TRAVEL is my "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens". The build up of excitement days before any trip is like "Silver-white winters that melt into springs". It is truly one of my favorite..... hmmm, my favorite thing!
The atmosphere of arriving in any new place is comforting. The warmth of something new embraces you the moment you've touched a nonnative ground. Your senses help you feel her welcome. The smell of her food (or it's people in some cases), The touch of its climate, The sound of a new language, The taste of its local cuisine; The humor of its culture,... all new to you. Anything 'New' amazes most of us. Somehow, all I want is to be amazed and Traveling never fails to provide.
Being from Iloilo as a child, I always wanted to go to Manila. Local Philippine destinations were once my dream targets. My first ever travel out of my native village was in nearby Guimaras Island. Back then, Guimaras was a sub-province of Iloilo, so its not considered as out-of-town trip but that was my first ever experience of riding a Banca. Something i wont forget as a child.
When i was about 9 yrs old. Mom and Dad brought me to Cebu, my first ever Plane Ride .. and my first ever Hotel (Montebello Hotel). Being a kid, riding a plane and seeing Cebu was one of my happiest moments. Maybe, this is when my love of travel started. New experiences stop me from my track.
I was 12 when I first visited Manille. Luneta and the Manila Zoo were a must. But eating at Jollibee and McDo was the thing ill never forget about Manila. It was something new to me. At that time, we dont have those in Iloilo yet. The large Coke amazed me. And the fries never tasted that good.
I first visited Boracay when half of the island has no electricity yet; When Bazura was still the 'In" place to go at night; When you can still see a group of fish swimming at The White Beach; and When a lot of Foreigners do naked sunbathing without hesitation. I was 15. Of course with Family.
The first time I traveled with Friends was also in Boracay. Those with Mama O, Ekra, Kelly and others. All we did was Swim, Eat, Drink and Dance. Yes, no Sex... we were still teenagers at that time, when Mama O used to be fat. Charot! Every six months we went. We were lucky to have a friend whose family has a resort there. Win!
Bohol, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and Camiguin were the rest of the places in The Philly i've been to.
My first ever trip outside the country was Sydney (Yes! had my first ever Gay Parade @ age 25!). Dubai was next until I moved and lived here in San Francisco. America needs to be explored too. Seen the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Chicago, LA, DC, Vegas, Toronto, etc but Asia is, so far, my favorite destination. The beaches in Thailand and its people (what a sex trip! Ching!), The Angkor Wat, Kathmandu, Bali, but the one that amazed me most? INDIA! (Northern India to be specific)... despite my unpleasant experience with some of its people, the place is still truly as they advertised it, Incredible!
Phillippines: El Nido, Caramoan, Banaue/Sagada, Batanes and Vigan
And the Rest..... (My Top 5 Dream Destinations):
5. Petra, Jordan
4. Iceland
3. Machu Picchu, Peru
2. Easter Island, Chile
1. Maldives
One thing I learned from traveling is that when we travel we begin to realize there is more than one way to live life and be happy. We learn to understand, we learn about other people's differences, and sometimes, we learn to discover something new about ourselves. Kaya tara na mga Bakla, Biyahe tayo! Tse!
