Travel Up A travel adventure blog by Kara Santos

Time 2020-06-13 20:02:58

Web Name: Travel Up A travel adventure blog by Kara Santos

WebSite: http://www.traveling-up.com

ID:444

Keywords:

travel,adventure,Travel,

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The Philippines is made up of 81 provinces, which fall under 17 administrative and one autonomous region divisions and grouped in three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It s been a personal travel goal of mine to be able to visit all these 81 provinces. The idea of geographically stepping foot on all parts of the country is sort of like a video game thing for me. In the virtual world, the more worlds you explore, the more experience points or XP you get. Last May 2019, I finally completed this major travel quest. Beyond just visiting the different places, I really wanted to do something active and fun there. Aside from sightseeing, I explored mostly by motorcycle or bike, went hiking, visited beaches, tried spelunking in caves and enjoyed the natural eco-tourism attractions. For international travelers, Auckland, the largest city on North Island is the main entry and exit point to New Zealand. Traveling from Manila, Auckland was our first and last stop during our family trip / backpacking tour in 2016.This diverse and multicultural city is home to the largest Polynesian population in the world. It s just one of the amazing places in the sovereign island country of New Zealand located in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean, which I consider one of the best places I have ever visited in the worldManila is not the most bike-friendly city in Asia. But if youventure a little further from the metro, you ll be surprised to find that the Philippines actually has some pretty spectacular mountain biking destinations. Ok, so it may take a little bit of time, effort and resources to get there, but for cyclists looking for bucketlist-worthy places to bike in the country, I think we have a few that we can be proud of.Metro Manila is not exactly the most bike-friendly destination. The city itself, with the urban sprawl, horrible traffic and lack of bicycle lanes is not the best place to explore on two wheels. Sure, you can find areas for urban biking in the city around the Mall of Asia (MOA), CCP Complex, Bonifacio Global City and Circuit Makati, but these are mostly paved and you ll be exposed to the polluted city most of the time.Dubbed the “Adventure capital of the world,” Queenstown in New Zealand s South Island blew us away with its breathtaking landscapes and extreme adventures.Everyone who heard I was going to New Zealand said I had to go to Queenstown. And while it was roughly more than 1,500 km away from our original entry point in Auckland in the North Island, the long journey going to the South Island was so worth it.Everyfan of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbitfilmsdreams of going to New Zealand. In fact, the movie trilogies directed by Peter Jackson based on J.R.R. Tolkien s novels have spurred a rise in Tolkien tourism. Many fans of the LOTR fictional universe travel to significant filming locations based on the books.The best place you can experience Middle-Earth magic is theHobbiton Movie Set, a sprawling farm complete with hobbit holes, gardens, bridge, mill and souvenir shops. Myfavorite part of Hobbitonis The Green Dragon Inn, a real pub where you can sample beers traditionally brewed in the Shire, the home of the hobbits!Skydiving has been at the top of my bucket list for the longest time. You may ask, why would anyone pay good money to step out of an aircraft door from thousands of feet in the air. The real question is why the hell not?Be warned, this extreme activity is not for everyone.The build-up leading up to the actual jump can be nerve-wracking. Your mind goes on overdrive as you think of everythingthat could go wrong. But once you leap out of the plane, you re overtaken by this overwhelming feeling of bliss. It s pure zen as you freefall at 200 km/hour through the clouds. Skydiving is both exhilarating and yet so peaceful at the same time. Your whole body and mind just drifts as you plummet to the ground below at terminal velocity. You want the feeling to last forever.During the start of the lockdown, to ensure social distancing and prevent mass gatherings in the Philippines, many cities around Metro Manila and the rest of the Philippines implemented liquor bans. Restaurants, bars, groceries and convenience stores, and online liquor delivery services were prohibited from selling any type of alcoholic beverage to those areas. Now that many areas have been downgraded to General Community Quarantine most cities have been allowed to sell and distribute alcoholic beverages again.UPDATED: Af June 8, 2020, the only cities with remaining liquor bans are Navotas and Valenzuela. Here’s an updated list of guidelines and restrictions from each local government.Looking to buy your first bicycle or need repairs done? A lot of bikers usually head to Quiapo and Cartimar where bikes and bike parts are generally cheaper. But with the bike shortages everywhere, it might be better to just head to your local bike shop or LBS in your neighborhood. It may cost a little bit more, but this way if ever you need spare parts or repairs or maintenance done, at least you don’t have to travel too far to get it fixed by bike mechanics.For residents of Quezon City and nearby areas, these are just a few of the bike shops that are currently open as of June 2020 (including safety measures in place with regards to COVID.)With the lack of public transportation and the need for social distancing when getting around, more people are interested in buying a bicycle for their personal mobility. While many are thinking of bicycles for short-term use and commuting because of restricted movements brought by the lockdown and quarantine, once checkpoints and borders to other provinces open up and travel by air and sea is allowed again, traveling by bike for leisure may also become more popular. Social distancing, travel restrictions, and stay-at-home measures have limited our ability to travel and the desire for the human connection is now more important than ever. To help customers stay connected even while staying at home,Klook,a world-leading travel activities, and services booking platform announced the launch of its new home-based experiences initiative, Klook Home.Klook Home consists of home-based online experiences such as fitness and wellness online classes, digital learning workshops, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gardening and baking kits, as well as free virtual tours to help you stay connected, wherever you are across the globe.So you re looking to buy your first motorcycle but don t know where to start. There are just so many motorcycle models and brands out there that it can feel pretty intimidating just browsing online or going to a shop to inquire about a motorcycle when you ve never owned one before. I know how overwhelming it can be to look at a spec sheet and have no idea what all the numbers mean.While I m not really into the technical side of motorcycling, I think I can speak from experience. Together, my husband and I have bought 5 motorcycles: a Kawasaki Eliminator, Yamaha Mio Fino, Royal Enfield Classic 350, Suzuki Thunder (custom), and Kymco Like 150. I also rent motorbikes and scooters a lot when I travel and have had the chance to do test rides on various units for ride reviews. The day after the liquor ban was lifted in Quezon City (May 16), people flocked to groceries, minimarts, and liquor stores to stock up. So much for social distancing, right? With the closure of bars and restaurants everywhere, more people want to drink in the safety of their homes. While sari-sari stores have stocked up on the usual staples of mainstream beer brands, sometimes you just want something different for special occasions, but you also want to avoid going out and facing long lines in stores to get your essential liquor supplies.Here are few liquor delivery services based in Metro Manila where you can order local and foreign craft beer, hard-to-find international brands, and other types of specialty liquor online and get it delivered straight to the comfort of your home.NOTE: Due to government regulations, strict checkpoints, and limited rider capacity, online stores can only service areas not covered by liquor bans. Expect delays in deliveries while we re all living in quarantine. With social distancing about to become the new normal everywhere, even in public transport, lines and queues are about to get longer on the MRT, buses, and even jeepneys. Because of this, many are probably thinking of buying a motorcycle to make their daily commute easier.Many first-time riders, however, don t know what kind of bike they need and are intimidated by the choices. For beginners, nothing beats the simplicity of scooters. With these bikes, you just turn the key, twist the throttle and go. No need to fumble with a clutch to switch speeds. The travel and tourism industry has been hit hard by the global pandemic. At this point, everything remains uncertain, and we can t really know if and when things will bounce back to normal. As movement around the world has become restricted, airlines and hotels have been forced to cut jobs to lower costs. We can t expect the same frequency of flights and the vast travel options that we had just two months ago. Travel as we know it will never be the same again. Here are just a few predictions for travel in the post-COVID era in the Philippines.Normally, this time of the year is the peak season for travel. Many people take advantage of the long Holy Week break and fair weather to make summer trips to beaches and islands around the country. With over 7000 islands, the Philippines has plenty of remote and secluded beaches. While we re currently living in lockdown, my kind of social distancing is heading to places away from the crowds where you can enjoy a quality experience. If you re a solo traveler or introvert who just wants to enjoy a peaceful beach for quality alone time, you probably feel the same way too.

TAGS:travel adventure Travel 

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