Beach bumming in Bali, Indonesia

Long overdue post ahead... :D

I can't believe I forgot to write more about our Bali trip last year :D I've written about our first day but didn't bother to write about the rest of our trip. And it took me almost a year to remember to finally share our awesome experience in the island :D Pasensya tao lang! hihi

Bali is known for its long stretch of white sand beaches, surfing, scuba diving and recently became more famous because of the movie Eat, Pray, Love =) . This place has been one of my must-see places to visit and I was not disappointed during our entire trip last November 2010.


Since, we traveled during the off peak season, the usually crowded Kuta beach is fortunately quite.

Our major agenda on this trip was to just BEACH BUM and maybe try out surfing if we don't chicken out. Apparently, my friend Chris was already itching to try it and after watching her learn the tricks, I was convinced to try it out myself...even if I DO NOT know how to swim :)) Confidence and courage were my weapons :))) Luckily though, I survived and did a few stands while riding the waves. Awesome experience! Unfortunately, my actual surfing photos are not yet available for the viewing public, so enjoy the following for now :D

How we enjoyed the busy Ho Chi Minh City!

Last April, the husband and I backpacked to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for the first time. It was our first in the country and our first in a backpackers hostel.

We arrived around 9:00pm local time at the Tan Son Nhat Airport (thanks to Jetstar's Friday Sale) with so much anticipation of the place and the people. We booked our stay in a lovely and cheap Nguyen Kang Hostel located in District 1. They're clean, simple, decent and in a good location. Before we confirmed our trip, I made tentative reservation through email and their staff were all kind enough to reserved a place for us without any downpayment. They charged us 20usd per night (with simple breakfast) for a room with windows. However, if you are comfortable to stay in a room without windows, they charge 18usd. Not bad! And if you arrive in the evening, I suggest you request for airport pick up from your hostel because getting a cab from the airport is a bit difficult. For one, most locals do not speak English and two, they could overcharge you. Haggling with these cab drivers is pointless because you won't understand each other =) The airport pick up saves you the hassle of explaining the direction to the driver which will of course eventually saves your time. Our hostel charged 8usd to 14usd, depending on how late you arrive.

If you book in the same hostel, this creepy-looking alley will be your main entrance. Be not afraid! because on our last day, they painted the walls, light blue :D Notice the half-done wall paint? :P

We love Vietnamese food and we've read many good reviews of cafes and restaurants around the city. So on our first night, we immediately searched for one resto in our list. Apparently, the resto's location is a bit far from our hostel and since we were soo famished, we rummaged the first nice looking cafe we saw - Sasa Cafe (along District 1). They have the yummiest lime juice I've tasted so far!

Along this area, you will find many street food vendors, pubs and homeless old people sleeping in corners and shacks :(

The following days were spent getting-to-know-more-about-the-city, which was equivalent to bracing the summer heat and tired (but happy) feet =)

The post office where I dropped the postcards sent to our housemates <3

The Notredame Cathedral

The War Museum - where photos and stories broke my heart and made me feeling drained even after we left the place :( I did not bother to take photos because it was too painful to look at.  But I salute the brave photographers who risked their lives just to capture the dreadful scenes. If not for them, tourists and locals alike will not have an inch of idea what Vietnam was during the war.  Still a must visit!

Don't forget to try out their yummy iced coffee on the streets. I bet my life for you to try this one! :P

Okay, so this photo does not give justice on how interesting Ben Thanh Market was :) Ignore the facial expression and list the place on your itinerary. You will surely find a thing or two while strolling around the market. Try going there during the day and during the night, you will then know what I mean :)

This place is a must for dinner :D Quan An Ngon along Vo Van Tan Street. Delish and cheap Vietnamese food. Nice ambiance and friendly staffs =)

If you are on strict budget, the food stalls along the street is another option. Some of them looked unclean from the outside but in fairness, they do serve it clean. Still delicious and most importantly, cheap :D

And if you feel like splurging on your last lunch in the city, try out Lemongrass along District 1. It's a bit pricey but worth it, at least for us :)

Then check out artwork displays. Unfortunately, most of them were not real paintings.

And oh, if you're feeling a bit spontaneous or tired, you can try their bike tour. They have the most unusual bikes I've seen so far and most overpriced at that :P Be careful when checking the price, the drivers will convince you with their "have-pity-on-me-i-am-old" look :D Nevertheless, we tried it for an hour and ended up paying for two hours because the grandpa was too slow. Oh well, the fun was worth it anyway! Look at our happy faces :D

Can you guess how old the driver is? :)

The city is quite small so you only need a day to check out all the interesting places and still have time for shopping :) We were there for three days and had so much free time lazing around and finding off the beaten tracks. Our second day was spent on the Mekong River tour. Up on the next post.

Hope you find this post helpful =) My mind is now wandering around Southeast Asia and the many more countries I need to visit. Wander lusting mood for now!

A Grateful Journey

"Many people are conflicted. They want to fulfill their dreams and yet are afraid to fulfill those same dreams. Why does that happen?  Because wishes are unfamiliar territory. 

And what is unfamiliar is scary."

Everyone who knows me well,  know that I am a Jason Mraz fangirl. I'm actually not just a fangirl but deeply, completely in love with this guy :D He is talented, inspiring, humble, vegetarian and loves the world. Complete package.

He is currently on a world tour this year and will soon be visiting Asia particularly Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Bali. And I am happy to announce that I will again see him perform LIVE in Manila. Oh my Gosh!!! I have mixed emotions about the whole thing. The initial plan was to watch him in Thailand because the date falls on a long weekend in Singapore. However, I can't wait! It hit me last night that I have to see him very very soon :D Thank you to my friend who helped me in buying the ticket in Manila. I AM OVERJOYED! And did I mention that I bought  a FRONT ROW TICKET???? Yes, I DID! That's number 16 in my bucket list. Woohhooo!!! I am excited for October 30 to come fast! And thank you to Cebu Pacific for the ticket promo on my travel date. More woohhhooo! Mr. Universe, high five!

Watch and be inspired with this first documentary trailer of his own Grateful Journey in Morocco. 

Be love!

Being Open while on the Road.

I met a lot of people in Europe. I even encountered myself. 

~ James Baldwin

Louvre, Paris France

I agree with you Mr. Baldwin!

After Spain, I was set to travel to Italy and France, without the husband. Unfortunately, he could not extend his trip due to limited vacation leaves. I have already psyched myself mentally and emotionally before our actual trip. I was thinking about what was to come and what I will become without him. Honestly, I have been wanting to travel alone in a new place as I was not able to actually do it before getting married. So this was the best opportunity for me to do what I’ve been dreaming of except that I will eventually be joined by my youngest sister in the trip.

I was literally alone from Barcelona to Rome. I was suppose to meet my sister in the same Rome airport but she missed her flight so I had to go alone to the city and find our hostel. While I was finding my way to the bus terminal to take my ride to the city, it finally sank in that nobody was there to guide me where to go. I had to figure it out myself. Luckily, I have a good sense of direction. Not wanting to miss my stop, I instantly went down where most tourists alighted. At the back of my head I thought, “they could be going the same direction as I am and anyway they are also World Youth Day delegates so there is no harm joining them”. And how lucky I was to befriend them! They helped me buy my ticket because unfortunately I bought the wrong train ticket at the airport  When we reached Roma Termini, I found out that they have not booked their accommodations so I asked them to check out the hostel where I was staying. Good karma was on our side and they got their room.

Colosseum, Rome Italy

There were many other instances during our travel that allowed us to help and ask help from strangers. I realized that it’s normal to act paranoid but it’s also okay to ask help from anyone. Traveling with my sister was entirely different than traveling with my husband. I had to read the map and find our direction the easiest way. I was so used to just following where my husband would lead me because he usually carried the map and knew exactly where to go. But when my sister and I were finding our way to a spot, there were lots of times when we got lost and could not even find our way back. It was during those times that I had to act brave and enjoy the trail.

However, I soon realized that being lost isn’t always a bad idea. Not following your itinerary is as exciting as finally finding your hostel after hours of walking with a heavy backpack. I also realized that tourists are all the same. We slept in airport terminals just so we can save one night’s accommodation and that’s okay. We also try to endure the pain of walking miles so we could really enjoy the beauty of the place. We have the same fears whether you are Asian, British or American. We all fear being robbed, abused, and taken advantage of. I mean all these fears are normal when you’re in a new place and it all depends on how you act. Luck was on our side every time we asked help people had been helpful. Some even went out of their way and accompanied us to the metro station even if they were late for their appointment. Others cooked dinner for us and invited us to join them. Little things like being offered a seat in the bus or offering to take our photo or teaching us which bus to take. But I assure you that every time we were in those situations I had all sorts of scenarios in my head whether this man is sincere or the food is safe. I know it’s ridiculous to think bad things about people who are offering help but I can’t help it. Paranoia is in my system. 

The lessons I learned while on the road is incomparable. I thought that if you have a detailed plan and itinerary you will know everything and you will not need help. But I was wrong. Language barrier was one of the challenges and direction was another. My impatient self was always bothered every time I couldn’t find my way or when I was being served with the wrong food because the waiter didn’t understand and I was too hungry to even argue. So yes, I learned a lot of patience.  

Piazza del Duomo, Milan Italy

Among the vastness of the crowd of tourists and locals alike, I felt like a small mustard seed totally invisible from everyone else. I learned humility. No matter how different your status was in your hometown – in a new place you are a stranger. You really don’t know everything. You are also expected to follow and respect culture or traditions whether you agree or not. 

I least expected myself to experience all these realizations but believe me I did! Normally, I am not that patient and open. I usually say what I think whether its nice or not. And I have lots of fears I am not willing to overcome. But traveling alone, even with my husband or with my sister, taught me a lot beyond my expectations. William Least Heat Moon said is his book Blue Highways, “When you’re traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don’t have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.” And this explains my experience while on the road in Europe.

~

Thank you, Grace of PinayontheMove for featuring this post on your pretty travel blog.

Backpacking Europe for the first time.

Okay before you raise your eyebrows or ignore this post, allow me first to explain why I backpacked instead of traveling comfortably...

Most first timers to Europe would rather book a travel package with everything included so they won't have to worry where to go, where to sleep, where to eat and how to explore the place. This is the easiest way for first time travelers. But I am not a fan of travel packages or tour groups (sorry no offense, its just me). I appreciate how convenient they are for those incapable of doing more research or for those who don't want the hassle of preparing the itinerary on their own - it's truly helpful if you are that type of traveler. I would prefer to use it if I am traveling with my family in a place where the English language is unknown.

I don't consider myself a hardcore backpacker compared to other travelers who really carry with them huge backpacks and travel for months. I've learned to backpack just because I've always wanted to travel cheap so I can save for shopping. Haha, how ironic! But at least I have the motivation :p So when we started planning for our Europe trip, backpacking came in handy. Booking a one (1) star was not even an option. Hostelbookers was very helpful in planning our accommodation. Although some of our actual experiences were somehow different from the reviews, but that will be a separate blogpost. 

Yes, I literally backpacked with a 12kg bag for three weeks. I have to mention though that carrying it for hours wouldn't be possible without the help of the husband so I suggest before you follow my lead, make sure you are ready for the back and hip pain. I was ready for all types of pain but what I was not ready for was the heat of the sun in Spain. Imagine carrying a 12kg bag in a 40C temperature??? It was crazy and I seriously went hysterical! And it's okay to be hysterical if you have a husband like mine who's ready to carry your bag otherwise, keep calm and carry on :)

I really find backpacking very convenient especially if you have shorter stays in various cities in Europe. We started in Spain and visited Valencia (2days), Toledo (2days), Madrid (6days for the WYD) and Barcelona (3days). Then I flew to Italy and met my sister. We visited Rome (3days), Florence (2days), Milan (1day) and Venice (1day). Our last stop was Paris, France. See, we were always on the go. Although the transportation in most Euro cities is very convenient such as renfe in Spain and trenitalia in Italy, their metro station is the opposite. It's not very friendly for those with huge trolley luggages. So if you carry a backpack, you'll easily find your way among the crowd compared to those dragging their luggages in the staircase :D Central metro station is an exception though especially those with connecting train rides to major cities. They have escalators, accessible lifts and travelators. My sister used the trolley luggage and although it was smaller, she really had a hard time carrying it especially when we arrived in Milan and discovered that the nearest metro station to our hostel  had the longest staircase ever! Luckily, we survived the climb!

So yeah, we enjoyed backpacking and sharing our room to other travelers. We booked private rooms in some cities but dorm type accommodations for most of our stay and enjoyed a few free upgrade from dorm to private in some :D It was fun meeting other travelers and exchanging travel stories. This kind of experience makes me enjoy backpacking a lot. I'm not fuzzy in sharing toilets/showers with other people as long as its clean and decent. I don't mind sleeping in a small bed with someone snoring on the other end. I don't care if other occupants make a mess in the same room as long as they don't steal my stuff. I mean, if the hostel is decent and the reviews are great, there's really no reason for anyone to worry. The only reason why you're there is to sleep after you've enjoyed the sights outside your hostel room. You have to make sure though that 90% of your time is spent outside, roaming rather than spending it inside, sleeping.

The amount we saved for booking cheap accommodations was spent on food and shopping few clothes :D Obviously, the latter is a not so nice idea because it will add a kilo to your backpack. But what the heck! I'd rather sacrifice the back pain for new clothes than re-wearing the used ones :P I told you I'm not a hardcore backpacker. Haha! Hopefully this mindset will change soon when my long term travel plans will take place :)))

Til here for now. Will continue the adventure soonest. Goodnight, world!

Recovering from the Travel Bug Bite...

...if there's such a word :)))

Hello blog, i missed you! Sorry for staring at that new post blank page for few weeks now. I just don't know what to write or how to start. My three weeks wander lusting was causing me too much memory overload that it almost made my brain explode. There were just too many beautiful sights and experiences to remember and my ordinary brain cannot handle the overlapping of snapshots. The thousand photos didn't even help, actually it made the situation even worst - instead of typing the words, I always end up staring and browsing for more photos.

But today is different because I've finally decided to compartmentalize and turned on my brain to come up with the most "jaw-dropping" come back post. Teehheee =)

I guess when you're bitten by the travel bug, you need to refresh yourself slowly but surely. When I came back, I didn't literally experienced jetlag because I was forced to overcome it due to work. But I noticed that after my first week, I became too lazy to do something productive and was just too comfortable slacking off. And it didn't do me any good, for one, I was not able to post anything here and two, I missed a lot of updates from friends because I was "almost-always" unreachable. Luckily, I have recovered and ready to plan for the next trip :D

Meantime, while I edit some photos, let me share to you some snapshot of the places I visited in Europa =)

City of Arts and Museum, Valencia Spain

Santo Tome, Toledo Spain

Palacio Real, Madrid Spain 

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Spain 

Colosseum, Rome Italy

St. Peter's Basilica, Rome Italy

Palazzo Vecchio, Florence Italy 

Emmanuel Vittorio Shopping Mall, Milan Italy

Gondola by the bridge, Venice Italy 

Eiffel Tower, Paris France

Enjoy and happy week ahead!

Long term travel and my Inspirations.

After reading enormous travel blogs for my trip, I feel like I've been transported to places they've visited. I noticed that most travelers, backpackers or even travel bloggers have one constant dream...to travel long term around the world - may it be for months or 1 year. Obviously, after allowing myself to be transported, I am inspired to do a long term travel too :) But how? The first difficult question to answer :D (I will figure out the answer soon :)

Tomorrow will be the start of my European dream. It will be my first longest trip outside Philippines and Singapore. Three weeks is actually not enough to cover and visit the places I wanted to visit but needless to say, enough to see the famous areas...for now. I would have wanted to extend and backpack to other cities but like most employed travelers' excuse..work got in the way :D Anyhoo, I will have my time soon and I will surely cover as many places I want and immerse myself to the culture and talk to as many locals as possible :)

So you wonder where I got all these crazy ideas??? Of course, from the equally-crazy-but-passionate-travelers... They're all Filipinos, by the way :) Yes, we are capable of long term travels too :D

Here are some excerpts from a PhilStar blogger interview about long term traveling.

1. FlipNomad

What made you decide to travel long term?

Flipnomad: I have always wanted to travel the world (or some parts of it). I tried having vacations every year when I was still employed and realized that it’s an expensive way to do it. Flying back and forth to your home country cost a lot compared to having a continuous journey. Another reason is I want to travel continuously just like the travelers that I’ve met on the road. I was inspired by them to live this unconventional life of being a “nomad."

2. Lillian Cobiao  - I learned a lot from her. And got really helpful tips for my trip especially on how to pack light :) Before reading her, I have a 3 week worth of clothes and amazingly, I managed to pack good for 10days only. Imagine my husband's surprise and worries :)))

What advice can you give those who are considering traveling long term?

Lilliane: Do it! It's going to be life-changing I'm so sure. Also travel slowly, live the local life, don't plan too much. Let the moment decide your destiny. Of course, always be careful and paranoid.

3. Lois and Chichi - the sole sisters

What's great about traveling long term?

Lois and Chichi: You have so much time to immerse yourself in the culture, get to know the locals, experience more than what the guidebook suggests.

These people made it sound so easy to prepare and travel long term. Reading and following them made me realize how much I wanted to see the world but at the same time reminded me of my priorities. If long term travel is not at hand in the near future, I am happy to settle for short trips and adventures for the meantime.

How about you? What are your latest adventures and crazy ideas?

MOVE! A Beautiful Short Film

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.


This video has been circulating widely and fast. Even myself cannot resist sharing it to the world. I've shared it in Facebook and Tumblr, now I'm posting it here :D It's pure creativity and brains.

This one is about movement through traveling. I don't know if that is the filmmaker's goal but in my opinion, it is :D

Brilliant!

Also check out two other videos related to this. Click here and here.

Plane passengers' "BILL of RIGHTS" - It's time we Know!

Have you come across any bad behavior of your fellow plane passengers? Have you felt the discomfort of a noisy and irritating seatmate? How about passengers rushing to leave when its not yet time?

I hear you, guys!

This morning, I received a delightful email in my inbox. Something to ponder on...something really helpful! I am glad people from Lonely Planet decided to create a survey and write this article. It's about time that we know our rights as passengers in any airplane and know the proper behavior we should exhibit to enjoy our flight, whether in 1 hour or 13 hours.

So, here's the list known as The Passengers' Airplane Behavior Bill of Rights.

Article I: The right to remove shoes

Passengers shall be allowed to remove shoes from their feet, but only if the aforementioned feet don’t stink or present health risks to other passengers. The right of the passenger to go to the lavatory without shoes shall not be infringed, as it is really your own business should you want to stand in the urine of others.

Article II: Freedom from unreasonable aromatic assault
No passenger shall, in the time of flight, be subjected to unreasonable aromas, be it from powerful perfume, foods redolent of onion, or other fragrance wholly unnecessary whilst on an airplane.

Article III: The right to reasonable light
All passengers shall be allowed the right to use their own overhead light to read when the cabin lights are turned off, as that is its intended use. No passenger shall be unwillingly bothered by the thoughtless opening of window shades during this period; window seat passengers are not delegated the power to blind their fellow passengers.

Article IV: The article of reclension
A well-justified act of reclining one’s seat shall not be prohibited at all times, apart from meal time and other times specified by the flight crew. All instances of reclension shall be preceded by a rearward glance so as not to unwittingly crush the patellas or portable electronic devices of the affected passenger.

Article V: Freedom of no speech
There shall be no requirement for other passengers to listen to you drone on about your child, cat or other subject not directly germane to an immediate inflight emergency situation. The right of other passengers to give you the ‘book-off’ shall not be infringed, nor shall you assist with the answer to 14-across if unprompted.

Article VI: The right to bear armrestsIn all cases where an armrest is shared by two adjacent passengers, both parties must respect the right of the other to keep the armrest down. Passengers relegated to a middle seat shall be afforded special status, and aisle and window passengers shall endeavour to accommodate.

Article VII: Conditions of passenger quartersPassengers shall not be subject to the rubbish of others crammed thoughtlessly into seat-back pockets, or tossed onto the floor in a cavalier fashion. Chewing gum shall not be pressed to any surface affixed to an aircraft.

Article VIII: The right to heed the call of natureA well-organised attempt to use the lavatory, being necessary for inflight calm and gastrointestinal health, shall not be impeded by aisle passengers sleeping or otherwise. The rights of others waiting to use a lavatory shall supersede the frankly ill-advised wishes of current lavatory users to waste time poking around said lavatory.

Article IX: Provisions concerning use of electronic devices
The assurance of safety shall not be infringed by the desires of others to make one last phone call, update their social network status to brag about their impending holiday, or to plant cauliflower in their virtual farm. WhilstMythBusters and others have debunked most potential dangers of using common electronic devices on planes, safety and calm shall take precedence.

Article X: Cruel and unnecessary aisle cloggingNo passenger shall, in the time of disembarking, hastily grab their bag and congest the exit route before actual movement is possible. Likewise, when it comes time to exit, no passenger shall unaccountably act surprised that it is their turn to leave.

Article XI: Freedom from feral children
The right of passengers not to be kicked in the back, have their hair pulled, be presented with unasked-for mucous-moistened objects, or be otherwise assaulted by feral children shall not be infringed. Crying babies cannot be held accountable for their actions, and are therefore exempt.

Article XII: The right of reasonable alcohol consumptionNo person, apart from those who are drunk and obnoxious or minors, shall be prohibited from imbibing an alcoholic beverage should they feel that it is a good idea, despite all indications to the contrary.

Article XIII: The right to private mediaReading over others’ shoulders shall not be inflicted, unless achieved in a particularly stealthy fashion causing no annoyance to the book holder. The same shall be true for films and other non-private media.

I hope we learn a thing or two from this article and try our best to apply it during our future travels. To know more about the result of the survey they conducted, please click here.

The Busy, Beautiful Ho Chi Minh!

I don't have words for now :)

Let the pictures describe how we saw beauty amidst the bustling streets.

That's me checking out some of the local's artworks. Warning: Do check carefully before buying coz some of the items are not original. *wink*

All pictures are taken in the busy street of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, previously known as Saigon,Vietnam.

Hooked on Travel Deals!

Day by day, I've become almost impatient for another trip. But I have to remind myself to be still and wait for 3 more weeks. It's really such a loooooonnnggg wait! My itchy feet is craving for another train/ferry/plane ride =)

Just recently, I've discovered a new way to tame my wanderlust. I've hooked myself like almost everyday (that's 8 hours in the office consumed) to checking travel deals online. I am not referring to travel deals from sites such as those from agoda.com or asiaroom.com but rather sites such as these...

Deals.com.sg

Today's Deal : 88% Off 3D2N Stay in Hongkong @ 4-Star Rambler Garden Hotel + Airport Transfer + City Tour + 1 FREE Land Tour to Beijing OR Shanghai OR Macau & Zhuhai + Discount For Disneyland/Ocean Park/Macau Day Tour. Only $69 per pax instead of up to $588 (Min 2 pax)

Wego.com.sg

Featured Deal: 3D2N stay for 2 persons in a centrally located Bangkok Hotel at only S$90!

Juztoday.com

[Romantic Couple's Deal] 52% OFF, Only $499/Couple for 3D2N in Bali (Seminyak) 'Kamuela Villas' with Private Pool, Daily Breakfast, Daily Balinese High Tea, Welcome Massage, Airport Transfer & more...

Outlet.com.sg

2 Tours in One Special (Beijing + Shanghai), $60 instead of $636, 91% off 5D4N Beijing Tour + 5D4N Shanghai Fantastic Tour + 4 Star Hotel + Meals


And a lot more...You may check this link for list of all deals. They have a list of almost everything - from food, spa, travel, fashion, beauty, workshop and even a hello kitty mahjong set :) So hurry and book your next travel! These are really tempting deals not to be missed =)


(Disclaimer: I am not paid to post this and convince you :P Just sharing my new found addiction :))

The cable car experience in Hong Kong!

Our last day in Hong Kong was spent in Lantau Island to see the Po Lin Monastery and Great Buddha.

There used to be only two ways to get to the island from Hong Kong mainland - a bus service and a one hour mountain trail. Good thing they decided to construct the use of the cable cars, it made the journey short and easy - just 25 minutes to reach the island.

This is our second cable car ride as a family. First was in Genting Highlands. I thought, this time I will have an easier time coping up with my fear of heights because the whole family is with me but sadly, to no avail. Every cable car ride feels the same way to me...SCARY! The reminder to keep my smile didn't work for me :P 25 minutes felt like 1 hour! I should have taken the mountain trail, I think I will have a better photo than this :P

And this by far is the highest and longest cable car ride in Southeast Asia. How did I survived?

Well, these photos will tell you how =)

Notice how lady-like my smile is? That's the i-want-to-get-outta-here smile :P

They distracted me by taking photos and having fun inside the cable car  :D However, we made sure that we don't move that much so not to cause some swinging movement of the car.  Because while up high, we suddenly heard the strong sound of the wind through sides of the door. My father was sitting still and checking the durability of the glasses (as if! haha). He too looked scared but pretended calm :P

It sure did help that I was with a bunch of equally crazy people. Even my little brother was teasing and laughing at me. But if you ask me if I want to do it again, why not!? Although I would prefer to do it again with these same people.

This ride is not for the faint-hearted. You've got to enjoy heights and slow rides to appreciate this experience. But I'd still recommend this as part of your family trip itinerary when you visit Hong Kong. The view up there is just amazing. Promise :)