being adventurous doesn’t mean that you always have to do extreme things and explore extravagant places...it is more on discovering new things and learning from it...more on giving respect to God's gift, the wonder of nature...more on valuing oneself... enjoying self freedom but with certain limitations.
travelling alone is included in my bucket list, list of my plans in life. traveling is not my priority neither part of the things that i wanna do...last summer, I had a little conversation with my seminarian friend who loves to travel. I was inspired by his stories and experience which urged me to push-thru with my plans...my unplanned plans.
why travelling alone? for me, it is a liberating and self-fullfilling experience, a real adventure wherein you can freely decide what you want to do, without any hesitation, without considering others opinion...its a way of giving space and time to yourself...to contemplate...to rediscover and explore things.
i went to bohol last week, october 9, only with my plane ticket, duffel bag, clothes, camera, wallet, prayer book and bohol map which i bought a day before i leave. also, my phone which i turned-off during my entire stay in bohol.
why bohol? i don't know...maybe I am just fascinated with its beauty and history...the beaches, chocolate hills, tarsiers etc.
at the airport, while waiting to board, my excitement was overthrowed by worries...i haven’t arrange my accommodation and my transport in advance...no concrete plans at all...luckily, i met rodel and his family, a local from bohol...learned some tips from them...where to stay and what to do...
panglao is approx. 20km away from tagbilaran...i arrived at around 11am...mang rudy, the tryke driver who gave me a fair fare deal helped me to look for a resort which fits my budget...i ended up and billeted at bohol divers resort in alona beach...beachfront resort with a nice garden view and pool...foods are expensive thus i still tried each resort's specialty...i started to explore the place...dive shops were everywhere...since i don't want to spoil my time...i inquired in one of the dive shops, philippine island divers...i was assisted by a french owner, jaque...i was convinced to try scuba driving...without any hesitation, i agree...i was assigned to eric, another french dive master...had a 20mins theoretical briefing with him, 1 pool training dive and 2 open water dive (around 12m deep) at crystal coast...it was an enlivening underwater experience...i even saw nemo.
that night, i had a drink and small talk with my fellow travelers, solo, group and even couple...both locals and foreigners...we discussed our experience, almost everything under the sun...
the next day, i had my countryside tour...danny was my driver and at the same time my tour guide...he was referred to me by one of the bankeros i've met...i took the habal-habal for my countryside trip...that afternoon i had my massage along the beach with mango shake at my side...had a dinner with christian, jeck and kyla whom i met during my countryside tour...
i wasn’t able to join the three in their dolphin watching and island hopping the following morning...i just enjoyed my last 3 hours at the beach.
i commute instead of renting a van going to the airport. i took a jeep going to panglao town proper and another jeep to tagbilaran city...i find it more practical and adventurous, knowing that i am not familiar with the place.
i arrived at the airport too early from the time of my departure. i went around the city and buy more pasalubong...
on my way home, im still out of my mind reminiscing my memmories and experience.
now im here in manila...back to normal life...work, traffic, night life.
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