Pahiyas Festival Tour Itinerary Package 2014 at Lucban, Quezon

Explore Pahiyas Festival (May 15, 2014)

Php 1,300/person if purchased until May 10, 2013

Inclusions:
* Roundtrip van transfer (Makati-Lucban-Laguna-Makati)
* Tour to Pahiyas Festival
* Sidetrip at Liliw Church, Shoes & Sandal shopping, Nagcarlan Church and Underground cemetery
* Entrance Fees and Permits
* Tour Coordinators Fee and Meal
* Driver's Fee and Meal

                                                                                                        For more information please email mariaronab@gmail.com or via mobile 0998 989 3921 anytime.      

Overwhelmed as the Summer starts

Summer has officially started! This is an announcement from PAG - ASA I heard via a tv station yesterday. Summer, for those who work in the tourism industry means more money since this is one of the peak season aside from Christmas that a lot of people go on a vacation.  

I am expecting not just double but triple workload  because I have added a few more tours as well.  Actually the total number of hours I spent online  recently for a day has increased for another 1- 2 hours. I now spend an average of 6-7 hours per day!   Now that does not count the hours I spend on my mobile. My eyes are glued in my smartphone always.

But boy I so love every single second of what I do now. Because I can work anywhere and anytime I want to.   My three  most favorite newly added in my list  are Batanes tour (the only one in the Philippines I am dying to visit), Baler tour (I wanna learn how to surf) and El Nido, Palawan (world - class beach paradise where I spent my birthday in 2013).  My top goal for 2014 is to cater to wider diverse types of people going on a tour not just the young and adventurous ones.     I think I just attained that goal  one step closer.

iBlog10: FREE 10th Philippine Blogging Summit in Manila 2014

Screenshot from iblog.ph

As a blogger for 4 years and counting, the annual Philippine Blogging Summit is one big event I always look forward. Not just because I get to meet a lot of fellow bloggers but I get a lot of tremendous inspirations from speakers about their advocacy and success stories! 

My first two years in the blogosphere was the hardest because I did not know where I am heading. I reached the point when I seriously want to know if blog posts can take me to somewhere I want. Luckily after years of immersing myself to the blogosphere, It was all worth it! 

Take chances, my fellow ladies!

At my favorite tea shop

Do you know how crazy I am as an entrepreneur and founder of this online travel shop? I religiously join events around the metro to make sure that I am surrounded by like - minded individuals from time to time who can keep this passion burning like hell inside me.  There were two incredible events I was a part of recently. On March 8th, I attended the Women Techmakers Manila, a Google - backed initiative to empower more women to excel in men dominated fields like IT and to encourage them to create their own businesses or excel in startup community.  

I learned that when it comes to hiring process, Google does not solely judge an applicant based on his / her degrees  but more on the learning ability and intellectually humility qualifications.  Learning ability is the pace of how an individual can adapt to the working environment  including the tasks that come with it. Intellectual humility is the attitude towards situations when a person commits mistakes and how he/she handles the consequences.

Wego's Life - changing Travel Blogging Contest

There's an ongoing blogging contest led by Wego, 
a travel metasearch website based in Singapore. It invites every blogger to share their life - changing story on how travel changed their life for good.  My entry "From Fried Frog Legs to Founding an Online Travel Shop" only took me 4 hours or equivalent of the whole afternoon to finish it. Sharing my life - changing story is not new to me. As a matter of fact last year, I was once featured in a local magazine sharing the same story. 

I think this time the only difference is this is a continuation of a story that keeps on evolving along the way as an online entrepreneur and a person who is trying to make a difference. Wego's grand prize to the ultimate winner is P100, 000! The contest aims to fund the  winner's next life - changing travel around the Philippines and at the same time promote our local tourism.

Viva Manila's Intramuros Pasyal Sunday 2014

Viva Manila, a citizen-led project to revive Manila is organizing a monthly, free car free event that features local artisans, performers, and neighborhood businesses in the aim of reviving the livability and creativity of Old Manila neighborhoods, as well empowering local skills and talent dubbed as Pasyal Sundays.

This summer it will be held on March 16, April 27, and May 25, 2014 along General Luna Street, Intramuros. The March edition's theme is "Speak Out!" wherein we will be hosting an open poetry slam, as well as various workshops, and performances to encourage sharing of thoughts, ideas, and opinions that can hopefully inspire others to know and care more about Manila and the people in it. For more information you can check their Facebook Fan Page here.--------

19Th Philippine International Balloon Festival Tour Package 2014

Join us to the 19th Philippine International Balloon Festival Tour Package 2014.

Dates: April 10, 11, 12, 13, 2014

Place: Lubao, Pampanga

We have 3 options for you to choose from: We have 4 packages for you to choose from: Hot Air Balloon with Zoobic Safari,   Hot Air with Ocean Adventure  and  Hot Air Balloon with Culinary Tour in Pampanga!

 For more information kindly email mariaronab@gmail.com or  text / call via this number 0998 989 3921 ANYTIME.   
                                                                                                                                                                 

In Finding Travel / Business Partners, Don't Come Cheap

Esplanade, Singapore

To find travel / business partners whom I can collaborate with was the biggest challenge when I started years ago. I went through all the crap of "belittling" myself like " I am nobody. Who would be interested to do business with me?" and "What If I am not able to meet their expectations yadda, yaddah!" 

The worst part is I have no one to ask where to find one. I have no background, credentials and degrees to back me up in any way.  My very first mentor, she was the one who conducted the first whole day paid seminar I took to set up an online travel shop, gave up just when I started reaping sales.  She grew tired entertaining my inquiries  and maybe because I have not even closed a single sale for her. I was literally wasting her time.  When she no longer replied to my emails, texts and calls It was almost the end for my dream to start an online shop.

Visita Iglesia Tour Package 2014

We would like you to join our Visita Iglesia Tour Package 2014 and visit at least seven of the most historical, meaningful and cultural churches in our country. We have 4 options for you: Bicol, Batangas and Laguna, Quezon Province(Kamay ni Hesus).

You have two choices you can go for a 2 day and 1 night tour or a 1 whole day tour. 

The Visita Iglesia (Spanish words meaning Church Visit) is a tradition where people visit churches to pray usually reciting the Way of the Cross which refers to a series of artistic representations depicting Christ carrying the Cross to his crucifixion during Maunday Thursday or Holy Friday of the Holy Week.

Our Visita Iglesia Bulacan 2016 is now open for joiners. For more information kindly email mariaronab@gmail.com or  text / call via this number 042 007 4134 ANYTIME.    Early bird: Php 2k Iglesia Tour Package in Bulacan 2016 with breakfast, lunch buffet and afternoon snacks.

We will send you the complete details   and itinerary soon.

Baguio City Tour and Itinerary Details

The Lion's Head in Baguio

The City of Baguio is known for its cold climate and pine trees. It's geographical nearness from Manila which is approximately 5-6 hours away from each other makes it one of the favorite destinations of the city dwellers to go up there to chill out especially during summer and holiday season. That is I have no qualms about Baguio City being designated by the Philippine Commission as the "Summer Capital" of the Philippines on June 1, 1903. 

Historically speaking, It was the Americans who established Baguio as a hill station in 1900 . It was also the first and only one if its kind in Asia that time. The word Baguio is derived from "bagiw", an Ibaloi (indigenous language in the Benguet region)  word  meaning "moss". 

I have been to Baguio 4 times already. First, in 2002 for an educational trip when I was a college student.  We stayed in a dormitory at the Teachers' Camp.  It was very cold that time when we arrived. Three am in the morning! We also felt some scary vibes inside. We were a dozen of girls inside a big room sleeping in a double deck. Second, in 2002 with my former co - workers.   The one who organized it used finished her degree in Baguio so we did not have any problems of finding accommodation and all that stuff.  

From Fried Frog Legs to Founding an Online Travel Shop

Old house in San Nicolas

“What the heck is that?” I asked Peer, a former coworker while staring at a photo from his mobile screen. He replied “Can’t you see? Fried frog legs. Taste like chicken!” I added. “I know. I meant what are you doing with that blonde – haired guy beside you?” He continued. “Oh he’s German. He’s here in the country for a month to see our best beaches. I am showing him around the metro because he wants to try exotic dishes.” 

The next thing I knew is he introduced a website. It’s like a Facebook for travelers.   “But I don’t travel that much.”I said. “You will soon.” He replied.  I was hesitant to sign up. But what is there to lose if I try?  That happened in November of 2010. How can I forget that moment? That was the start of a life – changing story that transformed me to a person who left her 8 – year old job, got featured in a local magazine, fell in love to the idea of a location – independent lifestyle and now a bootstrapping entrepreneur dreaming to put up a startup for an online travel shop.