Friday, September 21, 2012

HONG KONG TRIP

Not mine, but my mother's and my cousin's. Hehe!


I have yet to complete writing about my Hawaii vacation, but I wanted to take a break from that -- not that I didn't have enough hiatus in blogging already -- and take this chance to share my mother and cousin's first out of the country trip.

Traveling was not something I or my family grew up doing.  Every year, my family would go on outings but nothing big of a trip, mostly just going to resorts in Laguna or visiting relatives in Pampanga and Ilocos.  One time, in the summer (my birthday) of 1993, we went to Leyte -- I really enjoyed that because of the ocean -- but that was the first and last time we traveled that far within the Philippines.  Having said that, my first out of the country travel was obviously when I left in 2005 for good, and it wasn't until I met my then-boyfriend-now-husband, Vince, that I started exploring the world ♥

Recently, Vince and I had to send my mother on a trip to Hong Kong.  Sending our parents to trips have always been part of our plan since we got married, but my mother's trip was rather unexpected.  For valid reasons I will not divulge at the moment -- don't worry nothing fishy or suspicious here -- it was just imperative that my mother travel outside the Philippines PRONTO!

And how did my pretty little cousin, Kate, get involved here you may ask?  Well, the travel agent advised us that it's better for my mother to have a travel companion rather than going solo.  Apparently, solo travelers raise a red flag in the Philippines border.  I was told that it had happened at times that a solo traveler would be "off loaded" from the flight - meaning not even allowed to board on the plane simply because of the tendency that one might not return to the country (mag TNT *tago ng tago*).  It's unfortunate that no one in my immediate family could travel ASAP with my mother because none of them has a passport -- I told you we didn't grow up traveling -- and fortunate for my dear cousin, Kate, that she has a passport.  So, I guess you can all conclude what happened and how she ended up traveling to Hong Kong with my mother.  Lucky girl!  Anyway, Kate always has been like our little sister, and me, my sibs and her are really close, and since she also recently passed her nursing board exam and graduated cum laude, Vince and I thought that she well deserved a"gift" from us ☻

So, originally it was a Hong Kong/Shenzhen trip, but what do you know, true enough, 5 of the 12 travelers in my mother and Kate's group went TNT.  One was off-loaded and four went missing in action when they arrived in Hong Kong.  Tsk tsk.  The travel guide did not allow my mother and Kate to go to Shenzhen anymore -- I'm assuming because of the bad impression of the TNT-ers in their group -- so the twosome stayed in Hong Kong.  My mother got a little rattled with her first-time experience with the border officers on top of the fact that her supposedly travel mates went MIA, and then she told me she also was "babysitting" Kate throughout the trip, but it sounded like she enjoyed it albeit.  After we heard her whole story and how she was "traumatized" from her border experience, I teased her that I'm willing to send her to another trip if she likes... uhmmm, Singapore maybe, to which she replied with a laugh.  Hehe!

Anyweiz, what's a trip without pictures?  Is there such?  So, without further ado, allow me to share some pictures from my mother and cousin Kate's Hong Kong trip.

The face that launched Papaleng's ship!


This pic made me smile because MamaRose is a big fan of Jet Li :)
...and of course, Bruce Lee!
MamaRose seemed to have enjoyed this "happy" place a lot ;)


MamaRose was quite disappointed because she said they only had few Disney character photo opps.  

Well, MamaRose, hopefully, God willing, we can take you to Walt Disney World one day, and there you can take all the pics you wish with any Disney character you want ;)

Okay, that's it for now.  I'll be back to continue on day 3 of my Hawaii vacation ... and all my whatever ☻ Ciao!


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You can read my travel stories here:


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12 comments:

  1. Next time, dapat kasama na ako. Antartica here I come.

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  2. Nakahanda na akong mag "violent reaction"! Akala ko bumiyahe ka pa rin na buntis ka! LOL. Si mommy naman pala & with "yaya" pa ha. Muka namang nag-enjoy silang dalawa :)

    Shock ako dun sa mga nag TNT, anobey kasira ng PH image :(

    at ang cute ng bago mong banner buntis ;)

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  3. uy Dad mo pala si papaleng! hehe! Bumibisita din ako sa blog nya ngayon ko lang nalaman father mo pala sya. kay Tinkerbelle ko gusto magpa picture nung nag HK kami kaya ang nagpapahinga sya nun.

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  4. Oo nga naman KM, bakit hindi kasama si Papaleng? Hehe.
    Anyway, I'm happy for your Mom! She looks really happy during her trip. In fairness, cute ang cousin mo.:)

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  5. your mom is so pretty, KM, ang bata bata nya tingnan. like you, we also did not grow up traveling, most of our travels then were one day trip such as fmaily excursions to nearby resorts and beaches.

    we could not blame indeed travel agencies if they stopped your mom and cousin from traveling to shenzhen because of the other travelers in the group who went tnt, that was sad.

    looking forward for your next post, your hawaii trip.

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  6. PS....KM, sensya na if ever I said "kate" in my comment earlier, got confused with your cousin's name :) also, forgot to congratulate your cousin for graduating cum laude, you gave her such wonderful gift.

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  7. hmm parang alam ko na ang next stop ni Mamarose ah..
    Congrats pala kay Kate cumlaude at Nursing..hmmm, i think this trip serves a lot pag next trip ay US na..:)

    at naku, mickey mouse antayin mong mag meet tayo because my Destiny just love you so, i can't help but collect pictures and stuffs ni mickey..

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  8. Hehehe! Ang kyut! :)
    Si paps oh, panalo sa hirit~! :D

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  9. thank you for sharing your Hongkong travel!

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  10. Hehehe, uu nga Papaleng :) ayusin na kasi ang passport... it may take 2 years at least para maayos pangalan mo :) Magpapalit ka na lang ng pangalan, "Papaleng Pogi" hehehe

    KM, pwede rin ang Singpore-Malaysia trip :) ayoko nga ng thru travel agents talaga... limited ang adventures hihihi.. yung shenzhen namin, di rin na-maximize dati... thru travel agent din ang travel visa that time. pero maganda kung exit din sya sa Malaysia... para masanay sa Immigration Officer hihihi

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  11. that was generous of you to send your mom and cousin to a Hongkong trip. You're a channel of blessing to them.

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  12. Wow, I want to see Hongkong too.
    Look like you had a wonderful trip! Stay happy!

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