The Road I’m Taking: My Epic Journey

Going back and forth to our province in Camarines Sur is a long road to take. I’ve been taking the long road since I was a kid, and I guess that’s where my longing for road trip started.

I wanted to be a civil engineer because of my passion to roads. But I took a different path, I studied a Business course and now one of the corporate employees who lives with 9 hour work routine everyday.

But don’t get me wrong, I love my job but there’s still something in me that I wanted to pursue. I got depressed and stressed sometime ago so with no detailed plans at all, I packed my bag and traveled to Sagada alone. That was the moment were I started going places. I can still clearly remember when I took that step to challenge myself. To achieve independence, freedom, peace and happiness.

I was miles away from home but I felt home on that place. I achieved more than I wanted. My first solo travel made me feel that there’s so much in life aside from the usual things I have. And from then on, I promised to go back to this place over and over again.

“My first solo trip to Sagada way back 2009. I was alone then and I couldn’t afford all the expenses so I was glad I was joined to a group of foreigners who will be having a cave connection. I have no idea yet of how spelunking in cave connection could be, thought it was like a walk in the park but I was wrong. Looking at the picture I wasn’t prepared at all as I was wearing jeans and a cardigan. I even carried my bag then. These are the moments I missed when travelling, expect the unexpected.”

From an escape, that trip has been succeeded with more travels. From being a simple office boy, I eventually became a corporate analyst by profession and traveler by passion.

Some people asked me how can I manage my work and my travels. That how can I sustain travels and I was so lucky enough that I was so free to go. I believe everyone can travel, it’s just a matter of choice or priority (I guess) and interests. One thing I learned from traveling is to budget. I don’t go to travel and commit a travel if I know I can’t sustain it. What could be the sense of my business course if I don’t know how to budget and handle financials and expenses. I’m the one who typically saves money for travel rather than buying expensive and new gadgets in the market. I think the last time I bought a mobile phone was way back 2009. I guess my priorities now changed to investing on experiences rather than on physical things. One more thing I would rather buy an accessory for my camera rather than my mobile phone.

“My first plane ride to Cebu. I couldn’t hide my excitement when my best friend asked me to join her and the rest of our friends for a weekend getaway to Cebu. I couldn’t hide my excitement on this trip as one of my dream to ride in a plane came true.”

As I travel I become interested with photographs. I become persistent in capturing great shots of places and landscapes. Time comes that I couldn’t leave home and travel without camera. But I guess that shouldn’t be the case. I forgot what the real essence of traveling is. It would be great if every moment could be captured by a camera but I guess in the real sense of traveling it should be heart and soul first. Once have said by a stranger who I had a conversation with sometime ago during a plane ride back to Manila. She told me instead of going to malls, go and travel to nature as this our God’s gift to us, it’s like feeding our soul. And I was really touched of what she have said and made me realized about things and being closer to nature and God. Experience life and share it with words. Show the beauty of the place with our own experiences.

“I often check google maps and see places which are unknown to me.  I love trying new things that I usually go to a place for adventure and unusual experience. With traveling, I learned to get out from my comfort zone. But now I’m up for more challenge. I’m ready wherever my feet will take me.”

This is a long journey to take. I don’t know yet where this road will take me but I’m sure along this road I will chance upon a lot of memories and experiences. Things that I will passed on and share as I walked on this road.

“I may be alone on this road for now, the road may be paved,  roughed, vague or with no direction at all but the views along are just amazing, isn’t it? We can make a detour if things arrive. After all, it’s about taking risk.”

I knew a lot of people who chooses to quit their job and eventually travel anywhere but I think it wasn’t for me yet. They say follow your passion and everything else will follow. I’m a person who has a lot of passion in life. But I can’t leave my job yet for a simple reason; it sustains my needs and my family’s needs. I can’t sacrifice a thing just for my happiness and freedom. But we could be free and happy on our own way. So I’m just taking this road slowly and let’s see where it will take me. I have obligations and responsibilities that I’ve chosen as I take this road.

“I took a leap and traveled. Traveling makes me happy and fulfilled! And I will continue to travel to conquer places and discover people, to experience and share memories, and live on the adventures of this world.”

 This is my entry to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival for the month of March 2012, with the theme “Leap of Faith: When Travelling Changed My Life” hosted by Reiza Dejito of Wander If You Must.

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20 Responses

  1. marxtermind says:

    Tama kaya kailangan work ng work para may pera panggala! Hehehe

    Wala naman, feel ko lang sumali, sumali ka na next time! =)

  2. marxtermind says:

    Tama kaya kailangan work ng work para may pera panggala! Hehehe

    Wala naman, feel ko lang sumali, sumali ka na next time! =)

  3. totoy na totoy ka pa dun marx a. hihihi! Sana dumami pa ang pera natin para makalakwatsa tayo lagi. Ang ganda ng entry mo. winner. May award giving body ba pag carnabal? hihihih! papalo to

    Gensan entry na ko this weekend. Be ready. char!

  4. totoy na totoy ka pa dun marx a. hihihi! Sana dumami pa ang pera natin para makalakwatsa tayo lagi. Ang ganda ng entry mo. winner. May award giving body ba pag carnabal? hihihih! papalo to

    Gensan entry na ko this weekend. Be ready. char!

  5. marxtermind says:

    Yes. Kaya lang minsan nakakafrustrate that I want to escape so I travel! Hehehe! Like right now, I'm feeling down and I want to travel. 😉

  6. marxtermind says:

    Yes. Kaya lang minsan nakakafrustrate that I want to escape so I travel! Hehehe! Like right now, I'm feeling down and I want to travel. 😉

  7. Nice read!! Tama sila, traveling is not a contest naman talaga. Kaya tayo ienjoy lang natin ang mga lakwatsa. Let's savor every moment while we travel. Hindi yan sa dami ng napuntahan kundi sa kung ano ang natutunan.

  8. marxtermind says:

    Thanks, nasa Bicol ako sa May 12 to 16. San ka ba sa Bicol?

    Sama ka sa amin baka mag-Calaguas kami sa Nov 2 to 5 kasama ko si Maricar "Kura" nun. Hehehe! =)

  9. marxtermind says:

    Thanks, nasa Bicol ako sa May 12 to 16. San ka ba sa Bicol?

    Sama ka sa amin baka mag-Calaguas kami sa Nov 2 to 5 kasama ko si Maricar "Kura" nun. Hehehe! =)

  10. Yay kuya! I also want to go to Sagada alone. Na-inspire ako ni Ate Chyng (you know her right?) to visit and experience the place. Pero now, I can`t afford pa to do solo travels. Ayaw ko din namang iasa sa parents ko. Lol. Naging emo bigla. Ayun lang.

    Apir~ Cebu din first plane ride ko evaaar. Last summer lang.

    This is a really nice article of yours. Na-inspire ako lalo to go out of my comfort zone and travel. Thanks bro.

    Change of plans pala. I`ll be in Bicol sa summer. Why o why?

  11. marxtermind says:

    Hindi na ako impulsive pag may seat sale I only booked what I want, magastos din kasi talaga… Hehehe…

    At the end of the day, it's not the quantity matters but its the quality. 🙂

  12. marxtermind says:

    Ang hirap ng madaming gusto, hehehe… I just need to balance everything and not to rush on things. So far enjoy ko pa naman both travelling and working on a corporate world. 🙂

  13. marxtermind says:

    Ang hirap ng madaming gusto, hehehe… I just need to balance everything and not to rush on things. So far enjoy ko pa naman both travelling and working on a corporate world. 🙂

  14. marxtermind says:

    Extra-memorable ang first plane ride ko because yung ticket eh hindi akin, nag fake ID lang ako! Hehehe! 🙂

  15. marxtermind says:

    Extra-memorable ang first plane ride ko because yung ticket eh hindi akin, nag fake ID lang ako! Hehehe! 🙂

  16. Chyng says:

    traveling is not a contest naman, lets travel slow and savour each experience. more travels and realizations for you marx. cheers!

  17. Chyng says:

    traveling is not a contest naman, lets travel slow and savour each experience. more travels and realizations for you marx. cheers!

  18. taga Cam Sur ka pala. 🙂 that's alright dear, you take it slow, everything else will follow so long as you work hard for it and believe in your dreams. i used to be a semi-bread winner too, so it was a bit hard, but i'm happy about it. eventually my sibs graduated and found jobs so i was free to spend my salary on anything i want. hehe use your salary to save up for your travels, just manage your weekends and holidays well. a lot of nomads still work on the road, mostly online nga lang. you;ll learn a lot overtime, just browse the web. 😉

  19. Donnie Ray says:

    nice naman!

    pareho tayong first solo trip ang sagada at first plane ride ko papuntang cebu din…

    ikaw na! 😀

  20. Donnie Ray says:

    nice naman!

    pareho tayong first solo trip ang sagada at first plane ride ko papuntang cebu din…

    ikaw na! 😀

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