With Love, Sam: July 2017

You know that restaurant that you always pass by or hear about but never tried out for some unknown reason? Well, Arariyo is probably one of those restaurants on my list.

Arariyo is a Korean barbeque restaurant located at the Q-Plaza in San Isidro, Cainta. You can either choose from their wide range of a la carte meals ranging from PHP 120.00 to 900.00 or you can try out their unlimited barbeque promos ranging from PHP 299.00 to 450.00 which also includes unlimited side dishes from kimchi to spicy fish cakes. They also have a lunch promo for selected dishes for only PHP 199.00 which can only be availed during the weekdays (except holidays). And they also sell other korean products such as the famous Shin Ramyun, gochujang - which you can use for cooking, pepero and a wide array of ice cream from as low as PHP 35.00 to PHP 60.00!

The first time I found out about Arariyo was when my family and I went to Puregold and looked around the Q Plaza to see what was new about a year or so ago. Ever since, I constantly heard about the restaurant from my other friends but because our schedules were constantly changing, we never got to try it out. Last night, a few of my best friends surprisingly went to the house to pick me up for a late dinner at this restaurant (at last!). We were on the waiting list for quite a while but it was understandable because it was a Saturday and also pay day. We waited for twenty minutes or so before a table became available.

Since the place was jam-packed with customers, we cannot really blame the servers who do not come right away whenever we press the buzzer but I will definitely come back here with friends and family next time! Definitely worth PHP 299.00!

Arariyo is open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Their cut-off for serving unlimited meat and side dishes is until 9:30 PM only.

Hey there! Did you find this article useful? Feel free to share this with your friends and family by clicking one of the share buttons below. If you have any suggestions/comments, leave a comment below. If you want to collaborate, send me an e-mail at withlovesamblog@gmail.com. Kamsahamnida!

July 30, 2017 No comments

"When problems are shared, they are halved; Happiness when shared, is doubled."

This famous saying that Park Shin Hye told her fans during one of her tour segments is just an icing on the cake of her Flower of Angel Asia Tour here in Manila courtesy of BENCH/ at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. Manila is one of four Asian countries that Park Shin Hye visited to get real close and personal with her fans. She even hosted her own show - which was translated by Miss Sam Oh! - and despite the storm, fangirls from all over the country braved the weather just to see their idol as she returns to the Philippines for the second time.

Super sayang lang because I really wanted to sit somewhere near the stage but since late ang tita niyo, inabutan na ko ng mahabang pila and so I ended up sitting sa lowerbox area. It was a little far but it was elevated so okay na din. I joined a few people I met outside the coliseum since I did not have anyone with me hehe (shoutout to them if they are reading this right now!).

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the fun meet/concert that I took the other night plus a quick recap and highlights of the tour! I only took these pictures using my phone so my apologies for the quality!

1. She sang a couple of her songs from Doctors, Pinocchio, The Heirs, Heartstrings and You're Beautiful!

Major throwback! Especially when she sang songs from her older dramas like 'The Day We Fall in Love' from Heartstrings! She also had visuals from her more recent dramas like 'The Heirs' and 'Doctors'. Kilig feels all over again!

2. She talked about a few of her favorite scenes in her recent drama, Doctors.

When she showed this scene, the whole coliseum got super kilig! She instantly covered her face and laughed upon knowing that Filipinos love these scenes. She reminded us that the purpose of the show was to be wholesome and to be enjoyed even by minors (total LOL) and that the children in her foundation (Shin Hye Center) was in the audience.

Shin Hye lit up when this scene was shown on the screen because she remembered that they were only supposed to film one song but ended up doing five instead. She also shared some of her favorite artists - H.O.T being one of them - which she always picks when she's at the noraebang (a karaoke place). When asked if she could dance even just a little just as she did in the scene, she jokingly said that her body is not the same as it used to be (we beg to differ, Shin Hye!).

3. Lucky fans got to reenact scenes from Doctors with Shin Hye!

And the lucky fans got to go home with a polaroid picture with Shin Hye!

4. Her 'Counsel with Dr. Yoo' segment.

Shin Hye puts on her white coat from Doctors once again and gives advice as Dr. Yoo to three fans who are struggling to find inspiration and motivation in pursuing their long time dream, studies, and even some fashion tips.

She was extremely flattered when people see her as a fashion icon and told her fans that it is important to dress appropriately depending on the time and place. She also said that when dressing up, it is important to showcase our best qualities.

The three chosen fans were called on stage and were given a prescription with Shin Hye's written advice. Their tears couls not stop flowing when Shin Hye gave them words of encouragement. Each person was also given a gift courtesy of BENCH/.

5. When she prepared a dosirak and gave it to a lucky fan!

Personally, I adored this segment because of her cute expressions while she was preparing the three-layered lunchbox with her manager. Shin Hye prepared tuna rice balls in the shape of a bunny and a bear, croissant sandwiches, and fruits.

While she adorably struggled to put the gim cutouts on the rice balls, she shared with the fans her love for cooking and that she always try to prepare meals whenever she is at home.

She also lets the fans choose which ingredients to put inside the sandwiches. When it was time to put the sauce, fans quickly reacted which caused her to be super surprised and decided not to put anything (lol).

Like the other fans called on stage, this lucky fan took home a polaroid picture with the adorable doshirak that Shin Hye just made! Congrats, ate! Hehe.

6. That one fangirl who knew every song Shin Hye sang (and the lyrics too!)

In this tour segment, five lucky fans were drawn to participate in this game called Angel's Jukebox. The mechanics were very simple: a short tune from Shin Hye's songs will be played and the first to grab the mic has to guess the title and sing the song, wins.

One fan stood among the rest because as soon as the five second clip was played, she instantly ran for the microphone. Shin Hye was amazed when she guessed it quickly and was blown away when she knew every word! She was even put on time out twice just so other fans will have the chance to guess the songs. Ikaw na talaga, ate! Haha.

7. When Sam Oh was 'too-cute-for-words' as she translates everything Shin Hye was saying.

Since Park Shin Hye could not speak straight English, she needed a translator and I was beyond excited when Sam Oh took the part because she is one of my absolute favorite radio hosts on Magic 89.9 (because we used to always listen to them in the morning going to school). During the tour, there were times that Shin Hye would casually react to something (like when she was frustrated with the gim cutouts on the tuna balls or when she reacted to the guy fixing the selfie stick and said he broke it). Sam Oh would translate it all and it was beyond adorable and a definite highlight of my night (lol).

So that's all for the tour's recap and highlights! The show lasted for two hours but everybody felt like it flew by so quickly. Despite the extremely long line that everyone had to endure that day, it was all worth it and we, the fans, are already waiting for your return Shin Hye! Saranghae! ♡

Also, thank you BENCH/ for making this fan meet possible! Honestly, I never thought fan meets would be this fun! I cannot wait for the next hallyu stars to be featured in your future collections! (seriously hoping for Lee Jong Suk and Kim Ji Won!!! Lol.)

Hey there! Did you find this article useful? Feel free to share this with your friends and family by clicking one of the share buttons below. If you have any suggestions/comments, leave a comment below. If you want to collaborate, send me an e-mail at withlovesamblog@gmail.com. Kamsahamnida!

July 30, 2017 No comments

July 27, 2017 No comments

In this fast-paced world, don't you just want to take a step back and just live in the moment? Do things you couldn't do? Discover new passions and skills? Learn something new? That is what I'm doing as of 2017! Taking a year off and just go with the flow.

Four months ago, just after graduation, I told myself that I would take atleast one or two months off. I needed it because I was feeling uninspired ever since the year kicked in. I even thought of joining my mom, who has recently retired from her work, in those two months as she travels the world to celebrate her retirement but she decided to save it for a later day. And I, after getting piled up with school work and real work over the years, just wanted to lay off of everything (I even left social media for almost two months) and just take a breather so I decided to do other things.

Many of you might think that taking a gap year after college is a daring move especially when job hunting has become a serious challenge as the years go by. You're probably thinking, "aren't you nervous that you might not find a job after this so-called rest?" and honestly, I am afraid that nobody might accept me but would you rather have me work right after and get lazy? If you are from Human Resources, you would immediately fire me for giving such a poor performance and that would stain my resume until the day I retire. Not good for the both of us, right?

Deciding to fully extend it until the end of the year, doesn't mean that I would lounge around in the house and not do anything. That is an improper way to take a gap year. I believe, as what I've mentioned earlier, that taking a gap year means that you can finally do the things you wish you could have done before like learning a new sport or a language, acquiring a new skill, or you can travel and learn about new cultures.

In light of this, here are 8 of the activities that I have done or currently doing that you can try out, too:

1. Get rid of your old stuff.
Getting rid of my old stuff was a combination of relief and a serious case of attachment. After all, how could you let go of the items you once loved? But like a past relationship, there comes a time when you have to move on (uyy hugot). I think, somewhere at the back of my head, I was itching to do this but I just couldn't because I was busy with school and every time summer break hits, I would just think to myself, "ay magagamit pa yan next year." then hide it and forget about it. Sometimes, because you forgot about it, you will buy a new one and this cycle goes on repeat like your favorite artist's new song until eventually, you realize you have tons of things and you have no idea what to do with it.

If you have big, old boxes lying around the house then now is the perfect time to make use of it! Set four boxes and label them with "sell", "donate", "keep", and "throw away". If you have siblings/younger cousins who goes to school or even your family members who might need a notepad or two, give your school/office supplies to them. If you also have old books that might help, ask them if they want it and if not? Donate them or throw them away. One man's trash is another one's treasure, or so they say.

Trust me, at the end of all this, you'd be amazed to see how much stuff went out the door (mine got replaced by my mom's stuff though lol). This is also the perfect opportunity to live the minimalist life you dreamed of having.

For those who needs a little push and motivation: 7 Tiny Steps for the Beginner Minimalist

2. Sell pre-loved clothes.
This is entirely optional but if you spent time clearing out your old stuff, why not include your clothes too? Try wearing a few pieces you're uncertain of and take a good look at yourself if you still need it or not and if you're having some trouble, ask your parents or friends what they think about it but trust me when I say that you should not take too long in deciding because you will probably think of a hundred reasons why you should keep it even though you need to give it away. If you have a timeless closet (meaning that no matter what season it is, it always fits the trend), then lucky you but for if you have a fast fashion closet, you'll mostly find yourself doing this every season.

Download an app (ex. Carousell) where you can just take snaps of your pre-loved clothing then sell/trade it online. If you are new to this sort of thing just like myself, the app is pretty simple to use and you can also opt to do meet-ups or just ship the item via Fastrack or Xend. Just make sure that if you will ship items that you include the shipping fee in your price!

Carousell is not just limited to pre-loved clothes, you can also sell pre-loved items (gadgets, furniture, appliances, etc.) or even brand new ones! You can even do trades if the seller permits it. Don't be scared that nobody might want to buy your items. At first, I thought nobody would take an interest in buying old clothes but I was surprised when people started to send me messages asking about the clothes on the very same day I posted them!

3. Help out local organizations.
Helping out has always been in my to-do list. I just wanted to do it when I had enough time and money so I could help raise awareness in conserving the environment, protect animals and even give scholarships to children so they can continue their studies. With almost a year worth of free time, I can finally squeeze in volunteer works in some of the local organizations that we have.

Our country has a lot of organizations, both well-known and not, from environmental to humanitarian. Find an organization that suits your visions and goals, reach out to them, and if you can't donate then why not try doing some volunteer work? Some might be too far away and if your parents are not allowing you, why not try asking your local community?

Become a volunteer today.

4. Try taking free online courses
I have recently enrolled myself in two online courses through Coursera. Coursera is a website/application that let's you take online courses from top instructors from the world's best universities (such as Ivy League schools like Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania and more). You can also take specialization classes where you'll be able to master a specific career skill or you can even earn a degree after one to three years! Most of the classes are free but if you want to earn a certificate at the end, you have to pay a certain amount depending on the class you're taking. What's great about the Coursera app is that it lets you download your content so you can use it without wifi connection so you can watch or listen to the lectures everywhere!

Initially, my plan was to take online courses related to Events Management so I can eventually (no pun intended lol) work my way into becoming a Certified Special Events Professional but unfortunately, they don't have free courses and it would cost me around 30 to 75,000 pesos to take the course so I am constantly on the lookout but while I am still *barely* trying to save money, I decided to use this time to learn about other topics that are not related to tourism or events.

Note: some classes have already started and will probably last about four to six weeks (most online courses) so before you enroll, make sure that you take a look at your schedule first and see if you can follow through.

5. Learn a new language
As I've mentioned in #4, I enrolled myself in two online courses. Coursera also offers language classes so I enrolled myself in a Basic Korean class which is offered by Yonsei University, one of South Korea's most pretigious universities. They also offer other languages such as Mandarin, Spanish, etc. from other schools so if you want to be a little extra on your resume, learning the basics now would be a good way to start! Also, they offer higher salaries if you can speak and understand other languages, especially Mandarin!

When taking language classes, I personally like having someone as a partner so I can practice the language. In school, we learned Mandarin and French and it helps a lot having someone so you can easily understand rather than just memorizing and forgetting it later (just like my French lol).

6. Find a new hobby.
When we're too busy doing the same things over and over again, we often find ourselves worn out from doing the same, old job every single day. If you're taking a gap year, why not try something new for a change? Try a new sport, learn how to paint, write a book... the list of activities goes on and on. As most workshops happen during the summer, depending on your interests, you can always search the web if they offer classes or workshops on regular days.

As for me, I am trying to steadily blog because I have attempted for so many times and I have constantly failed because I was too busy to update it. I might try pottery since I found a school in Quezon City but I will have to check if it is easily accessible (because I rely on Uber to take me to places I have not been to but now, thanks to LTFRB, I have to find a safe way for me to get to somewhere! Sorry for the short rant).

Just remember: It will happen if you want it to happen.

7. Do freelance jobs.
Taking a gap year means that it is also the best time to test out your skills without straining yourself. If you are unsure of joining the big corporate world then freelancing might be the answer. What's great about it is that you only have a few days or weeks to get the job done and see if you really have a knack for it.

Depending on your specialization, you can start by asking your friends or family if they need help with something that you can do or related to your field. Extend it further by asking their friends and family as well or you can opt sign up in websites that offers freelance jobs in the Philippines (or your home country).

8. Travel

Realistically speaking, as a college graduate who does not have a stable job and earns through just selling clothes at the moment, that it is not enough for me to travel somewhere besides Makati City so I solely rely on my mom and my relatives at the moment when it comes to traveling. But, if you are someone who has earned quite a lot or if you have savings from your previous jobs then feel free to travel as you please.

Most international flights are expensive but hey, the Philippines has over 7,107 islands why not try visiting a few? I am twenty one years old and let me tell you, I can count the number of places I have been to and that is quite embarassing, honestly. Also! You can try subscribing to airlines so they will send you an e-mail whenever they have seat sales.

Fair warning: I am neither encouraging nor dissuading you to take a gap year. It will all depend on yourselves if you want to do it or not. I am just here to share with you what you can do if you are fully committed to taking a year off. I know that some people will feel more sluggish and there are some people who will feel refreshed, so think about it. If you don't know what to do, you can talk to your parents, relatives, and even your friends and ask their opinions about it then weigh in your options.

July 16, 2017 No comments

Mark your calendars because July is about to get a little extra!

I recently scrolled through Facebook's Events page to see what interesting events I can come to while I'm taking a gap year. Lo and behold, I came across these notable events this July... and it's all happening at Bonifacio Global City!

Image result for cafe scientifique mind museum

Cafe Scientifique's Their Own Mind: Ways to Look at Artificial Intelligence

Thanks to advanced technology, robots these days are getting more and more intelligent but can they be creative?

Learn something new about artificial intelligence by joining Mind Museum as they show the re-screening of the 2017 World Science Festival and get engrossed as artists, computer scientists, and experts in neuroscience and psychology discuss the possibilities of computers to get more innovative!

Cafe Scientifique's Their Own Mind: Ways to Look at Artificial Intelligence, July 22, Saturday, 4:00-6:00 PM, at the Mind Museum, JY Campus Park, 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

* Please be reminded that access to the museum's main galleries are not included. To reserve your seats, fill up this form. For more information about this event or other promos offered by the Mind Museum, simply visit their website or send them an e-mail.

Certified Financial Advisors Philippines' Millennials in Pursuit of Passion: Building a Career Beyond the Office

Calling all the millennials who are feeling a little salty that their chosen career is not going as planned (yes, I'm feeling all the millennial terms right now lol)!

Most millennials are scared of being confined in the office 24/7 but thanks to CFA PH, they, in cooperation with Sun Life Financial, are going to share their expertise for free and rekindle the love and passion of anyone who needs a little pick-me-up through their #LiveBrighter sessions. Explore all options outside the four walls of the office, achieve that work-life balance everyone aspires to have, and make a difference in this world while you get paid! Definitely #goals!

This session is highly recommended for the people who are in the following industries:

Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO)
Information Technology (IT)
Real Estate
Pharmaceutical Sales
Insurance
Sales and Marketing
or anyone who are in the enterprising and/or entrepreneurial industries

Certified Financial Advisors Philippines' Millennials in Pursuit of Passion: Building a Career Beyond the Office, July 29, Saturday, 2:00 to 4:00 PM, at the 2nd Floor at Sun Life Centre, 5th Avenue corner Rizal Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

* Take note that this is a pre-registered event and they are not going to accept walk-ins so be sure to register here.

Grab this opportunity to expand your knowledge and your resume (without hurting your wallet!) by registering before they run out of seats! See you all there!

Hey there! Did you find this article useful? Feel free to share this with your friends and family by clicking one of the share buttons below. If you have any suggestions/comments, leave a comment below. If you want to collaborate, send me an e-mail at withlovesamblog@gmail.com. Kamsahamnida!

July 11, 2017 No comments

If you have no hiking experience (*slowly raises both hands*) but want to challenge yourself then Sagada might be a good place to start!

The moment you book those bus tickets means that you have to physically (and mentally) commit yourself to hours of walking under the scorching sun and/or heavy rain; climbing slippery rocks or trying to fit into small cave holes; and charging through cold waters in dark caves to get to the finish line. But, at the end of that hardship, you will feel rewarded with your accomplishment as you admire the view before you (then you realize that you have to go through the same thing to get back lol).

Sagada, as described by The Lonely Planet, is the closest thing the Philippines has to a Southeast Asian backpacker mecca. A small town located in the Cordillera mountains, it is known for its majestic sunrise and sunset views on top of mountain peaks and heart-racing cave connections. Although Sagada is known as a haven for thrill-seekers, it is also possible to find tranquility within its mountains.

[ SEE OUR ITINERARY HERE ]

How did we get there?

Male passengers and CODA staff helping one another to move a giant rock out of the way!

My mom and I were chance passengers and since it was no longer peak season, we easily got a seat but this is method is certainly not recommended. It would be better if you called the bus line and booked a ticket in advance just so you don't waste your time waiting for an opening. We took the CODA Bus, which leaves at 9:00 PM, from HM Bus Terminal in Monte Piedad, Cubao to Sagada as recommended by my cousin who has frequently traveled there for work. The trip takes roughly around twelve hours with three to four bus stops along the way. CODA doesn't have online reservations so you will have to contact them but I recently discovered PinoyTravel, a website that allows you to book bus or ferry rides in the Philippines (friendly reminder: you have to book at least four days before the trip!). You can use that to book your ride to and from Sagada online. For CODA, the price per person is PHP 720.00 (one way).

Where did we stay?

My mom and I stayed at the Coffee Heritage House. It's a little far from town but you will surely fall in love with the place, as I have, and the staff are very welcoming plus the food is truly delicious! I've tasted every single dish from their menu but nothing beats their Adobo sa Kape and Danggit! And their coffee is also one of a kind! It doesn't take bitter and goes well with their food.

To get to CHH, you will have to ride a jeep to Bangaan (bang-nga-an). A jeep costs PHP 20.00 per person. They also have a schedule that you must follow to get there or else you'll find yourself walking to the hostel. The jeepneys from the town center start their trips at 8:00 AM and their last trip to Bangaan is around 5:00 PM. Some, at 3:00 PM. You can also hitch a ride if there are cars that will go to the same direction as the hostel but if none, it will cost you around PHP 500.00 to 700.00 if you are going to hire someone. If you are staying at the hotel and want to go to town, there is usually a jeep around 12:00 to 12:30 PM that will pass by the basketball court.

There are two ways to get to the hostel, one is a 15-20 minute walk but on cemented road (if you are going to use a private car, this is the road that you will use) and the other is going through the forest but will only take about 7-10 minutes. If you want to take the shorter route, just alight at the Bangaan basketball court near the church. Feel free to ask the locals because they know where CHH is and won't hesitate to assist you, should you need help. You can also ask the ladies in the tourist center near the basketball court for help (FYI, this is where you'll get a tour to Bomod-ok Falls as well. Shoutout to Miss Sati and their dog, Zip!)

Where did we go?

Like you, I also depended on other blogs and TripAdvisor to build our itinerary and Sagada is quite small so you'll probably see the same suggestions across the web. I highly recommend that you try visiting Bomod-ok Falls (3-4 hours total), Mt. Kiltepan (1-2 hours), Adventure Trail from St. Mary's Church to Twin Falls (4-5 hours) where you get to see Echo Valley, the hanging coffins, and Sagada Underground River; and lastly, Sugong Hanging Coffins and the Cave Connections - Lumiang and Sumaging (5-6 hours). Many people also suggest Lake Danum and Marlboro Country but we never got a chance to go there.

As for the CHH Coffee Farm tour, we were only lucky that we were given a chance to know the full history of the hostel and their coffee through the owners but, as of today, they are not offering tours on a regular basis. They do, however, offer guests a chance to experience planting and harvesting coffee. If you guys are coffee lovers and are interested in doing so, feel free to contact them here or visit the Coffee Science Center at the 45 Maalalahanin Street, Brgy. Teacher's Village, East Diliman, Quezon City.

What restaurants did we try in Sagada?

If you've seen our itinerary, you would know that we were mostly eating at the hostel or at Bana's. So, I'll probably have to write this down as one of my next post goals when I return. Like I've said, the danggit and adobo at Coffee Heritage House is heavenly—shoutout to Chef Chad!—and you'll probably want to try their Etag Carbonara. As for Bana's Cafe, what can I say? They're a perfect go-to place to have breakfast! They also offer civet coffee so if you want to try that out, I suggest that you try it at Bana's but be warned though, the coffee is more expensive that what you ate for breakfast! lol.

Another reason why we never got to try other restaurants is because some of the recommended ones such as Yogurt House and Strawberry Yogurt House were closed. We also couldn't try the Log Cabin because the timing was always off. We did, however, got to eat at the Lemon Pie House and Gaia Cafe. I wasn't quite thrilled with Lemon Pie House because they only had two food items on the menu at the time—chicken adobo and chicken curry—and I found the lemon pie wasn't special at all.

Gaia Cafe was another story. We went there after spelunking with our tour guide to grab a bite before we head back to town and many people raved about the view (and because 'That Thing Called Tadhana' was filmed here) but sadly, since it started to rain, the clouds were starting to descend and cover the rice terraces from sight. It wasn't completely a waste because you can slowly see the clouds descending from the mountains. And because of the cold weather, pair your meal with a delicious cup of hot chocolate! What I love about this cafe is that the ingredients they use are organic and locally grown which befits the name 'Gaia'. Interesting enough, if you like to drink beer, you might want to try the locally made beers that are infused with coffee, banana, etc. that they sell for around PHP 110.00 to 140.00 per bottle.

When is the best time to go to Sagada?

Many people will suggest that summer/dry season (around February/March to April) would be the best time to visit Sagada because you don't have to worry about the water rising in the caves, the rocks getting slippery, and there are tons of summer activities such as canyoneering or canoeing that you can try. But, I personally prefer May because the wind and the water is colder and it's not as hot during the day. Do expect heavy rains around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon!

Tips and reminders:

First and foremost, if you plan to go to Sagada, prepare your heart. Not metaphorically speaking but literally... go do some cardio activities or head to the gym a week or two before. Trust me, you will appreciate this. (unless you are used to it then skip this number and ignore me lol.)
Once you get there, be sure to pay the tourism fee which costs PHP 35.00 per person. This is a must for every tourist and you must have the receipt with you at all times, especially when you're going for a tour!
You must always have a tour guide with you. You can't enter the caves by yourself or go around Echo Valley without a guide.
If you didn't book online, be sure to have a seat/s reserved for you and your companions for the bus ride going home. Seats will quickly fill up, especially during the summer, so be sure to drop by the bus line's office and book it immediately before you leave the town.
Before our trip, I bought a waterproof iPad case at Japan Home Center for around PHP 88.00 and used it as an emergency kit. I placed my IDs, extra money, food, a spare flashlight and whistle just in case something happens to me (God forbid) during one of the tours. We may never know but it's better to be safe than sorry!
If you plan to go to Sagada during the rainy season, make sure to bring a raincoat.
This is still the Philippines so make sure you buy a bug repellant or use citronella oil just in case a mosquito decides to pay you a visit. I recommend that you buy the ones from Human Nature. Cheap but very effective! And it's made with natural ingredients!
Use a waterproof bag. This will save you the headache during the rainy season and whenever you're touring around because you'll pass by rivers, caves, etc.
If you don't have a waterproof bag, you can always use ziplocks! My bag isn't waterproof so I placed all of my stuff in ziplocks and this came in handy during our spelunking activities.
Since we are in the spelunking topic, may I remind you that if you plan to try the Lumiang-Sumaging cave connections: prepare yourselves mentally! I literally was on the verge of crying because there are three drops and you'll have to go through slippery rocks, small cave holes, cold water, climb rocks without a harness or a rope (yes, you will basically just use your hands and feet and find your way up those slippery rocks)... and many more. And also, wear something comfortable (like leggings! Don't imitate me and wear swimming shorts because you'll get scratches all over your legs).
As for the shoes, it's not really recommended to wear any when you're spelunking but do invest on a good quality pair of shoes for your hiking trip!
Last but not the least, enjoy and record your experiences. You might find it exhausting but at the end of the day, you will realize that you might not have the chance to do it again so have fun while you're at it!

July 05, 2017 No comments

July 04, 2017 No comments

With Love, Sam

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