For more than a year now, I have been travelling around the Philippines. And whenever I'm in a new place I always look for a beach I could swim in, waves I could surf, mountains I could trek, waterfalls I could chase, and cliffs I could jump off of.
Here are some photos of me doing The Plunge last November in Bohol, Philippines. It's basically a canyon swing adventure, a bit like bungee jumping.
The 200-meter free fall is exhilirating and will be the longest four seconds of your life. LOL!
After the free fall you'll reach the end of the ropes and it'll begin to swing you between a 300-meter wide gorge.
ON TRAVELLING
I have backpacked on my own, chased waterfalls on my own, trekked on my own.
I have traveled with friends.
With strangers.
With a lover.
My friends always ask me whether solo travel is better than traveling with someone.
I always say no. Not because group travel is more fulfilling but because those two experiences shouldn't be compared at all in those terms. They are two different experiences and they have their own charms and their own pitfalls. Some things you only experience when travelling with someone, some only when you're on the road on your own. And that's what makes traveling magical.
It's like appetizer and dessert. You can't compare your appetizers to your desserts but you can say you love having dessert more than you love eating appetizers. It's personal preference. Same with travel.
Personally, I just love traveling. It doesn't matter whether it's with someone or by myself. I love every single memory I make when I'm on the road. The random chitchats. The wrong turns. The missed buses. The late lunches on airports. The late nights on beaches. The sleeping on mountains, under the stars. The locals. The people I meet.
I appreciate every other traveler that crossed my way. Those who became friends for a day. And those strangers who became travel buddies.
TRAVEL TIPS
I always end up making the planning whenever I travel with my friends. So I always get the what-should-I-bring questions. I tell them that aside from the usual travel necessities, they should never ever forget these three:
- Money
- Sunblock
- Positive Attitude
You can travel in budget (I'd like to consider myself a budget traveler) but, unless you're in a co-working setup, please don't try to travel with little to no money.
If you're traveling in a tropical country, sunblock is a must. Trust me, you don't want a painful sun-damned skin while on the road.
Positive attitude. Bring lots of it, you will need it. Travel is not comfortable and your patience will get tested at times. Do not ruin your entire day just because of a petty hitch.
MY 2018 ADVENTURE
I'll be travelling again tomorrow with friends and we'll be rafting in a raging river. The next few months will also be spent travelling. The goal is to visit as many places in the Philippines as I can before I move on to backpacking Asia. Then the world.
Also, I wish I could save up enough money soon so I can finally bring my parents and siblings with me on one of my adventures.
Thank you all for reading!