Wednesday, December 26, 2007

    20th SIGA in Cebu, Philippines

    As everyone knows by now the 20th SIGA (SSEAYP International General Assembly) will be held in Cebu, Philippines from 1-4th May 2008. The price for the SIGA should be about USD195 although that's not confirmed yet. The price includes 3 nights accomodation at a 5-star hotel, meals and conference fees.

    I've come up with some suggestions for minimum travel costs to Cebu from Brunei. The costs displayed is only an estimated cost and might change depending on availability and are available online if you book FAST! Email me if you need help.


    Via Singapore.

    1) Wednesday 30th April 2008 BWN-SIN BI423 1800hrs-2000hrs
    Thursday 1st May 2008 SIN-CEB 5J548 0025hrs-0405hrs

    Monday 5th May 2008 CEB-SIN 5J547 1940hrs-2325hrs
    Tuesday 6th May 2008 SIN-BWN BI422 1055hrs-1300hrs or BI424 2050hrs-2250hrs


    Total Price will be roughly BND620. Please note that you will be arriving in Cebu very early on the 1st of May. You also have to stay in Cebu one extra night (unless you take a flight that goes through Manila to change planes on Sunday)because there are no direct flights from Cebu to Singapore on CebuPacific on Sunday. Also you have to stay overnight in Singapore on the way back. Cebu Pacific flights fly from the Budget Terminal in Singapore.

    2) If you still want to fly through Singapore but don't want to take a budget airline, you can take Silkair but this is significantly more expensive. And you will also have to stay overnight in Singapore on the way there and on the way back if you plan to take Singapore Airlines to Singapore. Althernatively you can buy a separate ticket to Singapore from Brunei. And then buy a separate Silkair ticket from Singapore to Cebu if you don't want to stopover in Singapore. This will really increase your total price. Ask me if you have any questions.

    Via Bangkok

    1) Thursday 1st May 2008 BWN-BKK BI515 1420hrs-1610hrs
    Thursday 1st May 2008 BKK- CEB 5J927 2310hrs - 0330hrs

    Sunday 4th May 2008 CEB-BKK 5J926 2005-2225hrs
    Monday 5th May 2008 BKK-BWN BI516 1700-2050hrs

    Total Price will be roughly BND630 and you have to arrange for a one night stay in Bangkok on the way back.


    Via Manila (Ninoy Aquino International Airport)

    Wednesday 30th April 2008 BI687 BWN-MNL 2235-0035hrs
    Thursday 1st May 2008 MNL-CEB - multiple flights to Cebu

    Sunday 4th may 2008 CEB-MNL - multiple flights to Manila
    Monday 5th May 2008 BI688 MNL-BWN - 0705-0905hrs

    (BWN-MNL-BWN already about BND500+ and you definitely have to stay overnight in Manila on the way there and on the way back. Ticket MNL-CEB-MNL are about BND150)

    via KK and Manila through Clark Airport

    You can take the ferry to KK (BKI) and then take Air Asia flight to Manila Clarks (CRK), which is 3 hours by bus from the Main airport (MNL).

    Thursday 1st May 2008 BKI-CRK AK502 1420-1620hrs
    Then bus to MNL for 3 hours
    Thursday 1st May 2008 MNL-CEB 5J573 2030-2145hrs

    Sunday 4h May 2008 CEB-MNL 5J645 1025-1140hrs
    Then bus to CRK for 3 hours
    Sunday 4th May 2008 CRK-BKI AK503 1645-1845


    (Please note that although this option is cheap, but it will be risky just incase your Air Asia flight is delayed. Also there can be bad traffic between CRK and MNL.
    BKI-CRK-BKI roughly BND200. MNL-CEB-MNL roughly BND150)


    (You can also take the plane to BKI from BWN which will cost BND153 if booked online.
    Thursday 1st May 2008 BWN-BKI BI821 0805-0845hrs
    Sunday 4th May 2008 BKI-BWN BI826 2300-2340hrs)


    via KK only

    Thursday 1st May 2008 BWN-BKI BI821 0805-0845hrs
    Thursday 1st May 2008 BKI-CEB MH708 1315-1505hrs

    Sunday 4th May 2008 CEB-BKI MH709 1600-1750hrs
    Sunday 4th May 2008 BKI-BWN BI826 2300-2340hrs

    This is an easy option for those who don't want to stay overnight too. You can buy the BWN-BKI-BWN ticket on RBA website for BND153 and BKI-CEB-BKI ticket for about BND550.

    Key:
    BWN- Bandar Seri Begawan
    CEB - Cebu
    CRK - Clark Airport (3 hours drive from Manila)
    MNL - Manila
    SIN - Singapore
    BKK - Bangkok
    BKI - Kota Kinabalu

    Flights:
    BI - Royal Brunei (http://www.bruneiair.com/)
    5J - Cebu Pacific (http://www.cebupacificair.com/)
    MH - Malaysia Airlines (http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/)
    AK - Air Asia (http://www.airasia.com)

    Wednesday, December 19, 2007

    Boarding of the OBSC, Viet Nam Reunion on Board and Send off Ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City

    The Reunion on Board in Ho Chi Minh City was held on Monday 3rd December during the country program in Viet Nam.

    Registration for Reunion on Board

    On the same day, the Representatives for the On Board Ship Conference boarded the Nippon Maru to coordinate the Post Program Sessions for the PYs and also to prepare the SSEAYP News.

    OBSC members with our new pink (yes, pink!) MOPAS bags

    This was the first reunion dinner I attended in Viet Nam and it was slightly different than the others. It was attended by a lot of volunteers who had contributed to the running of the country program in Viet Nam with relatively few ex-PYs. I was told that most of the ex-PYs live in Ha Noi and it was difficult for them to go to Ho Chi Minh City for the reunion.

    The Administrator giving a speech during the reunion

    Some 2004 batch ex-PYs (guess which one is the Bruneian?)





    As expected, the send off ceremony in Viet Nam is always very emotional. The ship left Saigon port on 4th December to set sail for Tokyo, Japan on 4th December 2007.


    OBSC didn't have a name card...

    BPYs waving goodbye to their host families and friends left in Viet Nam

    The familiar ticker tape....

     

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