A day in New Orleans

New Orleans (NOLA) is the largest city of Louisiana. I think it's also Louisiana's most popular city because when people say Louisiana, the first city the comes into my mind is NOLA. The home of the New Orleans Pelicans, French Quarter, St. Louis Cathedral and so on.

In case you don't know, I'm currently in Houston, TX for my year end vacation. This vacation is very special because majority of the fund I used for this year end trip came from my savings and this vacation is my longest vacation ever. The previous longest was 21 days in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.  Moving on, I'm really trying to maximize my stay here in the US. I already went to Mexico and now I'm looking for a nearby city to visit. The first city that came into my mind was San Antonio because I wanna visit Six Flags.  However, last saturday while I'm attending a birthday party someone made me search MegaBus.com. From there I found out about a route to New Orleans from Houston. I checked it out and boom I decided to book a day trip to New Orleans.

credits to wfla.com

Megabus is a cheap but good bus line here in the US. I was supposed to take Greyhound but someone told me not to use Greyhound because of a reason I don't want to disclose. Anyway, Megabus has several routes from Houston. You can go to San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Baton Rouge, and of course. New Orleans.  I got a pretty good deal here. I bought a ticket for 14$ per way that's approximately Php 623. Cheaper than a deluxe bus from Manila to Baguio.  Anyway, New Orleans is around 6-7 hrs from Houston. You can also fly there. Spirit Airlines offer around 100$ round trip from Houston to New Orleans. I booked a bus that will arrive in New Orleans 5:30am and will leave 12mn. This will give me one full day to explore New Orleans.  I decided not to spend a night for budgetary purpose.

The bus to New Orleans

Moving forward, the bus picked me up at Katy Mills Entrance 5.  I can opt to be picked up in Downtown Houston but Katy Mills is nearer the place where I'm staying now.  I was surprise when I saw the bus because it's almost full then I learned that the bus is also transferring people from Austin to San Antonio to Houston to Baton Rouge to New Orleans.  Anyway, I got a pretty comfortable seat in the lower deck.  The bus has its own toilet and of course Wifi. The wifi is decent. It's not as fast as the LTE of my iPhone but it definitely saved a lot of data usage on my part. No complains at all. The bus ride was smooth. We arrived New Orleans on time.

Breakfast. 3pcs Beignet and Hot chocolate

When we arrived around 5:30am, it was so cold and I was literally freezing maybe because I chose to disregard the weather forecast and wore something against it.  Luckily, I brought some gloves with me to prevent my hands from freezing.  At 5:30am Tuesday morning, the city was quiet everything was closed. However, when I reached the French Quarter, I was surprised to see bars still open and people are still drinking.  I immediately went to Cafe Du Monde to have my breakfast and wait for the sun to rise.  I bought their specialty which is the Beignet and hot chocolate. Coffee is their other specialty but I'm not a coffee drinker. Beignet was good. It's worth trying.

Next up is Algiers Point, you have to ride a ferry to visit Algiers point. I was supposed to go to the cemetery but it was closed so I decided to go to Algiers Point so I can experience riding their ferry. I can say Algiers Point is a nice city but I wasn't able to see much because everything is closed. I believe New Orleans comes alive at 10am. Nothing special in Algiers Point (maybe because I came in too early).

Our Tour Guide Joanne

By 10am, I immediately went to Jackson Square in front of St. Louis Cathedral to meet my tour guide. I availed the FreeWalkingTourByFoot 's offer online. It's basically a free tour around New Orleans. They have Food Tour, Ghost Tour, French Quarter Tour, and so on. I highly recommend them! Luckily for that day they have one scheduled tour which I signed up for. The walking tour is around 2 hours.  It's headed by Joanne Hughes. She's an Australian who immigrated to New Orleans and fell in love with it. 

The French Quarter has a lot of stories to tell. I love it manages to preserve its historical value. The influence of the French, Spanish, and American can be seen all over the quarter. It amazes me how the government implement strict rules to preserve its historical value.  Rules includes prohibiting  buildings within the quarter not be higher than St. Louis Cathedral, not allowing residents to change something in front of their residences or their courtyards, and so on.  

After the tour, I was already hungry so I decided to go to Johnny's Po-Boy to try their Jambalaya and Po-Boy. Those two cuisines are uniquely New Orleans. I was supposed to try Napoleon House but the tour guide told me that they're known for their drinks and not their food so i decided to skip them.

Next stop for me was the New Orleans Historical Collection in French Quarter.  It houses all historical artifacts of New Orleans including the purchase of Louisiana of the American from the French.  After that I immediately went to the St. Louis Cemetery #1. This is where the Voodoo Queen's body was laid down.  The set up of the cemetery is something like the ones in the Philippines but more organized.  Bodies are not buried under because of the canal beneath New Orleans.  The weather of New Orleans also favors the practice of not burying them under the ground.

I ended my trip the the cemetery around 2:30pm. Take note that almost all attractions closes at 3 or 4pm so I was really in a rush.  I went to Canal St. to try using the Streetcar (shown above). It's a traditional mode of transportation in New Orleans. They try to preserve it as much as possible.  I availed the day pass which cost 3$ and it covers both the bus and the streetcar.  The day pass is definitely the cheaper alternative for tourists because a one way ticket costs 1.25$. I basically just killed time in the park then I went to Walmart and Riverwalk Premium Outlet to wait for the sun to set so I can see the French Quarter at night.

Luckily for me, there's a free concert from 6-7pm at the St. Louis Cathedral which I gladly availed. It was a group of orchestra playing Christmas Carols. There were a lot of people inside the church and it was really an amazing experience.

At the tip of Bourbon St.

Besides being a good food and history destination, New Orleans can also be a good destination for party people and drunkards. I cannot imagine a street full of people on a normal tuesday night.  Bars, Clubs, and Discos are everywhere. You can simply jump in get a drink then walk around.  My guide recommended "Hurricane" for drinks. I refuse to disclose whether I tried it or not. In case you want to try it it's around 7-8 usd per cup.  Did you know that even the homeless along the Bourbon St. are drunk. I guess because people who don't want to finish their drinks give it to them.  So I suggest if you're a bit out of budget, try asking the people walking for some drinks hahahaah.  

Anyway, it was a good 2 hours walking around Bourbon St. at night.  I ended around quarter to 10.  After that, I headed to Cafe Du Monde to buy some Beignet to bring to Texas and some Beignet mix to be brought to the Philippines.

Overall, my trip to New Orleans was worth it. I love every single bit of it. It may not be a perfect city but i love it for what it is.  That;s the attitude of a true traveler. No place is disappointing. Every single place you visit is an experience of a lifetime.

Let's now move on to the budget side.

Bus Tickets to New Orleans 28$

Breakfast 6$

Lunch 10$

Dinner 8$

Tour Guide Tip 5$

Grocery and Snacks 8$

Take Home Beignet and Mix 15$ 

Total is 80$ or around 3560 Php. Not bad!!!

Cancun, Mexico Overview, Itinerary and Budget

Hi Everyone, 

I'll be posting my itinerary and approximate budget from my Cancun Trip. This is to help you plan  your own adventure as well. As of the moment, I'm currently on a vacation in Houston, TX. The moment I booked my flight to the US. I immediately searched for nearby destinations within the country or outside.  

 I was originally planing to just go to Monterrey, Mexico since I can go there by bus or by plane.  However, while looking up in Wikipedia, I noticed that there's a low-cost Mexican Airline flying from Houston, TX. I tried checking Monterrey and it will cost around 200 USD vs. 100 USD if I'm taking the bus. I also noticed that they will be opening a route to Cancun. When I checked Cancun, it's cheaper than Monterrey. I immediately researched about Cancun and the things to do there. The result? I decided to book for it because 1.) Chichen Itza (shown above) 2.) The beaches. 

Photo Credits to British Airways

Just to give you a background Cancun is one of the most popular cities in the world.  It has one of the best beaches in the world. In addition to that, it's close to Chichen Itza, one of the 7 new wonders of the world.  From the Philippines, flights to Cancun can be really expensive since there's no direct flight from NAIA.  In the US however, it varies from 400 USD above.  That being said, the ticket I bought from VivaAerobus is really a bargain for 200USD. (Did you know that a week before my flight they had a sale making it around 150USD).

I was supposed to go to Cancun from December 6 to 10 but VivaAerobus suddenly changed my flight to Dec 5 to 10 without informing me.  Good thing I checked their website for their promo. For my Itinerary in Cancun

Day 1 December 5, 2014

12:50pm Arrival in Cancun

1:50pm Bus to Downtown

2:30pm Arrival in Downtown Cancun

3:00pm Check in 

3:15pm Went to WalMart and Mercado 28

4:30pm Went to La Isla Shopping Center in Hotel Zone

7:30pm Went back home to Nearby Parque De Las Palaspas

8:30pm Went back to hostel

Day 2 December 6, 2014

8:00am Wake Up Call

9:00am Went to Hotel Zone/ Playa Delfines

10:30am Swam at Playa Delfines

2:00pm Went to Walmart

3:00pm Went back to the hotel to Sleep

4:00pm Went to Plaza Las Americas and Malecon Americas

7:00pm Went home to nearby Parque De Las Palaspas

8:30pm Went back to the hostel

Day 3 December 7, 2014

7:30am Wake Up Call

8:00am Took a Collectivo to Tulum

10:00am Arrival in Tulum 

11:00am Took a Collectivo to Playa Del Carmen

12:00nn Arrival in Playa Del Carmen to roam around Quinta Avenida

3:00pm Went back to Cancun and visit Plaza Las Americas

4:00pm Arrival in Plaza Las Americas

6:00pm Went to nearby Parque De Las Palaspas

7:00pm Went back to the Hostel

Day 4 December 8, 2014

6:00am Wake Up Call

7:00am Tour Pick Up

8:00am Bus Pick Up for Chichen Itza Tour

11:30am Arrival in Chichen Itza Restaurant for Lunch Buffet

12:30pm Arrival in Chichen Itza

3:45pm Left Chichen Itza for Cenote

4:30pm Arrival in Cenote

5:30pm Left Cenote for Valladolid

6:30pm Arrival in Valladolid for a quick trip

6:45pm Left Valladolid for Cancun

9:00pm Arrival in Cancun

Day 5 December 9, 2014

9:00am Wake Up Call

10:00am went to Walmart for souvenir buying

11:00am went back to hostel to rest.

12:00nn went to Mercado 28 to buy stamp and send postcard

12:15pm went back to Playa Delfines to Swim

2:30pm Went to Plaza Las Americas

5:00pm Went back to the hostel for final preparation

9:30pm Hostel check out

10:00pm Bus to the Airport

10:30pm Arrival in the Airport

Day 6 December 10, 2014

4am Check In for the flight

6:30am Boarding of Plane to Houston

7:30am Departure of Plane

9:50am Arrival in Houston

If you've noticed, I slept at the Airport (which is not recommended because it's really cold in Cancun Airport at night) because the first bus going to the Airport is around 7am. My flight is 7am so it's a big no-no. I'm also going to Plaza Las Americas, Walmart, and the Park because it's walking distance from my hostel. Lastly, I booked a tour, which I don't usually do, for Chichen Itza because the price of a DIY tour to Chichen Itza and the tour price is almost the same. The significant difference between the two is that the tour includes a buffet lunch, a trip to a cenote, and a visit to Valladolid.

As for my approximate budget, Please see below:

Plane Ticket	$  200.00
Hostel for 4 nights	$    44.00
Pocket Money for Food, Transpo and Souvenirs	$    80.00
Tour to Chichen Itza	$    51.00
	$  375.00

How to Travel on Budget

For the past 3 years, I've been traveling around Asia and Australia on budget.  I usually spend significantly less than a normal tourist but I can maximize what I have. Here are some of my tips:

1.) Always look after low cost carriers promo for short and medium haul flights. For long haul and ultra-long haul flights, I suggest using skyscanner because of the big airlines reduce their cost randomly. You can get a flight from Manila to Paris for only 26k.

Cebu Pacific usually announce their sale during special dates such as Ninoy Aquino Day, 11/11, Christmas, and so on. However, there are times when Cebu Pacific announce their sale on a random day.

A very useful website for flight searching.

Here's a sample Piso Fare of Cebu Pacific

2.) Go for cheap accommodation. I don't really care where I'll be sleeping as long as it pass two of my requirement. The 1st one is to have a good security for my luggage and other important documents. The 2nd one is to have a good location (near the MRT or landmark). However, if I know someone from the area I ask permission to crash for a few days. This will save you a lot of $$.  See below for the list of Hostels and accommodation I've tried.

• South Korea
• Namsan Guesthouse 4 (This is highly recommended)
• Wow Hostel (Tried this because they offered me 400Php per night room)
• Cambodia
• CityLux Hotel (VIP Room is highly recommended)
• Vietnam
• Ruby Hotel (CHeap and good. We got a free upgrade)
• Saigon Sports Hotel 1 (Not Recommended)
• Singapore
• Hotel 81 (A good hotel located within the red light district)
• RuckSack Inn (12 bed dorm room is not recommended)
• Hong Kong
• GoldenCrown Hostel (An ok hotel)
• China 
• Bejing Homekey Hotel (Mehhhhh)
• Shanghai Lakeside Holiday Inn (highly recommended)
• Malaysia
• Fernloft Chinatown (Good Location not bad for the price)
• Japan
• Hotel Raizan South (A good budget hotel!)
• Empire Shinjuku Hotel (Expensive! but it's already cheap considering it's in Shinjuku)
• Thailand
• Lub'd Siam (Cool and hip hostel)

3.) Use their public transportation. Most of our neighboring countries have good transportation system. It's always better to explore the city without the help of private tours :) but of course this depends on the people you're with. I usually walk if the distance is only one or two subway station away :). 

• Singapore
• Good and reliable train and bus system. 
• You can download an app that will instruct you what train or bus to use.
• Fare is usually 0.83 to 2 SGD
• Some places can only be accessible by bus
• Hong Kong
• Good and reliable train and bus system.
• Affordable train and bus fare
• Some places can only be accessible by bus
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Good and reliable train and bus system
• Some train transfers can be a bit confusing.
• Johor Bahru, Malaysia
• Public transpo can be non-existence
• There are sufficient bus to and from Singapore
• All tourist spot has public transpo though
• Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
• Commuting can be unreliable
• Cabs will be your best bet
• Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Tuktuk can be really a challenge
• Bangkok, Thailand
• Train can sometimes be more expensive than riding a cab
• Taipei, Taiwan
• Good and reliable train and bus system
• Seoul, South Korea
• Good and reliable bus system
• Tourist friendly
• Macau
• Free buses can  be used :)
• Los Angeles, CA 
• Commuting can be hard. 
• You'll be needing a car
• Houston, TX
• Commuting can be hard if you live outside Downtown.
• You'll be needing a car
• Austin, TX
• Commuting is easy
• Capital Metro has an application where you can buy tickets straight from your device.
• Unlimited Trips can cost from 2-5 USD per day.
• New York City, NY
• Good and reliably train and bus system
• MTA is expensive though. 
• 1 week unlimited trips will cost you 30$ while it's 2.75$ per trip with free bus transfer
• Chicago, IL
• Commuting is easy.
• 3 days unlimited is 20$ 
• Single trip costs 2.25
• By far the best commuter card because you can also use it as a MasterCard Debit
• Dallas, TX
• Commuting is easy like Houston, Austin and San Antonio
• Half day unlimited is just 1.75$
• One Day Unlimited is 3-4$ I think
• San Antonio, TX
• Commuting is easy like Houston, Austin, and Dallas
• One day unlimited is 4$
• They have Express and Primo Buses with fast wifi on board
• Washington, DC
• Small city with good and reliable public transportation
• New Orleans, LA
• Commuting is easy and cheap
• Google Maps is your friend
• 3 USD per day
• Sydney, NSW Australia
• Good and reliable train, bus and ferry system
• You can buy a week unlimited pass for only 42 AUD
• Melbourne, VIC Australia
• Good and reliable train and bus system
• There are free tram and bus for tourist
• They have a daily cap on their MyKi Card so max you will spend for one day would be 4 AUD or 7 AUD
• Canberra ACT Australia
• Good bus system
• Don't go to Canberra on a weekend
• Gold Coast QLD Australia
• There are trains but a car will be your best bet
• Brisbane QLD, Australia
• Good train and bus system
• Batam, Indonesia
• Just go on a tour. Don't stress yourself too much.
• Beijing, China
• This city has the best train system ever!
• You can reach any destination using the train!
• Cheapest train fare!
• 2 CNY per ride
• Yikatong Card isn't really needed if you're a tourist
• Shanghai, China
• Good and efficient train and bus system
• Always opt for the train to be safe
• Cancun, Mexico
• Decent Public Bus 
• Collectivos are a better option traveling to Tulum and Playa Del Carmen

4.) Try to do what the locals do. Don't be like a tourist all the time. Try to blend it. For example, Singapore can be very expensive for a tourist but after living there I realised that Singapore can be cheap depends on how you live. This also applies to other cities.

5.) Get all the discounts you can get. For example, foreigners can get discounts in Everland. You just need to print the discount coupon and you can save thousands of won.  In Beijing, presenting a student will give you as much as 60%.

The savings you can get actually depends on what's your priority. As for me, I'm more for cultural experience with a little bit of food and tourist spots exploration.

Why I love traveling

Growing up, I never imagined going out of the country every now and then.  From the day I was born till 2010, the only countries I've been to were Hong Kong and the United States of America.  It was in 2010 when it became a yearly tradition to leave the country every September just in time for my term break in De La Salle University.  

In 2010, my Dad decided to bring us to Singapore for a vacation.  In 2011, we went to Seoul, South Korea. In 2012, my Dad joined me in my supposed solo trip to Taipei. In 2013, Me and my aunt went to Vietnam and Cambodia.  Who would've thought that for 4 consecutive years I'll be going on vacation every September. Not until 2014 when I started working and I kept on thinking twice if I should go on a vacation again.

Enough of my September tradition, it was in 2012 when I became addicted to traveling. It was the year when I spent most of the days outside my home country. Last January 2012, I got an opportunity to be an intern in Singapore for 6 months. During my stint in Singapore, I grab all the opportunity to go out of the country. I traveled almost every month. I've been to Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Thailand. When I went back to the Philippines in June 2012, I thought it was over but then I became more addicted to traveling by going back to Singapore in July, Taiwan in September, and China in October. I also booked a flight to Brunei for November but decided to ditch it to save up for another trip.  I ended 2012 with a 22 day trip to Singapore-Malaysia-Australia.

In 2013, is a bit lie low compared to 2012. I visited Australia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore. BTW another trivia about myself, the last time I spent New Year in the Philippines was last January 1, 2011.  I believe that by being out of the country during new year will bless you with many more travels ;).

I typed a lot of things but it's not addressing the title. See below for the list of why I love traveling

• I love the feeling of being in an Airport
• I love riding the Airplane
• I want to meet new people
• I want to learn new culture
• I want to get lost in a foreign city
• I want to escape reality

People will say it's a waste of time and money but for me traveling is a lifelong experience. Something I will cherish my whole life. Traveling made me a better person believe it or not. I will not be this awesome without all the traveling.

Best Tourist Destination in Asia

When people ask me what's a good country to visit around Asia, I usually have one answer to them.  To be fair, I don't recommend Philippines and Singapore to them because I consider these two countries as my home.  I've been to different countries in Asia namely: Japan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Taiwan.  Out of all these countries, I believe South Korea is the best. There are several reasons why I love South Korea above others. Allow me to explain as this blog progresses.

#1 Weather
The weather of South Korea is way different than what we Filipinos got used to.  They have four seasons. You can experience Snow if you go to Korea during Winter season.  I suggest going to Korea during Spring or Fall hehe.  I'm not really a big fan of single digit temperature.  Other Asian Countries may be too hot or too cold.  Weather is an important factor.  You might have a hard time going around if it's too cold or too hot.  In addition, some attractions might be close.

I'll give the best weather to Japan and Korea.

#2 Expenses
I can say that Korea may be a bit expensive than Manila but it is way cheaper than Japan.  I can say Korea and Japan are almost the same but the cost made Korea way better than Japan.  Japan really empty your wallet. The minimum fare when riding the subway in Korea will be around 30Php while in Japan it's around 60Php.  It may still be expensive but Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore's MRT/MTR system are the best I've seen.  It's way better than Malaysia and Philippines. I believe you guys know that Tokyo and Osaka are the two most expensive city in the world.  Seoul is actually cheap you can find a decent spacious accommodation for a good price.  I highly suggest Namsan Guesthouse on this one.  It's right in front of Myeongdong (shopping district) and Namdaemun is just around 5-10mins walk.  Namdaemun is like Divisoria.  Everything's cheap!

Cost wise I believe Vietnam is the cheapest. :)

#3 Tourist Attraction
If Museums and Palaces are your thing, then Korea and Japan would be an awesome destination.  Gyeongbokgung was awesome!  Japan has its own palaces as well.  Thailand also have good temples! Taiwan also. You can also try DMZ tour in Seoul.  It's a tour that will bring you to the border of North and South Korea :)

Best Tourist Attraction : South Korea, Japan and Thailand

#4 Theme Park
I'm a thrill seeker. I love theme park. It's my dream to visit all the theme parks in the world.  Allow me to rank all the theme parks I've tried in Asia.

Top Themeparks in Asia
1. Everland - South Korea
2. Ocean Park - Hong Kong
3. Universal Studios Japan
4. Universal Studios Singapore
5. Disneyland Hong Kong
6. Lotte World - South Korea
7. Legoland - Malaysia
8. Enchanted Kingdom - Philippines
9. Genting Highlands- Malaysia
10. Star City - Philippines

China - Home of Asia's Biggest Tennis Tournaments

Shanghai Rolex Masters Poster

China Open Tennis

If ever you don't know, I'm a huge tennis fan. It's my dream to see Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams play. China's the only country in Asia to host top tier tournaments.  China Open in Beijing is a Premier Mandatory tournament for women while Shanghai Rolex Masters is a ATP Master Series for the men.  China Open attracts both Men and Women however not all men plays there.  Shanghai Rolex Masters on the otherhand is exclusive for Men.  Almost all top players play there.  If you're a fan of WTA go to China Open, ATP go to Shanghai Rolex Masters, ATP&WTA China Open.

My 1st trip to China

Cebu Pacific, a local budget carrier, always have promotions every now and then. Luckily, last 11/11/11, I was able to get a cheap deal to Shanghai just in time for the Shanghai Rolex Masters.  I booked a flight that departs on a Thursday which is ideal for me because may school ends on a thursday and when I arrive in Shanghai it will be just in time for the Quarterfinals of Shanghai Rolex Masters.  The second opportunity I got was in 2013 when I booked a flight to Beijing then depart from Shanghai going back. This will allow me to cover both the China Open and Shanghai Rolex Masters.

Entrance

Djokovic Practicing

My 1st Shanghai Rolex Masters was a life changing experience. It's my first time seeing all my favorite tennis players especially Novak Djokovic.

At the Entrance of China Open 2013

My 2nd visit to China was more fulfilling because I have 2 of my friends with me who helped me have a better experience. My 1st stop is China Open 2013. We didn't have any tickets yet so we just bought the ground pass worth 10 CNY or 70 PHP. This will enable you to watch matches in courts other than the Moon or Diamond Court.  

For 70 PHP you can watch tennis live!

Since it's quarterfinals day, most of the good matches are inside the stadiums. This is the reason why we relied on scalpers to get ticket for the Li Na vs. Kvitova and Serena vs. Wozniacki match. Luckily, we were able to get tickets and watch 2 awesome match. 

2nd Time in Shanghai Rolex Masters!

Learning from experience, it's always cheaper to buy scalper tickets! We went to Shanghai Rolex Masters and bought ticket from scalpers. From what I can remember, we bought it for around 700PHP for a stadium ticket with ground pass and it's good for the whole day.  When you get inside the complex, the first thing you need to do is look for the practice schedule.  This is the best way for you to see your favorite tennis players up close and get an Autograph.

Usually there's also an English version but if you can't find it. You can rely on the Seed Number or ask help in translating. If the practice is anywhere other than the Main Stadium then you can score an autograph. During our visit we were able to get autographs from the following tennis players: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, and so on. But let me post a guide on how we were able to score an Autograph on the Big 3

First up is Roger Federer. I have to warn you because Federer is the most popular tennis player among the Chinese people. You will have to push and be a little barbaric to score an autograph with him.  The bouncer will not hesitate to push you if you try to come near him.  I myself rolled over the grass because everyone is trying to go near him. Luckily, we were able to get an autograph. If you want to see him practice, you need to be on his practice court an hour or more before his schedule.

Next is Rafael Nadal. Unlike Federer, it's easier to get an autograph with Nadal because of the lesser crowd but still a lot of crowd. I was able to get a good spot just behind him. Nadal is actually my priority because I wasn't able to see him last year.  Watching Nadal practice means I am missing Novak Djokovic's match in the stadium.  No regrets though because I was able to get an autograph from Nadal and I was able to get an autograph from Djokovic at a later time.

If you missed your favorite tennis player during practice, don't worry because there's still hope! After their match you can go to the autograph area! Usually the autograph area are for members only but you can always try to go in ;). During my 1st trip to Shanghai Rolex Masters, Djokovic went out after the match of Federer. However on my 2nd trip, he went out in the middle of the Federer match.

TIPS!!!!

• Wait for Cebu Pacific Seat Sale!
• Since fuel surcharge is no longer included I bet it will be cheaper now
• Do not buy China Open/Shanghai Rolex Masters tickets in advance!
• Trust me it's cheaper to buy from scalpers
• A stadium ticket is accepted in all courts.
• It's not very strict inside the stadium. You can always come closer if you want :)
• If you want to see your favorite tennis player, WATCH THE 2ND ROUND not QF,SF,Finals
• It will be cheaper and most of their practice session are not in the stadiums
• Some of them will play in the outer courts.
• I was able to watch Stanislas Wawrinka up close!
• You'll be sure that you will see your favorite tennis player.
• Federer was knocked out a day after we watched him in Shanghai! (3rd Rd)
• Buy a huge tennis ball! Trust me it's a good investment
• Don't be afraid to push or force yourself near the players. This is a once in a lifetime experience give it your all
• Don't be too starstruck.  Everytime I ask for an autograph from Novak Djokovic I lose my mind. I forgot that I have a lot of stuff for autograph.  This is the reason why I made him sign on my huge tennis ball twice despite the fact that I also have a poster to be signed!
• It's always better to have a buddy to help you take pictures. It's hard to take pictures and get autograph at the same time.

The Travel Bug in Me.

After a long random day, I decided to revive this blog. I'm planing to make it a travel blog to document all my travels :). It's always better to keep a diary of it. I have several draft of my travels and I'll be publishing them in  a few minutes.

To Travel is To Live

Few days ago, one of my friends posted a photo with the motto "to travel is to live." For the past 2 years, I've been traveling out of the country almost every month. Now, I feel like I lost something not being able to book whenever there's a sale.  One thing changed. I'm now working. I don't feel contented with my life no matter what happen in my every day life. I feel like I need to go to Europe, Africa, and South America first before I become contented . After that, I can stay at home and work my ass off.