While this trip comprises both Singapore and the Malaysian city of Malacca, it was actually the latter that I was more excited about. I had been to Singapore a number of times but never Malacca. It had always been on my bucket list and I was thankful that I finally had the chance to set foot on this remarkable place. The Singapore leg of this trip, however, also proved to be extremely enjoyable even though it was a repeat of my previous SG trip. … [Read more...]
'"Let's do it again," exclaimed my friend Astrid right after alighting her seat. "Come on, guys! Let's do it again!!!" "I just need a moment," I said to her. If only I had an out-of-this-world olfactory perception, I would probably smell adrenaline all over the place and a good fraction of it would be reeking from Astrid, who couldn't help but urge us to do it all over again. We were coming out of the Cylon Ride, one of the two Battlestar Galactica rollercoasters at Universal Studios Singapore. "Tell you what," said I, "Let's try Human next and then I'll see if I could ride this Cylon thing again." I couldn't. By the end of that minute aboard that frakkin' Human ride, everything … [Read more...]
Singapore has a special place in my heart. It was the first city outside of the Philippines that I set foot on. My first time was almost two years ago and it was on that trip that I met some of friends. That's why when I was thinking of a trip for me and my mom, it was easy for me to decide to head back to Singapore and share with my mother what it has to offer. Note that we didn't hire a travel agency for any of our activities on this trip. Everything was done Do-It-Yourself-style. Booking Flights to Singapore All major local airlines including Cebu Pacific and PAL Express fly to Singapore from Manila. Some even fly from Cebu, Davao, and Clark. Seair/Tiger Airways Philippines and … [Read more...]
Here's something I learned in my recent trip to Singapore. Tourists in Singapore can actually claim refund on GST (Goods and Services Tax) paid for items purchased from establishments that are participating in the Tourist Refund Scheme. Introduced in May 2011, the Electronic Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS) allows tourists to get back the GST they paid on your purchases when shopping in Singapore, supposing you meet their criteria. … [Read more...]
One of the most easily recognizable landmarks in Singapore is the Singapore Flyer. This enormous ferris wheel gives passengers a great 360-degree view of the city. Standing 541 feet tall, this is the world's biggest observation wheel and the tallest in the world, taller than the famous London Eye in Europe. While onboard one of the capsules of the Flyer, you can see the many significant Singapore landmarks including the F1 Singapore Grand Prix venue, the Merlion Park, the Marina Bay Sands, and even Sentosa. If you're lucky, you can also see Malaysian and Indonesian islands on a clear day. … [Read more...]
Said to be the "world's first purpose-built museum for toys," Mint Museum of Toys is a wonderland for all toy-lovers out there. It houses over 50,000 pieces of vintage toys from more than 40 countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Bulgaria! And they're not just old toys. Many of them are incredibly rare while some pieces are unique (which means, you won't find them anywhere else in the world)! The toys here are actually a private and lifetime collection of Chang Yang Fa, a Singaporean toy enthusiast. Pretty enormous (and extensive) for a private collection, huh? Well, that's what passion does to people --- make them do big things. And this museum is … [Read more...]
I wasn't expecting to score good deals in Orchard Road since most brands here are high-end. Actually, the night before this we already went to Mustafa Mall in Little India to buy pasalubong and we were more than delighted that there were so many good buys in the area. But I still wanted my mom to see the famed street. After almost 2 hours in Chinatown, the Poor Traveler and his mom decided to proceed to Orchard Road to see the many shopping centers there and possibly buy pasalubong if we see something affordable. … [Read more...]
Our Day 3 in Singapore started early. We were up as early as 7am. The first item on our itinerary for that day was the Chinatown Heritage Walking Tour, which I was very excited about because I had never been to this part of Singapore before. Note that it is a Do-It-Yourself tour. Even before the trip, I already determined the places to go to so I somehow knew what to expect. Armed with just a map, my mom and I headed to Telok Ayer Street for a relaxing, and hopefully enlightening, walk around Chinatown. Although part of Singapore Chinatown, Telok Ayer Street boasts of multi-religious buildings and structures. Aside from a Chinese temple, the street is also home to a mosque, a Methodist … [Read more...]
Movies! If there's one thing that I am so addicted to other than traveling, that has to be the movies. That's why Universal Studios in Singapore is my idea of wonderland! I just couldn't help but feel giddy in excitement as my mom and I made our way to Resorts World. Add the idea that my all time favorite TV show is Battlestar Galactica. Fraaaaak!!! Our plan for our Day 2 was simple: Explore Sentosa Island. And we're starting with Universal Studios. As early as 8am, we were already up and ready for our day of getting lost in the movies! Upon arrival, my mom and I immediately camwhored around the Universal Studios globe rotating just before the park's entrance. … [Read more...]
I love walking. I think it's the only form of physical exercise that I do these days. I loved walking in the streets of Hong Kong. And I definitely enjoyed walking around Singapore, especially in the river area. There were just so many places to visit and so much to see. The only problem I had was that I didn't know how my mom would take this walking tour. Note that we did not hire a travel agency for this walking tour. We just did it on our own and now I'm sharing how we did it --- Do-It-Yourself style! Honestly, this wasn't my first time to do this walking-slash-sightseeing tour. I did it two years ago after dinner at Makansutra Gluttons' Bay. After dinner I just noticed how … [Read more...]
I am not an authority in budget travel. What makes me a poor traveler isn't the lack of finances but the many troubles I meet on the road. This blog is a diary of a traveler whose time is always wasted getting lost, whose trips are always challenged by heavy rain, and whose bowel movement always gets in the way. I make mistakes, lots of them. Poor me. Yes, you'll find mistakes on this blog. But here's hoping you'll learn from them. More about me.
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