After my haircut at Icon Siam, I decided to ride the ferry to on the way to Chinatown. 

Chinatown, regardless of which country I drop by is a must-stop for me. The whole area is so rich in culture that despite the huge coverage, I will still remain transfixed by what I see as I walk. 

 

 

I arrived here around 6ish from Icon Siam and I missed my stop by one ferry so I have to walk a short distance, but it's an okay walk nonetheless. Apparently, the streets going toward Chinatown-regardless again of which country looks the same. But what surprised me the most is how they have those iron cordon which separates the pedestrian area from the passing vehicle. This same cordon causes people to be squashed on a specific side while walking around Chinatown. I'm not a claustrophobic person but with the recent events that happened at Itaewon during this time, this cordon has made me extra cautious..and with people really not minding social distance at all, no masks and everyone was just jostling everyone back and forth, I decided to do a fast food trip and leave soonest. 

Here are some videos of the food I tried there. I would've wanted to try at least 5 but SADLY, my tummy only allowed me to eat one main dish and one dessert... which only cost 100 Baht or Php160.00. I will forever be amazed by the fact that here in Bangkok, everything is very affordable.

 

 

After about almost an hour of walking around and immersing on the colorful lights and as the night progressed and more and more people are just milling around with limited space because of the cordon, I felt like I am panicking. I was alone in a very crowded space and I am full so there's no need to explore more and I felt like I just have to get out of there so I know these tuktuks are expensive but I rode one anyway and it took me back to my hostel which was 5Kms away.. the cost is almost the same as my whole meal at 150 Baht. 

 

 People change

and more often than not, some might think it's too late but for me, it's all in the right time

Taking a little break from my BKK post to share my experience a few days ago regarding application of Students' Permit here in Cebu.

God has put a lot of life deliverables for me this 2023 and while I used to be fine with my previous status quo (commuting in between locations-I don't entirely rely on my husband to drive me anywhere, he also has a busy schedule), riding a bus to take me anywhere is starting to an enormous amount of my time; queuing for one more so. Get me wrong, I used to think driving is a privilege but as with life in general, God will really put you into a circumstance which will require you to acquire skills that will make your life more efficient.

So I decided to again, continue the tedious process of acquiring a drivers' license. In general, going to government offices is really a traumatizing experience for me because when you have a small bladder like mine (the need to pee every hour is real), lining up in crowded places with no clear instructions as to where to go is a waste of time.

I'm glad all that has changed since Duterte's time-I am not going to argue about this with any one because again, I am relating MY experiences. This is not the first time I have processed a student's permit but this is the first time I have processed it more than 6 years ago but I can still remember how different my experiences were. I began searching online on a clear way to go about it but since I am a beginner, the jargon confused me so I decided to try my best to clearly outline the process on how to go about it.

For context, I live at Talisay City Cebu which is right beside Cebu City but our city has it's own LTO office so I am banking on that fact that there will be lesser people there. What I know is that should we enroll in a driving school, and it has to be accredited with LTO before we can process the students' permit. I remember the old process being you have to go to LTO first and the driving classes are actually optional. I used FB to look for an accredited driving school that's around Talisay area, or along the highway of Minglanilla since I will just commute to go there. I found Defensive Driving School on FB and they have a branch at Juana Osmena and along the highway of Tunghaan Minglanilla. 

As of Feb 2023, this promo is still ongoing. For everyone's reference, TDC means Theoretical Driving Class. The promo includes 15 hours of theoretical driving class and 8 hours of driving (options for automatic or manual cars)

I went to their office at Minglanilla and availed of TDC+B combo package. There is an additional Php500 on a chosen combo if you prefer to have it online. I have availed of mine online since the face to face option at that price is scheduled at Tue-Wed-Thu 5 Hours each. I paid for the Php5,799 TDC+PDC B online option and when they gave me the receipt, they told me that I should keep and take care of the receipt since LTO will look for it when I file for my students' license. After payment, they asked for my GMail account since that's where they are going to send my personal access to my theoretical driving class. After sending the link for sign up, they told me that I have 30 days to finish the 15 hours of online class and that access will expire once you have exceeded 30 days. I checked my email as soon as I got home and the link there for sign up and login is very user friendly. Once you can already log-in, the list of classes you have to attend is just a click away. 

 

Please note that these online classes which are in average-two to three hours long can't be clicked forward NOR I personally think you should do so since it's very important as we also don't just think of our safety but also, of other people and drivers with us on the road. 15 Hours of theoretical driving class include a brief history of LTO, LTFRB, comprehensive discussions on road regulations, safety, road signs, how-tos and what to do for different vehicle related situations and for every session, there is an exam/knowledge check that you have to have an 80% passing score.

I finished my online class in about a week since I spare about 2-3 hours everyday before and after work. The officer at Defensive Driving School told me to go back to their office after my 15 hours of TDC so that I can pick up my certificate there-which will also be presented at LTO during the SP processing. It took me 2 weeks to find a time to go there since my plan was to go there, pick it up, and go straight to LTO Talisay for the processing (distance between both buildings are less than 3 KMs only) and I intentionally went after lunch because there are noticeably lesser people on government offices around late afternoon. 

 

When I was at Defensive Driving School to pick up my certificate they took my picture as part of the certificate, and rechecked my requirements (for married women, this includes NSO, CENOMAR, Valid ID and the Driving School TDC Certificate)-all of which, they told me to prepare beforehand before going to LTO. It was already 1pm-ish during this time and I told them that I will go straight to LTO, they have booked me for a Mar 21-22 driving with an instructor schedule and when I asked them if it can be any sooner, they informed me that they will try their best to book me early. I think? on average, since driving schools now are limited due to accreditation-there is a huge back log in which I totally understand.

I arrived at LTO before 3PM and I approached the guard and asked for the first step in processing Students' Permit, he confirmed if they still accept walk-ins during this time since they only accommodate 30 SP applicants' per day. Less than 2 minutes he went back to me and gave me the okay signal and told me to go upstairs for the medical exam. I asked him ahead if there are papers that I need to photocopy and he told me there's no need to photocopy requirements. After I went upstairs to the medical exam area, I filled up a form and paid Php550.00 for the medical exam.

After paying, I went to the doctor inside the room and he checked my eyes, asked standard procedure questions about my health and gave me a clean bill, there is a desk outside the doctor's area and the clerk there encoded my details, asked for my requirements (enumerated above)\ took my picture and told me to go downstairs in the public help desk.

I went to the public help desk, I submitted my documents and they rechecked my requirements, put a stamp on my registration form and told me to go back by Mar07 for the final step. The whole procedure of arriving at Talisay City LTO to leaving took less than 30 minutes

So as of today, February 23, 2023, I have to go back by Mar 07 at Talisay City for the final step and wait for my driving class come Mar 21-22, 2023

I hope this entry helps :) let me know if you have any questions by sending a DM through my socials

IG: MYNYMISNYM

 

 

Before I start with my Wat Arun entry, I think one of the things I regret is not drinking enough coffee there. I usually go through cycles of having 1-2 cups of coffee a day then having a bad migraine or a heartburn-promising myself not to drink coffee again, legit taking a break for 2 weeks and then going back to drinking coffee slowly again. During the time I was here, I was on a very slow transition of not drinking to only drinking one cup a day. Sayang, but it's all the more reason I should go back to Thailand.

Okay, this is the reel I made for Wat Arun

Since Wat Arun is just a river away from where I'm at, I asked the owners of the restaurant I ate as to how I can cross by this river to get there , turns out, it's only two blocks away from their place. I went out when everyone was having lunch and the weather is hot but bearable. Honestly, since it's Thailand, I was ready for the Phuket kind of heat-the kind that scalds your skin but it wasn't that bad, maybe it's also because I am from a tropical country too.

I saw a small ticket area exactly two blocks away from Jin Chieng and as I was walking towards it I asked a local if that was the ticket booth to Wat Arun, it's not. He made me walk these planks and on the way to their Khlong (cross-ferry) boats, they made you pay B4 (Around Php10), I fumbled for a little while here since I have to look for coins and since I was also with tourists, they were extra patient with me. 

 

It was a no-frills boat and I sat where I can have an uninterrupted view of Wat Arun, I want to roam around a lot but I have no sea legs at all, in fact this less than 5 minutes ride got me woozy

This Khlong boat only took less than 5 mins too to be full regardless of the heat

Wat Arun from the small boat

 

 

We arrived a few mins at the Wat Arun Port and you can't miss the entrance. I paid B100 (around Php150) and was given some brochures as guide and a bottle of water which I really appreciate. It is still my first day out and I already feel like everything here is truly a value for money.

As with all temples, Wat Arun Wat Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan follows a strict dress code even for tourists. It was a special holiday the day I was here so there were locals and tourists alike. I had no plans to enter the temple as to not intrude on the people who go there to worship and was only able to take pictures and videos from the outside.

 

 

I went around the whole area and I also went up the multiple floors. The stairs were steep and I got nervous as I descended because even though I am physically fit, my ankles are really weak because of a football injury a few years ago. 

From https://viajonarios.com/en/wat-arun/  :

Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, better known as Wat Arun, is a Buddhist temple on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, opposite the Grand Palace & the Temple of the Emerald Buddha it's the Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. The temple's name is a tribute to the Hindu god Arun, personified as the radiations of the rising sun, is the Indian God of Dawn. Despite its name, the most spectacular view of the gleaming monument can be seen from the east side of the river at sunset, when the spiers of Wat Arun form an impressive silhouette on the horizon.

 

Here are some of the unedited videos I took of Wat Arun with all the people. What I mentioned on my previous entry, I am not going to crop people out because I know that like me, when people plan to go to a specific place, we tend to google it up and see beautiful (no question) photos but also, like me, a lot tend to get very disappointed when they see crowds

One of my favorite parts when preparing for my travel is looking for an accommodation. I usually toggle between airbnb and booking.com and since I already have the genius discount available on booking.com-and it’s the cheapest among all the popular booking sites(we can peacefully argue on this once we you’ve checked out this website compared to where you are reserve your accomms), I usually opt for it. 

Genius discounts are usually at 10-15% off, Booking.com also has cashback and exclusive discounts only available on the mobile app. This is not a collab in any way with them and I only would like to share this with you just in case you are like me who indulges on the decision-making of “should I opt for a nice place to stay that comes with a good price” or “should i opt for an okay looking safe place because I’m only going to stay there to sleep and take a bath”Oh and as much as I love traveling, I really hate sleeping alone because I am scared of room intrusion and appearance of super natural beings. Laugh all you want but I have an experience regarding this one but I will be reserving that story some other time.

I usually opt for the okay looking safe place because I am just there to sleep and take a bath only because aside from the fact that it’s economical, it’s also logical and in a way, encourages me to go out and explore some more. Also, what I am also trying to say is that I am better with sleeping with a room of strangers rather than sleeping alone in a space-though there won’t be much sleeping in this situation because hello, UNGO.

For my international solo travels, I usually book hostels. I have booked a hostel near Clark Quay pre-pandemic (sorry I forgot the name)-Singapore’s hostels are expensive (Php900/night)but they come with a kaya toast breakfast. I have also booked with Mad Monkey at Phuket (Php500/day)

I have actually hit all the sweet spots I need to hit when I booked Boxpackers Hostel Phraknahorn. 

In general, looking for a hostel within Bangkok is a different kind of a challenge because all the choices are REALLY REALLY good. When I say good it means it’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye, it fits neatly IN my budget, it’s strategically located and they truly are a value for money (different hostels come with different freebies-others come with a free breakfast, others actually have adult slides, others have a pool on their rooftop, etc)

What made me book Boxpackers Hostel Phraknahorn is the fact that I can do UNLIMITED laundry FOR FREE-includes fab con and liquid detergent (my love for laundry is also reserved for another story) and this feature matters to me because prior to arriving at Bangkok, I was at Manila for 24 hours, changed my clothes thrice and bringing dirty clothes while travelling is not something that sits well with me mentally. 

It is also my first time to stay at Bangkok and somehow, the idea of a hostel located in a corner street with a coffeeshop and co-working space makes sense to me. It is easier to find and for just in case I need to take a peek into my work email when I have a free time, I can freely do so. 

I stayed at Boxpackers Hostel Phraknahorn from Dec3-7 and I only paid Php2,338 FOR THE WHOLE DURATION OF my stay and among all the hostels I have tried, this one was the best one I have booked. I booked a bunk space for a 10-Bed Mixed Dormitory and these are the inclusions of my Php2,345.01

 

Bed with own key card activated light, one outlet for charging, one USB Port and a small hanging shelf
Heavy Curtain as a cover for when you need privacy

 

HIGH-QUALITY COMFORTER-this one is one of the best surprises cause among the three hostels I’ve tried, this is the only hostel that offered this. I love my comforters and as a person who is “kandingon” by nature, being extra warm  during nighttime betters my sleep quality
  

Own locker which can fit a medium sized (check-in type) trolley and enough space for other things as well

THE UNLIMITED LAUNDRY with on-hand detergent and fabcon
Uber strong wi-fi
Aquazorb type towels
Access to common toilets with bidet and showers (shower gel and shampoo)-now I know this one a lot of people are hesitant of, this hostel really really made sure that their toilet and shower areas are kept clean 24/7

Blow-Dry in the vanity area (sink, mirror)
Unlimited mineral water (Savings!)
Access to their co-working space with outlet

I arrived around 11PM after my little misadventure and an english speaking front desk officer was there to welcome me. I already paid prior to arriving and was asked to deposit B200 for security measures. He took me to my common room which was located in the second floor and when I arrived, it’s either my roommates were already sleeping or they were out partying but I didn’t really see anyone there. For the whole duration of my stay, I only saw one Chinese guy who went out at 5 AM for a run and 2 German girls who came from partying one night. 

 

 

For the two nights of my stay, I didn’t see anyone in the room but I was able to sleep well compared to when I sometimes book solo room during my other travels. For the whole duration of my stay, I was able to access our shower room without waiting for every one else to be done, worked for a little while during mornings and was able to do laundry twice.

 

 

Here are the clean pros and cons when staying at Boxpackers Hostel Phraknahorn, the terms pros and cons are always subject to misinterpretation and what kind of traveller you are. I’m an ambler-I don’t like hurrying and I usually go for the most cost-effective way and opt for walks if the location I wanna go to is less than 2KMs, I walk A LOT and don’t mind not spending too much on food, I digest everything I see emotionally and well, during this trip, I took 90% videos and 10% photos and used those videos to print screen some of my photo entries. 

Pros

1. Value for money (inclusions are stated)
2. AESTHETICALLY LOOKING and it is clean
3. Near to Grand Palace, City Pillar and Khao San Road (Party Area)
4. Easy access to buses-buses are priced between B10 Php16 pesos (non aircon) -B20 PHp26(aircon) , bus there are easy to understand as they are coded by numbers and you can easily follow via google maps on which bus you should ride to get to the place you want to be, as all the bus dispatchers I talked to understand the stops in English, they prompt me when to go down or if it’s already a one bus stop BEFORE my bus stop. See? 

—The number 4 is subject to interpretation but I considered it as a pro because buses are cheaper compared to their trains

Cons

1. No access to BTS (their MRT)
2. Options for private room and CR come with a higher price
3. Walk of 400 meters before a Bus Stop (again, this is subject for interpretation as some don’t really like to walk far)
4. I only saw 2 coffee shops around the area, and only one hole in the wall food shop open at 6AM when I was walking around. If you are an early morning person like me, coffeeshops usually open at 9AM around this area. There are other family owned food store but they open around 10AM

I am not in anyway directly affiliated with them nor am I getting paid in this post so if you want to know more, here are options as to how you can reach them

Facebook Page: https://web.facebook.com/boxpackersphranakorn

Booking.com Link

Bangkok Grand Palace Reel

I only spent a couple of minutes inside the Bangkok City Pillar and Shrine as I know my day will be packed full of temple runs. I initially planned not to go inside each temple because it requires time (queueing, taking off your footwear, adjusting to people’s personal spaces, trying to emulate what the locals do in the temple, etc) and I am proud that I have fully committed to this. 

If you initially plan to take Instagram-worthy pictures around Bangkok Grand Palace, let me tell you ahead how challenging that would be. I went on a Sunday AND holiday so there was just so many people even outside the premises. 

 

The heat was tolerable though since I am familiar with Thailand’s scorching heat every December. There were already many tourists walking on the way to the Grand Palace itself and I was one of those who was stopped because my dress length is above the knee.

 

 I am not surprised since temples are places that demand high respect and strict dress code. Luckily, there were many stores outside selling those ankle length sarong skirts at B100 only. 

 

The lady even wrapped the sarong around me so well that I was comfortable all through out my Grand Palace Tour.

Here are some of my cropped...

but unedited photos around the Bangkok Grand Palace and aside from the fact that I don’t now how to flawlessly edit people out, I want every reader to know how jam-packed this place is regardless of day. Taking raw photos with absolutely no people behind is near to impossible.

Entrance as of December 2022 is at B500, I am very much shocked since I didn’t expect it to be expensive but after the tour, I can say that I got my money’s worth. They made sure that the place is organized, clean, didnt smell anything, continuously disinfected and safe. 

 

Each Temples have a description of their history and how important they are in what made Thailand what it is today. My first impression was it is indeed, GRAND. The Temples are gigantic, created with great care and was expensively preserved. Each is also centuries old.

The Grand Palace complex was established 500 years ago and not only it consists of the royal residence and throne halls, it also has a number of government offices and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The Grand Palace measures at 220,000 square meters, surrounded by four wallks with 1900 meters in length.

If you are the kind of a traveller who likes ambling and prefers not to have a jam-packed itinerary, you can actually spend the whole day at Grand Palace; there are 35 different buildings with various purposes and history-excuding the displayed paintings outside. 

I only spent about two hours max as I still have plans to visit Wat Arun, Icon Siam and Chinatown at the same day.

 

 

Here are also some of the raw videos I took which will manage your expectation on what the place looks like in reality

 Almost nothing at Bangkok starts BEFORE 9AM.

and as an early morning person by wiring, I have a few hours of vacant time before Grand Palace opens by 8:30AM so I decided to walk the 2 kilometer distance from where I was staying. There was another temple a block away from Grand Palace and it’s already open so I decided to go in in this temporary detour. 

Bangkok Lak Mueang City Pillar Shrine is located opposite the walled complex of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo and adjacent to the Defence Ministry. The shrine is free to enter and is open daily from 06.30 to 18.00. Because of the importance of the shrine, visitors should dress respectfully and make sure their shoulders and knees are covered. Thai people come here to pray and make wishes so please be respectful when taking photos.

And while Bangkok City Pillar Shrine is not as popular nor visited as much as Grand Palace, it’s importance also holds ground in this country’s history

In 1782, the first king of the Chakri Dynasty, King Rama I, moved his capital from Thonburi to the other side of the Chao Phraya River. The new city would be easier to defend with Rattanakosin Island at its heart. This is the district referred to as ‘Old Bangkok’ where the Grand Palace is located, but the first building constructed at the new capital was the Lak Mueang city pillar. The Grand Palace and all of the other temples and buildings would follow later, but preparing a shrine for Phra Lak Mueang, the guardian spirit who protects the city, was the most important thing for King Rama I to do when establishing Bangkok as his new capital. To this day, Bangkok residents and Thai people visiting the city continue to pay their respects at Lak Mueang.

(copy pasted from ThaiFan)

 

Finding the perfect holiday gifts for loved ones can be challenging for some people. Well, gift giving doesn’t come with no pressure since we only want to give our loves ones what’s best for them.

If you’re still looking for the ideal presents or rather need some inspiration, Filipina singer-songwriter Moira dela Torre shares her holiday gift ideas that are perfect for all ages and for every special person in your life! 

Making it a merrier Christmas season, Home Credit recently launched The Great 0% Interest Festival, so every shopper can check out items from almost 10,000 partner stores nationwide. Customers can choose from more than 50,000 products available through Home Credit that they get at 0% interest until January 31, 2023. 

Are you ready? Check out what’s in Moira’s shopping list this holiday season!

Gifts for learning and entertainment

Now is the time to reward hard-working children and inaanaks the gadgets they deserve. Gifting them the latest devices can help them not only study hard, but also enjoy little play time in between to maintain that school-life balance. Not to mention, in the new normal way of learning, smartphones, laptops and tablets, and accessories such as noise-canceling headphones have proven to optimize students’ educational experience, whether for physical classes and especially in hybrid learning. 

New NBA season just began last month and this means you may find your dads and brothers with their eyes glued on screens. Investing in a high-quality smart TV at home can be an amazing present for sports fans in the household, as the whole family spends their time at home in the spirit of togetherness during the holidays. To top this off, gifting ate or bunso superb-quality Bluetooth speakers lets everyone party or just chill, anytime and anywhere.

 

Top tech brands to name a few – OPPO, realme, vivo, Samsung, Xiaomi, Acer, Apple, Huawei, and Asus all offer these gadgets that make the perfect study and play buddy. Not to worry, these brands and other Home Credit’s partner stores nationwide are part of the 0% interest festival for the best deal that you can get this season. 

Presents for convenience and healthy living

Inverter technology has been quite an innovation that parents fancy for household appliances. Choosing inverter items over traditional appliances helps one save on energy and cost at home. This season of giving, gifting parents the latest appliances that would guarantee convenient living at home will surely have them enjoying the holidays and beyond. 

Inverter refrigerator and air-conditioner are top choices for you to consider! As moms love spending time in the kitchen and making snacks for their families, with a cool and cost-efficient refrigerator in place they can keep their grocery foods in a safe storage to ensure the quality of each item. 

While you’re at it, why not get an inverter air conditioner for the family so they can enjoy the cool room temperature during family reunions? An air conditioner will definitely be appreciated in a tropical weather country like the Philippines plus it is also environment-friendly and has lower power consumption. 

Another important household appliance is owning a good quality washing machine. Give your titas a washing machine to help them save time by just simply putting their clothes on it, turning on the power and choosing their preferred cycle. It is more ideal than doing their laundry manually, a good way to show how you value their convenience.

Home workouts saw an increase in demand during the pandemic. Surprise your fitness enthusiast sibling or significant other by gifting them a punching bag, dumbbells, yoga mat or go big and fulfill their home gym dream by gifting them with an indoor cycling bike or treadmill as a present this Christmas. Having these fitness equipment at home can let them maximize their workouts at home, to keep them fit and healthy. 

Get these home appliances and fitness equipment from Home Credit’s retail partners such as SM Appliances, Robinsons Appliances, Abenson, FC Home, Home Along, AllHome, Emcor, and Automatic Centre. 

Curated holiday presents for a more personal touch

Looking for a more creative option for holiday gifting? Try creating your very own holiday gift package! For your coworkers who just had a baby, put in some nice items for infants, toys and clothing in a ribbon-tied box for the complete Christmasy feel. And for the BFFs, you can collect some new shades of lipstick, tag along some trendy accessories and perfume in a cute tote bag or basket for a well-thought out present. 

Through Home Credit’s Shopping Basket, customers can visit its partner stores and shop for these varieties of goodies that they can curate in bundles for Php 3,000 minimum worth of items. Shoppers can get them through a monthly installment plan now with 0% interest.

The spirit of Christmas is livelier now more than ever. Home Credit wishes to celebrate this with you, offering 0% interest for the best gift items of your choice that can make the whole family feel loved and cherished. 

Hurry! Click here to download the My Home Credit app and get the best deals and promos this holiday season. Find out more about the latest updates from Home Credit Philippines, visit its official website www.homecredit.ph. You may also follow its official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts.

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