a bummed life!

Continuing my post about my recent travel, let me talk about the first European country i was in: Germany. It was winter when i got there but it was surprisingly, okay. Not too cold. Our plane landed at Frankfurt airport, it was also my exit airport, going back to Singapore. a creek near the place where i stay, of course through the eyes of an Instagram filter.  I only got to visit a few places in this country but the one that i found really enjoyable was Cologne and Munich. Too bad i didn't get a chance to visit Berlin but hopefully i'd get another chance.

One new country every year. That was my promise to myself. At the start of 2015, i was worried that i wouldn't be able to pursue that. Well, it turned out to be quite the opposite. And my last trip was way beyond my expectations! So, i went to Europe! Woohoo! I didn't plan on it and you'll see in my next few posts how much i meant that! I'll be writing a series of posts about the places i've been to in Europe. Maybe on a different post, i'll also put my recent trip to Taiwan and Japan. Btw, this is the first non-Asian visa on my passport!

DBS is having a promotion to basically introduce their remittance service by making the transfer free of charge. Woot woot! Since this is just a promotion, it won’t last but i did contact DBS support and (at the time of this writing) there is no announced expiration yet. For now, we can enjoy this feature. Here are the steps, making extensive use of screencaps: 1. Log in to DBS internet banking (sorry, i won’t put the dbs link here.. since i hate phishing)

If you’re planning on a short vacation to Japan, and you’re residing in Singapore the process of getting a visa is actually so much easier here than in Manila. Well, I guess that applies to a lot of things.. but that’s another topic! Since it’s supposed to be that easy, I won’t keep you waiting. This guide applies to you if: You’re a Filipino (or maybe other nationalities required to get a Japan visa) currently residing in Singapore (PR, student/dependent pass, or work permit). Filipinos are required to get a visa when entering Japan. For other nationalities please check this site: http://www.sg.emb-japan.go.jp/visa_exemption.htm#visatable *if you’re not listed in the exempted countries, then you require a visa. You are planning on a short Japan visit (max 15 days only). For multiple entries, training, study, business you’d have to do more than what is given in this guide. Better to check the embassy website for details. You are currently in Singapore. What?! I need to make s

IMPORTANT: This post is already outdated.  Please follow the new instructions here:  How to get OEC Online First, let me make it clear: you can only do this if you satisfy the following conditions: 1. You’re an OFW (currently and ‘officially’ employed abroad) 2. Will be visiting the Philippines for 5 days or less. The OFW counters at the airports would only give you clearance (called emergency OEC) when you have your work visa and would be going back to your country of employment within 5 days. Anything other than that, you should go to POEA offices or distribution centers (i’ve read they have one in SM Manila and one in Trinoma).

Bullet-climbing. That’s something i have just learned recently – it means climbing up the mountain straight up  and climbing down almost immediately with little to no rest in between. In other words climbing overnight without sleep. I guess that would be fine if it were a typical mountain, but this is the highest peak in Japan I'm talking about. It’s not the highest in Asia but it is still quite high and the climb is not something to underestimate, plus the intended climb was to be done at a usually cold night. Still, i decided to bullet-climb my way for the summit. My intention was to start early in the evening, climb through the night and have enough time and rest at the summit for the sunrise then hurry back down the next morning. That sounded easy and simple enough. The experience though,  is something quite different, for the most difficult and most interesting parts happen in between those activities. This is a story i just have to tell.