Plan Your DIY Trip

 

We all want to travel but we are always thinking of how expensive it is. So in this blog, I´m going to teach you on how to plan your DIY (Do It Yourself) trip. By planning your DIY trip, you can handle or manage the total amount of money, or even the amount of money that you are going to spend on every travel category, that you will be using for your trip.

There are a lot of ways to plan your trip such as going to an agency. It is much easier so you won´t need to bother yourself booking for your flights and hotels, doing your itineraries, etc.. But did you know that it will cost you much more money going to a travel agency? Of course there will be service fee, commissions, etc. and we don´t want those stuff! We want to save our money as much as possible.

Reason Why It is Better to Plan Your DIY Trip 

1.Most of the travel agencies, they already have packages with specific dates. In that way, travelers can have ¨promos¨ which means it is cheaper. But because of specific dates that they have, you will be needing to adjust your schedule.
2.Most ¨promos¨ that the travel agencies have, they are not applicable for holidays. So you are planing for your holiday trip this holy week or Christmas, ¨promos¨ won´t be fit for you.
3.When you book on a travel agency, expect some hidden and extra charges. 
4.Booking you own flights means you can choose what time do you wanna arrive in your destination. 
5.You can choose what type of accommodation will be fit for your needs and preferences. 
6.You handle your whole time on the trip that you´re  gonna make.  

Ways to Plant Your DIY Trip

 

1. Visa / Passport

• Before deciding for you destination or for your trip, make sure you have your passport with you
• Some passport are powerful enough to be your visa to other countries too (European passport, British passport, etc)
• Every passport has their own privileges. Some passport are allowed to visit country without visa but others don't. So better make sure to know the privileges of your passport.
•  Do some research regarding if your destination needs a visa and how to apply for it. You can read some article or blogs regarding how to get approved. You can ask tourist who already went to those countries or directly contact the embassy for clearly clarifications.  

 

2. Budget 

• Think about how much you want or you can spend on your trip for everything will depend on your target budget
•  Make a list of money range that you can spend on your flights, hotels, pocket money, etc. For example, you have 300 euro. You can say that for your 3 days trip, you have 40 euro for your airfare, 30 euro for your accommodation, 180 for your allowance, and lastly you have 50 euro for your emergency fund. 
• Always have an extra money or emergency fund whenever you go on a trip. You can have the money with you or leave it on your bank account just in case. 
•  The amount of money that you are going to use may be based by the number of days that you are going to stay. You can say 50€ per day as your budget, it is up to you.
• There are places that expenses are cheap or expensive. You can based that on which category they are in (first world, third world, etc.)

 

3. Book your flight

•  I made a blog regarding on how you can get the cheapest airfare for your destination.
• On that blog, you can choose whether you already have a destination or a date for you trip
• You will be able to choose the dates of your flights based on you availability or the price of the flights
• Also one thing that will help you is follow the social media accounts of airlines so you will be updated whenever they are going to have a promo.

4. Book your accommodation

• I also made a blog regarding what to look for a great accommodation. 
• Your preference and needs are important factor on looking for your accommodation
• The amount of money that you are willing to spend for your accommodation is also a based while looking for your accommodation
• There are website you can look to for your accommodation such as booking.com, agoda, expedia, etc. And also a website/phone app which gives you discounts for your flight and accommodation. How to use it? Check out my blog. 

5. Currency

• You need to know the currency of the country that you are going to visit
• Make a change in the airport. You can also make a research and ask some travellers or natives where is the best place to change your money
• Always bring cash with you. Take note that you cannot pay by card in all shops and restaurant 

6.  Tourist destinations

• Do some research regarding the most tourist attractions in that city/country 
• Make a list of all the tourist places that you want to visit based on your preferences. Take note that you do not have to go to every tourist spots, just choose the best for you so you will not have to waste your time on the place that you do not like.
• Make a group of those tourist spots that you want to go. You can divide the map by North, East, West, South, so you can arrange your itinerary and you do not have to go from east to west and vice-versa. 
• You should also think that the number  of places that you are going to visit is depend on how long you are going to stay in that place

7.  Transportation

• Ahead of time, do some research about the transportation
• You need to know  how to get from the airport to your hotel. You should at least have two listed ways just in case of emergency.
• Know the mid of transportation in the city and how much the fare is so you can budget your allowance. 

8. Foods 

• Aside from tourist spots, you should also try the native foods
• Make a list of famous foods
• Don´t forget to take note where you can eat those food and some good restaurants 
• Download some apps of fast food or restaurants for discounts
• The Fork is an app which gives you discount if you reserve directly from the app. It is only available in some cities in Europe

9. Do´s and Dont´s 

• It is the most important, do your research regarding their basic rules and regulations of your destination
• Take note that every country has their own laws. Maybe it is nothing for your but not for them.

The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

Psalm 121:7-8

Why You Should Start Moisturizing

 

As a beginner to the make up industry, we all make mistakes. And I remember one of the mistakes I committed when I was starting this journey was about my moisturizer. 

One of the secret of a good make up is a good skin. And to have that ideal skin, moisturizer is indeed important. Of course, you will not want to put a make up on a dry skin. So now, I will tell you Reasons Why You Should Moisturize Your Face:

1. Base

 As a make up enthusiast, we all know that we put primer so that out foundation will stock nicely to our skin. But aside from that, you can use as well a moisturizer. I really recommend you that specially when you are using make up everyday. It helps your foundation to stay nicely to your skin and as well, helps your skin to stay being soft after a long day with make up.

2. Moisturizing is the key

You read it right, girl! To have the best make up, you need to have the best condition of your face. And moisturizers help you to have that best condition before putting your make up.

3. Keeping Your Skin at Its Best Condition

For working girls like me, it is really important to have our make up everyday. But let us not deny that it is one of the reason why we have a bad skin face condition. So by using a moisturizer, before you put your make up and after removing your make up, really helps you to take care of your precious skin face.

4. Hot / Cold Weather

I know that some of us are not using a moisturizer just because they are in a humid country and that is wrong. Wether you are in a tropical or cold weather places, you always need to get moisturize! 

But take note that there are different types of moisturizer that will help your skin to adopt on different type of weather. During winter, you will be needing to moisturize more so you will not have a dry skin and cause to break out and that means you need to have a different moisturizer for summer and winter.

5. Skin type

Aside from weather, some people are not using moisturizer just because they have an oily face and that is also wrong. You can make a research, watch some tutorials or ask the agents in the shops for the  best moisturizer for your skin type.

And that´s it! I hope I help you and you start using a moisturizer!

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 

 3 John 1:2 

Baguio City, Philippines

 

Talking about Philippines, you might think of warm weather and its islands but did you know that there´s a place where weather can be at 12º in the morning of December? Yes, and that´s the Summer Capital of the Philippines, Baguio City.

Baguio is famous for its cold weather and strawberries. And even ghost stories for the earthquake that happened in 1990. Tragedies happened but we cannot deny the beauty of this city and its people.

Bus Transportation from Cubao Quezon City

From Cubao Quezon City, you can take a bus going directly in Baguio City that will only cost you 445 php. It´s a 5 hours trip so better check the time schedule in the website of Victory Liner Bus or just go directly to their terminal. They have various terminal so better check their website. Below is the price range based on your departure:

They also have an upgraded bus which has aircon and toilet. They have stops every 2 hours. From there, you can eat snacks or just stay in the bus.

Accommodation

And for your accomodation, there´s a lot of hotel or apartments in the area. You can find through Traveloka and get some discounts! We stayed in Hotel Supreme Baguio that only cost us 1020 php, twin bed, breakfast included.

Hotel Supreme Baguio has two buildings. The old and new building. We were allocated in the old building, underground. You can upgrade and move in the new building with additional cost. They also have restaurant in the area, where breakfast is also served. 

Transportation

For your transportation in the area, you can book a grab or just take a taxi that will only cost you less than 70 php going to one area to another.Or if you are patient enough, you can ride their jeepneys. Take note that going down in Mines View Park to the Wright Park is hard to get a jeepney. 

Places to Visit in Baguio City

Mines View Park 

They are open early in the morning. It´s better to be there before the sunrise so you can witness its beauty. You can take picture with the big dog or with the horse. You can also try the famous strawberry taho. 

Wright Park

Horse back riding : 

200 php / pax for 30 minutes

300 php / pax for 1 hour

Costume and head gear: 20 php 

 

The Mansion

Night Market 

Open from 21H to 24H

I was not able to take a picture of the Night Market because of how crowded it was when we went there. And also, I was being aware and avoiding some pick pockets. 

Camp John Hay

This was not part of the itinerary. My friend just recommended me this one. They have different activities that you can try. They are all available in Tree Top. Some of the activities are the following:

Canopy and Funicular Ride, 350php
Superman Ride 300php
Tree Drop 150 php
Trekking,100 php
Silver Surfer,200 php

All these activities are affordable and stuff are nice to assist you. To book in advance, you can book here.

Strawberry Farms

It is located in La Trinidad Benguet. Better to go there as soon as possible. because even if we arrived there at 9am, we cannot get any strawberry so we just bought outside the farm.

Burnham Park

Boat rent: 120php / pax / hour

Bicycle rentals: 50php / pax

They have a lot of activities such as ride a bike, ride a boat, skate at skating rink, ride a bump car. Prices for every activity are different.

There are also places where you can eat specially street foods. But take note that cooking in the park is not allowed.

Going Back to Cubao Quezon City

For your information, you cannot book or reserve your bus seat going back in Cubao Quezon City. So better spend time going earlier in the bus terminal. 

More picture from Baguio Trip

And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.  
Isaiah 58:11