2013: My Year in Pictures

This year has been a really amazing year for me as a lot of things happened in 2013 that are so overwhelming, I couldn't believe that I did all that myself. I thought I'll be having a tough one because I welcomed it with a bad start. But then, I thought to myself that I should just be the bigger person and should not let the bad things consume me to the point that I should just wish this year would end. So I bounced back, burned the bridges and let it just light my way to happiness which I am currently experiencing now. :)

So in summary, I've nursed a heartbreak, lost my job, lost a lot of weight, bounced back, got a new job, learned my 4th language, got a new car, made my business grew, met new people, traveled a lot, lot, and just traveled a whole lot more. Did I mention that enough? :)

Everyone knew that I just found bliss in traveling and I always say that becoming a traveler is my new found self which I intend to keep for the rest of my life. I've gone places this year and I'm always longing to see more. I've become fascinated with going somewhere, meeting new people, experiencing adventure to a whole new level and learning new things along the way. There's been a lot of firsts for me and I can't say I've seen it all, but I'm super happy with all the places I've been in!

So in review, I'd like to look back at what happened this year:

1. I've visited 7 beaches this year. One beach is definitely different from another and it's with the experience and the people you're with. 

Sunset at Anawangin Cove, Zambales.

Quezon Island, Alaminos, Pangasinan

Sunset at Burot Beach in Calatagan, Batangas. 

Alubijod Cove, Guimaras Island. First pristine beach I've seen. 

Cagbalete Island, Mauban Quezon, where we got stranded for two days. LOL.

Pink Beach, Great Sta. Cruz Island. My dream beach!

White Beach, Malamawi Island, Basilan

2. I'm no mountaineer, but I managed to climb 4 mountains this year! 

Mt. Pundaquit, Zambales

Mt. Natib in Orani, Bataan. The most challenging mountain I've ever climbed!

Mt. Manalmon, Sitio Madlum, San Miguel, Bulacan

Mt. Pulag, Bokod, Benguet. The highlight of my travels this year! I finally saw the sea of clouds!!!

3. I love waterfalls and seeing 11 of it this year is such an amazing experience!

Pasukulan Falls, Mt. Natib, Orani, Bataan. Oh you gave me the most epic cramps ever, but you're so beautiful, I didn't mind anyway.

7 Falls at Mambukal Resort, Bacolod

Merloquet Falls, Sibulao, Zamboanga City.

Cabunbata Falls, Isabela, Basilan

Tabiawan Falls, Isabela, Basilan

4. Just some random things here, for the first time in my llife, I...

...let go of my long locks and rocked a pixie haircut! I didn't know it was bagay for me, LOL.

..learned how to pitch a tent, then got drunk and sleep on the beach under the stars

 ..went caving at the Madlum Cave, where I learned there's a level of difficulty in each cave.

..crossed a monkey bridge at the Madlum River

..River crossing. I like the feeling of that cold rush of water.

..gone rock climbing (Mt. Natib.. this! I'd never imagined myself climbing that 80 degree rock assault!)

..explored Iloilo City and Guimaras all by myself.

..wore a bikini (cheers to summer! XD)

..rode a habal-habal ride

..learned how to surf

...seen the MassKara festival in Bacolod and danced like crazy kids in a street party.

..met strangers on Instagram and eventually became my best travel buddies! I'm glad I took the chance! :D

..and many other firsts that I've experienced this year! I feel super happy, blessed and thankful that He's always guiding me towards making everything happen this year. I am also thankful to all the new people I met this year, especially my travel buddies whom I just met on Instagram. Without them, all this wouldn't be possible or probably wouldn't be as fun as this. I also learned that it's never too late to get out of your comfort zone and start living your dream and besides, it's been fun and I intend to do it again next year! ;)

First Solo Travel: Short Church Hopping at Iloilo Part 3

Upon arriving back at Iloilo, I asked around how can I get to Miag-Ao church. I couldn't find straight answers, I guess they don't understand me at all haha. One local told me to take the Molo jeep, while the other one says I should take the jeepneys across the street and ask them to take to to take me to the church. I don't want to waste time asking for directions so I combined both instructions and headed for Molo anyway.

The ride from the port was just about 10 minutes only and I was quite surprised because what they said sounded sensible anyway; because I took off at the magnificent Molo Church, one of the oldest churches in Iloilo and just a few blocks from it is the bus terminal going to Miag-Ao. It wasn't so bad taking risks after all haha!

To continue my Iloilo tour, I explored the Molo Church grounds first and was impressed at how clean and spacious the adjacent park was. The town square has a small shrine at the center where one school kid told me, it's used for holding small programs and such. I cozied myself on the chair beside the huge bougainvillae tree and just stared at the beautiful facade of Molo Church.

This beautifully preserved church reminds me of the Notre Dame Cathedral. 

Okay. I watch Disney movies too much.

The town square across the church has a small bandstand with statues of the Greek Goddesses. It really is an all-women's church afterall!

The Parish of St. Anne in Molo was one of the oldest churches in Iloilo City and it's a feminist church because of the evident display of lady saints inside.

Exiting the church grounds to the right, I walked a few blocks to this small terminal for buses bound to Miag-Ao. The non-aircon buses gets filled in fast and but it was a long ride, roughly 30-45 minutes. A trip this long would make someone get so sleepy after a previous trip, but the afternoon sun was too hot so I just enjoyed the hangin probinsya and went sightseeing along the trip. I happen to see Guimbal Church, the Guimbal Steel Bridge and the long stretch of gray sand beaches of Oton, Guimbal and Tigbauan along the way.

 Guimbal Church is said to be one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. 

 I stuck my camera out of the bus window to take a shot of this steel bridge in Guimbal.

This seemed like an estuary.

I nearly missed my stop because I didn't recognize it due to all of the vendors and the crowd of students/bystanders along the side walk that's covering the gate. When I got to the church grounds, I marveled at how beautiful the church is and how proud I am for myself for seeing one of the country's heritage Site.

The beautiful Miag-Ao church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From the intricate design of its facade and the richness of its olonial roots, no wonder tourists thrive on its beauty. That seemed like a banana tree on the center LOL.

I didn't travel for almost an hour to leave just because the church was closed, so I still stayed until sundown to admire its beauty. :) Too bad it was closed, I was unable to see the interior. Okay, maybe I'd say it's not advisable to go on a tour during weekends because most tourist spots are closed.

Damn overcast. I was picturing a sunset shot of this beautiful structure. But good thing it didn't rain.

I went home before it gets dark and just crossed the road to take the bus. They're usually on schedule, so you really have to wait. In case you don't want to, there's a jeepney as well but they'll drop you off to another place but still accessible to other jeepneys going around the city proper.

This caps off my solo travel to Iloilo. It has been a joy wandering alone without caring for anything. I amused myself with things I never knew I'd done. I conquered my fears of being alone outside of my comfort zone and amuse myself with things I never knew I'd done. If fear consumes you, you'll never get to where you want to go. It was the height of that earthquake scare in Bohol-Cebu, then just after a typhoon hit the city as well when I went there. Despite of everyone's warnings, I followed my gut feel and just flew away. Being afraid to go alone is just a small matter compared to the adventure that I will experience going there...and I'm happy I did. :)

ITINERARY (continuation from the previous post here)
2:30PM - Depart Guimaras
2:45 - Arrival at Ortiz Port, Iloilo
3PM - Molo Church
4PM - Take bus to Miag-Ao
4:45PM - Arrival at Miag-Ao Church
6PM - Depart for Miag-Ao
7PM - Dinner at Mang Inasal
7:30PM - Rest

BUDGET (in Pesos) - 540
14 - Ticket (Jordan to Ortiz Port)
8 - Jeep to Molo Church
44 - Bus to Miag-Ao
40  - Jeep back to Molo
99 - Chicken Inasal (dinner)
8 - Jeep to Ong Bun
330 - Ong Bun Room Rent

This caps off my solo travel to Iloilo. In conclusion, my total expenses for my 3 days, 2 nights solo adventure was just Php 2,011! (airfare not included). If you wish to save much but experience the thrill of exploring new places, I suggest you follow what I did. Channel your inner turista vibes on a budget with no fancy accommodation, no fancy foods or unnecessary spending. Just plain enjoyment and pure adventure! Did I went too easy and deprived myself of other things just because I'm too cautious about my budget? NO. It's all about the choices that I make.

Before this trip, I challenged myself that I'm going on an adventure without spending too much, after having getting used to a pampered vacay. It posed as a challenge for me actually, though I knew I have a specified budget, I still kept an emergency money hehee. ;)  It's not always that I'd get this chance of travelling solo, so I'd say I enjoyed it so much! It has been a joy wandering alone without caring for anything. I amused myself with things I never knew I'd done. I conquered my fears of being alone outside of my comfort zone and amuse myself with things I never knew I'd done. If fear consumes you, you'll never get to where you want to go. It was the height of that earthquake scare in Bohol-Cebu, then just after a typhoon hit the city as well when I went there. Despite of everyone's warnings, I followed my gut feel and just flew away.

Being afraid to go alone in a new place is just a small matter compared to the adventure that I will experience there...and I'm happy I did. :)

First Solo Travel: Guimaras On A Budget Part 2

I went up early to catch the 9am boat as I have already planned my day ahead. I'm a fan of sponteneity, but for something like traveling alone for the first time, that wouldn't be a nice thing to do. LOL. I actually made second thoughts whether I'll go to Guimaras or not because I'm gonna go over my budget! First, the fare is quite expensive for a solo traveler; the only transportation to go around the island is via  tricycle and you need to talk to the driver where to go as the tours are included in the fare, then I wouldn't know if I'd stay in the island or not if ever the beach convinces me to do so, but thinking that I already paid for that day's room rent, I just let that thought slide.

So I woke up at 7am and prepared myself for my Guimaras beach tour, and I contacted Kuya Cherald, as he was the most referred tour guide in Guimaras by almost all of the travel blogs I've read. He said he couldn't tour me around, but he referred his brother instead for the same price, and he even gave me an mini itinerary for my short sidetrip.

 The boats on dock at the Ortiz Port.

I left the inn around 8am and crossed the street to ride the jeep headed for Timawa. I just asked the driver to drop me off at Ortiz, where I just need to walk a short distance to where the port is. The ticket fare is just 14 pesos and from Ortiz to Jordan Port, it only takes 15 minutes. 

I went on the boat, and it's bigger than the boats we took to Cagbalete Island. It's spacious boat can hold up to 40 passengers max and for safety, they have lifevests on board. The trip was fast and I barely even finished my drink when we finally reached the island, where Kuya Cherald is waiting for me so I can start my tour. BTW, though he's the most sought after tour guide at Guimaras, be a good traveler and don't ignore the other tricycle drivers on the island. They are also making a living and they all charge the same rate, so don't be afraid to ask them to take you on tour.

 Jordan Port, Guimaras

My tour starts at the Smallest Plaza. Yes, literally. It's so small, they claim it's on the Guiness Book of World Records as the smallest town plaza in the world. 

A statue of Jose Rizal stands in the middle and for some reason, the Ilonggos are a big fan of our national hero. I could see him anywhere in the city.

After a quick photo op, we headed to the Museo De Guimaras, but unfortunately it's closed due to renovation. T,T 

Our next stop was the National Mango Research Facility of the Philippines. It's like a big backyard full of different species of mango trees and the tricycle just circled around the around the area beside a small lagoon there. I also found out that bringing mangoes to the island is strictly prohibited. I guess it's something about ecological balance as Guimaras takes prides in breeding the best and the sweetest mangoes in the world. 

 I'd imagine how these mango trees would look like when they're in full bloom with mangoes and such.

Next we went to the Trappist Monastery, the only male monastery in the country. The church is closed for renovation (again) but the monastery grounds is open for sight seeing. It was so peaceful and the landscaping was beautiful, rows of tall pine trees beside the pathway will make you feel you're on a different place.

 Where am I? LOL.

A little trivia here, this Monastery is home to the Trappist monks who are known for their strict observation of the Benedictine rule, which is a list of instructions that was made way back in the sixth century for monasteries and keeping one's individual behavior at hand. I was free to roam the monastery grounds but was unable to see at least one monk or nun around.

 The facade of Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Abbey.

Just a few blocks from the monastery is their gift shop, where you can buy some goodies and pasalubong. Be a good traveler and help the monks make a living by buying their goods. I especially liked the Mango Biscocho and their Mango Jam. :D I also bought a pink rosary bracelet and a bark keychain that has a cross in the center for good luck.

 The Trappist Monastery Gift Shop

Last stop for the trip was of course, the beach at the Alubijod Cove, and the driver just dropped me off at the Raymen's Beach Resort. Upon entry, I paid a small fee and then I was free to roam around the beach just behind the resort area.

  Entrance to the beach area.

Raymen Beach Resort's rooms for rent.

Oh my God that beach was beautiful! Never mind the short distance between the shore and the resort grounds, but the crystalline blue water was so inviting! I haven't been into a lot of beaches but the sea at Guimaras seemed different from the others.

I walked along the shore and I think there's just three or four resorts along the Alubijod Cove. Doesn't matter where your tour guide dropped you off, you'll still end up in one shore anyway. A few tourists were at the beach at the same time and they're at the shade mostly because it was high noon when I got there. I also didn't go island hopping due to time constraints, so I just went beach bummin' for 3 hours hahaha.

I find those blending hues of turquoise and blues so soothing to the eyes so I couldn't stop staring at it, it's really like what you really see in a postcard! 

Boating/Island hopping rates at Raymen Beach Resort.

After a short lazy nap under the sun, I looked around and explored the area. The resort also offers boating/island hopping services that's I feel that I can't enjoy at this time because I'm alone and I've still got half of the day to go exploring back the Iloilo. So I asked Kuya Edwin (that's his name) to take me back to the port so I could continue my Iloilo trip. 

  The long road going back to Jordan Port.

I asked Kuya Edwin to stop at this area because I thought it seemed like a great view LOL.

Now for newbie solo travelers like me, here are a few tips that I'd like to share if you're going to explore Guimaras on a budget.

1. Decide whether you'd like to spend the night in the island or just make it as a your sidetrip to Iloilo. The tourist spots here can be reached within half day if you rent a tricycle.

2. Though the tourist spots are few and thinking of how long the trip was and how expensive the tricycle fare was as well, makes you think you'd just like to stay in the island instead. That's how I felt then, I didn't maximize what I payed for coz I just stayed for like, 3-4 hours in Guimaras. Anyway, feel free to explore and try island hopping!

3. You may talk to your tour guide where you'd like to go if you've done further research on the areas you want to explore. They will ask for an additional fee if you're going to somewhere far like the lighthouse or the falls. I didn't go there due to time constraints.

While at the boat, I thought that I should go back and explore it more. I missed some places like the Guisi Lighthouse and being a fan of anything waterfalls, I'd like to see the Sadsad Falls next time. Here's my itinerary and budget table during my solo trip!

ITINERARY - Thursday, October 17
7AM - Wakeup, prepare for Guimaras trip
8:45AM - Jeep to Ortiz Port
9AM - Boat onboard to Jordan Port
9:15AM - Arrival at Jordan, Guimaras
9:20AM - Start Tour
9:30AM - Smallest Plaza
9:45AM - Museo de Guimaras
9:55AM - Mango Plantation
10AM - Trappist Monastery
10:55AM - Arrival at Raymen's Beach, Alubijod Cove
1:15PM - Left Raymen's Beach
1:45PM - sidetrip, buy Pasalubong
2:30PM - Depart Guimaras
2:45 - Arrival at Ortiz Port, Iloilo

BUDGET (in pesos) - 841
8 - Ortiz Wharf to Jordan JEEP
14 - Ortiz Wharf to Jordan Port
500 - Trike tour
130 - Trappist Pasalubong
120 - Guimaras Mangoes
25 - Raymen Beach entrance fee
14 - Ticket (Jordan to Ortiz Port)