NAIA Terminal 3

The first time I travelled out of the country was 2005 when I tried my luck in Dubai. It was the first time I saw NAIA inside, I didn't mind that it was old and dirty as I was busy reminding myself not to be afraid of a big adventure of going thousand of miles away from my family and work for my future.

But 6 years forward, I have been to quite a few airports around the globe and having worked also in the Dubai International Airport T3 Project 3 years ago, whenever I go home and see NAIA 1, I cringed and pray hard that someone in our government will pay attention to "Philippines gate", that all the travellers first see when they visit our beautiful country.

Last 2008, we managed to fly PAL and saw Terminal 2, its ok and more modern than Terminal 1, but last month I was able to experience Terminal 3, my flight was AKL-SING, and then SING-MLA, I booked a ticket thru cebupacs website and it was cheap and didn't know I was in for a treat. Soon as I landed in terminal 3, I saw the difference, there was no "broken tiles", it was not hot (aircon is working ;)....
Toilets are better....Last month, we also flew to Vietnam for a 5 day trip, and boy, I experience Terminal 3 again, there were a couple of food options in the departure area, there's Jollibee, Hen Lin, etc...Also there were good quality souvenir shops around...

I have one question in mind...Why can't we use Terminal 3 as our main terminal? or better yet, why can't we upgrade Terminal 1, as what everyone's been saying, Terminal 1 building is a great structure, its only the interiors that needs updating....I have stumbled upon chuvaness blog and alot of people are voicing the same concern...Please do something about Terminal 1....

I hope to go home this December and still contemplating if I'm going to book cebu pacific so I can land and experience terminal 3 again and not terminal 1....;)0

Yaruki Japanese Restaurant (Henderson, Auckland NZ)

I love eating out and just 2 years ago, I fell inlove with Japanese food, why just recently? because i thought japanese food consist of only "raw fish or meat", silly me i know....I eat out at least twice a week for the last 3 years now and my favorite is trying out small but great restos around town...
Last saturday night, after a week of overtime and deadlines, i decided to treat some of my "teenage girls" (daughters of my cellgroup friends). I wanted to take them to town but didn't want to drive 30 minutes in a bad weather, so decided to try out one of the local japanese resto, Yaruki...it's a small restaurant next to National Bank, along Great North Road in Henderson center....I parked my car in the off-street parking outside it (30 min. free) then moved it at the back of the building.

We enter the restaurant and greeted by charming staff, its small and already packed at 6:00pm, they suggested we take the table upstairs, we are a party of 5...Upstairs, its decorated with assortment of japanese dolls, umbrellas etc...We ordered briefly and decided to get different foods to sample...One katsu ($16.00) dinner box for Abigayle, Chicken Karaage&Tempura ($20.50) for Shamaine, Sushi assorted ($13.00) for Claudine, Octopus balls x2 ($13.00) for Diane and I ordered Sukiyaki ($20.00) (hot pot). Our food arrived after 15 minutes, i find it quick and just delighted to start eating as we were hungry.

After our dinner, we all agree that the food was great, quick service, charming staff and the cost is reasonable. The only downside was the rice included in the Chicken Karaage/Teriyaki was too small for one person.

But overall, it was a good restaurant, my personal rating will be " 4 stars" (1-poor, 5- excellent)...

Australian Visitor's Visa

I decided to apply for my visa 2 months before my flight, that's the most important tip in getting a visa anywhere, if you can get it ahead of time, better.


Next, google, yahoo search is the best tool in preparing for the requirements.
http://www.immi.gov.au/immigration/ check all required documents.

http://www.australia.com.ph/mnla/home.html (for applications made in the philippines)


There are two types of tourist visa in OZ, one is called "e-visa"  and the paper type application.


Unfortunately, Philippine passport holder can't apply for an e-visa. So, I have to the manual application.


Checklist : http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/_pdf/676-visa-checklist.pdf , just complete the required documents and getting a stamp is as easy as eating ice cream.


Copy of air ticket, accomodation booking, bank statement and letter from employer are the most important document for them to check, also don't forget to get a copy of your travel insurance.


After completing all the documents, I went to the conuslate in Auckland @

Australian Consulate - General Level 7, PriceWaterhouseCoopers Tower
186 - 194 Quay Street.


Its inside the big building across Westfield, I arrive before 9:00 am, so that I will be first in qeue, but there are at least 10 people already there. No problem as the "guard" told me its not a busy day, "Wednesday". After waiting for an hour, I was called by the guy behind the desk and started the lodgement of my application. It only took less than 10 minutes and he told me If i want to wait for the visa or just come back the next day and pick it up. I opted for the option of picking it up the next day as I want to go to Westfield and "windowshop"(LOL).

The next day 9:30 am, I was in the Consulate and picking up my visa, easy and cheap...there's only one thing left, "experience and enjoy OZ"...

30th in surfers paradise....Day 1 & 2

I originally plan to welcome my 30th birthday in Paris, in a hotel overlooking Eiffel tower. Economics played a big part ( read this: kulang ang budget) and since I am in New Zealand, I decided to explore our neighbour, Australia. I thought of going to Sydney, then a colleague suggested me to check Goldcoast. Google, Yahoo search, Australian tourism website descibes it as "beach lovers haven". So there I book a flight via Pacific Blue cost me $350 (AUD), I used http://www.webjet.co.nz/ , it's a website comparing airlines, hotels and sometimes you get the best deal just like http://www.expedia.co.nz/ and http://www.jetabroad.co.nz/, . Next one is to research my accomodation, cause its my 30th and I feel the need to splurge a bit in this area, having missed the Paris plan (note to self: move on, LOL), I booked a one bedroom (seaviews) in Mantra Circle in Cavill, http://www.mantra.com.au/queensland/gold-coast/surfers-paradise/accommodation/resorts/mantra-circle-on-cavill/  it's a fabulous one bedroom self-contained apartment. It felt like a princess, the wall between the bathroom and room is a full mirror, so you can see the views while having a bubble bath (too much info, hehehe). 
Oopsie, i forgot, i have to get an Australian visitors visa (another story I guess?)

April 26, I arrived at the Coolongatta airport just after a 3-hour flight safely and excited, after the immigration and getting my bags from the "carousel" (LOL), I checked an ATM and withdraw some money but to my horror I can't access my account, it's because I transfer all my money to my Savings Acc. and I forgot that I requested ANZ to not allow access on my SA a month before that, very "smart girl"  am I, right? so there I go, didn't bother to bring cash, EFTPOS (ATM card) not working and alone. Can't call my bank in NZ as my phone is not roaming. Started to feel a bit nauseated and afraid, a charming taxi driver smiled at me, haha, your going to be my knight in shining armour, I asked him if he can drop me off my hotel and I will pay him the next day, explain my situation, blah blah blah...he was indeed my hero....

Soon as I checked in, called a friend in NZ and asked to send me money thru Western Union and got me started. In the midst of all the drama, managed to enjoy my first day...Dined in one of the restos just outside my accomodation and then walk to the beach...I decided to go back to my room before 7:00pm as I want to watch the sunrise on my 30th. Got myself a nice bubble bath ( brought my good old Bodyshop bubble bath), and off to watching the views from my balcony...

Day 2 - got up 6:00 am, head to Surfers Paradise beach to watch the sunrise on my birthday...It was a beautiful day, what else can you ask for? a breathtaking view, weather to die for and "HOT SURFERS" hahahaha...
Breakfast in a restaurant oppossite the beach. Head back to my room to prepare for an afternoon cruise around GC. The cruise boat is docked 5 minutes walk from my hotel, the cuise started 2:00pm and for $60 (AUD) its including afternoon tea (read this: pastries, tea, coffeee and cold drinks). The staff was so nice to take my pictures as I am alone and can't use my tripod in the boat (too risky). I enjoyed the cruise as I saw the most expensive house along the coast, houses with helicopter and yatch parked outside cause they are in the middle of a small island, so their ride is either heli or jetski or a small yatch...sosyal...I had my dinner at a revolving resto in Crown Plaza, good food, awesome views and not that exensive...then after dinner, headed to the bars, one by one, one tequila shot per bar, but I was careful not to devulge that I'm alone to anybody or tell them where I was staying. I ended up with 6 shots, got home after 10pm...had a great birthday, alone it is but it was a good time to have some soul search...

Day 3 -5, next posts...