Expensive Experience

Flying has never been frequent and easy for everyone today.  With all the presence of all airlines online, customers can easily book a flight and explore the world.

Sa Pilipinas, ang presence ng Cebu Pacific at mga seat sale nila mas nakakaenganyo pa ng maraming mga travellers na umalis at mag explore.  Minsan nga lang, kelangan lang talaga natin maging super conscious sa oras ng flights..... to avoid spending much.

I learned things the hard and expensive way when travelling.  

I booked a flight that was originally scheduled 4AM on December for a flight in March.  otiCebu Pacific changed the schedule to another time - and I was advised through email.   Yes, I read it, but did not really gave much though about it.

Flight day.  All the while I thought my flight was 6AM.  I woke up at 4AM and prepared to leave.  I hailed an Uber and it was the only time I checked my itinerary again.

Boom.

The plane leaves at 5AM.

I received notifications on online/mobile check in but I ignored them because I want to personally check in so I can request for a seat at the back row.  

It was already past 4 when I got to the airport.  Check in was closed.

I was late.

Rebooking costs a hefty 5K.

A new ticket costs about 3.7K.

One way.

My original ROUND TRIP tickets cost only 3.5K.

Ouch.

2 options.

Rebook and spend money on the penalty and the difference between the new price and the original price I purchased.

Purchase a new ticket and fly later the same day.

I opted for #2 - since there is a need to get to where I was going.

Expensive.  Hard.  Stressful.  Sad.

The most expensive lesson I learned when flying - always check the itinerary.  NEVER ignore the online/mobile check in notification.

Had I checked in online, even if I was late for the counter check in, I could have gone straight to the boarding gates and be on my original flight.  I could have really saved.

Regrets.

Anyway, it is too late.

Very expensive.

Tipid Tipid sa Japan

Oh yes. It was in November when I went to Japan --- specifically Tokyo.  Ilang buwan na rin yung lumipas pero di ko pa rin makalimutan ang Japan experience ko. I love the country... and I swear babalik talaga ako doon... sana sa Olympics sa 2020.

Anyway, ang palaging tanong:  Magkano ba ang gagastusin papunta doon?

Based on my 3-day Tokyo experience, dalawa kami nun.... sapat na ang 50K... so... individually naka 25K din kami.  For 3 days - all in, kasama airfare.  Mahal ba? Well, that is a safe budget I should say.  May ilang tips lang ako paano makatipid.

1.)  Syempre bantay salakay ka ng seat sale ng mga airlines.  Madami na ang mga eroplanong lumilipad sa Japan - PAL, CebuPac, Vanilla Air at iba pa.  So, magtiyaga sa seat sale.

2.)  Instead of hotel, as in hotel, mag AirBnB na lang kayo.  Bakit? Mas mura in the long run - coz may mga pad na pwede magluto.  Make sure lang na pumili kayo ng place na malapit sa mga pasyalan - which is, mas mahal tignan sa website PERO, believe me, mas makakatipid kayo dahil MAHAL ANG TRANSPO SA JAPAN!!! I learned this the hard way. Nagbook kami ng place na 30-45 mins away sa Central Tokyo - mura nga sa place pero gastos sa tren...and sayang ang oras sa biyahe.

3.)  Visit grocery stores and buy food you can cook - yan ay kung naka place kayo na pwede mag cook... pag hindi naman ----

4.)  Kumain sa fastfood. WHAAAAAT?!

Tama po, fastfood aka McDonalds or Burger King.  I know nasa Japan ka na...might as well tumikim ng authentic Japanese food.... well... yes, pwede naman.. pero kung uber tipid ka, pwede na yan.  Mahal ang food sa Japan. Imagine nyo na lang na ang converted presyo ng food nyo ay aabot sa mga 250 to 500 per person.... habang... sa fastfood nasa less than 200 lang. 

Bakit fastfood? Dahil, ang ilan sa mga menu nila - wala naman sa atin.  You can taste an authentic Japanese version of the usual fastfood na kinakain mo dito.

5.)  Buy pasalubong sa mga "japan japan" store aka mga Daiso Daiso or Japan Home natin dito sa Pilipinas. Tawag sa kanila 100-yen store. Nagkalat ang mga thrift shops dun... pero madami options.  Mura lang din doon.  Makakabili ka pa ng mga KitKat na matcha flavor.  Take note lang na hindi lahat ng items dun 100 yen ang presyo ha - pero mura, mas mura kesa mall.
6.)  Buy pasalubong sa mga toy vendo machines.  Yes po.  Madami nagkalat na vendo machines na ang niluluwa ay mga miniature toys or figures ng anime, robots, kahit ano.  Nagvvary din ang presyo, from 100 yen to 300 yen.  Pero di hamak na maganda naman at sooo kawai (cute) ang makukuha mo.  Di ka pa mamomroblema sa packaging kasi maganda ang lalagyan. 

7.)  Bring your own yosi.  Mahal ang yosi doon. 

Ilan lang yan sa naisip ko.  Dadagdagan ko yan pag me naisip ulet ako.

Happy Women's Day

Today ay Women's Day o Araw ng Kababaihan.  Celebrate womanhood. Ipagbunyi ang pagkababae!
Today lalong masidhi ang tawag sa Gender Equality dahil feeling pa rin ng maraming gurls na - dehado sila sa maramung bagay.
Yet, my personal thoughts on the "equality" issue is - go aheaf and fight for it! I am supporting it and I love the idea.  Kung ano ang kaya ng lalaki, kaya din ng babae.  Kung matalino ang lalaki, matalino din ang babae.
Pero kahit na anong pagsisisgaw ng ilang babae (again, ILANG BABAE - meaning hindi lahat) ng "equality" ... nagagawa pa rin nilang magsabing "Chivalry is Dead" kapag hindi pinapaupo sa tren or bus or kahit ano public utility vehicle.  Ginagamit pa rin ang pagiging "babae" para bigyan ng pabor.  Isnt this a form of blackmail?!
Blackmail o kakapalan lang ng mukha?
Is it "feeling entitled"? Or simply saying "I am a girl so I am weak"?
Asan ang hustisya at pagkakapantay pantay na sinisigaw?
Babae lang ba ang napapagod?
Babae lang ba ang may karapatang umupo sa upuan?
Babae lang ba ang nagbabayad?
Babae lang ba ang kelangan ng respeto?
In any case, alam ko marami ang nakakaintindi.  Marami ang naniniwalang kahit paano ay buhay ang pagkakapantay pantay.
Ang respeto ay hindi binibigay dahil ikaw ay babae.  Ito ay binibigay dahil ikaw ay tao.
As we celebrate this day, I hope men will appreciate what the women can do in all forms. I hope women can be more sensitive of men as humans, not as a "stronger" gender. 
I hope we all find the inner women in all men, and women find the inner men in them.