Traversing the Philippines

Some people travel. I traverse.


I love traveling, but the way I travel I know a lot of people won't like.  Out of 365 days in a year I probably only get to travel an average of 6 weeks. That's because traveling is not my job, It's how I spend my precious paid time off from work.  Plus we're only allowed to take a vacation during that short amt of time, and now it has decreased to just a month (and it's all bec. of this stupid economy we have).  I cannot go on for a year without a break.  It's a recipe for burn-out and non-productivity.  Yes that is how demanding my real job is.  So no matter how many people say that I am wasting my money on traveling, I don't give a shit.  This self-imposed punishment for working hard is something that I will never object upon.

Surf Area, San Juan, La Union, Philippines

So how does one traverse the Philippines?  I cannot remember anymore where or who i got the idea from.  I remember being inspired by an Ilocano man on Youtube who went home to the Philippines for a vacation. During his stay, he visited, with his wife on a van with a driver and a mechanic, from Baguio city to the Mountain Provinces, to Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union then back to Baguio.  For me, it was a cool thing traveling like that.  Not a time wasted.  This was during the times I was really homesick, the videos made me feel near home.


Had a chance to go on a vacation in 2009.  Well not really a chance.  I actually quit my job so I can go home.  Just because I was homesick.  But during those times I was still naive with traveling.  I did arrange to take my sisters to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte for a short vacation.  I think that was the start of my whole 'omg I wanna see more of the Philippines' fever.

Maira-ira Beach or Blue Lagoon, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

The next year, in 2010, I had a month of vacation which I spent going from San Francisco to Dubai to Manila to La Union to Baguio City to Ilocos to Manila to Bicol Region then back to La Union then to Dubai again then San Francisco.  It's was a shot of a vacation that just drove me to ecstasy. During this time I got to see a lot of places that I've never imagined visiting.  I showed my bf around Ilocos and he showed me around Bicol.  It was his first time to go to Baguio City and Vigan, Ilocos Sur, whereas it was my first time to see the Mayon volcano, and the city of Naga, and the lakes nearby.  But the highlight for this trip was my visit to Dubai and to Caramoan Peninsula in Bicol.  Dubai was the first country I have ever visited other than the Philippines, and  everything seemed so luxurious, but being a muslim country it was also weird with all the rules abound.

Snoppy Island near Dibba and Fujairah, UAE, 

So that's what I mean by traversing.  It's like a binge...or as the song 'Billionaire' sez, "A different city every night.." hahaha..


You'll eventually get to read more about my traversing, gallivanting as you follow me...