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.”