hi! i just registered here & i cant seem to find the "Post new topic" so i "quoted" something under a certain topic... hope im doing this right. (finally i've seen the "new thread" so i'm posting this again)

i'd like to ask for your help re Alaminos accommodation & island-hopping. my husband & i are arriving at Alaminos from Manila on Oct 1 (wed) at around 1PM. i'd like to know the ff:

1) where to find a nice but affordable place (are there aircon pensions/inn of about P800/night for 2 persons?) i've already inquired with Maxine's by the Sea & their rate is P1,100 (the rate is for 3 persons, but its still the same for 2)

2) may i know the boat rates for island-hopping? can we do it in a half-day?

3) after we've seen the 100 islands, we're moving on to Vigan, then Laoag & Pagudpud before flying back to Manila on Oct 6 (Mon), do the buses have schedules that we need to catch -- such as the last trip of aircon buses leaving for Vigan (if you could also advise of the fare)

any suggestions/ideas you may want to share are very much welcome.

cheers,
clarice

hello you can try ISLANDIA Hotel 75-551 3683 they have swimming pool, cable TV, 24 hr hot water and excellent service its walking distance from the bus station . for group tours they offer also the island hoping complete with your lunch, tour guide ,waiter to serve you while in the island.

islandia hotel at alaminos the only hotel in the city with swimming pool , hot and cold water, cable table , 24 hour coffee shop and restaurant, its walking distance from the bus terminal located at marcos ave in palamis its about 200 meters away from Mc Donalds. try to call them 75- 551- 3683 for the room rates and they also offer island hopping package tour.
thanks


rene

Everybody needs a little time away ¡­ Even lovers need a holiday, far away from each other.¡ªLyrics from ¡°Hard to Say I¡¯m Sorry,¡± by Chicago

Going separate ways as a couple is often read as a prelude to separation (which has its own pressures), but it doesn¡¯t have to be. In fact, many experts agree that taking separate vacations as a couple, within certain guidelines, can actually help to enhance the relationship and allow each partner to keep it in perspective.

There are rules for making separate vacations work, however. Ruth Peters, who has written extensively on family dynamics and is a contributor to the Today show on NBC, believes that separate vacations should be an addition to our lives, not an escape. Remember, too, that one size does not fit all. Many couples consider separate vacations vital to their relationship¡¯s success, whereas others wouldn¡¯t dream of enjoying themselves apart. You and your partner might have no interest in the idea, but if taking separate vacations sounds like it might work for you, consider these tips to maximize pleasure and minimize guilt.
wow gold
Keep Communication Lines Open

Agree about the ground rules for communication before you leave on your trip. Schedule a set time to check in and assure your partner that you¡¯re okay, tell him that you miss him, and fill him in on what you¡¯re doing while you¡¯re away. You don¡¯t have to give him an itemized list¡ªthis is about your individuality, after all¡ªbut you should provide just enough details to make him feel like he¡¯s in the loop and on your mind. wotlk gold

If this is the first time you¡¯re proposing to fly solo, make sure your partner understands your reasons for doing so. If he or she expresses fears of infidelity or dissatisfaction with the relationship on your part, then you might consider spending your vacation money on couples counseling instead; partnerships are built on trust and that trust should be strong enough to weather periods when you¡¯re not in each other¡¯s physical space.

¡°A successful monogamous relationship shouldn¡¯t mean giving up who you are or your independent activities,¡± says Dr. Peters. ¡°A successful marriage or monogamous relationship does entail the willingness to make some sacrifices in order to accommodate the other person.¡±

Tell your partner that you just need some time for yourself and encourage him to do the same. Listen to his concerns and help him understand that your decision has nothing to do with the relationship. You¡¯re not separating yourself from him; you¡¯re just trying to schedule some quality time with an old friend¡ªyourself.

$peaking of $pending ...
wow gold
In the current economic climate, most families have trouble eking out just one vacation a year, let alone one per partner. Be realistic about how you can allocate resources for your time away. Will your partner be able to do the same? Can you take money from somewhere else in your budget to help pay for your trip? Can you find some alone time in a way that is less expensive? For example, could you spend one day at a spa rather than a weeklong cruise? Also consider setting up separate savings accounts for your separate vacations. That way, you and your partner each have the responsibility of paying for your own trips and you can avoid some of the resentment that inevitably arises when one of you is sipping Mai Tais on the beach in Malibu while the other is working.

The big older Pontiac sped along eating up mile upon mile of highway. The driver slouched indolently behind

the wheel, his left elbow resting comfortably on the car window fingers steadying the wheel but not gripping

it, tapping in time to the classic rock on the radio. His right hand gripped the wheel at almost the top, but

even that grip was relaxed, almost lazy. His rich hazel eyes were hidden behind aviator style sunglasses. He

had a strong chin with a neatly trimmed goatee which matched his equally neatly trimmed short black hair.
wow gold
The highway he was on stretched the length of the country, The Trans-Canada Highway, and he was driving west

from the prairies towards the West Coast. The Rocky Mountains stretched before him, running north to south,

like an impenetrable barrier. But Evan Kirby knew better; the highway found its winding way through mountain

passes across the continental divide over several ranges ending in the Pacific Coastal Range and the sea.

There by the sea, on the great Fraser River Delta which two million or more souls called Home, lay Vancouver:

a port city, a crossroads of the world. But the draw there for Evan was the rich and bountiful entertainment

industry. Evan Kirby was a guitar player. He had played with an assortment of bands in prairie towns and

cities but, drawn to classic rock and the new innovative sounds coming out of some of the west coast studios,

had decided to try his luck in Vancouver. After all, he had reasoned, the weather's warmer there too.

The car was a cluttered mess and a Marshall amplifier took up more than half of the back seat. Some fast food

bags and beverage cups littered the floor. On the seat beside him was a Calgary newspaper, a copy of

Guitarplayer Magazine and a couple of CD's. As the car cruised further into the mountains the Calgary radio

station he had been listening to started to crackle and break up. Evan steadied the wheel with a couple of

fingers only and loaded a CD into the player. The car was filled with the sound of Led Zepplin as he cruised

through the Banff National Park Gates.
wow gold
Just west of the Banff townsite there were a couple of hitchhikers along the road. The first two were a

grubby looking pair of men which Evan barely looked at. But his eyes were drawn to the slim girlish figure

standing alone clutching a small pack to her side almost as though it were a teddy bear. The wind was blowing

her long straight blonde hair wildly from beneath her hat, a crocheted close-fitting soft turquoise cap. She

wore a pair of flared, faded and somewhat tattered blue jeans and a shirt that was a tight fitting long

sleeved soft knit fabric in a darker turquoise than her hat with a dragon boldly painted across the front.

Evan whistled under his breath as he pulled over to pick her up. 'Geez, she's just a kid.' he thought, 'They

just get younger.'

Memory Lane Isn't What It Used to Be
About this time every year,I get very nostalgic.Walking through my neighorhooon a fall afternoon reminds me of a time not too long ago when sounds of children filled the air,children playing games on a hill,and throwing leaves around in the street below,I was one of those children,carefree and happy.I live on a street that is only one block long.I have lived on the same street for sixteen years.I love my street.One side has six houses on it,and the other has only two houses,with a small hill in the middle and a huge cottonwood tree on one end.When I think of home,I think of my street,only I see it as it was before.Unfortunately,things change.One day,not long ago,I looked around and saw how different everything has become.Life on my street will never be the same because neighbors are quickly growing old,friends are growing up and leaving,and the city is planning to destroy my precious hill and sell the property to contractors. (wow power leveling,)

It is hard for me to accept that many of my wonderful neighbors are growing old and won't be around much longer.I have fond memories of the couple across the street,who sat together on their porch swing almost every evening,the widow next door who yelled at my brother and me for being too loud,and the crazy old man in a black suit who drove an old car.In contrast to those people,the people I see today are very old neighbors who have seen better days.The man in the black suit says he wants to die,and another neighbor just sold his house and moved into a nursing home.The lady who used to yell at us is too tired to bother anymore,and the couple across the street rarely go out to their front porch these days.It is dufficult to watch these precious people as they near the end of their lives because at one time I thought they would live forever. (wow gold,)

The "comings and goings" of the younger generation of my street are now mostly "goings" as friends and peers move on.Once upon a time,my life and the lives of my peers revolved aroung home.The boundary of our world was the gutter at the end of the street. (world of warcraft power leveling,) We got pleasure from playing night games,or from a breathtaking ride on a tricycle.Things are different now,as my friends become adults and move on.Children who rode tricycles now drive cars.The kids who once played with me now have new interests and values as they go their separate ways.Some have gone away to college,a few got married,two went into the army,and one went to prison.Watching all these people grow up and go away only makes me long for the good old days.

Perhaps the biggest change on my street is the fact that the city is going to turn my precious hill into several lots for new homes.For sixteen years,the view out of my kitchen window has been a view of that hill.The hill was a fundamental part of my childhood life; it was the hub of social activity for the children of my street.We spent hours there building forts,sledding,and playing tag.The view out my kitchen window now is very different; it is one of tractors and dump trucks tearing up the hill.When the hill goes,the neighborhood will not be the same.It is a piece of my childhood.It is a visual reminder of being a kid. Without the hill,my street will just another pea in the pod. (world of warcraft gold,)

There was a time when my street was my world,and I thought my world would never change.But something happened. People grow up,and people grow old.Places change,and with the change comes the heartache of knowing I can never go back to the times I loved.In a year or so, I will be gone just like many of my neighbors. I will always look back to my years as a child,but the place I remember will not be the silent street whose peace is interrupted by the sounds of construction.It will be the happy ,noisy,somewhat strange,but wonderfull street I knew as a child.