How the Journey Began?

"Here I am after 24 years, thank you God for giving me such a wonderful 24 years of life. And here's to me for more amazing years to come. As a gift to myself, I'll start a new blog!"

It was the passage from my first ever post on this blog. Dated September 12, 2010, just right after my birthday celebration I published that post with excitement, admiration and passion. 

I actually don't see myself as a writer as I don't really have this passion in writing.  In fact, it took me an hour to start writing this post. Sometimes it is just so hard for me to get inspiration to start but because of my passion in travelling, everything changes eventually.

So how does my travel-blogging journey really began?

I'd been to few places before I started blogging. I've been to Cebu which was actually my first plane ride, been to my grandparent's hometown in Bicol, been to a solo trip in Sagada, been to Baguio, Batangas, Quezon for some summer travels to name a few. But among these travels, there's one that eventually made me become a travel blogger and that was my first camping experience in Zambales with my best friend. 

My Zambales trip introduced me to a different perspective of traveling. A trip not about comfort and luxury but more of the places, people and experiences. A single trip that consequently acquaint me to various opportunities. A step for me to see the world and make my travel dreams do come true. 

I've been addicted to traveling. The travel bug had bitten me, as what they say. That Zambales trip eventually followed by number of travels. It opened me to different places, adventures and people. True enough, those travel blogs I've been reading about says exactly what they had written. That travelling is more than just the place.

Before, I wasn't aware that there's such as what you called, travel blogs until I saw the blog of Chyng Reyes. As a matter of fact, it was my best friend who introduced Chyng's blog to me. She was the one who discovered Chyng's blog  when we were planning our trip to Zambales. From then on I started reading Chyng's blog, as well as back reading her previous posts. I always look into her blog when it comes to travel and places I wanted to visit.

I remember whenever I travel I always look to Chyng's itinerary and stories. She went to Cagayan De Oro, I went to Cagayan De Oro as well. She went to Ilocos, I went to Ilocos as well. She went to Calaguas, I went to Calaguas as well. That's how a big fan I am. Her travel blog was one of my inspirations on why I continually blog and share my experiences. I was and will always be a fan of her travels.

Then a thought came into my mind, "why not blog as well?". Share my experiences, share my stories and share my journey. Though I wasn't professionally ready for blogging, my passion and inspirations leaded me the way to my blogging journey.

I write about my travels stories, food cravings and adventures. From that moment when I published my first post, I knew back then that a lot of amazing experiences will come on my way. True enough, this travel blog gave me more than I expected. I've been to different places I must say. I've met a lot of people, shared and heard their stories, passion and determination. I've experienced different adventures and embraced diversed cultures. That's how so far this travel blog gave me. Indeed this blog is a gift, a gift which I will always recall on how this journey began. Once a traveler, always a traveler. It was bound to happen.

I owe this to my number one blogger idol, Chyng Reyes. If it's not because of her I will not be part of this group and not be able to write this entry for PTB's Blog Carnival for July. Many thanks to you and to my loyal readers as well (if there's any) :D

This is my entry to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival for the month of July 2012, with the theme "The Journey that made us a travel blogger" hosted by Edmar Gu-Quibb of Edmaration Etc.