I was 4 when I was first introduced to Mickey Mouse. Since then, I fell in love with anything Disney. From The Rescuers to Aladdin to their first computer animated film Toy Story to their latest live-action film Beauty and the Beast. Name it. I have seen it all. Disney has etched magic in my 4-year old heart and apparently, it has not escaped me ever since.

Well, almost.

Macau is also known as "Little Vegas" or the "Vegas of Asia", or at least that's what I've heard. And with its reputation for grand casinos and luxurious hotels, all the while we really thought going around Macau is expensive. But with research and a lot of reading, we never thought that it could be the most budget-friendly first class destination in Asia (as if I've traveled a lot of places in Asia noh? Haha).

We originally planned to book our Macau tour from legit online agencies since we can always go cheaper with that. A Macau city tour can go around Php 5,000+ that's already inclusive of lunch buffet in a 4-star hotel, roundtrip ferry (HK-Macau), and of course, the convenience of having a transportation that can take you from point A to point B. Actually, it's not bad. The buffet lunch would have made it reasonable. But it can still be quite steep for budget travelers like us.

I am an average looking gal. Most of the time, I look like I just rolled and fell from my bed.

This morning, just like every morning, I woke up earlier than my alarm feeling groggy. And to make things worse, I hit the corner of my bedside bookshelf with my head. I could have gone dramatic over a small, assumed-concussion like what I always do when my hormones go on a monthly overdrive and tell Jan my last goodbyes in case I didn't make it out of bed.

I'm not saying that stretchmarks are bad. This is in no way an indication that your body is ruined. But it is indeed a proof of how it has triumphed. However, a lot of people are still asking me how come I do not have pregnancy stretchmarks at all. Well, I had my way of "avoiding" them and I'd be happy to share them with you. I just hope I do not come across as body-shaming or something because honestly, this shouldn't really be a big deal and IT IS OKAY TO HAVE THEM.

Stretchmarks, they say, is genetic. You get them or you don't. But I don't completely agree with that. I believe my post-pregnancy stretchmark-free tummy isn't a work of genetics. I have stretchmarks on my butt and some on my boobies, too. Simply because I was not aware the tummy is not the only place to look out for.

2016. 31, sun-kissed and loving it!

This is not a travel guide but rather a summary of our recently concluded HK-Macau trip.

ON AIRPORTS
I'm not really sure what exactly happened but I think I held my breath for a while as I stood in front of the Immigration Officer while he asked me a couple of questions. The thought of being offloaded scared me. But the next thing I know, I was already at the boarding area working on a couple of urgent tasks.

Dodgy.

I think that's the perfect word to describe the hotel we booked to. Maybe it's just an exaggeration, or worse, it could be an understatement. Whatever that is, we hope to get out of there alive.

If you are wondering what I'm talking about... Well, Jan and I booked a 4-night stay at a place that has been known for its notorious reputation. The Chungking Mansions. I know. What the hell were we thinking, right? How have we gotten ourselves absolutely reckless?

My mom has always emphasized the importance of having physical copies of our photos. So if by any chance you come to visit our home, you would see piles and piles of photo albums where our deepest, darkest, and most embarrassing childhood moments were kept.

I've never really listened to her though. Uploading was apparently easier and printing photos was quite expensive. Then I learned my lesson the hard way when the hard drive suddenly crashed and Multiply and Friendster unexpectedly shut down for good. I've only had a few photos left during my college years. And those were the photos that my mom saved by having them printed.

Do you know how it is to agonize over shoes? I know. Because I did. And it was silly.

There is this pair of shoes that I totally have a crush on. I already bought a pair of sneakers (the same brand) last March, a pair of sandals, loafers, and boots last July. Having another footwear that I barely even use because I don't go out of the house often is not practical. But I really want it so badly that I have repeatedly scoured a few online websites for weeks, only to die a little bit inside each time I see they don't have my size. I told myself bitterly that maybe those shoes are not meant for me.

I decided to just totally forget about it and move on. After all, there's nothing like having an epic epiphany to slap me in the face and remind me of the things I need to save for. Hoy, may incoming trips ka pa, Sarah! Tigil mo na yan.