Most of the time when we travel, we DIY because it is a whole lot better than organized tours for the following reasons: you take control of your own time and speed, you have your own freedom to explore, and it is way cheaper.

But that is not always the case. Sometimes, choosing convenience and comfort over spontaneity is the best choice.

You see, exploring Taiwan would have been easy if the bus routes and directions were also written in English. Not that I'm saying it's difficult, but we simply want to relax and not stress over boarding the wrong buses, getting lost, and chasing bus schedules that we chose to book a guided Yehliu-Shifen-Jiufen tour from KKDay. And I never thought traveling could be this easy and hassle-free (this is not a paid endorsement and also, I think we're just getting old).

This isn't part of our itinerary. Honestly, I didn't know about this until we realized that we still have more than eight hours to spend before our flight back home. And I'm glad I came across TripAdvisor's Top Ten Things to Do in Taichung because it would be a bummer if I missed something lovely as this.

Zhongshe (also spelled as Chungshe) Flower Market is one of Taiwan's attractions located in Houli Township, Taichung. It is a vast six-hectare land filled with beautiful and vibrant flowers that bloom all throughout the season. I would have loved to see my favorite flowers - the tulips - in bloom but we were there during the wrong season. Different season offers you different flowers. As for the tulips, you will see them around February to March.

But still, even if I didn't see my favorite flowers, even if some flowers were not in full bloom,  it is one of the most beautiful places I've been to. The pictures will speak for itself.

When we extended our travel dates, I know that a visit to Sun Moon Lake is a must. Two hours by bus from the city of Taichung, Taiwan lies the beautiful and breathtaking Sun Moon Lake.

Sun Moon Lake offers a lot of activities. You can do a round-the-lake bus tour, or board the boats and sail some areas of the lake such as Lalu Island and Ita Thao, or try the ropeway (a.k.a. cable car), where you can see a fantastic view of the lake from above.

But of all the activities that are offered, I only wanted to do one thing: go cycling. Sun Moon Lake has been dubbed as one of the most scenic cycling paths in the world.

And it did not disappoint.

I've got to say, this is one of the most memorable trips I've ever had. And I bet Jan would say the same.

We booked our Taiwan trip from November 16 to 19, thinking that 3 days would be enough for Taipei. But since the airline cancelled our flight on the 16th, we had it moved to the 14th. Coming from Davao, international trips can be steep because we also have to fly either to Manila or Cebu since the only international flight available from Davao is going to Singapore and vice-versa (soon to Kuala Lumpur). Fortunately, we were able to book an early flight to Cebu because we also planned to go to Bantayan Island before the Taiwan Trip.

So apparently, the Bantayan trip has to be scrapped to give way to Taiwan. And even with the extended travel dates, 5 days is still not enough to experience Taiwan. And one blog post will not be enough for that. So for now, this post will only be about Taipei.

For the first time in my life, I wished I have the singing voice and be in a musical.

I'll be honest. Even though I'm no fashionista and my wardrobe is always out of season, I would be lying if I say I don't like dressing up. It makes me look human.

But what I hate about dressing up is the misery of finding the dress that's actually wearable. And by wearable, I meant something that's casually comfortable but could still be elegant and not unflattering at the same time. For my body type, that's kind of elusive, you know.

My body is so specific. I am skinny but I've got curves. So dresses from the department store can either be too big on the waist or too tight on the bust. Usually, I had my dresses done for me and that's a bummer because it is more expensive than buying RTWs. The ones I got from the department stores are not and will never be perfect fit and had to be sent for repair.

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.

I was one of the bloggers chosen to run for the recently held Color Manila's Blacklight Run because I am fit. Wait, let me state that accurately. They thought I was fit.

It has been what? Eight months since my last strenuous activity. I have a legitimate excuse though: my left knee is injured. I know I could've done better. But honestly, most of my days were spent warming my butt and knocking back beer bottles. I'd do a few workouts every now and then, only when I remember. And when I remember, only when I don't get lazy. And when I don't get lazy, only when I have the time - which is something I barely have because I kept myself preoccupied with non-productive tasks such as reading emotionally draining books and watching my cat lick his balls, trying to figure out when is his next attempt to kill me.