2011 Unforgettable Journeys

I wish I could bottle up all the great memories I had while backpacking Pilipinas this year. I immensely enjoyed every bit of it. Thanks to my travel buddies who joined me exploring some destinations in Luzon, Vizayas and Mindanao! Until next year! But before I get too hyped up with 2012, first, here's 2011 in retrospect. :)

Revisiting Mt. Pinatubo. The first time I went there in 2009, I was  very impressed with the crater that I told myself it definitely deserves a second visit. So last January, I climbed again. This time with Cha, Kidd and Janet. But unlike in 2009 that good weather was on our side, this recent climb proved to be more difficult. It was drizzling all the way to the top and we had to go through an agonizing four-hour trek on a rocky terrain. But all the hardships waned the moment we saw the crater. It’s worth it! :)

Palumbanes Lighthouse Summit. On my previous visits to Palumbanes Island (Caramoran, Catanduanes), I always wondered when I would ever get near its lighthouse. Perched on the mountain overlooking the island, for me it’s a silent witness to the daily grind of the sea, mountain, and the community living below it. And so on my visit last March, along with 10 companions, I was thrilled to have finally reached this panoramic part of Palumbanes. From there I got 360-degrees view of the island. What a sight! :)

Traveling Panay on a Shoestring Budget

Trip to Boracay, Kalibo, Aklan, Iloilo and Guimaras (November 9-12, 2011)

The less crowded Puka Beach

I consider myself a poor backpacker. Always on a tight budget, my travel itinerary usually includes haggling for cheap tour packages, scoring for airline seat sales, sometimes sleeping on fan rooms, taking public transport and eating in some off-the-beat carenderias.

^{And my latest trip to Panay was no different.}

^{Ten months ago, I was lucky to have chanced up a relatively low airfare. Thanks to Cebu Pacific’s piso sale, I was able to book my Manila-Kalibo-Manila flight for only P800.}