Discounted Vacation: Summer Edition

After months of glutathione and skin whiteners, it’s time to get a tan.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the cloudless skies beckon the arrival of the sun season—where tan lines are cool and Brazilian wax is a necessity. According to a Facebook status of a friend of a friend, “People are starting to get sexy; summer is really coming.”

There is an unspoken pressure during summer—you have to lose weight and you have to plan a getaway with friends. Though plane and resort rates skyrocket during this season, people still go and get a taste of the sun, somewhere else. And if you were not smart enough to take advantage of unbelievable promo rates, then there are other things that you have to cut down on expenses. So here are some tips from your kuripot columnist, which hopefully could help you get the best out of your travel this season.

Go used or edited for your summer getup
One of my favorite personal ideologies is: Why blend in when you can stand out? There will always be clothes and accessories which would catch your attention. Sarah, a friend of mine, could not help but ask a stranger in a yellow floral “vintage” top where she got her cute blouse. The answer was, “Somewhere.” So in my mind, I thought: “Ah Ukay…”

For our foreign or super sosyal readers, ukay is the Filipino slang for second hand items sold in thrift shops. If you could get a Banana Republic top for PhP 35, without damage or a funny smell, I say why not? All that it needs is soap, water, and an anti-bacterial fabric conditioner. So don’t be afraid to shop in these thrift shops for your summer wardrobe. But definitely not your swimsuit and I do not want to start to explain why.

Also, you could start “editing” your clothes. Go wild and creative with your old items and risk to place its future into your hands. One tip is to get an oversized shirt, cut the sleeves shorter, widen the neckline, tie dye it, asymmetric, exposing one of your shoulder blades, and voila! You get a cool oversized summer shirt which could also serve as a swimsuit topper.

The magic of quadruple sharing
No man is an island, especially, when you’re on an island. Quite confusing huh? But it is true, if you’re planning to save on your summer getaway, make sure you get your friends to come with you. The rates go lower when you share your room with a companion or two. Though internet rates usually just show twin sharing (two persons in a room) rates, it is still better to call the resort if they offer triple or quadruple sharing.

Also, tour rates go even lower as you find more people to share the boat/van rate with you. For example, a tour boat around Coron usually costs PhP 1,500 per boat which could carry around four persons. A multi-cab around Camiguin usually costs PhP 1,500 per vehicle which could carry up to 10 persons. Imagine how much you could save if you could share the cost. However, if you’re a lone rider or traveling with a special someone, you could join tour groups or ask strangers in your resort if they’re planning to go on a tour. As the Goldilocks restaurant saying goes, “Share a seat, win a friend.”

Explore transportation options
Try not to get carried away with bad publicity. Though plane crashes and ship sinking have been shown in terrible fashion through news reports, remember that these vessels still travel everyday and those few horrible instances have a great chance of NOT happening to you.

On the contrary, it is best to take advantage of bad publicity, because rates go lower. Don’t be afraid to try other flight carriers, which was usually not on your top of mind. Believe me—I’m still alive.

Another unpopular mode of transportation for some is the shipping lines. Though travel time usually lasts for at least 12 hours, you could consider travel time as a part of the trip. If you wish to splurge a little, you could avail of the suite for a more comfy ride. Also, some of these shipping lines, like Negros Navigation, offer free bus rides to and from the pier.

RORO (Roll on-roll off), where your own vehicle or a bus line is loaded into a ship, is another way to travel cheap. Bus terminals in cubao now offer trips to Boracay, Cebu, and anywhere else in the Philippines.

Emergency Eats
Sometimes, no matter how much you plan, you tend to be short on budget when it comes to food. This is why
it is still best to bring emergency eats with you to make sure you don’t get hungry. My usual set of emergency eats consist of a box of 3-in-1 coffee sachets (I don’t think I could survive without caffeine), a box of cereal (Almond Nut Clusters preferably) and two instant cup noodles.

The joy of summer is phenomenal. It’s as if the sun, when felt somewhere else, has the capability of making things happier and lighter. So go ahead and be creative in planning for your escapade. Enjoy the freedom of these months because when the rainy season comes, tan lines become coined as uneven skin tone.