So the other day I already mentioned the first in one of my personal projects which I was able to do during the long weekend and now here is the second one:

Create a Times of Refreshing Blog Photobook (magazine-style)

So I scored another voucher from Metrodeal for a Softcover 8x11" 40 pages for Photobook Philippines. But instead of starting out from scratch, I tried one of the travel templates found under their Ready Books category. With a little bit of tweaking to customize some of the pages in my own preference, I was able to finish up in 2 days and here is the finish product. Click on the link to show all the pages.

Post by Sasa Ramos-Yap.

I know it is a far cry from those done professionally but it is for personal use and for a non-artist such as myself, I am quite happy with the end result. I am done ordering and just waiting for delivery after 7 days. Don't worry, I will update this post with the actual photobook printout once I received it.

On our 3rd and last day at Hong Kong, we went around Causeway Bay to try to do some shopping with the last HK Dollar that we still have before flying back home that night. It was still a bit early so the malls are still closed but some smaller stores are already starting to set up. 

Across Sogo Mall at the Lockhart Road side, hubby and I entered a compu-electronics stall called Sunlite. He inquired about a small tripod that can be used in tables. The store attendant was quite attentive and while paying, hubby also inquired for a battery grip with remote control for his Nikon D3100. However, like I said we were already down to our last HKD so we could no longer afford it with the remaining change we have. I tried to be honest and the store attendant made some computation. He remarked with a smile "no business", I think he was trying to imply that they wouldn't make any profit at all. But I honestly told him the change from the tripod is the only money left on hubby's shopping budget so after a few minutes the attendant asked for additional $10HKD to have a good "morning business". Buena mano I think is what he means. I reached out for my pocket and there was a $10HKD coin.

So we started laughing and the attendant introduced himself as Jack. While testing the items, he took a picture of us and said "maganda". The more we laugh because he said he knows "konti lang" Filipino words. In case you are within the area and want to score good deal with some camera accessories, try out Sunlite and look for the very friendly Jack.

Find them at the Causeway Bay Area
(Click the image to view larger picture)

Hubby was dropping hints that he wanted to buy a guitar for himself but considering that he just recently bought a mountain bike, he is still weighing in if he should buy one. But while channel surfing 2 weeks ago, I saw the RJ Guitar Center 1-Day Christmas Sale on Dec 7, 2013.

So, I thought it would be a great 16th (4th Wedding) Anniversary gift for him and we will be back from our HK-Macau trip by then. A day after of our actual anniversary, we checked out the RJ Guitar Center in Festival Mall Alabang right after my dentist appointment around 12nn, there were no customers yet for the 30% off deal. Hubby eyed for a couple of guitar designs and later when 6 o'clock pm came, he lined up like the rest of the customer and came home with his first choice with 50% off discount.

His Caption: Thank you Lord for a very loving and understanding wife @sasaramosyap as she continues to support me in my hobbies and interests.

In the previous post, I mentioned that the HK-Macau packages quotation of the different travel agencies are basically the same except for the hotel accommodation. So after reading hotel reviews in TripVisor, I decided to avail the package trip from GJM International which includes accommodation to The Emperor Hotel in Happy Valley Hong Kong.

Our 3-day trip is jampacked with activities, we basically reach the hotel every night by 12mn and wake up at 7am so other budget travelers might consider booking cheaper hostel but for us, we still prefer to go home to a nice-looking room at a reasonable price. So we are quite satisfied with the facilities in Emperor Hotel and here are some of the highlights of our experience:

• The location is 20 minutes away from Causeway Bay and 5 minutes walk to the tram station or terminal. This distance is quite acceptable except that when you are already tired from walking all-day the time could be longer.
• The bus and taxis are available in front of the hotel but we were not able to try out these one. Also, coming from Mong Kok you can ride Bus 117 but take note last trip is at 9:45 pm so if you are doing the Ladies Night Market you won't be able to ride it.
• There is a free hotel shuttle coach with routes going to Causeway Bay so check at the front desk for the times and reservation
• McDonalds and convenient stores such 7-11, K Circle, Market Place, Vingo are within 5-10 minute walk radius of the hotel
• The hotel staff are helpful but not too friendly compared to the hospitable Filipino hotel staff
• Allows guests to leave their baggage at the front desk during early check-in/out 
• Nearby landmarks are Happy Valley Racecourse or Jockey Club and from what we learned is that this is one of the most popular form of entertainment during Sunday where a lot of people come to watch and bet that allows them to earn billion of US Dollars
• Other landmarks are Hindu temple then our tour guide also jokingly pointed out the location of AIA Building (Insurance), the hospital and cemetery right beside each other.

Anyhow, The superior room is at 230 square feet which already includes the bathroom area. According to our tour guide the average unit for a family in HK is only 50-60 sqm and the price is not about the size but the location. Thus, there is no complaining to the hotel room size. On Day 1, I was disappointed to enter to 2 single beds in the room that I immediately called the front desk and informed that I booked for a double room. They explained that it was not noted during the booking however no need for us to change room number and they will  just change the bed during housekeeping the next day. True enough, we finally came home to a double bed in our Day 2. By the way, since the travel agency processed our booking, I actually sent an email directly to the hotel a week before our arrival to verify our reservations just to make sure.

Hope this review will be helpful to those looking for accommodation in the HK Island side near Causeway Bay. Also, several Filipino families were staying at the same hotel as well and here are some of the pictures of our room located at the 17th floor.

Gold kung gold ang mga fixtures 

Inside the room you will find the following: 

Choice of Double or Twin 

Private bathroom 

Electronic card keys 

in-room safe 

Individually controlled air conditioning 

Mini-bar 

Coffee & tea making facilities 

Cable TV with 39 channels and 2 radio channels 

Writing desk 

IDD telephone system 

Wireless broadband internet access 

Hair dryer  

Alarm clock

Manila, Philippines - Nowadays, budget Filipino travelers mostly opt for Do-It-Yourself (DIY) tours in Hong Kong since the place has very efficient transportation system and tourist friendly. However, during the planning stage, Hubby prefers to get guided tour to maximize our time instead of getting lost. So several months ago, I contacted different local agencies here in the country to get quotations for their 3D2N Hong Kong with Macau Package tour for 2 pax. The itinerary are basically the same and the main difference is just the hotel accommodation.  After comparing their prices and getting hotel reviews, I decided to avail the service of GJM Travel & Tour Services. Their travel agent, Mhel, is quite responsive to inquiries and details. They also have several payment options and acceptable terms for the competitive price package.

Mhel Otalla

GJM TRAVEL AND TOURS

www.gjmtravelandtours.com

#122 DSM Arcade (in front of Robinsons Lucky Gold)Ortigas Ext. Pasig City

Contact Numbers: (02)547-5536; Telefax:  (02)625-3175

Mobile Numbers: (0928)3060205; (0927)9808386

Email: gjm_international@yahoo.com| info@gjmtravelandtours.com | Skype: gjm_international 

YM: mhel_gjm@yahoo.com

Office Hours: Monday to Friday: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm | Saturday and Sunday: by appointment

Hong Kong, China -- GJM was the one who hooked us up with their HK travel agency counter part which was Ann's Travel Service Co. Ltd. 

What I love about Ann's Travel team was how organized and efficient they were having more than 30s year under their belt, I have to say that their service is highly recommended. They were true to their company statement: to provide one of the widest selection of hotel web sites in Hong Kong with the best rates offered. Composed of teams of experienced travel professionals and its own fleet of private passenger coaches to ensure that all the guests have a memorable journey with us.

We met our assigned tour guide, Frank Chan, at HK International Airport Arrival Hall in our assigned picked up area. Immediately, Frank double checked with us the details of our stay and handed us our daily breakfast voucher for McDonalds. He also provided foreign exhange from Peso to HK Dollar at a lower price compared outside and offered us several optional tours for our Day 1 night activity (which we took since we were already planning to go there anyway). Frank has a good command of English so communication was not a problem. 

Tour Guide, Frank Chan

I believe one of the best benefit of availing guided tour is that you get to learn bits of information regarding the place you are visiting. Frank had a lot of stories and side comments while we were going around. I can't remember him not talking over the mic inside our bus. He points what to do and not to do mostly when shopping and how not to get ripped off as soon as we get off the bus.

Here is the sit-in-coach: clean, new and comfortable. Also, below are the rest of our tour guides and I hope I got their names right from L to R: Kelvin (with Frank) who takes pictures of the guests, Asmi our Victoria Peak tour guide who waves his little flag so we could see him during the night time among the crowd and John our Macau tour guide. John is from another travel agency in the Macau side but was also contacted by Ann's Travel. He has a slight Portuguese accent, loves Filipinos in Macau and even wants to get our natural tan (kayumanggi) color.

When deciding whether you want DIY or guided tour make sure you have a clear objective why you want to go to your destination. Obviously, HK is a shopping haven so if this is your main purpose, you can skip the guided tour. However, in our case we wanted to get familiarize with the other parts of HK so we did not mind going to the Aberdeen Village and the public beach. So learning about how the fishermen lives is quite interesting for us couple. 

Of course, there are also some cons for guided tour especially when you are in a budget because there are certain activities that you need to shell out some more for you to enjoy like $50HKD/head to ride a small boat called sampan to see the Jumbo Restaurant up close, $200HKD Souvenir Plate and Photo but if you are running low in cash just politely decline. Also, the lunch time could be a bit late than what we are used to since Pinoys like to eat especially when on vacation. This is not really a biggie to us but might be an issue for those travelling with kids. Lastly, sharing a bus with other guests could be time consuming for instance we were staying in Hong Kong Island and the others are from Kowloon Island. During arrival pick-up we were the last passenger in the bus and we got stuck in the Saturday traffic jam.

Overall, Ann's Travel Services will give you your money's worth. Licensed, up-front and no shady transactions.

If you are my Facebook friend and have been to Hong Kong, most probably you have tagged me in one of your photos of a cosmetic retail store that has the pink background with "Sasa" logo.  Surely, I don't mind being tagged. I can't blame you because you won't be able to help yourself since the Sasa store has these cute little branches practically in every street scattered around the shopping areas.

Facebook Tags

So in my last HK trip, I wanted to buy few trinkets from their shop as my pasalubong (gift from traveling) for the 2 girls in my work team. But I wanted something from "Sasa" line of products so it would have my name in it. Hihihi... Hubby and I did our shopping in Causeway Bay near the Times Square. Going around I saw one of their store that was much different from the rest - the signature pink color was combined with elegant gold background and reads as Sasa Supreme. My initial reaction was 'Why the Supreme?' as in Lucky Me Supreme Noodles I jokingly said. It is a famous instant noodles here in the Philippines.

But as soon as we entered the store, I kinda understood the idea why it was called 'Sasa Supreme' having very spacious aisles that stretches across two storeys of approximately 20,000 square feet. My second thought was 'Mahal ata dito'  (It might be too expensive in here) and worried because I was down to my last 100 HKD since it was already our last day in HK and was about to fly back home that night. But everyone is so friendly greeting us and the place is just quite inviting so I decided to go around while Hubby sat on the couch in the lounge area and connected online through their free wifi since he is already tired from all the walking.

I was able to find something for the girls and one lipstick for myself from Sasatinnie line. While paying in the cashier a very nice lady approached me and asked what I thought about the store. Suprisingly, she is actually the Director of Training and People Development, Mary Suen. Later, one of the branch Supervisor also introduced herself as May Leung. 

We chatted for a while and from them I learned that the 'Sasa Supreme' in Leighton Road, Causeway Bay was launched only last August 2013 and actually the very first lifestyle concept store. According to their official press release in their website, not only that it house prestigious beauty brands but the shop in itself is a beauty luxury-leisure hotspot. Just check out the Sasa Supreme sections below:

It is truly a one-stop shop for the women and even men who wants a day of pampering and shopping. Here are some more photos from their website photo gallery.

Elegant Facade

Counter

Cafe inside the store

Lounge Area

Many thanks to Ms. Mary and Ms. May for taking time to chat with me. More power to 'Sasa Supreme' and see you again in my next visit!

Sasa Supreme Location Map

Hi Lovelies! As promised, it is the first day of December and I am back...Yey!!!

Well, thank you sa 5 kong blog readers na nakamiss sa akin. Hahaha. Anyway, my birthday month just ended but the celebration definitely did not end there. By the time you read this blog post, The Mister and I are celebrating our 16th Anniversary (4th Wedding Anniversary) with our first out of the country trip together. Yes, after all these years of love, respect and togetherness this is our very first INTERNATIONAL escapade together so it is kinda big deal for us.

But not to overwhelm ourselves we decided to go to a tourist friendly neighboring Asian country - Hong Kong - Macau. I did my standard operating procedure in planning trip for two - pray earnestly for financial provision and good deals, save up (self-imposed no credit card policy), await and book for promo fare, coordinate with a trip planner, finalize itinerary and pay amount due. I really thank God for His grace that He not only gives us what we need but also some for leisure.

However, what really kinda set me off my game was preparing for items to wear for the trip considering HK is already entering their cold season. Waaahhh... I have to be honest up to the last minute I was torn from comfie walking shoes or BOOTS! I have to keep in mind that from being sedentary I will be walking for hours and hours which I am not used to nowadays so I have to prepare my feet. But C'mon now, ang sarap kayang mag-OOTD ng nakawinter clothes, try mo sa Pinas yun syempre medyo mukha ka namang ewan di ba? This moment I truly understood the cliche - style over comfort. Babaw ba, hahaha... 

Just look at this really nice pair of suede ankle boots I found at Zalora Philippines...So Fab talaga!

Zalora PH even displays images of the product in different angles - top, bottom and sides: so, so cute. I am starting to covet it... Ehem! Christmas is just around the corner, any body who missed out giving me a birthday gift can surely make it up with this one. 

Kidding aside, I have to say Zalora Philippines is opening up new ways for shoppers to complete their shopping list with less hassle. Just check out their latest offering dubbed as Online Revolution wherein you no longer need to brave the traffic and find a parking spot at a crowded mall during this holiday season.

All you need is go to their website and register then these amazing bargains are already available to you. Will definitely try it out myself when I get back from the trip since this is available until Dec 11.

Here is the premise of the story: I am holding a transportation voucher from Philippine Airlines which I got from my last out of the country trip. I am ready to book it so I researched regarding their ticketing office. Naturally, I ended up on their website. The categories of the enlisted offices are not that clear but I eyed a couple of office:

Petron Payment Centers

Petron Filinvest Primera Clase Gas Station, Inc.
Commerce Ave., cor. Pacific Rim Ave.
Filinvest Alabang Muntinlupa City  

Domestic Ticketing Agent 

Velca Travel & Tours, Inc.
G/F Park Trade Center, 1716 Investment Drive, 
Alabang, Muntinlupa City 

The one in Petron is a bit out of the way since no public transporation pass by it regularly so I asked hubby to accompany me on Saturday. But since Velca is on the way, I planned to swing by in the morning before going to the office to check if I could do the transaction there. To get more info though, I decided to tweet @flyPAL account to inquire.

I must say the account is quite responsive BUT... oh, I'll just let you read through our conversation and let you be the judge.

So whatcha think? Hihihi.... Well I do also work in client support team to provide technical assistance and there are days that this kinda happens. It is just funny when you're in the other side of the fence. Anyhow, I'll just update you what happens to the voucher on Saturday.

Update: 21 July 2013

I am happy to report to everyone that despite the mix-up with twitter, my transaction with PAL ticketing office in Petron Filinvest Alabang is a success! I was able to book my flight in 30 minutes. Hoooray!!!

Ang nawawalang PAL Ticketing Office...natagpuan din!
The very controversial branch