This Travel Tribe Speaks: Me & My Super Friends!

Today, I'd like to introduce a new segment on this blog =) I would like to shine some light on our growing Travel Tribe here in Guiltless Getaways! I want us, our community of travelers, to continue growing and support each other because it's not always about me. You have something to do with what keeps me going! This segment is for your questions, travel tips, your travel pictures and comments. On a personal note, I want to open the floor and encourage you to speak up haha. This is a good chance for me respond to your emails and comments more frequently, as well as to tell you that if anything happens to this blog (it's down or you have a comment for example), you can always email me. This is also a window into my thoughts (in red below) =) Feel free to send me an email by following this link (how to join in the conversation, it doesn't end in this post and I'd like to have more rounds) =) This is just Part 1 of 2 for our first round! Lastly, I'd like to say thank you all, also to our generous sponsors DTC Mobile and Anywhere Philippines for supporting this launch =)


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Q&A / Requests

From Tonski - 
Hi i like your photographs. I hope you could toss out some lessons for me.. thanks.
Hi Tonski! I'm working on my photography skills as we speak haha. The only "formal" lesson I had was a 2-day basic workshop last year with CIIT (see Photography School in Manila for Beginners). They are having a discount now in fact for their March and April class, check it here.

For additional lessons, Jeff a.k.a BK always tells me to practise, make sure it's focused (as in when you zoom in, it's still very clear), to not be afraid to crop (he actually just sent me this haha, Avoid Amputating People in Your Photos guide) and find where the light is coming from (I still can't get this right all the time hahaha).

For cameras, I consider myself lucky to have nice cameras, the Panasonic GF1 (works well on daylight and it's very light compared to DSLRs), a Sony Cybershot Swivelcam (for my early photos in this blog and my vain photos because the camera can rotate so I can take my solo pictures myself hehe) and recently the Canon S110 (which has WiFi capabilities and touch screen although I haven't fully explored it yet hehe, thank you, Canon!) =)

From Jessica - 
Hi!~ I love your blog posts since it features almost all the places that I would like to go to!~ :D When you drop by again to Tokyo, can you do a feature on the Akihabara district? I'm an anime fan. :D And please try the maid cafes and all the fun kawaii stuff out there. hehe. :D And have you tried the revolving sushi bars? Everyone thought that it was really awesome. :D Thank you for your blog posts! Have fun travelling!
Hi Jessica! Sure hehe. I went there in my last Tokyo trip and I was overwhelmed with all the anime, gaming and maid cafe stuff haha. I have tried the revolving sushi bar but in Osaka. The only problem is I don't eat raw stuff but the people I was with had fun hahaha. The one thing I heard about that's not good about that concept is that you have to make sure that there are a lot of people eating in that restaurant when you eat. You see, if it's only you or just a few, the food in the rotating belt might have been there for a long time already and just waiting for the people who are willing to eat it.

P.S. Why not make the experience local? I have this desire to try cosplay just for fun and for the experience ahahaha. Care to join me? I don't know anything about anime. Any suggestion below in the comments on who to be is welcome hahaha. Just tell me why first ahahaha.

Travel Tips

From Riyalyn - On packing and preparing.
I think this tip is a good one to think about, I hate packing! It’s a lot of pressure trying to figure out what’s the most important and what you think you need. Usually, you really don’t need half the stuff you think.. Most important eh lay everything out on your bed that you’d like to bring… and bring only half of what you think you need. And try to bring twice as much money..As far as money’s concerned… it’d be nice to have more than you think you need… but that is not always possible. There are ways to be smart, frugal, and able to do what you need to do.. 
Hi Riyalyn! Thanks for the tip! I hope other travelers here can also benefit from it. I love packing and I just have a hard time packing light! I'd try on your "half your stuff" suggestion even before I stuff them in my bag haha. I agree with the money. If going on an international trip, I'd bring extra dollars instead of peso or the local currency (since I'd always tend to keep it for my collection and refuse to spend my last shiny coins, malutong na 1s, 5s, 10s, 50s, 100s and so one even if it's an emergency hahaha) =) 

Hellos & Travel Experiences

From Ate Ces - 
So young and you travel a lot! My First travel last 2009 i went asian tour - Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand with my sister. I really love to travel a lot! but now i ca'nt seem to go have vacation because of my work responsibility.
I always wishing to go Japan and Korea. In my age i like Kpop they make me young! lol
Thank you for sharing your travel experience and more power! 
Hi Ate Ces! How long did you go on that tour? Honestly, I haven't tried backpacking and going on multi-countries yet at one time hahaha. I think with my slow pace type, I would take a year doing all that hehe. As for your work responsibility, you may want to try to go conquer the world one weekend at a time =) There are tours like Anywhere Philippines', which are made for working people.

I also want to go to Japan and Korea!!! Kahit paulit-ulit =)

From Arra - 
i really admire you :) thanks for sharing your travel experiences. i feel like im on tour too! i wish to go to different places also if i may be given a chance but i would love to travel with my hubby and my baby. good luck to you and more power!
Hi Arra! That's the goal! I'm also following blogs and do travel blog-hopping so that my eyes and spirit are filled with new things and travel experiences. I also watch a lot of travel shows. =) Kahit yun lang gawin ko tapos nakahiga ako sa kama masaya na ako haha.

From Rodel - 
Ang masasabi ko lang travel tips, kwento, comments on your post ay 1.) Travel Tips~ Sa travel tips ay marami kang makukuhang kaalaman at karagdagang impormasyon sa larangan ng field trip.2.) Kwento~ Sa kwento ay maganda ang ipinahihiwatig ng bawat mensahe.3.) Comments~ Sa komento naman ay magaganda ang mensahe ng bawat internet users.
Kamusta, Kuya Rodel. Ang masasabi ko lang sa iyo'y salamat sa supporta at sa pagbisita sa blog na ito upang mabasa ang mga kwento ko. Mababait din ang mga kapwa-manlalakbay at mga nag-iiwan ng kumento dito. Nawa'y walang mag-away o magbitiw nang masasakit na salita sa akin at sa mga sumusubaybay. Ang lahat ng bagay nakukuha sa mabuting usapan, Filipino man o Ingles =)

From Kany - 
Love all your post mapa traveling tips or even contest giveaways. Willing to wait for your next adventures.
Hi Kany!!! Ahaha. Natawa talaga ako sa huling sentence. First of all, I do apologize if I'm taking time to come out with travel posts. I like to marinade the trip in my head and think about it more when I come home. Paglabas nyan, nakakailang edit din ako para perfect at wala akong pagsisisihan at nakalimutan haha. I also don't multi-task well so I leave my laptop and devices whenever I travel so that I can fully immerse myself in the trip or experience. Kaya nobela rin ang mga posts ko eh noh? hahaha. Do know that I'm working on being more active and blogging more about contests, more travel tips & trips. Super salamat na isa ka sa mga matiyagang naghihintay. =)

From Gracee - 
I'm an avid follower of your blog, both girl kuripot and guiltless getaways :-) O also follow Boy kuripot. I just love reading your blogs because it keeps me updated with the latest contests and how to travel in a budget friendly way. I'm also a Blogger by the way but I cover events, and I also love writing different kinds of reviews :-) More power to your blog! :-) Keep up the good work!@
Hi Gracee! Ako ba ang nauna o si BK? Ahahaha. Joke lang pero normal ko yung tinatanong sa mga nakikilala ko hahaha. Ang goal ko talaga is to win trips para menos gastos or kung hindi man ako, isa sa inyo. Kasi magastos naman talaga mag-travel minsan diba? Pasensya na rin ha hindi lahat ng trips ko super budget kasi sa akin kahit gumastos ako or magtipid man, ang importante masaya ang trip at wala tayong pinagsisisihan sa huli. "Guiltless," ika ko nga =) 

Happy ako na blogger ka. Sana lahat magblog na noh? Haha. Kahit para sa sarili lang at lalo na sa mga lakwatsa. Aminin - malilimutan mo rin yung ibang detalye na gusto mong maalala =) Higit sa lahat, ang dami kong nakikilalang hilig ding mag-explore! Hehehe.


I hope you all had fun with this post as I did! I have a group of Super Cool Travel Friends in you =)

As a thank you gift, I have Anywhere Philippines GCs here and a DTC phone to 1 or 2 of you above featured =) Please feel free to comment below too. Keep on sharing, yah? =) 


Reminders from our Sponsors:

Check out the latest DTC Mobile Philippines phones, made with Filipinos in mind =)

If you're planning to go to Mt. Pulag or Coron or Nagsasa this 2013, try Anywhere Philippines!