2022 Keeps on Giving

The last few years was coupled with lots of negativity and anxiety. Partly Covid-19 is to blame. The world has changed and people responded with its own defence mechanism. Then 2022 came. So much hope that the pandemic is nearing its end. I was blessed with being able to travel multiple times this year.

I was in Manila in the beginning of January and again, I will be here to celebrate 2023 with my family. I count myself as lucky both with my work who are supportive that they introduced coflex arrangements. In short, they allow us to work any where in the world for 30 days. Ain' that generous?

I did go to Manila again in April/May and again in September. This time to celebrate my grand celebration in Baguio. Grand being I have my relatives too who helped me celebrate this special milestone. I went to New Zealand in October which was refreshing. Seeing the breathtaking views in Queenstown.

Finally, again back in Manila to celebrate my mum's birthday. Then off to Europe for my Winter Wonderland adventure. Lucky to have seen the northern lights, Santa Claus, huskies and the reindeers. Even had safaris to bond with them. I survived the nasty weather in the arctic. Was able to come home safe and sound by Christmas eve with my family.

All in all it was a blessed year for me and I continuously thank God for this bountiful blessings and I hope it continues not only for me but for the rest of my family, relatives and friends. Just keep the faith, stay focused and know your priorities. And lady luck will come unexpectedly.

White Christmas recap

The first few countries I visited was not really snowing. But nevertheless Christmas is in the air and it was cold. Well, except for Portugal. It was wet weather and after I left they did suffer more rain and flooding. So my hearts go the Portuguese good hearted souls. May they be safe and happy in whatever provisions they have for Christmas eve.

The highlight really was the snow! Growing up in the Philippines we never experienced very low temperature so it was something that surprised and made me nervous when I saw -24c in the forecastm but all is well. It is about layering and having the mindset. Love the wilderness and the stay in the igloo. Also did light up the woods for the Sauna, that is an accomplishment. And the highligh of Ivalo is the ice water dip for about 10-15 seconds. It was exhilaratingly good. 

Then the huskies and meeting Santa is the highlight for Rovaniemi. The reindeers, not so much haha. I did miss couple of activities like ice hotel and sculptures. And going to frozen falls. But it has been well compensated with the Aurora Borealis sighting. It was jaw droppingly beautiful. Pictures cannot express the feeling of finally seeing this elusive phenomenon. I was thankful and I can say that that event is the mic drop of this journey.

Copenhagen and Stockholm are both good cities but nothing to write home about. Besides the fact that it is expensive, in my opinion I was expecting more. Maybe I should have stayed much longer and my opinion can change. Remember how I hated NYC initiallym after 2 weeks, I bought the i heart NY tee. 

Tallinn and Krakow are both charming. Love the thick snow and the old city that transforms you back to the past. It has a character that grows on you and makes you love these cities.

I saved all this to my memory bank and take it as one of the most memorable travels I had.

3 wishes

Maybe I am already exhausted but I did forget my LV scarf at Hilton KRK airport. I realised this when I was boarding LH bus to the aircraft. Then, mentally I did put 3 wishes I needed to happen before I leave EU.

First Wish: for LV scarf to be found by the housekeeping and Hilton reply back to my email to me and they have an option to send it to me in AU at my expense. Wish granted.

Second Wish: for my global blue tax form to be dropped in a mailbox. This against the advice I got from LH FA saying I lost my chance. I should have done so in KRK. But KRK was saying I dont need to. I cant risk not getting those hard earned refund. So after the long walk and train shuttle I arrived in dreamland T2 and saw the holy grail. I dropped it!

Third Wish: was to be avle to credit my EY flight to VA so I can meet my status credit requirement to renew Gold status for another year (subject to 4 VA sectors in 2023). And yes, was able to do so with EY counter with no queue. 

All my three wishes were granted. But dark clouds rolledby as soon as I see a very very long queue at security. Christmas is indeed here. Many passengers. Less counters due to many of the ground staff I would think are now passengers on the way to their homes for Christmas. So there you go. FRA is literally a hell for me who got used to smooth check-in and breezy security. To be fair I got priority access to security but not on ticket check and immigration. Oh yeah, speaking of immigration. The german officer was looking for my inward stamp. I thought i was in trouble then I remembered there was no one at CDG when I entered EU. So it was an automated machine with no physical stamp. So there you go! I think there was an unconscious bias because I dont look caucasian so he thought I should have a stamp. Otherwise whatelse would it be? That he is stupid? Lol. Either way it is bad on him.

Right now I am just waiting to board EY flight to AUH and not looking forward to the dreadful 7hours layover. So I downloaded few movies. Hopefully, my clock ticks quicker this time.

Snooze and snooze

My bed time was scheduled around 7pm just because of waking up early for this tax refund. The issue with claiming bulky items is that you had to get the custom stamp prior to check-in. What makes it complicated is that my flight leaves KRK 6am. So it means I had to get my tax form stamped earliest as possible. I woke up 2am just for this but the custom officer is still sleeping. So went back to the hotel dragging my huge luggage back to my hotel and also attempted to sleep.

After an hour, I got ready and decided to checkout from the hotel. This has proven the McGuiver in me and was able to transform my many bags and consolidate it into 3 checked in luggage and 1 carry-on. From 6 bags. Wondering why I have so many luggages? I am too. I dont know what I bought really. Maybe lots of souvenirs, basic shopping and my many bulky winter clothes.

Arriving at custom office, it is still closed. So I tried 2 things. One is ring the bell. No response. Then I rang their call centre and the lady on the line probably woke up the officer. He is a bit old and was super slow in processing my refund. Took him 20 minutes as he scrutinizes my documents. Then, finally when all is done. I got the stamps. I proceeded to the ICE refund company who offer services to get the refund back to my card. For some reasons, she said I don't need to give back the documents back to the merchant. Im dumbfounded and still skeptic that if I dont follow the rules, I might not get the refund. So will try luck in looking for a mailbox from Frankfurt my last stopover as I leave EU zone. 

Ps, i realised you always have to look back and triple check before you leave. I left my beloved LV scarf at Hilton Krakow airport. Hope they find it and I can get them to mail it to me back in Oz.

Time Stands Still

It felt like the clock was in slow motion when I stayed in Poland. Not that I can complain but I was thrown off with the Norwegian holiday. I was so looking forward to seeing fjords and hiking the Pulpit Rock but both weather and limited tourists has led me to cancel the trip fully.

I decisively booked Hilton Garden as I was so tired and just needed a sleep. Not knowing that I booked a city hotel. All good though, means I can stay closer to the city and eventually I did decide to just stay in Krakow. It is contributory to my decision to abolish my Norway plans. 

Oh well, what can I say with Poland. It's bittersweet. Sometimes I dont know if people here are friendly. Sometimes they are. Most of the time they have that smug facial expression. Maybe because not everyone here can speak english. But anyway, Krakow is a beautiful city. I love the old town. It has a charm on its own even if you see it being chaotic with all the vandalism everywhere you look.

The city is covered in thick deep snow that adds to the adventure of my day hike to Kozsiusco Mound. I did hate the snowcaps on trees as they did not warn me and before I know it, I have a big splat of snow in my head. It hurts and what's worse it went to my clothes which has the chilling effect. The top of the mound was super coolm great circular path that surpises you at the very top with both Polish and Ukrainian flag swaying high and proud.

The following day was a bit warmer and ice begins to melt. I slipped multiple times and it was so embarrassing. Wawel castle also give me an insight on history as well as the great dragon folklore. 

The last day was more of looking at the city centre and looking at other historical sights. Also when I exhausted all places I wanted to see, I ended up just shopping. Their shopping centre was massive. As Christmas comes, you can see a lot of on sale ornaments and decorations. Everyone was on this rush to buy presents so it was rather busy on a midweek arvo. 

I stayed total of 4 days, which is a record long for just one city. And it's winter so I do have limited time to stay outside. Hence, majority I was just resting in my Airbnb. My airbnb was a simple room with bed on top of the midsection of the room hanging like a treehouse. Funny, i had to packup all that I need when I climb up the tiny little stairs. It squeaks loudly not because I'm heavy but because it is fragile. 

Now for my last day, I am just waiting to fall asleep. I am staying in an airport hotel, which comes in handy later when I claim my tax refund. My flight is 6am so this is going to be a challenge to sleep super early.

That's it. My 2 week winter european tour concludes. Time to head back to Manila to celebrate Christmas with family. Merry Christmas everyone.

Norway Cancelled

I was super frustrated when my Pulpit Rock tour was cancelled. I made an executive decision to abort Norway completely and just stay in Poland. It was a great decision as well since it was raining nonstop in Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger. I heard that there are huge probability of fog. The wet weather also poses hiking risk. And it is winter too.

Immediately I booked a Hilton airport hotel but made a mistake (probably due to fatigue) and I booked the city hotel. Later I realised it is better. Because I can travel around Krakow freely and within walking steps. There's always a silverlining.

Tap into Contingency

Short story, I didnt make it to my flight and domino effect on my other plans. That's tough when itinerary is packed. Oh well, that's why we have contingency budgeted on projects/OTI. 

So what did I miss? My flight from Krakow to Oslo. The horrendous bus ride from lowcost airport TRF of 2hours to Oslo. The train ride from Oslo to Bergen. And the flight from Bergen to Stavanger.

All is well. That schedule is too stressful anyway. So I just chose to salvage the uncommitted Oslo hotel cost and use it to book for a night in Hilton Krakow. Fingers crossed its not like Helsinki's Hilton. Will take well deserve sleep and rest for the planned Pulpit Rock climb the day after tomorrow.

Polish people are nice and polite. They were able to help me rebook my missed flight at no cost. Their lounge is simple but full of nice sweet things. 😋  

No regrets if I miss Oslo, Bergen. I would just look forward to Fjords and Pulpit Rock. The last remaining activity before I fly back to Manila.

Europe vs Scandinavia Airport Rating

My Airport review especially relating to the services of ground staff where it is critical part of travels. This is true for me because my itinerary is complex as I do one city a day. I have a total of 20+ flights for my 15-day vacation to Europe. It is a BIG DEAL that airport honours international protocol especially if they join an alliance network like One World and Star Alliance.

It is such a shame that I experience two painpoints in Scandinavia, which all the while I thought would at least have respect to premium cardholders. Sadly in Copenhagen the ground staff who checked me in cannot break my journey in terms of the luggage. Claim it after the first flight and re-checkin. I had to create an alibi when I arrived in Finland. Lucky, Helsinki ground staff are more competent.

The exact opposite happened in Stockholm. This idiot ground stadf cannot interlink my baggage and it is under the same airline. His alibi is he cannot see my reservation in the system.  Now I have to hope and pray I make it enough time to claim my baggage and check it in to another one with an hour or so in between flights.

They could have done something. Do an extra step to find out if it can be done. I do have the documents with me. I reckon this happens because airlines on these countries outsource ground staff to third party. If they are incompetent then too bad, the passengers will suffer. But yeah, each region is different. Im just so glad in Australasia, we have golden standards. All my premium badge are useless. Plus the smug face really doesnt help. Oh Nordic, why is it like this. So lets see how Norway plays against my airport rating.  So far Denmark and Sweden are the worse airports so far in terms of poor service.

Stockholm thoughts...

Stockholm was nice but not as I expected. For one the snow has been melting slowly so the streets are wet and slippery. Poor Rimowa!

Another thing, I find people here rude and not helpful.  Or maybe its only airport specific. They do not honour my Gold status in the check-in and they were not helpful in linking my 2 PNRs. It is on the same airline for crying out loud. Now, stress has slowly sinked in. Do I make it to my domestic flight or not? I dont know. There is no signs of boarding. Its 5 minutes late. No announcement whatsoever. The security queue was horrendous. Very different from FinnAir where it was super smooth and people are pleasant. 

On the upside my hotel At Six is superb. They have sustainability at all possible wats. They have their own gym and sauna. Funny thing is when I put my stuff inside the locker. I had short memory loss and forget the code. I was trapped and couldnt leave the sauna without any clothes. Then I remembered I put the code as 1234. Haha anyway, back to stress. Really do hope I dont have any issues with my connection at Warsaw.

Hilton Gold is Useless

So I was upgraded to Hilton Gold status but they are useless. No bottled water, no brekkie, early checkin or late checkout as promised. For such a prestige brand they failed the basics. My Airbnb is much better as provide those amenities without the brand. On second thought, RonHaüs is a brand. Their alibi is I booked through 3rd party. But then again, they have the discretion to provide benefits, like other alliance does like SLH.

Helsinki Hilton advertised as convenient way to stay as it is close to the airport. Yes it is waling distance but the 0.3km struggle literally dragging your luggage to their hotel is a nightmare. 

I'd rather stay in a cheap 3 star hotel and pay the cab. Mental note next time. 

Secret City

After the Aurora Borealis last night, I reckon it can never be topped by any other experience. But it keeps getting better. My idea of a perfect vacation is endless walking and discovering streets and getting wowed every corner. And that is what Tallinn has done to me. I walked endlessly until my feet is numb from the cold snow. Speaking of snow, the beauty in Tallinn is the 15th century façade and them cover it with generous snow like a fluffy marshmallows never budging to melt. Or maybe because I wasnt expecting much from Estonia but yes. It definitely is an exceptional city. Add in a layer of polite locals and much affordable prices. 

Now I am taking a 2 hour ferry ride from Tallink, which connects Tallinn and Helsinki. Much needed rest and I cannot wait for the next daya ahead. I still have 5 European cities to see before I come home for Christmas.

Christmas Came Early

Quite the opposite from Ivalo when I arrived in Rovaniemi after 4 hours of endless array of white, grey and green. I arrived directly at Santa's Village. I tried to see him ASAP but was running bit behind in schedule to meet the huskies. 

Husky ride was the best! They were ferocious and eager to run in the cold. One hyper husky multiplied by 10 is loca! Crazy 500m ride around the race track. 

Then I finally met Santa. The elves said that I have an exciting journey ahead as they read my fortune. Santa was so warm and welcoming and told me that I have been a good boy and he rewarded me with a gift. Yet to be opened until Christmas eve. 

I met my Aussie mates very quickly. They were staying in a nice cozy cabin within the Santa's Village. Lucky them! Then off to see the reindeers.

It was a gruelling 3km. Totallt the opposite of Huskies. Maybe the reindeers were tired. Although the silverlining is that the one behind me is always in the mood for selfies.

Took a ride to my Rovaniemi city apartment and a Tesla drove me! It was awesome. When I settled in, the fatigue and cold start to kick in. Hence, I planned  to do nothing the next day. 

Woke up late 12ish, then went to have decent coffee in a nice cafe. Took random pictures around. Then went back to my apartment. I saw my friends photo of Aurora last night. I was super jealous. I immediately messaged my Finn contact to get me booked ASAP. Luckily there was one final spot.

Off we went to the wilderness. Camped out and they started setting up the BBQ, then I saw this huge greyish green lines in the sky. I took a nighy mode photo. Lo and behold, the magnificent Aurora Borealis. That was the greatest gift I got so far in this tour and I will be forever be grateful. Kudos to Shine for our teamwork in getting perfect pics. And Igor for getting me the final spot on the tour.

Extraordinary Service

Finnish here are warm and friendly. It adds an enormous value to guests like me travelling solo. So they opened the restaurant for me to have brekkie half hour early. Even let me bring some food for my bus journey to Rovaniemi. Taxi was 2mins late but it is better that way rather than standing in the snow waiting and freezing 🥶 

Bus arrived and this is 4hrs travel to Santa Land. See you later Santa! 🎅  

Welcome to Winter Wonderland

The picture says it all. Deep within the wilderness 20+ igloo cabins. Pampered by Aurora Village Oy. Highyl recommended. From the pickup, friendly bloke introduces me to their world. They take pride in living here. Come to think of it, they are lucky cos they always see the Northern Lights. They love the cold as they do with their huskies and reindeers. Which I have yet to see tomorrow. Cancelled my Aurora hunt due to low probability. Am not hoping anyway. Let us see if I get random sightings.

The highlight is the ice dip. I dont know how cold it is but its way below -24°C for sure. It was great and I feel refreshed. All signs of fatigue and stress got frozen and peeled from me. Haha

Started snowing and first time I saw a snow fall. Snow flakes really look cool. As I was saying to the staff here. Finally I got to see first hand all those ornaments I see in the shopping mall when its Christmas. And yes, including Santa. Hopefully tomorrow. 

Here is a snow flake:

The Challenge

Woke up in good spirits and the cab driver was so friendly. Even wrote Danmark in my receipt so I wont forget thay I have visited his country.

Then dark clouds roll. The checkin guy in Copenhagen told me I cannot claim my bags in Helsinki as it would go all the way to Ivalo. So much luggage and I'm in trouble. Finnair FA did tell me that I can aproach Arrival Services and tell my situation. They did help me within 20 mins I got my bag in HEL. I walked to Hilton where I am checking in 3 days time. The challenge was how to drag 3pcs of luggage in snow. I never hated snow until this moment. 

Then luck quickly turnaround after getting rid of my excess baggage. Smooth check in and they do recognise One World Sapphire. I was in the lounge before you know it. Relaxed and ready to deal with the next challenge, the -26°C in Ivalo.

Rapido Kovenhavn

I was like Popeye taking the all powerful spinach as I took on this walking journey from Tivoli Gardens all the way to the Little Mermaid and back via Nyhavn while carrying a heavy aluminum trunk size Rimowa passing by massive flock of Danish and tourists. 

What I learnt? Little Mermaid is really little. Tivoli is not just ice cream. And Nyhavn is just super amazing!

Lufthansa Rated: 2/5

All the while I thought that LH holds the golden standard in providing Star Alliance Gold benefits but when I went to their lounge in the flagship FRA, it was a let down. Uber packed and did not even got a seat. I left after having my espresso as only one machine was working. Took so much time and do not have enough seats.

I am now waiting in the CPH gate lounge. Rather wait here than go that chaotic place again. Oh my first flight was underwhelming. Can be compared to the pre-Polaris era of United Airlines. I was put through the last row seats even if I have gold status. Aegean and Turkish are better. Way better.

Porto's Surprise

Early as 7ish at night I was already ready to leave Lisbon. So I did sleep early so I can leave early too. Unfortunately TAP Portugal decided to close their lounge. It's Christmas peak for crying out loud! They gave me 10€ so I forgive them. I had croissant, espresso, orange and tarte de nata. By the way 2 out of 2 juice I had do not have sugar in it. So my lemonade is like 🥴.

As usual, we took bus to get us to Airport gate and endless waiting for luggage but TK*G did help cos my bags were the first one out.

Took an uber to my hotel. It is cheap here compared to Sydney so yeah, I uber a lot! And arrived at Hotel Da Musica, at awe of the façade of the lobby and the massive "mercado" food area greeted me. Of course, I can't say no to a 14€ buffet. The servers were super friendly. Price inclusive of wine and coffee. 

The energy boost helped me as I walked the cobbled streets mostly going uphill initially. Rain drizzling but it added the mystifying aura of the Porto's magic. The old streets are like blast from the past. Just kept walking. Getting lost has it perks of being spontaneous and seeing the surprise lookout not in the guidebooks. It was a private property but it says welcome to tourist though. I can see the Porto Cathedral, the Casa de Rebiera and of course, Luis I bridge. Passed by endless churches as I go the slippery downward slope. Very scary cos it's wet and steep. 

When I saw the water it was again a magical surprise. There were some old boats docked in the port and the houses are of different colours. The way it looks is vintage, authentic and honest. It was like a preserved art form painted for you to see in 4D. The birds were playing in the dock.

It was about to get dark and I wish I have more time to see the area but the 6am flight next day is telling me to rest up. So I did and uber my way back to my lovely hotel.

Lisbon's charm

It was late night when I arrived in pouring city of Lisbon. My first time in Portugal which was 2 years in the making. I did found the city to have this distinct character from the old cathedrals and castles to the very enticing cuisine. I did like the charm of Lisbon even when its rains. A day in the city I found so many street art, colourful façade of houses and buildings and the vintage trams that helped my tired feet on to the journey.

Started off with Torre de Belem which is alongside the water. It did had this beautiful grandeur. It started drizzling so had a taste of the famous Belem tart with my double espresso.

Walked in the labyrinth streets of Alfama. It is better to turn off the maps and getting lost in the soul of Lisbon is the best. I found heaps of tourist shops and markets along the way including the Cathedral and offered a short prayer for safety and health. Few surprises as I climb my way to steep road. A man was playing this round metal disk. Hitting it with his palm and sounding like an angel strumming the harp. It was a vibe fix. Then I bought my Ronaldo jersey. Why wouldnt I, this guy is a legend. Though they didnt win Fifa against Maroc, he is still the GOAT. 

After almost half an hour I reached the Castillo de Jorge. Went straight to buy water after an exhausting hike. Saw the view of Lisbon from the pillars. Walking around the castle it reminded me of Dubrovnik and the Game of Thrones. It also has the feels of Seville's garden aka Dorne. The peacocks were everywhere. Some are lined up in the walls. While others were strutting the runway one by one. 

Took Tram 28E which was famous for tourist like me. Highlights of the city. Also it was vintage and has been running for hundreds of years. Got off at the Avenida to do some shopping. I did not bring much clothes. My luggage is filled with winter clothes that I dont even have basic wear. Great that the Spanish brands are everywhere, Berksha, Springfield, Zara, Mango. But I ended up with Pull & Bear. Got me some socks says Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... so its perfect. Was craving for some chook ever since I saw heaps of Portuguese Chicken in souvenir shops. But no restaurant serves it anywhere I look. Too bad I cannot eat seafood 😩 better safe than sorry. Trying to keep my uric acid under control (signs of ageing lol). Then I saw this place from maps neatly hidden in a street within a street. Tastiest chicken ever. 

Now I prepare myself for the second part of Portugal. Off to the airport again.

Air France delays

Started with 20 mins delay then became 1.5 hours. If not for the France vs England FiFa, I would have entirely lost my cool. But then again, delay in boarding again. Then delays in taxi bus and its pouring rain. Another hiccup was the baggage claim so ended up arriving past midnight.

It was surreal cos this is 2-3 years in the making. I arrived in Turim Av Liberdade hotel in Lisbon. So many times I've postphoned the trip due to Covid19. Now Im here. 2:25am already and not going according to plan. Plus raining althrough out my short stay in Portugal.

PS. Now I realised I was still in Paris time. I forgot to adjust an hour early for the WHOLE day. 😄 

Paris in a Snapshot

The quickest time in Paris. Started the day with the transrustration (train railway not working). All was good though cos I was able to leave my luggage in Air France Biz Lounge (hope it was ok to leave it). 

First stop was Champs Elysees and a quick snap of Arc de Triomph. Then off to Seine river to see glimpse of Tour Eiffel. Then off to explore the nice streets of Paris. Shopped at Le Bon Marche. Then final stop was Louvre. 

Also I met my supposedly travel buddy Allen who went to the trip I'm going this year. He did it last year in the height of Omicron.

100% Charged

My battery is full and ready to tackle head on what this frrezing temperature has to offer. The challenge is I am roaming the streets of Paris with 1°C and passing by Seine River will definitely have windy breeze. 

Again, kudos to Etihad with impeccable service. 

Etihad in Business

Hard product was amazing and so is the service. I got used to SQ but EY's offering is equally or even better than SQ. The only hiccip is the lounge in AUH. It was too crowded. Minus the food, PAGSS is better even. 

Now I have to worry about the harsh weather conditions in Europe. Not really sure what to expect in below zero celsius. 🤔 

Travel Revenge

It was a nail-biting moment as the clock ticks rapidly. Normally, it takes about almost half an hour to get to the airport. We spent that amount of timing moving short of 3kms from home. Did left room for this so I got to the airport just in time with an hour to spare before boarding.

This is one of my exploration that I'm getting nervous because of the below zero celsius temperature in Europe and to add - LAPLAND! So I have to brace myself. And fingers crossed I will surivive this 15-day European Journey and the mystifying Winter Wonderland.

PS. Flying Etihad's business from Manila and back. And we are using CIP (PAGSS) so I look forward using AUH lounge. And also super hyped to try Boeing 787-9 EY-C. Let the travel revenge begin.

NZ best kept secret

It started with scratchy throat and I was in agony for weeks. This was after few week when I arrived back from Manila.

And I cannot believe that I have another flight scheduled in two weeks time. Did my best to stay healthy and recoup all the energy spent from my last travel. 

Long story short, made it. Not as fit and healthy as I would want to be but I made it. Nothing's too different now that I'm in my 40s. I can still hike, walk and do what I do best. Travel escape. But no more alcohol and staying late though. 

Queenstown is a place I was totally surprised. For one, the winter chills still happen in October. Nature's beauty at its best. I can never get tired of taking photos of the lake, the snowcapped mountains and the flora during the hike. My feet took me to endless path until I can no longer walk. Thankfully, I was able to get uber on the way back. Glenorchy doesnt have a public transport and no cabs in sight. Was thankful to my uber that he came running to my rescue.

Lake Hayes is a good one. Perfection in every angle and it was well worth the trip to Arrowtown. The Skyline is worth my 50 bucks and got to see the scenic QT. And finally, I loved the place I stayed. Lakeside is the best 👌. Hop on and hop off to my pod and I'm within the peaceful and scenic escape. 

next level begins

Finally the milestone has arrived and I never thought I would be in Manila tbh. The pandemic really made it bit cloudy but we managed to go to Baguio. And you wouldnt believe it was my first time. My mom was happy and so is the rest of the Bonuses. Although I did not see much of the place, the real thing is being with the bunch for the rest of our little escapade planned.

The storm did not ruin our plans, we went to Pangasinan shortly after. We saw the rice fields and got it surveyed. Now I need to start planning for the future, as I certainly can see something here.

In between the local travels, I worked. Stayed with my family. We did few but still its a lot. And I cant wait until I see them again in a few months.

I cannot deny there is a sense of responsibility and maturity that comes with the age. Definitely need to live life that builds legacy and doing what I was born to do. Live the dream. Count your blessings. And do good things to those who deserves it.

need a verdict

Not knowing what happens is not what I was expecting. I thought I had it all figured out. But it seems to have evaporated just like that. Now the uncertainty boils. Fate stirs me to a different direction. Not what I wanted but it is practical. Should I dare defy the flow? I am not sure. If its worth it, then yes! Indeed, I reckon it is.

Fly SQ Biz Post Covid

Flying business class in Singapore airlines post the pandemic peak seems to have shifted far away from how I got used to be pampered.

That is the meal I had which was quick to arrive since I chose it in advance few weeks ahead of my flight. A "Matt Moran creation". Doesn't look perfection but taste good. Orange and Duck - mindblowing rocket science!

Never had a proper bread service cos the Flight Attendant kept on passing by me without offering. I felt it was really rude but cant be bothered with additional carbs really. 

There was no amenity kit even on more than 6 hour flight. I remember back pre covid we were at least offered socks!

Heres my sad little dessert. Even on business for crying out loud! Used to have nice tubs of ice cream even in Economy way back when.

For $$$ i spend for revenue ticket. The value has gone out the window. 

Ps, still waiting for my espresso i asked for 20 mins ago. Hence my sad tiny tiny sliver of choc still untouched. 😆 

The Ordeal

As you know, I started AirBnb for about 3 years now but then after a year of success, Covid-19 pandemic hit me oh so badly. 2 years of no revenue stream to fund this project. I was bleeding money.

Then when a small window hope has crept in. It was soon taken away from me by Asia Affinity who manages the building management. Can you believe it, initially they blame it on Covid, now they say the House Rules doesn't allow short term stay as it is construed as commercial undertakings. No matter what angle I see, the reasoning is flawed.

Anyway, they did allow to honour guest that have booked in the next few months. So all is good. So it seems...

Then this Russian bloke who appears to have angelic face 🙄 completely is the exact opposite. They were being Supremely pedantic about the way the condo was cleaned. To be fair, I talked to her pinay girlfriend who talks with a fake accent whilst still has Filo passport (go figure!) And she was utterly frustrated as they travelled like 24hours+ only to see stains in the sink faucet and toilet that is not sparkling clean. Totally understand their concern. As gesture of goodwill, I told them they can leave and I will provide full refund. Also refunded them the cleaning fee charged, too easy! But thats not the end of the story.

They went on and on about how the internet was slow and they couldn't work remotely. For crying out loud, they should have told me that before so I could have warned them about the internet speed. Hey you guys are in the Philippines so what do you expect? Also refunded them the internect cost, too easy! They were not too happy and told me that £1.50 doesn't help at all. 

They then took other photos of the premises that were "not clean" even when it was obviously fault finding. Oven stains, really? No one touched those ever since. And fridge moisted stains, far out! are they for real?

Again, I told them to leave and will provide them with refund after deducting consumed nights. But they said that it was unacceptable that they move because the prices elsewhere now are too expensive for them. (Only means that my place is low value but great location, proves ny point that they have "5-star hotel expectation" since the onset...)

The way I see it. They were just being too rude, condescending and lacking respect in the manner they took the issue. Had they been courteous, calm and collected, I would have been generous to them and even offer to fix all their issues right then and there. It just shows that some people lacks empathy and nobility that they choose to take low blows.

Nuff said. Now its cold war. They still are staying as we speak. Beggers can't be choosers,  right? So hopefully, the days passby quickly and... let them eat cake!

2021

What happened in 2021? We were so deep into the pandemic that year and I remember working long hours trying to recoup all monies paid to airline, hospitality and travel industries. Trying to get them either to pay a refund back, convert to future travel credit or worse total writeoff.

During this time, I setup my work from home office and mental health was an issue for everyone. So there were lots of virtual games and meetings. And how many times do you remind your colleagues that they are on mute!

Travel was slow. Although I was able to go to Adelaide and Tasmania.

Adelaide was the first domestic flight I took and given slowness in returning to new normal it meant that my tour got cancelled. I had to bike uphill of the vineyards half drunk carrying 3 to 4 sample bottles of wine from the tasting. Hell of an experience.

Tasmania was refreshing. Hike uphill was good. Getting to Bruny Island meeting friends from India and Colombia. Then our tour bus ran out of fuel. We got stuck in the island. It was one hell of a tour but managed to survive.

Finally end of 2021 I was lucky to do my first travel back to Manila in the height of Omicron. I was meant to visit Europe particularly Santa Claus. But got a major health dilemma so decided to recoup in the lovely Philippines. 

So yeah that's 2021 in a nutshell..

Xs, some events might be in 2020 but yeah let's pretend its in 2021.

Bridge Making Story

After seems like forever. The long pause has finally ceased. We begin the resume to a new horizon after the long dead night crept and stole more than 2 years of normality.

Slowly realising that this doesnt make any sense. We begin to paint a new colour and build a different bridge to take us to something we dont know.