Being a Female Solo Traveler in the Philippines

"I have the resources, the itinerary of the trip, the time. Why can't I travel??"

One day I asked myself the question above. Whats stopping me? 

I had made a pact with my college mates that after graduation we will continue exploring places but lets just say things didn't end up as planned (though I am still very much open to traveling with them). So one day while I was researching online, I thought to myself, "If other women can travel alone, why cant I?"

It was a tough decision at first. I was holding back whether to push through with my first solo travel or not. What concerns me the most is of course my safety and oh consider my family. I can just imagine the horror on their faces when I confess I was traveling alone not really with some "officemates".  So to stay a little safe, I have chosen a Sagada trip under Travel Factor for my first ever solo trip. For those who are not familiar of Travel Factor, its like a travel agency wherein they pool participants into one tour and there will be one coordinator from their company. I will further discuss that trip on my next blog entry. I know its quite a late post thing. I was not able to blog for a while. hehe :) (p.s this is NOT a paid advertisement by Travel Factor) :P

I always believe that when you really want something, there is no stopping you from finding ways in getting or achieving it. So one day, I decided I will not wait for my friends, a travel buddy or a boyfriend to start traveling. I will step out of my comfort zone and start exploring the world. NOW.

Things I came to love about traveling solo:

- I meet a lot of travelers along the way. During my solo trip to El Nido, I've met travelers from Laguna whom I've shared the cost of the boat for island hopping. ( I will do a separate blog regarding my solo trip to El Nido)

- It pushes me out of my comfort zone. It has developed my communication skills. I used to have quite a hard time approaching people and starting a conversation but when I started traveling solo, I often find myself chatting-up the person beside me. 

- New stories and experiences. I always make it a point to do something I have never done before. One of which is spelunking in Sagada. I almost can't walk for days after my Sagada escapade but the it was all worth it!

- The time is mine. I can set the dates of my travel whenever I want without having to consult if my travel buddy is available or can make it on the time/date. 

- Flexible itinerary. I can always visit places not listed on my itinerary or omit something I don't feel visiting.

To end this entry I will leave a beautiful quote from Mark Twain.


“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

~ Mark Twain

Rekindling Writing Romance

I must have read to much blogs these past few weeks that inspired me to blog again.

I've quit blogging since late college. It was either I was trying to be a more private person OR I got too absorbed with the world. As you know I cant last sitting in front of the computer for two hours, I need to GO OUT! haha :))

And so i started to go through the old blogs which was more like composed of my frustrations, outrage, some dedication for past lovers (LOL to that).

Anyway five years has passed since then, I'll blog again because I want to turn wonderful memories into words that in the years to come, will make me remember of a life lived. :)