• Paoay Sand Dunes
    Travel

    Paoay Sand Dunes And The Forgotten Empires That Time Erases

    One day, I will die, and strangely that thought has made life feel lighter. Since graduating college, I had been stuck in the rat race, chasing milestones and moments I thought would define me. But when I realized none of it would matter in a hundred years, something changed. Suddenly, the pressure to constantly achieve loosened its grip. And that shift is what drives me to explore places like the Paoay Sand Dunes. At the Paoay Sand Dunes, that realization takes shape in front of you. The wind pushes back. The sand gives way. You climb, slide, laugh, and try again. Nothing cooperates. Your tracks vanish almost as soon as…

  • Mt. Kabunian
    Travel

    Mt. Kabunian: The Sacred Mountain That Secretly Changed My Perspective

    I sold my soul to the Devil. In exchange for a small fortune and a taste of worldly happiness, I lost bits and pieces of myself. I didn’t even realize I’d made a deal with him until I noticed I no longer had time for the things I once loved. Then, one day, came Mt. Kabunian. Here’s the thing about mountains.  They’re not just giants.  Some are called gods or deities who will exorcise your demons and unveil the hard truths you never wanted to hear. And Mt. Kabunian, named after the sky god in Igorot culture, was the mountain that finally made me see how far I’d lost my…

  • Travel

    Banaue Rice Terraces: A Google Maps Mistake That Led To An Unforgettable Adventure

    What if Google Maps sent you the wrong way? What if, instead of guiding you to the World’s Eighth Wonder, it takes you straight into disaster? With modern technology, reaching out-of-the-way places like the Banaue Rice Terraces should be easy. Yet, for some bizarre reason, our trip to Sagada and the Banaue Rice Terraces felt like an unpredictable adventure.  With wrong turns and unexpected detours, what was supposed to be a convenient weekend trip turned into a journey full of surprises. To some, this might seem like an inconvenience or a disaster.  But to me, our not-so-smooth-sailing Luzon trip was an opportunity for growth.  The truth is, every wrong turn…

  • Mount Dulang-Dulang
    Travel

    Mount Dulang-Dulang: A Climb To The Enchanting Mountain

    My heart was racing. Anxious and nervous, beads of sweat formed on my forehead, and my mouth turned dry. Shit! Will I make it? Will I make it back home in time? I was in a race against time, and I was losing. These thoughts hammered into my head as we were heading to Davao City after our Mount Dulang-Dulang climb. The unforgiving slopes, slippery moss, and rocky steps of Mount Dulang-Dulang were behind me. But the race against time continued, and a new challenge was waiting.  As we navigated through the night, we were enveloped in a thick fog that reduced visibility to nearly zero. We had to slow…