Iloilo and Guimaras on a budget p1

I didn't think it was possible for me and I swear I had my doubts...but surprisingly, I actually managed to have a mini-vacation and not spend too much for it. I can't take credit for any of it, of course, as I did very little to help haggle with trike drivers and shop owners. Still, to have come out of the trip flush with half of what I'd originally budgeted is something even I wouldn't have expected.

Christine, Mitzie, and I were originally slated to go to Iloilo some time last November. Actually, I wasn't in the original roster but since their travel buddy backed out, the open flight slot was offered to me. Back in October, when they had first begun to map this trip out, I had thought to juggle schedules and finances just to be able to make it. Due to unforeseen events, I suddenly found myself with a lot of free time but with very limited spending capacity. One thing led to another and soon, plans were pushed back until it was too late.

Determined to get one last hurrah before the year closed, and thanks to CebuPac's budget flights (Php899/pax GoLite), we were able to work around our respective schedules and book new tickets to Iloilo. After much deliberation and rough sketches of what our itinerary was going to be like, we ended up half following our outline and half just winging it. Being the OC people that we are, we armed ourselves with research on the best spots and the greatest deals to maximize our time and money. I don't know if it was sheer luck or charm that worked for us, but we actually managed to get even lower prices for some expenses than what other bloggers said were already good deals. I'll have to expound on this at a later date since I've work to see to...work that will inevitably sponsor my future trips.