Paris in Four Days: A Journey Through the City of Light

There are cities you visit, and there are cities that absorb you. Paris is the latter. It is a place that exists in the collective imagination as much as it does in reality—romanticized, immortalized, stamped into postcards and film reels. Yet, no amount of expectation fully prepares you for its first embrace, the way it shifts from fable to something tactile, something lived. I arrived, weary from the long haul of travel, carrying the weight of distance, time zones crossed, and disrupted sleep. And yet, as the taxi moved through the city's arteries, the fatigue gave way to something else: a recognition, as if I had been here before, in a dream or another life.

Journey to Halong Bay, Vietnam

It was one crisp morning when we left the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Aboard the bus, everyone has a hard time to hide their excitement. For the next four hours, we journeyed our way to the northeast part of Vietnam and explored the wonders of the emerald waters of Halong Bay.

Legend says that not too long ago, Vietnam was under war, and they had to ward off the invaders. To help the fighters, the gods sent the dragons. The dragons, possessing some magical powers, began spitting out jewels and jade. These precious stones then became islands and islets, linking with one another to form a wall of defense against the invaders. Several rocky mountains suddenly sprung underneath the emerald sea, causing the invader's ships to sink. The dragons decided to dwell on our world after winning the battle. The mother dragon was later named as Ha Long.

Nusa Penida: A Journey To Bali's Newly Discovered Gem

I woke up from my phone's blaring alarm. With only four hours of sleep, I forced myself to wake up and take a cold shower. Traffic was already building up as we left Seminyak to Sanur Beach. Upon arrival, we were still early for the first boat trip to Nusa Penida. The sun was up, casting an orange-yellow hue from the horizon. Despite being a frequent visitor to Bali, I still feel this sense of adventure overtaking me as we wait for the speedboat to Nusa Penida.

What Tokyo So Long?

Growing up, Japan was always on my side. There were anime shows dubbed in Filipino to keep me entertained after school. Before the K-Pop bands invaded the airwaves, there was J-Pop. I could still belt out the lyrics of Sweet Soul Revue and Feel Like Dance flawlessly. To tell you the truth, Japan was never part of my 'countries to visit this 2016' list. I was planning to go there two to three years from now but I scored a cheap fare earlier this year.

For four days, we explored Tokyo and the neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture. Japan did not fail to mesmerize me. Everything is organized and every corner of the city is very clean. Now I know why Japan is one of the most sought destinations in the world.

The Old Town named Jiufen

Sleepy mountain.

Yehliu Geopark was quite a disappointment for us. There were too many tourists, most of them from mainland whose middle names are either 'I-Don't-Follow-Rules' or 'Who-Cares'. After our hearty lunch at Family Mart, we made our way near a convenience store. According to some reliable travel blogs, buses occasionally stop here and pick up passengers bound for Jiufen.

The weather was still cold and overcast, but it didn't dampen our spirits.

Of Connecting Flights and Close Calls

I think everyone of you had seen or watched a few episodes of The Amazing Race. And since it's a race for a million dollars, every second of the race counts. You might have noticed that some contestants take risks, like taking a connecting flight with layovers less than an hour so as to avoid elimination.

You won't believe that I've experienced this situation not once, but twice!

7 Life Lessons I Learned in 2014

Leaving the footprints behind, and creating new ones as we move forward.

Now, where do I begin?

For years, I have been asking myself what do I really want in this world, and which one's really better: the road traveled by many or the road less traveled. The year 2014 is not just about a story about how I made bold decisions and taking the less familiar route, but it is about how I fell and stumbled along the way, lost a number of significant things, and picked myself up.

Truth is, 2014 had made me more resilient and more prepared as I continued my journey on this road less traveled.

Tacloban City: A Year After

The journey wasn't as smooth as this. San Juanico Bridge. Nov 6, 2014.

The weather en route was sunny and all I could see from the window were just a few patches of white cottony clouds, the green landscape of Luzon , and an endless stretch of blue called sky. I was thankful that the ground crew gave me a window seat. I had an opportunity to have a first glimpse of a place that was once battered by torrential rains on an apocalyptic level, strong winds that toppled even the sturdiest structures, and a two-storey high wall of black water that took several properties and lives regardless of social status, gender, and age. As we started our initial descent, the weather started to change. Looking out, I was only seeing a gray void. It made me think what was really in store for me in the next few months. Eventually the clouds fled and from above, everything became clearer. Tree trunks were scattered like matchsticks as if they were haphazardly scattered by a toddler. Clusters of white tents were placed randomly on a flattened area that used to be a village. 

It was drizzling and the sky was overcast the moment I stepped outside the plane. I will never forget how Tacloban City welcomed me on that gloomy and melancholic second day of March. The airport terminal, albeit still standing from its foundations, was literally torn apart. There were wires strewed randomly at the ceiling. Some hung loosely, while others were taken out for safety reasons.

On the 8th of November 2013, Tacloban City became a city of ruins. Thirteen months later, nothing had really changed, except for some establishments that have reopened for business. But it had somehow changed me on how I view things around me; a paradigm shift.

Seven Things You Should Know about Saigon

Busy motorways.

Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City is not just about sunlights, moons, joined forces from the gods of fortune, midnights, and high noons. It is the center of trade, commerce, and industry, making it as an important hub of Vietnam with a current population of 7.5 million people. Like Metro Manila, Saigon is a bustling metropolis sans the ubiquitous Philippine jeepneys, westernized commercial districts, and a mass transportation system (currently on the works as of this writing).

Here are the 7 things that you should know about Saigon and I hope that this post will serve as a guide for those who are planning to visit Saigon.

The Hidden Gems of Mui Ne

Red sand dunes of Mui Ne.

Mui Ne is a coastal town in the Binh Thuan province. It is a popular resort destination in Southeast Vietnam, most especially to Russian tourists. No wonder why some shops and restaurants are named in Cyrillic characters.

At half past two in the afternoon, we had safely arrived at Mui Ne. Since we didn't have enough energy, we decided to tour Mui Ne the following day. We stopped by at a local restaurant and apparently, the bus company that we rode also managed it. We decided to pay for our fare back to Saigon and for the Mui Ne day tour the following day. We only paid $70 each. Not bad.

After paying for the day tour and for our fare back to Saigon, Vu, the operator and manager of the bus and restaurant, told us that the day tour will start at exactly 4:30 AM. We thought it was too early but we didn't protest. The following day, we woke up at around four in the morning, and by 4:30AM, Vu was already outside the hotel waiting for us. We boarded his owner-type jeep, earphones in, volumes up, and off we went to the first destination of our tour.

Now playing: Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap

Seven Facts About Me When Traveling

I travel because I want to see and feel the world. It makes me feel alive in every possible way! In this day and age, people have easy access to social media, thus making our world smaller and more accessible. Also, more and more people can now afford flying to different places, all thanks to the cheap fares provided by low-cost carriers. I started traveling around the beautiful island of Mindanao during my college days and it had really opened my mind to a new perspective about how I see the world; a paradigm shift.

On a lighter note, some of you here wonder how I travel - the things that I usually carry and the preparations I do prior my trips. I guess it's about time to share seven fun facts about me when traveling.

Cebu Food Adventure: Season Two

Uswag, Sugbo!

I had fond memories of Cebu.

Three years ago, I went to Cebu with some of the seasoned travel bloggers here in the Philippines. First time to meet them in flesh, first time to visit the Queen City of the South. We explored the beautiful islands of Malapascua and Bantayan. Three months later, we went back to discover more places in Cebu and this time, we went south. We conquered Osmeña Peak, the province's highest peak, swam with the whale sharks of Oslob, and experienced the laid back life of Dalaguete, the quintessence of calm.

It's really great to be back at the Queen City of South last month. Here are some of the things that you shouldn't afford to miss when you're in Metro Cebu.

Yes, I'm talking about the FOOD that you SHOULDN'T MISS! Get ready for the part two of my Cebu Food Trip. Part 1 is here... and that was uhm... two years ago?

The Radar Out Experience

Keeping the sky and ground safe 24/7

If you think you have already seen the whole scenario of the radar out last week, well... think again. The media have only reported the scenes from the airport terminals where thousands of passengers got stranded due to delayed and cancelled flights brought about by the radar outage. What I am going to share is my experience at the control tower.

When I was still an ATC Trainee, we were taught on how to handle unusual air traffic situations. During our dry runs in Approach and Aerodrome Control, our usual scenarios were always out-of-this-world - an aircraft reported heavy tailwind during the approach and executed a missed approach procedure, quasi-emergency due to the departing Kalayaan 1 (Presidential flight), and an aircraft over Manila declares an emergency. All of these happen in one air traffic situation. I deemed this situation to be absurd and it will never, ever, happen in real life. Because if it does, you are the luckiest person in the whole world. The gods must be damn crazy!

The outage last week made me realize that I was wrong. In air traffic, always expect the unexpected.

Sharm el-Sheikh - Divine Diving in Egypt

As anyone who has visited the Philippines will know there are a number of amazing SCUBA diving sites including the islands of Cabilao and Boracay. Once you have explored them it’s likely you will be thirsty for some more diving adventures, so where in the world might your travel adventures take you? Most enthusiasts will agree that there are few dive destinations in the world as spectacular as Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt. Here’s why.

The Geek Travels: Finalist for MBA Best Travel Blog

Finalist for MBA! Yahoo!

I created this travel blog last June 2011 simply because I wanted to document my travels. I never thought that I'd get serious into blogging though. In November 2011, my blog was one of the finalist for the Philippine Blog Awards under the category of Best Travel Blog. Even though I did not bring home the bacon, it was the best moment of my blogging life during that time. My blog was barely five months old and it was such an honor to be part of that prestigious blogging event.

A few days ago, I received an email from Mindanao Blog Awards. And yes, it's official: The Geeks Travels is once again a finalist for the Mindanao Blog Awards - Best Travel Blog category. Yey!

The Traveling Jumper (dot) Com... Or So I Thought!

Once upon a time, an adventurous lad made a promise to create a signature jump shot whenever he travels to new places. It all started with just one jump shot, and then followed by another photo... and the rest is history.

What Made Me Decide To Become An Air Traffic Controller?

Aviation

Back in our preschool days, our teachers would always ask us to fill out this statement: When I grow up, I want to be a/an ________. Most kids would have these answers: a doctor, a police, a firefighter, a nurse, a lawyer, a pilot, an engineer, or a scientist. And I bet no kid in the world would have this answer: to be an air traffic controller.

Most people think that the job of an air traffic controller is to just wave the neon 'fan' to guide the plane to its designated parking bay. No, that's not the job of an ATC. There is more when you enter the realm of air traffic.

Postcard: Cebu's Wild Beaches

Rockberg!

Before 2011 ended, I decided to fly out of Davao to Cebu to meet up with my travel blogger friends; it was my first time to see them in person (lol). Actually, seeing them beyond the screen of my laptop was surreal. Upon arrival, we headed straight to the north bus terminal and off we went to the pristine beaches of Cebu.

Best Waterfalls To See

Tinago Falls of Iligan City

A trip or vacation to the Philippines is incomplete without taking a dip at its finest and most majestic waterfalls. Apparently, the Philippines is not just about powdery white sand beaches, as the entire archipelago also offers an overwhelming number of alluring and breathtaking waterfalls. If you have not been to any of these alluring and enchanting waterfalls, now is the time to get airline tickets from Airphil Express, and explore the country's hidden gems and natural wonders.

It's The Final Countdown!

The Original Approachables

A lot of things had happened in the past few weeks, and this post is just an update about my not-so-awesome life outside my comfort zone. Heh!