Exactly a year ago, I travelled to Central Asia all by myself for around 3 weeks, and indeed it was the bravest travel experience I’ve had so far. I will never forget how it felt on my first few hours in Kolkata, with a feeling of thrill being at my farthest from home, hopping in a wonky public bus, the noise, cows lounging at the middle of the road, the smell of rubbed flowers and spices, and the cool bengal morning wind pinching my face… finally made me say I am in India, the Real India I was told about.
Recalling my previous backpacking to other Asian countries, people and things felt relatively similar to home, but my visit to Central Asia was that one scenario when almost everything really felt … foreign. Despite that feeling, I came prepared, and had been fortunate to meet and found comfort from kind locals and fellow backpackers in India and Nepal. Backpacking almost always make you feel uncertain, but the moment you find truthful kindness from people you come across, that’s when things feel positive, and that you can finally say you’ll be OK, and that your day will be awesome! Indeed, the concept of smile and kindness is universal, regardless of culture.
As a tribute to my Backpacking Central Asia 2014, here are my travelogue postcards to share how great things were back there. All shots were taken by me with my basic digicam . Feel free to share. =)
Feel free to check out my related blog posts re this backpacking trip.
DAVAO CITY, Philippines, November 24, 2014 Trust is undeniably an intangible asset that makes an organization a powerhouse. Trust makes past and present generation of customers patronize a product or a service. It is the core value that keeps an organization rooted, grounded, and even impervious to any crisis, from envious competitors to economic crashes.
Photo provided by Uratex Website uratex.com.ph . credits to the owner
Trust has empowered Uratex to grow immensely in over 46 years, from a modest company to a highly respected leader with an influence and loyal customer base here and abroad. Partners, suppliers, and colleagues associate the brand with ingenuity, innovation, reliability, endurance, and a dedicated customer service. Recently, and for the sixth consecutive year, Uratex won the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Platinum Award 2014, an Asia-wide survey running for 15 years now. It covers a wide array of industries, where winners are chosen based on trustworthiness and credibility, quality, value, understanding of customer needs, innovation, and corporate social responsibility.
A passion for excellence characterizes its products. Innovations like the “Quali-5 Cellular Technology” make sure that Uratex foams are undeniably top-notch and world-class, shows the company’s strong adherence to quality; its quality assurance through its ISO-9001 certified facilities; world-class equipment; superior formulation and process engineering technology; and usage of best raw materials.
Photo provided by Uratex Website uratex.com.ph . credits to the owner
It is therefore no surprise that Uratex has become the country’s largest manufacturer of commercial and automotive polyurethane foam products. Uratex is the flagship brand of the RGC Group of Companies, made up of RGC Textile Manufacturing Corporation, Roberts Automotive and Industrial Parts Manufacturing Corporation; and Inoac Philippines, a joint venture with Inoac of Japan, and the RGC Foam Group, composed of Polyfoam-RGC International Corporation, Multiflex RNC Philippines, Inc., and Polyflex Industries. These companies and its 16 first-rate plants are responsible for bringing to the Philippine market high-quality and high value-for-money foam and other products nationwide.
RGC Foam Group is part of the RGC Group of Companies, one of the most progressive manufacturers in the Philippines today. The Group’s thriving foam business began in 1968 when Robert Cheng realized his dream of producing high-quality foam. He founded Polyfoam Chemical Corporation and, later on, expanded into related businesses to address the growing needs of the automotive, furniture, bedding, footwear, textile, garment, and food industries.
“Davao is consistently recognized as one of the most important areas in the country with regard to economic success due to its thriving tourism and commercial industries. Having a Uratex showroom here is part of our earlier commitment of expanding our business here and in other regions and cities in the country. We are proud to be now a part of Davao as it treads toward progress and future development,” says Mr. Eddie Gallor, Vice President RGC Group of Companies.
Aside from being one of the most flourishing cities in the Philippines in terms of economic success, dynamic leadership and good governance, it is also an important growth area in the East Asian Growth Area or EAGA, a Southeast Asian regional economic enclave. Davao is known considered one of Mindanao’s financial hubs with a growing trade, commerce and industrial environment, and touted as the next most important destination for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) locators from Asia and the world, with around more than 20,000 full-time agents working in more than 20 BPO firms of various sizes.
It also has a thriving tourism industry that continues to draw foreign and domestic tourists, which contributed to the surge in the number of hotels, inns, resorts, and other hospitality-related establishments sprouting around the area.
And this is where Uratex sees the importance of the Davao market as it aims to supply world-class quality foam to travel-related establishments to ensure that their customers get very restful and healthful sleep. The same holds true for many Filipino households as for generations, mothers, homemakers, and individuals who hold sleep as a premium for their energetic lifestyle have always patronized Uratex mattresses.
It is this kind of quiet but solid, relentless support and trust that Uratex hopes to gain in Davao and the rest of the Philippines. Customers, clients, and partners have always recognized that it is their welfare that Uratex constantly keeps in mind – and it is their needs that the organization address in its continuing mission to innovate and develop its products.
DAVAO SHOWROOM
>>>>>>>>>>> National Road Corner Belen Road Brgy. Pampanga
Its no secret that a lot of people, including me, factor in “the need for VISA” whenever we choose which country to visit next. Airline tickets to some favourite destinations may be cheap if booked on promo, but still , we think twice , because of the VISA Requirements , which is an added expense and is very taxing to secure, and especially for me, living hours flight away from the capital region where all the foreign embassies are. But fortunately , some particular dream destinations of mine offer Visa on Arrival . India and Nepal were among the top of my list. Back when I was planning my trip India , It was such a relief to know that we Filipinos need not go through the Visa approval process with the Indian Embassy in Manila, since we are granted to enter India via “Tourist VISA on ARRIVAL” on certain International airports. Kolkata included, which is probably the cheapest flight route option to enter India, with Airasia Promo. Other countries are Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia and Myanmar. (as of 2011) . From April 15, 2014 it was extended to include South Korea ( GOINDIA.ABOUT.COM) . The visas are issued at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata ; and from August 15, 2013, Kochi, Trivandrum, Hyderabad and Bangalore.Maximum validity of a tourist VOA is 30 days. A VOA is strictly for tourism purposes and is not applicable for other types of visa. What I brought with me :
Passport with 6-month validity
2 passport size photographs white background (They took only 1 photo.)
Photocopy of passport
Hotel booking, even for just the first night. (the TVOA form requires an Address/contact in India)
Return ticket or Exit ticket to Nepal in my case
Bank certificates , credit card statement for the recent two months , and related documents to prove the availability of funds sufficient for the duration of stay in India.
60 USD TVOA Fee , or in the case of Kolkata Airport , they asked me for 3,600 Indian Rupees . Good thing I already changed some of my dollars to INR when I was still in KL.
UPDATE : As of January 2015, securing Visa on Arrival to India now requires online application , for at least 4 days prior to travel . Documentary requirements given above are still applicable. Check out this link to start the application process . https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html
my tourist VOA Stamp. If you get your visa at the Embassy in your city, you will probably get the Sticker Version of the Visa
Arrived at around 12 MN in Kolkata, and it took me an hour to wait at the immigration office for the TVOA . The indian officers that time were quite relaxed, there were only two of us getting the TVOA. The other two were indonesians. Of all the documents I brought, they only took One picture, the payment, and photocopied my passport ( they did not accept the Photocopies I brought with me). I just filled up the form they provided, and they did not even bother to check my e ticket, hotel booking , and funds documents etc. The officers were probably tired at that hour. But still, I recommend you bring all those documents, just in case. KEEP the 3,600 INR VISA Receipt! Getting the TVOA in Kolkata was surprisingly easy for me. It was even more difficult to get through Philippine Immigration at some point. The Immigration officers we have are sometimes OA .
at Kolkata Airport
Getting out of the Airport to Kolkata City Center, Since I arrived pass midnight, I opt to spend the night at the airport, which was recommended by some forums. It would be difficult to commute at that hour, and doing that also saved my One night hotel expense. So I just had find a corner in that huge, super cold airport, spread my jacket and lay on the floor. There were not much people sleeping at the airport, as compared to my SG or KL experience. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport ( Kolkata Airport ) is modern and relatively new, the terminal two where we landed started operating 2012. It was nice and all, but the Toilet bowl was , uhm…. skidmarked ! which was a welcoming sight for me in India. This sight occured many times in almost all cities Ive been. hahaha. But carry lang =) around 6 am , I checked on the exit to find the local bus. but apparently, Buses start at 8 am… So I opt to get an airport taxi instead for 150 INR (2.5 USD) to take me to the nearest train station, which was DumDum Metro Train , around 10-15 minutes crazy overspeeding ride crossing highways and cows and goats are everywhere lounging at the middle of the road. My First taste of Indian RUSH ! haha At Dumdum , It was also tricky to find the right METRO STATION to the City , as this train station is interconnected to the rest of the provinces. Do not go up the first train station building, as this is the inter city railway routes. Ask the locals to lead you to the METRO STATION , which is just a few walks away . From there, I had my first Non Air , Full packed , Indian Train Ride to the City center. And my Indian backpacking experience went on …. =)
This is the upper deck of dumdum station, which holds the inter city routes. Dont ride here… go down the stairs , to the metro station belowdumdum inter provinces train junctiontypical view at kolkata. taxi will probably drop you at this place near under the railway.peeing station for men .
Thought of sharing with you what nitty gritty things I usually bring with me when I travel. Just hand carry , Ive never done “checked in luggage” so far, since I started traveling solo. Travel light, travel smart lang ang style !
Here are my stuff =)
My backpack . just around 45 L , with a metal back support. inside this, I have a small sling bag , for my camera , notebook, and other stuff i carry out everyday. As much as possible, both my hands are free of anything when i travel =) i hate carrying more than one bag on long distances.Sleeved Shirts for cold destinations. Plain colors are usually better on picture when traveling, the printed ones are just to obvious when you have used repeatedly. hihi =) Also , I only bring cheap ones by the way (some, second hands), because there are times that i leave behind used clothes to give space for some stuff i bought along the way. Always check on the current season of your destination, to know what type of clothes to bring. The time I went to Nepal, it was Spring of 2014, sleeved clothes were a big help. and Since it was cool, I never sweat a lot, so its ok to use clothes several times. No time for arte arte.convertible pants to shorts. very ideal to bring, because personally, i only carry clothes good for 10-12 days , for a month journey. Usually, i just wash the light ones along the way, or just donate or leave them behind, to free up some space for souvenir shirts =)Rolled underwear, placed inside a zipped fabric pouch, which also serves as my pillow. I don’t carry a neck pillow anymore since it uses up a lot of my bag.quick dry gym towel 12″ x 24″ , and a small quick dry face towel. But i rarely use the gym towel, the small one is already enough for meMy passport, a small pouch for documents , and a tiny pen. Always carry a pen when traveling. More often, you have to fill up some forms for international airports. Also, I carry with me a small notebook for expense tracking, and also just for taking notes of foreign sounding name of things I encounter. Another thing, it is recommended to keep a few photocopies of your passport. Leave one on your big bag, one on your handcarry sling , and also if you have companions, give one copy to them, just for safety.padlocks always come handy for backpackers. usually dorms have lockers but you have to rent a lockset if you do not have one. The yellow triangles are folded plastic bag , just in case i need some.Mini Sewing Kit. Though i never used this so far. But the pins and mini scissor has been a help.My Toiletry pouch. just around 7″x7″. I usually carry toiletries in sachets (shampoos, deo) so it lessens my load as i consume it. A small bottle of Sunblock spf 50. a sachet of insect repellant. etc Wet tissues are always refreshing, especially when visiting hot humid areas.Anti microbial socks ( odorless) which can be used more than once.mini tripod. monopod. The big tripods are not allowed for airline hand. When I backpack, I never purchase check in luggage, to save on ticket cost. 1 backpack is just enough with a month journey for me. My Monopod got stolen by the way, when I was in Agra. =(medicine pouch. tummy aches, irritable bowel , Vitamins, and nasal allergy spray.invest in a good compact universal adaptorAs a solo backpacker, I really make an effort to do research before hand. I also study the locations of the sites I want to visit, and If it is walkable from a certain train station or a famous landmark accessible by cheap public transpo. Taxi is always my last option. =) As seen in this photo , I print out walking maps from maps.google.com , which is really helpful, and also easier for locals you ask along the way to assist with directions. Lucky if you get to have a real city map for free. But usually, google maps are already OK. Google Maps application for android would be more ideal , if you have data plan with you when in travel. Also as shown, I print out online tickets , and at the back of it, I print the hostel booking i have in that area of destination, to save up paper.
So far, these are my usual travel essentials , which could fit into a 45 L carry on backpack , good for a month journey . Traveling light has always been my priority, and I do not bring laptop, my wifi ready smartphone is already enough. I also do not bring a professional’s DSLR, just one high res. Digital Camera.
Do you have other travel essentials in mind? Feel free to add up some items you carry , that are not on my list. Your thoughts are welcome =)
Here are some Postcards of places visited and experiences encountered personally by me.
I am personally not much of a writer , nor a professional photographer, but these compilation of shots are my treasure and I shall let them speak for the beauty I came across through travelling.
Growing up, I have always been interested with world history and different ways of culture. I always had this uptight aspiration to go to places outside my familiar land. And as soon as I began to work and earn right, I immediately got myself a passport , and started to plot my dream of experiencing the richness of our world , one country at a time. I just started actually.
What’s good with Travelling?
Travelling is more than just about leisure. Personally, I take this as a vessel to improve the way I see things and on how I relate to other people of different backgrounds. Travelling improves both verbal and non verbal communication skills.
Self Improvement
Travelling adds up to your self worth and confidence. My stories and personal experiences while travelling, somehow made me, a more interesting person in a way.
Strolling around Melacca Town Square with my backpack.
A sense of Freedom
I grew up as a dependent person who never made my own decision . Traveling, living abroad on my own, exposed me to different societies and different circumstances requiring me to make important decisions. It developed in me somehow, freedom.
Present your Country
You enjoy sharing with fellow travellers your beautiful experiences from the countries you have visited. And of course, in travel , you get the chance to boast your own nation and culture , what makes your people special and worthy to become your fellow travellers’ next destination.
New Ideas
Travelling for me is a good way to get ideas for various interesting day to day matters; Personally, I always make an effort to visit a public market of the city I am visiting, preferably in the morning , to experience how a foreign community start up their day. Also, Public markets are where you can find exquisite local products, see different ways of preparing food , and also , on how they design spaces with respect to their climate.
A sweet lady selling local juices in downtown Vientiane.
The sense of Growing
As much as it may sound cheesy, but with each destination, you grow. You learn the best ways to pack, meet new people of different nationalities and make lasting friendship, get around on cities with rules and practices different from your home country, and you learn to survive.
Travelling Makes History Come Alive
Ever since a child, I have always been fascinated with history, architecture and the ancient way of living. I took up BS Architecture in college, and I best enjoyed those days when we are asked to draw the significant architectures of various nations. Modesty aside, I even got the highest score for a certain Visual Presentation of Indochina Architecture; A sketch of Angkor Wat included.
Recalling last August 2013 when I was about to enter the actual grounds of Angkor Wat minutes after sunrise… that feeling was priceless !!!!
I always had this fondness for solo backpacking, and I am fully aware of the consequences and risks of traveling alone, especially on foreign land where everything is relatively unfamiliar. As such, I always make a point to prepare my thoughts and do a lot of readings and inquiries before I the trip. Here are my basic preparations. Hope this would help.
1. Research .
-Read blogs . I prefer inquiring on blogs and personal accounts of experienced backpackers who already traveled my eyed destination. rather than just reading wikipedia and travel websites.
– Know the route . Steps in Border crossing. Airport to city center transportation . know where the backpackers area is. download google map,, use walking direction tools just to have an idea.
– Research on country specific entry Visa , if applicable.
– know which tourist spots are worthy of a visit, because you don’t really have to see everything. Read a bit of history of the place. You will appreciate your visiting experience more when you know what made it happen.
2. Exchange currency ahead of time. especially when traveling by land, since border crossings and bus transportation require local bills . If u use dollars, you might not get any change.
3. A backpack of basic essentials.
– Pack lite . If you are traveling for a month, pack clothes that is good for 2 weeks. You can just have them washed at the middle of your trip . Some backpackers Ive met only brings very few clothes, and prefer to buy cheap ones at their destination.
– cargo pants and Cargo shorts . preferably dark colors so it wont get dirty easily.
– Bring a small , quick dry towel. Bath Towels are usually available with the hostels . If not, then you just have to make full use of what you have.
– Bring a small pillow ,preferably a neck pillow, which is very helpful especially on bus trips.
– medicine pack. particularly for tummy upset and pain relievers.
– sun block and Anti mosquito lotion – small bottle or sachet (because 100 ml bottles and up , might be confiscated in the airport )
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4. Comfortable footwear.
1 pair of rubber shoes , preferably the one you use often. New shoes might give you blisters which can be very hassle.
I don’t bring slippers anymore, I prefer to buy them on markets , if necessary .
5. A wifi enabled – smart phone . not only for communication ,, but more for researches and google mapping by the time you get there. Hotels usually have wifi for guests .
– end of list –
Can anyone make recommendations on how you prepare your trips ?
Travel + Lifestyle + Architecture Blog 