2013 - A Year of High Adventure and Discovery

I started the year doing what I love to do – travel.

Last January 1, my family and I boarded a flight to Bohol to start off an adventure to conquer 3 destinations in seven days. The trip is somehow different from the usual DIY trips that I have done as I had to work on choosing activities that are child-friendly and that would appeal to both me and my wife’s tastes for adventure. I will soon be posting a blog on our recently concluded vacation to give parents, like me, ideas on how you can make your trips child friendly. And since my family has more opportunities now to travel with me, you can expect “family-friendly” trips on my blog starting this year.

I have also tweaked my destinations to cover areas in Luzon this year. Unlike in previous years where most of my destinations were from the Visayas and Mindanao, this year will spell out the adventures that the northern destinations can offer. The Ilocos, the Cordillera, Bicol, Central Luzon, and Palawan have a lot to offer for seasoned and first time travelers and that is what I want to unravel this year.

So what destinations are on top of my travel bucket list for this 2013?

1. Sagada

Sagada is on top of my list this year. This destination, high above the mountains as they say, provides a refuge for the tired soul. A couple of days in Sagada can be refreshing notwithstanding the great sites and adventures to discover high above the mountains.

2. Coron, Palawan

I am so much of a beach and nature person and Coron is one destination that I shouldn’t miss out this year. It combines two of my most loved choices – the beach and the beauty of rugged nature. My birthday treat for myself for this year is a trip to these natural wonder north of Palawan and I hope to unravel new adventures in Coron.

3. El Nido, Palawan

Inspired by my recent trip to Puerto Princesa, I would like to go on a backpack trip to the famed El Nido of Palawan. A common misconception is that El Nido is an expensive destination but people from Palawan claims that it need not be expensive. My goal is to make out a budget-friendly trip to El Nido that anyone can do.

Hiking, trekking, backpacking, and rustic destinations form part of my year hence I have also dubbed this year as the year for high adventures. Apart from the rugged destinations, the bigger challenge for me is getting there and enjoying the sites. This would mean that I would have to work on taking high adrenaline adventures in every destination that I get into this year.

I also intend to re-discover two destinations this year – Tagudin in Ilocos Sur and the Rizal area.

My dad hails from Tagudin, Ilocos Sur and I would like to take on the challenge of re-discovering this quaint town. I would like to discover the places of interests of the town where my dad grew up and its surrounding areas. My goal is to find out interesting locations that one can visit in Tagudin that is different from the rest of the towns in Ilocos.

I would also like to travel around the Rizal area to re-discover the colorful history and artistry of the province. The province is situated in close proximity to Manila and is a good choice for a day roadtrip for a quick respite from city life. I plan to conquer the province via public transport in a day.

I am also planning to visit six public markets this year. Dubbed as "Palengke Attack", the goal is to visit public markets and record my observations. My theory is that the public market is a reflection of the community that it belongs to. It reflects the community's way of life. I also want to discover how the proliferation of malls have changed the way of life of the community in relation to their "palengke". This would be a great opportunity for me to discover good finds in public markets.

2013 will definitely be a year that I am excited about. I am looking forward to discovering new destinations, try out new activities, and work on a social analysis. It will be a great year for travelling and I hope that I will be able to share these experiences through this blog. I also hope that by sharing these experiences, I will be able to encourage you to travel more...locally.

All aboard!