Yee Peng Floating Lantern Festival : Prayers of Hope

“Do you believe that someday it wouldn’t feel like this anymore?” My good friend, Paul, asked me the other night as we were drinking in one of the reggae bars in Chiang Mai’s old town. 

“Honestly, I don’t know. I just hope, at the end of every single day that passes by, that tomorrow it will be better.” 

One day in Chiang Mai spent riding around the old town, we passed by places familiar and so nostalgic. Memories of the places we walked by, benches we sat on, and feelings from the last time I was here. I let my guard down, and just gave in to my emotions. 

It felt refreshing to talk to a good friend about this, someone who knows me well. And how, somehow, I felt understood because he’s also a traveller. 

I’m here again, back on the road, because I want to make new memories. Travel doesn’t necessarily fix anything, but I just hope to find myself again, or at least me at my best, doing what I love most. 

Chiang Rai : Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple

We had two days left in Thailand before we proceed to Laos via Chiang Khong. The city proper of Chiang Rai is relatively small and there's really nothing much to do as compared to Chiang Mai. But there is one attraction that it's famous for.

Laid-back Towns I Fell in Love With : Pai, Thailand

Imagine being away in a foreign place. Where and when there is no sense of rush. Just waking up in the morning with no plans, with time in your hands. When you can finally find the time to read a book. You look forward to a good walk, with no itinerary. Just a good walk to relax and have time for yourself. A place with no tall buildings that block your view of the blue sky and the sun. A place with small cafes and restaurants, with people serving you like you’re part of a community.

Such is a perfect day in a laid-back place. Like how I spent my stay in Pai, Thailand.

Inside Temples in Asia

The Golden Temple, Amritsar, India

I was born and raised a Roman Catholic. Living and studying in UP (university) opened up my eyes and heart to other religions, more so because my two bestfriends are Muslims. But my travels, more than anything, has introduced me to other religions and has strengthened my belief that faith is one of the most valuable things one has in his/her life. We just have different ways of practicing it. 

The Big Trip : Five Months of Travel, Adventure, and Surprises

 

First Day 

I remember the first day of the Big Trip. We had drinks the night before, but I woke up early and full of energy. I was so excited. I’ve been waiting for that day for almost a year. There were days when I wanted to quit my job early and travel early. But I pushed on, I waited for the right day to start the Big Trip. 

Bangkok : The Trip that Started it All (Part 2)

Visiting Ayutthaya was the highlight of my trip to Thailand. Visiting the temples and the ruins of this ancient capital fueled my love for travel and photography. The kind of push that made traveling and travel photography one of my top priorities. The kind that made me seriously save up for a DSLR and more trips in my own country and a few more countries in Asia.

Ayutthaya is the ancient capital of Thailand from 1350-1767. It was once the most powerful kingdom/city in mainland Southeast Asia. It was famous for its various grand palaces, temples, shrines, and other sacred sites, until the Burmese invasion in 1767 where most of the sites were destroyed. Ayutthaya today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a popular travel destination outside Bangkok.

Bangkok : The Trip that Started it All (Part 1)

Ayutthaya, Thailand

The start of 2008 wasn’t that good to me. It was the peak of my workaholic life. 2008 was also the year that I didn’t get into law school. In an attempt to leave the finance industry and explore other opportunities, I tried getting into law school. But it wasn’t successful. I also lost my so-called-assets at the start of the year.

And I almost drowned, along with ten other friends, during a trip to Anawagin Cove due to an underwater current. I believed it happened for only less than ten minutes. But it was the scariest and at one point the most peaceful ten minutes of my life. But it was a wake-up call for me. It was the day I realized that I gave too much importance and attention to the material things I lost. I didn't value enough those that really matter. What happened during that ten minutes made me realize that life can be better.

And then good things, great things,

and experiences happened to me after.

I got a call from my tita who offered to give me a free trip to Bangkok, all I had to worry about was my pocket money. It was my first airplane ride, an out-of-Luzon, out-of-the-country trip. It was an amazing experience. I was fascinated by their history and culture.

And I discovered my love for travel and photography.