I decided to create a post just for itineraries so it will be easier for me to remember everything if ever I want to blog about it.
October 3:
Departed from NAIA Terminal 3 bound to Beijing
October 4:
Waited for Poppy to arrive from Jakarta.
Spent 3 hours looking for our creepy hotel
Left the hotel around 6am bound to Summer Palace
Went back to the hotel to rest
Went to China Open (watched Serena Williams, Li Na, Kvitova, and Wozniacki in action)
WangFuJing
October 5:
Mutianyu Great Wall
Beijing Olympic Park
October 6:
Beijing Zoo
Beijing Olympic Park
Forbidden City (Outside)
Sanlitun (Meet up with Stef and Ms. Leng)
Drum Tower
October 7:
Tianamen Square
Forbidden City
Train to Shanghai
October 8:
Arrived in Shanghai
East Nanjing Road
Yuyuan Garden
The Bund
West Nanjing Road
October 9
BEST DAY EVER
SHANGHAI ROLEX MASTERS....
Xinzhuang Mall
October 10
Orient Pearl Tower
Peace Hotel
SG Mall
East Nanjing Road
Old Hutong
Pudong Airport :(
I'm David Ramos. Born and Raised in the Philippines. Currently based in Manila. Lived in Singapore, Malaysia and United States (Texas). I'm currently living a life of travel. I live by the quote from Anthony Bourdain - If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
Seoul-Searching in South Korea
Finally, I am traveling alone on my 3rd attempt. My first attempt was when I booked a ticket to Taipei but my Dad decided to come with me which is good. My second attempt was when I booked a ticket to Beijing and Shanghai because I wanna see Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic. Thankfully, my friends Johan and Poppy decided to join me. It's a good thing they joined me because they were my photographer during the Shanghai Rolex Masters and Beijing China Open.
Since my last out of the country trip was just last month (October 2013), I'm actually planing to skip the Seoul trip because I still don't have a visa, hotel bookings and so on. However, 2 weeks before my trip I realized that this is a good time to visit and getting a South Korean Visa is not that hard since I have a US, Japan, and Australian stamps and visas. So I decided to push through with the trip.
Believe it or not I am a budget traveler . You wouldn't believe me when I say I spent less than 20,000 pesos for my 5 day trip to Seoul. My budget includes everything from airline tickets, taxes, shopping, DMZ Tour, accommodation and so on. I mastered the art of budget traveling. This is actually the first trip that was funded by me. I didn't ask anything from my Dad except for the travel tax ahahah. I don't know how I did it but I did. BTW this is my 2nd time in Seoul so I didn't go to Nami Island.
Day 1 - Arrival
My flight arrived around 8pm but because of the number of flights arriving at the same time, I was able to get out of the airport around 9pm. Incheon Airport is very far from the city you can either take a cab, bus or train. Among all the alternatives, the commuter train is the best alternative which cost around 3850KRW compared to the 10000 KRW bus. However, it might be hard to go and transfer between train stations if you have a lot of bags with you. BTW Seoul is not Manila. Seoul's subway is much better than our train system here in the Philippines. The only thing that makes going around Seoul subway hard is the lack of escalators in some station but you can use the elevator but it might take time. Anyway, I arrived in my hotel around 10:30pm
My hotel is located near Gwanghwamun station. It's a few steps away from the nearest subway exit. There are many good restaurants around and there's a grocery beside it. When I arrived, I decided not to sleep yet and went out since it's not yet that late and I'm craving for my favorite Korean Corn Dog.
I learned that they have a festival in Cheonggyecheon Stream. Too bad I went there late and almost all the food stalls are closing already except for one. I decided to buy whatever is in there and went back home to sleep.
Day 2: Everland Day
Everyday I usually walk 2 or more stations before going to my final destination. As I've said a while ago, my hotel is a few steps away from Gwanghwamun Station but then I only used it 2-4 times during my entire stay. I usually use Anguk Station from my hotel. Anguk is 2 or more stations away from my hotel but I usually go there because I want to walk and enjoy the surrounding. I really enjoyed walking but not early morning when the temperature is below 10 degrees and my hands are freezing to the point that I go inside a public restroom and wash it with warm water. Going back, I usually go to Gangnam Station first to catch the bus to Everland. Gangnam is a popular place because of Psy's Song. It's actually similar to Ginza of Tokyo. Nothing much to see for me. Moving on, Bus 5002 which will take you to Everland stops in Gangnam station in front of Krispy Kreme. It's actually the easiest way to go to Everland since it's somewhere outside Seoul. Everland has discounts for for foreigners. Instead of paying the normal 44000 KRW entrance fee you will just pay 35000 KRW. How? Google it.
I decided to leave around 4pm because I was really craving for my favorite Corn Dog in Myeongdong. However, I decided to pass by Namdaemun first before going to Myeongdong. This is actually my usual ending route for 5 days: Namdaemun to Myeongdong to Cheonggyecheon Stream to Home.
Namdaemun Market is comparable to Divisoria or Baclaran. I believe they sell the cheapest souvenirs. I bought some keychains and Korean Flag before leaving the area on my way to Myeongdong.
Myeongdong is a shopping district! Definitely heaven for shoppers. They have H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, Forever21, Guess, SPAO, Nike, Adidas, Face Shop, and so on. FREE WIFI ALL OVER MYEONGDONG! I even faced time my aunt while walking around. I usually roam Myeongdong for an hour before heading to Cheonggyecheon Stream on my way home.
Bukchon Hanok Village is in between Gyeongbokgung and Chakblablah Palace. You can use the map provided to go there haha. It's actually a tiring walk going here because the roads are uphill. Nevertheless, it's worth the trecking.
This palace is included in the UNESCO list so why not give it a try. I decided to go there instead of Gyeongbokgung because I haven't been there and I already visited Gyeongbokgung before. If you're a first timer I highly suggest to visit Gyeongbokgung and watch the changing of the guard. BTW entrance to this palace is 3000KRW. However, if you're game for palace tour and you want to visit all the palaces in Seoul you just need to pay 10000KRW for all palaces ;)
National Museum of Korea is located near Ichon Station. It's actually worth a visit. It's free. It's really nice inside. Free Wifi inside! hahaha. Not really interested in going around so I decided to leave after exploring the 1st floor. I'm more interested in knowing more about the North and South Korean War so I decided to go to War Memorial Museum after an hour.
Omw to War Memorial I came across IP Park Mall. I decided to stop by and eat my lunch and buy the No-Sleep Gum. It's a very useful gum that will keep you awake if needed. You can buy it in E-Mart Supermarket around Seoul.
This museum is free but for me I believe it's worth more than that. This is the first free museum I saw that houses a 4D Theatre, 3D Theatre, Cinema, Tour Guides, Shooting Games, and so on all for free. You will really learn a lot from this Museum. You can see that North Korea is really a powerful country when it comes to war. They outnumbered South Korea when it comes to the number of tanks, guns, airplanes, and so on. Good thing there are a lot of South Korean supporters. Philippines is actually one of the countries who sent SK some aide.
Destination 5: N Seoul Tower
TBA
Since my last out of the country trip was just last month (October 2013), I'm actually planing to skip the Seoul trip because I still don't have a visa, hotel bookings and so on. However, 2 weeks before my trip I realized that this is a good time to visit and getting a South Korean Visa is not that hard since I have a US, Japan, and Australian stamps and visas. So I decided to push through with the trip.
Believe it or not I am a budget traveler . You wouldn't believe me when I say I spent less than 20,000 pesos for my 5 day trip to Seoul. My budget includes everything from airline tickets, taxes, shopping, DMZ Tour, accommodation and so on. I mastered the art of budget traveling. This is actually the first trip that was funded by me. I didn't ask anything from my Dad except for the travel tax ahahah. I don't know how I did it but I did. BTW this is my 2nd time in Seoul so I didn't go to Nami Island.
Day 1 - Arrival
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| My first Photo in Seoul this year |
My flight arrived around 8pm but because of the number of flights arriving at the same time, I was able to get out of the airport around 9pm. Incheon Airport is very far from the city you can either take a cab, bus or train. Among all the alternatives, the commuter train is the best alternative which cost around 3850KRW compared to the 10000 KRW bus. However, it might be hard to go and transfer between train stations if you have a lot of bags with you. BTW Seoul is not Manila. Seoul's subway is much better than our train system here in the Philippines. The only thing that makes going around Seoul subway hard is the lack of escalators in some station but you can use the elevator but it might take time. Anyway, I arrived in my hotel around 10:30pm
My hotel is located near Gwanghwamun station. It's a few steps away from the nearest subway exit. There are many good restaurants around and there's a grocery beside it. When I arrived, I decided not to sleep yet and went out since it's not yet that late and I'm craving for my favorite Korean Corn Dog.
I learned that they have a festival in Cheonggyecheon Stream. Too bad I went there late and almost all the food stalls are closing already except for one. I decided to buy whatever is in there and went back home to sleep.
Day 2: Everland Day
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| Admiral Yi Sun-Sin's Statue |
Everyday I usually walk 2 or more stations before going to my final destination. As I've said a while ago, my hotel is a few steps away from Gwanghwamun Station but then I only used it 2-4 times during my entire stay. I usually use Anguk Station from my hotel. Anguk is 2 or more stations away from my hotel but I usually go there because I want to walk and enjoy the surrounding. I really enjoyed walking but not early morning when the temperature is below 10 degrees and my hands are freezing to the point that I go inside a public restroom and wash it with warm water. Going back, I usually go to Gangnam Station first to catch the bus to Everland. Gangnam is a popular place because of Psy's Song. It's actually similar to Ginza of Tokyo. Nothing much to see for me. Moving on, Bus 5002 which will take you to Everland stops in Gangnam station in front of Krispy Kreme. It's actually the easiest way to go to Everland since it's somewhere outside Seoul. Everland has discounts for for foreigners. Instead of paying the normal 44000 KRW entrance fee you will just pay 35000 KRW. How? Google it.
Why is Everland my favorite Asian Theme Park? Why not HK Disneyland or Universal Studios Singapore? I don't like Disneylands but the one in Anaheim is really good. USS is okay lah. I only go there for the Battle Star Gallatica Roller Coaster and the Mummy. I'm a huge fan of extreme rides this is the reason why I love Everland in South Korea, Dreamworld and Movieworld in Australia, Six Flags and Knotts Berry Farm in the US, and Ocean Park in Hong Kong. Everland, Dreamworld and Ocean Park has a lot of things in common. They have it all. They have extreme thrilling rides, zoos and so on. These theme parks are really worth it. Seoul's Lotte World is crap.
Below are the attractions you shouldn't miss in Everland. (Not in photo: Double Rock Spin)
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| K-Pop Hologram Concert (Forget 2NE1. Psy's Concert is better) |
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| Safari World |
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| European Park |
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| T-Express. Formerly the world's steepest wooden roller coaster. |
I decided to leave around 4pm because I was really craving for my favorite Corn Dog in Myeongdong. However, I decided to pass by Namdaemun first before going to Myeongdong. This is actually my usual ending route for 5 days: Namdaemun to Myeongdong to Cheonggyecheon Stream to Home.
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| Namdaemun Market |
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| Myeongdong at Night |
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| Couples in Cheonggyecheon Stream |
Walking in Cheonggyecheon Stream made me realized that there are many couples in Korea. I feel like it's really normal to show affection everywhere. It's not really that bad. It actually sets a mood that this city is full of love. I can feel it all over. I enjoyed watching how they show affection to each other ahahaha.
Day 3: Roaming around Seoul (Bukchon Village, Palace, National Museum of Korea, IP Park Mall, War Memorial Museum, N Seoul Tower)
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| If it's 5 degrees WEAR SOME GLOVES! |
This is the most tiring day ever. I went to a lot of places but I only used the train twice. Imagine how many kilometers I walked just to go from point A to point B.
Destination 1: Bukchon Village
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| My very first photo taken by someone in Seoul |
Destination 2: Cha.... Palace
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| a photo near the secret garden |
Destination 3: National Museum of Korea
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| National Museum of Korea |
National Museum of Korea is located near Ichon Station. It's actually worth a visit. It's free. It's really nice inside. Free Wifi inside! hahaha. Not really interested in going around so I decided to leave after exploring the 1st floor. I'm more interested in knowing more about the North and South Korean War so I decided to go to War Memorial Museum after an hour.
Destination 3: IP Park Mall
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| This is how I order. Take a photo of the display and show it to the cashier. (GENIUS) |
Omw to War Memorial I came across IP Park Mall. I decided to stop by and eat my lunch and buy the No-Sleep Gum. It's a very useful gum that will keep you awake if needed. You can buy it in E-Mart Supermarket around Seoul.
Destination 4: War Memorial Museum
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| Outdoor Museum |
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| List of Filipino Soldiers who died during the Korean War |
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| Locks of Love in N Seoul Tower |
To go to N Seoul tower simply go to Chungmuro Station Exit 2 and wait for the yellow bus in the nearest bus stop. I heard there's also a yellow bus stopping in Myeongdong Exit 3. Up to you where you want to ride the bus as long as you get there.
N Seoul tower is a must for couples. There are lovers everywhere. It's really a romantic place to visit. You can go up the tower for a fee. Go to Teddy Bear Museum and so on. There are a lot of things you can do in N Seoul tower.
Destination 6-8: Namdaemun, Myeongdong, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Home
The final leg for the day was my usual route. The only difference is that I stopped by H&M and bought 2 pants. hahahaha
Day 4: DMZ Tour, Itaewon, Seoul Station, Namdaemun, Myeongdong, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Insadong, Home
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| DMZ Tour |
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| My beautiful tour guide. |
TBA
Day 5: Lotte World, Olympic Park, Namdaemun, Myeongdong, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Home, Airport
TBA
Lessons:
Traveling alone in a city full of love isn't that bad at all. I was able to relax throughout the duration of my trip. I talk to myself sometimes but it gave me a better perspective. I did everything I want to do in Seoul. I met new people and gained new friends. It's really an unforgettable experience. It gave me more confidence now. I'm really very happy and I'm looking forward my next trip alone and my next trip to Seoul hahahaahah.
After this trip, Seoul, South Korea is my favorite city besides Singapore of course. I love almost everything about this city.
Tips:
Seoul is not really a very expensive city. Learn how to budget and you can enjoy the city for less. I enjoyed it despite spending less than 20000. I was able to eat what I want, buy what I want, and go to places I want to go. Do some research and plan everything ahead. You can ask me for suggestions if you want. ;)
I highly recommend Seoul for couples who are looking for a good place to go on a vacation. As i've said it's a very romantic city. In Seoul, you can go to palaces, theme parks, shopping, and so on. You can really do everything here!
Seoul is way better than Tokyo not only because Seoul is cheaper but also because of the environment Tokyo has. I feel stressed in Tokyo. I feel like no one would even bother to stop and look around. Not a good place for Solo Traveler. Also, Seoul's subway station is really nice and efficient. I actually have an app that will tell you exactly what time the next train will arrive without using data.
Friday, August 30, 2013
My Last Term as a Student: Nestle Philippines
During my 1st internship, I always wanted to be an intern for Nestle. Sadly, I was turned down. Maybe I wasn't ready. Maybe I need to be a better intern before I could go to Nestle. Fast forward to my 3rd and last internship. I am now a better person and I am more mature now. I was able to secure an internship position in Nestle Philippines under the Procurement Department.
Throughout my internship stint, I was able to learn more about the procurement department. I learned about how FMCG works and so on. It was a worthwhile experience. I learned a lot not only from the tasks I am doing but also through talking to other people. In Nestle, I met different kinds of individual although it is not as diverse as my environment in Bosch Singapore. My whole experience is still something to be proud of.
I would also like to thank my awesome fellow interns. Who made my lunch breaks and my "coffee break" unforgettable. It was nice meeting each and everyone of you. We had good laughs throughout my 3 months stay in Nestle. Thank you everyone!
1 month before Graduation. I have one month to prepare. I don't want to rush things. I'll wait for a job that I will enjoy.
I am David and I am almost graduating. Welcome to my BUM life!
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| Me with my Fellow Interns |
I would like to thank my boss and my officemates for welcoming me and teaching me everything I need to know. I cannot accomplish every single task without the help of every single one in the procurement department. Indeed there's no I in a team.
I would also like to thank my awesome fellow interns. Who made my lunch breaks and my "coffee break" unforgettable. It was nice meeting each and everyone of you. We had good laughs throughout my 3 months stay in Nestle. Thank you everyone!
1 month before Graduation. I have one month to prepare. I don't want to rush things. I'll wait for a job that I will enjoy.
I am David and I am almost graduating. Welcome to my BUM life!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Year End Trip: Day 3 Malaysia Day 4 Strolling in Singapore
Day 3 is for my trip to Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost part of West Malaysia. It's connected to Singapore via the Woodlands CIQ or the 2nd link in West Singapore. I usually use the Woodland Bridge because it's nearer to my place. I live in Northern Singapore :).
How to go to Johor Bahru and Legoland or Johor Premium Outlet
1.) Go to Kranji MRT
2.) Ride a bus. Bus stops are right outside the exit of the MRT. There are several bus available but I choose to ride the Causeway Link because it's cheaper. You can pay in SGD 0.80 or in MYR. I usually pay in SGD because I have many spare coins. The bus will bring you to JB Sentral. You will have to go through the immigration twice. One in Singapore and one in Malaysia. Immigration lines can take 10-60mins depending on the number of people. Woodlands to Johor Bahru is just around 10 mins driving. Thanks to the immigration the whole process will take more than an hour.
3.) Once you're in Malaysia, you can now go to JB Sentral. It is right before the City Square Mall.
4.) There are many buses there just google causewaylink bus for schedules. Johor Premium Outlet is okay lah. Legoland is a paradise for kids :).
Tips: I usually do my weekend grocery shopping in Malaysia because it is cheaper there. My cousin lives in Johor Bahru so it's really easy for me to transport my groceries from Johor to Singapore because he owns a car. Chewing Gums are legal in Malaysia so everytime I go to Malaysia I see to it that I have at least a pack of chewing gum. Lastly, watching a movie in Malaysia is way cheaper than Singapore. In Singapore, a movie will cost you 10 SGD = 25MYR. While in Malaysia, movie will cost you 10 MYR. that's more than half of Singapore's price. :)
Going back, I went to Legoland together with my friend's families. From JB Sentral to Legoland, the bus ride will be around 45-60 mins I think.
Seen above is a lego version of one of the Philippines' city. This part of Legoland made my visit worth it. The rides were errrrr.
Day 4 - My boss invited me for lunch today. As a former intern, I'm really really lucky to have them as my bosses. I really learned a lot from them. Work may be stressful but I actually enjoyed all the stress plus all the eating I did when I was an intern before. My motto before was "I won't be in Singapore forever, might as well eat all I can eat". Thanks to that saying I gained weight from 165 lbs to 190 lbs. I didn't regret eating haha. Anyway, I can lose it immediately. I was back to 165lbs when I returned to Singapore a month after I left haha.
Above is my boss Kevin. He's a blogger. My other boss is Joanne who is in a vacation in Taiwan. I wasn't able to see my Singaporean mother because of that. Anyway, I went back 2 weeks later just to see her. Kevin brought my to Xin Wang HK Cafe in Holland Village. It's actually my first time in Holland Village so I really don't know the place. Just like the old days, my boss Kevin made me eat a lot and I mean a lot. Thanks for that! I'll bring more food for you guys when I return. Hopefully, Sharmain will be with me during my next visit.
After the lunch with Kevin, I decided to stroll in Sentosa just like the old days. I have nothing to do so I decided to walk along Sentosa. When entering Sentosa, I don't use the tram. I usually walk to get in. It's cheaper to walk than to take the tram. Walking will only cost you 1 SGD while taking the tram will cost you 3 SGD. You can use the tram going back to Vivo City whether you walk in or you used the tram. I did what I usually do when I am bored in Singapore. I just walk around the whole island from the Universal Globe to Siloso Beach. Sadly, Siloso Beach was closed because of their on going preparation for the new year's countdown.
Next stop would be Chinatown. Chinatown was my home last July 2012 when I visited Singapore for a summit. It's actually one of my favorite spot. You can buy cheap souvenirs here. The other side of Chinatown has the same feel as Divisoria. This side of Chinatown is better. Maxwell Food Centre, the home of the best chicken house, is right at the end of this road. You shouldn't miss it. :) After eating my favorite Chicken Rice in Chinatown, I decided to go to my next destination.
Marina Bay is the home of the Merlion. They say that you haven't been to Singapore if you don't have a photo with the Merlion. If you're going to the Merlion you should alight in Raffles Place MRT and walk to the Merlion. Marina Bay MRT is too far lah! If you are going to Gardens by the Bay, you should alight in Bayfront. I chose to alight in Raffles Place then walked around Marina Bay then Gardens by the Bay.
It was a long day for me going from North Singapore to Holland Village to Sentosa to Chinatown to Marina Bay to North Singapore again.
Gah how I wish I'm with someone who's willing to come to Clarke Quay..........
How to go to Johor Bahru and Legoland or Johor Premium Outlet
1.) Go to Kranji MRT
2.) Ride a bus. Bus stops are right outside the exit of the MRT. There are several bus available but I choose to ride the Causeway Link because it's cheaper. You can pay in SGD 0.80 or in MYR. I usually pay in SGD because I have many spare coins. The bus will bring you to JB Sentral. You will have to go through the immigration twice. One in Singapore and one in Malaysia. Immigration lines can take 10-60mins depending on the number of people. Woodlands to Johor Bahru is just around 10 mins driving. Thanks to the immigration the whole process will take more than an hour.
3.) Once you're in Malaysia, you can now go to JB Sentral. It is right before the City Square Mall.
4.) There are many buses there just google causewaylink bus for schedules. Johor Premium Outlet is okay lah. Legoland is a paradise for kids :).
Tips: I usually do my weekend grocery shopping in Malaysia because it is cheaper there. My cousin lives in Johor Bahru so it's really easy for me to transport my groceries from Johor to Singapore because he owns a car. Chewing Gums are legal in Malaysia so everytime I go to Malaysia I see to it that I have at least a pack of chewing gum. Lastly, watching a movie in Malaysia is way cheaper than Singapore. In Singapore, a movie will cost you 10 SGD = 25MYR. While in Malaysia, movie will cost you 10 MYR. that's more than half of Singapore's price. :)
Going back, I went to Legoland together with my friend's families. From JB Sentral to Legoland, the bus ride will be around 45-60 mins I think.
TBH Legoland was okay for me. I really didn't like the whole theme park because I'm more of a thrill seeker. I love riding roller coasters with world record haha. Nevertheless, Legoland can be considered as a paradise for kids. How I wish my parents brought me to Legoland when I was a kid. This generation of Malaysian and Singaporean kids are lucky to have Legoland.
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| Philippines Lego |
Seen above is a lego version of one of the Philippines' city. This part of Legoland made my visit worth it. The rides were errrrr.
Day 4 - My boss invited me for lunch today. As a former intern, I'm really really lucky to have them as my bosses. I really learned a lot from them. Work may be stressful but I actually enjoyed all the stress plus all the eating I did when I was an intern before. My motto before was "I won't be in Singapore forever, might as well eat all I can eat". Thanks to that saying I gained weight from 165 lbs to 190 lbs. I didn't regret eating haha. Anyway, I can lose it immediately. I was back to 165lbs when I returned to Singapore a month after I left haha.
Above is my boss Kevin. He's a blogger. My other boss is Joanne who is in a vacation in Taiwan. I wasn't able to see my Singaporean mother because of that. Anyway, I went back 2 weeks later just to see her. Kevin brought my to Xin Wang HK Cafe in Holland Village. It's actually my first time in Holland Village so I really don't know the place. Just like the old days, my boss Kevin made me eat a lot and I mean a lot. Thanks for that! I'll bring more food for you guys when I return. Hopefully, Sharmain will be with me during my next visit.
Next stop would be Chinatown. Chinatown was my home last July 2012 when I visited Singapore for a summit. It's actually one of my favorite spot. You can buy cheap souvenirs here. The other side of Chinatown has the same feel as Divisoria. This side of Chinatown is better. Maxwell Food Centre, the home of the best chicken house, is right at the end of this road. You shouldn't miss it. :) After eating my favorite Chicken Rice in Chinatown, I decided to go to my next destination.
Marina Bay is the home of the Merlion. They say that you haven't been to Singapore if you don't have a photo with the Merlion. If you're going to the Merlion you should alight in Raffles Place MRT and walk to the Merlion. Marina Bay MRT is too far lah! If you are going to Gardens by the Bay, you should alight in Bayfront. I chose to alight in Raffles Place then walked around Marina Bay then Gardens by the Bay.
It was a long day for me going from North Singapore to Holland Village to Sentosa to Chinatown to Marina Bay to North Singapore again.
Gah how I wish I'm with someone who's willing to come to Clarke Quay..........
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Year End Trip Day 2 Singapore
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| The view outside my Singapore Home |
I woke up earlier than usual around 8am. I have no itinerary in mind but I have to meet up with my friend Samantha after lunch. Since I have nothing to do in Woodlands, I decided to kill some time in Orchard.
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| Orchard MRT |
I usually go to Orchard whenever I miss the Philippines. Lucky Plaza is located next to Orchard MRT. You can find the best money changer in Singapore in Lucky Plaza. Trust me I lived there before. One of the money changer in Lucky Plaza has way better rates than the ones in Little India and Chinatown.
After about 3 hrs in Orchard, I went immediately to Marymount where my former office is located. I waited for Samantha and bought some food in my favorite Roti Prata House, Char Siew Roasted Pork Hawker, and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Shop. There's no one in the office when we visited so I just left all my pasalubongs in their respective tables. Luckily, Louise was there and chatted with us.
After Bosch, I decided to go to City Hall MRT to meet up with Sina. She's a German co-intern of mine who I wasn't able t see during the last time I visited last July. We talked for about one and a half hour then I proceeded to my old home in Sembawang.
Seen above is the usual snack I buy before I go home. My former home was around 300-500m away from Sembawang MRT. I walked around Sembawang before I decided to go back to Woodlands. I walked around Causwaypoint Mall first before going back to our HDB flat.
This ends my 2nd day.
Year End Trip Report. Planning and Day 1: December 25, 2012 Clark & Singapore
It's summer already. I wasn't able to blog about my year end trip last December because of my busy schedule. It's only now that I found some time to write my thoughts. I actually have no plans of leaving the country once again before the end of 2012 because of the number of times i've been out of the country that year. 2012 is indeed the peak of my traveling. Last 2012, I've been to Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and China. I spent most of the year outside my home country. Thanks to my 6 months internship in Singapore from January to June. Despite my 6 months stay in Singapore, I still visited the country in July and December.
Planning of the Trip
It all started when my friend who is studying in the University of Sydney invited me to visit her in Sydney. Another friend of mine who loves traveling decided to come as well. I was actually not serious about going to Australia and spend the first day of 2013 there because of the higher cost of travelling. January is considered a peak month in Australia. A round trip ticket from Manila to Sydney will cost around 1500 USD. That's really expensive for someone like me who uses budget airline most of the time. Anyway, thanks to my skills I was able to find way cheaper alternative than a direct flight from Manila to Sydney. If you want to know how cheap it was, well let's just say my flights from Clark to Singapore to Sydney to Canberra to Sydney to Melbourne to Sydney to Gold Coast to Singapore to Manila were cheaper than a Manila to Sydney direct flight. In addition, I would like to thank all my host Viroya Family (Singapore), my Friend Poppy (Sydney), Tita Aida Miranda (Melbourne), and my gradeschool classmate Valerie (Gold Coast).
The original plan was to visit Singapore, Malaysia, Sydney, Canberra, and Gold Coast. Melbourne was a last minute addition.
Day 1: Clark, Philippines & Singapore
Day 2: Singapore - Orchard, Bosch, City Hall, Sembawang and Woodlands
Day 3: Johor Bahru, Malaysia - Legoland Malaysia & City Square Mall
Day 4: Singapore - Lunch with my Boss Kevin (Holland Village), Sentosa, Chinatown, Merlion Park, Gardens by the Bay
Day 5: Singapore - Meet Up with my blockmate (Marina Bay Cruise Centre), Somerset, Scape Flea Market, Meet Up with our Google Facilitator (Lau Pa Sat), Funan Digital Life Mall
Day 6: Singapore - Bugis, La Salle College of Art, Little India, Vivo City, Orchard Road, Changi Airport
Day 7: Sydney, Australia - Circular Quay, New Year's Celebration
Day 8: Sydney, Australia - Opera House, Darling Harbour, St. Mary's Cathedral
Day 9: Sydney, Australia - Cogee Beach, Bondi Beach, and Les Miserables Movie
Day 10: Sydney, Australia - University of Sydney, Madamme Tussauds, SEA Wild Life Zoo
Day 11: Sydney, Australia - Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney Aquatic Centre, and Sydney Eye Tower
Day 12: Canberra, Australia - Australian Capital Tour, AIS
Day 13: Melbourne, Australia - Rod Laver, Lygon St. St. Kilda Beach, Flinder St. Queen Victoria Market, Roxburgh Park.
Day 14: Melbourne, Australia - Werribee Zoo, Werribee Mansion, Lygon St., Crown Casino
Day 15: Blue Mountains, Australia- Blue Mountains National Park, Katoomba, Three Sisters, and Blacktown
Day 16: Brisbane, Australia - Brisbane City Centre, South Bank, Kangaroo Point
Day 17: Gold Coast, Australia - MovieWorld, Surfer's Paradise
Day 18: New South Wales & Queensland - Byron Bay, Glow Worms Cave, Point Danger
Day 19: Gold Coast, Australia - Wet N Wild, SEA World Gold Coast, Kenzo's Birthday Party
Day 20: Gold Coast, Australia - Dreamworld, Surfer's Paradise, Despedida
Day 21: Singapore - Junction8, Robert Bosch SEA Pte Ltd., and Two Chef Eating house
Day 22: I'm back to Manila!
Day 1 Dec. 25
My Dad dropped me in Megamall because the bus going to Clark Airport stops there. I arrived in DMIA 3hrs before my flight to Singapore. Clark Airport is not bad. The second floor exceeded my expectation. It's really awesome and new. Everything's new.
Air Philippines on the otherhand is way better than Cebu Pacific and Air Asia in my opinion. The leg room was more than enough. They also give free drinks and snacks.
The flight arrived on time around 11pm. I rushed to the immigration and got my luggage. I immediately ran to the bus stop in Changi because I cannot afford to take a cab to Woodlands which is way up in Singapore. A bus will only cost me 1.5 SGD while a cap will cost 30x the bus cost. I'm very familiar with Singapore so I don't have a problem navigating. I know where to alight and what to do.
I arrived around 12:30 am in Woodlands. I'm glad my former landlady is still awake to open the door for me. I settled down and slept immediately getting ready for my 2nd day.
Planning of the Trip
It all started when my friend who is studying in the University of Sydney invited me to visit her in Sydney. Another friend of mine who loves traveling decided to come as well. I was actually not serious about going to Australia and spend the first day of 2013 there because of the higher cost of travelling. January is considered a peak month in Australia. A round trip ticket from Manila to Sydney will cost around 1500 USD. That's really expensive for someone like me who uses budget airline most of the time. Anyway, thanks to my skills I was able to find way cheaper alternative than a direct flight from Manila to Sydney. If you want to know how cheap it was, well let's just say my flights from Clark to Singapore to Sydney to Canberra to Sydney to Melbourne to Sydney to Gold Coast to Singapore to Manila were cheaper than a Manila to Sydney direct flight. In addition, I would like to thank all my host Viroya Family (Singapore), my Friend Poppy (Sydney), Tita Aida Miranda (Melbourne), and my gradeschool classmate Valerie (Gold Coast).
The original plan was to visit Singapore, Malaysia, Sydney, Canberra, and Gold Coast. Melbourne was a last minute addition.
Day 1: Clark, Philippines & Singapore
Day 2: Singapore - Orchard, Bosch, City Hall, Sembawang and Woodlands
Day 3: Johor Bahru, Malaysia - Legoland Malaysia & City Square Mall
Day 4: Singapore - Lunch with my Boss Kevin (Holland Village), Sentosa, Chinatown, Merlion Park, Gardens by the Bay
Day 5: Singapore - Meet Up with my blockmate (Marina Bay Cruise Centre), Somerset, Scape Flea Market, Meet Up with our Google Facilitator (Lau Pa Sat), Funan Digital Life Mall
Day 6: Singapore - Bugis, La Salle College of Art, Little India, Vivo City, Orchard Road, Changi Airport
Day 7: Sydney, Australia - Circular Quay, New Year's Celebration
Day 8: Sydney, Australia - Opera House, Darling Harbour, St. Mary's Cathedral
Day 9: Sydney, Australia - Cogee Beach, Bondi Beach, and Les Miserables Movie
Day 10: Sydney, Australia - University of Sydney, Madamme Tussauds, SEA Wild Life Zoo
Day 11: Sydney, Australia - Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney Aquatic Centre, and Sydney Eye Tower
Day 12: Canberra, Australia - Australian Capital Tour, AIS
Day 13: Melbourne, Australia - Rod Laver, Lygon St. St. Kilda Beach, Flinder St. Queen Victoria Market, Roxburgh Park.
Day 14: Melbourne, Australia - Werribee Zoo, Werribee Mansion, Lygon St., Crown Casino
Day 15: Blue Mountains, Australia- Blue Mountains National Park, Katoomba, Three Sisters, and Blacktown
Day 16: Brisbane, Australia - Brisbane City Centre, South Bank, Kangaroo Point
Day 17: Gold Coast, Australia - MovieWorld, Surfer's Paradise
Day 18: New South Wales & Queensland - Byron Bay, Glow Worms Cave, Point Danger
Day 19: Gold Coast, Australia - Wet N Wild, SEA World Gold Coast, Kenzo's Birthday Party
Day 20: Gold Coast, Australia - Dreamworld, Surfer's Paradise, Despedida
Day 21: Singapore - Junction8, Robert Bosch SEA Pte Ltd., and Two Chef Eating house
Day 22: I'm back to Manila!
Day 1 Dec. 25
My Dad dropped me in Megamall because the bus going to Clark Airport stops there. I arrived in DMIA 3hrs before my flight to Singapore. Clark Airport is not bad. The second floor exceeded my expectation. It's really awesome and new. Everything's new.
Air Philippines on the otherhand is way better than Cebu Pacific and Air Asia in my opinion. The leg room was more than enough. They also give free drinks and snacks.
The flight arrived on time around 11pm. I rushed to the immigration and got my luggage. I immediately ran to the bus stop in Changi because I cannot afford to take a cab to Woodlands which is way up in Singapore. A bus will only cost me 1.5 SGD while a cap will cost 30x the bus cost. I'm very familiar with Singapore so I don't have a problem navigating. I know where to alight and what to do.
I arrived around 12:30 am in Woodlands. I'm glad my former landlady is still awake to open the door for me. I settled down and slept immediately getting ready for my 2nd day.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Air Asia
Air Asia is the best low cost carrier in the world according to some award giving body. We actually have it in the Philippines however, their hub is located in Clark. Air Asia's coverage is indeed the biggest in Asia (I think).
Anyway, I haven't tried Air Asia Philippines because I don't want to go to Clark. I tried Air Asia when I was in Singapore. I booked a ticket to Thailand when Air Asia went on sale. I got my ticket for about 5000PHP. I forgot the exact conversion.
Unlike other LCC, Air Asia's terminal in Singapore is not in the defunct Budget Terminal. Air Asia is located in Terminal 1 which is an awesome terminal. Changi Airport is the best airport in the world (for me). I can stay there for one whole day without getting bored.
Overall, I think Air Asia is a good airline. However, the leg room is pure hell! I can't even move. In addition to that, my seatmates on my way back to Singapore were the most annoying seatmates ever!
Photos TBA. I'm still looking for it :|
Anyway, I haven't tried Air Asia Philippines because I don't want to go to Clark. I tried Air Asia when I was in Singapore. I booked a ticket to Thailand when Air Asia went on sale. I got my ticket for about 5000PHP. I forgot the exact conversion.
Unlike other LCC, Air Asia's terminal in Singapore is not in the defunct Budget Terminal. Air Asia is located in Terminal 1 which is an awesome terminal. Changi Airport is the best airport in the world (for me). I can stay there for one whole day without getting bored.
Overall, I think Air Asia is a good airline. However, the leg room is pure hell! I can't even move. In addition to that, my seatmates on my way back to Singapore were the most annoying seatmates ever!
Photos TBA. I'm still looking for it :|
Spontaneous Trip to Kuala Lumpur 2012
Months before my most spontaneous trip to Melbourne, Australia, I had my very first spontaneous trip. We just came back from our awesome Bangkok trip but then we were informed that there is another long weekend (Tuesday's a holiday so why not skip monday to make it 4 days haha). We decided to go to Kuala Lumpur over the long weekend. We booked bus tickets right away and we got this :)
At first we were hesitant because no one will be left in the office. Good thing, Samantha (our fellow intern) was forced to go to work on April 30 because no one will be there and some vendors might follow up something. Anyway, the bus trip to Kuala Lumpur was awesome. I believe it's a cheaper alternative to taking an airplane. BTW we can't take the plane because flight tickets are 3-5x more expensive because it's a labor day weekend. The bus seats are similar to Lazy Boy with an electrical socket right in front of you. There's no Wifi in the bus. So I decided to buy a local Malaysian Sim Card for my Blackberry. Blackberry Plan in Malaysia is way cheaper than in Singapore. If in Singapore I pay 20SGD per month, I only pay half of the daily Singapore rate in Malaysia. However, I don't recommend using DiGi.
We decided to stay in Fernloft-Chinatown Kuala Lumpur. It's a cheap hostel in the middle of Chinatown. It's near a train station and it's near a popular market in Kuala Lumpur. The bus stops in Puduraya. Luckily, this bus station is 100m away from our hostel. Cool isn't it?
After dropping our bags, we decided to visit the iconic Petronas Tower. We went inside Suria (the mall inside Petronas) and decided to watch The Avengers. BTW, we decided to watch it because it's not yet showing in Singapore. I think Malaysia is a week or 2 advanced. After the movie, we went outside and took some photos of the Petronas. This ends our day.
We started the day a bit late because we don't really have a planned itinerary. We decided to look for possible ways to go back to Singapore since we still don't have a return ticket. We ended up buying tickets for the day train of KTM. Trust me this is the worst decision ever! I will explain later.
After securing tickets, we decided to go to Batu Caves for the sake of going somewhere. There's a train station in Batu Cave so you don't really have to worry about how to go there (They don't usually check train tickets so you can get away without holding one). To go to the cave, you have to climb up the stairs. I think it's about 300-400 steps I forgot. Monkeys will welcome you while going up. Once you're up there you won't see anything hahaha Gah! at least you lost some weight.
We went home immediately after Batu Caves. Once we reached the hostel we decided to sleep. I woke up at around 6pm. My travel buddies are still sleeping so I decided to go on my own to Berjaya Time Square. It was a long train ride from Pasar Seni to Berjaya but it's worth it! The mall was big and you can really but many stuff inside. Anyway, if you have limited time in Kuala Lumpur you might as well skip this one because it's too far.
Another boring day in Kuala Lumpur has passed. I'm really looking forward to visiting Genting Highlands. They said it's an awesome place. The weather is perfect and the theme park is awesome as well. The bus going to Genting is right beside our hostel. Our hostel's location is really awesome! I forgot how much the bus tickets but it includes the 1km cable car going up the highlands. I'm really afraid of cable cars but I have no choice because it's the only way that time.
The weather in Genting is way cooler than Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The theme park didn't live up to my expectation. I was expecting something better than Enchanted Kingdom but after visiting Genting Highlands, I realized that EK is way better than Genting Highlands theme park. Instead of staying in Genting the whole day, we decided to go back to Kuala Lumpur only after 3-4hrs in Genting Highlands.
Once we returned to Kuala Lumpur we decided to rest in the hostel again then visit some other places in Kuala Lumpur. This ends our trip to Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur is a good city. I believe it's better than Manila. However, I still think that other places in Malaysia are way better than Kuala Lumpur. I believe Penang and Kota Kinabalu will be awesome for tourist. Frequent flyers might not appreciate Kuala Lumpur though. Overall, the Petronas is a must! that's all.
Our train leaves Kuala Lumpur at exactly 9:00H so we went to the station early. We booked for a hard sleeper top bunk, which is a big mistake. The lower bunk beds are way better! I wouldn't mind spending 10 to 20 MYR more. The train arrived Singapore at around 1600H. The whole day was wasted. Thanks to the stupid train. I slept for 4 hours but when I reached Singapore I'm still dead tired.
Kuala Lumpur didn't live up to my expectation but I learned a lot from the experience. I thought Malaysia is still an undeveloped country but I was wrong. The capital is actually better than Manila. I highly suggest that they urbanized Johor Bahru.
Kuala Lumpur is good for a 2-3days vacation.
| Ticket ID: | 3491530 | ||
| Depart: | Singapore, City Plaza Singapore (810 Geylang Road #01-73A, Singapore409286 (Tel: 67453145)) | ||
| Arrive: | Kuala Lumpur, Puduraya (Bangunan Hentian Puduraya (Tel: 63923623)) | ||
| Departure Time: | 28 Apr 2012 08:30 AM | Seat Number: | 4A |
| Company: | Golden Coach Express Service P/L | Coach Code: | SIN-SEREMBAN-KL_0900 |
| Passenger Name: | David Bryan Ramos | Contact: | +659038XXXX |
| NRIC: | SECRET | Passport: | SECRET |
At first we were hesitant because no one will be left in the office. Good thing, Samantha (our fellow intern) was forced to go to work on April 30 because no one will be there and some vendors might follow up something. Anyway, the bus trip to Kuala Lumpur was awesome. I believe it's a cheaper alternative to taking an airplane. BTW we can't take the plane because flight tickets are 3-5x more expensive because it's a labor day weekend. The bus seats are similar to Lazy Boy with an electrical socket right in front of you. There's no Wifi in the bus. So I decided to buy a local Malaysian Sim Card for my Blackberry. Blackberry Plan in Malaysia is way cheaper than in Singapore. If in Singapore I pay 20SGD per month, I only pay half of the daily Singapore rate in Malaysia. However, I don't recommend using DiGi.
 |
| Kitchen of Fernloft. |
We decided to stay in Fernloft-Chinatown Kuala Lumpur. It's a cheap hostel in the middle of Chinatown. It's near a train station and it's near a popular market in Kuala Lumpur. The bus stops in Puduraya. Luckily, this bus station is 100m away from our hostel. Cool isn't it?
After dropping our bags, we decided to visit the iconic Petronas Tower. We went inside Suria (the mall inside Petronas) and decided to watch The Avengers. BTW, we decided to watch it because it's not yet showing in Singapore. I think Malaysia is a week or 2 advanced. After the movie, we went outside and took some photos of the Petronas. This ends our day.
We started the day a bit late because we don't really have a planned itinerary. We decided to look for possible ways to go back to Singapore since we still don't have a return ticket. We ended up buying tickets for the day train of KTM. Trust me this is the worst decision ever! I will explain later.
 |
| Batu Cave |
After securing tickets, we decided to go to Batu Caves for the sake of going somewhere. There's a train station in Batu Cave so you don't really have to worry about how to go there (They don't usually check train tickets so you can get away without holding one). To go to the cave, you have to climb up the stairs. I think it's about 300-400 steps I forgot. Monkeys will welcome you while going up. Once you're up there you won't see anything hahaha Gah! at least you lost some weight.
We went home immediately after Batu Caves. Once we reached the hostel we decided to sleep. I woke up at around 6pm. My travel buddies are still sleeping so I decided to go on my own to Berjaya Time Square. It was a long train ride from Pasar Seni to Berjaya but it's worth it! The mall was big and you can really but many stuff inside. Anyway, if you have limited time in Kuala Lumpur you might as well skip this one because it's too far.
Another boring day in Kuala Lumpur has passed. I'm really looking forward to visiting Genting Highlands. They said it's an awesome place. The weather is perfect and the theme park is awesome as well. The bus going to Genting is right beside our hostel. Our hostel's location is really awesome! I forgot how much the bus tickets but it includes the 1km cable car going up the highlands. I'm really afraid of cable cars but I have no choice because it's the only way that time.
The weather in Genting is way cooler than Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The theme park didn't live up to my expectation. I was expecting something better than Enchanted Kingdom but after visiting Genting Highlands, I realized that EK is way better than Genting Highlands theme park. Instead of staying in Genting the whole day, we decided to go back to Kuala Lumpur only after 3-4hrs in Genting Highlands.
Once we returned to Kuala Lumpur we decided to rest in the hostel again then visit some other places in Kuala Lumpur. This ends our trip to Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur is a good city. I believe it's better than Manila. However, I still think that other places in Malaysia are way better than Kuala Lumpur. I believe Penang and Kota Kinabalu will be awesome for tourist. Frequent flyers might not appreciate Kuala Lumpur though. Overall, the Petronas is a must! that's all.
Our train leaves Kuala Lumpur at exactly 9:00H so we went to the station early. We booked for a hard sleeper top bunk, which is a big mistake. The lower bunk beds are way better! I wouldn't mind spending 10 to 20 MYR more. The train arrived Singapore at around 1600H. The whole day was wasted. Thanks to the stupid train. I slept for 4 hours but when I reached Singapore I'm still dead tired.
Kuala Lumpur didn't live up to my expectation but I learned a lot from the experience. I thought Malaysia is still an undeveloped country but I was wrong. The capital is actually better than Manila. I highly suggest that they urbanized Johor Bahru.
Kuala Lumpur is good for a 2-3days vacation.
Monday, January 28, 2013
I'm a Djokovic Fan
 |
| Novak Djokovic |
I'm a huge fan of Novak Djokovic ever since 2007. I even recorded his first ever Masters Title in Miami. When I started to become a tennis addict, Andy Roddick was my favorite tennis player that was when he won the 2003 US Open. I continued supporting Roddick until he started to fade away and Federer and Nadal took the limelight. In 2007, I saw Djokovic play in Pacific Life Open 2007 wherein he lost to Nadal. I saw the potential in him that's why I'm really happy when he beat Nadal in Miami 2007. I started supporting him. In 2008, He finally won his 1st grandslam title. It was really awesome! Finally, a grandslam winner other than Federer or Nadal.
 |
| Djokovic's 1st Grandslam Title |
| World #1 Trophy |
By the end of 2011, I was able to book affordable tickets to Shanghai just in time for the Shanghai Rolex Masters. I spent most of my 2012 in Singapore which is 3.5hrs away from my home country. Despite the fact that I don't have my own television in SG, Their internet connection is fair enough for me to be able to stream all Djokovic's match. 2012 Australian Open was one of the best finals I've ever seen in my whole life. I almost thought Djokovic will lose it to Nadal. Thankfully he still won. Fast forward to October 2012.
 |
| First Glimpse of Djokovic |
Finally I got the opportunity to watch the Quarter Finals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters! I arrived in Shanghai Thursday Evening. I just rested and proceeded to Qizhong the next morning hehe. Just a tip! If you just want to see your favorite tennis players and get their autograph, just buy the cheapest stadium ticket or ground pass. Shanghai Rolex Masters usually post their practice schedule with venue so you can simply wait there and see them up close while practicing. Throughout the day, I was able to see Berdych, Murray, Federer, and Djokovic up close while they are practicing. Watching Djokovic and Federer practice means I have to miss 2 matches in the main stadium because their schedule is the same as the matches in the main stadium. I'd rather see them up close than from afar. I was able to get an autograph from numerous Tennis Players and one of them was of course Novak Djokovic hehe. I'll be back this year, 2013. This time I'll visit Beijing first hoping that Serena will play there and then proceed to Shanghai again. Hopefully Nadal will be present this time around.
2012 was another great year for Djokovic ending as the World #1 despite winning only 1 grandslam for the year. Anyway, 2013 just started and Djokovic once again won the Australian Open. It sucks that I missed the chance to watch him live. I was in Rod Laver Arena a week before Australian Open starts. Oh well regrets. Hopefully, in 2014, I can watch Roland Garros or Wimbledon or Monte Carlo or wherever Djokovic will be when I visit Europe hehe.
To wrap things up. I'm a Djokovic fan. I hate it whenever someone goes against me. If you want to irritate me just go ahead and insult Djokovic or support his opponent whenever he has a match. Just be prepared for my reply whenever you say that in front of my face or wherever. Same goes for Serena Williams.
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