Travel flashback: Jakarta side trip (Indonesia, Part 1, March 2011)

This post is the first part of our Indonesia trip. Click here for our Bali getaway (from Day 2, Part 2 to Day 5)
 
Just like my Bacolod trip a month before our flight to Jakarta, I got our round-trip Jakarta flights from Cebu Pacific’s 10-10-10 promo last October 10, 2010 where all one-way international flights were PhP 1,010 and all domestic flights were only PhP 10, with travel period from January to March 2011. This was another unplanned flight where I just had to take advantage of the absence of fuel surcharges, with five months of preparation for our budget. I booked myself, Pol, and my mom. I must admit too that I really wanted to go to Bali so badly!



Happily chasing the third trimester blues away

Dear Baby P,

I’m almost at my 36th week of pregnancy now and it would just be four weeks or less before your grand entrance to the world. It is at my 8th month now that I’m starting to feel impatient and most excited about it because I’m starting to feel clumsier and more uncomfortable that I just wanted to go fast forward to that big day of your arrival. It’s true that the second trimester is the best and most comfortable state a pregnant woman could be in, and the third trimester is the most exciting because she would just want it to be over with.




Travel flashback: Bacolod and the rest of Negros Occidental (February 2011)

My trip to Bacolod was an unplanned thing because of the crazy PhP 10 seat sale Cebu Pacific had (10-10-10 promo last October 10, 2010) for all domestic flights. Because there were no fuel surcharges back then, I booked myself, my mom, my dad, and Pol for round-trip flights to Bacolod at only about PhP 800 all in! Along with this domestic booking, I also booked myself, my mom and Pol to Jakarta to take advantage of the PhP 1,010 sale for all international flights. Travel periods for these promo flights were from January to March 2011.





Our Lamaze childbirth class with Rome Kanapi

Dear Baby P,

Last March 18, at the beginning of my 34th week of pregnancy, your Papa and I completed our series of childbirth classes under Lamaze instructor Rome Kanapi. We received a Lamaze certification from Ms. Rome wherein your Papa could be with me in the delivery room to coach me during my labor and delivery, and most of all for the both of us to witness your healthy birth.

Our Lamaze certificate



Our class picture!

Music scene flashback: Deftones in Manila (Diamond Eyes Tour, Feb 2011)

Why did I ever stop myself from watching Deftones live? I did but I still watched the band anyway. It was a dilemma of bringing back my high school days that I had already grown out of. But those high school days were undeniably where the height of my self exploration was in, in terms of musical taste. I suddenly remembered that Pacman-like game (with the midi version of "My Own Summer" in the background) which I used to play from my enhanced CD of the album "White Pony".



Promotional poster by Splintr

My baby's precious cord blood

Dear Baby P,

Last January 17, your Papa and I decided to invest in cord blood banking for your health security, which would benefit our family as well especially your future siblings. And just this March, we have finally received our cord blood collection kit that we would be using on your delivery sometime in April. Your Papa had already known of this kind of investment even before I got pregnant. And when he brought it up to me during my first trimester, I was skeptical at first about it.




Music scene flashback: The First Big Party of 2011 (Bob Sinclar in Manila)

It had been a long time since I partied on a real dance floor. My party days in college were the best I could remember having ever since I started working. So when I heard that Bob Sinclar was coming to Manila, I didn’t want to miss the chance!





Surprise baby shower for the first Vivaca baby!

Dear Baby P,

I just wanted to share with you a special day I had with Vivaca, my group of high school friends whom your Papa gathered to throw me a baby shower! Although the surprise failed to be kept a secret from me a few days before the event, I was still very touched and happy to be entertained (instead of me entertaining). It was February 26 and I was 31 weeks pregnant.





Travel flashback: Hue, ancient capital of Vietnam (October 2010)

This post is a continuation of our Vietnam tour. Click here for our HCMC  / Saigon tour (Day 1 & Day 2, Part 1)


After our 2-day tour of Ho Chi Minh City which made us learn about the US-Vietnam War and observe the fusion of French and Vietnamese cultures, we were bound to Hue for some learnings on Vietnam's ancient history.

Travel flashback: Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon, Vietnam (October 2010)

This post is the first part of our Vietnam tour. Click here for our Hue tour (Day 2 Part 2 and Day 3)


It had been only five months since our struggling Bangkok trip and we found ourselves again bound to another ASEAN neighbor. I guess our trip to Thailand had been very affordable for us and even other Filipinos, that we were still able to visit another country within the same year of 2010. Of course, we chose another budget-friendly but culturally rich country, Vietnam. So far, it’s my favorite Southeast Asian nation, next of course to the Philippines.





Maternity photoshoot with Spetz at Blow-Up Babies

Dear Baby P,

While your Papa and I are very much excited to see you, we had to keep ourselves busy and spend quality time together before we officially become lifetime Mama and Papa, as what my favorite pregnancy sites advise. One of the fun things we thought of doing was to have ourselves photographed as expectant parents, in order for me to visually document and share with you our joyful anticipation of our Pelikitot.




Travel flashback: Coron, Palawan (July 2010)

Since Pol and I agreed to have at least one foreign trip per year together, it is all the more a must for us to have at least one domestic trip as well. July 2010 was the month of our fourth year anniversary as a dating couple, and Pol specially wanted to celebrate it in Coron, Palawan.