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Mount Manunggal: Why Getting Lost Is Never A Waste Of Time
There’s a fine line between adventure and disaster. Lost in the middle of nowhere after our Mount Manunggal climb, I was walking that razor-thin line with a heavy backpack and two other hikers. There was a time in my life when being lost felt deeply uncomfortable, like I was completely out of my element. Yet, here on this hike with my new friends, I feel oddly at home. Instead of panicking, I felt calm. I looked at my companions, and I saw panic written all over their faces. And who wouldn’t be? With the sun beating down on us, our water bottles were running low, and unmarked trails, it had…
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Musuan Peak: The Humble Volcano That Secretly Teaches Why Change Is Beautiful
The day they find you dead, they’ll write the sweetest things on Facebook. They’ll gather in comment threads, writing the regrets and love they never spoke. But when you’re alive, there will always be those people who quietly torture you for building a life without them. They’ll gaslight you and make your happiness feel like betrayal. They’ll turn your success into their wound. These were the strange, uncomfortably true thoughts running through my mind as I hiked toward the top of Musuan Peak. And this isn’t a story about a mountain. It’s about everyone I had to leave behind to reach it. You see. Hiking and travel aren’t all about…
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Sagada: That Thing Called Adventure (And Sofia)
A few weeks ago, I invited my friends on a weekend trip to Sagada. Nothing fancy. It was just a quick escape and a break from life’s never-ending cycle of deadlines, responsibilities, and grind. Most of them had excuses. Some were too busy, and a few left me on “seen.” But one of them replied with a yes. The only problem? She had been dead for over two years. The person I’m talking about is Sofia. At first, I thought it was a mistake. Maybe there was a glitch in the Matrix. Or perhaps it was one of those weird moments that made you question reality for a second. But…
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Mimbalot Falls: The Art Of Finding Joy In The Simple Things
How does a waterfall this gorgeous stay a secret? And how can something so easy to find feel so undiscovered? Mimbalot Falls is one of those places that seem like a world away. Even though it’s pretty accessible, it somehow feels untouched and like a local secret. Before we arrived at the parking lot of Mimbalot Falls, I expected a busy, chaotic scene. After all, it’s arguably the most accessible waterfall in the “City of Waterfalls”. I even thought it had that typical public beach-like vibe, with rows of vendors and karaoke machines playing Michael Jordan highlights. But I was wrong. The moment I arrived at Mimbalot Falls, I instantly…
