To cut the chase, the damn Cebu Pacific personnel, informed me that our flight to CDO was not the actual connecting flight to CDO. Wahaaat??? I almost scalped him… Then he explained that if we had purchased the connecting flight Cebu to Cagayan de Oro, we would have been scheduled to leave Cebu later in the afternoon and not aboard the earlier flight which we missed. Anyway, to make it even worse, Cebu Pacific insisted that I cannot rebook our tickets because rebooking is only allowed a day before the day of flight. He showed me the terms and conditions on our tickets, and I quietly asked after a long sigh…”Ok, how much?” He rattled and punched in several numbers on his calculator and after 15 seconds, he gave me the figure, “P14,090., Maám…”

Waaahat??? I quickly thought of our options: 1) take the ship 2) or just pay for the ticket and go home.  Remember, guys, I am traveling with 4 children!  I cannot afford to hang around the airport any longer!  So I went to the nearest ATM and paid Cebu Pacific (dirty finger!)

Happy with my new schedule and armed with another ticket, we went to check in our stuff and waited for our flight THEN another bad news… the storm turned up a notch and ALL flights to Northern Mindanao got canceled… Talk about super bad luck…  Along with other passengers, we went to the nearest Cebu Pacific personnel to ask if the passengers are booked someplace since our flight was canceled and the next flight out is the NEXT day.  And to my disgust, they said Cebu Pacific will only shoulder lodging if the flight is canceled due to plane malfunction or something, and since the problem is the weather, then Cebu Pacific is not liable nor obliged to book all of us…ARGGGHHH…

After spending P14,000 for tickets, I simply refuse to spend more…  Our next flight was scheduled very early in the morning– which was only 6 hours away.  I looked around the departure area. My kids were all busy playing and running around the airport.  Ok there were tons of stranded passengers and I silently cursed Cebu Pacific.  After 2 years of travel hiatus, Cebu Pacific really did it this time… I promise… I will never travel with Cebu Pacific again!  Why?  Simple.  Customer service is bad and yes, They SUCK!

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We had our all time favorite Hawaiian Pizza, Hot Wings and my favorite mouthwatering, Twice Baked Potato Halves.  For dessert, the kids had 1/2 pint of vanilla icecream each!  It was a well spent lunch, what else could I ask more, the kids as always loved it.

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Anyway, my sister, along with her husband and family decided to come to Boracay for a week.  Since I could not afford to shell out thousands for the airfare and accommodation, she offered to pay our way.  So, who cares about the crowd?  Its a free trip and I have not seen my sister for over 2  years, what the heck…

Sunny Boracay

So, my sister booked us at the Residencia Boracay, a small hotel near my sister’s posh, Fridays Boracay.  Since I could not take a long week off and the children have school, we decided to stay 4 days in Boracay.  And did I regret it?  Course not… Boracay is a beautiful island.  The sand is powdery white.  The beach is calm and flat, and very safe for children to swim and wade.  Not only that, we went there when it was off season. It was not crowded at all.  So different from the usual Boracay videos that I found on Youtube.

My children– the water babies… love Boracay.  They stayed in the water from 6am til 6pm.  The beach did not have big swells and the children were pretty happy wading in and out with their cousins.

The Residencia Boracay was ok.  Our room was clean, and the sheets were good.  The only problem was to the dismay of my sister who paid for the rooms was that the photos from the site did not match the units.  ROFL.. what the??

Anyway, since we were there already and she had paid for the reservation fee, I told her the hotel will have to do.  It was not very roomy, but who wants to stay in the hotel when the beach is so wonderful???

Once I arrived, I checked out the internet connectivity of the hotel and touched base with my clients.  What was not so good was the wifi strength on the beachfront waned and the connection was intermittent.  Blast…  I was not too happy about that.  I tried to work as quickly as I can in order to catch up with the kids who were all busy wading.  The little one, Sophie was busy digging the white sand with Tyrell.

My sister hardly changed at all.  Except for a few finelines, and smaller waist line, she was a sight for sore eyes…  Two piece swimsuit… My golly… She was lean and tan.  Hayyy…  I was so happy to see her.  We were hugging and giggling like 2 school girls.  Our children were all getting to know each other once again and it was a blast.

So, what is so freaking great about Boracay?

1- its the beach.

2- if you hate the crowd, stay off Boracay during peak season.  Or if you like to party, but wanted some peace and privacy during the night, opt to stay in a hotel in Station 3.

3- anybody can afford to go to Boracay.  There are so  many hotels, hostels, resorts with promo packages.    If you cannot afford to take the plane— if Cebu Pacific’s fare is still high for you, take the ship.  I heard Aboitiz have a regular route to Caticlan.

4- if you are traveling with children, take alot of food, water and swimwear.  They will be out the whole day.  Heck, I spent the whole  day outside under the coconut tree watching over them.

5- don’t bother carrying too much cash.  There are absolutely lots of places to eat in Boracay.  From the high dollar rate restaurant to 65 pesos meal.  And besides D’Mall have more than 5 ATM machines so banking is not going to be an issue.

What are you waiting for?  Get off your ass and plan your next vacation and hit Boracay before Boracay deteriorates.

I found Starbucks accidentally in Boracay.  My children and I were having lunch at the Yellow Cab and waiting for my sister and her family to pick us up for island hopping when this young man approached the security guard of the place for something.

The security guard obviously had a hard time understanding the guy so he beckoned to me, and the young handsome fella approached me and asked, “Do you know where Starbucks is?”  To which I responded, “I have no idea, we just got here… you sure there’s a Starbucks here?” “Yea, saw a girl drinking her coffee earlier…”  So anyway to make it short, I asked the security guard and the security guard pointed to the left and the guy and I looked and found the oh so familiar green logo further down the street.

Aha, so there is a Starbucks in Boracay… much to the excitement of my children.  The girls made me promise to take them over to Starbucks after dinner…

So right after our dinner buffet at the Talipapa, we strolled and window shopped.

Its amazing how much people and tourists are really out there during dinner time.  The place was buzzing with activities, and peddlers calling us to look at their wares.

So while walking we passed by Starbucks and my daughters begged me to for an ensaymada…  Who can resist that?

We went inside, ordered, one huge cafe mocha for me, and 5 orders of vanilla frappucino, a slice of cheesecake, 4 ensaymada and a slice of banana loaf bread.  Ahhhh… Starbucks Coffee taste so good…

We ate under those Starbucks umbrellas and the kids ate their desserts while the adults talk and share bites of those wonderful ensaymada.  Damage?  P1,200.  Was it worth it?  Definitely… 

Anyway, since my lovely and generous sister paid for our lodging and airfare, I really have nothing much to complain about– so I decided to brave the crowd.

As expected, the plane ride from CDO to Cebu went without a hitch.  The kids love the short plane ride.  We got to Mactan International Airport around 8:00am and since we did not have any breakfast, we went over to the Waterfront Hotel and Casino, which was only a stone throw away from the Arrival Area.  But as soon as we stepped out, it started to drizzle.  So I scurry back inside and walked to the Waterfront Hotel Desk and told the concierge that I want to have breakfast at their hotel and if its possible for him to arrange for a hotel car to pick us up since it was raining.  No questions asked, he quickly did a headcount and mumbled on his radio and told us to follow him.

With the kids galloping all over the place, we went out and waited until a huge white van came and we went in.  The ride to the hotel was swift but the kids were all bouncing up and down the chair and chatting endlessly.

Waterfront Hotel

We went inside the grand hotel lobby and I walked into the restaurant on the side where Chinese, Continental, Filipino and Japanese food were lavishly displayed.  I asked for a table and a high chair and I instructed Alis and Freida to hit the buffet tables.  My father whispered to me and asked, how much is the food?  I told him to shut up and eat as much as he can… lol

I started my breakfast with a little fried rice, and hainanese chicken.  The girls started with pancakes, bacon and siopao.  Tyrell had rice and bacon.  Sophie had chicken.  And that was first round.

Second round, the girls had cereals and milk.  I made some congee and coffee.  My father did a huge carbo load and platter of fruits.  We hanged around until it was an hour to our flight to Kalibo.  The damage?  USD 85.

The trip to Kalibo was even shorter than the other flight.  The children behaved well.  Each one have their own chair.  The girls were chatting while Ty and his Lolo were busy reading a comic book.

The only problem was the travel time from Kalibo to Caticlan was 2 hours.

Me

Daughter brooding over the window

Plakda.

A van from the hotel picked us up and we were comfortably seated and the drive although panoramic and not at all bumpy.  So after 2 plane rides and a huge breakfast, everybody except me dozed off.

The drive to Caticlan was quiet and scenic indeed.  When we finally got to the port of Caticlan, the kids were recharged and excited.  I had to counter several, “Are we there yets,” and “Is this Boracay?  Where’s the beach?” Kids…

Anyway, we had to wait for 5 minutes when we were told that the boat has arrived.  We hoped into a boat and off we went to sunny Boracay.

First glimpse of Boracay

The ride took less than 15 minutes and honestly when I saw those stupid billboards, I was disappointed… “so this is Boracay?”

We hopped out and a driver approached us and told us to ride a smallish jeep.  We piled in and was told the ride will take less than 30 minutes.  The drive was short.  The roads in the town of Boracay was narrow.  I was surprised to see how crowded the main town was.  So many small stores and foreign pedestrians.

The jeep stopped at a wooden gate and we were told we were in the hotel already.

It was funny we were dropped at the back of the hotel, I thought and when we were on the way to the reception area, I saw the clear blue sea of Boracay.  Wow.

So we have reached our destination.

Boracay exceeded my expectations.

So, is it possible to travel to Boracay with small children?

Yes.

So, how did I manage?

1- luggage.  Instead of carrying one huge luggage, I allowed the  children to pack their own backpacks and they were responsible for their own bags.

2- clothes.  Never bring too much clothes in Boracay.  For my kids, my sister has advised us to bring swimwears and nylon shorts.  Never bring shoes in Boracay.  The sand is so fine and powdery it does not hurt to walk along the shoreline. Being slippers or flipflops instead.

3- preparation.  Weeks before we traveled, I prepared my children about the flight and the ride.  It pays to prepare the children mentally.  It would not hurt as well if they are full while traveling.

My requirements for a good place to hang are:

1.  Has internet connection (wifi or cable)

2. Has a Swimming Pool

3. Good and affordable food

We found them all at Cha-Li Beach Resort.

The last time I was at Cha-Li was almost 20 years ago.  Then, it was just a small place with thatch huts for day time swimmers.  They did not have a pool yet.  Once I have checked the amenities of Cha-Li using my mobile connected through GPRS, I called them to ask about the internet connection and their rates.

Ivy, the amiable receptionist confirmed that their internet is up and running at that their service provider is PLDT, I booked and we packed and left for the city.  When I got to the resort, Ivy took me around while we find the cabana with the strongest wifi connection.

We settled in at Cabana Naranja.  The cabin has 2 queen sized bed, full tub and bath, plush pillows, aircondition, cable television, and yes, my very important wifi connection at the veranda.

The children loved Cha-Li.  It has a good pool, although I would have preferred a kiddie pool, but since they only have one adult pool, the kids have to make do and wade on the shallow end.  While they are in the pool, I am at their restaurant which is close to the pool and has yes, my wifi connection!

Although I had to shell out almost $150 for the weekend, it was no biggie since I managed to stay in contact with my work and my kids had a break from the usual house related activities and they all spent their time on the pool and the beach!  A win-win situation!

To book and for more info:

Cha-Li Beach Resort and Conference Center
Zone 3, Cugman, Cagayan de Oro City
Philippines, 9000
Phones: (+63) 88-855-5941
info@chalibeach.com

This year’s Summit will be emceed by Migs Hipolito.  Famous local blogger, Blogie Robillo as well as Avel Manansala, Aileen Apolo and Lyle Santos will all have their 30 minute to discuss their niche and blogging expertise.  They will also share their knowledge in earning money online and how to gain more traffic to their sites.

I know the venue is not that great, and it is NOT Mallberry Suites, but lets take– its  Pearlmont!  Its inexpensive and location wise, it is convenient.  So will I be attending the summit?  I have never attended any bloggers summit before, but suffice to say I am tempted… lets just see, aye?

I hardly remember my mother now.  But certain things, a smell, food, and certain sound triggers some memories and I am reminded of her.  How she smiles, how she laughs and the food she cooks. 

She died of pneumonia which was caused by her heart ailment.  She has endured an open heart surgery at the age of 32 as well as a lifetime of paralysis.  Her last months on earth was not very comfortable.  She spent months in the hospital shivering and whimpering and as my older brother said, she spent hours hanging to her cellphone hoping she’d receive a phone call from me and my sister.

During that time she was in pain, I was also undergoing one of the most painful times of my life.  I never knew she was dying, and when my children and I were on our way back home, and in transit in Bangkok, she had quietly passed away. Looking back, I sort have  understood and taken this as a sign that she knew I was coming home and on my own way to recovery from a very painful separation from my husband and the breakup of a seven year marriage.

I dealt with the death of my mother swiftly, knowing and recognizing the fact that death was inevitable and that she was finally home on the other side.  Do I believe in heaven and the concept of life ever after.  No.  Although born and raised by staunch Catholics, I believe that death is a finality and end of life. 

My brother’s death was sudden.  He died at the age of 42.  His death was more painful to me than my mother’s since he was healthy and all of a sudden had myocardial infarction while on a meeting with colleagues.  He even called me hours before he died. Demanding me to see him at Makati Medical Center, and to bring food.  Looking back, I thought it was hilarious and was laughing as I prepared a cake for him the next day and my husband and I picked up his wife, Luchie who was on her way from Mindanao to see her husband who when we got to Makati Medical Center was already in ICU and was not expected to live. I was in shocked but the thought of death never came to me.

He died with me, my daughter, his wife and my husband on his side.  He made one long gasp for air and died.  His chest went to high up and he sort of reached up for some invisible hand.  He died peacefully and I was in shock and saw the grief and look of his wife, Luchie and I can only imagine the pain she felt.

While the death of Joemen was unexpected, my mother’s death was a gift.  Her death has finally ended her physical pain.  Her death has brought her relief and to the people who was looking after her. 

So how did I get over the deaths in my family?

Acceptance eventually come.  Handling grief is the most painful hurdle.  Transition difficult and painful.  I handled some of the death arrangements.  I took care of her things and which of her things to give away.  I kept some of her things, but I eventually gave her clothes to charity and her bags and shoes to relatives who wanted them.  Parting away with the material things she held valuable and kept was not very easy for my father.  He wanted to keep everything.  I had to wrangle and rationalize with him that while my mother’s things give him comfort, the fact remains that he had to deal with her death one way or the other.  The fact remains that she is now gone and we are still alive and we needed to continue living.  She would have wanted us to keep going on and it gives a smile on my face whenever I am reminded of her funny laughter and her addiction to telenovelas.

I treasure my memories.  My mother has been through so much pain and adversity.  I teach my children about the normalcy of death and how it can come swiftly to people who are healthy and young. 

Don’t forget that you are still alive and you need to focus on the tasks at hand.  I remember that when my mother died, my father seemed to have lost his purpose.  Once he has accepted the death and the finality of Mama’s death, he managed to move on with his life now and continues to enjoy life without her.

Think about it this way, if your parent was still alive, would she or he want you to do this on yourself.  Most likely not.  Life went on for me, and the death of a love one is just one painful episode in your life. The loss feeling of loss will fade and you will eventually find and refocus your life once you have accepted the death of a loved one.

Death is part of life and it comes and it goes.  Life goes on for those left on earth and it might be unbelievable for those who has just lost a loved one, but we eventually will feel better.  The pain will cease and the memories of pain will come to bay and eventually fade. 

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I really do not care who is following me because I have seem to attract enough Internet Marketers and spambots that I stopped wondering who my followers are.  For some reason, some felt it is interesting to follow my tweets, but I like following my favorite Twitterfolk.

As I continue to tweet and retweet information which I think were worth retweeting and relevant,  I can now understand what @davewiner has said about the importance of real time information and how it is important for blogging to join in the foray of the release of real time information now or be obsolete.

It was amazing how I have watched and lurked @davewiner, @Om, @Scobleizer and the honcho of Wordpress himself @photomatt discuss the future of blogging as it rides and innovates along with Twitter, Facebook and FriendFeed.

Weeks ago, I have asked my Twitter friends why they tweet and their answers were:

@abeolandres- famed local blogger, entrepreneur and founder of Yugatech.com, he tweets because its saves him more money.  It is amazing how some people use Twitter like SMS messaging– another way to communicate and send messages, not just to the person himself, but this message will go along the stream of real time messages, thereby reaching other people who may or may not be interested of the exchange.

For businessman, @magnotti, who is part owner of @TryBPO, he uses Twitter because it is quick and easy, especially with programs like Seesmic.  As a business owner, @TryBPO uses Twitter to send and share information about the benefits of outsourcing and how affordable it is.

According to big time blogger, Connie Veneracion also known as @sassylawyer, “what’s too short for a blog entry goes into Twitter.”  For mom blogger and business owner, @brandyellen, “twitter allows me to connect on amore personal 1-1 way with bloggers and pros in a way Facebook cannot.”

Just imagine us cramming some cohesive message into 14o characters!  Just imagine the  power of real time information running through Twitter!  I can only imagine what the servers of Twitter looked like.  In time, Twitter will be as big as Google…  In the end, I agree with @MarieisRukia that “Twitter is a faster, simpler way of sharing and getting information with less fuss and minus the crap we don’t need.”

So, why do you tweet?

So how descriptive can you go?

I am talking about a list of daily tasks including other details like frequency and the expected result. All these years, I have learned that as employers, we needed to be frank, honest and downright demanding with our hired help. We needed to let our expectations known right away. For example, we needed to create the a focus for our household help. This way, she can effectively address and prioritize her tasks. With me and my children, I have informed my househelp that her focus is meal preparation as well as cleaning and running small errands.

You might have to include explaining her viewing rights if you have a television. Some employers are not comfortable with the househelp using their electronic appliances. I used to have a maid who doesn’t care much about television but loves to listen to the radio once in a while. Let your househelp know which appliances are off limits. My current maid has made the silliest request ever the other day when she asked me if I would allow her to use my computers so she can have an account with Friendster. I was so shocked and I retorted “Day, sorry, hindi puede… ever!” You might have to blatant about things in your house especially when there are instances when hire help seem to think they are close to you and they can do whatever they want.

You should also include the big don’ts list inclusing guidelines on cellphone use and use of household telephone if you have one. Let her know if she is not allowed to make local, domestic and international calls. If you are not comfortable on letting househelp picking up your calls, let her know and get yourself an answering machine! When it comes to my maids or house help, I only allow them to receive calls from immediate relatives. I also prohibit excessive text messaging and cellphone use from 8-11 am and 4-7pm. It is indeed annoying to see your househelp toting their cellphones like life lines around the house. Not only that, constant text messaging distracts them from doing their work.

Let your househelp know all possible scenarios including all basis for expulsion. Lying, not being on time and constant violation of rules will be tantamount to dismissal. Boundaries are important and your patience will be tested on a daily basis. When I see a promising househelp and she passes my initial screening, I like preparing Terms of Reference written in her own dialect. I suggest discussing every bullet point with the hire help. I also like to include a clear list of the benefits in the TOR as well. In my case, I usually offer medical assistance to her, including dental coverage. I also take care of her toiletries to ensure that she is hygienic and up to my standard when it comes to personal cleanliness.

On the last part of the TOR, I explain and expound her salary, including payday schedule and other benefits like 13th month pay and Christmas Bonus. I also like to include terms in case she wished to make cash advances. Terms of payment and acceptable reasons for cash advances must be explained to the letter to avoid misunderstanding.

After the blow by blow and point by point discussion, it would be an advantage if you could provide your househelp a copy of the TOR for her reference. Not only that, I suggest you let her sign each bullet point to ensure she understands each one of them. This will later help you avoid future headache and hassles.