A Long Pause.

I haven't posted since last year; the last entry was posted in the mid-days of December 2013.
It was a very long pause, indeed.

Pause is a temporary activity. Rest can be arbitrary, either awhile or permanent.

When we talk about rest, many things come to mind. Rest and recreation for one.

If you scan your facebook account, you'd notice friends and friends of friends posting photos from their vacations or long rest or for those in the IPO (call centers), their trip-incentives or group events are taken as respite from their monotonous work load.

Planning for a much needed rest sometimes leads to stress. Whether it's a local tour or overseas, scheduling for flight, accommodation and itinerary can be nerve-wracking and strenuous.

When I was regularly flying from Canada to P.I., I used to rotate booking my flights from several travel agencies. And lately, with just one agency, which was a stone's throw away from where I used to live.

On a long drive to the Big Apple from Canada, at the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan

Taking long drives within the East and West Coasts in the U.S., and in Canada was my preferred way of taking vacation. That way, I controlled my own pace and saw and appreciated places which were hidden in tour packages.

But of course, I also joined some group tours, especially out of U.S. and Canada.

Travelling locally and in East Asia, I find it better to book my own trip/s.  With the help of Internet resources, it's now a breeze to select cheap flights and accommodation, even "banca" trips in remote islands.

On a past trip to Singapore without help from travel agent

In the early eighties, I went on a trip to Mountain Province in the famous Rice Terraces and made a side trip to Sagada. Back then, the road leading to Bontoc and Sagada were so much treacherous than today, and the jeepney our group hired on a whim going to Sagada, thank God, proved sturdy enough for the gravel-paved mountain trek.

On a trip to Caramoan last Summer, I personally booked the beach front accommodation on the island, and relied on "customer reviews" and travel blogs for the intricacies of the vacation. And on a trip to Boracay, I did away with an expensive package which a sister took for her group, and instead, booked my own flight and hotel.

A Boracay trip arranged thru Internet

In my extended family, I have always been asked to take charge of arranging "get aways" for the whole clan. I don't complain.

So, if you're planning for a summer get away locally, consult the numerous travel blogs and book via the various booking engines.

For international vacations, I might just do what I am training myself to do: be my own travel agent.
For instance, a neighbour said it's cheaper to fly to Australia via Singapore.

Becoming one's travel agent maybe too much work, but if one can save hundreds of pesos or dollars, it would be worth the try.