Cuba - According to Adam Gallagher

Here's a new quick random photos about Cuba according to the lens of Adam's cam. Adam Gallagher, is one of the fashion, travel bloggers that I look up to. I've been following him since 5 years ago. His fashion statement is simple but classy.
The way he puts colors and blends every sense of style makes me to like him more. I really do wish that I could do the way he does, travelling in style.
Herewith, are the pics that he posted on his blog: I am Galla

JOURNEYING with JAMES

James Betia is the author of the blog Journeying James. It was him who influenced me to join Couch Surfing online community site for backpackers, and among of the backpackers who inspired me to travel more in a budgeted and less expenses and why traveling light is right ( I used to bring my whole closet in the trip, as if I could use them all, after all my back aches).

One of the blog sites that I've added to my lists of my must read. I check his blog and follow his twitter everynow and then just to get the recent & a birds eye view about backpacking in the Philippines.
He's not just an ordinary blogger but mind you one of his entries was posted in Mabuhay magazine(the official magazine of Philippine Airlines),isn't that amazing?

Well, here is my brief interview with James about his passion in backpacking.


1. what's the farthest place you have ever traveled?
-I've been abroad twice only, I've been to Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia. So I guess Cambodia.

2. Name the top 5 places both local & abroad that you like?
-Local:
Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
Coron, Palawan
Guimaras Island
Batanes
Bohol

-Abroad:
Angkor Wat Complex
Downtown Ho Chi Minh City
Esplanade, Singapore
KLCC and Twin Towers, Malaysia
Train ride from Saigon to Hanoi

3. If there's one tourist place in the country that you could recommend to a lone traveler where'd it be and why?

Hands down Palawan. The crystal clear beaches, the underground river, the stunning karst, lagoons, diverse flora and fauna and the chillax life- its like paradise on earth.

4. How long will you backpack?

Until I die or until I visited all countries of the world.

5. If you could treat yourself in style by traveling what country do you wish to visit and why?

I want to travel in style to Europe and NYC! I wanna be like the models in London Milan, Paris, Rome and New York City.
Better yet, I wanna visit all the New 7 Wonders of the World.


6. Backpacking isn't much a lucrative to every Pinoy, how would you encourage everyone and promote backpacking?

I'm planning of doing the cheapest 100-day backpacking in the Phils (maybe P500/day or lower budget), then blog about this and hopefully write a book about it.

7. What Not to bring (on) backpacking?

-Judgemental heart. Also, if you think you will need it, you actually won't.


As James said, he won't stop traveling till he reaches the four corners of the world...hmmm sounds like we have the same passion for that. I guess every backpackers wishes that.
You can also read his other blog at: http://running.journeyingjames.com (running stories of journeyingjames


This is an excerpts from the interview of Flipnomad to James:

How did you discover your passion for travelling?
“I have been travelling a lot since 2003 but it was year 2008, when I was in Kabayan, Benguet when I met a Vietnamese backpacker. We had a simple talk about what we do in life etc. After the chat, I was so ashamed of myself that he has been almost everywhere in the Philippines for only 2 months and I’m stuck in Manila and Luzon. I said to myself, I don’t want to be a foreigner in my own country. After that, I did my first backpacking trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.”
What’s the most horrible experience that you’ve had on the road?
“I just crossed the border from Singapore to Malaysia and was about to go to Thailand. When a man pretending to be police told me that I have drugs in my backpack in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Turns out he is a holdaper. He got my travel money, borrowed camera and worst, my passport. I was stuck in Malaysia for a week without money and any friend. Detailed story can be accessed here.
What’s the best travel experience that you’ve ever had?
“My recent 14-day Solo Backpacking trip to West Visayas where I challenged myself to spend only Php250/day (all-in food, transpo and accommodation).”
What’s the biggest realization that you’ve got out of travelling?
“The wonders of God’s creation both the nature and the people are amazing. Take care of nature and she will take care of you. Respect the people and they will really love you.”
What keeps you going? What keeps you motivated?
“Challenges and an unending lust to explore new territories. Curiosity and the love for learning.”
This is a silly and hypothetical one. If you would be given a chance to travel with a popular person or a celebrity, who would it be and why?
“A lot: Les Stroud of SurvivorMan, Janet Hsieh and Bobby Chin of TLC and Bear Grylls of Man Vs. Wild. Lastly, Keira Knightley of Pirates of the Carribean would be a great companion for Round-the-World Cruise.haha”
Where’s your favourite place in this planet and why?
“Easy! Palawan. I live there for almost a year just because I love the island.”
What do you think about yourself?
“Self-proclaimed backpacker. I appreciate God’s love through the beauty of his creation- human kind and nature.”

MY ASIAN TRIP

My first ever trip abroad was in Thailand, didn't expect that I could live and stay there for long since it's not my desire to see Thailand not even thinking of myself going there. I'd say that I made the right decision of accepting the job offer given to me, well, I was already so desperately sad then of going out the country because of the uncertain future in the Philippines. That worried me much of my future in the Philippines, that going to Thailand would be a golden gate for me to travel the nearby places around Southeast Asia. In Thailand, lots of opportunities came and that is the possibilities of my first backpacking trip abroad. The second country that I saw was Laos, its just so near in Thailand and its one of the poorest countries in the southeast of Asia. I got the chance of going around the capital city since it's more accessible. My budget then was enough for two days, I guess staying there for a short trip was truly enough. Was told by another traveler that outside Vientianne is better. The most exciting and memorable trip I had was in Hongkong, it was summer vacation in Thailand and my head teacher(Thai) invited me to go on a trip with her to Hongkong, honestly why would I refuse? its Hongkong you know. Seeing Hongkong was a dream come true, it's one of my fave countries in the world. Love the energy, the place and everything in there amazes me. In the midst of my trip in Hongkong, I was told by a New Zealander friend back in Thailand that I could possibly make a side trip to Macau that'd only take 1 hour by ferry boat. That ignited me to find ways on how to get there easily from the hostel that we stayed on. To be exact, I was in Macau for a day. Never had the chance of going around the city of Macau but it was really great to see the Las Vegas of Asia. Nice hotels and casinos are very common. If I'd have the blessings to travel Hongkong again, Macau wouldn't be forgotten even for a day of trip. Who would have thought that Malaysia was a part of my trip. Thanks to my Polish boss who supported all my expenses going to Malaysia. Coming to Malaysia was not just merely on travel but on purpose, lawfully purpose that I really needed to be there. I stayed in Kuala Lumpur for 3 weeks and sorry to say this but there's nothing much to see in Kuala Lumpur. I saw a lot of backpackers and even met some of them during a gathering of the Couch Surfing local members. Malaysia isn't included in my fave list places in the world but I appreciated the chance that was given to me, though it's close to Thailand but its honestly expensive traveling around Malaysia, just thinking of the low value of Baht money to Ringgit. However, I was happy when I saw Malaysia. It's cleaner than Philippines and Thailand, more progressive and organized. The unexpected and unplanned trip I had was going to Singapore. I was in the middle of joy when the bus I boarded was already in the boarder of Singapore. That's when I thought that I was already in the vicinity of the lion city. Though my trip there wasn't that light and abundant of traveling, yet, the experience I had was irreplaceable. I realized how expensive Singapore was the reason I could not stay another day or so. I thank God, really for the opportunities He gave me to travel the southeast part of Asia and partly in the north. It'd be so hard for an ordinary Filipino citizen to make a step just to get where I am today and the travels I made.

I came, I saw, I was

It had been part of my earnest prayer, that the Lord might be so kind enough to answer my humble supplications by allowing me to go abroad..Simply to say, He granted it.
It's great when you get a chance to visit a new country, outside the boundary of your own. Didn't expect that Thailand would be the first country of choice by God, which its not too far from the Philippines.
Thailand wasn't really a sort of something that arouses the interest in me. Of course, I long to travel in USA and Europe basically a reknown historical countries that loves by everyone.
However, I did manage to take time out to absorb some of Thais culture as well as appreciate its beauty, knowing that it puts the most stamps to every white blonde tourists even to those acclaimed stylish travellers. I just thought why Thailand has been the most fave hub for English native speakers (they are the most in demand prey for a teaching job)and Europeans? I just simply discovered that amidst of the heat, the utter chaos, traffic and everything, Thailand has a unique blend of mystery and tame that is still unfolds.
Those temples, buddhas are pretty amazing even the world class photographers are still awed by its secrets and mystery.
For my six months stay in Thailand(now) I have been to different tourist destinations nearby even up to the farthest tourist spot in the country was already within my reached.
Pointing out some unexpected, I didn't consider the possibility as Hongkong and Macau would likely to be the target of my brief trip to the farther side of Thailand, just as I schematic the only neighboring countries around Thailand. (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Singapore)
Laos is another mytical, one of those places that live as much in the imagination of buddhism incontrast to the unchanged communism mentalities of the people there. I didn't get the luck of going around. It wasn't much more on touring because it was partly an applying of visa in requiring to get a job permit.
Noentheless,I enjoyed my exiting to Laos, meeting different people coming from other countries. The most grandeur and full blast tour I had was in Hongkong, and 'am still looking forward of getting another one trip there in the near future.
Of course, a day trip in Macau was a kind of excitable too. An experience that wouldn't be traded by anything. Going to these beautiful places are just a beginning of my journey literally, I'm proud to say that I encountered the world; I came, I was, I saw.

My Trip Around Thailand










My Hongkong Trip




Macau Adventure

A DAY IN MACAU

A pal in the Philippines gave me an idea that its possible to take a trip in Macau without any passing through a rigid strictness of an immigration.
Before it became a surreal literally, another friend from New Zealand who just also paid a visit in Hongkong suggested that the trip in Hongkong would be more completely fantastic if I'd try to take a side-trip to Macau, though it cost something (a lot)..that discouraged me to fancy Macau at all.
However, my sponsor told me that there's a cheaper ferry boat that travels to Macau back and forth...so my fancy ignited back and I made my way to Macau with so much bliss..couldn't express how happy I was to go beyond the boarder of my imagination that HK wouldn't be the only destination of my travel on that 5 days but Macau as well..thanks to my benefactor who gave me 200$.

Inside Venetian Mall-Casino and Hotel.

Venice inspired...

Venetian Plaza...

Outside the Venetian..

In front of Venetian..

one of the buildings that you'll see in Macau city.

City of Dreams-Casino..Macau

Macau...Venetian in the background.

An Italian inspired fountain.

One of Macau's tourists attraction.

Forbidden city inspired building..