Philippine Passport Renewal: What Da Heck To Really Expect

I finally got my E-Passport last week, after waiting for 2 months and 2 weeks. So how is this (not so) new DFA Passport Appointment System? Hmmm, let's just say it didn't/doesn't/won't make a lot of Pinoys happy.

Machine Readable Passport (MRP), Green Passport, E-Passport.

My First Overnight Train: Jakarta-Yogyakarta

Our kind Jakarta hosts not only took us to Gambir Station, they also helped us look for an available trip to our next stop, Yogyakarta. They unanimously discouraged us though to take the economy train because according to them it's "really not safe".

Since it was a holiday the day after, we figured the economy tickets might already have been booked out anyway. So yeah, we agreed to spend way more extra bucks for business class tickets. It was gonna be my first overnight train ride.

Shervin patiently waiting for the ticket counter to open.

Kuching-Jakarta

On our last night in Kuching, we drank (potent) local rice wine, and was able to have a good sleep despite incessant pain from our bed bug bites.

Kuching's Sarawak Museum. Uhm, photography inside not allowed.

Backpacking Borneo: Bako National Park

Bako National Park can make you feel like you're on the set of 'Lost', with its a la choose-your-own-adventure trails. It is Sarawak's oldest national park, gazetted as a protected area in 1957. It covers an area of 2,727 hectares (with an incredible variety of plant species) at the tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula.

Bako National Park's limestone and sandstone cliffs.

Magalawa Island: The Babymooners

The term "babymoon" these days pertains to the final vacation of a couple who are expecting a baby. Babymoons almost always are spent in luxurious resorts which provide pampering services, especially for the soon to be mom. In our case, it's far from such. Even at six months pregnant, our weekend babymoon was the usual P1,500 camping affair.

A happy, shiny 6-month preggy camper.

Backpacking Borneo: Kuching, Sarawak

After spending two nights in Miri, we moved west of Sarawak. A butt numbing sixteen-hour bus ride (for RM70) took us to the colorful city of Kuching.


Our Borneo trip thus far. View Miri-Kuching in a larger map

Backpacking Borneo: Niah Caves

We arranged a tour with Highlands, our accommodation-cum-travel agent for a hefty RM60 each. We were picked up by our guide, a Miri local who speaks fluent English with an Aussie accent at exactly 9:00 AM. There were five of us: Shervin, me, Keran (Scottish), Toby (British) and his French girlfriend.

Niah National Park Headquarters.

Backpacking Borneo: Bandar Seri Begawan-Kuala Belait-Miri

Overland from Bandar Seri Begawan to Miri (Sarawak, Malaysia) involves changing bus three times. The trip can take more than half a day, eight hours at the most. Although in our case, way longer than that.

Our Indian driver negotiating with officials about our expired permit.

Backpacking Borneo: Negara Brunei Darussalam

From Pulau Labuan, an express boat to Brunei's Muara Serasa Ferry Terminal (RM35) is only an hour long. This port is situated about 25km off Bandar Seri Begawan, but we did not bother checking on transport options to the city since a CouchSurfing host was picking us up.

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, conveniently located near a water village.