All posts tagged: road trip

The Highway 1 in my Head

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It’s funny how memory works, or doesn’t work, in some cases. On non-working holidays like this, for instance, when I have to write a throwback travel piece about that California road trip we did in 2009, I beat my brains for details to make up even a half-coherent story, and my memory fails me. Where did we stay? What was that park? How many days, exactly, were we on the road? How many miles was it? Why did I take that picture—was that tunnel important? The drive along the famous Pacific Coast Highway, or California State Road 1, was a spur-of-the-moment decision—this much I’m sure of. My roommate, a Filipino nurse in San Francisco, learned that he would not be on duty the first few days of the year, my then-fiancé could take a day off, and my cousin, a teaching assistant, wouldn’t have class till the following week. I, well, I was soon headed back to Hong Kong—my home base then—and was looking for an awesome trip to end my six months in the …

10 for the Road

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I will always remember January 1, 2009. That was the New Year’s day I found myself on Highway 1 in southern California, with my cousin Ice and my San Francisco housemate Athong. Being the only one who had zero driving skills, I had the privilege of enjoying the scenic view of the Pacific and quaint houses you only saw on storybooks. The picture remains perfect in my mind.  In this age of promo fares, road trips may soon become a lost form of travel. But for those who still prefer the romance of feeling the breeze on their face and holding a map in their hands, I have these 10 helpful tips for land travel. (NOTE: The photos were actually part of our engagement shoot three years and 20 lbs. ago, when we decided, on a spur of the moment, to go with a Road Trip Gone Wrong storyline)   Have a plan. It’s great to be spontaneous and just go where the fuel takes you. But if you don’t have unlimited resources and time, the one …

Saving Sanity: A Guide to Quick Getaways

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The curse of the busy life is that those who need to get away the most have the least time to do it. All too familiar with this irony, I’ve rounded up four easy escapes that will keep you sane and sound. The Inn at Cliffhouse, Tagaytay 24 hours of: Nantucket-inspired romance on a ridge. True, the view of Taal Volcano can get old, but try gazing at the  world’s smallest active volcano while you’re half-submerged in a warm whirlpool of your favorite bath salts, the Jacuzzi massaging your sore back. How’s that for a change in perspective? Run by a frequent traveler and fan of New England bed-and-breakfasts, The Inn at Cliffhouse doesn’t just provide a respite from the rat race, it transports you to a nerve-calming world of lighthouses and boats and blue seas. “If you want to decompress, this is your safe harbor,” says owner and manager Jennifer Dee, whose love for nautical elegance is visible in the details of the room: a three-bladed boat propeller keychain, clam lamps, shell curtain tassels, …