My Summer Holiday 2009

I really wanted to go to Europe this summer and hit a music festival, but I wasn't able to (read: couldn't afford it). So I went with my family on an all expenses paid holiday to the Philippines! I had never been there before so I was pretty excited to add another stamp :)

We flew Qatar Air, which was actually quite nice. I flew them to Bangkok last December, but this time I got to fly first and business class which made SUCH a huge difference! It was a nine and a half our flight going there and we had a two hour layover in Qatar. BTW, the airport there SUCKS unless you get to use the lounges that have an Elemis spa, bedrooms, sauna and jacuzzi. AND (obviously this part impressed me the most) the bathroom stocks Molton Brown products so I grabbed a few hehe

It was wet season when we got to Manila and it was sooo humid and damp that I quickly realised it was pretty pointless for me to bring my makeup and curling iron.

My brother and I took a short trip to Boracay and stayed at a lovely little place on the beach called the Boracay Mandarin.Luckily it only rained on our last evening and even then it only sprinkled a little bit.


Then we headed back to Manila and did some sightseeing.

Then I headed down with my parents and sisters to a place called Coco Beach resort in Peurto Galera.

Such a cute little place. Everything was made out of wood and very "eco-chic". We were all meant to stay in one of the bungalows, but the 'stairs' were actually ladders leading upstairs and my dad thought it would be too dangerous at night (since the bathroom was downstairs) so he got another one for him and my mom and I shared one with my sisters.

Then we were back in Manila for about another week before heading back home. I did soo much shopping cuz it was soo cheap! One dirham came to about 13 pesos and my dad was paying for it all so I bought pretty much everything I saw! haha They also had a few Avon stores and a warehouse so I stocked up on their products as well. (More on that later!)

We spent three weeks there which is long enough to emotionally detox and de-stress. (And long enough for several massages and mani-pedis) I did miss my cat alot and I worried about him because he was a little ill when we left, but he survived :)