The Next Big Adventure

"This could be the last solo travel that I will embark in a while." - Paulakwatsera in Cebu, December 2014

Destiny always finds a way to prove me wrong. 

Just when I declared that I will not be traveling alone anytime soon, here comes the greatest solo journey of my life. 

March 20th, what should have been the International Day of Happiness is the day I left my loved ones to work and live in a new country for a few years.

Cebu: The Last Lone Adventure

In a Sukhasana, I face the sunset of Moalboal. Had I done this two years ago, it would have brought me tranquility but I am now a different story.

Cebu: Canyoneering Moalboal

Cebu is my home break in traveling. This is the first inter-island destination I've been to when I was in my tweens but as an adult, I have never been able to return to this place.

If I am going to describe Cebu in one word before this trip it would be elusive. In my previous work, I was never assigned to Cebu even if it is one of the most common destination. November of 2013, I already booked my flight to visit the Queen City of the South but Typhoon Yolanda happened and the trip had to be cancelled. So this year I thought that Cebu would be a great destination in celebration of my birthday solo travel tradition. 

As I mentioned, Cebu is a very popular destination so I thought of something less touristy to do for my week long vacation in this island. The scarcity of a travel guide available about canyoneering in Cebu tells me that it is something I ought to experience. 

Aside from being overshadowed by swimming with the whale sharks as the top activity in Southern Cebu, the hefty price of this activity is probably what makes it less popular to local tourists or so I thought.

Where Do Broken Hearts Go

It is a place where free spirits and wandering souls take refuge, like hers that once found itself in its shores almost a year ago. Wandering and free, a state she should've preserved she thought. But this dopamine-inducing utopia found its way to her mind and eventually her heart and she found herself willingly caught in its zealous trance.

She doesn't know what happened. A couple of months back she was happy and full of love, then one bad decision led to the next and here she is now, ruptured in the in-between.

Broken hearts, shattered dreams, fragmented idealism. A mess beyond repair. 

A Different Road

What do you do when the bug bite wears off?

In as much as I would like to quit my job and travel on a shoestring, I know deep inside my gut that it will not make me happy. Sure it would be nice to be able to update my Facebook timeline and Instagram feed ever so often with a new destination that I just ticked off my bucket list but deep inside, my heart is yearning for something more.

Baler: A Shift in Hellos and Goodbyes

That feeling when you are on your way to a destination and for some reason your heart is beating faster than usual. You know that it is not because you are traveling alone and it is also not because you have not made any reservation on where you're going to stay. 

It is a feeling that is more on the spectrum of the day before a field trip to a theme park in elementary school.

You can't breathe, you check your sleepless self in the mirror, you check the people around you if they are noticing your anxiety. And suddenly, from a distant, you saw his contagious smile and your heart feel that you are home.

Cagbalete: The DIY Paradise

Life is what you make it. If you want to be happy, then smile and do whatever it is that makes you happy. If you let anything or anyone stop you from achieving your bliss, it is not their fault. 

As cliche as it is, Cagbalete is no different. This place is what you make it, you could either make it heaven or hell. 

Even if there are resorts in Cagbalete, the accommodation offered is very basic. Most resorts don't serve rice meals during weekdays. Camping is very popular here and that is why this getaway is popular for families and budget travelers.

A Summer Weekend at Burot Beach

A Perfect Sunset at Burot Beach

How to Get There

1. Take a van bound to Calatagan. This van terminal can be found at the back of Kabayan Hotel in Pasay, near the MRT Taft Avenue Station. 
2. Alight at Calatagan Market. It is advisable that you buy your basic necessities here. As of this writing, there is already a sari-sari store in Burot Beach that sells everything you may need but the prices are a bit higher than usual.
3. Take a tricycle from Calatagan Market to Burot beach. Regular fare is Php 150 - Php 200. It is best that you get the phone number of the tricycle driver so that he may fetch you when you already want to head back. I would recommend contacting Kuya Jun (0946-205-2027). He is friendly and doesn't overprice.

NOTE:
1. Even though multiple google searches would say that there is a bus bound to Calatagan in Metropolis Mall Alabang, there isn't any.
2. DLTB buses bound to Nasugbu in LRT Gil Puyat station doesn't pass by Calatagan. They will drop you at Lian instead, and you have to ride another jeep bound to Calatagan.

Onshore Thoughts of a Surfer's Nonsurfer Girlfriend

"Guys, this is Pau, my... girl."
"Hey, do you surf too?"

"No."

Weak smile as a response, and they go about talking how glassy the waves are earlier that day and how good the waves are going to be tomorrow according to the forecast at another spot.

No one even bothers to ask what I do for fun. Heck, I've been to a lot of adventures than a normal person and I thought my life has been pretty interesting because of my travels until I got to know him. Then I realized how boring, comfortable, and normal my life is. Also, how antisocial, old-fashioned, uncool and unstylish I am.

Chasing Sunrise in Bagasbas

"Yesterday's failure is redeemed at the sunrise” - Todd Stocker

Bagasbas Beach is a tricycle ride away from Daet, Camarines Norte. It is known as one of the top surfing destinations in the country. In fact, it is the home of one of the best female surfer in the Philippines but what made me fall in love with this place is not in the water.