In the last days of twenty eighteen, I made a pact with myself that I should go and explore places more often. Although I didn't make a list of places I should visit this year, all I know is that I need to wander more and sort of a breather. And so, January came, stayed a bit longer (to be honest, it felt like the 13th month of 2018), and bid goodbye but I still got stuck in my monotonous routine: sleep-eat-work-home plus a more hectic schedule.

I welcomed February with the hopes of having a quick break from the hustle and bustle of the city life. So here came these local airlines tossing everyone with their seat sales. I was probably one of the thousands of adventure-seeking millennials who booked a flight to a place a thousand miles away from home. But this time, I chose Clark International Airport again. I was initially planning to explore more the beauty of Zambales but I decided to head far north and went back to the surf town of La Union instead. I don't know why but I something about this place that always makes me want to come back every year.

I'm on my way to you

Fast forward to March. The big day came. It was noontime at that time and I could feel the scorching sun as I made my way to the airport. "Thank God for the good weather," I told myself with a little relief even though I kinda hate how humid it was. It also kinda felt odd because I usually take the morning flights whenever I leave Cebu since I get easily pissed being caught in the traffic. For the record, I'm not even a morning person but something about taking the morning flights that fascinates me.

When I arrived at the departure area, I saw these women crying and hugging each other, then a couple of minutes after, the other one proceeded to the boarding gate and waved goodbye to them. In my little theory, she might be working abroad in the hopes of giving her family for a brighter future. It was like a deja vu, I guess. Flashbacks started playing in my mind during that time when we took my eldest sister to the same airport, catching her flight to Manila before heading to Taiwan where she'll be working for the next several years, as we were crying and getting emotional. Airport stories like this never fail to make me melancholic. I can be silent when I'm alone but I also observe the people and things around me a lot. Lol. I just smiled and headed straight to the boarding gate.

While I was doing the airport procedures, it was announced that our flight will be delayed for 30 minutes. Then it was followed up by an hour delayed. I was fine about it because I've gotten used to it probably. I think it's part of growing up when you stop blaming the airline because sometimes it's not their fault. Haha! And after almost two hours, finally, it's boarding time!
Luckily, I was assigned in a window seat again. Who doesn't like to sit near the window? The airline agents must have known that I'm a sucker for window seats. Haha! One thing I love about taking flights during the daytime is that you get to see the magnificent view of different islands in the country and how calm the ocean is. Some of the islands were quite familiar since I had visited a few of them before, while some of them tested my knowledge with Philippine geography (which I know I sometimes suck) because they're quite new to me.

I had this funny routine whenever I'm on a plane. I usually listen to two of my go-to travel songs only: Run Away With Me by Carly Rae Jepsen and Big Jet Plane by Angus & Julia Stone. The former is about two lovers who are in a long distance relationship and they only have one weekend to make it an unforgettable experience together. The latter was inspired by the singer's experience when he met a girl at a festival, they got along so well and he wanted to take her away with him but he couldn't. Although I couldn't totally relate to both songs because I never had a long distance relationship before nor met someone on a festival, I just find them both great travel anthems—and it's like magical meets bittersweet.


After playing the songs on loop (because why not?) and resisting myself from doing lip-syncs, next thing I know was our plane was already about to touch down the airport. Clark is not new to me so I already knew where to go to leave the place and proceed to my next stop of this journey, the Dau Bus Terminal. On the arrival area, I headed to the part where air-conditioned jeepneys were parked. For me, the PHP 100 fare is quite expensive for a 20 to 30-minute (or more) ride and the air conditioner couldn't even suffice the passenger. Anyway, it was still a better choice than taking the taxi or booking a ride on Grab, which would probably double the fare.


It was already late afternoon when I arrived at Dau Bus Terminal and I could still remember how humid that time was. Thankfully, I was able to find a bus going to Laoag, Ilocos Norte that had still vacant seats. Of course, you wouldn't be happy standing for the next six hours. "It's gonna be a long ride. Gosh! I miss this, " I told to myself while making myself comfortable in a seat near the aisle. The first hour in the road was being spent with observing the fellow passengers, gazing at the window as the sun was about to set, and scanning the travel playlist I curated before. The green fields and meadows of Pampanga and Tarlac never fail to amaze me every time. A couple of moments after, the sun was about to set as it painted the skies in pretty hues. I stared on the window, smiled as I slowly shut my eyes.

After more than six hours of moving and taking several stopovers, we finally arrived in La Union! I was already feeling exhausted and sleepy because it was past ten in the evening when I checked my wristwatch. While I felt like my eyes were falling, I was also having a hard time locating the exact place of the house I booked on Agoda a couple of weeks before this trip. Haha! Good thing the owner was patient enough to wait for me to arrive even if it was already a bit late. I could hear the eargasmic sound of the waves crashing through the shores when I arrived in the house. I couldn't help but head to where that wonderful sound was. It was quite dark there but I stayed for a couple of minutes feeling the sea breeze and listening to the sound of the ocean before calling it a day.

Hey, Elyu! What's good?

It was almost nine in the morning when I woke up. I went outside and loving the fact that the house where I'll be staying in the few days was just 2-3 minutes from the beach. When I finally reached the shore, I stood there and whispered, "Good morning, Elyu. Glad to be back. I missed you so bad." Yes! It's always been a great feeling coming back to a place where you had a lot of memories. I took a few snaps of the ocean waves and people around me then went back to the house and prepared some stuff for the first place in my itinerary—the infamous Tangadan Falls in San Gabriel, La Union.

Here's a little confession. I usually make an itinerary a few weeks before traveling and most of the time I end up not able to visit all of the places I listed because I am fickle-minded like most of the time also. LOL. I guess this is one of the perks of traveling alone or with fewer people—your schedule can flexible without compromising the fun part. Moreover, I always tell myself that whenever I go to different places, I should find some solace there and not to stress myself out by visiting all the spots in that place in a short period of time. The important thing here is you were able to get a great opportunity to unwind from the fast-paced city life and of course, make unforgettable memories even more, and enjoy every second of it.


On the other hand, going to Tangadan Falls was already full of adventures. If you could only know the countless mini-heart attacks and overflowing adrenaline rush I had on that time. Haha! So I might just make a separate post and write every detail of it. But for now, here are a few photos of my unexpected adventure.

When the sun goes down

I spent almost the whole day at the Tangadan Falls because of its distance from where I was staying (Urbiztondo to San Gabriel) and of course, to appreciate its beauty. I was initially planning to have a very short creative retreat there like doing hand lettering drills but I was too exhausted to write. Lol. I took a nap when I got to the house while waiting for my favourite part of the day to come—the sunset!

[Read: Here's why your pink skies make me blue now]

One of the many things I love about La Union is that you'll going to witness a marvelous view of the sky, as they show different hues—from pink to orange to reddish orange. I don't know why I like the sunset more than sunrise but one thing's for sure, that is I usually get excited when the sun goes down on that horizon and probably why I keep coming back here.

I'm drunk, I love you

No, I'm not drunk (yet) but I was actually referring to a Filipino romantic-comedy movie called I'm Drunk, I Love You, in which two best friends named Dio and Carson, headed to La Union days before their college graduation, together with their other friend Jason Ty. Carson has been secretly in love with Dio for seven good years. Jason Ty has been convincing her to confess her feelings towards her best friend until something happened between the two on their last night in La Union that totally left Carson (and of course, me) broken hearted. And since I was in La Union at that time, it's like I could feel the pain that Carson had been through here even if she was just a fictional character. I once fell in love with a friend but ended up being stuck in a place called friend zone. Haha! I could picture out some of the scenes in the movie that was taken here in Elyu and asked myself, "What if IDILY would turn into reality and I would be part of it? How am I gonna do my role though?" I just shrugged off.


The real question now is how should I end an epic first day in La Union? Since I was thinking of that movie how about getting a bottle of beer or two? I decided to visit this infamous hostel called Flotsam and Jetsam with their Bali-inspired bar near the beach. I've been seeing a lot of posts and stories on Instagram about this place and I was quite curious what's out here. Although I've been to Elyu twice before, I wasn't able to visit this since our was very limited. Moreover, my friends and I just bathe in the sea, took some photos, and enjoyed the magnificent sunset. So now's the perfect time to check it out.

I love how Floatsam and Jetsam was artistically made. No wonder a lot of millennials flocked here, especially it was a weekend I visited this place. Admit it, us millennials really love going to places that we find it Instagrammable and something we can delightfully post on our social media. But one thing I noticed here is that the prices of their drinks and food were a bit expensive. Well, as someone who really loves eating, money is not an issue. Kidding!


I stayed here for hours. I was happy that they were playing some tracks that I rarely heard except on my Spotify playlists. I even saw a few familiar faces but I just watched them from afar. Some were starting to dance crazily while others were chilling with their beach cerveza. But you can tell that everyone was really having a good time whether they came in pairs or a huge circle of friends. As the crowd of young and wild people increased, I couldn't help but ponder. I guess it's not only their Instagram-worthy spots place that keeps these youngsters (and young at heart) from coming back but also the amazing vibe you'll get as soon as you spend your night here. And mind you, La Union is an 8-hour drive from Manila!

I hate this part right here

On my last day in Elyu, I finally able to do my hand lettering drills by the beach. Well, it's really been a while since I did my drills so I was really that happy. The intense summer heat didn't even bother me from doing one of my travel traditions—hand lettering the name of the place I currently visit. For the record, I usually carry some pens and a notebook with me whenever I travel. Writing down the name of the place and taking photos of it is like a great souvenir for myself. So I spent an hour and a half writing under the scorching sun while enjoying the view of pristine waters of San Juan beach.


After I finished writing "La Union", I decided to spend more minutes sitting by the shore until this beach dog came. He was friendly and he wanted to be patted, too. And so, I did and I would even give him something to eat if I brought some food with me. I won't miss this opportunity to have a picture with my newfound friend. He had been following me all day, by the way.

Then, I took more photos of myself and this place that I'll be missing for sure. Of course, I took a dip in the waters and I couldn't count how many times I got carried by the waves. Haha! I stayed in Elyu for a brief time and I wasn't able to visit all the places I put in my itinerary. But I remembered that my main goal in going here was to unwind and not to stress myself out. As long as I'm at the beach, I'm already happy.


The only thing I hate leaving the place I love is getting that thing called sepanx (short for separation anxiety). Of course, you'll feel sad when you're close to bidding goodbye to this place but I always think of the fun and happy memories I had here. Two nights and two days in Elyu was kind of short but I guess it was enough to find comfort and temporarily rest my mind from the stressful city life. It was a well-spent vacation leave, indeed! And if you're going to ask me if I would come here back soon? Definitely! Who knows? It would probably be sooner than you think.

To be honest, this blog post has been on my drafts for more than a year already but it was still half-written. I could still recall the constant rollercoaster (and even Ferris wheel) ride of emotions I felt when I started writing this. Imagine writing this just a few days after that most despairing trip you've ever had! And even until now, I'm still ambivalent towards posting this or I'll just keep this on my drafts once again and pretend I didn't write this because I don't want to share something way too personal on this virtual diary. But I realized that this was also part of the unforgettable moments I had while I was busy chasing flights and blurring with the moments of music and meeting people. 

Now that I've already emancipated from that summer heartbreak, I'm ready to share this not-so-interesting-nor-romantic story. I think it's about time to finish and publish this. And so here it goes...


It was already late afternoon when the plane I was boarding had finally touched down Cebu but I could still feel the sun softly kissing through my skin as I got off from the plane. As I headed to the exit gate of the arrival area, I kind of witnessed a dramatic exhibition of strangers just like the ones we see in movies—from being lost to having unnecessary arguments to airports reunions—which never failed to put a smile on my weary face. I didn't even notice that it had been half an hour since I've been observing them.

   Thrift store fashion, imperfect tattoos 
   Taking showers, minus shampoo

It took me quite some time to get a cab. While waiting, I decided to put on my earphones and scanned through the playlists I made on Spotify. (I really have this huge thing for carefully curating playlists, depending on my mood in every moment.) This time, I tried to take a spin on my so-called travel playlist, put it on shuffle, and out of the blue, pink skies started to play. It was absolutely the first LANY song I've ever heard and loved. But I started to panic and asked myself like a perfect fool, "of all the tracks, why this one?" Waves of emotions came rolling in.

     You are my favorite everything
     Been telling girls that since I was 16
     Shut up, I love you
     You're my bestfriend

The driver finally arrived. Paul Jason effortlessly finished singing the first few lines and here came the pre-chorus part as I was slowly getting blurry flashbacks of a certain person. Actually, someone who used to be the center of my (parallel) universe. Someone I met virtually but it felt like we've already met in real life for some unexplainable connection. Someone I used to talk to even until the wee hours of the morning. Someone I really thought that could be the Nick O'Leary to my Norah Silverberg and sorta felt like we were musical soulmates because we shared almost the same favourite kind of music genre and bands. But in this digital age, is it really possible to fall in love with a person whom you've never met yet? I don't know. Probably?



We passed by the iconic bridge and I gazed at the left window of the cab as I witnessed a spectacular view of the sky in pink and orange hues. Coincidentally, the chorus part was playing as another set of flashbacks of the same person came in. This time, it was getting clearer. I could still remember how he really loved the beach over the summits while I was the total opposite. The salt water and waves excite him more while ascending in the muddy trails gives me adrenaline rush and solace. So I kind of think that we were not on the same geographical map, but whenever I see that the sky is in beautiful colours on that horizon, I can't help but think of it as our tryst. It was like our secret rendezvous in my playful mind, at least. I guess that's how I fell in love with this song even more. And so were you. This could have been our unofficial soundtrack, perhaps? Lol. But honestly, this song always reminds me of no one but you.


     Talking under pink skies,
     I think our hearts are starting to show.
    That it's better, you and I, under pink skies.

Funny when I could also remember how we used to exchange messages. We had different work schedules: when my shift was about to end but you were still on your way to work. Our chat messages seemed like email messages since we both always got delayed replies. It also kinda felt like we were battling with the time zones though we were both just within the Philippines. Talking 'bout struggling young adults, eh? I must admit, I got annoyed with myself when I used to overthink your punctuation marks and how you used to make fun of how I frequently misspelled my words but we were definitely not Grammar Nazis. We were probably just two different people, trying too hard to translate their feelings in layman's terms. We agreed to meet (outside the cyberspace). And I felt like I was in nirvana when I realized that we'll be meeting at one of the world's best islands with the best sunset. Isn't it romantic?

     We can work it out
     You and I are meant to be together
     This is how it's supposed to feel
     I'm in love with how this feels

LANY was still playing but this time, it's getting louder in my head. "Ugh! There. These lines," I blurted out. These lines somehow reminded me of this tweet, which made me think of a kinda cheesy scenario. What if we'll going to attend their upcoming concert in Manila and candidly do what's written on this tweet: we'll make eye contact as we hold hands then start singing our heart out to the last two lines? Who knows? It could be the best concert experience we'd ever had. Oh, wishful thinking!

Here came its last chorus until the song slowly bid goodbye. Awkward silence. Fake smile. I glanced at the window once again and saw those cotton candy-colored skies were taken over by a starless dark evening sky little by little. "Okay. What a good metaphor on what happened to us." I sighed.


     "This is another story of a lonely boy and how he tried crossing oceans and ditched one of his favourite bands' concert just to see him. He couldn't contain his excitement at that time, to be honest. But due to unforeseen circumstances, they weren't able to meet. He's not even mad at him. He just wished they had the time..."  

— This could be a perfect synopsis for a novel that I'll never publish.

For the record, he's never an ex nor we were in a relationship. He was more like the one I never got that got away, in just a blink of an eye. An almost. I know it's been a year already but sometimes I still get bombarded with a few questions in my mind--- the infamous series of what-ifs that comes with a tiny bit of hope. What if we tried harder? What if I was patient enough to wait? What if you made time? or What if we decided and agreed not to meet in person and just remain online buddies for the rest of our lives instead?... But I kind of know I always get a "will everything stays the same?" at the end. In other words, I will never get the exact answers. Ever. 

Now you probably know why I overreacted when I heard this song again (after skipping it for quite some time already) or literally whenever I see those pink skies. It simply came with memories I wanted to forget, attached to that someone. 



After almost an hour on the road, I finally reached my destination. Home sweet home. It had been longest and most exhausting trip I had but surely it was worthwhile. Gosh! How I miss my comfy bed.
"And who would have thought that a simple 'hello' could just end with a painful 'thank you and goodbye'? I guess neither of us would." I shut my eyes, called it a day, and hoping that he won't appear in my dreams tonight.

This tagline (which was coined after a Whitney Houston hit song) from an infamous hugot movie, that I have watched a hundred times already, kept playing in my mind while I was making the itinerary for my first solo backpacking adventure. And to answer that question, I really don't know.

Free-spirited as I am, I've always wanted to travel solo. So when a local airline went on a seat sale, I couldn't miss the opportunity to scratch it out of in my bucket list. However, I didn't expect that my excitement would turn into sort of grieving. I know this would sound insane and funny but imagine getting your heart broken by someone you considered your happy pill, just a few days before your flight. Low-key hurts, right? So, I initially planned of not pursuing this trip because I kind of know that I would really be a total mess traveling alone with a heavy heart, but then I realized that I needed a break from everything, plus my instincts told me that I have to and I need to. Now, I can answer the question above: how about going to a place where nobody knows you?


And so the day came. It was my last day of being a twenty-four-year old troubled lad when I decided to pack my bag and boarded a plane going to a city I've never been before, all by myself and without someone to talk to. I usually don't initiate having small talks first. The inner introvert in me struck again. I left Cebu with a heavy heart, to be honest.

I took a few snaps of the wonderful view below us while listening to the travel playlist I have curated weeks before. It was still wee hours in the morning but I could see how beautiful and serene the scenery was. You know, the kind of calmness my heart wants.


After forty minutes of floating above the clouds, we finally touched down in Davao City. It is my first time to go the island of Mindanao, by the way. Surreal and laid-back. These were the first two adjectives that popped out of my mind when I reached the exit gate. Without wasting so much time, I hailed a cab that would take me to the bus station, rode a bus going to the place I believed that would help me heal the wounds. I was quite unsure if I could find solace there but I was hoping that I would.





From almost an hour floating where the sky hangs to an exhausting five-hour bus ride to a ten-minute habal-habal ride, I arrived at Mati, Davao Oriental. the place I believe I would find remedy from a bittersweet experience. I was greeted by the warm sea breeze, pristine salt waters, and less crowded shores. I think it could be a perfect definition of "love at first sight".

German (n.) an ache for distant places; the crave for travel.

I was just listening to this Moira Dela Torre track then minutes after I found myself writing its title.

As I watched the beautiful saturated sunrise during my first day as a 25-year old young adult, this kid was standing a few inches away from me while looking from afar, without saying any word. I could only hear the sea breeze and ocean waves crashing on the seashore between us. I took the opportunity to take a candid photo of him. It's great to know that he's enjoying his childhood appreciating the beauty of Mother Nature instead of playing with some gadgets. I wasn't sure if he caught me but he smiled at me and I smile back, not that kind of smile you fake when someone asks if you're doing okay but the kind of smile you make when you're happy as you appreciate the simple things in life.



This Mati trip was more like a soul searching slash creative retreat, and definitely one of the best and most unforgettable trips I ever had. For two days and one night, I found the inner peace I was looking for months. And I guess I've already found the answer to the question above. When we're heartbroken, it would be better to go to a place you've never been before, where nobody knows your name or story as you learn to follow our instincts, take risks, and be brave to find your inner bliss.

I left this wonderful place with a real separation anxiety. Mati (especially Dahican) will always have special place in my heart and I'm hoping to get back sooner with joy and not being brokenhearted. I hope so.

The 3rd of January marked the first trip of the year 2017. We were invited by a relative to visit Dalaguete, my father's hometown, again. I answered with a big "yes" right away because I kind of know that they'll going to be super fun and yes, it really was! I've been here for a countless times already but I haven't been to their infamous public beach resort called Dalaguete Beach Park. (What a shame! Haha!) Located in barangay Casay, I guess it is definitely one of the best public beaches I've been to here in Cebu province.

Found these lovely starfish near the shore.

Yes, I found a some Instagram-worthy spots! ♥


It was really cloudy when we went there which is quite sad because most of my photos looked gloomy. I've seen a few pictures of this place on some travel blogs during summertime and they were totally awesome. So, I guess it would be better to go here when it is sunny (especially summertime). Anyway, if you just want to relax and find a sweet escape from the city life but on a budget, then Dalaguete Beach Park is totally a great choice!