Riding Trains

I haven’t been able to update this site in quite awhile. Been busy with a lot of things at work and my outside work. But I’m excited for the new year when I will jumpstart another adventure that I’m preparing myself for.

I already have a couple of tickets booked and I’ve been saving to help me get through a big decision that I’ll be announcing soon. I’m excited but I’ll wait till I can finally jump off that bridge. Because by that time, I’ll be able to savor every moment of travelling. One of the things I’m looking forward to are long train rides.

siem reap train

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Sagada Trip: Weekend Saturday Market

After the sunrise at Kiltepan Peak, we headed back to our inn so we could freshen up and eat breakfast. But we had to finish up fast as we were going to have another adventure by trekking to Bomod-ok Falls. Tita Myrna and Tito Raul decided to just stay to rest while we rode our … Read more

Podcast Interview with Chichi of WeAreSoleSisters.com

I interviewed a Sole Sister for my podcast right after her 6-month backpacking trip in Southeast Asia. I felt comfortable right away during the talk and one factor is because she’s also from Cebu.

Episode 7 of SoloFlightEd Sessions

soloflighted sessions with chichi

Chichi of WeAreSoleSisters.com

One of the writers of WeAreSoleSisters.com (the other being Lois), Chichi quit her job and travelled for half a year in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia & Indonesia. I first met her during a meet-up with other Pinoy Travel Bloggers prior to her adventure. After that trip, Doi, Edwin and I went out for dinner so we could also catch up on our latest travel stories. She says that she couldn’t wait to go back on the road.

Chichi has such a bubbly personality and with this interview, you can tell that she’s a very sociable person. The way she wants to spread the joy and fun of traveling is infectious. 😀

Interview Location: EastWest, Asiatown IT Park, Cebu, Philippines

chichi

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Cebu Trip: Mangrove Trees in Sayaw Beach, Barili

I had a quick vacation in Sayaw Beach Barili, Cebu, when I went out with a former colleague’s team for an activity to bond out of town. I didn’t have plans of joining as I was bent on spending my weekends at home in order to work. But I soon gave in when it turned out that the number of heads that the original trip had didn’t turn out quite as expected.

Cebu Trip: Mangroves in Sayaw Beach, Barili
October 1, 2011

sayaw barili
Sayaw Beach, Barili

Team Building in Barili, Cebu

To be honest, the place didn’t fancy me the first time because I was expecting a nice beach available so I could directly head out for a swim. However, here’s the scene that greeted me when I went to the shore.

barili cebu
boat and trees

It was an overnight stay in a resthouse and I was surprised to see mangrove trees that gave out a different view as time passed.

barili mangroves water
water knee-deep

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Ormoc, Leyte: Remembering the Tragedy 20 Years Ago

Ormoc, Leyte. I arrive and I find peace.
Yet peace belies a story that refuses to settle.

leyte ormoc

I listen as I walk in the dead of night.
Sounds that unravel a mystery but ignorance plagues my mind.

leyte ormoc night

I hear silence that echoes thousands of cries.
Cries that were never heard, of souls that remain unfound.

leyte holy week

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Podcast Interview with Flip of FlipNomad.com

After only a year of travel blogging, this guy was able to earn money through his website which is currently his primary source of income. He gave up a high-paying job just so he could travel and he’s been living in Southeast Asia for over 6 months now.

Episode 6 of my Podcast Interview

soloflighted sessions with flip

Flip of FlipNomad.com

An anonymous travel blogger of FlipNomad.com, I’m happy that Flip agreed to have this interview. I had a number of questions I wanted to clarify with his lifestyle as, more or less, it’s the same path I’m planning to pursue in the future.

Travel bloggers I’ve met all have a passion for travelling, but Flip somehow stood out and I was even caught off guard when he said he was willing to give up his blog in order to continue this passion.

Interview Location: Skype from Cebu, Philippines to Siem Reap, Cambodia

Ang Thong
Ang Thong, Thailand

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Sagada Trip: Kiltepan Peak Sunrise

I couldn’t recall what time our guide arrived at our guesthouse in Sagada. We needed to be up early so we could prepare for the sunrise at Kiltepan Peak. Coming from our crazy toploading ride from Banaue to Bontoc and even if one is never too old for a cave connection adventure, I still wanted … Read more

Of Travel Talks, Travel Interviews, and Travel Bloggers

I booked a ticket for Manila out of the blue. I didn’t have any trips as I’ve been saving for a travel fund I’m preparing for next year. But then this unexpected opportunity came up and I didn’t want to miss out on it. Or probably I was just looking for an excuse to go out and travel. Whatever the reason, I’m glad I pushed through with it.

In the middle of September, I spent my days attending travel talks, conducting podcast interviews and meeting travel bloggers.

Travel Talks by WeAreSoleSisters.com

I attended two travel talk events by the Sole Sisters. The first time I was a spectator and the second time I got to participate by sharing my ‘crazy travel story’ which was my bungy jumping experience at the Macau Tower.

soloflighted
photo by Lauren

It’s been a long while since I talked in front of a crowd so my nerves really got me. I think I did okay in relaying my adventure to the audience (I hope).

I was also surprised that a few people had introduced themselves saying that they read my blog. I’m honored and humbled by these readers who said that they found my blog useful – made me feel good that somehow, it has found its worth.

meetup
Thanks for saying “Hi” guys!

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Sagada Trip: Side Trip to Banaue NO Rice Terraces

banaue to bontoc

After killing time in SM Mall of Asia, we proceeded to the Florida Bus Terminal in Sampaloc, Manila, so we could be seated. We were heading to Banaue en route to Sagada. Strategically, we bought our tickets in the morning for the 10:45pm schedule so that we could reserve seats ahead of time. We met … Read more

Winter Snow

It’s almost October and soon enough, the holiday season will be ringing in every corner. This moment last year was actually the time when I propelled my thirst for travelling. I remember I was able to travel to Hong Kong and Malaysia within 2 months and some neighboring provinces too. Blame it on so many flights that were booked because of promo fares that were available in the earlier part of the year. I haven’t even continued writing my articles about the places I’ve been.

Anyway, I came across a fellow blogger’s write-up about snow and shared a bit of his experience when he was in Canada and in tubing in snow. Don’t get me wrong, I love being in a tropical country. But I just keep wondering how it would be like to play with ice as it has been one of those plans that I want to do at least once.

photo credit: dennymont

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Podcast Interview with Ron of FlipTravels.com

My apologies to my readers (and listeners) as it’s been a month since I last posted a podcast. I can come up with a number of excuses but I’d rather not bother. What’s good is that I finally have one today! We’re at Episode 5 now.

soloflighted sessions with ron

Ron of FlipTravels.com

Ron is one of the writers of FlipTravels.com (the other being Monette). Prior to a trip to Manila, I haven’t met him and was actually scared to interview him. But he was very open to the idea and I think he was even more excited about it. That threw my apprehensions away. He’s currently living in Singapore and is working as a nurse.

One of the things I love about their blog aside from the writing are their videos. When I finally met him, I realized he’s a fun person to hang around with.

Interview Location: Skype from Cebu, Philippines to Woodlands, Singapore

fliptravels
Ron in Beijing,China

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Travelling with Wandering Feet in Cebu

I don’t often go out when I’m at home. I use the time to catch up on backlogs and online tasks as well as get some rest and relaxation in the process. At times, Pinoy Travel Bloggers would drop by and I’d get to hang out with them only for meet-ups. Then there are moments … Read more

How to Earn Online While Travelling

working on the road

I bring my laptop with me in most of my trips. Although it consumes a lot of space in my backpack, I have online obligations that I need to fulfill in order to help fund my travels. I can’t really work on my rest days at home as most of my days off are also spent on the road. That’s why in order to maximize my time, I go online to work on freelance tasks. I know I talked about how to save money for your trips and extreme saving tips and one of the tips was to earn extra income by pursuing your passion. Blogging has paved way to other opportunities for me to do so.

Here are some areas where you can earn income online while you’re on the road.

Sponsored/Paid Posts

If you have a site that has a lot of traffic and has established a bit of authority online, companies will contact you to review their products and all you have to do is share your thoughts. Once you write a blog entry about it, you’ll be compensated depending on your online presence as well as your agreement between the advertiser.

You can also get invited to events and company marketing promotions. I was luckily chosen for a Cebu to Hong Kong flight courtesy of Airphil Express and all I was tasked to do was blog about my experience there. So these sponsored posts don’t have to come in the form of cash.

Ad Placement

Still the same concept with traffic, you can place an ‘Advertise’ space in your site to attract companies to place banner ads on your page at an agreed fee. You may also opt to place Google Adsense instead, wherein you’ll be able to earn if somebody clicks on those Ads. Adsense is another whole topic to discuss though as they say this is the most effective and high revenue-generating source for publishers/website owners.

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Sagada Trip: Never Too Old for a Cave Connection Adventure

Meet Tita Myrna and Tito Raul, she’s 52, he’s 53. A social worker in Bulacan and a tennis instructor in Abu Dhabi. They’re two of the most adventurous couples that I met during a trip in Sagada last March. They joined us in surviving the Cave Connection activity in this part of the Mountain Province. … Read more