New travel bloggers look back

As 2013 is drawing to a close, I asked these travel bloggers just one question: What’s the best thing that happened to you as a traveler and why? Below are there answers and their brief backgrounds on travel blogging.

Kirk Acebron
Philippine Anatomy and Beyond
Twitter: @kirkanatomy

I’m Kirk Acebron RN, MAN ©. On 2008, while 100,000+ unemployed nurses in the country committed themselves to find the unreachable hospital jobs, I decided to have a break first and spend time to relax – I find traveling as the sweetest answer. It’s been 5 years of continuous traveling and up to now haven’t applied for any job here in Philippines. I started blogging this March 2013, though had that in my mind for a long time. I write my adventures and misadventures at my blog to inspire others to travel. As of to date, I’ve visited the 45 provinces of the Philippines and 9 neighboring countries.

Traveling sometimes is not about the beautiful places but sometimes knowing interesting and lovely people around you – traveling is a humble instrument to gain friends. It’s also a sad reality that in the end of a certain journey, both of you must turn your back on each other, say goodbye and face your next destination. But the best part of it is you created a possible everlasting friendship. Keep your passion alive and plan your future trips together. Being surrounded with awesome wanderer friends is the best thing happened to me as a traveler, they keep me motivated to explore the world. They are my inspiration.

Ervin Malicdem
Schadow1 Expeditions
Twitter: @schadow1

I am a tech geek working as an IT Professional. I started to find awe in satellite imagery and geo-mapping way back 2005. From that hobby, I grew a desire in going to areas in the country that has scarce mapping data. And that started my travel and mapping advocacy for the country. It is only by this year that I felt the need to create a journal of all the travel and mapping expeditions I made, thus blogging about it to share the experiences and help others rediscover our country and foster nationalism through Philippine travel.

Being a traveler has opened my mind on different cultures and locations in the Philippines. I started to think out of the box from being stuck in the four corners of my room, I have then understood the importance of being with people and with the environment. It opened my mind and travel teaches you that there is no room for greed when nature itself can be your playground. And that is so far the best thing that happened: travel changed my perspective.

Cleofas P. Yuson III
Enchanting Philippines
Twitter: @raztadog

I started to blog last year. At first, I set up a personal blog, but it was empty; I got no motivation to blog. After awhile, I began to think about making a travel journal about our adventures and engaged with travel blogging when me and my girlfriend started to explore different places. I found it fulfilling and made it more of a hobby: traveling and writing. I am very happy with what I am doing and probably will stay this way for quite some time (Our bucket list is always filled with new destinations). This way, I could also show the world how beautiful my country is and blogging is one way of showing that patriotism.

The best thing that happened to me as a traveler is to fall in love over and over again with the same woman; and it happens every time we go to a new place. That is why the more we travel, the more we grow and enjoy each other’s company. I find traveling together with my other half very helpful to our romantic relationship. It just revitalizes and refreshes our passion for each other. Plus, it is also an opportunity to meet other people with different culture and traditions, and even gain new friends. That is just amazing!

Will Garcia
Will Explore Philippines
Twitter: @willexploreph

I’m a proud Kapampangan and I started blogging last August 2013 for I love to explore different places in our country and indulge myself with different sumptuous cuisines in every region that I visit.

The best thing that happened to me as a traveler is that I get to know different people, their culture, their food and interesting places. As I traveled Luzon, I realized that the northern part of the Philippines is truly blessed with different treasures that everyone must visit. During my travel, I met humble and great bloggers that inspires me to travel more and promote the best things that our country has to offer. Kudos to all the bloggers that I met as I explore the Philippines!

Mike Laagan
The Traveling Panda
Twitter: @mikelaagan

I am Mike, a Pangasinense who grew up in the urban jungle of Metro Manila. I spent a few years working as an engineer before pursuing an I.T. career and later on became a Commissioned Police Officer.

Honestly, I don’t really like to travel since I easily get dizzy. I started to travel in 2009 during my stay in Benguet and had a Malaysian girlfriend then who was working for Shell Pilipinas. I would travel 7 to 8 hours to Manila then we would take a trip or hike somewhere in the country. I traveled weekly and hence was coined the name laagan that means adventurer/wanderer in Cebuano. I wanted to write my experiences then but was not able to find the time.

This year, I started to hit the road again and decided to start writing to share my travel experiences after going around South Cebu during the Lenten Season. Through this blog, I hope to be an advocate of Philippine tourism through my pictures and stories. I believe that our country has a lot of well-known tourist destinations but here, I intend to explore beyond that by discovering other amazing places and offbeat destinations

Billy Joe Palatino
Galaero Escape Travels

I’m a licensed and registered Architect, a self-proclaimed probinsyano who grew up in the island province of Marinduque. I love to draw, sketch and considers myself a frustrated painter and songer (singer). At first, I thought I was just a mountaineer then discovered that I also love to wander, thus, “Galaero” was born.

From the stress and pressure of work, going out of town is one of my escapes, thus, when the travel bug bit me, I started my blog to record my trips and adventures, hoping too that other travelers can refer to it as a guide. It’s where I share my thoughts and ideas, my fascination with colonial architecture and mountains that I have explored. Ever since I travel blogged, my network has gotten wider and made me discover more places in our country. It also made me a more decisive traveler.