During the third month of my backpacking adventure, I made a side trip to Singapore and Boracay. I was supposed to be in Chiang Mai or Laos but there were sudden changes of plans that I had to reroute the destinations and go home earlier than expected.
I told myself that I’d be gone for at least six months; however, it wasn’t really something I wanted to carve in stone. The point of this whole digital nomad lifestyle gig is to show to others that it is possible to bring your work with you and travel at the same time. I think I’ve done fairly enough to say that it can be done.
leaving Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok
Singapore
Singapore was not set until the first week of August. I was going to visit the country when I had more money in my bank. I knew that this was going to be an expensive place given that this is a First World country so I wanted more time to save before I check out its attractions. Due to circumstances, I arrived here too soon.
Merlion Singapore
I was surprised at how modern the vibe was. Everyone seemed to be always on the rush and everyone was doing something. It reminded me of Hong Kong, only with a bigger space.
Singapore made me wonder how it would be like to stay here and work. You can feel the the energy from people who also want to work hard. It’s totally different from the previous month where I stayed in Siem Reap, Cambodia and everything was laid back.
road
What I like best about the place is how organized everything seemed to be. Even if everybody was busy, it didn’t feel chaotic. Aside from the cleanliness of the surroundings, the internet speed was really fast! I ran a speedtest and I couldn’t believe it reached 36 Mbps. It’s a blogger/internet freak’s haven.
head stand at the Helix bridge in Singapore
Boracay
Passed by Cebu and visited friends and afterwards, Boracay was the next destination. I’ve been here before; only it rained when I finally had the chance to tour the island so I didn’t see it in it’s full glory. There were a lot of tourists and it was mainly because of the summer season. This was a nice break as it’s been awhile since I went to the beach. How perfect it was to get a tan in one of the best beaches in the world.
Boracay, I finally saw you under the sun!
There was no exact rule to this trip. I just wanted to go to different countries in Southeast Asia and bring my work with me while at it. However, something just came up.
So what cut my trip short and why am I back so soon? I had to attend to personal stuff that were more important.
Why I’m home so soon.
With the whole location independence lifestyle, I can be anywhere I choose to be. So long as I don’t compromise my work, my boss wouldn’t mind where I am. Money still plays an important role because I can’t easily travel from one place to another without it. But such is the beauty of this freedom. I’m glad that I have the flexibility and time to stay wherever I want.
Now I’m back in Cebu and I’ll be living here for a month before I go back to the land of the Angkor.
Please don't forget to confirm your subscription by checking your Inbox.
soloflightEd.com is a travel blog by Edcel Suyo. He enjoys performing headstands and crazy stunts during his trips in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Now based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and working to earn a living, he takes time to enjoy the city and travel during weekends.
For updates, Like his page on Facebook or Follow him on Twitter.
For questions, advertising, and other concerns, shoot an email to ed@soloflighted.com.
They said every street corner in SIN has a free wi-fi access. How cool is that! But it is also a CCTV country every corner has them too… It is the cleanest country I have been so far and not to mention SIN is an eco-friendly country – they take care their environment extensively even it has a small space for greens.
While Boracay will forever be a Summer of Love. It is the best place to spend summer. Sometimes we really have things to prioritize that sometimes it hampers our big plans but if it is really important we have to attend to it – it could be life-changing situation.
@Ian: wasn't able to try to check every street corner. sa backpacker's dorm and hotel lang. ambilis! yep, sometimes there are just more important things in life – more important than our own lives. 😀
We weren't able to go to anywhere in the city! How unfortunate was that?! Oh well, get to see SG in some other time, but i love the helix bridge photo!
Where did you stay in Boracay? And how long were you guys there?
a sweet and nice break from your backpacking. tamis! ♥
@Eileen: I stayed in White Beach Divers. hehe. the internet was good. 😀 my gf and her family stayed in Marzons resort? still walking distance from WBD. 😀
@chyng: haha, thanks. ikaw susunod kong ipopost na podcast! hehe.
Wow SG + Boracay, bet you did enjoy this sidetrip. Tama lang na babalik ka by August sa SG that time open na bago nila tourist attraction Gardens by the Bay.
See yeah in Malaysia!
Joey
Looks like you fell in love with SR, haha. Question though, did Cambodian (upon exit) and Philippine (upon re-entry) immigration question you regarding your one month stay? Or no incidents at all? Just curious as these immigration people tend to be the ultimate KJ's.
@Sky Summer: haha, yep. July I'll be in KL. will PM you guys! hope to meet you soon. maghahanap pa din ako ng hostel dun. haha. see yah!
@ihcahieh: yep, gusto ko talaga ang SR. nope, they didn't question me. I exited SR to BKK overland and flew via plane to SG and then to Cebu. No incidents like that so far. Maybe they'll ask me if I frequently go back and forth. But I only exited twice from SR to BKK. also, you'll have 21 days of entry in SR if you travel by land, so if you plan to stay for a month, you can just exit once. 😀
Gusto ko rin mag-Singapore at Boracay ulit! Nice at least naka-relax ka kahit papano with lubidubs <3
Sana mabilis din ang net dito parang SG noh! at sana luminis din! Para kahit mag headstand ako, walang mapapatungan ang ulo ko ng "ewww". hehe.. Planning a Bora trip with family next year.. Sana! hehe
ed…try island hopping in singapore it's fun… and go trekking in mt faber….singapore is not all malls and housing units…. 🙂
would also like to go to bora.. the last time i went there was " walapa sila kuryente", i want to see how the island has changed….. 🙂
@Micamyx: haha. go go go!
@Mitch: onga eh, mabilis talaga dun. enjoy your Boracay trip!
@rome: wow, didn't realize that. thanks for the tip!
*♫Muling ibalik ang tamis ng pag-ibig♫* on cue. charot! hahaha! ang sweet naman. nakakainggit. Naka twice ka na.. ako never pa pero malapit ko ng makita ang Boracay na yan. hihihi! Sana lang wla na ang mga asungot na lumot. (nag rhyme. lol!)
awwww iba talaga ang nagagawa ng pag ibig 😀
@kura: hahaha. music video talaga? hehe. onga twice na pala. yep, punta ka sa station 3, walang lumot dun. 😀
@smarla: hi smarla, haha, iba talaga. 😀
nasa cebu ka na pala ulit! kala ko sidetrip sa boracay tas lipad ulit
I Miss Sg so much 🙂 I've been living there for 2 years sadly we need to leave the country for a good reason. Hope to meet you Ed somewhere on the road 😀
@christian: syempre! hehe. balik ako ng SR on June. 😀
@May Primdal: saya ng internet sa SG May! yep, hope to see you on the road soon. by June I'll be in Siem Reap. will be there for a month.
Boracay it is an incredible place on this earth, i was there last year and i had a great holiday. So i recommend it for everyone who want a great vacation.