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Living in New York City

2010-03-14T16:21:00Z

Ah New York City. I must admit, I really fell in love with this place. The tall buildings, the yellow taxis, Central Park, 5th Avenue, the glitz, the glamour, everything about the city is just--amazing. Sure, there are some parts which is not so great but I wouldn't dwell on that. Yeah California is great too especially Hollywood but I don't know, I guess coming from a tropical country there's something about the cool winds of New York that appeals to you.

But like many urban cities, the one downside of living in New York is its high standard of living. I mean, everything is almost double the price here. The hotels, the food, the cab fare. My relatives living here says that they'd probably be millionaires by now if only the rent in the area is lower. And did you know that New York insurance quotes also differ depending if you live in New York City or if you're from upstate New York. Last year, during the financial crisis, some of my relatives were thinking of moving to the upstate New York area because they lost their second jobs. It's a good thing that they were able to find replacement jobs quickly.

Anyways, I'm still reeling from my visit. I guess city life just allures me. I mean, this was exactly how I felt when I first visited Hong Kong.

What's the perfect gift for a frequent traveler?

2010-03-10T13:26:00Z

So what's the perfect gift for a world traveler? Bags, strollers, or backpacks are overrated I'm sure a traveler would have their favorite bag and they only need one that's durable. If you give them bags, chances are, they'll only use it once. Gadgets are good but then they would easily get lost especially if your traveler is a backpacker. So what's the next best thing? Well, I though of giving my hubby a Casio G Shock Watch.

I've been wanting to give him one ever since we were dating but I never got the chance to buy one. I used to have a Baby G watch which is so cute. The newer G Shocks have a rugged style and it would be well suited for a traveler. It has World Time and alarm features. World Time is a great feature to have especially for a traveler.

We'll be traveling again to Hong Kong in April I'm sure I could get some decent bargains on Casio watches. But if we don't have time, I can always order one online.

Hong Kong Jewelry Shopping

2010-03-09T14:36:00Z

If you've ever been to Hong Kong, you know that it's a shopping haven. Everything can be found here, apparel, electronics, accessories, jewelry, etc.

If you're jewelry shopping, there are lots of shops to choose in the Kowloon side such as in Nathan Road, Mong Kok, and Tsim Sha Tsui. However, Hong Kong is most famous for its Jade Market in Yau Ma Tei. Of course, always be cautious when shopping here. There are some stalls selling fake merchandise.

If you don't know how to scrutinize fake or real jewelry, it's best just to shop online from a known jewelry retailer. Of course, if you're shopping for a magnetic bracelet, you can't go wrong whether you shop for it in a jewelry market or online. But the advantage of shopping in an online store like billythethree, is that they have a large selection of jewelry and you don't have to worry about picpockets when shopping online. The site makes shopping for jewelry fun plus they ship worldwide.

Anyways, whether you're shopping for magnetic bracelets or silver jewelry, be it in Hong Kong or online, never forget to compare.

Wilmington NC Travel

2010-03-07T15:47:00Z

Wilmington is a riverfront district in North Carolina with several restaurants, cafes, antique shops, clubs, art galleries, etc. This city is famous for its beaches so don't forget to hit beaches such as Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach.

What to Do

When you're in the area, don't forget to visit the Airlie Gardens, 67 acres of Southern Gardens with 10 acres of freshwater lakes. Be sure to check out the famous 462 year old Airlie Oak and hit the nearby Wrightsville Beach.

If you want to see historic architecture, be sure to visit the Bellamy Mansion. The Bellamy Mansion is the city's most spectacular example of antebellum architecture. Inside, there's a museum of history and design arts, and art lovers would be excited to see exhibits on architectural history.

If you're looking for a night life, check out Marrz Theatre, which offers live music from national and regional bands. This theater has been voted best live music venue by a magazine.

Living Here

If you want to live here, there's plenty of Wilmington Real Estate available. From Condos, to beach houses, or just a regular suburban home. Most Wilmington NC Homes have cute architecture and are usually large. Most of the properties for sell are near the beach so expect to see a bit of premium in the prices.

Body Scanners spreading across airports in the US

2010-03-05T15:40:00Z

Don't be surprised if the next time you travel in the US, you'll be subject to a body scanner when previously, that airport doesn't have one. The Transportation Security Administration has announced that nine more airports in the US will receive body scanners. This is in response to the attempted bombing last Christmas. Body scanners are used to detect hidden explosives and other weapons.

Those who are concerned that body scanners will be able to see the genitals, body images shown on TSA's website shows that the images are blurry and only the body outline is shown. Those who don't want to be subjected to the body scanners have to go through a more rigorous inspection like metal detectors and a pat down.

Via: Yahoo News

Destination: Turkey

2010-03-03T14:12:00Z

Still fresh from my recent travel, I am now looking into my next travel opportunity: Turkey. But before setting off to my next trip, I have to sit down and google cheap holidays to Turkey. I usually don't book flights and hotels as packages because I could save a lot by searching the cheapest flights and then the cheapest hotels separately but I've been doing some comparisons and when I book a travel package and then combine it with some coupon codes I could actually save more.

I actually found some pretty good deals on cheap holidays in Turkey from Travelsoon.com but the website only offers flights from UK to Turkey. Too bad. However, there's this coupon code from retailmenot.com for Orbitz that gives you $50 off 3 or more nights of flight plus hotel package: 50entertain. This coupon is valid until December 31, 2010. Anyways, my itinerary to Turkey would start with the Temple of Artemis.

Once I get a concrete itinerary I'll share it with you.

LA to Las Vegas road trip

2010-03-03T11:49:00Z

So, my first trip to the US was to Los Angeles, beautiful city and great beaches. I want to make the most of my 2 days in California so we planned a road trip from Torrance, California to Las Vegas.

First off, I have to agree when someone says LA traffic is the worst. A normal 30 minute ride would take around one to one and a half hour in traffic. Anyways, so we took interstate 15, I think, going to Las Vegas. I normally sleep during road trips but I have to make this exception because I’m in a foreign country. Well two hours into our road trip, my cousin’s Honda Civic broke down. I think it overheated due to a broken head gasket? I don’t know, I’m not the mechanic type. We broke down in Barstow and since the Los Angeles auto repair shop that my cousin usually goes to is two hours drive away and it would be too long a wait for them to bring in a two truck, it’s a good thing that we broke down near a city.

Anyways, what would have been a usual 6 hour road trip was extended to 10 hours. But I enjoyed LA and we were able to see the Hoover Dam. Just a mental note to self: Never ride a car on a road trip that hasn’t been checked in months.

Las Vegas in December

2010-02-28T14:41:00Z

If you're in Las Vegas, there are a lot of things to do in Sin City other than hit every casinos in the area. This place is hopping with entertainment and every hotel has events or concerts for you.

Bellagio Fountain

Get Yourself to the Bellagio. If you’ve seen Ocean’s Eleven, then you’re familiar with the fountain. There’s a light and sound show with the fountain display every day

Eiffel Tower

Don’t have enough budget to go to Paris? The Eiffel Tower Replica is the next best thing. If you’re on your honeymoon, have dinner at the restaurant on top. The view is breath taking.

The Strip

No visit to Las Vegas is complete without visiting the strip. This is the heart of Las Vegas after all and you can find different shows, activities, or just take in the sights.

National Finals Rodeo

If you’re in Las Vegas in December, watch the National Finals Rodeo. I think this has been feature in CSI Las Vegas? Anyways, you need to have tickets and teamonetickets.com is one of the places you can get NFR Tickets cheap.

Cirque du Soleil

A resident show at the Bellagio. This is no ordinary circus and tickets don’t come cheap but be prepared to be mesmerized.

Las Vegas Marathon

An event held at Mandalay Bay, it’s a 26 mile marathon and an all-day charity event. If you don’t plan on sweating it out and joining the marathon, the day is filled with parties and banquets for non-participants.

Hotels.com still the cheapest place to book a hotel

2010-02-28T14:13:00Z

I've heard about hotels.com before but I haven't really looked at their service because I thought prices there aren't cheap. Well, I finally tried looking for a hotel at their website and was surprised to find some cheap hotels. Their featured hotels are of course, expensive but just narrow your search and order your results from lowest price to highest and you'll see what I mean.

I got so addicted to their service that I started searching for hotels and then basing my trips on the available dates of these hotels. Of course, if you're a backpacker, I don't think there are any rooms only on hotels.com but then again I haven't checked each and every city so it's worth a shot.

Your First Home in the US

2010-02-24T12:54:00Z

I’ve mentioned before that though I would love to visit the US, I never really thought of living there. However, with news like this, it makes me want to rethink my options. It seems like those who’re thinking of Buying First Home in the United States can get a tax refund from their purchase. This is because of the First-Time Home Buyer Credit. If you recall, the Global Financial Crisis that started around the end of 2008 and throughout 2009 has taken a toll in the real estate business. People are more cautious about buying and the credit freeze has made it harder for those who are looking for new homes to buy one. But thanks to the stimulus plan, new homeowners can get up to $8000 tax credit for their purchase.

The Federal Income Tax Credit has also been expanded to include those homeowners who want to move on from their current home provided that they’ve been living in their current property for 5 years. These home buyers can get up to $6,500 in tax credit. However, because of the extension and expansion of the of the First Time Home Buyer Credit, there’s additional documentation to be submitted. In order to not slow down the issuance of any refund, homebuyers should check out the filing requirements at IRS.

It would be nice to be able to own real estate in the US especially now that their economy is recovering.

Boothbay Harbor

2010-02-13T04:01:00Z

Boothbay Harbor, Maine is a region in Maine, USA famous for its maritime New England village scene. Think clapboard homes, boat yards and marinas. The region is very picturesque and those looking for a place away from the city would find Boothbay Harbor to be a very relaxing place.

THINGS TO DO

Being a harbor, Boothbay is famous for sailing and kayaking but there are nature trails to explore too. You can take one of the many sailing boats to enjoy a harbor tour or go whale watching. You can also stroll around the harbor and watch boats being built at the local boat yards or stroll around tow and visit their quaint boutiques, antique stores and museums. Also, don't forget to try out the local lobster dishes at any of the popular Boothbay Harbor Restaurants.

WHERE TO STAY

There's a wide variety of accommodations available at Boothbay Harbor ranging from Inns, Hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, and motels that would surely fit anyone's budget.

PICTURES

Skiing in Argentina

2010-01-09T04:33:00Z

Hmm, I've always though that Argentina was a tropical country but I guess with it being a large country and so near the Antarctic, you can expect it to have some ski resorts down South. Anyways, to ski in Argentina is not as popular as skiing in Vale or other popular ski resorts but there are some decent Argentina ski resorts. In particular, most skiiers would talk about Bariloche, a city at the foot of the Andes and famous for the Cathedral Mountains, an advance ski slope in the area. Cerro Catedral Ski Resort is located in this area.

Another famous mountain in Argentina is the Chapelco Mountain. Although not as advanced as the Cathedral Mountains, skiiers will find different slopes to their liking. Cerro Chapelco is a ski resort in the area. Some skiiers would warn you that although you can get some serious powder skiing in Argentina, it can usually get a bit crowded because locals usually spend their vacation here.

Get 10% off on your booking with Hotels.com

2010-01-09T04:26:00Z

Whether you agree with me or not, I think that Hotels.com still offers the cheapest hotel rates in the Internet. I've recently booked a hotel with them in Hong Kong and after hours of research, their offers still come out on top. Of course, there's still the chance that I could find cheaper hotel rates since not all Hotels in Hong Kong have websites but still, I think I got a bargain deal.

Anyways, for those looking to book with Hotels.com you might want to try this coupon code: HC5aReFSAVE10 which gets you 10% off. There's mixed success with this voucher code though. Some people claim it still works while others have not. It might only work with bookings on Hotel.com's main website or with selected hotels but it's worth a shot. Hey, 10% is still 10%.

Travel during the Holidays

2009-12-26T16:24:00Z

If you're planning on traveling this Holiday season, the chance of you getting cheap airline tickets are pretty nil and in some places, the chance of you booking a flight also dwindles. There's a lot of people trying to get home for the holidays and cheap tickets are hard to come by because airlines know these. Cheap hotels are almost nonexistent during the holiday season as this is usually their peak season. I've tried booking someone in a local hotel and their rates are way too high.

Of course, if you're really desperate to go home but can't score cheap airline tickets, you can always try using the bus. Of course, travel time would double so it's good that you leave early to arrive just in time for the Holidays. So next year, be sure to score your tickets early so you can avail of any early bird discounts in airlines and hotels.

Satellite TV

2009-11-22T02:13:00Z

There are lots of American TV Shows I'm currently addicted to. Right now, I'm eagerly awaiting February for the first episode of Chuck and Lost. Lost is on its final season and I think NBC is still on the fence about whether to renew Chuck for a fourth season so if they decide against it, then Chuck would probably be on its last season too.

Anyways, I don't know when our local channel will be airing Chuck and Lost but by that time, those two TV shows are probably mid-season by then so I'm looking into some Direct TV packages so that I can get better channels and hopefully, be able to watch my favorite shows on time.

Well, to my dismay, it seems Direct TV offers are only available in the United States. Darn it, if I have to move to the US, it would probably be for the reason of their TV shows alone.

Anyways, it's just too bad because they're currently offering a lot of good Direct TV Deals such as $26 off per month for 12 months and a free upgrade to an HD receiver. Oh well, maybe I can scour the net for some streaming TV instead.

Airport Bag Scales in New York A-OK!

2009-11-22T02:01:00Z

As people are preparing to travel this holiday season, New York city officials have inspected around 741 scales at John F. Kennedy International and La Guardia airports. Officials at the Department of Consumer Affairs found that all scales at all New York City airports are accurately calibrated.

The Officials found that it's proper to check if the scales are well calibrated considering that most airlines are now charging for baggage fees. The officials say that 98% of the scales are now accurate while the remaining that were faulty are under stop -use orders.

Golfing in Myrtle Beach

2009-11-18T13:36:00Z

Sunbathing and beach activities aren't the only things to do in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina. If you're all set on spending your vacation in Myrtle Beach, you might want to try Tee Times' Myrtle Beach Golf Package which includes playing at three golf courses for the price of one.

Myrtle Beach Golf Vacations have became famous because of the comprehensive list of golf courses found in the area. In Tee Times' website alone, there are more than 100 golf courses. You can choose your golf package and book online on Tee Times' website.

If you're confused as to which Myrtle Beach Golf Package you should choose, there's an article on Tee Times' website which discusses which golf course in Myrtle Beach are the most fun to play at.

Whatever Golf Package you may choose, Tee Times' rates are pretty competitive and they can provide you with golf cart rentals or car rentals to make your traveling between courses easier.

Traveling with Toddlers

2009-11-18T13:09:00Z

Sometimes, traveling alone can be fun but you can't leave your children behind, that's why most parents invest in lightweight strollers or travel strollers. Travel strollers would help you keep your toddlers in check so that they wouldn't run off.

The best travel strollers are probably those umbrella strollers, called because they're as light and portable as umbrellas. Of course, because of the limited size, you can't expect pockets for baby bottles, diapers, etc.

Of course, there are also full featured lightweight strollers which features, canopy, rain cover, removable padding, and onboard storage. Of course the added portability would jack up the price to more than $100. There are also tandem lightweight strollers availabe if you're traveling with two toddlers, the downside is that tandem strollers are bulky even if they are "lightweight" and you would probalby incur extra baggage charges.

The cheapest solution would be baby carriers, particularly backpack baby carriers but make sure your husband is traveling with you because, well, carrying a baby on your back for long travels would take a toll on you.

Whatever kind of stroller or carrier you choose, traveling with toddlers doesn't have to be a headache.

Santa Monica, California

2009-11-01T03:52:00Z

If you're planning to take a vacation in Santa Monica, California, forget about renting beach houses, you need to stay in a Santa Monica Beach Hotel. One of the known Santa Monica Beach accomodations are beach rentals but they're pretty expensive especially in that part of California. Besides, with hotels, you get your own housekeeping so you don't have to look after yourselves.

Staying in Santa Monica Beach would afford you a great view plus it's also nearer the popular tourist destinations such as Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Bayside hotel is one of the many hotels in Santa Monica. They're currently doing a promotion called "bay it forward" wherein if you know someone who's a do-gooder, you can email your story to them and Bayside will send them a certificate which entitles the user $50 off the standard room rates. So if you're in the area, better start being nice, someone might just hand you a $50 certificate.

Buying the Right Luggage

2009-11-01T03:41:00Z

So, you're going on your first big vacation and you want to be ready for it. The first thing that you have to do is of course, buy your luggage. But as you go to your local department store, you're bombarded with a lot of different choices. Which should you get? A duffel bag, an upright luggage, a backpack, or should you just get the whole set?

Choosing the right luggage is something first time travelers have to deal with. I know that during my first big travel, I decided to bring a big duffle bag. It turns out I made a wrong decision because going back home, I had to buy a separate luggage because my things didn't fit anymore. Well, needless to say, with the exchange rate and all, I ended up paying more for that extra luggage.

Anyways, ShopWiki has a very good Luggage Shopping Guide that those who are luggage confused should definitely read. They even have a table of carry-on policies from different airlines so you can be guided on the size of the luggage you want to bring in case you don't want to check in any baggage.