Spellbound in Siquijor

I conjured or even imagined many excuses to delay writing this post. Workload, laziness, more travel, root canal. etc. etc. Why? Because I don't know exactly how to begin. Looking from the outside, the trip that I made was somebody else's nightmare. But for me, it was a dream come true.

PAL flight from Manila to Dumaguete

Before stepping on the pristine, beautiful and enchanting Siquijor shores, I had no idea what is in store for me. See, I've only just dreamt about going to Dumaguete and nearby towns in Negros Oriental. San Juan, Valencia and Dumaguete are my main purpose on this trip. And maybe Apo Island. Siquijor was just a  loosely researched plan. All depending on my mood. But why oh why, did I find myself alone in a nipa hut right smack in Siquijor town in Siquijor province? Listening to strange noises rustling through the walls of my rickety abode for the night?

Simple.
I was spellbound.

Like a helpless victim with dazed eyes hypnotized by witchcraft and sorcery I found myself in the waiting area of the pier at the end of the Boulevard, waiting to board the vessel for which I shall spend the loooongest 45 minutes of my life. It was the choppiest ferry boat I have ever experienced. First fifteen minutes, I was having an internal battle with myself, and I was actually calculating if turning back is still an option.

After that, everything went by really smoothly. Like it was in a dream. And what welcomed me was this.

If it isn't spellbinding, I don't know what is.

The first thing I see in Siquijor and I've fallen in love with it already.

Siquijor Island Tour on my next post.

Seven Destinations, Seven Weekends, One Whirlwind Local Travel Adventure

I am one of those people who wish to travel in foreign and local destinations and stay there for a week, a month or even a year. Forget all the trappings of work,  and just set off on an adventure while still doing what I love to do - to write. I long for long-term travel. And who doesn't? That feeling of freedom and abandon. That spontaneity. That opportunity to live the life of my dreams. Ah. A girl can dream.  

But because I need money to fund my escapes, and because I looove my job and I don't want to lose it by resigning or being fired, I have to make a compromise. Because life is about compromises. We can't have it all. Or can we?

So to  at least satisfy my yearning to travel locally, I availed of this airline's promo which promised that I can have unlimited travel for ten grand. Impulsive me went for it! But there was a catch, heck, there is always a catch - you can only avail of the "unlimited" travel within the period of seven weeks. Since I cannot opt for long-term travel, I decided upon the next best thing to enjoy this deal - I decided that I will travel every weekends for the next seven weeks!

The grand plan:

Dumaguete – Siquijor        August 28- September 2

Kalibo                              September 3-5

Cebu                                September 11-13

Bacolod                           September 17-19

Legazpi                            September 24- 26

Davao                              October 1-3

Palawan                           October 13- 16

So this was the plan: I'd travel every weekend, even for as short as three days for seven weeks. I told myself, I will complete the itinerary. Short vacations are still vacations. Weekend travels may be short, but it's enough to feel the vibe of the destination, to sample the local food, to connect with new people. I promised myself that I would go, even when I have deadlines. I'd bring my trusty laptop so I can write, inside the hotel, or at a local cafe. There is still something exhilirating about working in a new setting.

Plus it will be a great way to fight lethargy - all tickets are already printed for the next seven weeks. All I need is a map, moolah and myself! 

So, was I able to stick with ze plan?

I traveled solo but I think TRAVEL FATIGUE tagged along. 

I was only able to travel to four destinations out of the projected seven. Sigh. Three things, flexibility, graciousness and simple gung-ho attitude can make you brush your disappointments like yesterday’s dandruff.

And I still think that the whole experience is one for the books.

Plus, despite not being able to complete my itinerary, I realized that the four-local destination glimpse to our motherland made me state this  very important thing that I have learned: Whoever says that The Philippines is inferior to another country when it comes to natural wonders and beauty is a complete fool.

Nothing can beat that one moment - when you are riding the local habal-habal ripping the coastline of a remote island, sleeping alone in a hut in no less than Siquijor Island, riding the ferry boat traversing the choppy Bohol Sea, eating buffet lunch in Mactan Island, writing/working while having breakfast in Real Coffee, or being stranded in Bicol because of typhoon Pedring- whatever you do, that moment can come unexpectedly, when you realize that you are living your dream, you are exploring and you are happily, breathlessly alive.

Up next, the first leg: My solo Dumaguete-Siquijor Adventure! 

Life Changing Cambodia

It's not just about the magnificent temples. As much as there is beauty in brilliance and in human genius, religion, spirituality and greatness, there is a painful divinity in every tragedy. Cambodia will always be etched in my heart. Greatness, will equal great disaster. Pain and death, beauty and bravery. Two extremely opposite  human experiences happened to this country. Learning about their pain, makes me want to hug every Cambodian, smile and buy bracelets at every Cambodian kid peddling their goods, lucky and happy to be alive.

may I interrupt your regular programming

This post is not travel-related, but allow me to share to you what I have been up to. I am writing for this show for ABS-CBN. (weeknights around 9-ish). The series (Nasaan Ka, Elisa?- is a franchise from Mexico and Chile -  countries that I hope to actually travel to someday. (who said this ain't travel-related, haha). Please watch the show, it's a different kind of experience to teleserye fanatics and to those with more, ehem, sophisticated tastes, the show can actually tickle your brain.

Apart from writing, I have been traveling every week, (even bringing deadlines with me). My first jaunt was in Dumaguete and Siquijor during the long weekend, and then the week after was my first time to go to Boracay. Last week was second time in Cebu. It has all been very enriching. I feel so blessed and grateful to get to know these places, and the people I encounter.

Traveling is not an escape, it is a reunion to my once-innocent and excitable, overflowing-with-passion self. And yes, I will be traveling to a lot more places soon! But first,  I need to find time to write these posts. I'm so excited to share them all with everyone.

Curiously, on twitter, people have been asking why did Elisa (played by Melissa Ricks) disappear. Did someone kidnap her? Is she dead? I answer jokingly, Elisa went backpacking alone to some obscure town that's why she went missing.  Haha.

Nah. That's what I would do.

haven't updated in a while

but rest assured my travel stories are being recorded in my travel journal. can't wait to share the stories with everyone! Keep travelling! Cheers!