Wandering Feet

I have been going out of the country for three consecutive weekends now, either by land, by water, or by air.

For the my first out-of-the-country weekend, I ferried to Bintan, Indonesia, a quiet beach getaway which one of my colleagues described as "bigger Sentosa", referring to the fact that there weren't many things to do. However, I liked the place, its a quiet relaxing beach, perfect for a lazy weekend. The resort we stayed at had a nice infinity pool overlooking the beach and there was a nearby spa and water sports club for those who wanted to do more than just lie under the sun. The best part about this beach is the short travel time -- its less than an hour away from Singapore plus no visa requirement for Filipinos upon entry to Indonesia. Never mind that it's in another country, I haven't been to a beach in the Philippines that less than hour away from Manila.

The following weekend, I joined a day tour to the historical city of Malacca in Malaysia, a good 2.5 hours away by a bus. Very interesting place, it used to be the trading hub in the region back in the 16th century, colonized by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British one after the other, until it gained its independence after World War II. Its colorful history is evident with the structure and the feel of the place. Unfortunately, our tour only covered few sights (plus no time for shopping!) so I think I'll be coming back to this place sometime in the future. I saw some quaint hotels that would be perfect overnight options. I think a day tour isn't enough for anyone who'd like to soak the culture of the place -- very tiring to walk around all day (best way to explore Malacca is by foot, as our tour guide would say) and passing through Singapore immigration by the Malaysian border takes longer than anyone would prefer.

And last but not the least, I flew back to Manila for 5 days -- the longest break I've had since starting here November last year. I took advantage of the National Day holiday to start off my 5-day weekend. The best bits of my trip: Starbucks Coffee Jelly(!) Frap, spending time with my sisters, spending time with Bob, seeing my closest friends, another Starbucks Coffee Jelly, and trying on my wedding dress! The worst bits: worrying for my dad, dealing with bad customer service, fighting for a parking space at St. Luke's Medical Hospital and enduring Manila traffic. I've been spoiled in Singapore already.

So what's for next weekend? I think I'll be staying in (the country). Enough wandering. For now. Need to do neglected household chores. hahaha.