> Nomadic at Puso: 2018

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

The BIG Trip – BACOLOD-ILOILO-GUIMARAS




July 19-21, 2018
Bacolod
Iloilo
Guimaras 



This trip was a dream come true! Well, for me.
I really wanted to travel these three lovely provinces of Philippines’ region six and I thanked Project Pearls for giving me that kind of opportunity.
It may be a short trip but it was worth it!
Here’s the link to the article I wrote for Project Pearls regarding our Guimaras outreach.

(Enjoy reading!)



The B.I.G. itinerary
Day 1.

July 19 at 4 a.m. – We were already at the airport and we were bound to Iloilo.
It was a bit delayed flight.
We reached the City of Love at past 6 in the morning.



I’ve been to Iloilo several times already but I still love and eager to be back here over and over again! There’s so many places in here to explore yet.

Then we headed straight to Guimaras.
It was my first time going to Guimaras and excitement filled me!
We rode a boat from Iloilo Port going to Guimaras.
That boat ride was an amazing one! It was a thrilling experience because of the large waves. It felt as if we were riding on a roller coaster and we enjoyed it!




After thirty minutes, we finally landed on the Paradise of Mangoes.
Hello there, Guimaras! Nice to meet you up close and personal!



We bought some food and snacks for the elementary students of Dasal Elementary School then we finally went to the said school.
The whole school warmly welcomed us and we felt so honored by the students whose all smiles were for us!



After the activity and lunch, we were back in Iloilo for hotel check in, quick rest and then dinner.


Day 2.
Back to Guimaras.

The following day, we were back again at Guimaras for another outreach at another elementary school.
Again, we enjoyed the bumpy boat ride.





It was really nice to be with kids! I think, I'm used to it!




After the activity at school, we had a short stop for pasalubong-buying and of course some photo op!




Then before lunch, we were back at Iloilo for a food trip!
We went to Talabahan/ Oyster restaurant for our lunch and then tried a humble yet famous café inside a market in the heart of the city of Iloilo.


We were back to the hotel for a short rest then we went out again for a classy dinner.





Day 3.

Good morning Bacolod! I was so excited to see you for this day!


It was an hour boat ride away from Iloilo. And thank you for the good weather that we were able to enjoy our last day of this trip to the city of smiles!

We went to the famous The Ruins and ate on a native Inasal/Letson Manok (grilled chicken) restaurant!


And then by after lunch, we were back to Iloilo to catch our night flight.
Thanks God for the entire happy and safe trip.


Yey! It was another two “Firsts” for me and my heart was so full!

2018 Immersion in Capas, Tarlac




July 7-8, 2018
Barangay O’donell, Capas, Tarlac




It was such a happy feeling to be back in this humble community of Sitio Manabayukan in Capas, Tarlac.

Just last December 2017, together with the Project Bahaghari Team, we went here to share some blessings for our brothers and sisters from the indigenous tribe. It was such a heartfelt experience!






For this year’s immersion, Project Bahaghari joined force with Project Pearls for a larger project of giving.
And again, personally, it was extremely a remarkable trip for me!
Plus the fact that I was the "unofficial photographer" for this whole immersion.
It was such a grateful feeling capturing those precious moments!




Sharing with you the write up I made for projectpearls.org stories’ page.


Here’s the link:

Enjoy reading!


Summer Hike at Mt. Paliparan and Tungtong Falls


May 12, 2018
Mt. Paliparan and Tungtong Falls
(562+ MASL)
Tanay, Rizal




I deeply thank God for always allowing me to explore places I have never been gone yet. Thank you for the good health, physical strength, financial capability, available time and great friends that I am able to enjoy life!
Life may be short and we should never stop appreciating all the good things happening in our life.

Thank you so much for that opportunity to have an introduction that is running on my mind while writing this update on my adventures.  (Bows down). Ha-ha!

This day’s Saturday hike destination was at Mt. Paliparan in Tanay, Rizal.
According to the locals, it was named Mt. Paliparan because years ago, there were father and son who loves to go at its summit just to fly kites.
I don’t know if it’s true but I’m thankful that I had the chance to go there!

We had a meet up at Jollibee Farmers Cubao at 4 am. We were four in the group for this day’s hike.
From Cubao, we rode a jeep going to Cogeo. Then from Cogeo, we rode another Jeep going to Sampaloc Tanay.

The jeepney driver drop us off at Barangay Cuyambay then we rode a tricycle going to the Barangay to register. Registration fee was Php 100.00. I remember when we went there last January 2017 to hike the Maysawa Circuit, the fee was only Php. 20.00.
Anyway, after securing a guide, we started the hike at 5:30 in the morning.

It was a bit sunny when we hiked so we could feel more tiredness up to the summit.
But we were able to reached it in a span of two hours!



Then we went to the Dumagat community to have our early lunch.




And then for the traverse, we’re off to Tungtong Falls for a fresh dip!






At two in the afternoon we were ready to go home!
Yes, it was just a short hike but we enjoyed it!



Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Batangas Beach Resort Hopping








Resort hopping at Batangas
April 25-27, 2018
Lobo, Batangas and Sampaguita, Bauan, Batangas

There’s this thing called, ‘Work and Play’.

And I was fortunate to experience this. 

We had a three-day work at Batangas and we chose beach hotels as our accommodation.


The Day 1.

For our first day after our work in the city, we headed to Lobo, Batangas.
“Isola Vista” was a pride of the said province.







It’s a ship like resort but it also has an access to the pebble beach of Lobo, Batangas.


I have already gone to Lobo just last January and I was so happy to be back here.

After settling in on our room, we ate for an early dinner. The sun was still up when we ate Batangas Lomi on a nearby resto.



And then it was photo op and swimming time!



Isola Vista has unique amenities and we really enjoyed it though we didn’t try other water activities – we’re still happy.


At past five in the morning we already rose up to see the sunrise and had some photo op again.










And then we checked out and headed for work.

THE DAY 2.


For the second day after our work, we chose to explore the Sampaguita Beach in Bauan, Batangas.








We checked in at Batong Buhangin Beach Resort and during that time, we were the only visitors since it was a weekday.

The owner warmly welcomed and entertained us and we were beyond grateful.

Sunset by the beach once again amazed us.


And oh, it’s swimming time again just like yesterday same time.

This is the really the best and perfect way to end a tiring day for work.

For our dinner, we ordered there and had our dinner near the beach.
Our room was much wider than in Isola Vista.

This beach resort also has a swimming pool area.






As the sun rose up the following day, we then again had a breakfast by the beach.
Perfect life indeed!
And so we’re ready for our day 2 work.

Thank you, Batangas and Thank you, work that we’ve got to able to enjoy and balance life. He-he.

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

New Trilogy Hike in Montalban Rizal



Wawa, Montalban, Rizal
March 2, 2018 | Saturday

Mount Susong Dalaga
Mount Lagyo
Mount Parawagan







We were joiners for this newly opened trilogy hike at Montalban, Rizal.
And the event organizer for this day’s hike was Sir Ged Marcos. Way back in 2016, I also joined him for a twin hike at Mt. Binicayan and Mt. Pamintinan. I was alone that time but eventually gained a new set of mountaineering friends!

Shout out to my Team Traverser! I miss you, guys!


This trilogy hike consists of three mountains residing each other:
Mount Susong Dalaga
Mount Lagyo
Mount Parawagan


We started the hike at 5 am after a brief orientation.

And we finished the three mountains at past 12 nn!

Most of our trail-mates are hardcore and fast mover so we needed to catch up with them. No pabebe hike this time. Ha-ha!

Mount Susong Dalaga has a greenish and shady trail.
While Mount Lagyo was a bit rocky like Mount Pamitinan.
Mount Parawagan can be compared to Mount Balagbag in Bulacan/Rizal boundary. It was a long walk and trees for shading are limited. 
But the view up here is nice as you can see some rural skyline.

All views on the three summits offer different amazing perspectives and I couldn't be any happier!


We had our lunch at the jump off area.
By 4 in the afternoon, we already went home.
Thank you Sir Ged for being a nice organizer!

We were tired (because it was trilogy!) but we were thrilled, challenged, contented and most of all the happiest!


Tingloy Island's Masasa Beach for the Birthday Trip



Tingloy, Batangas
Feb. 8-9, 2018



It has become an annual routine for me to go places during my birthdays.
Whether it will be a solo trip, with group of friends or even with complete set of strangers, I would always be on the go!

For this year's special birthday treat for myself, I chose the Island of Tingloy in Batangas.
Based on the reviews that I have read, this kind of trip is for the budget conscious people like me.
For as low as Php 1,000.00 , you can already explore a hidden and not so famed paradise for two days and one night.

I so love tight budget trips!

We left Manila at 5 in the morning by riding a bus in Buendia going to Batangas Grand Terminal.
The fare as of this writing is Php. 157.00.
For more than an hour, we reached the Grand Terminal then we took a jeepney going to Anilao Port where we will ride later on a boat going to Tingloy.
Jeepney fare is Php. 40.00.

Before we rode a boat, we bought food at Anilao market. It is just beside the port and it is highly recommended to buy food there since goods are limited to the island. There's no eatery or restaurants in the island as well.

Homestays and transients are the most common accommodation in Tingloy. I strongly suggest to have your inns near the port areas.
Tricycle fares are a bit pricy.

We chose to have a homestay at Inay Myrna Transient House wherein we paid Php 400 per head. We are only two in this trip and we occupied a room that cost us Php 800 per night.
(sorry, no photos of the house. But it's just a typical Filipino modern house made of bricks for walls and tiles as floors. It has three rooms, large sala, kitchen and two bathrooms.)

The inn was near the port of Pirasan and just a three-minute walk going to Masasa Beach.


Boat fare is Php 100.00 plus Php 30.00 for the environmental fee.

The boat we rode stopped at Tingloy Port and so we have to ride a tricycle going to Pirasan. We paid Php40.00 per head.
We reached the inn at 10 in the morning. The house is complete with kitchen utensils so we cooked for our breakfast.
Electricity there runs from 10 in the morning up to 12 midnights. They have a generator that can be used during electric out.

After we ate for breakfast, we then started to explore Masasa Beach and it didn't disappoint us!



It is truly a paradise.



We made sure that we went to its end point up to its end point. Every area is picturesque and instagrammable!



Rock formations are also a wow!





There are some activities that you may also do aside from swimming and long walks to its shore.
Some inn already offers boat riding for snorkeling and island hopping. Php. 100.00 per head is the fee for snorkeling and Php 1500.00 for the island hopping.

There is also a mountain hiking to its ‘Mag-asawang Bato’ summit. Fee is Php 500.00 for the tour guide good for five pax.

I am already contented with the long walk and swimming so we didn’t try the other activities plus the fact that we stick to our Php. 1000-peso budget. We thought of it as a challenge. (Ha-ha!)
By 2 p.m. we went back to the inn to have our lunch. Again, we cooked for lunch and then we had a nap until 5 in the afternoon.

We went back to Masasa Beach to witness the breathtaking sunset.




At six in the evening, we already went home to the transient and had a short conversation with our host and her husband. Inay Myrna – the owner of the house that we rented was not around that time as she visited her youngest daughter elsewhere. So Inay Myrna’s other daughter, Ate Janice was the one who welcomed us.

We had our dinner at the verandah.

The couple shared some wonderful stories to us about their other visitors, regular patrons, and how kind Inay Myrna to their guests.

I may truly say that our country is still filled with good, kindhearted people and we Filipinos are really hospitable by blood.

They treated us as a family and that’s one thing I love renting transients. It feels as if we really belong on a family living in that house.

Here’s the contact number of Inay Myrna’s Transient that you may reach:
0950-8703815 / 0905-2606413

During the time of our visit which were weekdays, there’s no other guests so it seems that we rented the whole house. It has a big sala set, kitchen, two bathrooms and three rooms plus a porch where you can have your dinner and you can even rest or even there.
They also offer free videoke and there a separate television also for local channels that you can watch.
We used the television before going to sleep.


At 6 in the morning the following day, we rode a boat going back to Anilao Port. My companion has a work in the afternoon so we took the first trip of the boat.

We didn’t regret riding so early because we witnessed the majestic sunrise and how it beams to the islands that we are passing through. Photos we took will never be enough to show how wonderful morning it was!



You must really experience it for real!

I personally had goosebumps all over while on that boat ride.

Thank you so much Tingloy Island for this very remarkable trip for my birthday. It was another tick on the bucket list for me.

Here’s the breakdown of our expenses:
Bus Fare Round trip: 314.00
Boat Fare Round trip: 200.00
Environmental Fee: 30.00
Jeep from Batangas Grand Terminal to Anilao Port RT: 80.00
Food: 150
Accommodation: 400.00
Total Amount: Php. 1174.00/head

For our food budget, here’s what we bought:
2 kilos of Rice
Assorted Canned goods that good for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Onions, Garlic, Magic Sarap, Cooking Oil
1 gallon of water
Junk Foods
Eggs and we hard boiled it before leaving Manila
Bread and Cheesy Spread
And yes, we didn’t buy any meat or fish.

So there! May you enjoy your visit to Tingloy as much as we did even though we stick on our budget. J
Happy travels!

P.S. Ate Janice sold souvenir shirts to us and we paid it via money remittance as we went home because there’s no ATM at the island and we just brought exact money.