Savings With Straight Talk

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

Mom and I have been talking that after our current cell phone contract expires, we'll switch to a no contract cell phone provider. One of the companies we looked into is Straight Talk. We love that there are no contracts, no surprise bills and no credit checks, and most of all, they have great, reliable nationwide coverage and excellent reception/connectivity. Reliability matters to us because Mom lives in Hawaii and I live in the DC area; our current provider has been plagued with dropped calls.

Let's look at Straight Talk's monthly plans: (1) “All You Need Plan” meets even the needs of heavy phone users with 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30 MB of web data; (2) Unlimited Monthly service is only $45, and includes calls, text, picture messaging, and web; (3) Imagine unlimited calls, text, picture messaging and web for a whole year, for only $499.00; (4) 411 calls are included at no extra charge; and, (5) Free from activation, reactivation, or termination fees. With these type of plans, you can easily save money, call a friend or family anytime and anywhere you want.

Also, Straight Talk offers a variety of smart phones; touch screen phones, and app capable phones with features like voice navigation, camera, video recorder, music player, instant messaging, and Bluetooth. I'm sure that for those who love to play the fishing game, you can definitely become expert in the art of hook, line and sinker.

Oh yes, they also offer International Long Distance Service and it is a flexible prepaid calling service that enables you to make international calls from your home, cell or office phone at low rates. I think that everything you need or your family's need are covered with Straight Talk. What do you think?

Let's look at what Straight Talk customers are talking about.

Maui's Hana Highway

I think that visiting Maui is incomplete if you have not driven through and survived Hana Highway. Here, you'll experience one lane bridges, sharp and tight turns and nervous inducing rocky cliffs. Setting aside the gripping part of the adventure, you'll be amazed that every turn through this lustrous green forests and mountains leads you to spectacular views, hidden waterfalls, unexpected dead ends and sometimes you feel the thrill that you're going to drive off straight to the blue and beautiful Pacific.

Highway 36 is one of the most famous highways in the country, but most know it by a different name: the Road to Hana. The trip is 52 miles of winding roads with 1-lane bridges, hairpin turns and stunning landscapes of rocky cliffs, plunging waterfalls and rolling valleys. The ride takes about 3 hours, but you'll want the whole day to linger. (Source here.)

Put on your seat belts and let's take a drive to Hana Highway!

Colors Of Maui

If given the chance, I'd LOVE to visit Maui again. I'd like to drive through the winding, treacherous and breathtaking Hana Highway, breathe in the dewy mountain air and the seaweed scented ocean breeze. 

Also, I can't forget the spectacular display of flowers and their bursting colors. And talk about Rainbows, check this photo I took while ascending Haleakala Volcano.

 This was just the beginning of the journey of colors - Hana Highway.

  Driving through Hana Highway, our first visit was at the Garden of Eden. This is the Banana greeting that welcomes you at the entrance.

  Starfruit

L-R: Cup of Gold, Anthurium, Starfruit and Birds of Paradise

Tropical flowers offer a feast of colors.

Breathtaking views. Recognize one of them from the movie Jurassic Park?

Also, if you visit this place, you'll get to meet Pepper, the resident dog at the Garden of Eden.

Discount And Savings

Brought to you by your friends at geekalerts.com.

I am always looking for deals and coupons online, and sometimes, I scour the internet just to find ways to save on money. Sometimes, it takes me hours before I even find the right deals I want. Are you in the same boat as I am? If you're like me who loves to find discounts, coupons and deals online, then we're in luck. So how cool it would be if you just visit one site and you'll find online coupons, promotion codes, and discounts for online stores? Well, wait no longer because this is why geekalerts.com exist. This site can certainly save you a lot of time and money. Plus, you'll get the latest news on coolest Gadgets that's in demand in the market.

I love that this site features a lot of the newest gadgets available in the market. I was just reading about their Magic d20 of Destiny, and I'm thinking of getting one for myself. And if you're looking for Apple Store promo codes, you're in luck because you can finally purchase that Apple product you want. Check this site now and start saving. Right now, II am thinking of my next travel destination, I am off to take advantage of their Orbitz promotion code.

See's Candies

Brought to you by your friends at sees.com.

Photo source here.

In Hawaii, when someone says, "See's Candies," I'd break into a sweet smile. I love the hard candies and chocolates at See's Candies. When I moved to the Mid-Atlantic, I sorely missed this brand especially their gourmet lollipops; I love their butterscotch. So when I found out I can actually order them online, I jumped in delight.

At sees.com, you can easily shop by occasion, category and price. I am looking at their Summer Variety and it looks really delicious; I'm thinking of ordering one for myself. If you're new to See's Candies, check out their Bestsellers so that you'll have an idea what's in at sweet tooth heaven. I know that my gourmet lollipops is there. I'm glad I can order See's Candies online. It's like bringing the taste of home here in the humid Mid-Atlantic.

LP: Malaya (Free)

 

Sa Waimea Beach, Hawaii, parang may hinihintay sila...

(At Waimea Beach, Hawaii, everyone's  standing still and waiting for something...)

Ano kaya ang hinihintay nila? (What are they waiting for?)

Talon! (Jump!)

Kung sila'y tumatalon at nasa himpapawid, kitang-kita ko ang kanilang kalayaan. Kalayaan na lumipad at magpakasaya kahit sa ilang segundo man lang. Ako ay naiinggit dahil sa isang aplastic anemic na tulad ko, hindi ito puwede dahil kung may mangyari sa akin na trauma sa tubig o sa mga bato bato sa paligid, ay maaari ko itong ikamatay. Tulad nila, ako'y naghihintay na gumaling at makawala sa aking hawla. At sana sa susunod, ako ay malayang tatalon sa bato na ito.

When I see them jump off this rock, I see their joy and excitement. They relish their air time even if it lasts only for a few seconds. I envy them because for someone with aplastic anemia like me, a jump like this could be fatal. I am still waiting to jump. I am waiting to be free and be healed of this disease. I dream of being free from this cage and maybe next time, I'll be the one jumping off from this rock.

Hand Dryers

Brought to you by your friends at handdryersource.com.

Do you own a business establishment and in need of quality hand driers? I think you should check out handdryersource.com. This site is the ultimate source of quality hand dryers. Here you can find automatic dryers, push button dryers, dual jet dryers, surface mount dryers and more. Any brand or style, this is THE place to go to.

If you're interested on dyson hand dryers, this place carries them too. I was just checking out their dyson air blade hand dryer, and I was impressed how their items come with a photo and a full product description; this certainly makes shopping and choosing the right product easier. I may not own a business but the coolness factor and the touch free feature of the dyson airblade hand dryers are making me want to instal one in my own bathroom. I think that dyson is a great brand; I remember my grandma always bragging how her dyson vacuum lasted for years.

So why should you shop at this site? Well, if you're looking at: fast shipping, huge product selection, in-depth product description on their site, helpful/expert customer service are just a few things you can take advantage by shopping at this site.

Remembering Spring

As I sweat and whine about summer's oppressive heat,
thoughts of spring has filled my thoughts of late.

I miss the -

tall weeds dancing to the soft spring breeze
outburst of vibrant colors
sweet floral scents that filled the morning air
anticipation for the first spring rain
waiting for the right time to sow the vegetable seeds
deciding what flowers to grow
excitement of house renovations
looking forward to starting a new.

It's good to remember spring, but now, fall will be here anytime soon.

Mosaic Tiles

Brought to you by your friends at edenmosaictile.com.

It will be two years since I moved into my house, but my kitchen is still unfinished. I have so many plans for my kitchen especially that I'm looking into putting wood mosaic tiles to have a more natural feel. If you're also thinking of doing kitchen or bathroom renovations, you might want to consider looking into mosaic tiles because they can really create a different feel or ambiance either in the kitchen or bathroom. Also, edenmosaictile.com is a great place to start looking for styles, colors and prices.

This site offers a great variety on metal mosaic tile, glass mosaic tile and wood mosaic tile. You'll find this website very easy to navigate and their products come with a photo and in-depth description; this certainly makes shopping easy and convenient. You can also request a sample so that you'll feel and see the tile model you like. If you're not sure how to go about tiling your kitchen or bathroom, feel free to contact their expert and friendly staff.

LP: Masaya (Happy)

 

Sila ay mga mananayaw ng mga Russian folk dances na napanood namin sa St. Petersburg, Russia. Napakasaya silang panoorin at puno ng sigla ang kanilang sayaw. Napakaganda at makulay ang kanilang mga pansayaw na damit. Magaling silang mananayaw kaya't pagkatapos ng palabas ay napakalakas na palakpak ang ibinigay ng mga manonood.

They are the Russian folk dancers that we saw perform at St. Petersburg, Russia. They are a treat to watch as they perform their folk dances with energy and vigor. Their colorful costumes adds to the cheer they bring to the audience and that's one reason why they were given an outstanding ovation after every performance.

My Big Break

Guest written by our friend Mason Abbott

When I broke my collarbone playing pickup soccer last year I had a really hard time recovering. I was more or less bedridden for about 4 months and I’m very active, so saying it was hard for me to stay laid up is an understatement. The first few weeks I had a lot of visitors who helped make the time pass but after that stopped and I had tons of different books I’d burned through I went to http://www.ExpertSatellite.com and decided it was time for me to get satellite. I spent the rest of the time watching old movies and healing myself back to health and after what felt like years, my collarbone was finally good enough for me to walk on again. The good news is, now I feel stronger than ever and I’m back to my old ways at the gym all the time but for those few months I really learned what it meant to get in touch with my leisurely side. Thank goodness for some much needed R&R!

Maui's Kuka'emoku

Let's take a break from my Finland travel posts and fly back to my home islands, Hawaii. Lately, the thoughts of home have been really making me homesick and going through a rough time in the health aspect makes me miss the warmth of home instead of the needles and cold, impersonal clinic visits that is my reality for now. Hopefully, after this post, I'll feel the warmth of Hawaii - even if it's just in my thoughts.

Visiting the Iao Needle was something I've been wanting to do for the longest time, but it was only last year that this dream came to fruition. I was home in O'ahu for the holidays, so Kepi and I decided to visit the island of Maui for two days. Of course, two days weren't enough, even a month is not even enough to explore or enjoy the beaches of Maui. Maui is so beautiful and has so many things to offer. From beautiful beaches, whale watching, picturesque volcano and breathtaking scenery. You name it, Maui's got it.

So here starts my adventure to see the Iao Needle...

It was a rainy start, but it soon cleared out as the day progressed.

A tunnel in Maui.

A morning glimpse of the Pacific after the rain.

The view as we descended to the Iao Valley - the morning mist hasn't departed yet or will it ever.

Kuka'emoku measures at 2,250 feet and is the phallic stone of Kanaloa, Hawaiian god of the ocean. During the warfare period between the islands, this was used as a lookout for warriors

According to the park brochure, "Kuka'emoku is an erosional remnant. It is at the end of a ridge comprised of a denser dike stone. The softer rock around the dike stone was eroded by streams and waterfalls."

Here's a rest place near Kuka'emoku. A great place to relax while the cold mist blankets your whole being and lands kisses on your face

As we were driving away from Kuka'emoku, I happen to see this park at the base of the mountain so we decided to check it out.

From the park, you can watch the mist hover and disappear over the mountains. It was a dramatic scene how nature rules out here.

The park featured Korean, Japanese, Filipino and Chinese gardens.

And yes, Jose Rizal, the Philippine National Hero.

The Filipino house complete with a Koi pond.

A bust of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen.

Japanese garden

Flower and raindrops.