Traveling with a Tampered Philippine Passport

Speechless and in an extreme panic attack, I stood there contemplating how, when and where it happened. My passport is damaged! What made the situation worse is that I only discovered the damage half past midnight at the UAE-Oman border, in the middle of nowhere, right after I got my exit stamp at Dubai Immigration. 

The immigration officer asked me a question which I didn't clearly hear. I thought he was asking when was my passport renewed, so I said 2012. He handed back my stamped passport while his finger was pointing at the photo. It was terribly damaged that I couldn't even identify myself. I look creepy just like Voldermort! :( The details and all the other pages look perfectly fine. It was just the photo and some sort of a fluid droplet (or is it moisture?) behind it.

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Ambassador Transit Hotel and The 19-hour Travel Nightmare

After a month long vacation in the Philippines, Ed and I had another lay-over in Singapore on our way back to Dubai. If you remember, we successfully followed an epic 9-hour itinerary during our first stop over. We were up to another "Amazing Race: Ed and Lady Episode" on our second lay-over which was longer, 19 hours to be exact. We were scheduled to arrive in Singapore at 8pm and depart for Dubai at 3pm the next day! Another epic itinerary was prepared, directions and maps were printed, and our overnight stay was booked. 

We arrived a few minutes late at Terminal 3 instead of 2. Ed and I were on our fastest pace as we have to meet a friend at Terminal 1 who invited us to Clark Quay that night! Based on the itinerary I made, we were supposed to be out at 9 pm. It was already 10 when we got our passports stamped at the immigration. Anyhow, the meet-up was successful, the Clark Quay visit wasn't! Why? Because a month before our flight, before the meet-up was even planned, I scheduled a 12 midnight to 6 AM stay at Ambassador Transit Hotel. We MUST check in at 12 or else a no show will be charged. After our dinner at Terminal 1, Ed and I had no choice but to head straight to the transit hotel. 

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Lady: The Jinx Flashpacker

I have always considered myself a flashpacker, not a backpacker. Why? Well, first of all, I can't carry a backpack! Hahah! I was diagnosed to have scoliosis (abnormal spine curvature) when I was in College. It is a medical condition with no cure, only prevention to keep the curve from getting worse. So, I'm pretty sure my fragile spine couldn't handle the weight of a heavy backpack. Secondly, I love to travel in style! I want to wear clean and nice clothes everyday, matched with accessories and footwear. Third, I love fancy restaurants! I'm a picky eater, a self-confessed foodie who have constant and unstoppable food cravings. Lastly, my husband and I can't live without internet connection! We are a tech savvy couple. We look for WiFi or 3G signals everywhere. We go to Starbucks not mainly for coffee, but for free internet. :) Though I have an affinity to fancy trips, I still have a little backpacker soul in me. I also look for cheaper travel options, like bus trips instead of air flights, couch surf (stay in a friend's home) instead of booking a hotel stay! 

You might wonder why I call myself a Jinx Flashpacker. A jinx is a person that attracts a series of misfortunes. I hate to call myself one, but I can't deny the fact that I often encounter misadventures while I'm on the road; a flat tire, a rip on my dress, a broken ferry engine in the middle of the sea and more! Despite of it all, I am a happy traveler. You'll find me upset for a while, then laughing out loud a minute later.

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