Wide awake at 2:00 AM on our second day in Paris, my husband and I were ready to head out the hotel by 7:00 AM. We planned absolutely nothing for the entire day, but the weather forecast made it easy for us to decide what to do. Since the app said it’s going to be cold and rainy from noon onwards, we decided to spend half our day at the Louvre Museum.

We still have plenty of time before Musée du Louvre opens its doors at 9:00 AM. And so to fulfill one item in my bucket list, my husband and I walked around 1st Arrondissement to find the nearest boulangerie (bakery) for our breakfast and do what the locals do. One of the best things about Paris is that though it’s an expensive city, you can always have freshly-baked breads in the morning for at least €1. I can’t stop eating croissants on a daily because these ones from Paris (and from small boulangeries on street corners) are the best way to enjoy classic French bread and pastries!

We arrived at Hôtel de la Place du Louvre, our accommodation in Paris for the first four nights, at around 7:30 AM. Since we couldn’t check-in yet and had to kill time for 7 hours, we walked around 1st Arrondissement on a chilly, November day. Despite being tired and sleepless from our long flight, I was excited to tour my husband around Paris since it was his first time there (second for me).

My travels abroad aren’t complete without a little bit of shopping. And even though I wasn’t able to shop something for myself (like a souvenir shirt or hoodie) during my entire New Zealand trip (a first for me!), I managed to get a number of Kiwi snacks from Four Square and Countdown supermarkets.

Everything is expensive in New Zealand, like a regular MAC lipstick costs Php 390 more there or the cheapest microwave beef lasagna I found was NZ$ 5. But if there are two affordable items that are worth buying in NZ, these are milk and chocolates.

I didn’t go too crazy in my snacks shopping, but I did get myself 18 items. I was able to bring home most of them and consumed two snacks during my vacation. 80% of these are chocolates in different varieties and I’ve taste tested them in different days. I won’t blab much longer – here’s my Kiwi snacks haul straight from New Zealand!

The fun part about Queenstown is that it’s so close to many exciting activities that cater to all ages and adventure level. On our fourth day, the heavens finally granted us a perfect, cool and sunny day which meant we’re finally heading to Dart River Valley! (Yay!)

We left Queenstown at 7:50 AM through a scenic drive going to Glenorchy. The view was spectacular, for the ray of sunlight emphasized the snow sprinkled mountain peaks and the flourishing greens that stand out against the dark water of Lake Wakatipu. After the 45-minute drive to Dart River Adventures base in Glenorchy, we put on our rain coat and life vest for our high-speed jet boating tour.

Milford Sound is one of the most visited attractions in New Zealand’s South Island. It’s the most well-known fiord under the country’s Fiordland National Park and can be accessed by road coming from Queenstown. I didn’t know anything about Milford Sound or fiords until I reached the port where our ship departs.

At 7:00 AM, a shuttle service from the tour company picked us up at our hotel in Queenstown. At the tour company office, we transferred to a coach going to Milford Sound. It was a scenic drive going to our destination, although I must admit I was surprised to find out it was a four-hour drive (nope, I didn’t research nor plan this trip). The driver-tour guide was skilled to provide commentaries along the way and at the same time maneuver the bus on winding roads.

Ah. Queenstown. One of God’s beautiful scenic creations and I can’t get enough of it. Once you’ve been there, you know it’s a place you’ll come back to over and over again. Queenstown is the titleholder of the “Adventure Capital of the World” and every adrenaline-junkie knows this is their death-defying playground.

Snow-capped peaks and lush trees. View from Camp Street, Queenstown.

I’ve only been there for four days and really, that’s way too short of a time to explore Queenstown fully. Nevertheless, my experience will help you plan for your trip to New Zealand’s must-see destination. Now before you embark on an exciting journey to the world’s adventure capital, here are 10 things you should know when traveling to Queenstown.

I just came back from my 9-day trip in New Zealand and it was awesome! Though this vacation was short, this was the longest trip I had this year. It was a battle between going back to Europe for the fourth time or going Oceania for something different. We took the latter option and New Zealand didn’t disappoint. For friends and family asking if I was in NZ for #TheWanForAnne, no I wasn’t there for Erwan Heussaff and Anne Curtis’ wedding (how I wish! Lol).

Enjoying the sun and the view of Lake Wakatipu and snow-capped peaks in Queenstown, New Zealand

Kidding aside, going to New Zealand was a long journey. It took us three plane rides (Manila – Bangkok – Auckland – Queenstown) and more than 24 hours of travel time to finally get to Queenstown. We left Manila at 1:00 PM on November 2 and arrived in Queenstown at 7:40 PM on November 3. The sun was just about to set when we landed and it was one of the most beautiful airport locations I’ve been to, probably one of the best in the world. Queenstown Airport is surrounded by vast, snow-capped mountain ranges all year round. Yes, it was spring when we arrived, but the weather was full-on winter!

New Zealand is known for its nature attractions and preserved natural resources so if you’re the outdoor type of person, this country is your perfect haven. Lush greens and forests, towering peaks, gushing waterfalls, and still lakes – there’s always a nature trip endeavor for every adventure-seeker.

About 3 weeks ago, I got my Louis Vuitton 2018 Agenda PM Refill which is an early holiday gift from my husband. This is the complete week on two pages version and we bought this one at the Louis Vuitton store in Greenbelt 4. This is the first time I’ll be using a PM Agenda / Small Ring Agenda cover together with its corresponding refill.

2018 Small Fonctionnal Weekly Agenda Refill - Complete

If you’re thinking about getting these inserts yourself, read my detailed review, pros and cons, and close-up photos before you spend on Louis Vuitton’s Luxury Agenda Refills.

The 2018 Agenda Refill came in a box which features a hand-painted, watercolor fashion and travel theme. In the complete weekly version, you get the diary (the actual weekly refills and additional pages), Cartes du Monde (maps of the world), and Repertoire (directory or phonebook). For the weekly diary version, only the diary is included in the box.

Sinigang is a famous Filipino dish that is known for its sour tamarind soup base. Pork, beef, and shrimp are the most common variants of traditional sinigang. There’ another way to cook this popular dish and this time, the main ingredients are fish and guavas.

Guavas give the sinigang a different flavor and the fresh tasting soup fits perfectly with the soft meat of the fish. In this dish, I used Tilapia because it has more meat and less bones than milkfish. Jot down notes and find out how to cook this sinigang alternative.

Today in the Philippines, we celebrate All Saints’ Day or what we call Undas. It’s the day when we give extra thought to our departed loved ones and continue to remember them by visiting their graveyards and lighting up a candle for them. If you read my older posts, you know that my father already passed away.

It has been two and a half years but whenever I see his photos, I feel like he’s still here. My father was a great provider and he worked day and night to give us a convenient life. When my sister and I were still kids, I remember we couldn’t afford branded clothes, shoes, and school items because my parents’ company was just starting. But before my father passed away, he and my mother let us experience a life of travel.