Travel on a Shoestring’s premiere episode last night August 14, 2008 was a trip to one of Manila’s nearby provinces, Laguna. The show opened with a question asking random people, “What would you do with P5000?” Host JC Gotinga replied that with just P5000 or less, one can already travel.

That’s what JC did and spent only a little over P3000. But before he started his trip, the host explained that his budget trip doesn’t include the transportation cost because it differs where one person’s starts his/her trip.

DAY 1

-Trees Hostel inside UPLB then explored the Makiling Botanical Gardens nearby.
-Makiling Highlands resort in Pansol and ate nilagang baka.
-Rizal Shrine in Calamba.
-old houses and Pila Museum of Pila, Laguna
-back to UPLB, University town and ate dinuguan for dinner

DAY 2
-breakfast of goto and taho
-bus ride going to Pagsanjan
-boat ride from Pagsanjan town to Pagsanjan Falls, balsa ride closer to the falls
-from Pagsanjan to Lumban(home of the finest Barongs)
-went to Paete from Lumban
-back to UPLB, University town and ate kebab for dinner

DAY3
-ate lechon kawali in binalot
-bought Pasalubong, buko pie, butterscotch and pastilles

Here are some of the details of the trip's expenses:

• Trees Hostel - P1000, a/c room for 2 nights

• Makiling Botanical Gardens - P10

• Makiling Highlands Resort - P135

• Food (UPLB) - P70 average

• Bus fare to Pagsanjan - P43

• Boat ride to Pagsanjan Falls - P660

• Balsa ride to falls - P90

• Fan from Lumban - P200

• Pasalubong Buko Pie - P130

• Jeepney fare - P8-13 depends on distance

• Tricycle fare - P30 average