Notes, Lyrics, and the Road: My Travel Playlist

In a race to tick off six provinces from my 80 before 30 list, I'll be on a five-day adventure around Northern Luzon in a few days. It's going to be a long road trip, and I know exactly what my friend and I would need as the countryside beauty up north seduces our very eyes -- a lot of cotton candies for our ears!

These two are buddies -- travel and music.

Music is one thing that I couldn't travel without. It goes where ever I go. It puts me to sleep while trying to bay out boredom in a slow boat ride, or calms me down while waiting for a delayed flight, or keeps me up while on a long bus ride.

I'm sharing with you some of my favorite travel songs. These are the songs that make me want to run away at least for a little while, make me imagine speeding off on a long highway on a beautiful sunset, inspire me to live in the moment and catch the breathtaking views of each place I go, or cast the spell of good vibes of an otherwise gloomy day, and songs that simply make me look forward to going back to a familiar place -- that which I call my home.

Hit the play button! Hit the road!

Enjoy! :)

(Disclaimer: I do not own any of the videos used in this blog. Credit goes to the owners.)


Norah Jones - Come Away With Me

"And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I'm safe there in your arms
So all I ask is for you
To come away with me in the night
Come away with me."

My 2012 Playlist

This year became a pendulum of blissful highs and extreme lows in my life. For the most part, it was shaped by fortuitous events and irrevocable choices. And the one thing that had kept me company through the difficult times is music.

Music is a beautiful art that heals. Its dynamics - the beats, harmony, the lyrics, and melody -became my daily source of happiness. Music wakes me up in the morning, teaches me to push forward, allows me to let go, makes me appreciate the tiny beautiful things around, and more than anything, it allows me to breathe through life's challenges and promises.  It urges me to just live, and to live no matter how life sucks sometimes.

Music is everywhere -- inside my room, in my workplace, while waiting in the airport, while aboard a fast craft in the middle of a wild sea, in a bus while on long night trip, and while catching a magnificent sunset beside a beach. Music needs no space and time. It travels with me. 

I know it's a little too early to list my 2012 favorites but this one can't wait.  Here are some of my personal picks straight from my own playlist. Enjoy!

1. M. Ward - Here Comes The Sun Again

"The leaves on the trees they all call out your name,
Chrome on the freight line shines the same
And the stars in their cars roll their tops down for you singing,
Here comes the sun again."

2. Jason Mraz - Living in the Moment

"Living in the moment

Living my life

Easy and breezy

With peace in my mind

I got peace in my heart

Got peace in my soul

Wherever I'm going, I'm already home

I'm living in the moment."