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Batad Rice Terraces: A Dream 10 Years In The Making
You probably think you know how this ends, but I promise you haven’t guessed the half of it. Yes, the Batad Rice Terraces photos you’re seeing are stunning and dreamy. But this wasn’t exactly a picture-perfect trip as you may have imagined. On the contrary, it almost didn’t happen. To make matters more interesting, the rain poured relentlessly the weekend I explored Batad and the rest of Ifugao with a group of complete strangers. So, was Batad worth the long wait and the heavy journey from Cebu? Was it as beautiful as the postcards and textbooks promised? And did I find myself on this solo journey in the Cordilleras? My…
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Grand La Palmera Mountain Ridge: Curiosity Is A Beautiful Risk
Curiosity, as they often told me, is a dangerous thing. As the old saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. But what they never mentioned was that safety could be just as deadly. Worse, safety could trap you in a life haunted by regret and what-ifs. And that was why, one hazy Saturday, I took an impulsive trip from Cebu City to the Grand La Palmera Mountain Ridge in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat. I know. It sounds like the kind of ridiculous decision only a madman would make. With barely any time to prepare and no carefully planned itinerary to follow, I knew this random weekend trip to Mindanao had disaster written…
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Mount Kitanglad In One Day: That Thing Called Adventure
Can you hike Mount Kitanglad in one day? That question kept playing in my mind like a catchy tune, days before I faced this behemoth in Bukidnon. With an elevation of 2,899 meters above sea level, the 4th highest mountain in the Philippines is not an easy day hike. Sure, there have been many brave souls and strong hikers who climbed Mount Kitanglad in just one day. And truthfully, the trail isn’t as technically challenging as some of the tallest mountains in the Philippines. But can I do it? Can a restless insomniac and a not-so-young man with a lot of emotional baggage, injuries, and limited preparation, climb this mountain…
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Mt Tuwato: Deadly Ridges, Raging Rivers, And Remarkable Life Lessons
Life, as we know it, is hard. It’s a never-ending teleserye of setbacks, problems, and headaches. And sometimes, we take on even more challenges that make us question our life choices. Want a perfect example? Me, hiking Mt Tuwato, a mountain rated 9/9 in difficulty, on a rainy Saturday after barely getting any sleep in the past couple of days. I know. It had disaster written all over it. Even so, I wasn’t about to cancel this hike in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur. While the odds were against me, I knew I could survive whatever Mt Tuwato threw at me with grit, focus, and a veteran hiker’s instincts. So, what did…
For anyone who’s felt a little lost or tired.
101 Letters to Juliet
I wrote this book for you.
101 Letters to Juliet is a philosophy book disguised as a love story — shaped by places, distance, and slow days on the road.