Family Time: First Time Beachineering with a toddler - Prepping time

It's been a long time since I last updated my blog. If you are reading this, thanks for visiting my site again :)

I've been busy learning how the Mommy stuff works. I'm no expert but I do want to share how I kinda survived out first ever family outing with Arya, my #stormbornofthenorth baby. (I'll share the story behind the hashtag next time).

Ok so, first off.. I created a checklist of what I think I need for Arya (she's my petite 21month 1st born) for an overnight swimming event:

1) Swimwear

2) Floaters (wearable one and the salbabida round thing type)

3) Swim diaper

4) Milk (whole can), feeding bottles (5pcs), distilled water (1-2 litters should be more than enough)

5) Cleaning stuff for feeding bottles (soap and brush, container for sterilizing, I have no sterilizer so maybe I can borrow kettle at the resort)

6) bathrobe, towel, head to toe wash

7) Change of clothes set (3-4sets)

8) DIAPERS!!!!

9) Blanket, Coco the Bear

10) Slippers and sunscreen

11) Insurance HMO card
12) On the road snacks

*I'll probably update this later if I forgot something. The list is quite long since I want to be ready for anything that may happen. Hopefully next time my list won't be longer.

I will create separate entries to review some items on the list which I will be using for the first time.. so stay tune!

Hope you find this list for first time Mamas useful.

Puerto Princesa and El Nido Palawan in 5 Days

Plan, do your research, and prepare to let go of your plans to enjoy your travel experience completely

Planning this trip was not easy at all, I had the dilemma of a “budget” traveler. First is of course you want to see as much as you can with the limited budget you have. From the numerous blogs that I’ve read, I find it quite impossible to squeeze the places we want to see within the limited time and budget that we have. The blogs that I have been reading were helpful, in the sense that I knew what I wanted to do would be sort of amazing race style and of course, it’s difficult to decide whether we’d do a restful vacation or wake up elsewhere everyday.

Initially, I planned that we’d go to less popular destination like visit Tabon Cave in Quezon vs the more expensive Palawan Underground River Tour, Port Barton vs El Nido. A few blogs I’ve read convinced me that Port Barton is a better option, but circumstances led us to scrap our original itinerary, trust that we’d be in good hands, so just go with the flow.

I was only able to picture where we’d go and what we’d do once we’re there. But as most of you might have already experience, it is altogether a different once you’re actually there. Anyways, here’s our actual 2016 Palawan (PP-El Nido) itinerary along with our expenses, to hopefully help those who’ll visit this awesome place for the first time.

Day 1 (Manila - Puerto Princesa)	Expenses for 2	Particulars
6:40 am Depart to PP via AirAsia	6463.12	roundtrip fare
8:13 am Arrival PP airport, walked from airport to main road
- rode trike to take us for our 1st Chaolong breakfast	255	breakfast
9:31 am Picked up by friends for City tour
- Baywalk and Port Area
- Plaza Cuartel
- Museum tour (this one's located at the Town's Capitol)	100	entrance fee
11:50 am Lunch at Ka' Inato	1100	lunch
1:06 pm Baker's Hill	250	pasalubong
1:17 pm Mitra's Ranch
2:30 pm Check in at Circon Businessman's Inn	900
4:30 pm Shop for supplies at Robinson's (rode multicab)
7:00 pm rode multicab to Baywalk, dinner at K'na Boyet	1155	seafood dinner
10:00 pm Rest
Day 2 (Underground River Tour - El Nido)
07:54 am Depart Puerto Princesa to Sabang Port	105	breakfast and fare
09:42 am Arrival Sabang Port, board banca to Underground River
11:54 am End of River Tour, wait to board banca back to
Sabang port
12:00 nn Lunch at eat all you can restaurant in Port +	570	food and tamilok
Tamilok encounter
01:19 pm Book Lexus shuttle from Sabang to El Nido	1400	for 2
04:30 pm Stopover at Roxas	140	dinner
07:07 pm Arrival El Nido, Ride trike to Resort (IBR Inn)	50
07:46 pm Check in, rest	2900
08:00 pm Dinner at Coco Bar
11:30 pm Rest
Day 3 (El Nido: Tour B)
08:00 am Rise and shine, walk around town proper
- Breakfast	240
09:30 am Island hopping	3000
03:30 pm End of Island hopping
03:45 pm Walk around town, food trip
07:00 pm Dinner at Coco bar	840
Day 4 (El Nido: Tour D)
08:00 am Rise and shine, walk around town proper
- Breakfast	320
09:45 am Island hopping	2900
03:30 pm End of Island hopping
05:00 pm Depart from El Nido to Puerto Princesa	1000
05:30 pm Van depart PP
08:00 pm Roxas stop over	240
11:00 pm Arrival PP and hotel	900
Day 5 (PP to Manila)
08:00 am Breakfast at Chaolong; buy pasalubong	185
09:30 am Jeep to Irawan (Crocodile Farm)	102	jeep fare and entrance
12:04 pm Iwahig Penal
12:53 pm Depart Iwahig to Binuatan Weaving
02:03 pm Arrival at Binuatan weaving at Sta Monica PPSAT
02:47 pm Hotel, ready for check out
03:30 pm early check-out and dinner at Baywalk	770
07:45 pm bye bye PP
TOTAL	25885.12

Fallen

To our government,
     Please consolidate events that had happened in the encounter. It was never the Fallen Heroes' decision to go to Mamasapano in the first place. It was someone's idea, someone approved of that operation. Now let that someone be accountable and let that someone shed light as to what went wrong.
    My heart bleeds and cries with those who sacrificed their loved ones in service of our Government. We are all born under the same motherland. Like siblings, we fight one another, have differences in opinion. But like a family, we have to find ways to resolve out issues. Put aside our personal ambitions which will ill-fate our brothers.
    WE ARE your FAMILY. Not anyone else. WE ARE ONE NATION, should not be divided by personal motives. Lead and love this country and our brothers right so that we'll be a GREAT NATION once more.

Salute to our fallen heroes. May you rest in peace. Thank you for your service. May your courage and sacrifice be not forgotten.