The ABCs of 2017: A Year End Review

2017 was a roller coaster ride. It took me on a winding track of ups and downs. There were a lot of hellos, a few goodbyes, a sprinkle of challenges, and a shower of blessings. It was a crazy beautiful year; hence, before we move on to new blog posts, allow me to reminisce and share my most memorable experiences from A to Z.

Care to join me in the memory lane?

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Mykonos: 2 Days Itinerary for Non-Partygoers

Mykonos is one of the most-visited islands in Greece.  It is popularly known for its sunbath-all-day, party-all-night atmosphere. But what if you're an old soul who just doesn't care about beach parties and nightlife, will the island make you feel at home?

Ed and I have no interest in Mykonos' party scene. We simply wanted to see the island. I've seen breathtaking photos of it on Instagram and I wondered if it does have a unique modern-meets-rustic vibe in person. So, we dropped by Mykonos for two days before heading back to Athens.

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Reasons why Naxos should be on your Greek Isle Itinerary

When talking about dreamy Greek islands, you would probably hear Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, and Skopelos in the conversation. But, Naxos?  Close to never. 

Naxos was also not on my radar; not until the time we were about to purchase ferry tickets. I often get seasick and I fear that the Aegean Sea would be rough during Autumn. So, to prepare myself, I read articles about surviving ferry rides in the Greek islands. One advice that I found useful is to take shorter journeys. The islands are interconnected by ferry routes, which means we can have a stopover in between Santorini and Mykonos to take a breather!  

And that's how I came across Naxos. Our visit was random; purely because of my fear of getting seasick. But, I'll tell you a secret: It was a fortunate stroke of serendipity!

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What is it like to fly on Saudia and have a 9-hour layover in Riyadh?

For someone who works overseas, it is a blessing to be able to spend Christmas and New Year with the whole family. Hence, when the opportunity knocks, you just have to grab it!

However, coming from our 2016 holidays in the Philippines, Ed and I were hesitant about going home on super peak season again mainly because flights can be unreasonably expensive. But mid-2017, we found attractive (I mean, relatively cheap) fares on Saudia flights. 

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Cairo Travel Vlog #2: Coptic and Islamic Cairo Tour

Here is the second part of our Cairo travel vlog trilogy.

Ed and I booked a Coptic and Islamic Cairo Tour for our second day in Cairo. We were planning to have a do-it-yourself trip, but since we've been hearing lots of negative news lately, we searched for a well-recommended tour online. 

Emo Tours is one of the trusted travel agencies we stumbled upon. We booked our first and second day tours with them, and they served as our security blanket while we orient ourselves with the city. Although we realized that Cairo is pretty safe and we can actually do the tours on our own, it is great to have a sightseeing guide who can share useful and interesting information about the city.     

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Cairo Travel Vlog #1: The Pyramids! Finally!

So, we finally made it happen!  

After several years of dreaming and planning, Ed and I decided that it's about time to fulfill our long time travel wish! We traveled to Cairo during the recent 3-day holiday. And yes, I was able to tick off #15 in my 20 before 2020 list.

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