Sony Ericsson W595

I actually had no plans of buying a new phone. I wanted to since late last year but decided against it as it wasn't practical as I already own two phones - a Sony Ericsson personal phone and a Nokia company phone so I did not see the need to buy a new one. Then my nearly 3 year-old personal phone's scroller got busted. It wasn't doing any scrolling at all so I had no choice but to buy a new one.

So off I went to the mall, without a specific phone model and specs in mind. I was clear about one thing though - the brand has to be Sony Ericsson.

In various shops that I'd been to, the shop attendants showed me different phone models and detailed each of the phone's specs. I explained that I wasn't interested in the specs. Why? Because I don't need music capabilities as I have my iPod Touch for that. Internet connection? Well, the iTouch has that too. And of course, my laptop. As for a camera, I have my trusty Canon digicam.

Then I saw the Sony Ericsson W595 and got smitten. With its blackish-gray color, it looked sleek and dashing but the blue-green color of its keypad and of the trademark W of Sony added a dash of spunk to it. I also liked it at first glance because unlike my previous Sony Ericsson phone, it has no scroller. Relying only on this slide phone's aesthetic appeal and without fully knowing its specs, I bought it.

And I wasn't disappointed.

The moment I got home, I tried its music capability and it was good. I tried using its FM radio too and was surprised to know that it had a built-in speaker. Cool.

Its camera was also of good quality. Below is the picture I took using the phone's 3.2 megapixel camera.

Reading through its manual, I was amazed at its capabilities. I could hardly believe that such a slim and lightweight phone could function as a mobile phone, a camera and a media player. Plus, it has Internet capabilities. For the phone's complete specifications, click HERE.

Ipanema G2B Solar - Black

I love my new pair of Ipanema G2B Solar flip flops! It's very comfortable to wear and since I bought the one in black, it suits anything I wear, be it shorts, jeans and skirts. The stud crystal on each of its strap also added a gloss of elegance to it.

Sightseeing in Sabang, Palawan

Sabang is an island of Palawan tucked amidst pristine beaches, lush mountains, cliffs and mangals (assemblages of woody plants known as mangroves). The place has a rustic feel to it, reminiscent of the province I grew up in. It is so pristine that there is limited electricity in the area. Surrounded by such beauty, serenity is thus a luxury one can easily achieve.

After our lunch, while other tourists were busy swimming in Sabang Beach, my friends and I opted to have a Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour. On our way there, our eyes feasted on lush greenery and good views of the beach and the sky.

We also passed by Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort which we were told was an affiliate resort of Puerto Pension, the place we were staying in back in Puerto Princesa. I remember hearing from the front desk clerks of Puerto Pension that this is the only resort in the area that has 24-hour electricity as very few establishments and houses own generators which they usually turn off at 6 PM.

My best find on this sightseeing tour though is this flower. I don't know what it's called. I just know it has a pinkish-white variety which I used to pick as a child and put behind my ears. I was actually surprised to see it there and in the wilds nonetheless as I only see this during the summer in school and home gardens.

The trip was all worth it, despite the fact that my legs ached from the long walk. The views were just too lovely!