Kayin Myanmar

Strangest Place I Slept

One of the best things about travelling is not knowing where you gonna lay yourself to sleep, especially if you don't plan it. I find it so interesting and adventurous one when you try yourself to be led astray intentionally for once in your life. 

I found myself in Singapore in the middle of New Year's eve celebration mixing with the Indians sleeping outside of the train station without minding the cold floor and smelly drunk Indian men around. That was the strangest place I slept so far without any sleeping bag on or mattress.

To be exact, I didn't have a good sleep then...I woke up so tired and sleepy but it was a good experience, really. However, since it was an unplanned trip I wandered around the city walking without any breakfast, lunch nor shower till my feet brought me in a secluded park surrounded with tall trees taking a catnap with other Singaporean men sleeping on a different separated benches.

Inside of the train station in Singapore.

in the city, without any breakfast nor lunch.




Felt myself so comfortable and safe while sleeping.

Inspiring Travel Movie

What would it be like to travel the world? That's the usual questions of everyone around who desires to travel but never get enough courage to do so.
Not recently, I posted about a travel movie that inspired me to go and backpack more one day. Today another movie again that is even more convincing to me that I need to go out from my comfort zone and see the entire world no matter what. And that is " A Map for Saturday".
It is a documentary movie of a man name Brook Silva-Braga from New York who quit from his good job and travel around for a year. The name comes from a feeling that Brook says you find, living this kind of lifestyle. He describes it as the feeling that it’s always Saturday – not really a vacation but, still, you don’t have to go back to work tomorrow.
The movie was truly amazing and it moved me, really spiritedly convincing that sitting and be bored on your job without travelling is only a matter of money and time wasting.
This movie reminds me of a certain blogger sisters in the Philippines who decided to quit from their jobs and sold some of their things just to travel around the world for a year. Honestly at first, I was thinking that it's a crazy concept of quitting your job just to travel, better yet when I started my backpacking abroad realizations proved me wrong that backpacking/travelling is a good idea.
When I saw the video it stucked in my mind that I could possibly do it and get the chance when I could to travel.

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.”

FLIPNOMAD BUDGET TRAVEL

Among of the travel blogsites that I read is http://flipnomad.com/about/ of Flipnomad. I learned so many things of his travel specially on budget trip 'coz I am a poor traveller or let say a budget traveller.
He posted his infos that we could use especially to those who travel, backpacks for the first time.
So here's what he wrote about his backpacking and the answers to your possible questions:


"Flipnomad.com is a compilation of my travel experiences around the Philippines and as well as other countries. I’m an ordinary and a typical guy who started traveling when I was a kid, together with my grandma and other relatives around Luzon, Philippines. I then ventured outside of my usual destinations when I reached the age of 25.
When I was younger, I thought it would be impossible for me to travel to far flung places. But as time passed by, I realized that I shouldn’t stop believing in what I could do but instead stay positive and optimistic that I could achieve whatever I put my mind into.

My way of traveling kept on changing, from going to the usual resorts when I was still in school, to going to nearby provinces when I started working. Then I started backpacking which changed my life forever. It opened my eyes to a lot of other cultures. It gave me a chance to meet interesting people that have interesting views in life. It even led me to the wonderful world of blogging.
We’re all travelers regardless of where we go. Traveling starts when we close our eyes and open our minds to all the possibilities in this journey called life. Let go and trust your instincts and don’t forget to have fun.
Smile and everything will just be fine and you’ll be surprise to where your feet will lead you to.

FAQs
When did you start travelling outside the Philippines?
I started travelling when I was 25 years old. I went to Singapore with my friends and then to Thailand.

Do you often travel alone?
Nope. I’ve only tried it last March – September 2009 when I backpacked for six months and I liked it. It gave me more freedom and flexibility in travelling.


Do you also travel locally?
Of course, I do enjoy going to different places. Actually, the destination is now just an excuse to keep on moving. I do enjoy travelling (going from point A to point B) regardless of where it is.

Why do you like travelling?
I just don’t like it, I love it. Travelling is the only thing in this world that makes me feel alive. It’s also fun!!!

Do I need a lot of money to travel?
There really is no absolute answer for the amount that you’ll be spending on a trip. It really depends on the choices that you’ll make. You could fly out on a promo economy ticket with a low cost carrier or you could fly Business class. You could even stay for free by camping out or staying on local people’s houses or you could pay $1000 room in a very exclusive hotel. The amount that you’ll spend depends on the choices that you’ll make.

Will I die out there?
First, everyone dies anyway right? And there’s a lot more scary things in this world than travelling. But of course there are some risks involve especially if you go to a place that you’re not familiar with or a place where people don’t speak your language. You might get lost every now and then but that’s what makes it fun and memorable. Take necessary precautions and exercise common sense when you travel.

Is it sad to travel alone?
Exactly what I was thinking when I first traveled alone. But based on my experience, I could say that you will never be alone when you travel by yourself. There are thousands of individuals travelling on their own and most frequently than not, these individuals meet each other along the way and sometimes travel together. There are also plenty of locals to hang out with. I’ve travelled with people that I just met on the road, I even shared a room with some of them to save money and a few of them became my friends that I still keep in touch with.

What would be your advice to first time travellers?
If you really want to travel, go out there and have fun (really). Life’s too short to risk it not doing the things that we love. If we couldn’t do it continuously, at least do it once. Let go and lose yourself for a moment. You’ll be surprise on what travelling can do with how you see things and even the way you live your life. Travel with an open mind and an open heart (but at the same time take necessary precautions and exercise common sense, but don’t overdo it). Enjoy! – Flip"

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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.