Top up your Tan in Tenerife

Although Tenerife is known for drinking and a general ‘Brits' abroad’ atmosphere, there is so much more to the island. From whale and dolphin cruises to year round golfing, there is something for everyone here!

Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands. It’s a popular tourist destination and it has two airports, Tenerife north and Tenerife south. There are many travel companies offering package holidays to Tenerife, but if that’s not your style have a look around for low cost flights to Tenerife with Monarch and perhaps think about renting an apartment or villa.

Playa de las Americas is one of the main destinations people choose to visit. With beautiful beaches, lively nightlife and plenty of great restaurants, it’s certainly a place for friends and families who want an action packed holiday with lots of hustle and bustle. The Safari Centre is full of designer labels for those who wish to have a classier shopping experience in this lovely beach town.

For a quieter holiday, why not try visiting Tenerife’s capital, Santa Cruz. Visit the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Candelaria, a picturesque church in a beautiful old town, or wander the streets of this old fashioned city. There are many beautiful walking areas around the city as well – the Rambla del General Franco is a fantastic woodland walk which takes you through some beautiful scenery. Close by, Teide national park is one of the most spectacular areas of Tenerife and many is ranked among the top cultural attractions of the country.

Tenerife generally has nice weather all year round, with the lowest temperatures being about 22 degrees in the daytime in December and January. Take advantage of the quieter months of May and September, when school children are back in school but the tourist season is either beginning or ending so most attractions will be open for your visit. Chartering a boat for the day is cheaper in the quieter seasons and you may just decide to sail into the sunset after experiencing all the island has to offer.

(Photo credit: yahoo images, text added by riatravelbug.com)

Universal Studios Singapore July 2012

Yes, finally! My daughter and I had an amazing time in Universal Studios Singapore last July 5, 2012. It was just a mere 10 minutes walk away from our hotel in the Resorts World Sentosa so going there was a breeze.

I paid S$74 for each of us for an adult one-day peak pass because our date of visit fell during the peak season. I bought it online few weeks in advance to ensure that our entrance was covered because you just don't know if it would become too crowded.

We were there around 11:00 a.m. There was gray overcast but I didn't anticipate heavy rain on that day. Good thing we bought rain coats so even if it was raining like cats and dogs, we managed to go around wearing our rain coats. The rain stopped around 1:00 p.m. so it was cool to roam around again and ride the other attractions.



There are 7 areas in Universal Studios Singapore namely:

• Hollywood - near the entrance, has souvenir shops and other food outlets like the Mel's Diner   and Hollywood China Bistro. We had lunch at the latter. It was quite pricey but it was delicious. Celebrity Cafe and Bakeshop is also in this place.
• New York - you can find the Lights, Camera, Action attraction here. This is where I had a pose with Marilyn Monroe and watched the Sesame Street characters performed.
• Sci-fi City - Transformers Ride and Battlestar Galactica Human vs. Cylon ride and the Accelerator are  in this area. 
• Ancient Egypt - The very scary Revenge of the Mummy ride is right here. Treasure Hunt is another slow ride which is okay for kids and even myself with hypertension.
• Lost World - Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, Canopy Flyer, Dino-Soarin' rides are right here. Water World is also found in this area. 
• Far, Far, Away - The very fun and exciting Shrek 4D ride is in this area. I had so much fun in this simulator ride. Magic Potion shop is also here which is a merchandise store. There are some food outlets here too.
• Madagascar - The fun Madagascar: A Crate Adventure ride is found here. I love this ride so much although we all got wet because of Marty. No, I will not give any spoiler here :) You have to go to Universal Studios and enjoy the ride!

I managed to take pictures with Marilyn Monroe and Betty Boop. I was looking for the other characters but didn't catch them. Better luck next time!

The whole Universal Studios experience is so wonderful. My daughter  would like to go back and take her dad with her so she could try out the other rides we missed during our visit because of my condition. I wanted to take the rides but I was hyperventilating already just reading the description and looking at the other riders who got out of the rides. However, I know I missed so much on the other famous rides, I still look forward to go back and this time, with my hubby who is as adventurous as my princess.

I do recommend this place to everyone. It is a wholesome, family-oriented theme park in Singapore.

Back From Singapore

The Singapore vacation is over! I cannot believe it came and went so fast, right when we were having so much fun. I cannot believe I will say this but Singapore is starting to grow on me. I am not a big fan of Singapore and no offense meant. It is just that there are certain places in the world that I am more attracted to than this tiny Asian country. However, that changed on this recent trip. Singapore is simply amazing!

The city has changed a lot since we last visited the country last 2008. Now there are more attractions to visit like the Universal Studios Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa, The Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and the recently opened Gardens By The Bay. Back then, these were still being constructed and now that they are all finished, Singapore has become more interesting and a go-to place in Asia.

My daughter and I enjoyed the short vacation. It was refreshing and meeting with friends added more excitement and color to the vacation. Although the weather was not as cooperative as I would like it to be, we still had fun and enjoyed every minute of the stay in amazing Singapore. We will be back for sure!

Waiting For Our Summer Vacation

Photo credit: Yukiba.com

I normally don't get that excited when I visit Asian countries because they are usually accessible anytime of the year. Also, Filipinos get visas on arrival in most Asian countries so my excitement is a bit in check. However, I can't wait to go now because I want to enjoy my time with my teen daughter.

I'm really glad she wants to go on this trip. She's excited about our hotel in Resorts World Sentosa and the rides in Universal Studios. It has been a while since we last went to Paris Disneyland so we both missed the thrills, shrills and fun times in the amusement park.

Rest and relaxation is the sole reason for our trip to Singapore. The weather will be very humid and hot so it's not escaping Middle East's heat but just to enjoy the brief leisure time we will have this July. Also, we can't stay long there because my daughter's cousin from the US will be visiting Dubai for a month too. We need to be back soon so we can welcome and tour him around the famous places in Dubai.

Few days to go and I'll start packing :)

Summer Fun In Singapore

My daughter and I will have a bonding time in Singapore for 5 days from 4 to 8 of July. It is a full rest and relaxation trip so we won't be having so many side trips. I planned this trip in lieu of the 40th birthday trip I had in mind. I think Tokyo will have to wait for another year again. I just don't think we're ready for Japan yet. So, I asked my daughter if she wants to visit Universal Studios instead in Singapore. She loved the idea so I booked our tickets and hotels already. No backing out now!

I booked 2 nights in Hard Rock Hotel in Resorts World Sentosa via Booking.com. It was a flash deal where rates are 50% off but non-refundable. I wanted the Festive Hotel but it was not available on the dates I prefer. Anyway, I think Hard Rock Hotel is okay because I read a lot of good reviews about it. The pool is great and my daughter is looking forward to splash around like a mermaid! I hope they upgrade us to a pool-view room. Crossing fingers! The hotel is walking distance to Universal Studios so we can visit the attraction on foot!

 The other 2 nights are booked in Landmark Village Hotel in Victoria St. near Bugis. We will visit Bugis Junction and meet some friends as well. We don't intend to visit other attractions because we just want to see Universal Studios and the budget is strictly allocated to the hotels, food, transportation and other expenses. No shopping and other sight-seeing this time. Well, let's see if I can stick to the "without shopping" especially if the half of our stay in Singapore is near the shopping district. That will be a hard temptation to resist!

(Photo credits: Hard Rock Hotel from rwsentosa.com and Landmark Village Hotel from singapore.com)