A False Sense of Entitlement

From time to time, I do a bit of philosophizing about life and country. These are, perhaps, my most inspired entries, though maybe not for everyone. You have been warned, read on at your own risk. =)

Flashback 2008: ZESh in Camiguin and Cagayan de Oro

(Planning a Vacation? Come to the Philippines! Feel free to get in touch if you need help planning your trip!!)

Recalling a trip from four years ago feels like entering the twilight zone; seeing pictures of ourselves, yet not quite believing how much we've changed since--kilograms gained, years aged, experiences that have grown us one way or another. 

And yet, for everything that has come to pass, the real good things have thankfully remained the same. The same good friends,  the same happy times, made even richer by time spent and joy shared since.

So for whatever lapse I may have in recalling the finer details of our trip, may the fondness of these memories nonetheless tide us over with a smile.

Flashback 2010: Coron, Palawan

(Planning a Vacation? Come to the Philippines! Feel free to get in touch if you need help planning your trip!!)

Nestled in the midst of limestone formations which jut out from the sea; and forest cover yet untouched by man, Coron exudes a prehistoric ambiance where a dinosaur sighting does not seem so far-fetched. One feels closer to nature, more attuned to the environment, genuinely engaged in the beauty of this planet. And all it takes to visit is a few hours plane-ride from Manila. 

April: Taipei, Taiwan

Our trip to Taiwan was, in many respects, a way for Karen to introduce me to a huge part of her identity. All her relatives on her mother side (with the exception of her grandparents who are in the US) live in Taiwan. Although her mom has migrated to the Philippines, both Karen and her mom continue to have strong Taiwanese pride, evidenced in their taste for food, fashion, music, and even office supplies. 

March: Palawan Underground River

(Planning a Vacation? Come to the Philippines! Feel free to get in touch if you need help planning your trip!!)

My Christmas gift to Karen last time around was a groupon voucher for a 3 day trip to Sabang, Palawan, which is home to the world’s longest navigable subterranean river. The place was recently acknowledged as one of the 7 new wonders of the natural world, and we thought it might be a good idea to pay it a visit before it gets too crowded. 

The voucher included a 3-day, 2-night stay at Sheridan Resort, the underground river tour, and a mangrove forest tour, and a half hour massage for two. For the price of the voucher, we were expecting a decent resort, but nothing luxurious. We were pleased to find the place well above our expectations, with excellent rooms, amenities, and service. 

February: Singapore

Erica moved to Singapore for work in February. She was given a hotel room in the Mandarin Hotel, along Orchard Road for a month while she looked for a suitable place to live. She was nice enough to allow us to stay with her for a 5-day visit. It was Karen’s and my first time in Singapore. 

December (almost January): Diving Anilao, Batangas

(Planning a Vacation? Come to the Philippines! Feel free to get in touch if you need help planning your trip!!)

(Disclaimer: photos were taken from previous trips. We only took videos the last time out)

Karen and I held off any trips outside the Philippines until after we got married. Though the idea seems restrictive on first thought, I am glad we did it. Now we have so much traveling to look forward to!

We have resolved to try to travel at least once a month this year, whether within or outside the Philippines. Nothing extravagant, mostly on long weekends or by taking 1 or 2 vacation leaves from work at a time. This trip counts as our trip for January!

Our good friend Nicco, and his girlfriend Erica, took us to their family’s dive resort in Anilao, Batangas last December. Although I’ve tried diving a couple of times before, this was the first time I really enjoyed it. And that is mostly because I got comfortable under water, and was able to control my movements and buoyancy well enough.

Honeymoon-ing in Paradise

We went to Baros, Maldives for our honeymoon, for what turned out to be one of our most relaxing vacations to-date. 


Going there was a bit tiring, requiring transit through Singapore (in our case), with the total travel time aggregating about 10 hours per way. But the distance and time it took was well worth it!

Our Adventure Begins

I suppose: experiences and memories are valuable, only because they are ephemeral. We try to hold on to them as long as we can, all the same. In this virtual corner, I hope to build my little box of adventures and mis-adventures. My home on the net, if you will.

Feel free to share them vicariously and may you, as we will, feel the yearning of happiness past and excitement of happiness yet to come. =)

Because I'm starting this late, I will probably jump here and there in telling my stories--please pardon the less-than-linear narrative.

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The frame of my stories will always be from a joint perspective, between me and my wife, Karen. It therefore fits quite well, that my first few posts should be about our wedding!

In a way, the wedding turned out differently from what we expected. We knew it would be a big day for us, but how things turned out far exceeded what we anticipated. To put it briefly, the long preparation was well worth it!

Live High

I begin my blog, lest my memories get confused with dreams, dreams get buried by mundane trappings, and the good things in life be forgotten over time..

Live high, live mighty, live righteously. Take it easy. It's laughter we're making after all.