After my trip to Davao in 2006, I had to fly to Baguio the very next day.  Since Asian Spirit was the only airline that flies to Baguio, I had no choice.  I wasn’t really too keen on flying via Asian Spirit because I’ve heard horrible stories from some friends.  Anyhow, instead of traveling the long way by land, I opted to go by air.

I cannot even begin to relive the experience of flying through mountains of Baguio and how fast and scary the landing was.  Anyway, I was still dazed from the flight that I didn’t notice that my luggage had a huge crack on it!  I only found out in the cab on the way to the hotel when I looked at my luggage (most cabs if not all, in Baguio, are FX so my luggage was at the back of the SUV).

Upon my return to Manila, I immediately checked if my warranty covers the case.  Unfortunately it doesn’t.  I wanted to buy a replicate but it was out of stock.  I was really sad.  A few days later, I found my luggage all taped up like it was new!  I think my dad taped it or had someone tape it so I can still use it.  And I have.  I’ve been to General Santos with that luggage.  But when I was prepping to use it for Ad Congress last year, I noticed it had a larger crack and a small part on the upper portion chipped off.  Not relenting, I taped the crack part on my own with some Beach Bum stickers.  It held up during the 4-day stay in Subic.

As I hauled the luggage out of the dark corner in my sister’s room, I noticed that it looked like it had Malaria or something.  It really looked downbeat.  I really love that luggage and couldn’t let go of it so I put more tapes and masked the cracks.  I brought it to Hong Kong.

When we arrived Hong Kong via PAL, the left upper portion had also come off.  I was beating myself up for not checking it in as FRAGILE.  Bubba kept shaking his head and nagged about how he has asked me to change my luggage throughout last year.  I know I know I should have listened.  But the penny-pincher in me won.

I flew back to Manila on my own because Bubba had to stay 2 more days with his family.  When I checked my luggage in, I specifically asked them to mark it FRAGILE.  The counter attendant was puzzled but she did follow instructions.  I wonder why she was bewildered as my luggage looked like it was going to faint any time soon.  While waiting for boarding, I surveyed the luggage they sell at the airport lounge.  I like Samsonite but they don’t have any flat surface interior and my OC-ness compels me to get one that has.

When they released my luggage, it was missing one wheel and the whole back part was totally damaged.  It took me quite a while to drag it from the release area to where my mom picked me up because it was making such a horrible screeching sound on the floor.  That incident really prompted me to buy a luggage the next chance I get the free time to go shopping, which was the following week.

I’ve visited Travel Club in Greenhills and Megamall.  Finally, I found just the perfect item.  Elle’s line of luggage and travel bags is very extensive.  I fell in love with three designs but only settled to buying one.  It burned a hole in my pocket since the luggage cost PHP 9,500.  Good thing I got a PHP500 discount

The one I bought looked like the long lost twin of my old mutilated luggage.  CW was against me buying another hard case but I just love hard cases –and having one in color pink didn’t hurt at all.  *Sheepish smile* 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/476/08_0616-_Random_Stuff  

When I first read about Anton’s entry (Link: http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2008/05/genki-umbrellas.html) on Genki umbrellas, flashbacks of my 2006 Japan trip flooded my mind.  It was almost a 1-month affair getting immersed with Japanese culture.  Tokyo, Osaka, Kagawa, Shikoku are among the key areas that were visited.  We went to several different locations but I was especially mesmerized during our tour in Ritsurin Park. 

Ritsurin Park is one of the most famous and most beautiful historical parks located in the city of Takamatsu in Japan.  The park, which is renowned for its landscaping, is considered as one of the city’s main attractions.  Ritsurin Park occupies 185 acres, which makes the walk in the park a tour of almost two hours.  The 75-hectare land includes a natural pine forest, a zoo, an art gallery, a museum and a store where they sell crafts.  Several lakes within the park are sanctuary to thousands of koi.  Amidst big mountains as backdrop, there are various bridges, footpaths and small hills that offer a majestic view of the entire park and the surrounding scenery.  A view of Mt. Shuin can be seen at the western point of the park.

Our tour was almost cut short because of the predicted drizzle that afternoon.  What came to our rescue was the Genki Umby that we brought along with us.  My very first time to watch the rain straight on. 

Share your Genki Umby photo with Anton (Link: http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2008/05/genki-umby.html#more) and acquire a free Japan-popularized umbrella.  If I were joining the contest, there are three photos with the Genki Umbrella that I can submit minus the witty captions.  You can also buy these cute umbrellas in bulk from Anton.

I haven’t had the time to watch TV nowadays, although the TV is open most of the time in the office.  The other group recently lent us a Samsung LCD TV for HD test, neat (I wanna get one for my room!)!  Life at work is overly busy the past few weeks.  And when I get home, the last thing I want to do is stare at the boob tube.  That’s why I terribly miss watching American Idol.  The preliminary/road trip was funny when I caught it 2 months ago (?) on Star World (midnight rerun).  But I haven’t actually watched a single episode this season!  Too bad, when channel affiliates talk about it, I’m so behind all the juice!

Anyhow, I should be inspired to watch again since Adel, the Chick Chik recently sent me an American Idol water glass.  When I first opened the box, I initially thought it was a microphone (because it looked like a packaging for a mic).  Haha, upon closer inspection, it was actually a glass with a microphone design. 

Catch first run episodes on Star World every Wednesday and Thursday at 6pm and same night encore at 11pm.  Reruns the next day at 1pm.  Watch it only on Sky Cable!

Well, even if this entry is short, I’m glad I was able to take a break and write.  It’s already 6:30 pm and I still have one contract to finish so I’m hitting the breaks…. Screech —–ciao!

I have always loved to nib on Nerds candies since I was a kid. Nerds are sweet minute rock like candies that was introduced in colorful boxes and different flavors. It is now sold by Nestle under the Willy Wonka brand that’s why we can see the Willy Wonka hat now in the box. Nerds flavor range from extremely sweet to sour sometimes bordering on both.

One evolved Nerds product from the Willy Wonka family is the Nerds Rope.

Nerds Rope consists of a soft candy string with a variety of the original Nerds sucrose crystals attached to its soft chewy gel-like candy.

I’ve received three planners this year –from CNBC, Phoenix and Manila Hotel.  Although all three are quirky-pretty and useful in their own way and I want to simultaneously use all… I have to refrain myself from doing so since it takes so much time to maintain even one diary.  CNBC planner stood out among the three since the inside leaves were really higher quality of paper and it was of an executive size.  I guess I’m pretty biased too because it has my name embedded in the black leather cover.  I’ve been meaning to use the CNBC planner but I haven’t yet.  It’s really only the Belle de Jour one that I’m able to always update.

The different channels gave calendars, but let me mention HBO and AETN calendars because they have this cute sticker page at the back that are labeled differently.  Labels include “girl’s night out,” “boy’s night out,” “day off,” “birthday” and “date night” and you can put the stickers on the actual dates that you intend to remember.  It’s really such a swell idea.  Maybe they can also design planners that way.  In the meantime, I’m using the stickers on my planner as well. 

For my birthday last year, Bubba got me a Zara top (which he complains that I never wear) and a Mini-Me display figure.  Bubba pre-ordered the figurine from Mini-Me and had them create a small version of me in my famous pout-y face.  I’m not totally banked that it looks like me but they did a swell impression of the photo Bubba provided. 

This might be a cute idea for those who want to give out a unique Valentine gift.  The caricature mini-dolls make great remembrances of people and special moments that you want captured in clay and high-quality resin material.  You can even place it on top of a big Red cake!

Mini-Me, Is that You?

SM MegaMall
984-6010, 09225050986

www.minimeisthatyou.com.