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Today, I receive all God’s love for me. Today, I open myself to the unbounded, limitless, overflowing abundance of God’s Universe. Today, I open myself to your Blessings, healing and miracles.Today, I open myself to God’s Word so that I become more like Jesus Everyday. Today, I proclaim that I’m God’s Beloved, I’m God’s Servant, I’m God’s powerful champion, And because I am blessed, I will bless the world, In Jesus Name, Amen.

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The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu

The Great Wall of China is referred to in Mandarin as Wanli Changcheng (10,000-Li Long Wall or simply very long wall) BEIJING, CHINA- S...

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Airport Express Travel Pass


Airport Express Travel Pass

http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/airport_express/tf_index.html

This is a special tourist card only available for visitors spending 14 days or less in Hong Kong and for many visitors does not represent good value or have the same flexibility as the standard “On-loan” card.


It is available in two denominations;

HK$220 AIRPORT EXPRESS TRAVEL PASS


Includes a HK$50 deposit and provides one trip on the Airport Express and three days* unlimited travel on all MTR lines but not to the border stations Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau. Since 1st October 2009 the pass also includes three days unlimited travel on MTR Light Rail and MTR bus.

HK$300 AIRPORT EXPRESS TRAVEL PASS

Provides two trips on the Airport Express and three days* unlimited travel on MTR all lines but not to the border stations of Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau. Since 1st October 2009 the pass also includes three days unlimited travel on MTR Light Rail and MTR Bus.

* The three days unlimited travel commences at the time of first MTR journey and ends 72 hours later.

These cards can be “topped up” in the same way as the standard Octopus Card and will then function as a "normal" Octopus Card. Once "topped -up" the card can be used on all other forms of public transport which accept Octopus Card in addition to MTR.

A refund of the deposit can be obtained by the same method as for the standard “On-loan” Octopus Card.


*CONTENT TAKEN FROM THE PEX . NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED I DO NOT OWN THIS CONTENT THIS BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS


The Octopus card is a must in HONGKONG




The Octopus Card


  The Octopus Card Mini

http://www.octopuscards.com/consumer/en/index.jsp

1 Person 1 Card Policy | Kids ages 3 and above need to avail the Octopus for Children (70HKD minimum)

Where to buy in the airport - Customer Service Counter in the Arrivals Hall near Burger King / Cafe de Coral. PAYABLE BY CASH (HKD) ONLY.

Can be used for following transportations: MTR, All Buses, HK Island Tram, Star Ferry

The Octopus card is a rechargeable contactless stored value smart card used to transfer electronic payments in online or offline systems in Hong Kong. Launched in September 1997 to collect fares for the city's mass transit system, the Octopus card system has since grown into a widely used payment system for virtually all public transport in Hong Kong except the Taxi. You can also use it in Wellcome, 7-Eleven, Mcdonalds, and a whole lot more places.

There is a 50HKD deposit for the card upon purchasing it. The card is refundable if you opt to surrender it upon leaving HK. You may return your Octopus Card at the Customer Service in the airport or at any Octopus Card Service Center in HK. Your 50HKD can be refunded once you return the card plus the money left inside your octopus card.

Remember, when you buy an Octopus Card, you will have to pay 50hkd for the deposit and 100hkd to load it. Your octopus Card will start at 100hkd when you swipe it. Once you already used up the 100hkd and you can't find a place to load your card you may use up to 35hkd of your deposit. So, it's okay to see a negative sign in your Octopus Card. However, you can only go as high as negative 35hkd (-35hkd).

Don't panic when you wave your card and see a negative amount flashing on the screen. Ok lang yan. You still paid for the fare even it's showing negative. But again, you can only goes as high as negative 35 (-35hkd).

If your card is already -35hkd, it's still okay to refund the remaining amount of your deposit. However, if your card is less than 3 months old, you will be charged a 7hkd. So that means you will recieve a total amount of 8hkd na lang..hahaha..naku, i souvenier mo na lang yan...hehehe.

Typical Initial Load = 150 to 250HKD. Octopus Cards for Kids (3-11) are cheaper (around 70HKD).

You can buy the Octopus Card in the Airport or in any MTR station. Minimum Reload is 50HKD, you can reload it in any 7-Eleven store or MTR station.

If you have not added value to your Octopus for 1,000 days or above, your Octopus will be deactivated. You can go to any Customer Service Centre at MTR stations to have it reactivated.

More Information here:
http://www.octopus.com.hk/get-your-o.../en/index.html

By the way, this is how you wave your card


How to use:

For MTR: Tap once to enter, tap once to exit (on destination station)
For Bus: Tap once upon entering on the front door
For Trams: Tap once upon exiting on the front door. Enter at the back.



* NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED I DO NOT OWN THIS CONTENT THIS BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS


To DO list when you landed @ Hong Kong International Airport


Hong Kong International Airport.

HKIA Official Website: http://www.hongkongairport.com

HKIA (Hong Kong International Airport) is a big airport. Before your plane land or before you walk away from your plane, always PAY ATTENTION to the stewardess telling everyone the Luggage Counter Number to pick up your luggage or where you should be heading to for the HK immigration. If you don't want to look like a "first timer" just follow where the crowds go. Chances are you will have to take a 1 minute train ride from airport B to airport A.

1. Get off the plane
2. Pay Attention to the luggage counter number
3. Head to the Immigration Line (grabe the free maps on the way there)
4. After passing the immigration officer the door to his back is the luggage pick-up area
5. Find your luggage section (it's very easy to find coz it's in numeric order)
6. Pick up your luggage
7. Get brochures and maps. They are everywhere in the luggage counter area.Plus they are FREE
8. After picking up your luggage, there is only 1 Door with a big signs "Something to declare / Nothing to Declare" and that's the exit door.
9. After you exit the "Something to declare / Nothing to Declare" door, you will find a few Airport money changer. (Do not change a lot as airport exchange rates are ripped off)
10. Look for the Customer Service Counter. This is the place where you buy your OCTOPUS CARD.*
11. Lunch at the airport or leave the airport and head directly to your hotel.

*CTS should be in this vicinity, if you can't find it, ask the customer service.




*CONTENT TAKEN FROM THE PEX . NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED I DO NOT OWN THIS CONTENT THIS BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS


RECOMMENDED HOSTEL, LODGE, INN, / HOTEL IN HONGKONG


Taisan Guesthouse (Tsim Sha Tsui)
http://www.hktaisanguesthouse.com/eng/index.htm
*Computer/Internet Provided in each room*
*Store 1 has the best location/newly renovated but 2 and 3 are not that far away, just a bit older*

Disclaimer: There have been instances where bookings were not honored (rooms given away to other people or different room type provided upon arrival. These happened to people arriving in the afternoon, those who didn't arrive at the specified time, or those who didn't confirm their booking.) If you do not need a computer inside your room, this takes away Taisan's advantage over other hostels. But if you do not want to pay a deposit online, then Taisan is the best choice. It is best that you book through the contact information below but this thread does not guarantee that everything will go 100% smoothly.

City Econo Guesthouse (Jordan)
http://www.cityecono.com/

Dragon Hostel (Mongkok)
http://www.dragonhostel.com/
*Free Wifi*

Golden Crown Guesthouse (Tsim Sha Tsui)
http://www.goldencrownhk.com/
*Great location for 1st timers*
*Free Wifi*

Hop Inn Hostel (Tsim Sha Tsui)
http://hotel.zoapiere.com/en.html?article=&id=26

Sun Kong Hostel (Causeway Bay)
http://www.sunkong.com.hk/

Marlboro Hostel (Causeway Bay)
http://www.179.hk/Cusac_Marlboro_EN.html
http://www.marlborohostel.com/
*Located in a shopping district*
*2 Computers provided for free*

Other Options:

Star World Guest House (Tsim Sha Tsui)
http://www.hkstarworldguesthouse.com/

The Nest (Mongkok)
http://www.thenest.com.hk
*High End Hostel*

Lee Garden / Star Guest House (Tsim Sha Tsui)
http://www.starguesthouse.com.hk/info.html

USA Hostel (Tsim Sha Tsui)
http://www.usahotel.com.hk

Railei Hostel (Mongkok)
http://www.179.hk/Cusac_RaiLei_Hotel_EN.html

Cosmic Guesthouse (Tsim Sha Tsui)
http://www.cosmicguesthouse.com/

Taisan Guesthouse - call Ate Yolly at (852) 2366 8273 or (852) 2739 1673 for reservations


Dragon Hostel - email Stanley at dragonhostel@yahoo.com, they would ask for deposit


Hop Inn (new guesthouse located at Hankow Rd. TST) - email enquiry.hopinn@gmail.com

Budget/Good Value Hotels:

BP International (TST)
Bridal Teahouse (YMT) - Cheap but Decent 1 Star Hotel
Butterfly on the Prat (TST) - Brand New Hotel / Glass CRs with curtain very near MTR and 7-11, Free use of PC @ lobby, wi-fi in rooms
Citadines Ashley (TST)
Evergreen Hotel (Jordan) - Another Cheap but Decent 2 Star Hotel
Hotel Benito (TST) - Great Location
JJ Hotel (Wanchai) - Glass CRs with curtain
Shamrock Hotel (Jordan)

Other Choices:

The Cityview (Mongkok)
Courtyard by Marriott (Western)
Dorsett FAR East (Tsuen Wan)
Dorsett Seaview (YMT) - Best location among 3 Dorsett's
Dorsett Kowloon (Olympic)
Eaton Hotel (Jordan)
Excelsior Hotel (CWB)
Holiday Inn Golden Mile (TST)
Intercontinental Grand Stanford (TST East)
Kimberley Hotel (TST)
Louie Business Hotel (TST)
Marco Polo Prince (TST)
Marco Polo Gateway (TST)
Metropark Causeway Bay (CWB)
Metropark Kowloon (Mongkok)
Panda Hotel (Tsuen Wan)
Panorama by Rhombus (TST/TST East)
Park Hotel (TST)
Park Lane Hotel (CWB)
Prudential Hotel (TST)
Ramada Hotel (S. TST)
Royal Plaza (Mongkok East)
South Pacific Hotel (Wanchai)
W Hotel (Kowloon Station/TST West)
YMCA Salisbury (TST) 

Hotels for Honeymooners:

YMCA Salisbury - Harbour View Room (TST)
Intercontinental Hong Kong (TST)
Langham Place (Mongkok)
W Hotel (Kowloon Station/TST West)
Luxe Manor (TST)
Lanson Place (Causeway Bay)
Four Seasons (Central)

Hotels with 2 Double Bed Rooms (4 Adults):

Marco Polo Gateway - TST
Park Lane - Causeway Bay
L`Hotel Nina - Tsuen Wan / Tsuen Wan West (Very Affordable 5 Star Hotel - Sacrifice Location)

Hotel to Avoid -> Imperial Hotel (TST) - Dirty/Old/Small - Read the reviews at Tripadvisor.

Tsuen Wan is very far from the city center so avoid staying here as much as possible. Plenty of time will be eaten by transportation travel time. Same goes with staying in Lantau Island (Novotel Citygate) and Tsing Yi (Mexan Harbour Hotel).

As much as possible get a hotel which is located near an MTR station for your own convenience.

IF YOUR HOTEL IS NOT LISTED ABOVE, GO TO WWW.TRIPADVISOR.COM FOR REVIEWS/PHOTOS.

Booking Hotels Online:

If you plan to reside on hotels, you can choose among the available hotels in online booking websites such as Expedia.com, Wotif.com, Hotels.com, Agoda.com and Asiatravel.com. These sites are SAFE.

These sites will allow you to check the room rates of your chosen hotel for a specific date by mock booking. Mock booking is FREE.

When booking, these sites will ask for your credit card and either charge you immediately, or they will charge you if you failed to pay your hotel during your stay or if you are a no-show. Procedures depend on the 3rd party website. Some booking websites will let you pay upon check-out of your hotel.

FOR HOSTELS, PLEASE VISIT THEIR WEBSITE FOR BOOKING DETAILS.


*CONTENT TAKEN FROM THE PEX . NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED I DO NOT OWN THIS CONTENT THIS BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS


List of Reliable Money Changers in Hongkong and Metro Manila


List of Reliable Money Changers in Hongkong:

WING HOI Money changer
9B, Ground Floor, inside Mirador Mansion
58 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
(Reachable by MTR, Tsim Sha Tsui Station)
Office Hours: 8am to 8pm (7pm if there are no more customers)
Average Rate of Winghoi: 7.7HKD +/- a few cents for 1USD

Alternative for those going to Worldwide House or those bringing Peso:

Frankie Exchange Co. - Shop 144, 1F, Worldwide House

FOR THE BEST RATES, BRING US DOLLARS.


To check the current exchange rates, go here: 
www.xe.com
List of Reliable Money Changers in Metro Manila

EDSEN Money Changer
Along Mabini Street, Manila
From Hyatt Casino sa Mabini st. just go straight. On the left side yun EDSEN Money Changer.

CZARINA BRANCHES (ask for the main office if your buying more than the branches can sell)
Makati
Quad I, 2/F, Jewelry Row, Ayala Center
Upper Level, The Plaza Bldg., Greenbelt Commercial Center
Makati Cinema Square, Pasong Tamo
Blanco Center, 119 Alfaro Street, Salcedo Village
Alabang
Alabang Town Center, Madrigal Avenue
Pasig
Mega Plaza Building, ADB Avenue cor. Garnet Road, Ortigas Center
Quezon City
G/F New Farmer's Plaza, Gen. Roxas St., Araneta Center, Cubao
Philam Building, G/F, Araneta Blvd. cor. Araneta Avenue, Cubao
Ever-Gotesco Mall, Lower G/F, Commonwealth Avenue
Cainta
Q. Plaza Commercial Complex, Felix Avenue cor. Marcos Highway
Makro DMCI Compound, Felix Avenue
Caloocan City
Ever-Gotesco Plaza, Supermarket Section, Rizal Avenue Extension, Grace Park
Hongkong
Czarina Remittance Ltd. (Hong Kong)
163 1/F Worldwide House, Des Voeux Road, Central Hong Kong
Tel: (852)310-19872 Fax: (852)310-19873

ASIANFX BRANCHES
Greenhills Branch
Bridgeway Shops Greenhills Shopping Center
San Juan, Metro Manila
726-7594
Market Market Branch
Ground Floor, The Themed Bazaar
Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Metro Manila
8867672
Gateway Mall Branch
3rd Level Gateway Mall Araneta
Center Cubao Quezon City
913-3319
Main Office
Address: Unit 204 Rufino Plaza, Ayala Avenue corner V.A. Rufino Street, Makati City
Contact Nos.:
(632) 843-7546 (direct lines)
(632) 843-7547
(632) 8897314
(632) 750-2390 (Fax No)

SANRY'S
Greenlanes Arcade, Greenhills, San Juan

*CONTENT TAKEN FROM THE PEX . NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED I DO NOT OWN THIS CONTENT THIS BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS


BUDGET NEEDED TO SURVIVE HONGKONG


You would be needing approximately P20,000 to P25,000 budget per person on a 4D3N Trip
(It can be as low as P15,000 depending on your airfare and accommodation)

For the best exchange rates, first convert a small amount of your Peso to HKD in a local foreign exchange, like Czarina, you have to present at least one (1) valid ID, then the rest to USD. Exchange your USD in HK to HKD in the recommended forex section.

The airport has a slightly lower exchange rate than other money changers in HK. Get the exchange rate of the airport, when you see a money changer that has a better rate than the airport, you do not have to go to the suggested money changer in the 
forex section. .

PHP to HKD has a POOR exchange rate in HK so it's better to bring USD if you plan to exchange abroad.


Friday, October 8, 2010

SHENZHEN, CHINA




The Window of the World (Chinese世界之窗 (alternatively 小人国)pinyinShìjiè zhī Chuāng) is a theme park located in the western part of the city of Shenzhen in the People's Republic of China


It has about 130 reproductions of some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world squeezed into 48 hectares (480,000 square meters). 


The 108 meter (354 ft) tall Eiffel Tower dominates the skyline and the sight of the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal all in proximity to each other are all part of the appeal of this theme park.


I went there together with my cousins and friends and we had so much fun exploring the whole park from sun up to sun down.


My cousin and I even rode the lift @ the eifel tower! It was shaking at the top so we went down right away, scary! ha ha ha!

Travel & Leisure - Top Blogs Philippines


MACAU: THE VENETIAN HOTEL


MACAU: The Venetian Hotel

We visited Macau from Manila, Philippines via Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane which flies directly to Macau daily. It is a small plane much like what AIR ASIA uses.
When you step inside the Venetian Hotel complex, you would feel that you are in Europe.
The famous Gondola ride in Macau The Venetian Hotel
A view from the sidelines


BASIC FACTS ABOUT HONGKONG


Hong Kong - THE BEST DESTINATION FOR FIRST TIME INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS!

Basic Information: 

  • A British Colony Until 1997 Handover to China
  • Currency: Hong Kong Dollar (Approx. 1HKD = 6PHP)
  • Electricity is same as Philippines, 220V but sockets are different
  • Summers are Wet, Hot and Humid (April to October) | Winters are Cold and Dry (December to February)
  • Territory is relatively small but very dense, packed and fast-paced lifestyle
  • Right-hand drive, look at left and right sides when crossing the street
  • Visa is NOT required for Filipino citizens (maximum stay of 14 days)
  • Do not be worried about HK immigrations, nothing to fear when you don't have plans of being a TNT
  • Primary Language: Cantonese | Secondary: English and Mandarin
  • Standard of Living is much higher than the Philippines so expect everything to be more expensive starting with bottled water
  • 1 Hour ferry ride to Macau (Visa NOT Required for Macau, Passport needed)
  • Shenzhen is accessible from HK by Train (KCR). CHINESE VISA REQUIRED.
  • Common sense for safety is required, watch out for pickpockets and "salisi" gangs.
  • Hong Kong is a very tourist friendly city, signs are all bilingual and are everywhere. You can hardly get lost.
  • Hong Kong is much much more than Ocean Park and Disneyland.
  • Hong Kong consists of 3 major parts: Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong Island and New Territories.
  • Hong Kong is synonymous to walking, prepare for long walks so bring comfortable shoes
  • Travelling around HK: The subway (MTR) will take you to most places, if not, the bus will. If there are 4 of you, the taxi sometimes becomes a cheaper and more convenient alternative to the subway.
  • Do not be afraid to explore HK, in the case you get lost, just head to the nearest MTR exit or take a taxi and give your address.
  • A 5 minute walk for Hongkongers means 10 minutes walk for Filipinos (since most of them are briskwalkers).
  • Hong Kong may seem small but it takes time to fully appreciate it.
  • Hong Kong is generally safe even for solo/female travellers but common-sense and vigilance is still required.
  • Left-Side of the Escalator is for people who are in a hurry, do not block their path by staying on this side.
*CONTENT TAKEN FROM THE PEX . NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED I DO NOT OWN THIS CONTENT THIS BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS

see also


DO-IT-YOURSELF LABUAN, MALAYSIA


DO-IT-YOURSELF LABUAN, MALAYSIA


If you are in Brunei and planning to have a day trip to Labuan, Malaysia, you can do it yourself!
We took the earliest bus from the bus terminal in Bandar Seri Begawan ( the capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Brunei) to get to the main ferry terminal in Brunei - the Serasa Ferry Terminal in MUARA before 7:30 a.m. Good thing that buses normally left at 8:00 a.m. because they usually wait for another 30 minutes to get more passengers. Yes, as many as possible but they sail even with only one passenger aboard. The terminal is about 25 kms. from Bandar Seri Begawan. 
Getting there: There are purple buses (No. 38) linking the ferry terminal with  Bandar Seri Begawan. Earliest Bus leaves at around 6:40 a.m. The shuttle costs B$2 per person and takes about 40 minutes to an hour to arrive at the ferry terminal from the bus terminal in Bandar Seri Begawan. Or you can just take a tour van / taxi. Bus leaves the terminal even if there are only (4) four passengers like in our case.
Please note that you need to pay a tax  or "cukai kepala" to get out of Brunei. Currently slated @ B$2 per ferry ticket. Inquire at the counter or travel agents if you didn't get the tax coupon when purchasing the tickets.
There are five (5) scheduled Ferries that leaves Brunei to Labuan, Malaysia everyday. With additional service on weekends. Ferries from Brunei to Labuan usually take about an hour to an hour and a half. The ticket price is B$15  for adults plus a B$1.00 terminal fee. Child is B$10.

Note: Always bring your passport with you. I am not connected in anyway to the above travel agents nor I was given any commission whatsoever. I just thought some of you might like to call to double check about the schedules. Please leave a comment if you like me to edit the picture so I could take out the name and contact # of that travel agent. Thank you.
Unlike the KK-Brunei direction, there is no two-ferry "package" nor can you book tickets in advance.

A single journey ticket from Labuan to Brunei will cost you 35 Malaysian Ringit.  There are two ferries on a daily basis. One leaves at 8 AM, the other at 1:30 PM.

The ferry is air-conditioned. It gets a bit cold inside the ferry so better bring a light sweater. There's a TV in front playing a comedy series in Bahasa language. 

At the arrival hall of Labuan are flyers and counters for renting cars or motorbikes which are popular choices for foreigners who would like to explore the city on their own. Rental of a motorbike costs around 30 ringgit per day. Rent for a Proton Gen-2 car would cost you some 70 ringgit, which is not bad for driving around Labuan in style. You will also see lots of paper ads for different guest houses in Labuan.
There's a lot of Filipinos in Labuan especially at the duty-free stores. They work there either as cashier or saleslady/ salesman.
According to a Pinoy who showed us around Labuan, some Filipinos are undocumented workers who arrived in Labuan as tourist. There is rampant forgery of work permits and identifications cards (ICs) in Labuan. The outflow of Muslims from Mindanao to Sabah was welcomed by Malaysia. Human smuggling become lucrative and corruption becomes rampant in recent years.
Please be warned that a lot of Filipinas ended up in prostitution dens in this little island town of Malaysia. Some even allegedly end up in drug trafficking. This is so sad. I hope the Philippine government would do something about this.
Going Back from Labuan Malaysia to Brunei:

The Labuan Ferry Terminal is an international port. So, you would have to go through the immigration counter if you are going to or coming from Brunei.
  
The terminal is small so getting lost is not an issue. The ticket counter is just next to the arrival hall.

Both ferries in our Brunei to Labuan and  Labuan to Brunei journey were not full. 

Lots of vacant seats are available. The toilet was pretty nasty though. It has a flush but the toilet looked so unsanitary. And the smell inside the ferry is not something you’d really like. It smells like crude oil.  The ferry ride lasts for just less than an hour and a half.

Upon arrival at MUARA Terminal in Brunei, you have to line up for the immigration again. And then you would have to have your things go through the Customs’ X-Ray.  I saw some Ferry Terminal police officer and security guards watching a Tagalog teleserye dubbed in Malay. They were watching Jericho Rosales. Lol!

There's a bus waiting for passengers outside MUARA Terminal, Brunei. We immediately boarded the bus that brought us back to the city center of BSB. Muara belongs to a different district. BSB is also in a different area, so expect around 40 minutes to an hour of travel.  Fare is B$2

Enjoy!


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