Air Supply Live in Asia

I love their songs but I never realized I am such a fan of the group until I saw them perform live last night.

Russ Letizia showing his stuff

Their songs suddenly came alive and before I knew it, my friends and I were singing along loudly and acting every bit as a groupie -- chasing them around the concert hall when they got off stage (as far as the marshals would allow, that is) and springing upfront when they told the crowd that we can move closer to the stage! And here I thought I would only do that in Gary V concerts(I am a huge fan of Garv Valenciano since childhood)! LOL

Here were some of the favorite songs during the concert:
1) Goodbye
2) Even the Nights are Better
3) Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)
4) Two Less Lonely People
5) The One That You Love
6) Every Woman In The World
7) Just a Little Bit More
8) Lost in Love
9) I'll Find You
10) All Out of Love (my all time favorite!)

Everyone in the group was awesome: Frankie Moreno on piano, Russ Letizia on guitar, Mike Zerbe on drums and of course, Graham Russell (in his silky hawaiian shirt and noncholant humour) and Russell Hitchcock (in his old school blue vest and his groovy dance moves) on vocals.

saying goodbye to the crowd

Checkout more photos in Air Supply in Asia.

Such a good deal given our 61SGD tickets. And boy, we really did get up-close!

Paradise in Malaysia

We were supposed to go to Bali. But then as our busy schedules would have it, we weren't able to book our hotel nor our flight. So upon a friend's recommendation, off we went to Perhentian Islands in Malaysia without exactly knowing what to expect when we get there.

Perhentian Islands is a group of islands at the north eastern side of the Malaysian peninsula. It is composed of Pulau Perhentian Kecil (the small island) and Pulau Perhentian Besar (the big island), both known for its diving spots and exquisite unadultered beauty.

a crude map of the islands

The Long Beach in Perhentian Kecil is a favorite among Europeans. It has a nice long stretch of white sandy shores and a variety of dining options within walking distance. It has the right amount of noise and buzz to keep the island alive especially at night.

Long Beach, Perhentian Kecil

Pulau Perhentian Besar on the other hand is the quieter, more laid back island frequented by locals. It provides a perfect solace for anyone who wants to get away from all the stress of the city life.

dusk at Perhentian Besar

From Singapore, we flew to Kuala Lumpur then from KL took another flight to Kota Bahru. From Kota Bahru, there was an hour ride to the sleepy town of Kuala Besut then finally a 30-minute speedboat ride to the islands. We stayed at Coral View Resort at Perhentian Besar for 3 nights. The resort was very laid back and comfortable, the chalets simple but clean and well maintained. Coral View Resort is not exactly a posh resort but for an island accommodation, the chalets are way, way better than our usual accommodations when we go surfing in Philippines :) I suggest though that you choose the sea view chalets to save you the walk to and from the beach. But if you and your group would want a more secluded and private chalet then the hill view ones would be okay (wouldn't take you 10 mins to get to the beach).

chalets at Coral View Resort, Perhentian Besar

Coral View also has an internet room which you can use for a minimum amount, a nice dining area (overlooking the sea) and very accommodating and friendly staff. We were forever requesting for anything and everything (extra towels, extra mattress, room relocations, etc) and the people there really found time to quickly attend to our needs (special thanks to Ayi and Faiz -- hope i spelled your names right :)).

dining at Coral View Resort

The restaurant does not have a wide variety of dishes to choose from but the food was good and you can easily explore the nearby resorts for other dining options. No alcoholic drinks are offered in restaurants across all resorts (except for some in Long Beach) as it is part of an Islamic state but you're welcome to bring your own drinks and have your usual night cap in your chalets.

It wasn't my usual beach or surfing trip but overall, it was an amazing experience -- I saw sharks, turtles, swordfishes, flying fishes and lots and lots of other fishes. I had a fun time swimming and exploring the islands via water taxis (I can't get over how beautiful it was to ride the water taxi in the stillness of the night with a blanket of stars for your light). I nearly had a heart attack while jumping off the lighthouse in the middle of the sea (it was the longest 12 second jump of my life when everything suddenly turned slowmo). I have met new friends who made the trip more fun.

with Nora, Sufi, Azah and Jill at Long Beach

with Faiz and the manager of Coral View Resort

But the highlight of it all was witnessing one of the most magnificent sunsets in all my years of traveling -- such a humbling experience to be in the midst of His grandeur.

sunset at Perhentian Islands

If you're interested, you might want to check out these sites

Coral View Resort

Information on Perhentian Islands

You may drop me a note too if you have questions, I'll find time to answer them :)

Surf's Up!

I am into sports all my life but I have never really tried any serious watersport before. And I didn't know I would actually love one until I tried surfing with my Citi friends. I can't get enough of it eversince :)

Once a month, we try to head to La Union for a weekend of fun, sun and sand. We usually stay at surf camp and head to Bacnotan for friendlier waves. And believe me, it is a challenging but equally amazing experience trying to paddle on your own, balance on your board and drag(or paddle) back to the sea to catch a new wave.

One important lesson learned though --Do NOT apply too much sunblock on your forehead because when you get wet and the water starts dripping down your eyes, your eyes will start to hurt and you'll spend the entire time squinting and trying to see through the waves! Believe me, it makes balancing on the board more difficult!

Aside from the perpetual tan that we seem to have acquired, the once a month trips to La Union gave most of us a much needed exercise. Hopefully, we get to have those washboard abs soon! ;)

Should you wish to go surfing, let me know. I'll introduce you to our surfing contacts.

Finally, Boracay!

Pam, my bestfriend from high school, and I spent the November 1 - 4, 2007in Boracay. After years of planning to travel together, this was our first time to finally do it! And what made this trip even more fun was that it was also our first time in Boracay!

What did we do in Boracay? Check this out!

1) Did the 15 shots at Cocomangas. It was a blast trying out all the shots and having our names in their hall or fame!

2) Tried the shakes at Jonah's. We loved Mocha Rhum and Banana Vanilla Shakes!

3) Walked the long stretch of White Beach. It started out as an evening stroll but ended up as a search for the Cocomangas!

4) Went island hopping, went to the Crystal Cove caves and Puca island

5) Snorkeled

6) Watched the sunset thru a paraw

7) Had a tattoo (sun tattoo for me and a chinese character for pam) and had our hair braided (atleast pam's hair) while watching a fire dance right infront of us

8) Had a massage (although not a good one)

9) Went sea walking.. it was an amazing experience walking on the sea bed and having all the fishes swim around you!

10) Rented an ATV and toured the island.

11) Strolled thru D' Avenue

12) Sampled their restos and sat in some bars

13) Swam and got ourselves sunburned

14) Watched the sunrise (finally! after our failed attempts to wake up early!)

15) And of course, took hundreds of photos :)

Not a bad checklist for first timers huh? :)

Good Morning, Philippines!

I just love sunrise!

These are my best sunrise shots yet, taken on my way back from Bangkok with my IXUS 75. We were flying over our 7,107 islands at around 4AM last September 4.

early morning colors

flying across our 7107 islands!

That One Long Weekend in Thailand

Before my four-day trip to Thailand last Aug 31-Sept 3, I've made a list of the things that I want to do while we're there. That was my first ever Asian trip after more than 10 years (excluding stopovers during business trips) and Thailand being one of my dream countries in Asia, I'd like to maximize those precious four days.

I am proud to say that I have been able to accomplish 13 out of 16 of these items plus some other bonus activities like writing my name on a ceramic tile to be used for the reconstruction of the temple roof, dropping coins in 108 prayer bowls, offering incense and lotus flowers to a Buddha in Ayutthaya, and befriending some locals who helped us gain access to some of Thailand's best!).

Below was my list:

It was such a short trip given that there's so much to do in Bangkok alone. Next time I'm in Thailand, I want to do the following:

1) Watch a classical Thai masked dance at Sala Chalermkrung Theatre or a Thai cultural show at Siam Niramit
2) Take the Chao Phraya Cruise at night and see the temples at their lighted glory
3) Get an authentic Thai massage at Wat Pho
4) Watch the sunset/sunrise at Ayutthaya
5) Go to Phi Phi Le island where the movie, The Beach was filmed
6) Watch a Calypso Cabaret show and see performances of Thai "women" and see if this is better than Club Mwah's performaces =)
7) Watch Muay Thai tournaments
8) and then... Hop to Cambodia then Vietnam after enjoying Thailand one more time =)

Hopefully, I get to complete this new checklist by late next year. I know, it'll be even more amazing!

Buendia Through the Eyes of a Novice

I've been playing with my new toy, Canon IXUS 75, lately and I must say, I have no regrets buying the camera. It is compact, has a wide LCD screen and has a variety of shooting options that would allow an amateur like me to explore some basic photography techniques.

Posting some of my first shots.. Buendia through the eyes of a novice.

from across Citiland 8

Buendia at dusk