Singapore Sojourn - The Plan

Back in 2004, before Hunny and I became a “we” he went to Singapore to visit his cousin for the second time. He promised me that he will bring me there someday. And twas fulfilled this year.

March 14, 2010 – I was browsing the Cebu Pacific website (a habit I got from Twinkle, one of my colleagues) on a Sunday afternoon and saw their promo fare for Singapore. Around 2,200 per person. I consulted Hunny and we decided to give it a go. Booked for July 19-23, 2010.

Twas  my first time booking online so I was naïve and too excited to check the departure date from SG to MLA. He was the one who noticed that I chose an earlier flight and commented that we should have booked until Sunday. It dawned to me that instead of being able to stay for 5 days, it would just be for four since on the fifth day, we need to head back home.

Then came the preparation for the trip. We talked to his cousin and she insisted that we stay at their house instead of renting a hotel. We were very hesitant since she has only been married for 3 years (?) and we don’t want to invade their privacy. She rationalized that booking for a hotel room will just add up to the gastos and it would really save us money if we take her offer.

I did all the research through the internet. Learned that we will be arriving on the last week of the Great Singapore Sale. I came across the Your Singapore site when browsing Boy Kuripot for freebies and contests. And this is one of the factors to whom I owe the success of our Singapore trip.

Read all the information I needed to know. From forums to the websites of Singapore must-see places (Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer, Sentosa, Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, Underwater World and many more). I even checked the SMRT website and Changi Airport. I intended to be ready since we have four months to prepare.

Storm signal no. 2 up in Metro Manila

By Agence France Presse, Yahoo! Southeast Asia

(UPDATE 6) Storm signal number 2 is now up Metro Manila, with reported brownouts in different areas.

As of 11 p.m. (Manila time), the latest bulletin from Pagasa’s website showed that typhoon Basyang’s center is now at Infanta, Quezon and is expected to cross Central Luzon on Wednesday.

The Department of Education has also declared no classes in both private and public in pre-, primary up to high school levels in areas under storm signal number 2. These include Camarines Norte, Northern Quezon, Rizal, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Lubang Island, Laguna, Batangas, Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Bulacan, and Metro Manila.

Storm signal number 1 has been declared in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, the rest of Quezon, Marinduque, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Ifugao, Benguet, and La Union.

The state weather bureau has lowered storm signal in the rest of the areas hit by the typhoon.

The Philippines braced for the first typhoon of the year as forecasters warned of floods and possible landslides across wide swathes of the country Tuesday.

In Manila, stormy weather ahead of typhoon Basyang (Conson) forced schools to close, international flights to divert, and ships to be barred from leaving port.

Basyang (Conson)  is expected to  hit land Tuesday night and will be between Aurora and Northern Quezon area.

“Areas that are in the direct path will experience heavy rains, even areas to the south of the typhoon will have strong rain,” chief state weather forecaster Prisco Nilo told reporters early Tuesday.

“It is possible that there will also be landslides or flooding.”

In a press conference late Tuesday, the state weather bureau said the typhoon will most likely be out of the country Thursday.

Packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour near the center and gusting at up to 150 kilometres per hour, Basyang was bearing down on Catanduanes island on the country’s eastern seaboard.

It was expected to cut west after that, dumping up to 20 millimetres (0.8 inches) of rain an hour on Luzon before exiting into the South China Sea on Wednesday, Nilo said.

Storm alerts were hoisted across Metropolitan Manila and nearly 30 provinces on Luzon, home to about half of the country’s 92 million people, the state weather bureau said.

Afternoon classes in elementary schools in Manila were suspended, while aviation authorities diverted several incoming flights to Clark airport about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of the capital.

“There was poor visibility because of the heavy rains. They could not see the runway,” said Connie Bungag, a spokeswoman for the airport authority.

Flights of several small domestic carriers were also cancelled, while the coast guard barred ships from setting sail from Manila pier.

Coast guard spokesman Lieutenant Commander Armand Balilo said ships already en route to Manila should take shelter at the nearest port of call.

The arrival of Basyang marks the start of this year’s typhoon season for the Philippines.

About 20 typhoons slam into the Philippines every year, causing widespread destruction and claiming many lives.

Millions of poor Filipinos live in slums alongside rivers and waterways, making them particularly vulnerable to floods.

More than 1,000 people died in September and October last year when two fierce storms ripped through Manila and other parts of Luzon.

Earlier, the state weather bureau said tropical storm Basyang has intensified into a typhoon, prompting Pagasa to raise storm signal number 1 in Metro Manila and other areas.

Seat Sale Alert!

Oh how I hate you Cebu Pacific! I wish I had all the money right now to travel!!!

Granted!

My dad was a US citizen. He was petitioned by his mom and I was 10 years old when he migrated. Though he has spent almost all of our growing years there, never had he set our expectations that he is going to petition us. He went home 6 years ago and did not go back to the US until now.

May 2008,  my aunt who married an American guy went here to visit. Their initial plan was to check the beach property they wanted to buy somewhere North. She was the one who persuaded my dad to file for a petition for us and said that they will be our sponsors.

We paid little attention to the filing since we already know for a fact that it will take a long, long time for it to be processed. I did not feel any excitement at all since have my eyes on saving and planning to get married before I am 30. It is not that I am all in for the great American dream. 

Yesterday, I received an email from my aunt with the scanned copy  from USCIS. Petition granted.

Just like that. I was dumbfounded until now and don't even know what to do.