is to be launched the largest and most innovative cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas. This huge vessel from the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line boasts to have a gross weight of 220,000 tons and can carry as much as 5,400 cruise passengers.
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These days, the airplane is my usual mode of travel and though it brings me to my destination faster in just an hour, I miss having an overnight trip onboard a ship. Most travel bugs like me not only enjoy going on a walking tour and seeing breathtaking landscapes and views but are also enthralled with being at sea, onboard a boat or ship. Nothing beats the feeling of watching the waves down below with the wind on your face.

I remember waking up early at dawn and watching the sun rising from the ocean’s horizon and seeing birds stooping down the sea waters for a catch. Sigh… How nice it would be to go on one of those exotic Greek Island cruises, relaxing in a lounge chair out in the sundeck while sipping my favorite drink. Going on a cruise is a fun way of relieving stress, some therapists recognize the energy and healing radiated by the ocean.
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Other than seeing breathtaking natural landscapes and going to beach resorts, there are other options for tourists to enjoy their trip. It really depends on one’s preferences and interests. For the sports lover, the beaches and mountains are great outdoor experiences. And what about the movie buffs? I bet they would enjoy touring around and visiting the sites where some popular movies were filmed. This is one of the New York City attractions that movie enthusiasts would definitely love to experience. They can ride onboard the CitySights double decker bus and visit the apartment used in Friends, the Cosby townhouse, the restaurant in the movie Spiderman, locations from The Interpreter, Rescue Me, The Apprentice and many more movies and shows.

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“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.

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.

Being a native of Negros and having studied in Cebu with my siblings, we regularly traveled with Bacolod-Cebu buses via the San Carlos-Toledo route which goes like this:

1. Get onboard bus at the Ceres terminal in Bacolod (make sure it has the Bacolod-Cebu trip pasted on its front windows, LOL)

2. Bus departs as scheduled (passing through towns and cities such as Talisay, Silay, Victorias, etc.) until it arrives at the San Carlos port in the eastern part of the Negros Island facing Cebu. Estimated travel time: 3 hours

3. The bus is then loaded in an inter-island vessel or barge. Estimated travel time: 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours

4. Bus arrives at the Toledo port (in the western part of Cebu) and is unloaded from the barge and resumes its trip (passing by towns such as Naga, Minglanilla, Pardo, etc.). Estimated travel time: 1 hour

5. Bus arrives at the Cebu City south terminal.

Alternate routes for Bacolod-Cebu:

1. Via Escalante (Negros Occidental) to Tabuelan (northwestern part of Cebu)

2. Via Don Salvador Benedicto to San Carlos which is the fastest route since this is a cross-country trip from Bacolod to San Carlos passing through the mountains of Mt. Kanlandog. Estimated travel time from Bacolod to San Carlos: 1 hour