Adventure Accounting

Time to use the Japan Rail Pass again. The trip from JR Kyoto to JR Nara station took almost an hour. I felt the fatigue creeping in my me that day so I played snoozefest with my alarm that morning. It was around 10am when I landed in JR Nara station. Train heading to Nara An officemate went to Nara the previous year and I was enchanted with the roaming wild deer in Nara Park. It would be fun to meet a Bambi in person. Bambi Nara Park is a 25-minute walk from JR Nara Station – says the tourist information person. You can also take public transportation going there but why rush? Walking is always part of the adventure. I made a stop in CoCo Curry House for some filling mid-morning “snack”. Passed bu Kōfuku-ji Temple. A bunch of Japanese schoolboys offered to take my picture. I forgot to change the settings back to "Vivid colors" mode.  I was giddy with excitement to see a deer.Weeeeee! One approached me cautiously.  Any...

We were lucky enough to find a van who charged us relatively cheap. We got it at Php 12,000 for 3D2N. Others charged us Php 15,000 excluding gas for the same itinerary. Approximate Cost per pax Van Rental with Gas(Php 12,000/9 pax) 1,333.33 Punta Riviera Rooms (Php 11,500/9) 1,277.78 Meals in Bolinao 500.00 Transient House in Lucap (Php 3,000/9) 333.33 Contribution for food in Alaminos 300.00 Entrance fee of Hundred Islands Park 20.00 Lunch on the way home 100.00 Pasalubong/Souvenirs 500.00 TOTAL 4,364.44

I’ve seen plenty of postcards of the Hundred Islands in Pangasinan. I dreamed of seeing the actual beauty of the place someday. But I didn’t plan to see the place reeling from the aftermath of a typhoon.