xc is back in the city!!!

new blog, new city, old tricks:

XC in the City

leave me a message on the new blog so i can put yours as a link.

peace and luv,
xc

Saging lang ang may puso

photo by Greg @ Route B, Cloud 9, Siargao

Blog blog blog blog blog

After 10 years, I am back to blogging. Let's just see how long this will last.

So far so good. G has been in Manila now for almost 4 months and is now sick and tired of the city. Since I can only go out of town on weekends, we have only been able to go around Manila, like Laguna, Batangas, Cavite. But we have spent 10 days in Palawan, a week in Siargao and 10 days in Malaysia. In fact, G is still in Malaysia right now. I had to go back earlier to work...boo!!! And since he is on a year long vacation anyway, it would have been a waste if he does not make the most out of Malaysia.

So now, while he chases wild animals and birds in the forest, while he is getting attacked by leeches, I am all alone in Manila. Bored out of my mind. More boo!!!

I have also just resigned from my current work. Yay? Mixed feelings about leaving but when it's time to go, it's time to go. The new job will be more interesting since it will be more on programming not to mention I get a bigger salary plus a tax break. Something which is not in my current company's vocabulary. In fairness, my boss is trying to convince me to stay by giving me a better deal. We'll see how it goes. I still have Until the 16th of November to decide.

It's halloween and people in the office have decorated their work areas with fake webs and spiders and pumpkin cut-outs. It's quite nice actually. Nicer still if we also get to take the declared holidays as off days. But no...since the people in the UK are not on holiday, we have to be here at the office too. Sucks for us. At least I get three days of holiday pay! Yay!

So that's it for now. I just found out that the new Ikea catalog is now online and I'll have to go and drool all over my laptop now.

More pictures on Multiply: The World Through My Fishbowl





peace & luv,
xc

Ultimate Summer Getaway

Although this year's USG didn't have the WOW factor that Pandan Island had, I still had a super great time. So great that it's still difficult to go to work right now. After 10 days of vacation I think I'd need at least 20 days to get back into the work rhythm. Gah.

We went around Bacolod, La Carlotta, Mambukal, Silay, Iloilo, Guimaras, Miag-ao and of course 4 Jony's shake filled days in Boracay. Can you say Ultimate???

Pictures will be posted in Multiply...as soon as I can get the copies from Quay and Mai.

Next year's USG: Camiguin!!!

Time to save up.

Joke time

Doctor: Lola, kailan ho ba kayong last nakipagtalik?
Lola: Mga 1955...
Doctor: Matagal na ho pala ano?
Lola: Di naman! (sabay tingin sa relo). 20:55 pa langnaman ah!






Sssaaaallllooooppppeeeee!!!!!

I hearts and I hates

I love airfare promos. Cebu Pac's piso promo, Air Asia's free seats promo, anything that can be used for travelling cheap, I absolutely adore.

I hate having only 15 vacation leaves in a year. Well, technically I can use 20 leaves for this year since I still have 5 left last year. Actually if I don't use those 5 days before June, they will be converted to ca$h. But seeing that I am leaving for our yearly USG (ultimate summer getaway) in 2 weeks, I am forced to use those 5 days from 2006 before being able to use any of my 2007 ones. Hence this year, I have 20 paid days off but no vacation leave pay out at the end of June. Yuck.

I also hate other people who take advantage of these promos from the first second they come out. Excluding me of course.

I only realized that I can take advantage of Air Asia's free seats promo since travel dates start from October 1. G and I will be in KL on Oct 7 (at 1 am thanks but no thanks to Cebu Pac's piso promo). We have planned to go to the Perhentian Islands but are thinking twice since travelling there by bus is quite the endeavor. Or we can fly to Kota Terangganu and from there it's only a few minutes by taxi to the port but will be, obviously, more expensive...Not if I get free airfare!!!

So, slow me only checked out Air Asia's website a few minutes ago and found out that only the return flights are now free. But the fare's not that expensive so it's still a possibility. Slower me thought that maybe flying to Siem Reap instead would be so much cooler if I manage to get free seats. No luck. Hanoi? Nope. Bali? None. Phnom Pehn? Nada. Any other international destination? Nope!!! Although I did see a couple of return flights for free but from unknown places. What the hell is in Pekenbaru that all seats from November to March next year are all taken?!?!?!

Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!! Why can't people stay put wherever they are????

Oh well, I guess I'd have to wait for another time to be able to go to Cambodia. But damn! This was the chance!!

Come on airline people!!! Me want more promos!!!


grrrr,
xc

My Travel Guide

There are tons of travel books and guides popping up everywhere and everyday. Well, I too have an idea for a travel thingie!! And if I'm not too lazy, I might just find myself actually doing it (imagine the shock!). Plus, G is coming over and surely we'll be able to go to places I've never been to nor would ever think of going to. So I might as well document everything and get a few bucks (hopefully) from it. Not to mention I have my own personal photographer to get me them cliché-ish yet oh so awesome sunset shots for the book. I'm posting my plan for the world to see so that I can say I thought about it first...or at least I think I thought about it first.

So here's the plan: the guide will sort of be a weekend warrior's quick and easy travel plan. 52 weekends in a year (or something like that), 52 quick and simple weekend getaways.

-We wouldn't have access to our own car so it will be a real step by step how to get there guide.
-We are backpackers so accomodations will not be very luxurious. Quaint, certainly (or at least it should be) but fits in a weekend budget. Surely pitching a tent in a rat infested island with no water nor food will not make the cut. (Believe me, we have done that and will not do it again...EVER)
-It wouldn't be in the usual over crowded areas. Serenity and seclusion will be highly regarded. (Maalala mo Bantayan and Pandan)
-A weekend is all we have, hence, the getaway should be doable in just 2-3 days.


This should be the perfect guide for those who rack their brains out thinking of what to do for the weekend...aside from partying and such, of course.

The best part of all is that I would have been to all these places and would be writing from experience!!! How cool is that???

Well, maybe a book is too much. Maybe a nice blog will suffice. Oh well, we'll see, we'll see.

Wachatinks??

excited,
xc