Another year is coming to a close less than two hours from now. Yet I’m here at my sister’s house in my jammies with only the sound of the ticking clock for company. There’s a TV less than 10 feet away from me and I can’t even bring myself to reach for the remote and open it.

December 31st here in Melbourne is certainly different from New Year’s Eve in Manila. For one thing, I can’t smell any smoke from firecrackers set off by the neighbor’s. It’s really quiet here. Too quiet.
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Teenagers around the world all look the same: they all look weird.

They would either wear whatever Paris, Nichole, Lindsay or Britney is wearing, or pattern their outfits after their favorite emo band.

A couple of months ago, I posted a question for you guys regarding which airline would you chose: one where your frequent flier miles are, and one which always top the airline ratings chart. Based on your answers, I made my decision to pick [tag]Singapore Airlines[/tag] over Philippine Airlines on my trip to Melbourne from Manila.

It’s one of the best decisions I ever made.
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Almost two hours in Changi and I’ve already:

• had dinner with my brother
• window shopped
• had a foot massage
• watched CNN
• checked my mail
• posted three blog entries

…and there’s still time before my flight boards and a couple of other things I haven’t done or tried.

All I can say about Singapore today is that everybody has a Crumpler bag.

Well, not everybody like EVERYBODY, but everywhere I go there’s somebody with a Crumpler. In the bus, at the bookstore, at the Mall, in Orchard Road. Specially in Orchard Road.

I wonder what will I see next when I come back?

Hola! I am taking advantage of Singapore’s Changi Airport’s free internet service while I wait for my flight, which is still more than 2 hours away.

In all the times I’ve been to Singapore, I never really had the chance to wander around and discover the wealth of activities you can do inside the airport while you wait in transit. So far, I’ve only tried the internet, but that’s not really surprising.

It’s amazing how different Changi is from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. Apart from the huge difference in size, there is so much more to do to keep you entertained here. The only thing you can do in Manila’s airport is to eat, shop and stare into space.

Ah, speaking of NAIA, I had this encounter with an airport personnel as I went inside the waiting lounge. The guy inspected my hand carried luggage and asked about the big paper bag I’m also toting. He asked me to open my cabin trolley, and said that my handcarry is over the allowed baggage weight limit, and that the frozen longanisa my mother made is not allowed onboard. He told me he’d help me, seeing that it’s the Christmas season.

He told me to wait because he has to ask some other officer regarding checking in my bag, blah blah blah. He asked me twice more about it, and I refused each time.

From experience, cabin attendants would usually stand near the entrance of the aircraft as you board and if you have too many hand carried luggage, they will tell you and personally tag it. When I boarded, they did not make any comment about my handcarry. They even helped me stow it on the overhead bin.

Tsk, Christmas season my ass! He just wanted a pamasko.

All I can say is that I love it. I just hope they don’t botch this up. But I’m optimistic they won’t.

Then again, this IS Manila.

OMG, is this going to be a full flight?!

We’ve all heard about Richard Branson’s collaboration with Burt Rutan for Virgin Galactic, but this is the first time I heard that a number of companies are offering underwater tours, even building resorts and hotels underwater.

Submitted for your approval: the underwater luxury hotel. A company called Poseidon Resorts is set to break ground (underwater ground, that is) on the world’s first underwater resort on a private island in Fiji this January.

Dubbed Mystery Island, the still-secret site will spread over 225 acres and comprise 24 underwater suites, each submerged in 40 feet of water. The facility will also include a revolving restaurant and bar, a spa, and 27 over-water bungalows with see-through floors. The price: $15,000 per person for seven days, which includes two nights in a beach villa, two nights in an over-water bungalow and two nights in an underwater suite.

And Dubai, naturally, has plans for its own underwater hotel. Set for completion in one year, Crescent Hydropolis will complement the firm’s Hydropalace project in Qingdao, China, which is scheduled to open in 2009 and will be in waters that are 50 to 65 feet below the surface of the Yellow Sea.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16194525/

Now the question is, if you have a million dollars, would you spend it for a tour of the cosmos or live underwater?