Travel often becomes the source of many firsts. New experiences, though incomparable to being sandwiched between Michelle Rodriguez and Arci Munoz, it still resonates in your head long after the moment it happened. Just like that border crossing which my brother and myself did coming from Vietnam to Cambodia in 2011. Those sort of things becomes memorable as you continue exploring the world. Our trip to Myanmar afforded me the opportunity to fly to a city (Kuala Lumpur) and then connect to another flight to Yangon, Myanmar (killing a few hours in between). Nothing milestone-ny in that undertaking, but I remember during the few times I get to travel outside of the Philippines, It always fascinates me everytime I would see that "Connecting Flights" signs at the airport.

Project Jomalig aims to introduce infusing together, the joy of traveling and creating strong ties with a local community in one-go. It is projected to create a sustainable program through long-term commitment and cooperation from travelers and local community leaders alike. In this case, the island of Jomalig was chosen because it tops the recent DSWD's list of "Malnourished Towns in the Philippines".

God dammit there's a bunch of selfies in here. I muttered to myself while I was looking at the photographs I've taken in Bagan, Myanmar. But hey, I've seen dozens of Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouac's self portraits while they're in some exotic locations. I figured, I also deserve some self-deprecating images, with the timeless Bagan temples dominating the background. It certainly looks better than the thousands of "selfies" shots taken in the bathroom, bedroom, conference room and even the frigging train. 

The fine October weather in Baguio calls for a must-sit-in-a-cafe somewhere. But, somewhere random is not just what we had in mind. Lauren have heard of this joint from our friend before, so we decided to head straight here upon arriving at the city of Pines. Coming from a Travel Massive event we spend the rest of the night waiting for the day's first trip out of Manila. Ten hours later we were in a mood understanding of the 'walkers' in Walking Dead, only we were looking out for real food. Determined to satisfy our hunger, PNKY Cafe became our first pit-stop for the day. 

The waves were a little rough on our way to Biri Island from the port of Lavezares. I started to get dizzy midway and even envied the boat's youngest passenger, an infant boy, who slept the entire trip. His young parents perfectly shielded him from the splashes of sea water. I covered my camera and counted the minutes, knowing that each one that passed meant a half-kilometer shorter swim to safety. That is, if I could swim and save myself if the boat capsized. We passed through the northern part of Biri, but the boat continued until the water calmed and the clouds above us dissipated, revealing a bright sky. The boat begins to sail smoothly, and the threat of rain has vanished since we set sail. The infant boy awoke with a short cry. He stretches both his arms and feet, while I patted my legs to prevent cramps.

The day after the Sinadya sa Hilaran Festival in Roxas City, we went on a road trip towards the municipality of President Roxas. It presented me an opportunity to further explore the province of Capiz. My first trip to Roxas City happened only because I was heading for the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo. With the exemption of trying out diwal shells and chilling at Bay-bay beach, I wasn't able to go around the province. This time, with the company of fellow travel writers and the tourism officers of the city, we were able to cover a long stretch of highway kilometers and hillside terrain for some nature and food tripping.