RSSJul|11|2007
A Real Chocolate-y Experience
Posted by Jen as Gourmet, Travelogger
Tired of watching your kids watch T.V. all day?
Tired of the same parks and beaches and playgrounds?
Well, here’s an idea you might not have tried yet!
Send your kids to the factory!
Wait.
Hold that thought and allow me to finish!
The factory I’m talking about isn’t the place where your kids will have to wear boring uniforms and form unions with other kids. I’m talking about the Hershey’s Chocolate World. It’s a tour every chocolate-loving kid and grown-up will surely love.
Hullo, old friend!
There, you guys can learn the art of chocolate through a very yummy chocolate tasting spree that allows everyone to experience everything from creamy milk to dark choco. There’s also a really big 3D show …
Jul|05|2007
Great Gifts, Small Packages Part 02
Posted by Jen as Shopping, Tips, Travelogger
Still on that journey of looking for that special gift? Coming from my last post, here’s suggestion number two! Go designer on bags! While they don’t exactly come in such small packages, they are definitely budget-friendly and thoughtful.
After all, luggage is one thing a lot of travelers take for granted. They have the tickets, the reservations, the kids! And then they have that ratty luggage or that boring trolley. That’s where you, as the good friend, come in and help them be even more excited about their trip.
People don’t have the same personality or outlook on life. To avoid making the mistake of giving them the same boring old bags you were trying to get rid of in the first place, why not choose something that reflects their personality? That way, it would give your present a more personal touch.
For example, a real girly-girl would probably love something like this:…
Jun|29|2007
Great Gifts, Small Packages Part 01
Posted by Jen as Books, Tips, Travelogger
Here’s the problem: Your friend’s birthday is coming soon. Said friend is a travel enthusiast like you. Unfortunately, you don’t exactly have the budget to send him or her off to the exciting jungles of Africa or the royal deserts of Egypt. What will you do?
There’s no need to fret. Times like this create opportunities to think creatively. If you can’t send your fellow traveler to his or her dream vacation, then why don’t you just help him or her prepare for it?
Nowadays, there are more than a thousand, different books on traveling. Reading guides and browsing through coffee table books are sure to tickle your friend’s imagination. Who knows, a page or two from your gift could prompt him or her to take on a new adventure!And if your friend is the type who doesn’t really like to read, make sure to …
Jun|28|2007
Meeting the Adventurous Wench
Posted by Jen as Travelogger, Website
“Who is the Adventurous Wench?” you might wonder. She is the Elizabeth Swann of Pirates of the Carribean and the Eowyn of Lord of the Rings. In short, she’s the adventurous side of yourself. At least, that’s what Deanna Keahey, founder of the Adventurous Wench website, believes.
Ahoy, adventure!!!
What makes her travel website so interesting is the fact that it caters to a special group of people only: Women! Men aren’t the only ones allowed to have an adventure every now and then! The Adventurous Wench itinerary and packages are all designed specifically with female enjoyment in mind. The Adventurous Wench makes sure that all guests are taken care of in the exact way that they want.
The website is fairly easy to navigate. Clicking on the “General Info” link will help you decide which destination is right for you.
The …
Jun|22|2007
A Tour of the Ocean
Posted by Jen as Asia, Eco-Friendly
Can’t get enough of the marine life? Then you should probably pay Bangkok, Thailand a visit! The Siam Ocean World has successfully bridged the gap between all things land and water. Guests now can have a more in-depth interaction with their favorite sea creatures. As the largest aquarium in the country, the Siam Ocean World has divided their attractions into seven, different categories.
The Weird and the Wonderful pays homage to sea creatures that have quite original characteristics such as the Pharaoh Cuttlefish that look like jet-propelled squids and Horseshoe Crabs that are said to have existed way before mankind.
The Deep Reef displays an abundance of colors and variety of reef dwellers. Here, you will get to see more than a lifetime’s worth of marine life!
For those who want to get a more realistic feel of the sea world, then the Living Ocean is your stop. Prey or predator… let the …
Jun|15|2007
Camera-shy No More!
One great thing about living in the 21st century is the ability to capture memories of all your travel experiences with just one click of a camera. And even though that trip to breathtaking Bali or that Safari adventure was unforgettable on its own, having photos of your vacation there would definitely make things all the more sweeter.
When I was in elementary, my parents would always make me stand next to a stone or a pillar not realizing how famous those landmarks were. Looking back through those old family photo albums, it dawned on me that I was almost always frowning or had a celebrity smile on. By celebrity smile, I don’t mean pearly white teeth with an Oscar in hand. It’s that fake smile that works well with the camera’s flashes. As I grew older, I developed a fairly good relationship with the lens and my …
Jun|08|2007
Journey to Self-discovery
Posted by Jen as Backpacking & Budget, Features, Tips
Funny how the “journey to self-discovery” almost always never is an actual, physical journey. It’s mostly a self-realization thing that starts making itself known in high school. There is nothing wrong nor lacking in such a journey. However, for those who crave a more adventurous path to self-discovery, there is one option available.
Backpacking.
According to yourdictionary.com, backpacking is ” to hike while carrying a backpack” and “to travel about or journey on foot.” Today, more and more students are deciding to take a year off from entering college to embark on this self-chartered adventure. To parents who might be reading this, backpacking isn’t necessarily just a way to get out of the house and out of your eyes. ~:>
A lot of life’s lessons are out there waiting to be discovered. Just learning how to navigate a map, for example, literally and figuratively… Knowing where one wants to go and finding …
Jun|04|2007
Ski Resorts Turn into New Leaves
Posted by Jen as Eco-Friendly, Features, Resorts, United States
Snow and global warming don’t mix, ski resort owners seem to realize these days. Instead of the usual electric generators, more and more ski resorts are now turning to a greener way of providing electricity.
the hope of the modern ski resort
According to National Geographic, “twenty-two resorts in seven states now use wind power credits to supply 100 percent of their electricity demands.Together the areas purchase 305,074,498 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity and keep about 372,383,234 pounds of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas believed to be causing global warming, from entering the atmosphere.”
Other alternatives include building windmills for on site power gathering. Some resorts that cannot possibly handle major infrastructure changes can still make use of wind power by purchasing energy credits from central suppliers. This means that resorts can still be operated through eco-friendly …
May|25|2007
Kids Traveling Outside the Box
Posted by Jen as Family, Travelogger
Some of the best family vacations I’ve had are those that involve airplanes and passports. Flying out of the country has always been an adventure for me. As young as elementary school, I saw myself as a jet setter (even when I didn’t even know the meaning of that word then). I reveled in the “new” the “exotic” and the “unfamiliar.”
To this day, I’m forever thankful that my parents allowed me to experience such diverse environments. Being engulfed in a totally different culture has made my mind broader and more open to ideas. It has also made me more respectful of cultural differences.
I remember our trip to Japan. Everything seemed magical there and the people were so disciplined. The streets were cleaner than my bedroom. One thing I can’t forget is when I held on tightly to a small piece of candy wrapper. We were crossing the street then and …
May|24|2007
A Day With Someone Else’s Family
Posted by Jen as Family, Features
Summer’s almost over and I have yet to step foot on a beach. No pool for me either. Everyone’s just so preoccupied with their own thing that the idea of taking a vacation seems to be the last thing on their minds. My parents are more focused on running our new restaurant (which is less than five months old). My sister has a steady job and will be pursuing a masters degree soon. My younger siblings are distracted by their swimming lessons.
That just leaves me floating around the house. Writing, playing Suikoden and being the occasional grandmama bait is fine but the Sagittarian in me is aching to go out and just do something!
Fortunately, I had my chance to step out of the house a few days ago when BoyfriendJay’s family “adopted” me for the day. We went to Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rose, Laguna. I’ve been with …
