This I think will be my favorite post, the essence of journeyingjames: come and join me as I walk, run, climb, ride, swim and fly!
Come July 6 (Tuesday), I am embarking on the longest backpacking journey yet in my life. Armed with courage, confidence, backpack, running shoes and camera (Mitchkay, are you going to lend me your DSLR? Pleeeease). You say ADVENTURE? Nahhh, its more than that! In fact, I will be amazed if someone did this already.
Duration: July 6-20, 2010
Solo. I want to do this solo because I don’t want to be in a hurry, stopping if I want to stop, take more time in some places, meet and make new friends along the way. Although being solo makes me vulnerable, it will also make me trust in humanity more. I will try to eat, buy and live as the locals.
Backpacking. My route would be Negros Occidental – Guimaras – Iloilo – Capiz –Aklan – Boracay – Carabao Island – Romblon – Batangas – Laguna (home). I will be bringing with me my 35L TNF bag, clothes good for 7 days (I will do laundry along the way), hammock and running shoes of course. The hammock will serve as my room/lodging most of the trip to save money.
Challenge: Simple but almost impossible, to spend no more than PhP250/day or less all-in (US$6/day). And that starts at the airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental (food, fare and lodging). At first, I’m very hesitant on this but because I want to encourage every Juan that traveling is not only for the rich and famous, I will try my very best to do this. This means that I will be spending P3,500.00 (US$80) for the whole duration of the journey. Can I do this? Let’s see! I hope I can update you along the way. P250/day.
Activities. Running tops my list of things to-do. That’s the essence of journeyingjames, to run around the Philippines. Of course, I have this mantra that “all waters must be tested, all mountains climbed” so I hope to swim on falls, sea, lakes and river as long as it’s clean (and safe); and climb on mountains. Taste the sweetest and most delicious mangoes from Guimaras, eat inasal and batchoy, piayaya and all the local delicacies as long as budget permits. Walk and roam around downtowns, take some pictures of tourist spots and make friends. Observe and learn from their culture. Eat & Run and Visit too.
Lodging. To tell you honestly, I do not know. I want to just set up my hammock on secret coves. I will couchsurf too (CS friends, please help). I have a friend in La Carlota who is willing to host me for 2 nights, one from Roxas City who will host me for 2 nights too. In my previous backpacking trips I saw rooms for only P150/night, common bathroom so maybe I will do that too and that means minus P150 for my daily budget. So, hammock is my best friend here. CouchSurfing, Friends and Hammock.
Transportation. Habal-habal, jeepneys, pumpboat, cadillakad as long as I move forward. As everyone will say, the journey is more important than the destination. Hopefully, I’ll be back to Los Banos on July 20 alive, healthy and ready for another challenge.
Updates. I hope I can find free internet along the way as usage would mean P20-25 on the budget. I think I will be updating my Facebook page (journeyingjames & james betia) on my whereabouts. For real-time updates, please follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/journeyingjames). I will text home-base of my whereabouts so they will be the ones to update you. If you are curious of my whereabouts, you can contact me through my mobile phone posted on my Contact Page. Let’s hope I can reply even as I enjoy the beautiful Boracay sunset.
Suggestions. I welcome any suggestion as I’m still doing my itinerary. Shout out a place to visit or things to do in places I will go to but please remember that I’m on shoe-string and I will do only those that are within my means. But if its free, why not?
Interested? Anyone interested of my story? I already emailed Smile of Cebu Pacific in-flight magazine and hopefully they will consider this. I have to email PAL, ZestAir, NatGeo, Travel & Living and Living Asia Channel too! Let’s see if they like this idea. Any suggestion on how I can use this trip to earn money? Thanks!
Before I forget, I bought my plane ticket to Bacolod for only P700, that’s PAL btw. I think I’m a promo fare junkie already.
Let’s all pray for my safety and success of this challenge. I trust that the good Lord will guide and protect me along the way. I’m holding on to His promise from Psalm 121:5-8 (NIV)
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Duration: July 6-20, 2010
Solo. I want to do this solo because I don’t want to be in a hurry, stopping if I want to stop, take more time in some places, meet and make new friends along the way. Although being solo makes me vulnerable, it will also make me trust in humanity more. I will try to eat, buy and live as the locals.
I took this photo during my first solo backpacking trip at Panglao Island, Bohol.
Backpacking. My route would be Negros Occidental – Guimaras – Iloilo – Capiz –Aklan – Boracay – Carabao Island – Romblon – Batangas – Laguna (home). I will be bringing with me my 35L TNF bag, clothes good for 7 days (I will do laundry along the way), hammock and running shoes of course. The hammock will serve as my room/lodging most of the trip to save money.
Route Map
Challenge: Simple but almost impossible, to spend no more than PhP250/day or less all-in (US$6/day). And that starts at the airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental (food, fare and lodging). At first, I’m very hesitant on this but because I want to encourage every Juan that traveling is not only for the rich and famous, I will try my very best to do this. This means that I will be spending P3,500.00 (US$80) for the whole duration of the journey. Can I do this? Let’s see! I hope I can update you along the way. P250/day.
Activities. Running tops my list of things to-do. That’s the essence of journeyingjames, to run around the Philippines. Of course, I have this mantra that “all waters must be tested, all mountains climbed” so I hope to swim on falls, sea, lakes and river as long as it’s clean (and safe); and climb on mountains. Taste the sweetest and most delicious mangoes from Guimaras, eat inasal and batchoy, piayaya and all the local delicacies as long as budget permits. Walk and roam around downtowns, take some pictures of tourist spots and make friends. Observe and learn from their culture. Eat & Run and Visit too.
All waters must be tested: photo from Magpupungko Pool, Pilar, Siargao Island
Lodging. To tell you honestly, I do not know. I want to just set up my hammock on secret coves. I will couchsurf too (CS friends, please help). I have a friend in La Carlota who is willing to host me for 2 nights, one from Roxas City who will host me for 2 nights too. In my previous backpacking trips I saw rooms for only P150/night, common bathroom so maybe I will do that too and that means minus P150 for my daily budget. So, hammock is my best friend here. CouchSurfing, Friends and Hammock.
More hammock moments, shot from Siargao beside the beach.
Transportation. Habal-habal, jeepneys, pumpboat, cadillakad as long as I move forward. As everyone will say, the journey is more important than the destination. Hopefully, I’ll be back to Los Banos on July 20 alive, healthy and ready for another challenge.
Enjoying the Enchanting Coron on pumpboat
Suggestions. I welcome any suggestion as I’m still doing my itinerary. Shout out a place to visit or things to do in places I will go to but please remember that I’m on shoe-string and I will do only those that are within my means. But if its free, why not?
Interested? Anyone interested of my story? I already emailed Smile of Cebu Pacific in-flight magazine and hopefully they will consider this. I have to email PAL, ZestAir, NatGeo, Travel & Living and Living Asia Channel too! Let’s see if they like this idea. Any suggestion on how I can use this trip to earn money? Thanks!
Before I forget, I bought my plane ticket to Bacolod for only P700, that’s PAL btw. I think I’m a promo fare junkie already.
Let’s all pray for my safety and success of this challenge. I trust that the good Lord will guide and protect me along the way. I’m holding on to His promise from Psalm 121:5-8 (NIV)
"The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day,nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
"Ayokong maging banyaga sa sarili kong bansa."
(I don't want to be a foreigner in my own country.) Sana ikaw din.
Some photos I got from places I've bee too:
Sunflower at Benguet; Starfish from Starfish Island; 3 Boats at Puerto Princesa Baywalk;
Sunrise at Ifugao; Water splash at Puerto Galera; Heritage Village,Vigan, Ilocos Sur;
Shells by the sea, Romblon; Tree formation at Ilocos sur; and Baby crocs at Palawan.
Nice sunset at Batangas bay; Rock formations at Romblon;
Batad Rice Terraces, Ifugao, Pine trees at Benguet;
Palay from Ifugao; Ambuklao dam; and Night-scape at Subic.
More nice photos to come during this 14 days solo backpacking trip!
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