The Mediocre Wanderer: In The Year That Is and Was

From watching dolphins in the wild to enjoying a "Triple A" resort in the most unlikely place, The Mediocre Wanderer has been blessed with great sights, interesting people and the discovery of a myriad of experiences.

2011 was indeed a great year. With all the events, places and things featured in our blog, believe it or not, there are still a couple we haven't written about. As a fitting tribute to the year that is and was, here's a rundown of those that we've missed:

1. Enchanted Kingdom: opened in 1995, EK has been THE destination for fun and entertainment for both  old and young in Sta. Rosa Laguna. Something to look forward to during the holidays and the weekends, this 15.5 hectare wonderland has a little of something for everybody. Go karts, kiddie rides, thrills, and chills! Check out their website for more info!

the whole family @ EK

Ticket rates are as follows (from the EK website):

Carousel Ticket: Weekend / Holiday Rate:                   Php 150.00 Weekday Rate:                                 Php 150.00 Descriptions: Free admission to the park grounds and unlimited access to the Grand Carousel,Bumbling Boulders, and Boulderville Express.

Regular Day Pass: Weekend / Holiday Rate:                   Php 500.00 Weekday Rate:                                 Php 400.00 Descriptions: Enjoy unlimited use of all the Park’s rides: Space Shuttle, Jungle Log Jam, Swan Lake, Up, Up & Away, Roller Skater, Dodgem, Wheel of Fate, Anchor's Away, Bump n’ Splash, Rialto, Rio Grande Rapids, Flying Fiesta, Grand Carousel, Bumbling Boulders, Boulderville Express, Air Pterodactyl, Stone Eggs, and Dinosaurus.

Junior Day Pass: Weekend / Holiday Rate:                   Php 320.00 Weekday Rate:                                 Php 250.00 Descriptions: Applicable to children between 36” to 47” tall. Children 35” and under are FREE. Enjoy unlimited use of all the Park’s rides: Space Shuttle, Jungle Log Jam, Swan Lake, Up, Up & Away, Roller Skater, Dodgem, Wheel of Fate, Anchor's Away, Bump n’ Splash, Rialto, Rio Grande Rapids, Flying Fiesta, Grand Carousel, Bumbling Boulders, Boulderville Express, Air Pterodactyl, Stone Eggs, and Dinosuarus.

Of course, bringing the usual sun protection is a must :)

Cokey and Frai enjoying the heart stopping Space Shuttle

waiting for the kuyas to finish their ride

2. Bukid Garden (San Pablo Laguna): Nestled within the City of Seven Lakes, Bukid Garden (at Brgy. Concepcion) is one of the many resorts that dot the place. We chose this resort due to its close proximity to downtown San Pablo. Pretty decent rates and huge air conditioned rooms, as well as having two full sized pools make this an A-ok place. Major downer, resort doesn't have a restaurant. Great thing it's near town :)

cooling off at one of the pools of Bukid Garden

a full sized room, and a loft all for around PHP 2000/night
our crew of 8 managed to fit comfortably

3. MIHCA - The Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts at the fifth floor of Waltermart Makati. Yup! Adventures of the yummy kind were in order. Sign up for short lifestyle course or a full culinary course and watch how you turn out delicious treats one after another :)

with our instructor Chef Nap

4. Star City: Opened for as long as I could remember, Star City has always been a great place to go to if you're in the Manila area (it's along Roxas Blvd.). It offers rides, shopping establishments and food to fill or to just munch on. Ample parking, air conditioned and quite clean, the whole family is sure to enjoy dropping by. Ticket rates are as follows:

Entrance Only : Php 60 (Children 32 inches and below are free of charge)
3 Cheers Ticket : Php 300
(RAYC) Ride-All-You-Can : Php 350
Lazer Blaster : Php 100
Winter Funland : Php 120
4D Theater Max Rider : Php 120
Animal Wonderland : Php 90

lots of cute items for sale in the area

Star City Promo Packages:
RAYC + Winter Funland : Php 430
RAYC + 1 Game of Lazer Blaster : Php 410
RAYC + 4D Maxrider : Php 410
RAYC + Animal Wonderland : Php 410
RAYC + 1 Game of Lazer Blaster
+ 4D + WF + AW : Php 610

fish spa for only 4 tokens

Star City Park Schedule:
Monday to Thursday: 4:00pm onwards
Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 2:00pm onwards

5. Star City's Snow World (Winter Funland): Think of a giant freezer with beautiful ice sculptures, a gigantic ice slide you can slide on, and snow falling in Manila's own winter wonderland. Jackets will be provided, but just so you know, wearing pants, socks and closed shoes are must haves (which brings me to the question, how does one dress for winter in Metro Manila?).

I'm still in the process of checking my picture files for places that I may have missed, and could have written about. So far, this is all I've got. Will add the rest at a later date.

Who knows what 2012 might bring to The Mediocre Wanderer? Regardless of where we'll be in the next 365 days, one thing is for sure: we're sure glad to have shared it with you! Hope our humble blog has given you great ideas and tips.

 To Nuffnang and Johnson's and Johnson's: thanks for the gift pack and for everything else. To our readers: we never thought we'd even hit a hundred page views, we're now close to to two...thousand, thanks! To Miss Janice and the folks at Mommy Mundo, hope to be a part of another one of your events. We truly enjoyed it! To those who have shown love towards MY MUM's MUNCHIES, we hope to continue to serve great baked treats for all of you in 2012.And to the family and friends who have wandered throughout 2011 with us, MUCH LOVE! You guys are the GREATEST.

Here's wishing everyone a great year ahead! God bless you all and keep you and your family safe and happy always!

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours!

Beachcombing Tunku Abdul Rahman

checking out a school of fish while waiting for boat #26 to take us to the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

When in Kota Kinabalu, be sure not to miss out on visiting the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Made up of 5 islands, the park is spread out a little under 5,000 hectares, where 2/3 of the area is water. The islands are around 3-8 km from Kota Kinabalu and may be reached through the boats/ferry that are anchored at the terminal in downtown KK's Jesselton Point. 

the Mamutik and Sapi tour  lasted 6 hours and cost MYR 54 for 2 adults and a child

Visiting the place is so uncomplicated. Drop by the ticketing area at Jesselton's Ferry Terminal. There are several windows of various tour groups that offer almost the same tour rates. If you intend to visit all 5 islands, show up before 8 am to get the maximum amount of time. The boats don't necessarily have to be filled up to leave, so waiting shouldn't be an issue. 

no nonsense disclaimers and reminders, it takes about 20 minutes to reach your destination. expect to be wet and expect the boat ride to not always be smooth sailing

Rates vary on the amount of islands that you would want to visit. And upon arrival at anyone of the islands, expect to pay environmental fees/person. As a guide, here's a list of the islands and a brief description of each:

fast boat + rough waters=wearing a life vest at all times we even brought one for MAX just in case they didn't have one his size..which we were right to assume

Gaya Island - the largest island in the park at 15 sq. km, it's the closest island to KK. It's been a forest reserve since 1923. It also houses a 5 star resort known as the Gayana Eco Resort as well as the Bunga Raya Island Resort. The coral reefs in the area are said to be in excellent condition.

our first look at the islands

thinking of staying overnight? they've got really pretty chalets for rent at Manukan

Conservation and other park fees

Manukan Island - Second largest island in the park (and 1 of the 2 islands we visited), it's got a great coastline, perfect for beachcombers and also makes a great diving site a bit off shore. 

the various species found at the island

The island is the most developed among the 5. It houses chalets (for those who would want to check in at the island instead of downtown KK), a clubhouse, decent public bathrooms, restaurants, convenience/souvenir shops and a diving center. 

welcome to the fab island of Manukan

The island also houses recreational facilities (swimming pool, football field, volleyball court, and hiking trails). 

food and beverage choices and prices at one of the food joints at Manukan

a lot of these food items were in accordance to Halal and most were spicy. Luckily, fried chicken is readily available wherever we go

the dining area was just a minute away from the water :)

Food selections were quite plentiful in the island, and basic toiletries and even towels, in case you left yours, are readily available. You could rent goggles, a snorkeling set and straw mats too. Expect to pay a refundable deposit on top of the rental rates in nearly everything. FYI: Keep the receipt to get your money back. 

the dive center

As for souvenirs, I did make a mistake of buying some of them here though. They are thrice the price compared to the ones at the night market. 

they were the size of saucers! the water  at this area was up to my waist.

Manukan's shore. Expect rocks, corals and shells after the white sand. crocs sandals were appreciated.

The island house a diverse amount of fishes, that are easily seen near the shore. A lot of them swam with us, which was just sooo cool!

water was super calm near the shore. Here's MAX enjoying the water without worries while I snorkel

waiting for our boat to pick us up and bring us to Sapi

Mamutik Island - smallest island of the group, it nonetheless, offers great beaches and coral reefs. It's got a 3 bedroom rest house for rent and has the basic facilities and a jetty.

so happy at Sapi!

Sapi Island - "Cow Island" has one of the nicest beaches among the 5. 

you could the conservation fees ahead of time for all your island tours through any one of the tourism booths you'd see upon arriving at any one of the islands

On top of that, it's got a lush forest inhabited by a species of monkeys known as macaques (soooo do not advise petting them). While at Sapi, I also saw a huge monitor lizard (near the changing rooms and toilet area) that was about 4-5 feet long (tail and all). 

double check if it's jellyfish season. saw these signs at Sapi

Lizards and monkeys aside, the water was pretty calm, clear and perfect for snorkeling. A variety of fish can be seen underwater, as near as 4 feet from the shore. 

flying high at Sapi

The water was so clear that one had only to look down without a mask, to see the fishes.

our new Sapi friends

Sulug Island - the farthest and most underdeveloped, it's the perfect place for those seeking solitude.

tired but totally stoked on the beauty of Tunku Abdul Rahman

There were a lot of people, both local and foreign, in the islands that we visited. Despite that, we never felt that we were in each other's faces as there was room enough for everyone. Oh, and do bring cash. There are no ATMs in Manukan. Bathrooms were combined male/female facilities, though stalls do have doors.

the bathroom

a last look at Sapi

We seriously enjoyed our Tunku Abdul Rahman Park visit. Would love to see the other islands in the future. The Malaysian Government has done a good job preserving the area, despite the occasional litter from the park's visitor's.

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours!

Happy Holidays Dear World!

Charles Dickens once wrote in his classic novel A Christmas Carol that "It is required of every man, that the spirit within him should walk among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide, and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death..."

Perhaps a bit grim sounding as a start to The Mediocre Wanderer's Christmas edition, but it encompasses my thoughts and ideas on Joie de Vivre, or the joy of living.

For the last 12 months, TMW has been far and near to see the sights, enjoy cultures and meet new people. It was quite an experience, enjoying the beauty of the Philippines, the wonders of nature and how innovative and great the Filipinos are. To a certain degree, we have "walked among our fellowmen, and traveled far and wide". However, this Christmas, (and each and every day of our lives), a new journey is in order. 

Dickens sure got it right when he urged his fellowmen to reach out to others while one is still able to do so. Helping those who are less fortunate, being kind to others and respecting each and everyone's rights must be our maxim in life. 

There's so much beauty in life and in others to let that opportunity pass us by. What good is a life half lived? What good is a life that is but self-centered and devoid of purpose? Let's not put it off till the end. Let's not live a life full of "what ifs" and "if only".

Perhaps, the best travel destination is bringing one's self to a utopia of sorts. Getting there isn't done by booking online, or scouring the net for promos, but doing a kind deed or saying a kind word to someone else.

This Christmas and always, may all your interpersonal wanderings NOT BE mediocre. 

For those with itineraries here and abroad, for business or for pleasure, this one's for you:

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours!

Snowfall At The Baguio Country Club!

On our way to the Christmas Village

I've always seen our hometown, Baguio City as a year-round Christmas village. Perhaps it's the cool weather that allows it's inhabitants to don winter wear almost year round...or maybe it's the pine trees that we can see and smell, or the clouds that tend to hover around and not just above us, or the fog rolling in every now and then...

MAX getting a whiff of Christmas :)

With much less pollution, the air is often crisp and clean. It could also be the slower pace life passes you by in this town of friendly people. Whatever the reason, I've felt that Christmas seems to come faster (and even lingers longer) in our beautiful city.

Given the city's "Christmassy" feel, it was a stroke of genius that the folks of the Baguio Country Club have decided to put up their very own Christmas Village. 

Located at the BCC skating rink, the Christmas Village offers a little something extra to the others: snow!

Frosty's cousin, twice removed

On certain scheduled dates, snow machines are brought into the village to rain that beautiful white, fluffy stuff that brings the kid out of everyone. From December 23 to January 6, snow shall fall four times a day in the village (how's that for an uber-accurate weather forecast?), so be sure to put on something warm.

snowfall 'schedule and other activities at the village

one of the many mini houses that dot the village

Mixed with the beautiful mini houses,  tastefully installed Christmas lights, a storybook village layout and the cool Baguio clime, snow falling down on you is truly an experience worth taking. A choir group also serenades the village's visitors, adding a tad more Christmas spirit to the venue.

Entrance is for free for BCC members, dependents and guests, while a minimal fee of PHP 30/adult and PHP 10/child for non-members and guests may be paid at the entrance.

warm food, cold drinks, there's plenty for everyone

Villa Cordillera (a Baguio Country Club run) restaurant
serves great food at reasonable prices

Food and drinks aren't allowed to be brought in the venue, however, there are several booths that allow you to buy delicious snacks like hot dog sandwiches, cotton candy, popcorn and marshmallows that you can roast at the village's Bonfire Square. There are also shops that sell various merchandise for yourself or as gifts.

roast your hotdogs and marshmallows here :)

Relive your childhood, experience something different in Baguio City, visit the Baguio Country Club Christmas Village!

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours!

***2013 update: Christmas village is now up and running. Admission is 80 pesos for adults and 40 pesos for children. Opens from 6-10 PM daily til January 5 :D