Category Archives: asia

asia, travel

Pinch me, I’m in Maldives!

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Giddy much?

We went home with faces a little browner, hearts a little bigger, and memories wealthier. It seems so unfair to take so much and give back so little to a destination that has made you really happy, but Maldives is simply generous like that. Its giving is effortless, even, as natural as a pristine paradise can be.

Spotted: baby black-tip shark swimming on the shallow reef.
Spotted: baby black-tip shark swimming on the shallow reef.

Okay, so maybe the lavish water villas and mind-blowing infinity pools are a tad over-the-top. But the real opulence lies under the water. Underneath, it’s a busy city that doesn’t care about full-board amenities, service charges and the like. Big fish, little fish, predator, prey — everyone’s bustling to and fro, engrossed with their day to day, oblivious of the man-made spas above them. Here, life is simple — work, eat, exercise, build a house, try not to get eaten. Most of all, have fun. Well, it certainly looks like they’re having hoards of fun, the way their fins are wagging. Continue reading Pinch me, I’m in Maldives! →

asia, travel, video

A Blue Paradise Called Maldives

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I feel blessed to have the most adventurous and fun friends around to make dreams like these happen. From them, I’ve learned to take chances, to be unapologetic for being whimsical, to chase after adventure and celebrate life whenever I can. Til our next celebration!

Song: Brighter than the Sun by Colbie Caillat

asia, travel, video

Moonstruck in Koh Phangan

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When in doubt, go with crazy.

To be fair, common sense has been mostly responsible for keeping me alive, but going with crazy has enabled me to feel alive. Glaring difference. I’ve been a bit wary about venturing into the infamous full moon parties in Koh Phangan, but I knew I could never get over the regret of not even taking a peek. So off we go to brave the Full Moon Party (a short boat ride away from Koh Samui) and instead of walking right into riots and drug-busts as I’ve feared, my friend and I had the time of our lives in one (literally) flaming beach party that’s going to be hard to beat. But we’ll keep on trying anyway. 🙂

asia, travel, video

Springtime in Kansai: The Vid

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As my very witty friend aptly put it, “How can it be 9 pm? I swear it was just April 2 nights ago!”

Almost three quarters of the year is done, and the -ber months are on their way. Pretty soon, we’ll be wrapped again in Christmas carol melodies and the mad rush of bargain gift shopping. But before we snuggle up in our warmer clothes, here’s a little reminder of when the sun first peeked out from its sleep, kickstarting one of our more joyous and colorful seasons.


If you want to read more about my cherry-blossom-laden adventure in the lovely region of Kansai, Japan, then just come clicking over here.

asia, travel

Spring is Here!

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Because it's better late than never, especially for pretty pretty things.
Because it’s better late than never, especially for pretty pretty things.

Until now, I’ve been totally ignorant of the fact that the start of spring is one of the most fantastic times to go see the world. Cities and towns emerging from winter are out to celebrate in style, breaking out the best wine, treats, and cutlery. Everyone’s just full of glee to see a patch of green take over the white. Warmth is out to take over; everything’s fine with the world again. Continue reading Spring is Here! →

asia, travel, video

Floating Wishes and Soaring Hearts in Taipei: The Vid

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I’ve already professed my love for Taipei in my previous posts here, but that’s no reason for me to stop gushing about one of the prettiest festivals I’ve ever been blessed to see. If you’ve hung out this blog for long enough, you know what’s next — yep, it’s the vid! This is for kindred spirits Jan, Ralph and Alex — here’s to a lifetime of our wishes coming true!

Song: Go With It by Tokimonsta

If you want to check out the what-how-where’s of our adventures in Taipei, you can read about them here.

asia, philippines, travel, video

Bewitched by Siquijor: The Vid

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Don’t you love it when stars finally align your way? 2013 has been really good to me so far; I’ve garnered a lot of good experiences and memories that I’m sure will last — and we’re barely halfway through the year!

Here’s a vid of one of my favorite escapes so far — Siquijor is simply one of those places that just makes me grow fonder about growing up in a blessed archipelago. Enjoy!


If you’re interested to read the what-how-where’s of our Siquijor adventure, you can check out the all-about-Siquijor post here.

Song: One day / Reckoning Song (Wankelmut Remix) by Asaf Avidan

asia, travel

Taiwan Day 2: An Ode to Kindred Spirits

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Love is all we need.

Nothing beats good, lasting friendships, especially when things don’t go as planned…

The day's grand itinerary was supposed to be kicked off by a visit to the Yangmingshan National Park, where we expected to be deluged by pretty pink cherry blossoms. The mountain, however, had other plans and instead we said hello to strong winds and frosty rain. We didn't stand a chance in our laughable winter attire. We ended up riding the loop shuttle around the mountain, wherein we found out that Yangmingshan drivers can possibly drive blindfolded, as ours calmly put the pedal to the medal in zero visibility on the mountain's winding roads.
The day’s grand itinerary was supposed to be kicked off by a visit to the Yangmingshan National Park, where we expected to be deluged by pretty pink cherry blossoms. The mountain, however, had other plans and instead, we said hello to strong winds and the chilly rain. We didn’t stand a chance in our laughable winter attire. Here we are in our best I’m-trying-not-to-look-like-an-icicle smiles, in the lone sakura spot that we managed to find. We ended up riding the loop shuttle bus around the mountain, wherein we found out that driving blindfolded is probably one of the many talents of the drivers in Yangmingshan, as ours calmly put the pedal to the medal in zero visibility on the mountain’s winding roads.
Continue reading Taiwan Day 2: An Ode to Kindred Spirits →

asia, travel

Taipei Day 1: A Time to Be Bright, and a Time to Get Steamy

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Fun Taiwan!

I impulse-booked my ticket to Taipei based on street food alone; I’ve heard the chow was phenomenal. That being said, I didn’t have much of a plan when I landed in Taipei, aside from the Lantern festivities in Pingxi on the coming Sunday. Happily, Taipei was a fun place to play it by ear.

My adventure started on an early Friday morning. Our plane touched down on the break of dawn, and with the Taipei transport being very easy to figure out, I arrived way ahead of everyone in the hostel, including the receptionist. It was a good thing that the Bangka district was precisely where you’d want to be if you’re killing time in the morn. I strolled through the alleys behind our hostel, where the wet market was slowly coming to life. Colorful meat balls and vegetables decked the tables to tempt you to brew a hotpot. Butchers went about carving out whole carcasses of pork, while live chickens clucked away, perhaps in mourning for their fallen comrades, undressed and hawked on display. Continue reading Taipei Day 1: A Time to Be Bright, and a Time to Get Steamy →

asia, travel

Floating Wishes at Pingxi

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Along with the thousands of wishing lanterns floating around that day, there was definitely a hint of whimsy in the air. I always knew only good can come out from still watching cartoons — after learning that the floating lanterns scene from Tangled (a movie adaptation of Rapunzel) was inspired from an actual festival in the town of Pingxi in Taiwan, I had my heart set on joining the festivities and having my own wishing lantern soar. Continue reading Floating Wishes at Pingxi →

asia, philippines, travel

Enchanting Siquijor

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Paradise at Cambugahay Falls. Rubber ducky not included.

It was hard to believe what was right in front of our eyes — the cascades of crystalline blue-green water had me hypnotized, and we had the waterfalls all to ourselves. I look around and think — friends, we’ve made it to paradise.

Siquijor is a gem of a find, one of the places that really makes me want to know my home country better. It blew my mind thinking how an island as accessible and gorgeous as this one could stay under the radar for so long. As I looked around to see my co-passengers at the ferry from Dumaguete, almost more than half were actually foreigners, aside from the few locals making their way home. And then there were us, a gang of giddy local backpackers — not a usual sighting, I guess. Continue reading Enchanting Siquijor →

asia, philippines, travel

Sky High and Down Under in Sagada

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Hanging out a Sagada is definitely an experience.
Hanging out a Sagada is definitely an experience.

My heart beats hard against my chest. The guide calls for my niece to cling on to the rope and descend into a dark abyss. I steal a peek over the edge and my eyes bulge at how easy it is to slip and break all arms and feet. My niece makes it all the way down; I draw a breath.

My sister is about to go next. As I see her dangling on the rope, all I can think of is, ‘What have I gotten ourselves into?!’

Continue reading Sky High and Down Under in Sagada →