Last January 12, 2010 I wrote down the places I wanted to visit in year 2010. Unfortunately, I was only able to visit one due to the usual financial constraints, lack of traveling partner/s and time. I was able though to see places not included on my list and I got more than what I bargain for because it was a completely wonderful experience at a lesser cost. Thanks to those generous friends who accompanied me and shared with me unforgettable traveling experiences this year.
Before I end this year, I browsed my blogs and checked what I have gone through over the year. I looked back from the usual happenings to the most unusual and mundane things that happened to me. I had my first times - I took a plane to the Visayas region which was one of the highlights of my 2010. I went down a coal mine in Cebu, took a dip in the waters of Bohol, to almost tasting the Chocolate Hills.
I had a few independent traveling this year. I went to Subic on a bus alone, I went to Ilocos on a bus with a niece, and attended the Binatbatan-Vigan Festival alone. I organized two out-of-town trips with my classmates and experienced a one-of-a-kind adventure which created good relationships and lasting friendships. In Tali beach, Nasugbu, we have proven that if there is will, there are many ways. There, we experienced walking miles, doing household chores, being patient and falling in love.
As 2011 is nearing, I'll make another list again. It doesn't matter if I fulfill the traveling list next year. What's important is - I have plans and it means I have still have dreams.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Rush Hour
ngayon pa lang ako tunay na nakipagsapalaran sa pagbiyahe. Sa haba ng pila sa mga itinalagang "loading and unloading" area ng MMDA, mapapaisip ka kung kailangan mo na ba talagang umuwi o pwede bang hintayin munang humupa ang bagyo sa kalsada.
May tumatakbo, may nagdadasal, may kumakain, may nagtetext, may nag-iisip. Lahat sila naghihintay sa tila Last Trip na bus. Tayong mga Pilipino ay sadyang mahilig makipagsapalaran para lamang sa ating mga mahal. Hindi iniinda ang haba ng pila, ang tayuan na bus o ang malagkit na ordinary bus, di alintala ang init at alikabok dulot ng maghapong init at usok mula sa libo-libong sasakyan na bumabagtas sa ating mga kalsada.
Dala ang aking malaki at mabigat na knapsack, ipinilit ko ang aking sarili sa aircon bus sa Cubao biyaheng fairview. Di bale nang nakatayo ako, saglit lang naman ang biyaheng Cubao-Philcoa. Puno ang bus, parang sardinas ika nga (pero maling analogo dahil mismong lata ng sardinas ngayon ay hindi na siksik). Umaapaw? Maaari dahil pagkakatanda ko, hindi na halos maisara ang pinto ng bus dahil sa dami ng laman. Habang nakakapit sa mainit na "pole", tinatagan ko ang sarili ko. Tahimik ang bus maliban sa mga busina sa labas, boses ni Mike Enriquez at sigaw ng konduktor. Marahil may mga nagdadasal, nagpupumilit matulog o di kaya'y lunod sa musika ng kanyang mp3 o ipod. Sa bilis ba naman ng takbo at bara-barang pagtapak ng drayber sa silinyador, sinong hindi matatahimik?
Dito ako namulat kung anong klase ang programang transportasyon sa ating bansa.
Iyon na yata ang pinakamatagal kong biyaheng Cubao-Philcoa. Umaasa ako na sa bawat hinto ng bus ay marami ang bababa kahit hindi ko maranasan ang umupo, basta lumuwag lang ang bus. Pero sa bawat may tatlong bababa, may limang sasakay. Ang pagkakaalam ko, aircon bus iyon pero bakas ang mga pawis sa aming mga damit at lalo na sa hangin. Malalanghap ang pinagsama- samang amoy ng Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Paranaque at Pasay.
Napaisip ako kung sulit ba ang onse pesos na ibabayad ko? Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang barya habang sumusunod sa galaw ng bus ang buong katawan ko. Hinintay ko ang konduktor na singilin ako, pero dahil puno ang bus, tulad naman hirap siyang ipagsiksikan ang sarili upang iabot ang tiket ko. Sa wakas, may bumabang pasahero mula sa upuan sa tabi ko. Nakaupo din, maginhawa na ang pakiramdam ko pero ganoon pa rin - masikip, maalinsangan.
Natatanaw ko na ang City Hall pero nakadikit pa rin sa aking mga palad ang mga barya. Hinihintay kong sitahin ako ng konduktor. Lumapit siya pero nabaling ang isip ko sa kung papaano ko makakarating sa may pintuan sa lalong madaling panahon. Tumayo ako at binagtas ang "aisle". Muli, parang napakahaba ng daan na iyon dahil kailangan isiksik ang sarili sa maliit na espasyong ipinagkaloob ng madla.
Sa wakas, narating ko rin ang pinto. BUmukas ito at mabilis akong lumundag palabas dahil alam kong may mga pagkakataong, nagmamadali ang drayber at maaaring maiwan ang kalahati ng katawan ko kung mabagal ako.
Hay. Salamat at buhay pa ako at buo pa ang aking katawan habang nakaipit pa rin sa aking palad ang onse pesos.
** Ito ay para sa lahat ng nais na makauwi sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay sa madaling panahon at ligtas na paraan.
May tumatakbo, may nagdadasal, may kumakain, may nagtetext, may nag-iisip. Lahat sila naghihintay sa tila Last Trip na bus. Tayong mga Pilipino ay sadyang mahilig makipagsapalaran para lamang sa ating mga mahal. Hindi iniinda ang haba ng pila, ang tayuan na bus o ang malagkit na ordinary bus, di alintala ang init at alikabok dulot ng maghapong init at usok mula sa libo-libong sasakyan na bumabagtas sa ating mga kalsada.
Dala ang aking malaki at mabigat na knapsack, ipinilit ko ang aking sarili sa aircon bus sa Cubao biyaheng fairview. Di bale nang nakatayo ako, saglit lang naman ang biyaheng Cubao-Philcoa. Puno ang bus, parang sardinas ika nga (pero maling analogo dahil mismong lata ng sardinas ngayon ay hindi na siksik). Umaapaw? Maaari dahil pagkakatanda ko, hindi na halos maisara ang pinto ng bus dahil sa dami ng laman. Habang nakakapit sa mainit na "pole", tinatagan ko ang sarili ko. Tahimik ang bus maliban sa mga busina sa labas, boses ni Mike Enriquez at sigaw ng konduktor. Marahil may mga nagdadasal, nagpupumilit matulog o di kaya'y lunod sa musika ng kanyang mp3 o ipod. Sa bilis ba naman ng takbo at bara-barang pagtapak ng drayber sa silinyador, sinong hindi matatahimik?
Dito ako namulat kung anong klase ang programang transportasyon sa ating bansa.
Iyon na yata ang pinakamatagal kong biyaheng Cubao-Philcoa. Umaasa ako na sa bawat hinto ng bus ay marami ang bababa kahit hindi ko maranasan ang umupo, basta lumuwag lang ang bus. Pero sa bawat may tatlong bababa, may limang sasakay. Ang pagkakaalam ko, aircon bus iyon pero bakas ang mga pawis sa aming mga damit at lalo na sa hangin. Malalanghap ang pinagsama- samang amoy ng Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Paranaque at Pasay.
Napaisip ako kung sulit ba ang onse pesos na ibabayad ko? Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang barya habang sumusunod sa galaw ng bus ang buong katawan ko. Hinintay ko ang konduktor na singilin ako, pero dahil puno ang bus, tulad naman hirap siyang ipagsiksikan ang sarili upang iabot ang tiket ko. Sa wakas, may bumabang pasahero mula sa upuan sa tabi ko. Nakaupo din, maginhawa na ang pakiramdam ko pero ganoon pa rin - masikip, maalinsangan.
Natatanaw ko na ang City Hall pero nakadikit pa rin sa aking mga palad ang mga barya. Hinihintay kong sitahin ako ng konduktor. Lumapit siya pero nabaling ang isip ko sa kung papaano ko makakarating sa may pintuan sa lalong madaling panahon. Tumayo ako at binagtas ang "aisle". Muli, parang napakahaba ng daan na iyon dahil kailangan isiksik ang sarili sa maliit na espasyong ipinagkaloob ng madla.
Sa wakas, narating ko rin ang pinto. BUmukas ito at mabilis akong lumundag palabas dahil alam kong may mga pagkakataong, nagmamadali ang drayber at maaaring maiwan ang kalahati ng katawan ko kung mabagal ako.
Hay. Salamat at buhay pa ako at buo pa ang aking katawan habang nakaipit pa rin sa aking palad ang onse pesos.
** Ito ay para sa lahat ng nais na makauwi sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay sa madaling panahon at ligtas na paraan.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
travel show1
I love watching travel shows. I would often watch the "Discovery travel and Living" with my Dad before we switched to current cable operator. My family is fond of traveling and I think I inherited my wanderlust from my Dad. Since we no longer have the said travel channel on our cable TV system, my TV bonding with my Dad has gone. He would switch the channel to National Geographic or Discovery and watch the animals in the African safari. I hated watching the predator gets the prey scene, it just breaks my heart to see a helpless animal bitten into pieces by carnivores. Our LCD even puts the scene into high definition and I cannot bear to see the members of the animal kingdom kill each other for survival. Although I have accepted Charles Darwin's theory about evolution and survival, I still cannot push myself to see the animals act as themselves.
But since Dad often falls asleep on his chair while watching TV in the living room,
I would sneak the remote control and switch it to anything informative or entertaining enough. As I was flipping the channel, I came across the Living Channel's "On foot" by this funny and weird chinese-looking guy.
Tim Tayag. That was his name.I think I saw him from some TV program before, but that was years back and my memory has weakened lately, I cannot recall. Nevertheless, I watched the episode up to its very end. A funny, informative and an entertaining show about going on foot in various travel destinations in Asia.
And I was once again reunited with my almost forgotten dream which is to travel. I'm sure my Dad was dreaming in a faraway place at the time and so was I.
But since Dad often falls asleep on his chair while watching TV in the living room,
I would sneak the remote control and switch it to anything informative or entertaining enough. As I was flipping the channel, I came across the Living Channel's "On foot" by this funny and weird chinese-looking guy.
Tim Tayag. That was his name.I think I saw him from some TV program before, but that was years back and my memory has weakened lately, I cannot recall. Nevertheless, I watched the episode up to its very end. A funny, informative and an entertaining show about going on foot in various travel destinations in Asia.
And I was once again reunited with my almost forgotten dream which is to travel. I'm sure my Dad was dreaming in a faraway place at the time and so was I.
traveling story
I have always loved to travel. Seeing new places fascinates me and breathtaking views, of course take my breath away. Every time I get to see a beautiful scenery, I whisper in the air and thank God for creating such a wonderful scene and for giving me the opportunity to see it. It's not everyday do I get to experience such, especially for a city girl like me.
I have been to the Northern Philippines many times, thanks to my parents who were born and raised there. We love to go home in the province despite the grueling 10 hour drive from Manila because once we arrive there, all the exhaustion and body pains seem to go away in an instant.
This year has been good to me. This summer I was given the opportunity to go to the Visayas region. I met the Queen City of the South and I also met the smallest primate and almost tasted the chocolate hills in Bohol.
In May, I went to Ilocos Sur to attend a cousin's wedding and eventually attend the Garlic Festival in Sinait, Ilocos Sur and the Binatbatan Festival in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The heat was terrible out in the streets but the rich and colorful fiesta tempted me to go out and watch. The parades were held in the afternoon, right when the heat of the sun is at its peak. It is amazing that people really went to the town proper just to join the festivities.
It was my first time to attend a town fiesta, I got excited I forgot how hot it would be outside so after the event, I got a tan. Next time, I should wear sunblock or bring with me an umbrella.
I learned my country's culture, traditions and my fellow Filipinos through my travels. The books, videos and the Internet will never be sufficient for me to know a traveling destination. To know more about a place, its people, culture and life, one has to set there on foot, breathe the air and try to fit in the crowd.
There are so many literature written about traveling, about a place and the travel experience itself. They are very encouraging and the photos are tempting but they can never tell you the real story unless you yourself experience the place. Each traveler has his own story to tell and it is time you start your own.
I have started my own, have you?
I have been to the Northern Philippines many times, thanks to my parents who were born and raised there. We love to go home in the province despite the grueling 10 hour drive from Manila because once we arrive there, all the exhaustion and body pains seem to go away in an instant.
This year has been good to me. This summer I was given the opportunity to go to the Visayas region. I met the Queen City of the South and I also met the smallest primate and almost tasted the chocolate hills in Bohol.
In May, I went to Ilocos Sur to attend a cousin's wedding and eventually attend the Garlic Festival in Sinait, Ilocos Sur and the Binatbatan Festival in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The heat was terrible out in the streets but the rich and colorful fiesta tempted me to go out and watch. The parades were held in the afternoon, right when the heat of the sun is at its peak. It is amazing that people really went to the town proper just to join the festivities.
It was my first time to attend a town fiesta, I got excited I forgot how hot it would be outside so after the event, I got a tan. Next time, I should wear sunblock or bring with me an umbrella.
I learned my country's culture, traditions and my fellow Filipinos through my travels. The books, videos and the Internet will never be sufficient for me to know a traveling destination. To know more about a place, its people, culture and life, one has to set there on foot, breathe the air and try to fit in the crowd.
There are so many literature written about traveling, about a place and the travel experience itself. They are very encouraging and the photos are tempting but they can never tell you the real story unless you yourself experience the place. Each traveler has his own story to tell and it is time you start your own.
I have started my own, have you?
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