Say Aloha Hawaii: Make Your Own Havaianas 2015

By    Thursday, May 07, 2015 //

Can you say the word Havaianaticos five times, fast without messing up?
Try it now. Go!
---

*Aloha!~
It's that time of the year again where #Havaianacos can mix and match soles, straps and pins through the yearly Make Your Own Havaianas!


This year's theme is a big luau party! To me, that means the sun and waves, palm trees and tikis, the laid back atmosphere, fresh coconuts and pineapples! Like this -- Haha! Kidding.


That's exactly how the Glorietta Activity Center looks like right now for the 10th year of MYOH. Every bit of the theme is well thought out and coordinated to cite the original inspiration of the brand -- Hawaii.



And oh! Did you know that the word Havaianas means "Hawaiians" in Portuguese?


Unlike the previous years where it is only held in one venue, #MYOH2015 is going to be a nationwide simultaneous event from May 7 to 10 and everyone's invited to make their own pair!

Here's the complete list of participating branches:

Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/havainasphilippines

Here's how you can customize your pair:

Step 1: Choose your sole
Choose whether you want your pair in Top Style, Slim Sole or Commemorative.

Step 2: Choose your strap
You may use the roulette to mix and match your straps, or customize it online at http://myoh.havaianasphilippines.com/#customize. The combinations are endless! Take your time because I swear! it's not easy to choose! Girl Problems. Haha! 

But oh well, okay lang din if you want to purchase all of the combinations you want! Hah!


Step 3: Choose your pins.
This year, they have 27 pins to choose from: Vintage Luau (Aloha, Coconut, Hula Girl, Hibiscus, Pineapple, Hawaiian Shirt and Ukelele) Hawaiian Adventure (Beach Bum, Rainbow, Sailboat, Surf and Road Trip) Under The Sea (Dolphin, Fish, Shell, Starfish and Tail) Hawaiian Take-Out (Burger, Coffee, Hotdog and Musubi) Summer Social (Camera, Heart and Thumbs Up) and Crystals (Red Crystal, Mandala 1 and 2)

Here are my top choices:


Side Story:
During the event, I was lucky enough to stumble on Ms. Laureen Uy of Break My Style. 

Starstruck moment. Haha! Nakakahiya! I saw her, and just said: "Hi!" on my regular high-pitch and smiled. Imagine yung parang nagkaron ka ng 2-second delay. I didn't say anything until my friend said, "Can we take a picture with you?" Haha! Ang akward! 

..and then after taking the photos, she said: "Have you decided on your pair? Lika, I'll help you!~"

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.

Look at us, so serious!~
So cute! Then we realized that we chose the same pins for our commemorative pair!

Step 4: Smile! and let your Havaianas Flip-Flops Assembler do their magic!


This is Hannah. My bubbly flip-flops assembler!

Price Range:
  • Top Sole and Top Strap - Php 895.00
  • Top Sole and Top Metallic Strap - Php 945.00
  • Slim Sole and Slim Strap - Php 945.00
  • Commemorative Top and Top Strap - Php 995.00
  • Commemorative Slim Sole and Slim Strap - Php 1,045.00
  • Pins - Php 100.00 to 150.00 each

Curious about my pair? Here's what I got:

2015 Commemorative Pair with Red Strap, Pineapple and Hibiscus Pins!



Slim Sole with Aubergine Strap, Surf's Up, Starfish and Road Trip Pins



Another great news is that Havaianas is currently having an Instagram contest entitled: #SayAlohaHawaii! Where they'll be giving away round trip tickets for two to Honolulu!

All you have to do is just UPLOAD your MYOH 2015 Flip-Flops Photo with the required caption, tags (@havainasphils) and hashtags (#MYOH2015 and #SayAlohaHawaii)! It's that simple!

Promo runs from May 5 to May 20, 2015.
Announcement of Winners will be on May 29, 2015.



So, what are you waiting for? Head on to the nearest branch
and get your own customized pair, now!

Don't forget to share your pairs in the comments!
I'm excited to see what you guys came up with!~
Wootwoo!

Mahalo, Havaianas!~

From An Outsider: A Basic Survival Guide in Melaka, Malaysia [Part 2 of 4: Places of Interest]

By    Thursday, April 30, 2015 //

Let me tell you a story.

This is me.


Current Backpacking Status: Newbie.
Map Reading Skills: Zero!
Navigation Proficiency: Less than 20%. with or without Google Map.
My Current Word? Overwhelmed.

---
Selamat Datang, Malaysia! Welcome to Malaysia!

I arrived in Melaka Sentral Station at around 11:00 in the morning. "Head over to Platform 17" that's what I kept telling myself.. "Head over to Platform 17". A few minutes in, and I still can't find it. omg! My trip had barely started yet, and I can't believe I'm lost already!

 Srsly, Julie? 

I kept following the directions written all over the station, but I still can't find it! What is happening here? My first instinct is to check in Google Maps, but of course, being away from home means having limited resources. "Relax, you can do this.." I kept reminding myself. "you can do this!".

Hah! I must have walked around the whole bus station thrice, before I found it.
oh! good lord, what have i gotten myself into?

On the road headed to the old city, I was holding on to a few notes I've gathered for this trip. One of the travel guides I've read says it's 15 minutes away from the station, while the other says 30. I asked a few locals, but nobody can answer. Seems like, I'm in a bus full of people who barely understands English. Oh! Great! Now I'm starting to get a little too paranoid. Still trying to act cool, mind you, but I think I'm going to get lost.

Haha! Okay. I'm exaggerating a bit.

Upon arriving to the old city, I did what I think is the most logical thing -- go straight to the tourism office to ask questions and get myself an actual map. I was trying to document my whole experience on video, and geez! Can you believe that I've actually said the word overwhelmed, about 10 times in the first two minutes? Haha!

This is me. As I try to analyze the map. 

As much as I wanted to kick myself for not taking this into consideration. Nandyan na yan. Note to self nalang when I get home to make an effrort to study! Haha! So I decided to brush off the fear and told myself:
"This is your first back packing trip, 
and every bit is going to be part of your adventure. 
Who cares if you get lost? 
Just trust your instinct and enjoy!"

Still feeling overwhelmed, I held on to a map I couldn't read or understand, and decided to head on to where I am most familiar:


(1) The Dutch Square. Also known as the Red Square, where the distinctive red structures such as Stadhuys (built in 1650), Christ Church (built in 1753) and the Tang Beng Swee Clock Tower (built in 1886) is harbored. 

Probably the most photographed in the whole city of Melaka because of its arguable beauty. In my 3 days here, I always find myself going back to this spot to just sit and let time pass. I like it here. Old architecture, vibrant flowers, and an unending flock of tourist trying to have their pictures taken.


For some reason during this trip, I didn't feel like talking to anyone. I didn't really want to be alone either, so whenever I feel tired, I would just sit here, sometimes with my earphones on, till I get absorbed watching the crowd.


I was wandering aimlessly one afternoon, when a big water wheel towards the river caught my attention. It's (2) The Melaka - Malay Sultanate Waterwheel -- built in 2007; one of the city's grand structure that graced the historical river for it's symbolism of continuous evolution.

I didn't really noticed it at first, or maybe I did, I just didn't really think it's worth stopping by until it turned dark, and the lights transformed the old city.

It was beautiful! Actually, lahat nung structure, mas maganda sa gabi.. hehe! :p


There's also the (3) Menara Taming Sari Revolving Tower. If you're like me who's hopeless at map reading, and you want an immediate hindsight of the city, then I suggest you take this and enjoy a panoramic view of the city (..and the sunset!) from 80 meters high.

I didn't and the only reason why is because I find it rather expensive to spend RM 25 (~Php 303) for a 7-minute viewing experience. Hypothetically speaking though, if I wasn't on a tight budget, I would have taken it to watch the golden hour. Na-imagine ko! That would be awesome!


(4) St. Paul's Church. An alternative to the sunset viewing at the Menara Taming Sari is to go up hill Saint Paul's Church. It's free. You can take your time and stay as long as you want. Hah! Of course that's what I did.


Like what I always did in the previous days, I was at the Dutch Square. I was feeling a bit creative, so I took out a pen and paper to sketch. Three strokes in and I suddenly felt the urge to move somewhere else. Somewhere quiet. 

The sun was about to set, when I realized that I still didn't have a decent photo of this church yet. So, perfect! That's where I'm going to end the night. I told myself. I believe there's only about 10 other tourist at that time, so it's pretty much like a breath of fresh air for me after spending most of my afternoons at the crowded red square. 

Didn't gave it justice, but the caption speaks true..
It's the perfect place for some peace and quiet.

I sat down in front of the church, where a guy was also seated about 3 feet away. While the rest is busy taking photos of the sunset. We both could have said a few words, but we didn't. I assume that we share the same reason why we went up there, so we both stayed quiet. 

It's starting to turn dark, when I stood up to leave. I smiled at him and I hope he knew that I was thanking him for that rare quiet moment. 

(5) Melaka Strait Mosque. 
If there's one thing that I vowed never to miss on my trip, that would be the churches. Whether be of Christian's, Temples or Mosques. Although in this case, to be honest, it wasn't really part of the plan. 

I didn't even notice it on the map! 
Haha! See how hopeless? 

When a friend sent me a photo of this mosque during sunset, I had doubts. I knew I wanted to visit, but I think it is a little bit too far. Tourism officers said it's best to take a cab because no public transportation goes anywhere within the area. To me, that's an immediate red flag. I already knew that it would be too expensive, and I wasn't convince to spend a huge amount just yet.

Lo and behold, on my last day, when the staff from my hostel offered me a 10% discount on duck tours, I gave in. Must be an effective sales talk, but whatever. RM 45 (~Php 563) for the Melaka Straits Mosque and the River Cruise? I thought I was hitting two birds with one stone.

Although thinking about it now, it would have been cheaper to just rent a bike. Haha! But that's another thing I have yet to discover -- I'm not sure if I still know how to ride a bicycle. The last time I did was when I was 10 years old, I believe, but does one really forget?  Oh hum.


Whichever option you take, don't miss it. If you're into fancy architecture, I'm sure you'll love it too! It's the best one I've seen so far and I didn't regret spending a huge amount just to see it on this angle. Still wishing that the tour is available during sunset, but oh well, I still think it's worth it and even up to now, I'm still in love with it. 


Aside from architecture, another way of experiencing a local culture is through their cuisine. That's where (6) Jonker Walk comes in. This street, undoubtedly, is all about local food and souvenir. 

Ever heard of Cendol? Chicken Rice Ball? Satay and Ketupat? Bak Kut Teh? How does Fried Squid and Oyster sound? or Pot Ice Cream, perhaps? Durian Puffs? and Laksa? 

Ok. I'm hungry.

Other points of interest:







To tell you honestly, it was not until the last day, when I finally figured out the map. Ironic because I think the old city is a small town and everything is within an easy walking distance. Nawala talaga ang skills ko!

But you know, this is what I learned, travel challenges us so we can delve into ourselves deeply while discovering something new -- may it be about our personality or the foreign place we're in. We'll get scared sometimes, and that's okay.. but don't ever allow it to take over, because if you do, you're likely to miss great opportunities along the way. Like this whole trip for me, for example. So, don't you everr! Okay?

---
This blog post is the 2nd in a 4-part Basic Survival Guide Series.
Below are the rest of the links to keep you guided:

From An Outsider: A Basic Survival Guide in Melaka, Malaysia [Part 1 of 4: How To Get There and Where To Stay]

By    Thursday, April 30, 2015 //

Backpacking
a form of low-cost, independent, international travel that includes: the use of a backpack that is easily carried for long distances or long periods of time; the use of public transport; inexpensive lodging such as hostels; often with an interest in meeting locals as well as seeing sight -- wikipedia

Whew! Keywords: low-cost and inexpensive.
Now this is going to be a challenge for this newbie backpacker.

Last February, I decided to go to Malacca, for my first solo-backpacking trip. With just about Php 5,000 in hand for a 3-day/night stay, coming in from Singapore,  I took the challenge of taking a low-cost trip overseas without spending more than a Php 1,000 per day.

How well do you think I made it?

Below are the links for the Melaka Series.
A basic survival guide, if you will, if ever you decide to take this trip as well.

  • Part 1: How To Get There and Where To Stay
  • Part 2: Places of Interest
  • Part 3: Must Try Food, Transportation and Tips
  • Part 4: Sample Itinerary and Breakdown of Expenses

Okay. Okay. before anything else, here's a video overview of my stay in Melaka. Be the judge and let me know in the comments if  this 1-minute video convinced you to visit the old city. Enjoy!


#1 – How to get there:

From Singapore to Malaysia:
Take a bus on Queen Street Bus Terminal (Singapore - Johore Express Terminal) bound to Malacca, Melaka Sentral. Travel time is around 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic and how long it takes to cross the Singapore-Malaysia immigration borders. (~SGD 20 or Php 660). 

**On Melaka Sentral, head over to Platform 17, then take a Panorama Bus bound to Ujong Pasir. (~RM 1.50 or Php 18.20; travel time is 30 minutes) You'll know you've reached your destination once you see the Dutch Square.


From the Kuala Lumpur International Airport:
Take the KLIA express train to TBS Bus Station (Bandar Tasik Selatan), then take a bus bound to Melaka Sentral. Travel time is around 2 to 3 hours. 

 Here are 3 ways to get a bus ticket from TBS:

  • Line up at the counter and give your destination. They will inform you which bus can accommodate you the soonest, including bus rates, and you can just choose from there.
  • If you're alone, and would like to avoid long queues at the counter, you can use the electronic bus machines to buy your tickets in cash.
  • Or you can also book a ticket online through:
    www.busonlineticket.com or www.easybook.com
Once you're at the Melaka Sentral, head over to Platform 17 and take a bus going to the old city.
You may refer to the details listed above for the complete infos **

 Going back to Melaka Sentral:
The route of Panorama Bus #17 is a loop line to and from Melaka Sentral, meaning you could take it at the same place where you got off upon arriving to the Old City. According to the operators, the first bus arrives at around 6:30 AM and runs in a 30-minute interval until 8:00 in the evening.

If you are going to catch an early bus going back to Singapore, an alternative is to take a taxi. The ride from the Menara Taming Sari to Melaka Sentral will cost around RM 35 (~Php 426), or could be less, but will mostly depend on your haggling skills since meters are generally not used for tourists.

#2 – Where to stay:

 BACKPACKER'S FREAK
# 25-3, Jalan PM 2, Plaza Mahkota, Melaka, Malaysia
Landmark: located in front of the Menara Taming Sari
Contact Number: +606 286 6879
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Melaka.Backpackers.Freak
Types of Rooms: Dorm Room, Private Room

Backpacker's Freak is located right between the green facade and Zippo in Plaza Mahkota.

This hostel provides basic accommodation for budget travelers. The rooms are very very basic. Nothing fancy, but not really lacking on anything as well. The beds are moderately comfortable, with clean sheets, what else are you going to need? My only complain, I guess, is that their beds are a bit squeaky, but, well.. it didn't really bother me during my sleep so hmm.. it's okay. Bathrooms are shared, and are relatively clean. Free usage of kitchen facilities, wi-fi and there's no curfew. A fan - dorm room costs RM 18 (~Php218) per night or RM 25 (~Php 303) if you want to include a breakfast. 

The staff was very friendly, and I have to say very accommodating on the requests that I had during my stay. One thing that I find notable is when I was about to check out of the hostel at 6:00 in the morning, the staff was there at the counter, who obviously just woke up to assist me, even though it was clearly stated at the reception, that if guests would need assistance on anything during wee hours, they would have to go the main hotel, which is a block away from the hostel.

It may be a small thing for some, but, I really appreciate small efforts like that. This staff, gets that "the little things make a huge difference" and I'm kind of regretting that I didn't took note of his name.

and oh! did I mention that he even offered discount coupon for me for the Menara Taming Sari and Duck Tours?

 Other choices for accommodation includes:
  • ROOF TOP GUEST HOUSE AND HOSTEL
    #39 Jalan Kampong Pantai, Melaka, Malaysia
    Landmark: located near the Melaka River and Jonker Walk
    Contact Number: (+60) 12 327 77 46
    Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rooftop-Guest-House-Melaka
    Types of Rooms: Dorm Rooms, Private Rooms
  • ORIENTAL RIVERSIDE RESIDENCE
    #78 Jalan Kampung Pantai, Melaka, Malaysia
    Landmark: located near the Famosa Chicken Rice Shop (Junction) and Melaka River
    Contact Number: (+60) 14 260 08 67
    Website: http://www.orientalresidence.wordpress.com
    Types of Rooms: Private Rooms
  • KAWAN KAWAN GUESTHOUSE
    #36 Jalan Tukang Besi, Melaka, Malaysia
    Landmark: located near Jonker Street and Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball Restaurant
    Contact Number: (+60) 12 219 67 88
    Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MelakaKawanKawanGuestHouse
    Types of Rooms: Private Rooms
  • RIVER VIEW GUESTHOUSE
    # 94 & 96, Jalan Kampong Pantai, Melaka, Malaysia
    Landmark: located near Jonker Street and Baba-Nonya Heritage Museum
    Contact Number: (+60) 12 327 77 46
    Website: http://www.riverviewguesthouse.blogspot.com
    Types of Rooms: Dorm Rooms, Private Rooms

---
Okay. So now that we're settled and we have a place to stay...
Let's head on to the more exciting details of the trip, shall we?

Click Here for the 2nd part of this series: Part 2 of 4: Places of Interest



Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...