I'm off ... well, to a new domain.  http://sassytraveller.com/  

I'd like to thank the people who've supported this little blog of mine, and I'm hoping my move to the bigger blogosphere won't affect how you like my little how-tos and adventures.  See you there!

I truly believe that everything that happens to everyone is their own responsibility.

But it’s cruel when accidents or calamities strike --- could anyone really point out that the victims of the earthquake in China, the cyclone in Myanmar or the kidnappings in Somalia are responsible for what happened to them? 

Then I believe in luck … but that directly conflicts with the notion that the person is in control.  Here are three things that I believe in now, which helps me keep faith in the things I believe in, and to help me not to lose hope during tough times.

Appreciate.  When you walk in the street, do you see A.) annoying beggars / traffic jams / or do you see B.) the sunshine, couples in love, people walking their pets?  If you see A, then you’re already bound to have a negative outlook in life.  Life’s pretty, and appreciating yourself and your surroundings would really give meaning to the life you live.

Avoid.  Really.  Some p...

I think I wrote something about people and them being like shoes --- well, see, there’s this funny thing that I’ve noticed while I’m trying out dating.  Some boys are just keepers, and well, some are just … egh. 

I don’t know if you all will agree with me, but for me, I can always tell when somebody’s worth the time, or not --- depending on the kind of sneakers he wears!  

I mean, there has been a study proving that when a person buys 3 or more pairs of shoes a year, they have leadership potential, so who’s saying that sneaker types don’t reflect the man? 

Old-School Sneakers.  Beat up Chucks, old Adidas shoes, with the old logo and all.  (Yeah you know it.)  Often misunderstood, this guy has just become so comfortable with himself that he doesn’t really care what anyone else says.  He’s a little on the defensive side, so it’s going to take a little work to try and coax that boy to shine, or, well, enter his world first. ...

Are you into pets, but dogs and cats won’t really fill that void?  Try something a little more exotic --- though I’m not talking about tigers or lions, some species of animals are illegal to be kept as pets, so here I am, with my pet Donatello the turtle, to educate you on some other cool animals you could keep without the legal hassle.

Remember: as cool as these animals are, always ask about how to properly care for them from whoever you buy them from, or do some research on the net. 

Turtles!  I’ve loved turtles since I was a kid, mostly in part because of the Ninja Turtles.  It’s not that you want to be any of them, but it was cool imagining that they’d be your ninja friends and hang out with you if you had pizza!  Here are a couple of species of turtles that are safe to keep as pets:

Box Turtle – These critters are land-dwelling creatures and are easily located in mossy areas of forests, and other damp habitats.  These are omnivorous c...

Whoah!  I’m psyched!  I’m pumped!  I just found out that the family’s taking a little trip to Singapore next, next week! 

Do you guys have any suggestions on what to do there?  (Aside from shopping, of course!)

In terms of our trip, I’m not sure what kind of flight we’ll be in, but I’m hoping it’s something like Singapore Airlines.  (Are these for real anyway???)  My dad’s going to do business, so during his meetings, me, my mom and my sister have some time to do whatever it is they do out there.

I want to go on one of those walking tours to China Town, Little India and Kampong Glam!  I also want to hit up Sentosa with my family, if ever dad gets a little time off.  Not sure how long we’ll be there, but I’m hoping after dad’s work, we get to hang out there for a while. 

Something I’d really, really, really like to do, but probably won’t get to do is get on one of the luxury trains and just see Singapore!

Hmmm … if ...

June is … next month!  You know what that means, wedding season!  As a girl, I have been planning my wedding, well, since I found out about it.  Call it social programming, whatever, I’ve always pictured myself having the biggest, grandest, loudest wedding … ever!  Maybe in Hawaii or the Bahamas!  Woohoo!

But the sad truth is, as I’m growing up, I’m realizing that frivolous wants does not equate to happiness in the long run.  Gotta think about the post-wedding life --- are we (me and my hubby-to-be) gonna live off the wedding gifts?  I don’t think so.

While I’m not saying to totally scrimp on the wedding details and have the reception at a Burger King, I’m saying, there are ways to save money simply by being practical.  (Most of these tips are friend-centric!)

Keep the wedding small – You don’t have to invite your schoolmate’s cousin’s friend’s neighbor to the wedding, just keep the list short, and full of the most important peo...

I came across a very interesting though this week from Ordinary Comics, “When you begin not liking the shoes that you used to wear all the time, it means that something in you have [has] changed.”  Which makes shoes a great indicator for growth, I guess.  Here’s my personal list of things of events that have happened to me that has moved me towards growth, in a way, I guess, and they may even be true for you.  (Life’s funny like that.)

Losing a relative.  I admit, I’ve lost a couple of loved ones to sickness quite a few times already, and its never gotten any easier over the years.  I remember thinking “I’m strong, I’m strong…” but then some days I just wake up with my pillow wet from tears. 

Falling and fooling (and failing!) in love.  Remember your first love?  This is funny, I remember thinking the world of this guy, and then, some conflict comes up, and I would end up crying myself to sleep!  --- Four, five years later, still...

When I’m on trips, I always make sure I allocate my budget for important things.  Money for lodging/cab fares and whatnot, check.  Money for shopping, check.  Money for weird quirky souvenirs, check!  I always make sure to take a sampling of the culture with me once I get home.  My bag is usually lined with local delicacies (the kind that doesn’t spoil) and the unique souvenirs that place has to offer.

There are the usual, penholders, keychains and, ergh, shirts. 

Doing a little research, I’ve come up with 3 pretty interesting souvenirs that I, well, don’t look forward to owning, but will probably buy nonetheless. 

(Take note, when picking out souvenirs, I always look for things that are common in the place, something that’s not easily found, and something unique that I may display on my travel shelf.)

Kangaroo Scrotum Bottle Opener – Kangaroos have forever been related to Australia, and, with their great ability to reproduce, their...

Ergh! 

Everyone has bad days, I guess.  It’s alright if you’re at home, with free access to a tub of ice cream … but what if you’re in the office?  And, well, the source of your frustration is your boss???

No matter how you try, you just can’t compute how your boss getting angry at you makes your job any easier, right?  Trying to reason out just makes your head hotter and hotter, until well you couldn’t take anymore, and then … kaboom!

Here are a couple of things you could do when being in the same room as an angry boss is just … insufferable.

Breathe.  If you can put off whatever you’re doing at the moment, take a walk!  Breathe!  Try breathing fast breaths gradually turning into low breaths … the more oxygen in the brain, the better you could think.  Think of a solution to a problem the boss has been badgering you about, or, maybe think about the boss … is he going through a tough time at home?  Is he snapping at you be...

Remember the 90’s?  Of course you do!  Along with the rise and fall of 90’s rap into late-90’s grunge, there were comedy clubs!  (And yes, that segue was pretty far-fetched) And with comedy clubs, the obvious default line from the 90’s would be, “what is it about airline food?”   (Satire to satire?)

But know what, maybe that was a decade ago, but things have become so much better since then.  No longer do we have to settle with the idea of beer and nuts for lunch.  (Though it really just depends on what sort of ticket you get.)  

Until this little site called Airline Meals made its way to me.  Pretty interesting stuff, I might add.  Most of the content is user-submitted, along with a little review of their own about the food.  

The link to browsing airline food is called “browse thousands of meals” --- and it has a right to do so.  It gives you a selection of hundreds of airports … and the food stuffs they serve within.  No...

Remember the 90’s?  Of course you do!  Along with the rise and fall of 90’s rap into late-90’s grunge, there were comedy clubs!  (And yes, that segue was pretty far-fetched) And with comedy clubs, the obvious default line from the 90’s would be, “what is it about airline food?”   (Satire to satire?)

But know what, maybe that was a decade ago, but things have become so much better since then.  No longer do we have to settle with the idea of beer and nuts for lunch.  (Though it really just depends on what sort of ticket you get.)  

Until this little site called Airline Meals made its way to me.  Pretty interesting stuff, I might add.  Most of the content is user-submitted, along with a little review of their own about the food.  

The link to browsing airline food is called “browse thousands of meals” --- and it has a right to do so.  It gives you a selection of hundreds of airports … and the food stuffs they serve within.  No ...

Earth Day may be over, but it doesn’t mean you gotta stop loving our environment.  After all, what’s the use of traveling if every place on Earth is a barren wasteland?  (I won’t even mention the zombies … oh, que horror!)

In our travels, we often sacrifice being ecological over convenience; here are a couple of tips to enjoy your normal vacations, all the while knowing that nature loves you too!

Re-use plastic bags, or use resealable Ziplocs – or even better yet, use recycled paper bags.

Avoid fastfood packaging … in any country.  For one, if you opt to buy fruits, you could eat them and the leftover skin can be reusable for some organic use.  Unlike styrofoam packaging and cellophanes.  For another one, if you opt to eat at traditional local restaurants wherever you may be staying, you get to experience the culture.  How cool is that?

Bring face towels and hankies!  When you bring a face towel or handkerchief and use that to w...

Just because you don’t have the luxury of time or a huge, gigantic budget doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t take a weekend getaway.  A weekend getaway is a Friday-to-Sunday affair, oftentimes you can even attend work on that Friday, and maybe just leave a little earlier.  Here are a couple of reasons why it’s gonna be easy.

You don’t need to go far, far away – Fancy maybe a 3-4 hour drive to a beach, and maybe take some buddies with you.  They’ll be happy you asked them.  (Plus, you could peg someone else to drive!  Can you say ‘road trip’?)

You don’t have to save the last three paychecks for it – You can bring food from home, and cook ‘em yourself in most beach houses.  Plus, accommodation is pretty cheap, if you know where to look.

You can plan it … now? – The best thing about weekend getaways is, you don’t even have to plan them months in advance!  A friend might just get tired of work as much as you and pick you up from work, o...

Spring is here … spring is here!  The flowers are blooming, and, well, since the Earth is slightly tilted towards the sun, the days last longer.  When the day lasts longer, there are more things to do!  And, well, since spring is just about the time June creeps in, it also gets pretty hot. 

Here are a couple of ways to keeping cool during Spring time.  (Now enjoy while the flowers bloom!) 

Spongebob Freezerpants – Yes, I saw this in an episode of a tv show starring Paul Reiser.  The idea is, if you like sleeping in your undies, bag ‘em then freeze ‘em for maybe an hour or two, then change into them before getting to bed.  Also, an icebag to the back of the knees and the elbows help keep you cool too.  (The only downside is, you’ll have that soggy feeling in bed.)

Spring Cleaning! – Surprise, surprise!  A cleaner apartment with zero dust / junk / clutter = more breathing room.  Plus, if you do get rid of dust, you’r...

I love Europe.  Don’t ask.

It’s only like, another continent in this big, big world of ours, and yet, (as with many continents) most everything is different.  My first trip to Italy made me started it all --- the love for traveling.  Before, traveling meant just another reason to go through the motions of getting prepared, only to get totally exhausted afterwards.  But after Italy, everything changed.  The sights were new, the tastes … even the smells!  It was just too much to take in.  Of course, it was followed by shopping in Paris, eating in Croatia.  (They invented the tie!)  and inhaling the variety of architecture in Prague and whatnot. 

If you’re on a budget in Spain, try going to Pueblo Ingles (English village) and experience making a difference in the process.  They go and take care of your meals and lodging, while you try and impart your knowledge to others.  It’s also a great place to meet fellow trave...

Have you ever come across a friend you haven’t seen for years, … on a different country?  By accident?  You might’ve ran into that familiar face on the street, or maybe shared a place together, bottom line is, there’s something totally different when you’ve known someone from your playground days, only to see them as successful young men or women. 

The exact thing happened to me on a trip to Singapore --- I was remarking how the merlion looked “funny” --- I heard a chuckle from the travel group, and, surprisingly, the face was familiar!  It was a schoolmate from elementary!  (I hate to say it, but, “it is a small world after all”)  As it turns out, his job required for him to be sent back and forth to different branches of xxxxxxxxx hotels.  Which was interesting --- he got me discounts! 

We kept in touch months after that, occasionally meeting up with other friends from elementary we were still in contact with, magically making my phone’s mem...

Ever had one of those days when nothing seemed to go right?  You fall off the bed, the alarm didn’t wake you, making you later than usual, effectively dissolving that appointment at 8.  From that single moment, everything goes wrong --- the hot shower is lukewarm, the toast is soggy, the car won’t start and everyone seems to be moving slower than everybody. 

You’re cursing in the driver’s seat while the car in front of you seem to be trying to make a turn, delaying every car behind him.  There’s no parking space when you get there, and the nearest place to park is a block away from the actual office.  Once you get there, trying to act all aloof and cool, when, once you step out of the elevator, the boss is making rounds in the whole floor, for an inspection. 

It’s easy to point out the situations and all-around bizarre-ness of the things that added up to you ending up late, in front of the boss, but putting the blame on things is easy too. ...

I had this article pointed to me the other day, and, well, aside from noticing that the first story sample is lifted from a Facebook story of an employee calling in sick, then posting images of him in a fairy costume for a Halloween party getting fired, I realized that, as a blogger, I like to think that it won’t ruin my life … not unless I let it.

I remember dissing blocks back when nobody else had ‘em --- it was weird for me, (not being part of the blogosphere yet) to post stories about myself.  It was like writing in a diary, then handing everyone a level-5 pass key --- all access.  It made no sense to me. 

Upon hearing so-and-so’s story about blogging a problem then getting a good Samaritan get to read that entry by accident and getting the required help --- well, I decided to give it a go.  When I did try it, it was … relaxing.  I get to write my own stories, regardless of edits and censorship. 

I do blog about adventures and things le...

After hitting the beach last weekend, I noticed a trend … a beach no-no trend.  I saw tons of men committing crimes against nature, by being walking fashion disasters!  

Here’s a list of DON’Ts that I would advise people to avoid AT ALL COST.

Shorts Length – For men, the beach is either a really good place to show off a body that they worked hard on, or a really bad place to show that, well, that they hardly moved muscles in their everyday lives.  This might be a subjective call, but I’m really not all that into the “Speedo” look, and also, beach/swim shorts that are too short.  So what if they’re designed to make you swim faster or whatnot?  Nobody really wants to see knobby knees in the beach.  Try wearing surfer apparel --- the shorts that cover up the knees, and still looks good, even when wet.
Monster toes – It’s a good sign that they didn’t wear socks-and-sandals, but it’s even worse when they just wear sandals or flipflops to sport monster to...

Traveling is my life – much like how an instrument is for a musician, I could rarely imagine myself without the culture trip that every plane careening down a runway provides.  But I’m gonna step out of that for a while, as I’ve had this interesting talk with a travel agency friend of mine.  (If you travel as much as I have, you will get interesting contacts in the biz.)

I had this chance encounter with a friend who works at xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx, a travel agency.  We got into talking about holy week, and how, in some countries, they literally give the week away;  for prayer and whatnot.  (Though days off-work translates into potential mini-vacations.)  She was saying how, “If you don’t know anyone in whatever place you’re going into, holy week is the absolute worst time to go hitting beaches.  Along with Christmas and New Year, it’s just a kamikaze mission.” 

Of course, this didn’t shock me --- it was the absolute truth.  How come p...

unique gift items, i promise you'll love

I've tried them before and highly recommended :)