Travel Plans for 2009

Ahh yes, a new year means new travel goals. After not completing last year’s travel goals, I was a bit disheartened about making a new list (don’t even get me started on my “10 places to visit in the next two years post“). I realize in hindsight that the list was made on a whim, without much thought put into it. Okay fine, I’m just making excuses for my failure. Still, I managed to tick off a couple of destinations from the list, and go to places that wasn’t in the list, so it wasn’t all bad.

Seeing as how my quickly travel plans are made and changed last year, I hesitate putting destination into writing, as I know things can change in the last minute. But hey, it doesn’t hurt to dream and plan right?

Last year, I made a decision to stay put and see more of the Philippines. Now that the year has ended, I am eager to go out and explore Southeast Asia. I have been making grand plans of traipsing through as much as seven countries in one month, making it clear that I didn’t really learn from my list-making mistakes from last year. After a severe reality check, I trimmed it down to four countries, in three weeks to one month. How I’m going to live through this and survive, I have only the vaguest idea, but I am excited as hell. Of course, this bit of news added to the excitement:

In the onset of skyrocking fuel prices, South East Asian Airlines (SEAir) is pushing on to acquire two new Airbus A320 planes, set to be delivered on the first quarter of 2009. SEAir President Avelino Zapanta shares that this is just one of the many firsts for SEAir this year.

Zapanta said the airline will also go international, noting that with the recent signing of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Open Sky Agreement, “it is full speed ahead for SEAir as it plans to operate flights for Singapore, Macau, Incheon (South Korea), Bangkok and Kaoshiung (Taiwan).”

Source: Philippine Travel News

Oh yes. However, the Seair‘s A320 will be operating at the Clark Airport. Nonetheless, that’s still good news. Besides, there’s the Kota Kinabalu flights that originate from Puerto Princessa that’s making me re-consider my Southeast Asian route.

It’s not all overseas travel for me this year though. Actually, I’ll be off next weekend for the Kalibo Ati-atihan 2009. Yup, I’ve been bitten by the festival bug. It’d be interesting to witness this festival wherein onlookers not only watch, but can also be part of the street dancing.

To tell the truth, the real excitement from the trips I’m planning this year is not just the destination, but also the fact that I’m going to start traveling solo again. All the trips I had in 2008 were all with friends and acquaintances. The last time I traveled solo was in March 2007 at the Gold Coast (I’m not counting the time I went to Singapore on a stopover and the second trip to Australia during the 4th quarter of 2007, because I stayed with family). I’ll be going off on my own to the Ati-atihan in Kalibo (because Eric‘s going to Cebu for the Sinulog 2009 festival, and Melo‘s already going this weekend to the Boracay ati-atihan). This will also be my first time to go to Kalibo. Similarly, I haven’t gotten any positive response when I mass-emailed my friends about traveling through Southeast Asia. Currently, it does look like I’m doing SEA on my own as well. Excitement abound!

Comments

6 responses to “Travel Plans for 2009”

  1. eric Avatar

    day, cebu=sinulog, iloilo dinagyang eheheh

    kitakits next week!

  2. Itinerant Londoner Avatar

    That’s good to hear about the Palawan / Kota Kinabalu flight, that should make my SEA trip next year much easier!

  3. nina Avatar

    Eric: Onga, sabi ko nga. Hahaha, halatang inaantok na ko nung sinulat ko to XD

    Itinerant Londoner: Yup, that’s the idea! 😀

  4. bchai Avatar
    bchai

    Duuuude, you need to put Germany on your list this year. LOL. 😉

    I got an extra bed (well, a futon, actually) with your name on it.

  5. nina Avatar

    bchai: I knoww! It’s just too… far *cries*

  6. dong ho Avatar

    looking forward to check out those places. specially the southeast asia feature. good luck on the coming trips nina.

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