A Quick Guide to Sea Journeys in the Country

The Philippines is composed of several thousand islands, and one of the main forms of transportation is by boat. Ranging from small vessels with or without engines to huge luxury cruise ships.

Today, I will be talking about something in the middle of those two: ships that offer the bare minimum for crossing the open sea.

Booking
Unlike large companies with online booking (like those with numerals in their names), smaller companies often only allow physical booking a few days before departure. Some may offer "waiting lists" but you aren't really guaranteed a place until you have a ticket as kick-offs are common  Ticketing offices are often (but not always) near the pier and will have some way of contact, usually via phone. Call and ask for details regarding location, hours and scheduling as FB queries may be inefficient. Trips are very easily affected by tides, weather, etc. so don't trust posted schedules so easily: even a schedule posted yesterday may be incorrect! You can also ask locals but note that information may be outdated, especially if the ship runs afoul of something.

Tickets
Ticketing offices will often ask for full names and IDs. Generally, I've found that your full name will be displayed on the ticket if you will be getting cots, but not if you will be in a seat (though they do take names). The former will also come with a bunk number while the latter is a free for all. If the latter, board early for better seating...

Accomodations
Seats/bunks are often divided into two: economy and tourist class. Most lines will not have private rooms except for the bigger ones. There is very little difference between the two except for pricing, number of bunks available, airconditioning and a separate bathroom (which is honestly still often used by the economy class). Also, be prepared for seat shuffling even if you have a bunk number: I've found that seniors tend to demand you move if you have a bunk they fancy...

The Pier
Be at the pier generally an hour before departure. Immediately outside or inside are porters who will take your luggage to your bunk for a fee (which depends on luggage size). Make sure they are wearing official identification! Ask for their name and contact details just in case. You will often be asked for a terminal fee which you should keep along with your ticket.

The Bunk
After getting to your bunk and being sure that it's yours for the night either disinfect like crazy, put your own bedding over it or both. Cots are basic without pillows and sheets and are often too small for caucasians, so beware and bring both for a more comfortable sleep. Also note not to sleep until someone comes around to see your ticket to make sure you aren't a free rider.

Food
Some lines offer free meals, but most don't. Either buy provisions beforehand or pay for overpiced but subpar food. Bring a bit more than you need just in case the trip lasts longer than you expect. Most ships will offer alcohol, but may look down on intoxication or drinking outside certain areas.

The Trip
Trip quality depends on a lot of factors, sea turbulence and personal tolerance for sea sickness make the most difference. Go on a trip outside the rainy season for the former and bring medication for the latter. Positioning also matters as proximity to airconditioning and bathrooms can make a world of difference. Bring an extra blanket and face mask just in case.

Note that some boats have stops where you can alight and stretch your legs - just make sure you have your ticket and valuables on you so you can get back on.

End
You'll know when your there generally by the increase in movement of people around you. Porters will come around and ask people if they want their luggage moved, and go for this if you wish.


Safe journey!

Messy Bessy Hand Cream in Kiwi

I've been offline for a month because of reasons, but at least I'm posting!

Anyway, due to the amount of handwashing I've been doing, and a quick trip to a local Beauty Bar, I impulsively bought a small pot of hand cream from Messy Bessy.

The Shelf: June 2019 (Travel Edition)

Travelling so won't be able to make a regular shelf shot by June. Thankfully, I can take advantage of my very sporiadic internet connection to upload this.

All of the items I've been using lately have come from Watsons as I tend to pass by them on trips. Currently, I'm using:

Ever Bilena Advance Brow Gel

Swatched on hand:

Long lasting, lasting around 10 hours and did not transfer once set. Waterproof but crumbles easily with soap and friction. Will not buy since shade selection isn't apt for my hair.

Naturals Argan Hair Mask by Watsons

I bought this Argan Hair Mask from Watsons because I had previously purchased the conditioner and really liked how light and conditioning it was. I wasn't able to bring it with me (as I am currently on the road) so i'll be talking about the hair mask and how it compares instead.

CosRx Oil-Free Ultra Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)

CosRx is a fairly known brand in the Philippines for their acne range. I have been using a bunch of things from them, and I've found their products to be hit-and-miss, with a bit more on the hit side to recommend them. Fortunately for my skin, something that I've been enjoying in their range is their Oil-Free Ultra Moisturizing Lotion.

Formulated with Birch Sap (Betula Platylphylla Japonica Juice), I originally thought this would be a basic moisturizer, albeit an oil free one. However, I've been pretty pleasantly surprised to see that it's more than that.

Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion

Is more actually better? Hada Labo's Gokujyun Premium Lotion boasts five different sizes of hyaluronic acid in a gold bottle. But is it worth a gold medal?

A lot of women seem to think so, especially now that hyaluronic acid has become such a trendy commodity. I however, think differently...

Nivea Extra White Serum Antiperspirant

Revisiting Nivea's Extra White Serum, the Armpit Edition! Because while I do like the body lotion, I was ambivalent about this when it first came out years ago.

So in the theme of retrying old things this year, I tried Nivea's Extra White Serum Antiperspirant for the second time.

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Serum

Alright, first time in a while I'm featuring something on the (for me) pricier end of the spectrum! But here's something I've been bringing with me while I'm out and about: Peter Thomas Roth's Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Serum.

But the question is, should you buy it?

Caronia Touch of Beige

You'd think I'd have enough of neutral nails, but I picked up another because I found that I'd already made a visible dent on my last nude nail polish and that I travelled out of town without it. I searched the supermarket shelves and found a neutral similar to Chic's Mod Beige. So how does Caronia's Touch of Beige fare?

First of all, even if I bought it for a trip, I wasn't able to use it on said trip because it took me a while to open the bottle. I curse my weak wrists often, but I'm pretty glad no one's tried to open it.

EB Advance Eye Brow Kit

Honestly, I bought this brow kit because I needed a mirror, and in the debate between a one use mirror, a face product I was unlikely to use, and a brow kit... this one won.

At Php 220 for a brow kit, I was getting a lot of bang for my buck with the EB Advance Eye Brow Kit.

Olay Magnemask Infusion Rejuvenating Sheet Mask

Actually bought this mask because I forgot to pack an essence on a short trip and I heard this was chock full of essence.

Did the Olay Magnemask Infusion Rejuvenating Sheet Mask do well or disappoint?

Travel Empties: Natur Shampoo and Conditioner

Not to be confused with a retail brand, Natur's Shampoo and Conditioner came from an unnamed hotel close to home. Since I used my own products during that time, I decided to grab a set for use farther from home.

Fortunately? On a trip much farther than that, I got a chance to use it and used up the Conditioner of the set. I will probably finish this shampoo since it would be wasteful not to use it. However, like most hotel toiletries, I find this rather bland.

Both shampoo and conditioner smell like citrus-apple, toeing the line between pleasant and car air freshener (for me, it smells more like the latter on application, and more apple-y  on my hair). Both are very light and you will need to use a lot per application.

I use a leave in conditioner after since I feel that this isn't enough.

Altogether a pretty bland, pretty standard hotel amenity.