I’m in my “it’s been a week since..” phase and I don’t know how else to cope. I had an AMAZING time in Siem Reap, Cambodia; everything about it was just perfect to me. So perfect that four days and four nights were nowhere near enough. The travel bug had been threatening to bite since the year began, and now it’s in full swing in my system. But since I’m back to reality now, I’ll just talk about what I love about being out there. Cambodia, and the world in general.

1. Tans.

Sure, outwardly I complain about getting dark. But the truth is I’m happier overcooked than in my natural fair-to-moderate color. Fair to me is lifeless, kinda dead. But roasted brown, man! What a lovely color! Even if it’s over-roasted. It signifies sunshine, and the wind in your face, the open road, the endless skies, and all the adventures they bring. It means that I’ve been out there, in the world, with the world, living life, and not cooped up in some boring ass concrete hole. 

2. Planning, Preparing, Packing

The anticipation to me is a crucial part of every trip. Like they used to say in Advertising, “importante and magandang latag” (the proper set-up is important). It sets the mood, the tone of what your trip will be for you. It’s where your heart starts beating in excitement and your mind comes alive in wonder. It’s when your reality slowly shifts from your day-to-day existence into this exciting new experience (forgive the alliteration haha), so that when you finally step into your adventure, you’re 100% present and committed and ready. People usually take this for granted, taking pride instead in how quickly they could pack before leaving. But it’s not just about the packing. It’s the whole psychology of it. It’s like soldiers being prepared for battle; that’s how I am with travelling. I need to set that area of my brain in motion so that when I switch it on during my trip, it’s ready to take on anything.

3. Buying things

Whether as preparation for the trip, or during the trip itself, there’s something more fun about buying things in relation to travel. It automatically gives that object more value because from the get-go there are sentiments and memories attached. It’s purposeful, and thus more meaningful. Like, buying a bag is fun. But buying a bag you know will accompany you in a thousand photos makes it more important to pick the cutest bag. Or buying shirts. When you find one with the perfect balance of exotic, unique, and great quality to give as a gift back home, it becomes more thrilling to haggle with the local vendor than when simply fitting on another generic shirt in a another retail store in another mall. 

4. Foreign Air

I don’t just mean from another country though, it could be local, just different from the usual air your breathe. I’m lucky I live in one of the cleanest cities in Manila, but when I go farther out into the metro, I could feel the gray clouding my lungs. That’s why when I breathe provincial air, and I feel the greenness of it on my face, I’m automatically happier. Even the smell of it tells you immediately you’re somewhere else now, let the adventures begin.

Read More

What is excitement? (Taken with instagram)

Mt. Cloud Bookshop, Casa Vallejo, Baguio City

I haven’t been this in love with a small place since…forever. Like a good book, it just captivated me and transported me and awakened so many things in me and reminded me of many other things, all at the same time.

I love it so much I want to go back there right now. GAH.

For the rest of my Baguio weekend trip, click here.

Define overpopulation.

This was shot somewhere south of Manila en route to Puerto Princesa. For more, click on the photo! Yay!

Also, I changed up the layout of my photoblog. Less clutter, more spotlight on the photos themselves. Chekkit, and hope you like it. ;)