Apo Island D.I.Y. Tour

Apo Island is located at Dauin, Negros Oriental, Philippines. It has 691 hectares of protected area. As such the marine sanctuary area was closed off to the public for rehabilitation since 2012 if I remember correctly. No worries because you can still visit the turtle zone where you can swim and get up-close with the turtles.

Meet my friend Green here. He loves swimming and munching on some seaweeds.

How to get to Apo Island?
1. From Dumaguete, ride a Ceres bus with a 'Bayawan' sign-board and tell the conductor to drop you off at Malatapay Market. Fare is 50PHP and travel time is around 1 hour.
2. After getting off the bus, you can walk to the port.
3. Take a 15 minute boat ride to Apo Island. We did not make any reservations. We just went to the port and asked for a private boat. Fare depends on the boat you're renting. Refer to published rates below.

We arrived at the port around 9am. On a normal day you can already see Apo Island from the port, but it was pouring and you can hardly see anything. Some tourist even backed-out and preferred to go back the next day. It was our last day so we waited until it was safer to set sail. Luckily, the weather got better and we arrived safely.

10 seater boat 4000PHP 

This picture was taken when we arrived back at Dauin port. See the weather difference?

Can't remember how much entrance fee we paid for snorkeling I think it was 100-150PHP per person. A tour guide is required, 1 for every 4 persons and it costs 300PHP. The tour guide will help you locate the turtles and take pictures for you, they also ensure your safety and the safety of the marine animals you encounter. STRICTLY NO TOUCHING THE TURTLES!!!

We rented snorkels, booties and life jacket for 100PHP per gear. It's not required but highly recommended as there are sea urchins in the area. You can also bring your own gear if you want. We also rented a table where we can leave our things 300PHP per table. You can also have lunch here for 150PHP. They have chicken adobo, fried or grilled fish.

We were so blessed to arrive at the island safe and the sun was already up.

Most islands only have doggos but there were a lot of kitties in Apo Island too. I wonder if they know how to swim?

Mr. Turtle: Yo guys! This' my friend Ly!

Me: Hi! (wave..wave..)

There are turtles roaming around at knee deep waters so watch your feet!

These turtles aren't exactly shy. They know they're gorgeous so they let you take lots of awesome pictures. And they know it's their turf so if they come close (REMEMBER: NO TOUCHING!!!) you have to adjust for them. 

These pictures are unedited and shot using gopro hero 4. Right out of the box. That's how beautiful this place is. ^_^

Time to say goodbye to Mr. Turtle. Till next Time!!!

Swimming with the turtles is such an amazing experience. I'm really thankful the weather cooperated and we got to see them. It would have been such a great loss if we missed them. But please remember that it is their sanctuary. So please respect them and the rules set by your guide. ^_^

How to rent a car in Jeju

We had a lot of worries with transportation in Jeju. Unlike in Seoul, there are no intricate train systems in Jeju. Travel options are limited to buses, taxis, and rental cars.

The cheapest option of course would be to take public transportation like buses or tourist buses but tourist attractions are scattered accross the island and we barely saw buses in some places so it was a good thing that we opted to rent a car. For reference, from Jeju Aiport to Sammu Park (bus stop near Trevi Hotel) the fare is 1200KRW one way. You can use t-money to pay in buses or pay in cash (exact fare only).

Rental process is quite simple, you just have to sign up at the website and fill in the reservation form. We rented a car from Lotte Rent-a-Car site since it was the cheapest we found with good reviews. Our second option was AJ Rent-a-Car.

Rental Requirements:
1. Valid Driver's License - the designated driver should have a valid driver's license (issued from the driver's own country)
2. International Driving Permit - the designated driver should have an IDP  (issued from the driver's own country) prior to the trip. In the Philippines, you can apply for this online at the AAP website and get it in about a week or two for PHP3500. We applied for this 3 weeks before our trip after our visa got approved.
3. Car reservation form - the designated driver should be the one to register at the car rental website and make a reservation. We did this online and opted to pay once we arrived in Jeju. You just have to specify the type of car and the begin and end date and time of rental.

The process was very straightforward yet we had a lot of worries. For one, there was a clause in the rental requirements that the IDP should have been issued at least one year prior to the rental date. We emailed the car rental and asked about this specifically because our IDP was issued just weeks before the rental.

Another one was that there were horror stories about some car rental services asking for additional payment when you return the car for a scratch that has already been there before rental. So we made sure to get a car insurance and checked the car for scratches. We also asked about this with the car rental service and they told us as long as we have the insurance we don't have to worry about scratches.

We got a A/T diesel Chevy Olando for our party of 7 including the driver. It has just enough room for passengers but not for our lugagge so we had to make 2 trips from the airport to our hotel so we can fit all the luggage.

Driving in Jeju is almost the same in the Philippines but with a lot less traffic. They also have left hand drive cars and the GPS navigation system was on point it even reminds you what is the speed limit for certain places and if you're going over the speed limit. So it is very important to get an English GPS. Google maps and waze are no good in Jeju.

We were also worried about getting driving tickets because there were times we go above the speed limit and the GPS keeps telling us to slow down. Also there was a time we beat the red light (totally unintentional). We were all shocked when the breaks didn't make it on time.

We received the car with a full tank and returned it with a full tank as well. A full tank was enough for our 4 days trip. We were able to go to the following destinations with a full tank:
Samyang Black Beach +82-64-728-3991
Seongsan Ilbuchong (Sunrise) Peak +82-64-710-7923
Manjanggul Cave +82-64-710-7903
Innisfree Jeju House +82-64-794-5351
Jeusangjeolli Cliff +82-64-738-1393
Hallasan Park Yeongsil Trail +82-64-713-9950
Cheonjiyeon Waterfall +82-64-760-6304
Woljeongri Beach +82-64-728-3393

We noted the phone numbers just in case we get a Korean GPS where you have to input the phone numbers instead of the location name in korean to get from one place to another. There was also plenty of parking spaces in tourist places. Parking fees range from 600KRW to 3000KRW.

We returned the car hours earlier from our specified time of return so we even got a refund.

Sample Car Rental Costs:
258,900KRW - 4days car rental 7 seater
  66,000KRW - Diesel (depends)
     8,200KRW - Parking Fees (depends)
--------------------
333,100KRW - Total Cost which is around PHP16,665

17,000PHP for 4 days hassle free travel in your own time. So each of us only paid around PHP2500 for our transporation in Jeju. In the Philippines, you can only rent for 1 day with that amount.

Before I forget, you also need to consider the parking space is available in your hotel if you're going to rent a car. We almost forgot about this and changed hotel the last minute. And so that's it hassle free car rental in Jeju.

Digitally Permed Hair Maintenance

It's been a month since I had my hair digitally permed and it's holding up quite well. I just want to share how I maintain it because I didn't find much about maintenance for permed hair.  Disclaimer: I'm not saying this is how you should do it, It's just how I like to do it :)

SHAMPOO

Shampoo is important to clean and rinse off the dirt in your hair. So what shampoo should you use? I say use whatever you like :p Some say sulfate free shampoos are better because they won't dry off your hair ripping it with it's natural protective oil. But I've tried sulfate free shampoos before and I didn't like how it felt. No suds, like I didn't really clean my hair. Some people skip shampoo altogether and just use conditioner. But I don't think I can stand that as well. So what I do is dilute the shampoo in water and use that to wash my hair. I recommend using hydrating shampoos because coloring and perming your hair might make it dry. I've been using Tsubaki (the red one) before but recently I tried Pantene's Color and Perm shampoo and it's okay so far. If you know where I can buy Herbal Essences Totally Twisted in the Philippines please please let me know :)

Pantene Color & Perm PHP120

CONDITIONER

I can't stand not using conditioner when I got my hair permed. It makes your hair softer, moisturized and manageable. I just picked up this one at Watson's one time because the sales lady said she swears by it and I was quite in a hurry soo yeah. It actually is moisturizing and I like it. I also use a wide toothed comb when I condition my hair to remove the tangles and spread the conditioner better.

Naturals Argan Oil Conditioner PHP150

DRYING

We usually towel dry our hair (I do) but I've read somewhere that it strips the hair of moisture so I just use an old t-shirt and wrap it  around my hair while I do my make up and wait for it to dry.

PRODUCTS

I then section it and twist it like this (I was clueless how to do it at first) while it's still wet.

Then combine a matte & hard wax with 1 pump of hair oil, mix them and apply it to my curls twisting & scrunching them again and distributing the product evenly.

You can use any wax and hair oil really this is just what I prefer. 

Gatsby Matte & Hard PHP37

Black Beauty Hair Serum PHP69

Occasionally, I also use a hair mouse (left over from when I last permed) but I prefer the wax&oil combination for a better hold. 

I also tried using Argan Oil instead of the serum but it's less moisturizing.

Then I drive around and wait for it to dry on my way to work and just de-tangle it when I get off at the office.

Tada! Our one month old digitally permed curls

POBox.ph Review

Want items so bad but they're not available here? Worried about exorbitant shipping fees? Why not give POBox.ph a go?

How does POBox.ph work?

1. REGISTER - Go to POBox.com and register.

Signing up is free. You just have to upload 2 valid IDs and fill up the form.

2. SHOP - this is my favorite step. Shop online and have them delivered to the POBox address using the name you used to register at POBox.ph

Just make sure the site allows delivery to POBox address. You can check this in the site's FAQs page (usually). 

Also note that it's not safe to ship electronics and gadgets via POBox.

If the site does not accept credit card with non us billing address, you can call/contact POBox, give the site and items you want to buy and they will shop for you for a minimal service charge. 

3. TRACK - track your items in the POBox site. They will update this tracker once they receive your items. Note however that tracking is not real time which makes the wait excruciating. Especially when you read delivery notes like "Left at the docks", "Received by Michael" etc.

I used to log it per tracking number. Sometimes items in a single order are separated into partial deliveries.

4. BOX IT - select the items you want to be consolidated into a single box and request to box it.

  

POBox will consolidate your orders and will be billed depending on which box size your items will fit into.

To give you an idea we bought the following items (yes I have my own tracker :p). 10 shoes (without boxes), 2 slippers, 3 card games, make up and some other stuff as well and they did fit into a black box (the smallest box).

My 2 cents: I was nervous because it's our first time trying POBox. I was freaking out if I entered the correct address and if they delivered it to the correct authorities (as mentioned above). Hence the personal tracker. I was being paranoid. We had some minor problems like deliveries not being marked as received for a long time even though they have already been delivered. So I had to call POBox from time to time to have updates and reassurance that no items would go missing. Their customer service was pretty amazing though not 24hours available.
Once our items were completed we had them consolidated and they did a really good job at it mind you. We got discounts from Citibank promo code so shipping cost was just around 2000.
What I like about ocean shipping is that they don't care about the weight but the size of the items. Though it takes longer than air shipping, if you're not in a hurry it's more economical. So I think we got a pretty good deal.
The last item was delivered February 4, We requested to pack it Feb 14 and we received the box March 23. (It was delivered to a provincial address so maybe it took a little more time). They will give you a tracking number which you can check at forexworld.us
The package arrived in one piece and with all the items complete and intact. (No issues or additional fees encountered) So good job POBox!
Will I try POBox again? We're actually already window shopping for our next box :p

UPDATE: 11/26/2016

For our second box, I actually have pictures!!! yay!!!
We started ordering items from amazon as early as September 1, 2016. It was just the start of the ber months but we already had trouble with the shipping. Most of the item's delivery were late by a week or more and we had to follow up or had our orders replaced.
In fairness, POBox PH has improved. They already have email notifications when they receive the items.

Plus we just learned that not everything you buy from Amazon is authentic. We bought a Kylie Birthday Edition Mini Lipsticks which was sold and fulfilled by Amazon but then after we ordered it the reviews started to say that it was fake. Our item was already delivered to POBox but we were able to return the item and get a refund for it. Kudos to the POBox Customer service for helping us facilitate the return.

But we were surprised that a box of the lipstick was still packed and compared it to an original Kylie Lipkit and yes the mini lipstick from Amazon was fake. So we were really glad we had it refunded.

Blue Box

The black box was about half the size of this box.

We requested for the box to be packed by September 24, 2016. They finished packing and sent us an invoice for a blue box which costs 72.5USD. We got our tracking number by October 25 and the estimated arrival in PH was November 15 but it arrived as early as November 11. The box reached UMAC Cargo ( the courier) by November 19 and promised us the box will be delivered within the week but Friday came and there was still no box. We couldn't wait any longer and decided to just pick up the box from their Marikina warehouse which was surprisingly open for 24hours.

Note: If you're going to pick up the box, you have to inform them one day ahead so they can search for the box in the sea of boxes in their warehouse.

I was really disappointed to see the box was not filled to the brim unlike before. Also, they did not remove the shoe boxes as I have instructed in the notes and I feel that if they had put in a little more effort, the items could be put in a smaller box.

How to Prepare Matcha Green Tea with Feelings

The process of making matcha tea is an art. It needs patience, focus and gives you a sense of zen..parang pag-ibig.. XD

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

1. 1/2 - 1 tsp of Matcha Powder

2. 1 cup of Warm Water

3. 1 tbsp of Honey (optional)

Step 1: Put a small amount of warm water in a cup enough to dissolve the matcha powder. Warm lang ha hindi boiling hot, kasi nakakapaso pag masyadong mainit parang pagibig..

Step 2: Sift 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of Matcha powder into the cup with warm water to avoid clumps. Depende kung gano ka kabitter. Unti unti, dahan dahan kasi pag ganyang mga bagay hindi dapat binibigla parang pag-ibig..

Step 3: Put a tablespoon of honey. Syempre hindi masarap kung puro pait lang dapat may konting tamis din parang pag-ibig..

Step 4: Use a milk frother or a whisk to mix and let it froth. Haluin mo ng haluin..paikot ikot parang ginawa sayo ng ex mo..

Step 5: Add the rest of the warm water and mix again. Enjoy you bitter sweet Matcha Tea! :)

Benefits of Matcha:
As research suggests, drinking 5 cups of green tea will help you lose weight. 1 cup of Matcha tea is equivalent to 10 cups of regular green tea.
It grows in a shade so it contains more amino acids that gives you extra alertness.
It contains a lot of antioxidants that fights free radicals that causes cancer.
It increases thermogenesis (calorie burning) without doing anything.

So yeah long story short, Matcha is good for you. You can buy it at thehealthygrocery.com for PHP795 per 1/4 lbs. I know it's expensive for such a small quantity but remember that you'll only need 1/2tsp per cup so it lasts long. Mas matagal kesa sa isang linggo mong pag-ibig. :)