Only a few days after coming back from our seven-day trip to Palawan, I came across an AirAsia seat sale with an airfare that was less than half of how much our Cebu Pacific Air fare was. At only ₱485.62, I thought to myself, “Some buffets cost more than this and it’s already a round trip ticket, so why would I not steal it when it’s more delicious than food?” Assuming I ended up not boarding the flight to Puerto Princesa, the truth is it wouldn’t have hurt that much. Not the case, though, as I went on a solo travel to El Nido.

The flight was in a year’s time but I pretty much knew that I was gonna be doing it on my own since my companions wouldn’t be interested in visiting the same place they just visited the prior year. I still informed them anyway just so they wouldn’t accuse me of being a selfish prick. *shrugs*

Arrival

I was heading directly to El Nido and was staying at El Nido Sands Inn again so I had a van ride arranged. My flight landed before midday and as I remember it I only waited for a few minutes before I got my arse on the van and its engine started grumbling. At six o’clock, I was back on the balcony overlooking limestone cliffs and anchored boats.

Our itinerary during the aforementioned Palawan trip was jam-packed in that we were essentially always on the run. There was no reason to do the same since the experience was still fresh and I wasn’t staying on the island for the same number of days. With that, I didn’t really do any planning; I only looked forward to getting some sun and seawater in El Nido.

After settling in my room (I don’t have problems being in a dorm but I opted not to be in one this time around), I went out to check the nearest ATM, hunted dinner, and watched tables unfold on the beach and be swarmed by people. It’s either I have yet to have the habit of taking photos of my beverages then or it was simply a sober night. Tapping my back if it was the latter. Good job, self!

El Nido Island Hopping

Eating isn’t a priority when I travel so having breakfast in the form of bread and cheese spread was already a luxury. Island hopping tours in town go by the alphabet and since I already did a combination of Tours A and C, I wanted to go on Tours B and D. Unfortunately, the latter wasn’t as popular as the former and it was an off-peak season again so the inn’s attendant wasn’t able to find a group that I could join in.

In the end I landed on a group that was doing Tour A, with the destinations being Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, and Seven Commandos Beach. People were crawling because it was the National Heroes’ Day and the islands I already visited weren’t how I remember them. #DramaKing

Big Lagoon

Unlike when I did the bundled tour, it was high tide when we came to Big Lagoon so it was such a marvel being able to explore it on a boat. The fact that I was the only outcast in the group, though, silenced my desire to tell the boatmen to stay around for a bit for some swimming. Boo! Sucks to be a #shytype.

Secret Lagoon

I’m not even gonna bother with photos to the entrance of Secret Lagoon because people were smothering it, waiting for their turn to penetrate it get through. Crazy how it was only us when we were there the year before. I started mingling more with the group here and even snapped at them. Saw Megan and Mikael on our way out and, true enough, the guy was “ahead of me” with only one tabò.

Shimizu Island

I’m not actually sure if it was Shimizu Island where lunch was served but if our watermen stuck to Tour A’s destinations, then that must’ve been the island. The food was even more heavenly than the last time and, with me gurgling with bottles even while still on the boat, sobriety was already a thing of the past. Booyah!

While the water was crystalline like everywhere else, I didn’t enjoy snorkeling that much because, where we were, majority of the corals have already undergone bleaching. Ouchie!

Seven Commandos Beach

For being the last stop of many tours, it wasn’t surprising that many visitors were making the most of the water at Seven Commandos Beach before calling it a day. For having benches for reflection relaxation and a store for refreshments, who wouldn’t wallow, right?

The tree swing was restless this time.

There was redemption on the snorkeling activity as there was a lot to take in with the submerged scenery here. In fact, I was sightseeing too much underwater, away from everyone, without paying attention to the time that one of the boatmen eventually came looking for me. Sarry!

Late dinner and more Red Horse was at a deserted Marber’s Restobar (can’t believe I don’t have photos of what I devoured). Afterwards, I retired back to the balcony, in front of my laptop, and abandoned myself to the quaint night and the lights illuminating it.

Taraw Cliff Canopy Walk

I was to climb Taraw Cliff (never thought about doing it when I had company) the next day but due to an accident earlier that year the activity was prohibited. Having already set my mind for it, I succumbed to doing the Canopy Walk which was supposed to be an alternative.

At the end of the trail was a platform overlooking the bay. Alas, it wasn’t any close to the view from Taraw Cliff. But hey! It’s already very good if you’re someone who doesn’t have the stomach for climbing cliffs.

I was done with the activity in less than 20 minutes and it felt like I was ripped off. Then again, it could’ve been due to my long-legged legs me being the only tourist around. The activity’s very safe with the quality of the hanging bridges and metal walkways and stairs. If you’re someone whose adrenaline loves the likes of tying your junk to a bungee or throwing it off planes, though, you’ll definitely prefer actually climbing Taraw Cliff instead.

Got some banana-pineapple shake (sosyal) to counter the blazing sun on my way back and came home to an empty inn. The sight was quite melancholic.

Nacpan Beach

Past midday I hopped on a scooter (remembering Bantayan!) and made my way to Nacpan Beach, stopping by the sign to Nagkalit-kalit Falls despite not having the slightest intention of getting wet there. Being in a van previously, I didn’t remember the road from the highway being unpaved at all.

I brought my loaf and cheese spread and at around two o’clock feasted on it together with the pancit bam-i I ordered at the cottage where I was loafing, all the while watching noobs people play volleyball using a minuscule net. For not having the custom of photographing everything yet, I don’t have a single proof of the cold beer that was quenching me. Shame!

The water was low but as serene and unclouded as it was.

When the sun drew closer to half past four I walked towards the capes to relive the cult for perspectives, saying hi to furries along the way.

I was already nearing my journey’s end when scooters scooted past me, making me bang my head the way Sia sang it, for the reason that I could’ve done the same had I seen someone ride one on the beach beforehand.

Nacpan and Calitang Beach—the twin beaches—were naturally in a dry state because of the tide.

I then carried on to the headland at the farther end. During my my first visit, our group had to retreat and stop exploring further because my companions were lazy asses one of my companions got dizzy.

Quite some view below, right? Only that it would’ve been way better if my scooter was with the lot. #bitter

The vantage point from this cape was made more picturesque by the presence of a tree, making the cape reminiscent of where the Kirikos lived during the Hunter Exam. With the right coverage, a shot could look as if looking at the beach through a forest. Kabog!

Pictured on the top right below is the headland with a view of the twin beaches. Would you go this far?

I got reunited with my scooter and lambasted it for not taking me across the beach 37 minutes past five and was back on the balcony yet again before darkness completely swallowed the day. That night I had pasta again at the same restaurant where I dined on my first night. Clingy, I know.

Puerto Princesa

I was leaving El Nido after lunch so on my penultimate day I just took a dip in front of the inn and fraternized with boats. That was also the last time my Ricoh camera was seen alive. Who was I to know that water was already seeping through the bastard?

I visit churches when I get the chance when traveling so I did that as well. You gotta be thankful, you know.

I arrived at Dallas Inn in Puerto Princesa at 6:00 PM and found myself chitchatting with a Kiwi couple in the 8-bed mixed dorm room. I’ve always sucked at geography and capitals and my knowledge that Auckland is the capital of New Zealand (well, it used to be) was debunked. Pretty much the same when I only learned in Sydney that Canberra is the capital of Australia. Yeah, my whole life has been a lie.

Despite having four bottles of Pale Pilsens that night I still managed to publish more than a year’s worth of post on my personal blog following flipping another year. Or was it all thanks to the drive brought about by the no-holds-barred moans of the foreign couple who banged the night away? Such music to my ears, it was.

The same melancholy in El Nido crept in on my last day after waking up and seeing that everyone had already gone for the day. But with Rasty and Airen—the inn’s cordial attendants—around, the feeling fleeted. We connected on Facebook and I remember Rasty being very approving of people who do local tourism on their own. He had a handful of necklaces with shells as pendants and asked me to take some to give to loved ones.

The greatest takeaway of the trip? Always bring a photo that you can easily dispose. ‘Course I added an entry to the map on the board. Ako pa sad! #kumpetitib

Tips

• For being among the most coveted destinations in the Philippines both by locals and forangers, flights to Palawan are aplenty and could be very cheap at times.
• Solo travel to El Nido is a piece of cake as you can easily join other groups in island hopping tours. Some may even include a visit to Nacpan Beach and/or Nagkalit-kalit Falls.
• Tricycles are readily available should you wish to check out nearby places and don’t know how to handle a scooter or motorcycle.
• Go for an accommodation near the beach so you can chill out or go swimming if you feel like doing so, pronto.
• As usual, avoid holidays and weekends if you want to steer clear of the horde of tourists. The presence of many people, bundled with the nature of tides, could mean that some stops during island hopping may be skipped.
• If you’re flying to and from Puerto Princesa and have or can make extra time, try to squeeze in activities there.
• Most importantly, don’t be gloomy when it’s gloomy. It was all drizzly before I flew out of Manila so I anticipated the same in El Nido especially with the forecast. For that reason I brought a laptop to be busy with in case I’ll be stuck indoors because of the weather. Life really is like a box of chocolates as the sun was melting me good throughout the trip.

Expenses

Visited: August 2016

The post Going Solo in El Nido: An Itinerary appeared first on Itinerant.

Note: These two days in Athens were originally part of a A Week in Greece, right after Santorini.

It was almost two hours past midnight when we arrived in Athens after a 50-minute flight. Getting to Small Funny World was no sweat as it was only one bus ride away and we just needed to get off at the last stop. Looking for it may have been a bit of a challenge but walking to it was another story with the city looking so aged and serene.

The Acropolis

With our first destination in the capital being the Parthenon, having an early birdie start would’ve been the way (a no-brainer, really) but given our late arrival in the city, we didn’t pursue it. On our way to the Acropolis we passed by the Roman Agora where I learned that you can buy bundled tickets for multiple sites. Since we were only eyeing the Acropolis, nah~ Also, tickets are cheaper in winter months.

At the foot of the Acropolis, near its entrance, is a rock called Areopagus which offers a closer look of the fortress and views of the city, Lycabettus Hill, and Philopappos Hill.

The entrance to the Acropolis almost led me to believe that there’s forever (what you get for being a sleepyhead). We opted to walk past it and headed to the other side and found another entrance there. With less people! (Yeah, yeah, I could’ve simply Googled it.)

Acropolis Museum

If you’re into museums, there’s the Acropolis Museum. I don’t really fancy them that much so I instead just went to the subway and took photos of some sculptures there. Talk about being a cheapskate! Jeje!

On the way to the Parthenon you could see other structures such as the Theatre of Dionysus, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, and the Acropolis’ propylaea (if you miss the last one, then you’re probably blessed with the gift of flight).

As soon as you survive this gateway (big word) you will be immediately greeted by the temple dedicated to Athena.

The Parthenon

The temple is still being restored up to this day and lucky are those who’ll see it completed. As expected, there was no joking about the number of tourists. And that, my friend, is why you should be at your earliest.

You have no idea how much sacrifice I went through to eliminate the enemies. (Eliminate them!)

Also on the citadel is the Hekatompedon Temple.

There’s still a viewpoint even if essentially the entire rocky outcrop is one. It’s a vantage point for the city and you get other perspectives of Philopappos Hill, Lycabettus Hill, Acropolis Museum, Theatre of Dionysus, and Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

You get to see as well the Areopagus and, from a distance, the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

I don’t really have any point of comparison as it was my first time in Europe but I was told that Greece is relatively cheaper compared to other countries. I didn’t even know that the country had (or has?) a crisis until a former colleague asked how things were doing there. Anyhoo, another set of magnets and a souvlaki for lunch!

Temple of Olympian Zeus

The wonderful thing about Athens is you can actually just walk to a lot of tourist spots. After our late lunch we headed off to the Temple of Olympian Zeus and passed by Hadrian’s Gate along the way.

The structure has a perimeter so you can only go around it and not swagger like a god or goddess between its pillars. The site offered a nice view of the Acropolis without obstructions.

As nightfall crept we made our way to the Old Royal Palace, the building that greeted us when we arrived, and arrived just in time to witness the guards in action. It’s a must if you must, I must say.

Old Royal Palace

Syntagma Square

Across the palace is Syntagma Square, the city’s central square where there’s hustle and bustle. Past it were shops and streetcorners where there are more hullabaloos and thingamajigs. It wasn’t part of the plan but I scored an H&M shirt there. La lang~

Close to our hostel was a pasta place similar to Subway, where you select the pasta, sauce, and toppings of your choice. It became a go-to for us because of its prices (and taste, ‘course!).

I’ve always been someone who tries to look at things day and night (literally) so the day (or night?) didn’t just end with dinner. Illuminated streets are always mine for the taking! *howls like Remus*

Seeing the Old Royal Palace up-close with the lights on and the guards still in position made me realize that I didn’t notice them at all when we arrived.

Zappeion

Even if it was already close to midnight we were still strolling in the National Garden. In it is the Zappeion which you could also gawk at with admiration.

Second Day

Among my memories of our last hostel was my coughing. It actually started in Santorini that I had to buy medicines there. So there I was, in the room, coughing and waiting for my last breath, with another guest joining me and together we formed an orchestra of coughing. Then, in the midst of it all, as we were about to reach our crescendo, another guest makes a remark about our performance.

Guest: Oh, my God. This is the room of the cough.
Me:
Me again:
Cougher: Out of our control. That’s a risk for staying at a hostel.
Guest: Don’t get mad~
Cougher: I know. I’m just saying.

Would’ve bought that lady all the beers that she wanted in the country. She was also so right about us covering our mouths when coughing our lungs out. No blood was shed and in the end we all still had our short lives to keep.

Not that it has feelings, but to make things fair, the Zappeion was also paid a visit opposite to the lighting when it was first sighted. Of course that also meant another visit to the gardens. Twinning~!

National Garden

The Panathenaic Stadium was up next and on our way to it we came across mobile toilets that looked really winsome. Quite enticing that I would’ve probably taken a dump had I taken more time in front of it.

Panathenaic Stadium

Rummaging through my memories and considering that an arena is different given that it’s enclosed, I don’t think I’ve actually ever been to a stadium so seeing the only one in the world built entirely of marble first was pretty ecstatic.

It’s gotta be a sin not to adore, in all angles, the venue of the first modern Olympics. Show some athleticism and gimme that damn Olympic torch!

Tried some street food before heading to our final destination.

Athenian Trilogy

Conveniently located next to each other, the Athenian Trilogy is composed of the Academy of Athens, University of Athens, and National Library of Greece. Trust me when I say that I’ve never encountered a better threesome in my life.

The trip was practically over after ogling those three but on the walk back to Plaka there was another troika. (My eyes!)

Plaka

Plaka is the old historical neighborhood of the city which also houses many shops. Wrapping up the pasalubongs were more miniatures and some caramelized nuts.

Since all the sites that we visited were accessible by foot, we never really got the chance to try the subway. So just for the heck of it, we got on a train and got off just at the next station, a distance we could’ve walked in a heartbeat.

When we resurfaced there was a protest but thankfully there was no violence so all was geed.

Our flight out the following day was a tad early but that didn’t stop us from having a few cans on the hostel’s topmost floor with our Korean roommate who was traveling around Europe before his dreaded military service, the Germans who I assumed was a couple, and the Brazilian who went from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, Palawan on just a motorcycle with another tourist! Good times, good laughs. *inserts grinning emoji*

Day X

(If you came here from A Week in Greece, you may resume reading here.)

Visited: September 2018

The post The Best of 2 Days in Athens appeared first on Itinerant.

Before you can say “expensive”, let me break it to you that if you want to fly to Europe for less than ₱20,000, it’ll take an error fare for that or a really mad seat sale. In my case, I scored my round trip tickets from Manila to Athens for only ₱22,518.66. “Only” because, c’mon, it’s the Schengen area, which means you can hop to other countries without needing additional visas. (Bloody visas!) Despite the long layovers in Singapore, it was definitely a no-brainer when I saw the deal for a week in Greece. Besides, I got to meet and shoot with my postgraduate folks there. Social as usual, brotha!

Right after the tickets were secured, I contacted my then Estonia-based college classmate (I know, you’ll be Googling where it is so I’ll save your arse some time by telling you that it’s a country across Finland) and it was a yes for him, as if he was a judge in BGT. *inserts unamused emoji*

Mykonos

We may have touched down on the capital but it was not the first order of business. In my case, I had five hours and 20 minutes of layover before boarding a Ryainair aircraft. This airline (at least from what I read) is quite known for its cheap flights but also notorious for being strict on carry-on baggage. Being the paranoids that we were even if we really didn’t have that much shit things, we opted to buy baggage allowance.

Unlike other airlines, Ryanair requires payment if you want to be seated with your companions. (Not that we’d lose it from not being seated next to each other, but what’s the point of being on the same trip, right?) In hopes of bypassing the fee by checking in at the counter, we knew we were screwed when the officer said, “This is a budget airline. We don’t do check-ins for free here. You have to pay €68. Each.” I asked if we could still check-in online and he said that it was already too late. Fortunately, I still tried doing it and it went through. “#n+@u61n@!!! The salvaged €68 will go to beers!!!”

The flight was only 55 minutes so you could hardly reflect about life while in transit. Paradise Beach Camping provided a free shuttle and before long, after passing by white houses by Vanessa Carlton, we were in our beautiful and surprisingly spacious accommodation. It could fit four or five if you ask me!

My Undin swimming tendencies and the place’s proximity to the beach were among the reasons why the place was chosen. For sure, it wasn’t because of Paradise Beach Club or Tropicana Club. Please, I can do better than that with a cup of coffee.

To the right, when facing the sea, were cliffs where you can reclaim the lost opportunity of reflecting about life during the flight. As much as I love being in the water, it was quite cold and we started late and we still had the town to explore in the dark at night.

Just right outside the resort were buses which head straight to town. The sky was a lovely lavender when we arrived before it shifted to a vivid violet. The place was crawling with tourists and we finally had a taste of the country’s whitewashed architecture up-close.

It would be a sin not to view the town from the oceanside.

We secured our tickets to Paros before dinner and sometime in between I received a message from a Malta-based high school batchmate who also happened to be in town! After buying hoarding buying really good-smelling soaps (as if it was our last day already) as pasalubong, we hopped on a bus going back to the resort and upon arrival, someone from a rowdy group asked, “Is this Paradise~?!” No one seemed to have given an answer so they didn’t get off and the bus left for town again. *inserts speechless emoji*

As a social drinker, I’ve already had a few during dinner and there was no reason not to add a little more so the rest of the night was spent at Tropicana Bar. #reasons The place can get totally crowded but it wasn’t when we were there because late September is already off-peak season. Could’ve stripped off some articles and taken a dip at two in the morning but unfortunately no one counseled me into doing it. Shame.

Breakfast was a buffet and, man, they had the best of everything. Easily lost count of all the plates at my mercy. It was such a negligence on my part for not bringing any Tupperware for takeaway purposes. Lesson learned there!

The ferry was scheduled to leave in the afternoon and the initial plan was to see the town and its windmills with less tourists in the morning. However, I was torn between going and coming back for the luggage or going with our luggage and heading to the port afterwards that in the end neither materialized. Litsi. Instead, we just took photos around (nearby was an abandoned bus at everyone’s disposal) and waited out the free shuttle.

There was a delay in our departure and when it was time to board, a modern Noah’s Ark scene unfolded right before my very innocent eyes with the animals in the form of savage humans.

Paros

In less than an hour the vessel was already docking at the port of Parikia. Add a few minutes of walking to that and we were already at Paros Backpackers, where the room was also roomy.

And oh, did I mention that the place has a pool? (Take me!)

We wandered around town, bought some magnets, and ended up on the oceanside to check bus schedules, just in time for the sunset. After which, I found myself in a position of having to choose again, this time between heading to Naousa for the night for some coffee or attending the hostel’s BBQ night. And yet again, neither happened, which really ticked me off. Big time.

Antiparos

To make up for all the blunders that have happened so far due to a void in planning, the following day had to be started early at all costs. We set off for Antiparos, a small island just across Paros (thus, the name?), while the whole island was still sleeping and only cats were awake. Travel time to Pounda Port was around 30 minutes and we were the only passengers on the bus. Definitely caught the worm there.

And there we were, still on the bus, waiting for the ferry from the other side to arrive and the bus to get on it to be transported to that other side. And there it was, unloading the passengers from the other side who all headed for the bus. As it turned out, the bus driver wasn’t gonna get the bus on the ferry but was waiting for passengers to bring back to town. Holy Moly! Karma from not telling that rowdy group in Mykonos to get off! But in my defense, we were on both ends of the bus so…

Ten minutes gone and we were on another island. Antiparos was an even quieter town, or so we thought. We strutted like kings and snapped here and there with hardly a living soul in sight. It was so serene that I could’ve gotten drunk and shouted my lungs out without anyone complaining. Thankfully, I was already a #changedPerson then. *inserts emoji with a halo*

Despite my asking of an extension of the checkout time at the hostel, the visit to the island still had to be cut short. As we were leaving, the town was already starting to wake from its slumber and I could only wonder how it’s like at night.

Just look at all those whites.

And the waters… Without a doubt swimmable by one’s standards.

For having settled down already late in the afternoon the previous day, there was NCIH that no exploration of Parikia in broad daylight will be done. Just couldn’t seem to get enough of the white, after all.

Back at the hostel, I still took the liberty of taking a quick plunge before finally checking out, eating a giant plate of spaghetti Bolognese, and indulging in some bottles.

Santorini

Another dystopian scene, suggesting the tourism on the island, revealed itself after around three hours when we arrived in Santorini. People who were waiting to board the vessel once every living soul in our trip is out were crawling at the port. The hostel advised that we could take the public bus to the capital, Fira, but given how chaotic it was, we didn’t see the aforementioned bus at all (it might’ve left that fast, but I still think otherwise). Other options for transfer were everywhere and we ended up in a shuttle. Try to haggle for dear life for the ride to the top!

We arrived at the hostel in less than 30 minutes and this time, as anticipated, we were in a dorm. I was looking forward to the small swimming pool but with the weather getting colder by the minute, the mere thought of it froze my balls hopes in a split second.

We rented a scooter and darkness already fell when we got off it after a special episode of Buwis-Buhay. I was all wiggly for having not driven for a long time. I was even more thankful for the second life when the city lights spread out in front of me. There’s no intent to exaggerate, but I’d say I was left quite speechless and was immediately looking forward to how it’d look like when Adam Levine sings “Daylight”.

My Europe-based friends used to tell me to never trust the weather there, and perhaps there’s truth to it (or I was simply careless not to check the forecast). Unlike Elsa, the cold was definitely already bothering me. Being such a touristy place, there’s no shortage of everything—people, shops, bars, and restaurants—so there certainly were places to buy affordable stuff and eat cheap but good food. (Well, anywhere you go to there will always be such places.)

Eventually I scored a hoodie for about €20 and a handful of magnets for people back home. Filipinos are suckers for souvenirs, after all. In my case, I have come to look at it as a way of sharing the experience to others, especially that not everyone is opportune enough to go to places. (Wow! Someone just became a motivational speaker there.) Missed taking a photo of that shop.

Gyros was up for dinner. It’s a Greek food that’s basically like shawarma, only with a thicker pita. (Stop right there! In my defense again, all the shawarmas that I’ve tried in this life so far all have thin pitas, so don’t me.) While I was queueing to order, a lady who was handed her gyros said that it was not what she ordered. Without blinking an eye, the guy who handed it took it back and dumped it in the trash bin. Conspicuously. What a sight. It would’ve been way better if he threw it in my hands though. Sana all.

While I didn’t get to meet that batchmate in Mykonos, there was no escaping it in Santorini as he was also there when we were. We wound up at Select Beer & Wine House after hunting down the cheapest donkeys. The place turned out to be such a perfect choice as it had a terrace with beautiful views of the night.

Santorini (2nd Day)

With the Cycladic architecture built on the edge of the caldera, you can traverse the city at your own pace, savor each unique view, and easily visit Imerovigli, a neighboring village, by foot. Without further ado, I’ll let the photos do the talking.

Skaros Rock and Imerovigli from a distance.

For someone who documents by taking photos like mad, I couldn’t get enough of shooting the scenic route from time to time. But! It’s important to note that essentially everything is private property, and some don’t want people (non-guests) taking photos. For instance, moments after this post’s topmost photo was taken, someone politely shooed us. For that reason, be vigilant, considerate, and quick. *inserts winking emoji*

Some properties are actually private residences but for some reason I feel that everything is a hotel, if not a restaurant.

As we were approaching Skaros Rock which was a fortress in the past, one thing was very evident: a man was about to propose. A round of applause erupted from those who witnessed him getting down on one knee. And if there’s one thing that I regret the most during this trip, it’s that I never thought at that moment to approach the couple and give them copies of the photos below. *bangs head on the wall* If by some twist of fate they’d come across this post, that would be very, very awesome.

Going back to the rock, you can actually walk all the way to it but as my company was already an oldie and since we still had to go to Oia, I succumbed to skipping to be on top of it. Zeus moment down the drain.

Oia, a village on the northern part of the island notorious for sunset viewing, from afar.

Chillin’ like a villain on the way back because I can, ukinnam. Signature pose #X!

And now, for the moment of truth… Ditching Skaros Rock was forgivable because I always had the plan of going back to Select Beer & Wine House from the start. Just had to see the views from it in the morning after seeing them in the evening. The same table was originally occupied but when the customers on it left, I could’ve sworn I could’ve killed if it weren’t us who replaced them. Mission accomplished!

With the scooter that we rented, I was more than willing to drive to Oia since that was the original plan. But with my batchmate renting a car and having extra space, no additional episode of Buwis-Buhay was necessary. Yosha! A photo with it to remind me of our short-lived relationship was mandatory.

Oia

While Oia naturally has the same aura as the rest of the architecture built on the cliffs, I would agree with a remark that its appearance is rustic (in a + way, of course). Probably has something to do with some of the buildings in darker colors.

If your attention to detail doesn’t suck the way my attention span does, then you should’ve guessed by now that it was the coveted sunset we were after. We had ample didn’t have much time before it so we had a very good spot for viewing reserved before briskly roaming around.

It may have been a prenuptial shoot or just a photo shoot for some other purpose but either way it was lovely to see a bride and a groom in action. Sana all again.

The village doesn’t come short of panoramic views from its cliffs and equally returns the “distant” favor to Imerovigli and Fira.

(Meanwhile, #TheIrateTraveler a.k.a. @thedrunktraveler was already getting impatient with the setting sun.)

The horizon was thoroughly shrouded by clouds as eventide drew near, rendering the sun completely helpless.

Wasn’t our day. Well, at least there was another Donkay.

The weather was becoming colder and windier as we headed out and on our way to get shelter inside the car, we passed by the queue of people waiting for the public bus and it wasn’t a wonderful sight, making me even more thankful that my batchmate offered us the ~25-minute drive.

Despite a lot of cancelled voyages (wow, deep) that day because of the weather, all flights were still operational so we made it to our late-in-the-evening flight. I would never forget that funny woman at the hostel who were among those who missed their trips.

We’re Americans. We use it for everything. We could say, “What the f-word, you f-word-in-gerund-form-minus-the-G f-word?” And it’s totally valid.

Athens

(Moved out the two days in Athens to a different post since this has become very long.)

Departure

It was only a week but seeing the “projected ocean” again at the airport already brought a feeling of nostalgia. What’s more was that I even waited for the flight on the same table where I was waiting for the flight to Mykonos on our first day. “Well, until then, Schengen!” was what I thought.

Lastly, major shout-out to these fat-ass furbabies for bringing out my falsetto! Meowrf!

Tips

• When coming from Manila, Scoot can be your savior. Their round trip airfares to Athens via Singapore cost around ₱30,000 but sometimes go down a few thousands. And if you’re someone who doesn’t bring his/her house when traveling, that’s even additional savings from not purchasing any baggage allowance. They also have flights to Berlin.
• Public transportation on the islands is not a problem. You just have to be wary of the schedules. Prior to the trip, I got word from two different friends that they rented a car all the way. For I could only drive someone don’t know how to drive one, I immediately resorted to a scooter and no longer bothered digging the Internet for information. In the end I only had to rent in Santorini, which would’ve only served its purpose had it been used when we went to Oia. Within Fira alone and given the location of our hostel, it was totally not needed.
• If you have the budget or if you’re with a large group and someone knows how to drive, renting a car is definitely the way to go; the sky’s the limit on where you could go. (Or the road?)
• Always check the availability of free shuttles that come with your accommodation.
• The islands of Greece, without question, are summer destinations. For someone who’s seen a lot of beaches in the Philippines, the waters of the Aegean did not disappoint. At all. (Zakynthos, anyone?)
• The durations were short but I’d say that Mykonos is a party island, Paros a “chill” island, and Santorini a crowded island. That might not have made any sense but you get the point.
• You can actually walk all the way to Oia from Fira if you have the time and energy. By public bus, I think there’s no problem going there. However, going back could be another story. People waiting for the last bus could easily pile up that you might end up missing it. Pick your poison: miss the bus, or miss the sunset.
• If you’re going in winter, the islands can be ghost towns. Got another friend who went to Mykonos in the month of December and his time-lapse video hardly captured anything moving. Then again, if you really want to visit during that time, what’s to stop you?
• I will reiterate this: if you want photos at the Parthenon with less or no people at all, get your arse up at the earliest hour that you can. Unless you also know how to eliminate enemies.
• Check out This is My Athens Tour. I was really looking forward to it and thought that I could book a tour on the fly but apparently it has to be set days ahead. It’s a free tour provided by locals which I think is very nice.

Itinerary

• Day 1 – Mykonos
• Day 2 – Paros & Antiparos
• Day 3 & 4 – Santorini
• Day 5 & 6 – Athens

Expenses

Excluding food, drinks, and souvenirs since those are a matter of preference, here are the figures down to the very last cent. Went ahead and excluded the scooter rental as well since it doesn’t really count.

You might think that it’s expensive, but if you think about it, had I decided to visit other countries (Italy, beke nemen…) instead of going to different Aegean islands, I could’ve possibly ended up with the same amount since flights within Europe can be surprisingly cheap. So… Plan want you want accordingly, even if your itinerary is only a week in Greece!

Visited: September 2018

The post A Week in Greece Itinerary: Mykonos, Paros, Santorini, and Athens appeared first on Itinerant.

“Denied ba?”
“Approved po.”

And the smile never left my face. That was the only question and answer I wanted to hear when the travel agency called to tell me that my passport was already ready for pickup. After being denied of a Japan visa and even after acquiring one for Taiwan, the fact that you can never really can never can really can tell ever (okay, that was a long one) if you will be granted a visa seems to have traumatized even my hardest bone. In an ambitious plan to give Japan another shot the soonest time possible, I thought of collecting other visas first. And with that, winter in Korea became inevitable.

Winter Gear

For someone who’s into beaches (yes, I got the spelling right there), moving from hardly packing anything to packing everything that can combat the cold that never bothered Elsa in Disney’s Frozen was quite a challenge. Since I got no suitcase, I had to leave some pieces of clothing with a heavy heart behind. (Let’s face it, we all want to look different every day in our photos.) Aside from that, I didn’t really have that much winter clothes so I just stuck with the essentials. After all, winter hasn’t arrived in the Philippines yet and a fancy trench coat never guarantees your survival; it still boils down to layering. (Next time, though, I won’t deny that I’ll try bringing thick coats and a bigger luggage.)

Hongdae

I had no definite itinerary even by the time that I got through the Korean immigration officer. What I only had were a list of things that I should do and places I could go to as advised and suggested by a former colleague (who’s already seen all the seasons of Korea) and this TripZilla article.

My very first purchase using wons was a T-money card (and its prepaid load, malamang) primarily for transportation purposes. I guess most travelers don’t do it, but after doing it in Taiwan, I also bought a SIM card. I wasn’t joining any tour so it was just right for me to have a means of Googling things and contacting people if I’m already freezing to death. That way someone can come to my aid and rub me.

The memo didn’t reach me that there’s gonna be a black parade at the airport. Most people were in dark coats that if they had masks and wands I would’ve probably thought they were Death Eaters.

Being someone whose sweat glands become too emotional most of the time, there came a point that I was already sweating. But I knew better and didn’t take off any layer of clothing because the moment I stepped outside I was already inside a humongous freezer. I made my way to the All-stop Train and after around an hour was already at my hostel.

Lian Guesthouse is located in Hongdae, an area known for its bars and clubs. I chose the place not because of the nightlife (defensive mode: on) but because of the good reviews and ratings and its location (there you go). There was only one guest—a French guy—when I arrived and when I asked him for a good place to eat, he suggested a ramen restaurant. Perfecto. I don’t know, but even after being told by the hostel owner that I should wear a jacket, I still went out with just a sweater and scarf on top of thermal and dress shirts. Believe me, it turned out very awkward walking around with everyone else in coats. The great lanky outlier! They probably thought that I wanted to end all of my suffering that very instant.

Google Maps wasn’t cooperative but after strutting around I eventually found Nagomi Ramen, though I’m not sure if it was what was suggested to me. The prices were surprisingly inexpensive, just around half of the prices of those considered fancy ramen places in the Philippines. It was also quite good.

I scouted most of the area and saw that it’s living up to its reputation. Restaurants, shops, places to drink and party, and teenagers (looking so K-pop) performing in the streets were everywhere. Due to the jet lag caused by the one-hour time difference, I didn’t stay out long and simply capped the day off with a bottle of Kloud.

Seoul Plaza / City Hall

Breakfast at the hostel was free and you can always ask for more if you want more. For my first day in waging war against the hostile coldness, I secured a heat pack/hand warmer above anything else. Believe me, it can save your dear life.

That, and the awesome Subway Korea app. It’s simply a must-have given their complex railway system. It works offline; you just have to update the information. It gives you the shortest path, duration, and cost from one station to another. If you’re wondering about the 100 won difference, well, that’s a wonder of the T-money.

Half-expecting the presence of an ice-skating rink, my first stop was Seoul Plaza (City Hall). There wasn’t any. There was, however, a sort of commotion which I later found out to be related to the president’s impeachment that very day. Well, well. Didn’t I just take part in South Korea’s history? Hashtag: blessed.

Excursion Trail of Hanyangdoseong

The Dongdaemun Design Plaza was my next stop. From what I’ve read, I should already be within its vicinity the moment I exit the subway. It wasn’t the case, however, as I got off at the wrong station. Medyo tanga. Dongdaemun Station is different from Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station. Their names are not far from each other and—wait for it—so are their locations. Thanks to that blunder, though, I was able to walk around the Excursion Trail of Hanyangdoseong where my candle fingers started to look like the real shit deal. Hand warmer, come to papa!

Dongdaemun Design Plaza

The design plaza is lovely. It looks like a giant, sleek alien spaceship whose passengers are now coexisting among us (daming alam). In fact, I hardly spent time exploring its innards because its exterior was already enough for my eyes to feast on.

In the plaza is a LED Flower Garden which, as the name suggests, should ideally be seen at night. Of course it can also be lit up in broad daylight but then that wouldn’t make that much of a sense, would it?

Bukchon Hanok Village

I still had a long day ahead of me so instead of waiting for night to devour the day and see the LEDs in action, I headed to Bukchon Hanok Village to ogle traditional houses as I think it should always come natural to see the traditional side of any place. Girls can be seen wearing hanboks here.

It was mostly sightseeing for me as I’m not quite sure what else was there to do especially that it’s winter. Some of the houses that also appear to be establishments were open for tourists but I didn’t get inside any of them.

N Seoul Tower

N Seoul Tower was the penultimate destination for that day. It can be reached via cable car. Oh yeah. And the snow-covered mountain up-close? Priceless.

Love locks will greet you just a few steps after getting off the car. There’s just too many of them that I could only imagine how much I’d earn by selling all of them to some junkyard. Not that I’m a bitter gourd.

As advised in the TripZilla artikolcle, I opted to walk around the area while it was still bright before checking out the tower.

Facing the tower, I headed left, past beyond everyone, the buses, and the memories… Hah! That’s me trying to be an emotional frog there. But really, I was not prepared for what I saw: a secluded hiking trail that looked just so beautiful.

I came a long way and on my way back walked a different path. When I was pretty sure that no one’s gonna be around, I got laid on the snow like a kiddo. HAHAHA. After such a happy moment panic immediately ran through me when I realized that my phone and hand warmer were no longer in my pocket. You might wanna guess where I left them.

I only realized when I got back that that hiking trail was the same trail that I passed by earlier that day (too many thats there) before going to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza. I was blown. I mean, my mind was.

I didn’t really have plans of going up the tower and when I heard about the poor visibility, well, whatever was trying to convince me totally went down the drain and I simply continued roaming the grounds. More love locks to detach by force and sell for me. Also, there are actually spots that already give a good view of the city.

On my first day I saw possible Death Eaters and here I saw the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. That’s it, Harry Potter is real and I just haven’t received my invitation letter from Hogwarts yet. Tiwala lang!

On the other side of the trail, which I believe leads to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza area, was a viewing deck. Like the ones at the foot of the tower, it also gave quite a sight.

Had I known, I would’ve only bought a one-way cable car ticket. I wouldn’t have minded walking downhill because my sweat glands weren’t gonna be able to act up with the cold weather anyway. After aerial and underground rides, I was back at the design plaza.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza at Night

It now looked like it was about to take off and go back to its home planet. And lovelier.

And the LEDs? Dreamy. Just the right way to end the day. Or night.

Everland

You could say that I’m an adrenaline junkie by my junk so Everland effortlessly made it to my list. It was a long train ride and I think it can be reached faster by bus. At the last station was a free shuttle to the theme park.

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t permit some rides to be operational which included T Express, the park’s wooden roller coaster. Fortunately, I didn’t buy a ticket ahead so I had time to mull whether I should go inside or not. And while doing that, I had my buddy below keep me warm.

In the end, I didn’t go in, not just because of T Express but also because of the realization that theme parks are better enjoyed with someone else, at least. Someone you can mock for being such a wussy. Haha. Nah, I just thought it’d be ridiculously hilarious screaming your lungs out on your own.

Just beshinde (term coined in Fortune Island) Everland is Caribbean Bay, an indoor/outdoor water park which is the largest in the world. Everland was still flocked in that weather so it was no surprise that Caribbean Bay was, too.

And then suddenly, drizzle turned into snowfall… Magical.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

After grabbing a bite and gulp at 7-Eleven, I locomoted to Gyeongbokgung Palace. The place is massive. Seriously. From the outside you would think that it’s just gonna be an empty lot but apparently it goes on forever inside. (So forever does exist, eh?)

No matter which direction you look, you would literally see the same roof. What captured my attention the most, though, was the frozen lake in the middle of it all with a pavilion at its center. Seeing snowfall seemed to have instantly become a thing of the distant past when I saw it. The photos may not showcase it, but it’s grandeur in real life.

According to their schedule, the place closes at five during winter (and is closed on Tuesdays). It was drizzling again when they were about to do so. Run for your lives, ladies!

The Story of King Sejong

On my way to the nearest train station I came across the Story of King Sejong. As curious as I can be, I checked it out and it didn’t disappoint.

The Celestial Planisphere was a rather interesting representation. It’s a Korean map of the stars and constellations where you can toggle the four seasons and see their seasonal constellation travel. Nifty.

Myeongdong

With the temperature that day, I was more than happy to arrive at my last stop, Myeongdong. Indeed, it’s heaven for women (see that rhyme there?). No joke. The neighborhood is crawling with beauty shops. I have no idea about prices of beauty products but I’m pretty sure that they’re discounted real good there.

Some stores even give freebies. (Nope, wasn’t hoarding them!) You could have a feeling of déjà vu from seeing one store of the same name one after another.

That being said, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go there if beauty products aren’t your thang as the place is heaven for foodies, too! The abundance of street food is on par with the beauty shops. Itadakimasu!

I just have to say that I didn’t enjoy eating (emphasis on the eating and not on the food) the scallops because they only provided chopsticks and my hands were already barely able to hold on to them, much more use them. Bloody winter. Happy tummy at the end of the day, nonetheless!

Nami Island

Winter in Korea (or any season for that matter) wouldn’t be complete without setting foot on Nami Island. It’s located in Gapyeong and one of the fastest ways to get there is via the high-speed train ITX which you can take from Yongsan Station. Despite being told by the hostel owner and the signs in stations, I still ended up incorrectly hopping from one train to another. I had no idea what got me confused with the signs on my last day. Was too excited to get my arse on the island, I guess.

As far as I know, ITX tickets are purchased separately and the train can be identified by its seats which are like those of a bus, with the passengers facing the direction parallel, and not perpendicular, to the railway track. (Uh, my apologies for the geometry.) Not knowing these was the cause of my own ruckus.

Once in Gapyeong, you can conveniently go to multiple tourist spots. All you have to do is avail of the hop-on hop-off city tour bus which you can get on just right outside Gapyeong Station. You can buy tickets from the bus driver himself.

After having read this post on the city tour bus, I was intent on visiting Petite France and the Garden of Morning Calm as well. If you intend to do the same, it would be wise to arrive very early and be mindful of the time. You should start waiting for the bus around 15 minutes before its scheduled arrival else you might have to wait for the next one as it easily gets full.

The ferry to Nami Island operates from 07:30 to 21:40 comes and goes every few minutes so basically there’s no waiting game once you arrive at the port.

From a distance, I could only wonder how the upside-down cones below were made. Turns out that they’re frozen fountains. How they’re made to freeze, I could only wonder again. If my intelligence report was a flop and they’re not actually fountains, would you spare me for being only human?

As tourists tend to settle around what they immediately see, I took the road less traveled (nagmamagaling) and went straight to the opposite side of the island. There, another frozen body of water ravished me.

I went into all corners of the island and it’s as picturesque as it can get despite the weather. What more for the other seasons, right? Some trees, in fact, didn’t turn into skeletons and remained in full leafy blossom.

When the view below came to view, I just had to ambush the Korean couple coming my way because the guy was holding a camera and a tripod which meant that he probably has skillz in snapping (yep, that has always been my cue). He didn’t fail me. Yosha!

And how about seeing autumn and winter in Korea in one picture?

The frozen fountains were the last on my list. Even after seeing them up-close, I still couldn’t fathom how they were frozen or made to freeze.

The island can also be reached via zipline as seen in the wires above the fountains. I didn’t see anyone do it though. That’d be like suicide for me. Unless you really have a thick hide.

Back in the mainland, while waiting for the bus, I noticed that there was a sort of bungee jumping where you’ll be tied around the waist. I would’ve considered it if they’d consider tying my ankles instead. Then again, I have long reserved such activity for another country. Gehee.

Petite France

Petite France, as the name suggests, is indeed petite. If time is not a luxury during your visit, I’d say you can skip it. For me there’s not really that much to see and do there. And it’s not that I don’t like France, of course. Who wouldn’t wanna go there?

Garden of the Morning Calm

Like in N Seoul Tower, I arrived at the Garden of the Morning Calm while it was not yet dark. And like in Nami Island, I walked to every corner of it.

At the far end was a chapel which was so nice to see especially that it was my last day.

The garden undergoes an utter transformation when darkness takes over. It’s a sea of lights that’ll make you wonder how lovelier it can be when it’s not wintertime.

Waiting for the last bus back to the train station was torture. Good thing the people in front of me in the queue were Filipinos and their conversations kept me entertained. They were saying that the intense cold was making them feel like their toenails were being peeled off (HAHA) and that bus schedules are being followed on the dot.

I attempted with the ITX train again but after waiting for what felt like forever, I decided to just hop from one station to another again because I needed to go back to Myeongdong in hopes of catching a store that’s still open. And so I left the two Filipino girls I was chatting with. They were also waiting for the ITX but unlike me, they really purchased tickets beforehand.

As luck would have it I made it in time and went inside the first store that was still open. Brother duties. Bought BB creams for the sisters. Mission so accomplished (I was the last customer) that I just had to take down two Klouds before hitting the sack.

Departure

Come the fifth day, it was closing time for me. Here is Nary, the hostel owner, and Jenny. She probably says it to everyone but it was still nice hearing her say, while in a hug, that she’ll miss me. It was a good stay.

Tips

• Layering is everything. Especially for someone who’s from a tropical country. A negative temperature is not a joke; it’s lethal. I always wore four layers on top: thermal shirt → dress shirt → cardigan/sweater → leather jacket. For down below, underwear → thermal underwear → jeans (thermals are available in Uniqlo). And I would still feel very, very cold. Layering matters because while it’s so cold outside, it’s not the case once you’re inside. That way, you can easily remove a layer or two so you won’t feel hot. Unless you really are hot.
• And I’m not even done with the clothing yet. Earmuffs and gloves are a very big help. If you have no earmuffs, a bonnet will do. The ears and hands are very sensitive to the cold, which brings me to the next one: your jackets or coats should have pockets in front of them. That provides extra warmth for your hands. As for socks, wear high ones. You could also layer them as long as you’d still be able to fit in your footwear (which has a high chance of getting wet). And oh, you could easily sport a scarf, too.
• Consider gloves that you can use on touchscreens. It’s a hassle removing and putting them back on when you need something in your phone. There are also gloves that can neatly expose the fingers.
• Enter buildings from time to time to warm yourself up. Exactly the opposite of cooling yourself in malls in the Philippines when the sun is ablaze.
• Subway stations have transfer gates so it’s not really the case that you’ll only tap your T-money twice—one for entry and one for exit—when you transfer between lines.
• Plan your destinations and routes carefully so as to minimize travel time.
• You can actually survive by just eating street food. I only posted photos of those that I ate in Myeongdong but believe me, I only ate at a restaurant for that ramen on my first night. The rest were just in the streets and convenience stores. Talk about saving time and moolah but still with a full sto(o)ma(c)h. Also, bring water with you and refill it whenever you can. That’s additional savings.
• You might experience cold (in your nose, aside from the one inflicting your skin) and feel weird when it seems to be freezing inside your nose.
• Korea visa application in the Philippines is gratis. I just applied via an agency due to work reasons.

Itinerary

• Day 1
  • Hongdae
• Day 2
  • Seoul Plaza / City Hall
  • Excursion Trail of Hanyangdoseong
  • Dongdaemun Design Plaza
  • Bukchon Hanok Village
  • N Seoul Tower
  • Dongdaemun Design Plaza (at night)
• Day 3
  • Everland (would’ve eaten the entire day if I went inside)
  • Gyeongbokgung Palace
  • The Story of King Sejong
  • Myeongdong
• Day 4
  • Nami Island
  • Petite France
  • Garden of the Morning Calm

Expenses

Visited: February 2017

The post Four Days of Winter in Korea Itinerary appeared first on Itinerant.