Thursday, January 3, 2013

2013: Go Somewhere You've Never Been and Do Something You've Never Done




"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness.
 I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, 
and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. 
And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself." 
-Neil Gaiman-

Neil got it all in. Well almost. He left out something important to me -- to travel. I hope to travel massive this year. I hope to do more crazy and adventure-filled travels, to meet more interesting people, to chase more sunsets, to surf and dive more, to visit other Philippine churches and mosques, to have more bus and RORO rides, to be able to swim well, to ride a bike, to fly a kite (again), to score a mountain or two, to eat more exotic local dishes, and to have more relaxing beach bumming experiences.  And maybe, just maybe, somewhere down the roads of 2013 I’ll be able to find the love that will travel with me for a lifetime! (yihhaa! confetti and wine!!)

In terms of travel, 2013 is a big one for me. Hopefully this year I’d be able complete my 80 before 30. This is my personal challenge to travel to all 80 provinces of the Philippines before I turn 30 years old. As of now, I've been to 52 provinces, and still have 28 to visit. I’m ecstatic with this year’s roster of provinces because I'll be visiting less touristy and some off-the-beaten track destinations like Abra, Apayao, Quirino, Marinduque, Romblon, Biliran, Tawi-Tawi, Sarangani, and Dinagat Islands.

Schedule permitting, I plan to complete the list within the first half of the year so I could spend the remaining months catching up on blogging and doing some more leisure trips to some places I would like to go back to. And here's the thing, just when I thought that I'd go solo in some of the trips, someone of kindred spirit expressed willingness to take this challenge with me! Yey! I can't wait to hit the road. :)

And since traveling opened my mind to a lot of social issues in the country, I hope to help out and give back in my own simple ways. In the coming days, I'll blog about a project I've been planning with some of my closest friends. Tentatively entitled "Tawid-Dagat: Braving Philippine Seas for Literacy," this project aims to bring books and to share to children from far-away islands the values of reading. As planned, our first destination will be Palumbanes Island in Catanduanes.

I can't tell you enough how excited I am with this project. I hope you can share this excitement with us and be our partner in bringing smiles to these children!

2012 was a breakthrough in blogging for me, but I feel 2013 will be more epic! I have a lot of brilliant ideas in mind, and I can't wait to share it all here! I hope I’d be more inspired to write – to allot less time to day-dreaming and spend more time actively romancing my keyboards. I also hope this year, I’d be able to publish a write up for a magazine or be featured in a travel program! (still day-dreaming...hehehe) Just stick with me and continue reading on. I’ll keep you posted and I'll tour you around this beautiful country the backpacking Pilipinas' way. 

Personally, I hope I could read more books (lessen my book-abandonment rate), walk more miles with Anchi (to stay fit), listen to more music, watch more films (attend more free-admission international film fests), get enough sleep on weekends, visit more museums, attend more Sunday masses, grow plants in my veranda, lessen my pork intake, replace coffee with tea (this will take time), to cook healthier meals (yeeeeeehh!), and go back to practicing “religiously” the Meatless Mondays.

One year, 365 days. Tons of things to be done. But unlike the previous years in which I felt I've raced with time, this year, I'll take things at my very own pace. To eat slow, to walk slow, to laugh harder, to appreciate more.  This time, I'll allow things to simmer down and take in everything there is to feel and experience. To live life and not just exist.

I feel good vibes radiating this new year. As if pushing me to sail away in this year-long journey that's going to be filled with surprises and happy adventures. Here's to you 2013, bring it on!




This post is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers' Blog Carnival for January 2013. With the theme "New Beginnings," this carnival is hosted by Roj Braga of Adventuroj.com

Visit Estan Cabigas' langyaw.com to see the archive of Pinoy Travel Bloggers' Blog Carnival! :)

69 comments:

  1. Maja Dera, magtrabaho raw tayo ngayong 2013! hehehe

    Bek, don't forget the set-up if you'll gonna be interviewed for a tv program ha? We SHALL be behind you, literally (ala Pacquaio's guys). LOL

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  2. OMG sa "love that will travel with me for a lifetime!"..... no further comment for now! <3

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  3. Bek! I have a good news for you! :)))
    Start the year with fireworks!!!

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    Replies
    1. tapos na po ang pasabog ng mga fireworks boss Cha. =D

      sakin wala kang good news?! *wink*wink* =))

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    2. Ano ang good news na yan? Nakakaintriga! :)

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    3. Let's wait and see! Isang bonggang-bonggang JCo para sa akin! XD

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    4. boss Cha sama mo naman ako sa JCo na yan! =D

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    5. Sureness Maj! Dalawang bonggang-bonggang JCo para sa atin! Sana matuloy! :D

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    6. Bakit JCo lang? Dapat roadtrip treat! ;)

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    7. hindi naman ako mapili ciellie. kahit ano pwede! =D

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  4. Cheers to a fantabulous year ahead, don't forget that on every trip, you have to set a budget for my omiyage. Gusto ko nung mga souvenir na tulad nung sa Batad, something artsy that represents the place you've been :)

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    1. fantamazing 2013 kidd! :) i'll buy you keychains from all parts of Pinas. yung nemo ang design. or kung wala, ref magnet na nemo pa din ang design. hahaha! kidding, you'll have your omiyage basta kind ka parati sakin. :)

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    2. bakit? hindi ba kind si kiddo minsan? hahaha! hi kiddo! peace! happy new year! =D

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    3. Padalhan mo ako ng postcard Che! I will feature it in my postcard blog. Haha! Two years ago pa ang last update nun!

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    4. I will ciel! pm me your address! sana may makita akong postcards from the off-the-beaten tracks. hehe

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  5. I like the line "And maybe, just maybe, somewhere down the roads of 2013 I’ll be able to find the love that will travel with me for a lifetime!". :-)

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    1. sana ikaw din Momo. hihi! hihi! <3

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    2. ah! nahanap nb nila?! saya! =D

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    3. omg, bakit to ang na-highlight? hindi pa naman po ako naghahanap pero kung may darating, eh di welcome! :)

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    4. haha! welcome na welcome! 2013 will be full of love, love, love! ^_^ <3<3<3

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    5. Focus na lang tayo sa 80 before 30 and the book drive. @___@

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  6. I have long been wanting to do some outreach program but I dunno where to start. I would love to join your projects! :D

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    1. Hi Sole Pendulum! Thank you for taking interest in joining our project. Looking forward to meeting and working with you! Pls stay tuned for the updates. I'll post it pretty soon. :)

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  7. Che, inform me kung kailan yung Catanduanes outreach. I'll jibe it sa personnel audit and inventory namin sa Albay and Catanduanes. :)

    Btw, I think you're related to Alex Gurrobat. He's our one and only field employee assigned in Catanduanes.

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    1. Hi Ciel! Tentative sched of the outreach is June, just in time for the opening of classes. Pero the book drive will start soon para mas madami tayong maipon na libro. :) It will be awesome to have you on board! :))

      Yep, pinsan ko si Alex Gurrobat! hehe

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  8. Hi Che! You sure do have epic plans for 2013! Galing! Hopefully our roads will cross, just let me know if you're heading to Sarangani na, I could help out a bit.. hehe.

    I'm also interested in helping out to your travel project. Kudos! Cheers to more travels to 2013! I'm sure the love of your life is just out there. *Wink

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    1. Hello Roj! Yeeeeeh, thank you! Now that you've mentioned it, I read your 2013 calendar but for some reason I could not leave a comment on your site. :( I'm planning a trip to SOCCKSARGEN and I know you're the best person to ask. hehehe Hope to meet you there sometime March or April! PTB meet up ito, yey! :)

      We'd love to have you in our book drive! It would be awesome to have books from Mindanao! :)

      About love life.. hmmm... it can wait until 80 before 30 is done. hehe

      Happy and safe travels this 2013! Got a feeling I'll see you on the road one of these days! Cheers! :)

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  9. Love Marinduque! :) I'm sure you'll have a great time there. :)

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    1. Thanks Cris! I'm positive I will, been hearing a lot of good stuff about Marinduque. Excited na!hehe :)

      Happy and safe thrills for you! Enjoy 2013! :)

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  10. Good luck on your travels and projects! I am aiming to complete the 80 provinces too, though perhaps not yet this year.

    I'll stay tuned for your literacy project. =)I'm into voluntourism too!

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    1. Thank you, Claire. :) And good luck on your travels, too! Cheering you on your 80-province challenge! Go kaya go! :)

      It would be great to have you on this book drive! I'll post it soon! :)

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  11. A great post to start the new year! I love your energy and passion for traveling esp this year. I wish you all the best in your 80 before 30, and your "Tawid Dagat" project. Inform me if you will be in Biliran! :)

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    1. Thanks Ephraim! And best of luck on your travels, too! :) Yep, I'll contact you enroute to Biliran, Leyte and Samar. Salamat in advance! :) See you on the road!

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    2. Maj, iba po si Ephraim Aguilar. :)))

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    3. hahaha! balita ko nga! sorry po. wow mali! =)))))))))))

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  12. Bek, I suggest we organize a fun run along UP Diliman acad oval one Sat/Sun para kahit papaano we can have have fund for the Tawid-dagat drive. I can invite some of my workmates, classmates, and orgmates para mag-join. Happy at healthy na sila, makakatulong pa sila sa kapwa! :) Game?

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