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Though I wasn’t able to welcome in the new year in an exotic destination (I practically slept through it at home), I was glad to have the opportunity to go out of town on the first weekend of 2013. The lovely folks of Taal Vista Hotel extended an invitation to stay overnight, and I was only too happy to accept, and get the chance to make it a 3-day weekend, using the coupon I got from Deal Grocer (a payment for their advertorial).<\/p>\n

Though Tagaytay is near enough for a day trip, it’s great to escape from the chaos of the city, even just for a couple of days. There are activities around the hotel to keep you occupied during your stay, but I’m quite content sitting in our room’s balcony, enjoying the view of the lake, the volcano, and the surrounding countryside. It makes one think of the blessings received, and have an optimistic view of the future.<\/p>\n

As I sit here, I I reflect upon how the years of traveling has made me different, both as a traveler and as a person. Unlike when I started in 2006, I now have a better understanding of what kind of travel I prefer to do. I no longer feel that I have to make myself fit in any kind of traveler’s profile, just to feel that I am a “genuine” traveler. I travel. I’m both a traveler and a tourist. And there’s nothing wrong with that.<\/p>\n

Seeing that January marks the start of new beginnings and travel planning, I have to chuckle at how messed up my plans for the year have become. I started the year determined to visit a certain place, when out of the blue, I get asked a question whether I want to visit another place, in the opposite direction. That’s just how life is, I find. You set your course to one destination, but you get sidetracked to another. It’s like when you’re walking and exploring a new city: you walk down the main road, but end up winding through the alleys and back streets, because that’s where the most exciting finds. Still, you end up where you initially set out for. It just takes you a little longer to get there.<\/p>\n