I have swam with the whale sharks in the Philippines, rode on a hot air balloon in Melbourne, traveled over four hours just to see a sleeping cat in Japan, struggled to walk up the towering sand dunes of the Sahara desert, nearly puked while crossing the choppy waters between Mykonos and Delos, actually puked while riding on the falowa from Sabtang to Batan.

I’ve had the great fortune to have brands and companies believe in my blog’s capability to inspire people to travel, and to been given the opportunity to explore Malaysia, Macau, Guam, and Japan, fly on the inaugural non-stop Manila-Toronto flight, stay at some of the most luxurious hotels in the world.

Timbayan island in the Balabac island group in Palawan

I’m even more grateful for you, who have stuck with me through the years, still reading the blog, even when I don’t post as often (though I do post real-time on Instagram). Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!

After 11 years, I find that I still have that thirst to see the world, but I find myself more prudent and less impulsive when making travel plans. Part of growing up, I guess, is having the desire to set up roots, and that’s what I’m working on now. I am working on moving out of the city, set up shop in the province, and live by the sea. For real, this time.

In line with this, I am conducting a survey regarding domestic travel in the Philippines, and I hope you can share your thoughts!

Frankly, I am aghast at my laziness with my blogging, with most of the blog posts I wrote this year were for sponsored products, hotel stays, and advertorials. It seems I am only arsed to blog when I’m obligated to. There was no pressure to write about my personal trips, so I kept putting it off until I find myself not wanting to write about them anymore.

Like that time in April when we went to spend a day in Balay Indang. Ever since we went there for a wedding last year, it has become our go-to place when we want to get away from the city and get off the grid.

Or that time I dragged Cla, Upper, and Chyng to overnight at Cintai Corito’s Garden. While everybody was rushing to go to the office, we were driving south to Sto. Thomas, Batangas, where we were welcomed by an almost deserted resort. We had the entire place to ourselves until the other guests arrived at 4 in the afternoon. Cellular signal was hard to come by there, so we alternated between swimming, napping, and eating their amazing food.

I also went on a week-long trip around Panay Island in late May. I started and ended the trip in Roxas, made my way to Boracay to meet with friends. As beautiful as Boracay is, we set off for Carabao Island in Romblon, and then to Tibiao, Antique, when we got tired of lazing about in the beach.

Shortly after that, I went to Australia, where I stayed for two and a half months. You’d think I’d be able to blog a lot then, but noooo. The thing is, it wasn’t one of those trips. It’s a trip to visit family, and I fell into the same habits as if I am at home. I lived like a local – making the weekly trip to the market for meat and fresh produce, walking my niece and nephew to and from their school, doing the laundry in between. Yeah, I don’t think you’d want to read about that.

I may have some regrets not blogging those trips this year, but I do not regret enjoying myself, not thinking about how I’m going to write it, and trying to remember all the necessary details. In the end, what matters most to me is the experience, not the blog. The goal is to travel, after all. And that’s what I did.

My last sunset in Australia

Two and a half months whizzed by so fast, and though I didn’t do anything exciting during this trip, I feel that I am ready to go home and start a new chapter of my life.

This trip is not really about exploring a new place; all of the cities I visited outside of Melbourne (Hobart, Sydney, Geelong), were places I have been to before. It’s about trying out what’s all the hoopla about this location independent thing and to see if it’s for me.

I am very fortunate to have a job that I can take with me wherever I go. Unlike during my previous trips to Australia, this time I asked my client if I can work part time, instead of going on an un-paid leave for three months. To my delight, he agreed, with certain conditions: I get a pay cut, and that I log on at least for a couple of hours so we can discuss what’s needed to be done.

Before I left Manila, I also got contracted to do a couple of projects, which I do on the side. This helped me to recover the income I lost when I went part time. I continued working on them while I was here. With all these going on, you can see why I am not entirely in the mood to write anymore in my spare time.

Still, I am glad to have this trial run, in a place where there is very low risk for me. I do not need to pay rent here, and most of my meals are subsidized. The question in my mind now is, how will I fare when I’m completely on my own?

I guess I’ll just have to find out soon.

Traveling is so much better with the right people

It’s very different now. Travel blogging has led the way for me to meet like-minded people, who are game to go when I think of a trip to make. That also meant I get to tag along with their trips. That’s how this trip came to be.

Upper has a cousin who’s coming to the Philippines, and is keen to explore the country. I knew I should be curbing my spending, but thanks to the anxiety that waiting for my Australian tourist visa application brought, I threw caution to the wind and booked a flight to Roxas.

Their itinerary was for El Nido and Boracay, and though I really want to go back to El Nido, I know I can only take a week off from work. I settle for the Boracay leg, opting to fly via Roxas to get the chance to see more of the city, and buy seafood before flying back.

We met up in Boracay last Saturday, joined by Carmz, Upper’s friend, and Ida, my mermaid friend who’s teaching swimming in the island. I love how we all easily get along with each other, including Upper’s cousin Sean. It was an easy camaraderie, and after just a couple of hours, we are all comfortable with each other.

We have different personalities, but we jived. I’ve known Ida from Lakbay Norte in 2010, Upper from a Dispatch interview in 2011. Of all of us, I’m the most unadventurous, while Sean is game for everything, including eating isaw without batting an eyelash. Upper is very particular with the kind of experience and ambiance she want, Carmz is very knowledgeable and conscious about the local communities, and Ida is great at adapting wherever she finds herself living in the next couple of months.

The whole travel experience is enhanced with the people you spend it with. Whether it’s with close friends, family, or strangers you meet on the way. They can make it into the best adventure you’ve ever had, or ruin a most anticipated vacation. If there’s one thing The Amazing Race has taught us, it’s that traveling enables you to discover each other’s hidden quirks, see how they react to stressful situations, and learn the importance of having the right partner.

It’s even better with people who travel the same way you do

So many articles and blog posts have been written about how Boracay have deteriorated throughout the years. Yet, here I am again, back for the 10th time since my first visit in 2005. I’m not going to deny it, Boracay is always changing. There’s alway a new commercial space every time I visit, while the parties continue on. It’s loud and there’s plenty of people, but there are still places where you can get a quiet moment, away from the crowds if you’re willing to venture out to search for it.

I have stayed in a private home in Bgy. Bulabog, a hotel in Diniwid beach, small guest houses in an alley off the main path in Station 2, a resort that insists they’re still in Station 2 but feels as if it’s already in Station 3 because it’s so far from everything, a posh hotel right smack in the center of white beach, and a resort in Station 1. I’ve eaten really at restaurants whose prices makes me wince but have really great food so I don’t mind as much, and I’ve eaten street food while walking up and down the beach. I really love how there’s a variety, always something for everybody.

I think my first trip set the tone for my Boracay trips. It was our first barkada trip, two weeks of hanging out at the beach, playing video games, partying or drinking at night. This trip is reminiscent of that, but with less partying and more Apple devices. There’s no pressure to do all sorts of activities every hour, and we hardly ever rush. This is a holiday, and the only thing we’re worried about is how to best enjoy it.

For me, Boracay is not just about the gorgeous beach (and it really is gorgeous, not a lot can compare), but the memories you create with the people you spend your time with here. Whether it’s with the balikbayan brother and his family, your high school friends, the friends you meet in the island, the bartender who gave you the recipe for the best tasting cocktail you’ve ever tasted, or the creepy guy who turn up every where.

One of my favorite places, Balay Indang

Through blogging, I have met plenty of people, who are as passionate about traveling as I am. Just yesterday, I was asked about traveling solo, and I was surprised to realize that I can hardly remember when I last did a solo trip. Certainly, I have changed. Years of traveling on my own and with company taught me several things: that if I can avoid it, I will not stay in a dorm room, no matter how cheap it is; I will gladly pay extra for comfort and a clean toilet, and; I really enjoy being in on my own. The last is at odds with the statement that I haven’t traveled solo for a long time, but times are really different now.

Place I would like to explore more: Roxas City, Capiz

In 2006, when I started traveling, I had no choice but to travel alone because it was so hard to invite people to travel. It’s either they’re not really interested, or they’re interested but their budget would not allow them to travel. Nowadays, since I’m surrounded by equally travel-loving people, it’s as easy as casually asking friends if they want to go to Bangkok to eat Thai street foods and buying a ticket afterwards. True story.

I love being alone, but I also love being with my friends. I may be anti-social, but surround me with people I like and people who genuinely like me back, and I’m happy.

We went to Bangkok to eat.

Blogging has evolved through the years and it has opened plenty of travel opportunities for everyone. I have been extremely lucky to have worked with brands and companies like Muji, Taal Vista Hotel, Shangri-La Hotels, Misibis Bay, and Philippine Airlines. Thank you so much for trusting your name with me. It’s always an honor getting invited and having a chance to work with any brand, and I am grateful for every opportunity. Special thanks also go out to Nuffnang, who tirelessly help with getting me connected with some of these brands, and in some way, helping me get closer to reaching my goals.

In Ward Island in Toronto, Canada

I have received recognition for the work I have done with Just Wandering, and I’m hoping I’ve managed to keep the quality of the blog, despite the rise of sponsored posts and lesser posts about my personal travels. The thing is, when you start to travel for the blog, it becomes like work, and it’s not fun anymore. Sure, I’m doing what I love, but having to think about what to blog about while I’m supposed to be relaxing and enjoying myself is not what traveling is supposed to be (for me anyway). So I hope you understand why I hardly post about my personal trips now. I’ll write snippets about it, upload photos, and post trip expenses, but there’s a high chance I will not write as extensively about it as I did before. Every other travel blogger post detailed guides and itineraries anyway, so go visit their blog for that.

My “work” for Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort

Last year, I co-produced a travel reality show with other Pinoy travel bloggers. PHL360° takes you around the Philippines, giving you a fresh look at favorite destination and exploring places that may have missed your notice. It has been a huge undertaking to produce a show, specially if you don’t have any experience in video production, but thanks to the effort of everybody in the team, we managed to pull it off and finished all 16 episodes. However, as much as I love travel and promoting Philippine tourism, video production isn’t for me. As they say, you can’t say you don’t like something until you’ve tried it. I’ve tried it, gave it my all (literally), and in the end, I have to beg off the show to focus on other projects. Ron and the team are continuing with it, and I hope you continue to support PHL360°.

I thought leaving PHL360° meant no more time in front of the camera, but that changed when I got a call from Malacañang. The Presidential Broadcast Staff Radio Television Malacañang produce this weekly show on PTV 4, called Gov@Work. Basically, they interview the Secretaries about their respective jobs. It’s a new show that only stared airing in April 8, 2013. The second episode was to feature Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, and in one of the segment, they needed two bloggers who will ask the secretary questions about his responsibilities in the DOT. Bogart the Explorer got one slot, I got the other. How can I turn down this opportunity?

April is nearing it end, and before we know it, the year would be halfway over. I feel as if my 2013 has been really slow, with no major trips happening. I’m crossing my fingers for a couple of exciting ones later this year, including a couple of tours that you can join. One’s going to be to Penang, Malaysia, the other to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Yes, and independent traveler offering a packaged tour. I know packaged tours aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, but if it’s yours, drop me a line and I’ll give you all the details. It’s going to be this October and November. Details of each trip will be posted soon.

Taste the yumminess that is the Penang assam laksa

Though I have been slowing down on my blogging and traveling the past years, my goal still remains the same: to travel. To see the world. To experience the places that I have always dreamed of visiting. I’m not sure how long it will take me, but I’m slowly working towards it. So I guess that means there are more travel blogging years to come!

P.S. I’m cleaning out my room and selling books (travel books, guidebooks, fiction, coffee table books, manga) and toys (collectibles). Check out my inventory here.

Sayuri with Treeson, Ren, Ringo, Kyoko, and Loki

Seven years later, my interest in dolls and toys have waned, but my thirst for travel still remain. I do not regret getting into to toy collecting, because it was through that hobby that I found friends who love travel as much as I do.

This trip to Bangkok was prompted by a casual conversation about Thai food. While Cla and I were fondly reminiscing about the great street food we’ve had, Khursten was frustrated because on her first and only trip to the country, she had two bouts of food poisoning. We encouraged her to try it again, with us guiding her to our favorite Bangkok haunts.

Plane fares were quickly searched, checking all possible airlines that can give us the best price. We chanced upon a good deal on Christmas day, and that night, we all gave ourselves an extra gift for the season.

I became a solo traveler because it can be a huge pain waiting for people to join you for a trip. Though I like the freedom solo travel brings, I also enjoy getting to spend time with friends and sharing the experience. I’m so happy that I found people who share the same passion, and would agree to go places for the silliest reasons.

And with the silliest people. Ohai, Prez David.

Kalibo Ati-atihan

First off, my friends and I got to see someone we’ve been fascinated with (me more than the others): The Wonder Woman of Aklan Ati-Atihan Festival. Not only once, we saw her twice! That was also the first time I really enjoyed a festival.

Marimegmeg Beach in El Nido

I’ve also been lucky enough to travel to Palawan twice this year, once to El Nido (via Puerto Princessa), and to Coron. We swam, we snorkeled, we ate well. Except for that tamilok, which was not bad as it sounds, but it’s not something I’d be craving for.

We rode this!

I also got to ride a helicopter! It was just a short 30-minute ride, but it was long enough to be awesome! Though it wasn’t one of them fancy sightseeing helicopters, it was awesome because it’s one of the US Navy’s choppers.

The view from my beach chair

Another fabulous invitation I received was an invite to ANY Shangri-La property of my choice. Given the time constraint and my depleted resources, I chose the Rasa Sentosa Resort in Singapore. This was my first time to stay in a hotel in Singapore, since I started visiting in 2000. The trip also gave me a chance to hang out with friends who are now working in the tiny island.

Wilson’s Place in Indang, Cavite

I’ve been asked how I get invited, and all I can say is that I just get them. I don’t seek them out, they just arrive unexpectedly. Like yesterday, we were lunching at Balay Indang, and saw Anton, who was there with his family. He introduced me to Marge Tan, the manager, who extended an invitation to check out their new property, Wilson’s Place, also in Indang, Cavite. Most of the time, it was just a matter of being at the right place, at the right time.

Four down, three more to go

Another invitation got me to my fourth continent: North America. Philippine Airlines took me on their maiden flight to Toronto, which was also my longest plane ride. This was completely unexpected, and I was only too happy to get another chance to use my cold climate clothes.

Shirakawa-Go, I’ll come and visit you again.

Which brings me to one of the highlights of my 2012: Japan. It has been on top of my dream destinations for so long, and I honestly never expected it to step foot in Japan so soon. It was an amazing 13-days, and I’m already making plans to return within the next five years.

This year was also the year of the video. The Amazing Race Australia episode featuring the Philippines, finally aired, months after we watched them shooting it in Legaspi and Misibis Bay last November 2011. Matt Harding’s fourth Where the Hell is Matt video, also came out last March, and we were in it! I also got interviewed on national television sometime last May, but I’m not linking to that.

The PHL360° Finale screening at 10A Alabama with the cast, crew, and fans!

Of course, a post about 2012 isn’t complete without our pet project, PHL360°. This took up most of my year, from the time I joined the production in February to its finale in November. It was one heck of a ride, and a completely new experience.

Dinner at Van Gogh is Bipolar is always an experience

Though I thoroughly enjoyed all the unplanned excitement 2012 brought (which included being a server for a night at Van Gogh is Bipolar), I’m now more inclined to make a plan for the coming year. I’ve already started filling out my calendar, and if things go as planned, it’s bound to be good. Then again, as this year proved, unexpected things make a year even more exciting.

Now, to make YOUR 2013 exciting, it’s time to announce the winner of the Deal Grocer giveaway! The one going to Crosswinds Resorts and Suites in Tagaytay is Joanna Jane Liwag. Congratulations and I hope you have a lovely time!

Traveling never gets old. At least for me. My decision to stay put in Manila instead of following the location independent nomads helped me keep the excitement for travel. That’s not to say I’m not itching to pack up and leave. I do want to experience living away from home, either in a province somewhere in the Philippines or overseas. I was all set with THE PLAN, when PHL360° happened.

PHL360° is this little project that has now blossomed into a huge project that I still have problems wrapping my head around. I was initially asked to be a part of the cast, but my aversion to video cameras got me a spot in the production team. Working behind the scenes is no less exciting than prancing before the lens. This is an experience that is completely new to me, and most of the time I have no idea what I’m doing. I love it.

It was just like when I was starting to travel and travel blogging. I’m learning as I go, meeting new people that inspire and challenge me. It’s exciting, this new venture. After six years, it’s getting hard to get excited about things.

Change is inevitable. Interests wane, directions change. Not to say that I’m leaving Just Wandering. I’ll still be here, pushing to meet my once a week posting quota. Since I won’t be traveling much in the next couple of months, I would hopefully have time to finally blog everything I haven’t. But I do hope you’d join me, the cast and the crew of PHL360°. It’s going to be one hell of a show.

In 2011, the Philippine Blog Awards has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build the Bahay Blogger or the Blogger House for the residents of Navotas, who have lost their homes when typhoon Pedring battered Metro Manila. In the spirit of Bayanihan, we’re calling on everybody to donate to the Bahay Blogger fund or if you’re strapped for cash, help us spread the word.

If you have a blog, you can post a badge similar to what I have on my sidebar simply by posting this code on your site:

<a href="http://www.habitatyouthbuild.org/member/clairealgarme/bahayblogger"><img title="Blogger for Habitat for Humanity Youth Build 2012" src="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/406881_345536932132514_149792695040273_1387267_2035662265_n.jpg" alt="Build a Bahay Blogger at Youth Build 2012" /></a>

No blog but on Twitter, Facebook, Plurk, Google+, and other social networking sites? Share the link to the Bahay Blogger fundraising page (http://www.habitatyouthbuild.org/member/clairealgarme/bahayblogger). The future residents of this house will surely appreciate your effort!

[UPDATE] People can deposit to Habitat for Humanity Philippines Foundation, Inc. BPI Current Account No. 2421-0014-67. Please fax the deposit slip with your name and contact details (and to indicate that it is for the Bahay Blogger) to 856-5389 or e-mail a scanned copy to claire.algarme@habitat.org.ph.

For GCash, you can text DONATE AMOUNT MPIN Habitat and send to 2882 via G-Cash.

Love this relaxing weekend with the dollie friend at Casa San Pablo

First, there were the trips I never blogged about. This year, I never really traveled alone, except for a couple of days in KL earlier this month. My first trip for 2011 was to Hong Kong with Cla, where she said the statement that started it all: “I want to go to Morocco.” We went to a couple more trips with other friends, to Casa San Pablo and Casa Ibiza, and that’s when I started to try to just enjoy the place and the company and not mentally blog it.

There are a lot of things I did not blog about this year. I never told anybody this, except for a couple of friends, but I gave four other talks aside from the one I did for the Sole Sister’s From Glampacking to Poorpacking series. One was for tourism students at UP Asian Institute of Tourism, two for two different session for students of De La Salle University (Blogger’s Congress was one of them) and also for Belle de Jour’s Summer Rendezvous. Public speaking is one thing I never thought I would willingly do, and I surprised myself by accepting the challenge and actually giving a talk. I can safely conclude I am not good at it.

Go Team Philippines! With Erwan, Jenni, Camie, Badet, Laureen, Camille, Helga, Kring, Tipsy and Ponggo

Still, it prepped me up for another big thing that required me to talk in front of an audience of 500: my acceptance speech at this year’s Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards. Completely unexpected, but I feel so honored to be given this recognition, specially since I was up against one of my blogging idols, Kenny Sia. It was a big night for the Philippines as well, since we brought home four of the heavy glass trophy.

Others who brought home the bacon, as my friends have been fondly calling it were:

Best Photography Blog – Photoblog.hk
Best Geek Blog – Geekout.ph
Best Food Blog – LadyIronChef.com
Best Fashion Blog – Cheeserland.com
Most Original Blog Design – EatShowandTell.com
Best Parenting Blog – Childhood101.com
Best Travel Blog – JustWandering.org
Best Entertainment Blog – Beautifulnara.com
Best Lifestyle Blog – Jenniepperson.com
Hidden Gem – Googlygooeys.com
Best Micro Blog – KennySia.com
Most Influential blog – XiaXue.sg
Region’s Best blog – XiaXue.sg

Thai cultural dancers will be performing at the Feria restaurant at lunch and dinner time throughout the Thai Food Festival

We arrived here last Thursday onboard a Philippine Airlines flight. Our flight, originally scheduled to depart at 9:00am only opened for boarding at 10:20am. The plane pushed back from the gate around 11:50am == our flight was almost 3 hours delayed. I’m writing this from the Mactan airport while waiting for our flight back to Manila. The original flight was for 3:40pm, which was cancelled, so we were put into the 5:40pm flight. After our 2-hour check-in in Manila, we made sure to check with the airline regarding the flight schedule before heading to the airport. It was lucky we did, because it was delayed and the new ETD was 6:40pm. It’s now 7:11pm, and we just received word that the plane from Manila is arriving at 7:50pm, pushing our departure time to 8:30pm. Le sigh. Typhoons and strikes make for a very inconvenient trip.

Flight troubles aside, our time on land was nothing short of spectacular. The room we were given were lovely: Business class rooms with a receiving area, soft yet firm beds with huge fluffy pillows, and desk with plenty of outlets for charging all our gadgets. Wi-fi internet is also complimentary, so you can just imagine how happy this made us.

One of the activity they scheduled for us is an island hopping tour with Islands Banca. Despite numerous visits to Cebu, this is the first time to do this. Their Butanding boat was an experience unto itself: it’s a modified outrigger boat fitted with comfortable couches, bean bags and iPod docks. The weather cooperated and we cruised with hardly any waves to rock the boat.

Despite the delays, it was a very pleasant trip. I found myself enjoying it more than I initially thought. Thanks for this weekend, Radisson!

Blogging at El Nido

To be perfectly honest, I enjoyed Thursday’s show more. Sure, the perk were amazing when I watched the first time, but I was working throughout the entire show. I was busy taking pictures (and figuring out how to use Winston’s camera) that I wasn’t completely able to focus on the show. Last Thursday, sitting on Row P, seat 19, I was able to see the entire stage and watch the show in its entirety, not thinking how to shoot the photo or how I’m going to blog it.

I’ve had a pretty colorful life as a travel blogger. Thanks to my blog, I’ve traveled to a number of destinations in the Philippines and even to other countries. I’ve gotten clothes, bags, assorted travel gears and passes to amazing shows. Sometimes, I even get paid for it.

Sounds like a great career choice eh? Like every story, the life of a travel blogger has two sides. Sure the perks are amazing, but these things do come at a price.

If you’re a travel blogger or thinking of starting one, join us on Saturday, July 30 at the Meralco Caseroom of the Asian Institute of Management for Blog and Soul‘s Travel Bloggers Forum. Hear the opinions of travel bloggers Ivan Henares, Ferdz Decena, James Betia and Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap and ask your questions about this blogging niche. This session is free and open to all interested participants. Can’t attend? You can send in your questions to the panel or watch the livestream (subject to wi-fi connection). See you on the 30th!

Most beautiful post
What is the characteristic of a beautiful post? Is it in the way it was written or how it affects the readers? Does it wax poetic about a particular destination? Oddly enough, what I find beautiful is something that is very personal: Confessions of a solo female traveler. It’s a post I wrote in celebration of International Women’s Day in hopes of encouraging girls to go explore the world.

Most popular post
Published in 2009, my post about How to renew your Philippine passport in just 30 minutes certainly got a lot of attention. Though the process I’ve outlined is obsolete, it still manages to draw in the people looking for passport renewal information, which got me updating the post every so often (read: whenever I feel like it).

Most controversial post
I’m not one for writing strongly worded prose — you can only find them in my private journals — much less write something to stir a controversy. Somehow though, I seemed to have offended someone’s sensibilities when I wrote about Airline food. Seriously. After that comment, I started having these huge cravings for croissant. Nothing beats the LOLs that came from the person who told me to go to DAM HELLL though.

Most helpful post
When I started my travel blog, I wanted it to become a resource for other travelers who are planning for their own trips. That’s why I always feel so happy when people, both online and offline, come up to me and tell me that they found my blog so helpful when they were researching and even when they’re at their destination. My puny attempt at being a travel guide book writer paid off with the Boracay Cheap Accommodation Guide post, which is still quite a huge hit among travelers. Its success inspired me to reprise the role and came up with the Guide to Cheap El Nido Resorts.

A post whose success surprised me
Though I know that visa posts will get a lot of attention, I’m surprised that my How to apply for an Australian visa and Applying for an Australian tourist visa: A guide for Filipinos are still racking up the hits even if they were posted way back in 2007 and 2008 respectively. While the information are largely obsolete (the Australian immigration update their forms every 3 months and the submission process has changed already), people still comment to ask questions that I’m finding hard to answer. What surprised me though was other readers sharing their own visa success stories and offering their own advice and answering questions for other reader.

A post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved
I’ve published over 600 blog posts over the years and I must admit that I didn’t go beyond 2010 to look for posts that fit this criteria. However, I would like to take this chance to push this post to the spotlight: How to apply for a Myanmar tourist visa. It’s not going to win any writing awards, but I just want to put Myanmar into people’s subconscious because it’s such a lovely country to visit. Maybe I would be more effective if I finally write about my travels in Myanmar. Someday, someday.

The post that I am most proud of
Last April, I hosted the Philippine Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival on Solo Travel. My intention for proposing the theme is let others share their stories about going solo because frankly, after 5 years, I figured my readers would appreciate hearing other voices talking about traveling solo instead of me rehashing the same old story. It was a challenge compiling and reading all 31 entries that joined the carnival and I have to say I’m quite proud at how I managed to string them all together.

There you go, my top 7 posts (and a couple of extras). I hope you find them useful somehow.

No, not tagging anybody. Want to do this meme? Go right ahead and post. Just say I tagged you

Then came the e-book…

Today, 40 Lonely Planet travel bloggers come together as a group to release their first free photo ebook. “Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers” takes readers on a world tour featuring almost 70 countries, and introduces the world of professional travel blogging. Within it, each blogger, hand picked by Lonely Planet, shares a collection of stunning photos that capture the essence of their travel.

In addition to an eye-popping collection of photographs, the book is a rich resource for anyone with a passion for travel who wants to learn from the experts. “The 40 BlogSherpas showcased in the ebook specialize in travel modes ranging from solo to couples to family travel, road trips, budget travel, expat living, voluntourism and even perpetually traveling digital nomads,” explains Karen Catchpole, one of the featured bloggers. An accomplished group, the BlogSherpas have reached beyond their own blogs, having been published in the likes of National Geographic Traveler, Huffington Post, Travel + Leisure, AFAR and more.

— Lonely Planet Travel Bloggers Launch Free Ebook press release

One of my not-so-secret goals last year was to release an e-book, which I partly done in the form of my Calaguas Travel Guide. Never expected something of this magnitude though!

I’ve seen the e-book and all I can say is that it made me want to pack my bags and just go! Around the world with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers is a FREE download. Get your copy now!

Where to next?

Just Wandering was created with the intent to be monetized — traveling doesn’t come cheap (it *can* be done in the cheap, but with the way I travel, I need lots of moolah). I needed all the help I can get. I’m not earning millions off the blog, even after 5 years, but it did a lot more than give me money. Just Wandering paved the way for several opportunities for me to travel: Mt. Daguldol with Columbia Sportswear; Boracay, Batanes, Coron and El Nido with Seair; Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Benguet, La Union, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Zambales, Pampanga and Bulacan with Lakbay Norte of the North Philippines Visitors Bureau and the Manila North Tollways Corporation; Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Cameron Highlands with Tourism Malaysia; Macau with the Macau Government Tourism Office, and; Hong Kong and HK Disneyland with Nuffnang.

The five years that passed was more than just the traveling. It was about new experiences and new friends. I’ve meet a lot of characters in my travels and even just in Manila. They made life a lot more exciting, frustrating and all the more enjoyable.

The past five years was also about growth and discovery. I’ve changed. Traveling is still something that I want to do, but I’ve also come to realize that there are other things I want to do. There are other goals that I want to achieve aside from traveling to Europe or Africa. It’s been a great journey. I’m looking forward to what the next five years will bring.