The Undiscovered; Calaguas Island

If there's any holiday in the calender apart from Christmas and New Years that most Filipinos are excited about, it's the Holy Week; a long vacation when we can spend quality time with family and friends. A holy week fever when places like Boracay, Coron or Cebu are fully booked and since I always opted for a different kind of adventure, me and my boyfriend decided to go beach camping in Bicolandia.

After an 8-hour drive from Manila, Ian and I reached Camarines Norte at half past five in the morning. This was my second time in Bicol but this will be my first time to one of their surfing spot, Calaguas Island. With the help of Ian's cousin and a group of 20 other people, a two hour boat ride brought us to an Island where most travelers haven't reached yet. 

Going through the rough seas was worth the trip considering the stretch of fine white sand that will razzle dazzle you kilometers away from the island. An island that boasts its powdery white sands, crystal-clear waters and unspoiled natural resources embraced by a serene and charming atmosphere.

Stunned with its beauty, my boyfriend and I started taking pictures wanting to envy our family and friends about this undiscovered Calaguas Island. We just can't help it but start pitching our tent so we can shelter our bags while we sunbathe at the shores. Luckily there was one nipa house standing at the center of the island with its restroom that was generously alloted for the visitors of the island.

Food was included in the package and I just couldn't resist a plateful of  Bicol's well-known 'laing' and 'pinagsantolan' together with fresh tomatoes, fish, and rice. I even brought home 'pinagsantolan' which my Dad  really liked back home. With the heat and unlimited facilities on the island, it was so delighting to see that a local decided to have a halo halo stand to feed the visitors cravings for a refreshment.

To add more, typical beach activities made it a perfect summer spot such as surfing, skim boarding, snorkeling, trekking on the mountain found on the islands side, sunset watching, and a henna artist to complete it. With the picture perfect Calaguas Island and its great waves, most visitors engaged themselves to surfing and skim boarding with the help of a known skimboarder/surfer/ islander, TJ (Slick Surf Skimboards Pilipinas).

A great experience, an awesome place, a great group headed by an excellent organizer. There was no hotel, no signal, no lights, and no doubt it was an awesome Calaguas Island.

Explore, Dream, Discover

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But then, the self is not something one finds rather it is something one creates. Have you experience the constant struggle of every person to escape the chaos and confusion created by modern society and the quest to  understand life at its best? If you can just gather the courage to get out of your comfort zone, detach yourself from a meaningless life, go into the wilderness of your intuition --- then slowly you will discover something more wonderful. What you will discover is yourself with a global perspective that no other college degree can offer. This was me launching myself to the experiences the world has to offer and this is my story: 

It took me seven years of living life revolving around the hard court interrogating personalities lives before I could even cross-examine my life. There were ten thousands of questions, and simply one smart answer: "Self Fulfillment". Then comes opportunity to become everything that one is capable of becoming, but the hardest part is giving up the job that you love in exchange for the job of your dreams. At that moment, the Universe is telling me that we cannot be what we want to be by remaining what we are…and so I left my sportscasting job in exchange of working on a luxurious cruise ship. It was TIME for new explorations, time to be more independent, time for a once in a lifetime adventure --- it’s MY time & I’m owning every millisecond of it.

From East to West, I travel around the world for free and without a doubt it was far better than winning in the lottery when that ticket of a lifetime was given to me. Anxiousness encapsulated me as it was a whole new world for me considering the next 13 months I’m on my own embracing this contemporary world...this is freedom!

I’ve set foot on hundreds of different countries, embrace diverse cultures, come across new faces, and the funny thing is I've even encountered myself. Just when I thought everything was given to me in a silver platter considering the exciting perks while earning a paycheque, and just as Uncle Ben once told Spiderman that 'with great power comes great responsibilities', I cannot deny the fact that there is still balance in Life.  

Yes i was able to:

* meet new friends and learn about other cultures,

* minimize my living expenses; have the benefit of free travel, free accommodation, free meals

* travel to the most enchanting places and experience the World's Famous such catching live F1 racing in the Monaco Grand Prix, getting up close notable celebrities in the Cannes film festival, joining exciting shore excursions for free

* enjoy big shopping discounts from everywhere

* experience a unique job thats pays well

Monaco Grand Prix

riding a camel in Tangier, North Africa

 in Sorrento one of Italy's loveliest

a walk around the walls of the Old City in Dubrovnik Croatia

Leaning Tower of Pisa in Livorno, Italy

where fairy tales do come true --- Venice, Italy

However,

* I felt the emptiness of being away from my family and my truest friends,

* I got exhausted working 7 days a week, 11 hours a day

* I deal with temporary friends

* and I left a man who despite my absence defended me and loved me unconditionally.

It was a crazy fun life and I would have to agree that one’s destination is never a place but a new way of seeing things. I learned to appreciate myself more by grabbing the opportunity to grow and realize what matters, who matters, who never did, who won't anymore, and who always will.

Finally, 105 countries within 14 months, 7 days a week, 11 hours a day of work…. It was a lifetime adventure that I will forever cherish.  Good old days are now packed on my excess baggage and just so you know --- I decided to make the rest of my life, the best of my life.

my 7th heaven

nothing beats being with my Partner in Crime, Ian

And for anyone out there who wants to experience the world...what are you waiting for? Go ahead and spin the globe, take out the map, head out & find your own nowhere.