Auckland – City Of Sails

Auckland

It’s the largest Polynesian city in the world, and it’s often called “City Of Sails”. Auckland is the biggest city of New Zealand, and holds one-third of this nation’s population. It has a very proud maritime history, having hosted 2 America’s Cup events and being the home base of the first America’s Cup team outside the US to win the championship and defend it. Most people who arrive into New Zealand would land in Auckland and explore a little bit of this harbour city before moving on to lush New Zealand countryside and the spectacular views that this great country has to offer.

Many people don’t spend enough time to explore this city to know it well enough. I haven’t lived in Auckland, but I had the good fortune of having visited this city a few times and seeing different parts of it. There’s definitely more to it than the Skytower and the harbour. Here’s my list of places to explore outside the CBD of Auckland:

1.) Devonport

Devonport

This seaside suburb is on the North Shore area, across the harbour from the Auckland CBD. It offers great views of the city over the harbour, and a nice seaside promenade to stroll on. There are also a few unique and quirky shops and cafes around its centre. You can have good coffee or high noon tea at one of its cafes, or just have a relaxing stroll through its main centre. There’s a great view of the harbour if you go up to the top of Victoria Road. The best way to get to Devonport is via ferry from Auckland CBD, near the Viaduct Basin on Quay St.

2.) Parnell

New Zealand’s oldest suburb, Parnell is just a stone’s throw away from Auckland CBD. The quaint Victorian-style houses along Parnell Road have been converted into boutique shops and cafes, and have become the creative quarters of Auckland. One place that I love visiting is The Chocolate Boutique. Being a choco-holic, I can’t resist stopping by this delectible shop. A number of boutique and upmarket shops offer great shopping to those who love to shop. Some of New Zealand’s top designers have a shop in Parnell. You can take a bus from Auckland CBD and in 10 minutes, you will reach this interesting suburb.

3.) Mission Bay

Mission Bay, Auckland

This seaside suburb of Mission Bay is only a 10-minute drive from Auckland CBD. It has great beaches that is close to the city centre and has lots of cafes and restaurants. Across the water, you have a view of Rangitoto Island. I always love coming to this suburb, especially on a nice sunny day. It’s possibly Auckland’s answer to Bondi Beach in Sydney in terms of proximity to the city and the lifestyle (though admittedly, it is not quite as good as Bondi). Regardless, it is one of the best places to explore while in Auckland.

4.) Ponsonby

Another one of the suburbs near Auckland CBD that has great options for restaurants and cafes. Ponsonby is one of the trendy suburbs in Auckland, and the young and hip love to be in Ponsonby. Nightclubs also abound, and the party continues here at night.. The arts scene is alive, and many upper-middle class people reside in this suburb. Ponsonby Road is the heart of all the activity in the suburb. Apart from the trendy and upmarket shops, Ponsonby has some historical heritage, as this has been one of the first areas to be settled in Auckland.

5.) Remuera and Mt. Hobson

Mt Hobson, Auckland

Remuera is another suburb that is close to the city, and can be accessed by bus or train. Over the years, many affluent Aucklanders have resided in this suburb and has become synonymous around the country for its wealthy population. A few well-known New Zealanders like Sir Edmund Hillary live in this area, and you can get the sense of the affluence from the big houses and manicured lawns around. On Remuera Road, you will find an entrance to Mt. Hobson, a park that offers great views of the city and out to the harbour and Rangitoto Island. On the other side of the hill, you will see the view towards One Tree Hill.

6.) One Tree Hill

One Tree Hill

Views from One Tree Hill are like no other in Auckland. It offer great views of Rangitoto Island, Auckland CBD, and all the way to the southern part of the city. This volcanic peak is an important place for Maori, as it used to hold a Maori pa (fort) when the European settlers arrived. There was a tree planted on this site, hence the name One Tree Hill. However, that tree became the subject of attack by Maori activists who protested on the injustices done to the Maori people, and the tree was eventually chainsawed by the activists. Today, an obelisk with a bronze statue of a Maori warrior stands on this site, and offering magnificent views of Auckland city.

Visiting Auckland? Download Lonely Planet’s New Zealand – Auckland Region (Chapter)

Check Out Your Own Backyard

For most people, when thinking of a great holiday, they would almost always think of a place somewhere far, somewhere exotic, and somewhere that requires flying or taking a boat. Many people dream of that nice exotic island, or those vibrant cities far afield that they forget about what’s around them. If you’re one of those people, then you need to think again about your holiday plans.

I have been guilty of this myself. I’ve always looked for somewhere distant, somewhere different from what my usual is. The funny thing is that the places I have lived in are all dream destinations of other people from other parts of the world, and yet, I took it for granted. Now, here’s one term I have learned pretty much in the recent times. It’s called Staycation.

What Is Staycation

Staycation is a term that became popular in the last 2 years since the global financial crisis have made people become more conscious of their spending. It’s made of the combination of the words “stay” and “vacation”, and it effectively means taking a break just within your home town or a short drive from where you live. When I heard of this term, I thought, this is very appropriate for many people who take their own city/town/country for granted as I have. It’s only been in the recent years that I have come to realise what I’ve missed out!

My Staycation

When my friends ask me about the Philippines, the country I grew up in, I can tell them a few things about it. I’ve been to a few places around my home country, but still not enough for me to say I’ve travelled all over the Philippines. Especially not when I get to meet some adventurous young foreigner who would tell me they have been to Batanes (a remote island in the very northern part of the Philippines that is only accessible for 2-3 months in a year due to severe typhoons hitting the island), or dived in the Tubbataha Reef (one of the best diving spots in the world – according to many divers), or holidayed in Palawan and I have not been to any of those.. And this is considering I grew up in the Philippines and spent 22 years of my life there! I started to get embarrassed when I get asked about certain places in my home country.

I realised then on that I need to check out my own backyard. I started doing this when I was living in New Zealand. People have been telling me that I grew up in practically a tropical paradise, but I never appreciated it so much. Maybe partly because growing up, my parents never let me go to obscure but wonderful places in the Philippines, but that is another story.. So, when I was living in New Zealand, going anywhere outside of the country can be quite expensive due to the distance of New Zealand from anywhere else in the world. It was a perfect time for a Staycation.

I’ve since moved to Sydney, Australia, and I have taken any chance I get to explore the area and the country. Since then, I have been to Port Stephens, did the Grand Pacific Drive, and enjoyed what has been claimed to be the World’s whitest beach in Jervis Bay. Further afield, I’ve visited Melbourne a few times, and had a chance to visit Darwin, on the Top End of Australia. I’ve also been to the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Adelaide, but I have yet to write about them. With all these trips around Australia, it made me truly appreciate what a wonderful country I live in, and how fortunate I am to be living in this place.

So, if you think travelling is too expensive for you, think again! When was the last time you explored a town or a National Park 2 hours drive from your place? Or even somewhere 30 minutes away? Travelling doesn’t always mean you have to go very far to see the world. Start from your own backyard and do a Staycation. You will be glad to have stayed and vacationed in your nick of the woods..

Happy Staycations ahead!

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World’s Whitest Beach?

World's Whitest Beach

If you thought you saw the whitest sand in the world somewhere in the Caribbean, Asia or the Pacific, perhaps you ought to read this. It’s not quite in any of the tropical paradise that most people would associate a nice white sand beach to. I never thought that a world record existed for the World’s Whitest Beach or World’s Whitest Sand, but it apparently is in the Guinness Book of World Records. I really wonder I recently came back from a short trip over Easter, and this is how I found out about the record. As you can tell, I love spending time on the beach. My dream is to own a house by the beach, where I can just walk out of my backyard and step into some fine white sand beach. Thus, I was extremely curious when someone told me about the world’s whitest beach!

The Road To Whitest Beach In The World

View from Stanwell Tops, Grand Pacific Drive

I visited the Jervis Bay area to check out what most people who visited the area have been raving about. Jervis Bay is in the South Coast of New South Wales, roughly a 3-hour drive from Sydney. The drive from Sydney to Jervis Bay along the Grand Pacific Drive is very scenic and definitely worth doing. This stretch of coastal road starts from Stanwell Tops in the Royal National Park and goes through the city of Wollongong, Kiama and Shoalhaven. The views from Stanwell Tops are magnificent, and you can see the Seacliff Bridge clinging on to the craggy coast from a distance. A stop at Wollongong is also worth taking, with its nice beach, old lighthouse and a very relaxed town.

Driving further south from the Grand Pacific Drive is still quite scenic. A hour away from Wollongong is a nice quaint town called Berry. The town has a very colonial feel to it, with old buildings converted into shops, boutiques and cafes. It’s worth stopping for a coffee and just walk around the small town.

Where In The World Is The World’s Whitest Beach?

Now, back to the topic (well, I was leading up to it anyway). According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s whitest beach (or the world’s whitest sand) can be found on Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Hyams Beach is one of the many beautiful white sand beaches in Jervis Bay. My friends and I didn’t get to stay at Hyams Beach, but we managed to get a place at Callala Beach. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Hyams Beach, and has white sand that is similar enough to Hyams Beach. The only problem with Callala Beach is that from time to time, they get a lot of seaweed that gets washed up on its shores, and the seaweed then starts to rot and turn the beach into black! My friends and I were unfortunate enough to have witnessed this, and thus made us feel disappointed with this beach. However, by the looks of the postcard photos and online photos of Callala Beach, it does look like a nice white sand beach. It’s just a shame that our timing was bad and we didn’t see it on its best day.

World's Whitest Beach - Hyams Beach

Because of our disappointment on Callala Beach, my friends and I decided to check out Hyams Beach, as one of our other friends have told us that it is an awesome beach. We arrived there on a gloomy day. The sky was overcast, but it wasn’t raining. Despite the dark clouds that covered the sky, the beach was so white that it was kind of glowing with its whiteness! The sand was very compact, and has this cornstarch or cornflour texture to it. It’s not the finest sand that I’ve felt, but it definitely looks like it is the whitest I’ve seen so far.

How they have measured the “whiteness” of the beach is something that still baffles me. There is no degree of measure for the whiteness of a beach, but having the title “World’s Whitest Beach” gives Hyams Beach its claim to fame. It’s not a widely known beach around the world, and being inside two National Parks, the Jervis Bay National Park and Booderee National Park, the beach has been spared from commercialisation. Hyams Beach is a long stretch of beach, and a small portion of it has some residential units and holiday homes. This is the great appeal of the beach, as there are not that many people around every time (unless if it is school holidays or during the summer). It’s very clean, and the waters are just crystal clear.

So if you are in search for the whitest beach in the world, perhaps check out Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay, just 3 hours south of Sydney.

To more Fabulous Journeys!

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All In A Small Island

There are only very few places in the world where you get nice beaches, lush rainforests, exquisite waterfalls and a variety of hot and cold springs all in one island. Camiguin is one of them. Many people from outside the Philippines may not know where this island is, especially since this is not one of those at the top of the list for tourist brochures. Some who have been to the Philippines would have heard of this island, and to those who managed to visit, many have said it’s paradise rediscovered.

The first time I went to this island in 1996, the island was just starting to become recognised in the Philippines as the next tourist destination. The roads were still not very developed, and hardly any decent infrastructure were in place. I recently went back after nearly 15 years, and the island has now been improved to make it more tourist-friendly. The sealed road network now covers the entire island, and there are even smaller roads inland that can cut through to some of the villages in the interior. They now have more accommdations available, coverage for mobile phones, internet, and a more organised public transport.

Camiguin – Location And Getting There

Camiguin is situated in the southern part of the Philippines, between the main island of Mindanao and the island of Bohol in the Visayas. The island sits northeast of Cagayan de Oro City, the city where I grew up in the Philippines. It’s an easy 2-hour ferry ride from Cagayan de Oro to Camiguin. In my recent trip there, I found that they have reinstated the once-defunct service between Cagayan de Oro and Camiguin, and now travels at least once a day in each direction. It makes travelling to the island much easier, as Cagayan de Oro is a major hub and centre in the northern part of Mindanao, and it is where you can get flights to from Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

The Best Bits Of Camiguin

Camiguin is more than just your tropical island with a white sand beach. With so much to offer, here’s a list of the best places to see on the island:

White Island

Perhaps the most popular attraction of Camiguin, White Island is not actually an island. It’s a sandbar that lies just off the coast of Camiguin island. What makes it fascinating is its nice powder white sand that changes shape every single day depending on the tides. There are days that the sandbar is so tiny that you only have enough space to fit literally 10 people on it, and days that it looks reasonably sized that you can walk on it from end to end in 15 minutes. The waters are also crystal clear, making it very enticing to go for a dip.

Katibawasan Falls

This falls is one of the few around the island, but it is perhaps the grandest looking and most accessible of the waterfalls in Camiguin. It’s 76 meters high, and has a nice pool at the bottom of the falls where people can take a dip. The water can be a bit cool but it’s such a refreshing treat to the tropical heat of the island.

Guiob Church Ruins & Sunken Cemetery

Concrete cross - Sunken Cemetery

There are a few volcanos on Camiguin island, some being dormant and one other still considered an active volcano. Though there hasn’t been any eruptions for a while, Camiguin had suffered a devastating eruption from one of the now-dormant volcanos in 1871. This eruption had quite a huge impact that it destroyed much of the island and buried and sank some of its towns. One specific area that sank is the Sunken Cemetery. A huge cross has been erected as a reminder of the eruption that nearly wiped out the island. Nearby is the Guiob Church Ruins, another reminder of the devastation that occurred in 1871.

Ardent Hot Springs

This may not be a natural wonder, but it comes from a natural source. Having many volcanoes, Camiguin naturally has a lot of geothermal activity and resources. As a result, the Ardent hot springs came about to utilise the water from a natural hot spring in the area. Ardent is now a developed resort, and though it has somewhat become commercialised, it still offers a great place to soak up and enjoy the soothing hot spring waters.

Mantigue Island

This is another island just off Camiguin island and a proper island. It is a 20-minute boat ride from Camiguin on a motorised bangka (a local outrigger). It offers a nice white sand beach and has a marine sanctuary. The island is considered a nature park, and is home to some native birds and bats. It’s a great place to check out. Snorkelling on the marine sanctuary is very rewarding, with colourful fish of all shapes and sizes swimming around.

These are what I thought would be the best places to see in Camiguin. Of course there are more spots, but some of them are not as good as these ones. I hope you have enjoyed this post. Please spread this to your friends.

2010 Is Here!

Happy New Year to all readers of my blog! A new decade begins in the 21st Century! 2010 will be an exciting year for me. I have more travels planned, and I get really excited thinking about where I will be going this year! But before I get carried away with talking about my travel plans for 2010, I’d like to share with you some of the photos I took of the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks.

This is my third consecutive year of watching the fireworks by the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and it never ceases to amaze me how beautiful the fireworks display here is during New Year’s Eve! Each year is a different theme. Last year, it was more aboriginal themed, and this year, it is more of “awakening the spirit”. I suppose this has a lot to do with the recent financial crisis which has affected the overall mood of people, especially those who have invested in the markets.

The photos I focused on was mainly the 9PM fireworks, as I had a great view of the harbour from a friend’s balcony in Milsons Point. Check out some of the images of the Sydney NYE fireworks for 2009 below:

Sydney NYE 2009 Fireworks - First shots

Sydney NYE 2009 Fireworks - more 9PM fireworks at the harbour

Sydney NYE 2009 Fireworks - Up close

Sydney NYE 2009 Fireworks - sparkles

Sydney NYE 2009 Fireworks - more 9PM fireworks

Sydney NYE 2009 Fireworks - about to finish

Sydney NYE 2009 Fireworks - to the finale of the 9PM fireworks

Sydney NYE 2009 Fireworks - the smoke after the 9PM fireworks

Happy New Year! - the Harbour Bridge comes alive

More midnight fireworks from the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge is lit up!

More snippets of the Sydney NYE firework 2009

Sydney is definitely in one of the top 10 locations in the world for New Year’s Eve. The amazing fireworks by the beautiful and picturesque harbour and the numerous parties happening all over the city makes it just a cut above the rest. Even if I have spent my third year watching the fireworks in Sydney, I never grew tired of it, as it is just simply superb.

Come and see the fireworks spectacle here in the New Year in Sydney!

Travel Is Not About Bragging Rights

I recently read an article from the Sydney Morning Herald about “Where to get your travel credibility” and this really sparked me to write about my views on travel. The article describes how certain travel destinations have become more accessible to tourists, and you can’t say you’re a great traveller just by mentioning these places. Apparently, your travel credibility is measured by the toughness and remoteness of the places that you go to. Being an avid traveller, I totally despise people who talk about their travels for the sake of bragging where they have been and what they have done.

Travel is not about having bragging rights of where you’ve been and what you’ve done. Travel to me is an experience, a personal journey that people embark for themselves to experience different things in different places. It may not necessarily be a very spiritual experience, but the mere fact of seeing something different and being in a different environment offers the mind and soul a whole new perspective. Travel, whether it be for leisure, adventure, luxury, or business, is not an area where you need to build credibility on.

Each person has a different take and reasons for travelling. Some people may want to travel to relax themselves from the usual stresses and pressures of everyday life. Some people may love to travel to seek out new adventures and to experience new cultures. And there will be some people who want to travel for the sake of being said that they have been to certain places. Whatever your purpose or reasons for travel, the whole idea is not to have a scale of how good or “seasoned” a traveller you are. It is all about what you want out of travel.

Travel As Food For The Soul

Travel enriches someone’s knowledge of the world, of perspective, of humanity, and of life. Oftentimes, people tend to live in their own silos and enclosed world that they forget that there is a bigger world out there. When you think you have had the worst job and the worst day of your life, you forget that there are other people in this planet that have it a million times worse than you, and yet, they don’t moan as much. Travel can offer you that experience and realization that it is a matter of perspective. Travel can open people’s eyes, no matter where you go. It may be through a package tour to Africa or some real intrepid adventure through the Amazon rainforest, but the truth is, people who travel can see different things in a different light.

What Travel Means To Me

I may have already said this through the previous paragraphs, but I truly believe that travel is a personal journey in many ways. It’s a journey of discovery of new things, new perspective, new realizations and learnings. I believe people have different ways of discovering and embracing new things, and hence, travel is done in many different ways to suit a person. I believe that every person on this planet has the right to travel, and the right to say that they are a traveller regardless of how they travel. We all travel, one way or another, and there is no scoring system.

So, to those who think certain people have less credibility as a traveller than others, think again. Different people have different agenda for travel, and there is no set standard on what constitutes a fabulous traveller or a great traveller. For all intents and purposes, it all boils down to personal experience.

Have A Fabulous Journey Ahead, whatever it may be!

My kind of travel

Kelvin Lim

The Grand Pacific Drive

Many people are familiar with the Great Ocean Road along Victoria’s southern coast. It’s a fantastic stretch of road that offers dramatic scenery and has a great history around the construction of the road. One thing not many people or tourists are familiar about is the Grand Pacific Drive along the eastern shores of New South Wales. This stretch of road starts from the Royal National Park just south of Sydney and goes through small villages and towns including Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, and finishes in the inland town of Nowra. The Grand Pacific Drive doesn’t have the rock formations like the Twelve Apostles of the Great Ocean Road, but having a bridge built on the side of a cliff face and passing through some gorgeous beaches is a great sight to behold.

Reason # 1: Catch The Sunrise

Watching the sunrise is one of nature’s best light displays, along with a sunset. However, I’m not an early riser, and I always find it difficult to catch the sunrise, and only do I occasionally wake up to see it. Since moving to Australia 2 years ago, I’ve never seen the sunrise, and I thought it would be awesome to coincide it with a road trip to the southern parts of New South Wales. I managed to convince 2 of my friends to come with me and drive down from Sydney to Wollongong for the day along the Grand Pacific Drive and check out the sights along the way. Catching the sunrise at Stanwell Park and Coalcliff was one of the highlights of the trip, and seriously, one of the most underrated (or unmentioned) activities along this coastline. Catching the sunrise is not a tourist activity along this coastline, and only locals know of this. Before any tour groups start descending along this stretch of magnificent road, go and witness it yourself really soon!

Reason #2: No Tour Groups Around

There are so many organised tours to the Great Ocean Road, and while this is great for those who don’t have cars or only have a short time to get around, having busloads of people fighting for the view can be annoying. The great thing with the Grand Pacific Drive is that it is not as far from Sydney as the Great Ocean Road is from Melbourne, and the drive is not that long. It generally only takes over 2 hours and you will be able to cover the entire distance. If you take some time to enjoy each spot, it might take a little bit longer. However, it is definitely more manageable on a day trip than the Great Ocean Road.

Reason #3: Great Beaches and Views

The view along the Grand Pacific Drive is awesome! It’s either totally underrated, or underpromoted by the general public. It may not offer such dramatic scenery, but the numerous beaches and the sea views from Stanwell Tops are great! The city of Wollongong and the township of Kiama are also great attractions on this stretch of road. Wollongong has a nice beach and harbour, and an old lighthouse that adds to the character of the harbour. In the city itself is the largest buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere, the Nan Tien temple. It’s architecture is distinctly Chinese, and it was built by the members of the Chinese Fo Guang Shan community who have migrated to Australia. Which leads me to the next reason..

Reason #4: Interesting attractions in the area

Sunset at Kiama Lighthouse - Grand Pacific Drive

Before reaching Wollongong, I had the impression that there is totally nothing interesting to see in the town itself apart from the usual shops on the main town centre. I thought it was just another industrial town, with totally nothing to offer. Was I completely wrong! The harbour and beach is an attraction on its own, and the lighthouse adds character to the place as well. If you drive all the way down to the town of Kiama, you can find some blowholes along its coast. It’s a natural phenomenon wherein holes are formed from the erosion of rocks on the coastline. If you do a slight detour from the Grand Pacific Drive, you can check out the Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk, which is about a 30-minute drive from Kiama. It offers a spectacular view of the Illawarra coastline, and the structure itself is quite a unique in its design. Its edges are suspended from the cantilever, making it bouncy and quite challenging to those afraid of heights.

Reason #5 : Relaxing, Laid Back Atmosphere

The Grand Pacific Drive is only 45 minutes away from the CBD, and yet, the pace of life is totally different from the buzz of the big city. If you are ever tired of being always on the go, squeezing in with other people and the long queues, this place can soothe those angst and worry aside. The towns along the Grand Pacific Drive are quite small, and people are just totally laid-back. The beautiful beaches along the way would have been a highlight of the trip, and something that you can look forward to, if you’re never been down the Grand Pacific Drive.

Enjoy a drive down the Grand Pacific Drive, from sunrise til sunset on a nice clear sunny day, and you won’t regret it!

Have a Fabulous Journey ahead!

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The Run With A View

Sydney Harbor - after the bridge run

On 20th September 2009, I was fortunate enough to have participated in possibly one of the best running events in the world in terms of scenery of the course. I participated in the Sydney Bridge Run, which started from the suburb of Milsons Point, and then crossed over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and finishing at the Sydney Opera House. The run covers two of Sydney’s most popular landmarks, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. It’s an amazing experience, to be able to run across the middle of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (possibly the only time people are allowed in the middle of the bridge itself).

I did this run for 2 reasons: one was to raise money for charity, and two, to help a friend achieve a weight loss objective by training for an event like this.

Running For A Cause

The charity I supported was the Diabetes Australia. I decided to raise money for this charity because my dad had suffered from Type 2 diabetes which caused a number of his internal organs to fail over the course of 11 years. He passed away 6 years ago, and I felt that I wanted to help raise awareness of how terrible this disease is, and how it can really kill you if you’re not careful with your health and your diet. Diabetes Australia is involved in doing research and education about diabetes, how to prevent it and how to best control it. Diabetes is one of those illnesses that once contracted, will never be healed, but can only be controlled before it starts destroying the other organs of your body. If you want to donate for this cause, it would be very much appreciated. The website is on this link.

I decided to do this run only 3 weeks before the actual event itself. I was not entirely well prepared to do this, but I have a friend at work who has been wanting to lose weight, and I wanted to help him achieve his goal. Having an event to do is something he can look forward to with his workout training/exercise, and that can help him push himself with his exercise. The run was only 9km, but at the start of the training, I was only fit to run 2km. It wasn’t an easy task to push myself to get up to the fitness level to run 9km in a matter of 3 weeks! I had no expectations of how long it will take me, but I just did as much training as I can in the limited amount of time.

Admittedly though, I’ve been into running for the past 7 years, but over the last 8 months, I have been very inconsistent about my training, and I’ve not done any running events since a year ago. It can be hard work trying to get back into the swing of things, and you really notice the difference in your fitness level. I love running, and if I can afford it, I would love to take part in the numerous running events all over the world! It seems that there is a growing trend that a lot of cities around the world are hosting their own city marathon event. London has one, New York and Boston have one, and even Queenstown in New Zealand has one!

State Of Mind

I’ve been a believer that the mind is a very powerful tool that can enable you to do anything you want from it. I really believe that as long as I focus on the task at hand, visualise my outcome that I’ve achieved it, that it will happen for me. Thus, when I started training, I had in my mind the time that I wanted to finish at. I kept on thinking about, and well, true enough, I crossed the finishline at the time that I had wanted (to the exact second!). I literally had goosebumps on the back of my neck when I saw the time on my stopwatch, as it was really what I wanted to finish at!

Photos from my run are below:

If you’re ever in Sydney for the Sydney Running Festival, it’s a fantastic way to see the 2 most iconic landmarks of Sydney and getting fit! Great offers are always available with Zuji.

Have a Fabulous Journey ahead!

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Finding The Lost City of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu has long been one of the places I’ve always wanted to go in this lifetime. Ever since I was a kid, I read it through history books and learned about the ancient Inca empire that once ruled majority of South America. Machu Picchu was a sacred place for the Incas, and it was built in a very isolated area where it was hidden from the rest of the world until it was re-discovered in 1911. I got fascinated by the Inca culture and how they were able to build such great cities in very remote locations that no one from the outside world managed to find it until recently. The ingenuity of the Incas had me wanting to see this mystical place.

I finally fulfilled my dream of seeing Machu Picchu in November last year, when I visited South America for the first time. Getting there was half the fun and excitement. Although Machu Picchu is reasonably accessible by train and coach, it’s not a straight-forward as flying into the city that is literally next door to the ruins.

Getting To Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is accessible from a small town called Aguas Calientes, which is situated about 4 hours away by train from the city of Cuzco. Majority of tourists who come to visit the magnificent ruins of Machu Picchu start their journey from Cuzco. Cuzco is an amazing city, a great place to learn about the Inca culture, and perhaps the most preserved Inca city in Peru. Cuzco on its own should be explored in more detail, and I’ll leave this city for another post to tell you more on what it has to offer. From Cuzco, there are 3 alternatives to get to Machu Picchu:

1.) Take the PeruRail train from Cuzco railway station all the way to Aguas Calientes, and then a bus from Aguas Calientes to the ruins of Machu Picchu. This is by far the easiest way to get to Machu Picchu, and offers some spectacular scenery along the way. The train ride from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes takes 4 hours, and the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu takes 25 minutes.

2.) Take the bus from Cuzco to the town of Ollantaytambo, and then catch the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. Then, from Aguas Calientes, take the bus to Machu Picchu. This is, according to some people, a bit of a time saver, as there are buses that go straight to Ollantaytambo through a shorter route than the train. However, you will be catch the same train on Ollantaytambo as the train that started from Cuzco anyway. Perhaps this is also cheaper as buses are generally cheaper in fares than trains.

3.) Trekking – The very popular Inca Trail starts from just outside Cuzco and finishes at Machu Picchu. This is ideal for the adventurous guys who want to see more of the countryside and local Inca life. It takes 4 days to do the trek, but you can hire a porter to carry your backpack gear for you and you can hire tents as part of the package. It’s an experience not to be missed.

The Views From Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is better described through photos than words. The spectacular scenery of the mountains surrounding the ancient ruins, plus, the way it is designed, is much better seen by the eye than read as verbose text on a blog. Below are some of the shots I took during the trip:

Machu Picchu - view from the top

Machu Picchu - at the edge / mountain view

Machu Picchu - original main entrance to the city

Machu Picchu - Llamas roaming and resting

Machu Picchu - Terraces

Machu Picchu Guardhouse

My sister Irene, who travelled with me on this trip, took some great videos of the view, and also of a part of Machu Picchu’s walls that were used as some sort of megaphone. The walls were cleverly designed to resonate sound at a higher pitch, and it only worked when women used it (men’s voice are too low and deep)! Check out the videos below:

View of Machu Picchu (video):

Megaphone Wall video:

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. Please feel free to leave your comments below, and if you want to get the latest updates to your mailbox, please subscribe by leaving your name and email address on the sidebar.

Have a Fabulous Journey ahead!

Kelvin Lim

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The Philippines – an archipelago of 7,107 beautiful islands in the warm tropics. It’s one of Asia’s best kept secrets, and one that has not been overrun by tourists who come to Asia from Europe and the Americas. The Philippines has been considered off the beaten track by most travellers to Asia, due to its geographical location being across the South China Sea from mainland Asia. Another factor that has caused the Philippines to be off the mainstream Southeast Asia circuit is the bad publicity that the country has gotten over the years. The negative publicity has been bad for tourism in the Philippines, however, it can be seen as good for those who want to experience a not-so-usual holiday in Asia.

Having 7,107 islands, there is no shortage of wonderful places and things to see in this tropical archipelago. I grew up in this country, and I have yet to finish exploring all the 7,107 islands. However, while I was living there, I had the opportunity to experience first hand some of the best that the country has to offer. Being a local, I had some advantages in getting around and experiencing some places that not many foreign tourists have managed to wander to. Here are some of the top ten things to see and do in the Philippines:

1.) The Islands and The Many White Sand Beaches

It is obvious that the number one attraction in the Philippines are its thousands of islands sprawled between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. There are so many white sand beaches around the country that it is easy to lose count. The most famous of all the white sand beaches in the Philippines is on the island of Boracay. Boracay has been known for its 3km powder-fine white sand beach and a great place to either relax or party on til the wee hours of the morning. Other great islands to experience for beaches are Bantayan Island (near Cebu), White Beach in Puerto Galera, Camiguin Island, El Nido in Palawan, and Bohol.

2.) Fiestas

The Spaniards colonised the Philippines for nearly 400 years and brought their festive traditions from Spain to these beautiful islands. Fiestas are abound in the Philippines, and each island or town/city would have its own unique celebrations, mainly in honour of a patron saint. It’s one of the biggest celebrations in each town’s events calendar and one not to be missed. The biggest and most popular fiesta in the Philippines would be the Sinulog in Cebu. This generally occurs on the 3rd week of January, and is celebrated to honour the patron saint Señor Santo Niño (the image of the Infant Jesus wearing a crown and holding a golden globe on one hand). People in Cebu would take to the streets to participate in the parade, and celebrations happen all over the island. Most locals would have parties and open their doors to any guests to have a feast. Another great fiesta is the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo on the province of Aklan. The locals paint themselves black to emulate their patron saint, the Señor Santo Niño. This generally happens around the same time as the Sinulog in Cebu, but it is worth checking out the colourful celebrations.

3.) Churches and Cathedrals

The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, thanks to the Spanish who had subjected the natives to be baptized and take the Catholic faith onboard. As a result, the Spanish built several cathedrals and churches across the islands. The Baroque architecture is very evident in many of these cathedrals and churches. One of the best churches to visit would be the San Agustin Cathedral in Intramuros in Manila. Another great place in the Philippines to check out nice cathedrals in the Philippines would be in Vigan, Ilocos Sur in the northern part of Luzon in the Philippines. Cebu is another place that has an abundance of these awesome Spanish churches, as Cebu is the first place that the Spaniards landed in the Philippines.

4.) Shopping Malls in Manila

It may come as a surprise to most people, but Filipinos are shopaholics, and they love to cool themselves in the shopping malls and escape the tropical heat that can be sometimes overwhelming. Some of the world’s biggest shopping malls are located in the Philippines. The SM Mall of Asia, built on the Manila Bay area, is the world’s third largest shopping mall, and is two times bigger than Edmonton Mall in Canada (which held the previous world record). Apart from the massive size of the shopping malls, there are a lot of great bargains to be had in the shops and markets around the country. When going to markets, it is advisable to negotiate the price with the vendors, as they are generally priced higher than what the item is worth.

5.) Tropical Rainforests

The tropical rainforests in the Philippines are fast diminishing. The poor farmers who are struggling in life and don’t own any land need for land to cultivate on, and the rainforests have been chopped down. On top of that, there are a lot of illegal loggers who chop down the trees for the lucrative logging industry. Conservation efforts have been in place, but because of the widespread poverty in certain areas, some people still cut the trees and burn the forests. There are many species of wildlife that are in danger of becoming extinct due to their habitats being destroyed. While there are still some rainforests left, it would be worth checking them out and exploring the lush jungles in the Philippines. The Philippine Eagle, the national bird, is one of the many endangered species living in these forests and they can be found predominantly in Mindanao, somewhere between Bukidnon and Davao.

6.) Exploring tribal culture

There are many different ethnic tribes in the Philippines. Many of them have settled in the islands long before the Spanish came to colonise these islands. The different ethnic tribes have very distinctive cultures and customs that have survived through the centuries. Most of the ethnic tribes in the Philippines live in the islands of Luzon, Palawan and Mindanao. The rest of the islands somehow have lost the indigenous population. Among the popular tribes are the Ifugao (in the Mountain Province in Luzon), the Badjao (in Sulu), the Tausug (in Mindanao), the Maranao (also in Mindanao) and the Aeta (in Luzon). There are many more to mention, but the first four tribes are well-known for their colourful costumes, dances, folklore and customs. The Aeta is unique in that they are widely regarded as the descendants of the very first inhabitants of the Philippines.

7.) Christmas celebrations

The Philippines is known to have one of the longest and most festive Christmas celebration in the world. You start noticing in October that Christmas carols are already being played occassionally in department stores and shops around the country. By the 1st of December, most Christmas decorations would be all out, and shops and houses would be decked out with very colourful Christmas regalia. The Belen (a diorama of the scene of the Nativity) is a very common sight during the holidays. The Catholic church starts its early morning vigil from the 16th of December all the way til Christmas, and the start of the early morning vigils is the actual start of the many feasts and parties that people go to in the leadup to Christmas Day.

8.) Holy Week/Easter Celebrations

Being a predominantly Catholic country, most of the festivities center around the church calendar. Lent (and/or Easter) is another celebration that Filipinos religiously celebrate (excuse the pun). The main highlight that would interest most tourists is the Good Friday penitence rites that some devotees perform in different parts of the country. In some cases, people devote themselves to be nailed on the cross (literally). Though this isn’t a sight for the faint-hearted, it is somehow an amazing fact that there are people who have vowed to do this ritual to cleanse their sins. Another ritual that has become a spectacle during Lent is the flaggelation. Devotees whip themselves on the back with bamboo-tipped burillos to reenact Christ’s suffering before he was crucified.

9.) Sampling Local Cuisine

Filipino food may not make it to mainstream cuisine like Thai, Indian, Chinese or Malaysian has, but it is an interesting mix of the various influences it has over the centuries. The best way to describe its nature is that it is a fusion of Spanish, Malay, Chinese and American cuisine. You get a range from grilled seafood and stews to paella, to pancit canton (stir-fried noodle, Canton style) and the Filipino spaghetti ( a variation of the American-style spaghetti). Each region in the Philippines would have its own local specialty, and it can vary vastly from town to town. Most of the dishes are not spicy, except for the Bicol Express, which is known to be the spiciest Filipino dish.

10.)  Listening to a live band

The Filipinos are very musically oriented people. They have been known to be great entertainers around the world, gracing the stage in many nightclubs and lounge bars across different parts of the world. If you travel around Asia and sit in a bar with some live music, there is a high chance that the band is from the Philippines. Thus, listening to some live music in the many bars and restaurants across the country offers you a glimpse of the musical talents that Filipinos generally have, and their passion for music. You will also find that singing Karaoke is a national pastime, and it doesn’t matter if you have what it takes to belt out those notes. Everyone is very encouraging and supportive, and it’s all for the fun of it.

I hope I have enlightened you of the wonderful things that you must experience while in the Philippines. It may not be the most common tourist things to experience, but hey, that’s what traveling is all about..

Til the next Fabulous Journeys!