travel
Defying Gravity!
SKYDIVE — Pushing yourself to the limits is an ecstatic experience. I have been dreaming of trying to throw myself off the plane like how James bond does and im so blessed that finally I have tried too! Recently during my annual vacation —only time I can have a life each year— I visited sky dive dubai. These institution was established since 2010 (more or less) in Dubai since few Royal blood is a big fan of this extreme sports. To cut it short, it was SPECTACULAR experience, woh! So blessed ^_^
PS: since this blog opt to help others who wanna try, here are some details
General
– They have two dropzones: Palm & Desert. The former is more ideal for recreational divers (it’s gonna be the PALM JUMERA on your pic, common) and the latter holds their Diving School students, mostly.
– The Palm DZ costs usually 250+/- than the other. We’ve booked our online for 1,999 AED. I have talked with a friend that he was able to book for roughly a thousand AED. So better check their site for promotions
Something more PERSONAL
– Put on something comfortable and picture/video pleasing (your discretion though). Sporty is the best but I was on denim shorts since I had some wardrobe malfunction. Pick something lively in color for your top especially when you’ve got other friends to shoot you when you land, it’s easier for them to identify it’s you. Remember, they really get super nice HD pictures and videos, you would want to look best on this once in a lifetime experience .
– Better just grab a bite (they have a cafeteria right next to their main building) before your flight just in case you get nauseated. You dun wanna throw up right after you land, it will ruin your personalize Skydive video.
– They usually asked few general questions before and after your dive. So if you’re an OC you can start making up your script: P
– If possible check if your DVDs (photos & video) are working before leaving the center. My friend’s got jammed up and policy wise they ask for 100 AED for another copy. Maybe you can ask the staff in the gear store (where you wait and get your DVDs) to check it for you.
– Enjoy! Savor the experience, not everyone got a chance to try this. Chat with your tandem and your camera man. Most of their staffs are really cool! — People who are lucky enough to do their hobby everyday and on top of that get paid, envious
My —ahem ahem…— personalized video here
Skydive Dubai Official Website
©KrystaPalma2013
BKK — it’s sweeter the second time around ♡
who doesn’t love Bangkok? everyone, i believe, who have set foot on this metropolis have fallen in love on its culture and how it could offer multifaceted experience radiating from Siam’s era to its contemporary society.
personally, i favor this country because of my amazing thai-family and the rest of amazing things are just bonuses 😀 my second visit last 2012 made me appreciate more the soul of Siam — got overwhelmed with shopping the first time —. I was able to explore the city by foot and just bum around with the best perk, THAI FOOD 😀
What to see?
JIM THOMPSON HOUSE MUSEUM – old well preserved house owned by an american businessman who saved Thailand’s silk industry from extinction. nice place to see old Thai paintings, antiques and the old fashion way of extracting silk from cocoons. also they got a boutique that sells wonderful silk products
GRAND PALACE – of course. but can’t tell much about this one except one must wear heel lenght pants/skirt (definitely no leggings), at least a shirt-sleeve length top and shoes for them to admit you — got a clue why i can’t tell much? T.T — plus 400 baht entrance fee 🙂
WAT PO – the temple of the humongous reclining buddah. it aint that strict as the Grand Palace’s dress protocol therefore i was able to appreciate the sophisticated details of a thia buddist temple
TEMPLE OF THE DAWN – we ran out of time therefore we just had a glimpse of it while on the water ferry.
SIAM PARAGON – high end shopping mall along the bts train station
CENTRAL WORLD -a station away from Siam Paragon. a huge shopping mall that is just behind the low cost MBK. they got really wonderful decoration during holidays
MBK – perfect place to shop if you dun mind the labels. one can find quality products from head to toe in a pocket friendly prices, more if you’ll go whole sale (3 or more pcs)
the best PERKS! 😀
there’s no language barrier nor cultural gap once we talk about food and being in Thailand, i’m so thankful that it’s true ^_^
©KrystaPalma2012
SunSandSurf!
Siargao is a heaven for thrill-seeker-beach-lover pals like me.
Located in the northern most of Mindanao is a group of island that faces the Pacific, the Dinagat Islands. One of these is Siargao, the surfing capital of the Philippines. Year long it hosts various surfing compitition which culminates usually on the 3rd week of september.
the Cloude9 Boardwalk
How to get there?
Air: direct flights to the island from cebu are available everyday via cebupacific airlines
http://cebupacificair.com
Land: from Surigao City you can take a ferry ride (approx 1.5~2hrs) or lantsa* (1~1.5hrs) to cross to Siargao. You will dock at Dapa then you’ve got to catch a tricycle, a van or a habal-habal to General Luna. Fare range from 15-50 Php/pax
*lantsa usually leaves earlier than the ferry, around 5:30am
Where to stay?
Nature inspired hostels (huts/cottages/bungalow) to high end resorts are available. We stayed on Shot’s, a family owned bungalow type place. We paid 1000Php for an AC, 2-bed, private bath room. There are more cheap place but we opt to stay on ate Shot’s because they just welcome us like we’re folks.
For references these are the other resorts’ prices:
What to try/see?
Surfing – of course! For rookies, there are a handful of local surfers who can teach you. An hour of tutorial from basics to hitting the waves including the board will cost 500 Php.
For pros (or wannabes), most of the resorts on the island rent off surfing board on these rate range: Whole day – 600, half day – 400, hourly – 200
Started with a 9″ board
then leveled up to a 7″
Sight Seeing – Magpupungko & Taktak Falls. The former is a must-see. For details please refer to my older post “Magpupungko — squat pool”
Island Hopping – 😦 sadly we weren’t able to do this because of unsupportive weather condition. But base on the facts gathered (naks.) there are various islets nearby Siargao that has wonderful white sand shorea. Or if you wanna go big time, check Sohoton Cove & Bucas Grande
©KrystaPalma2012
Random travel thought on a sleepless night :D
It’s been 4 years since i have discovered that i have fallen inlove with travelling. I blame it to my genes, haha!
For those few years i have visited quiet few places. God was so gracious that since 2009 i got to add at least a country on my list. And one thing i have learned in my yet short journey is that it’s not much about the place or the type of travel you had but to whom you share those memories with. I’ve been in a cruise ship for roughly 52 days; docked on 5 countries within ASEAN and experience the best of it’s culture; flew out to japan and ate ramen in a ramen house, wear ukatana sewed by my foster grand mom and laid a hand on an antique katana; biked more than 10kms to&from to see the ankor watt’sunset (yet just got soaked); explored most of the beautiful beach places of philippines… But in the end when i look at those pictures or play it again on my mind what surfaces are the laughs, not too nice comments and conversations of the people i’ve been with. I’m blessed that in all those trips i had much of what matters most and so looking forward to find someone whom i can permanently share those in tha future (haha!) 🙂
Eto na 