“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.”

Every place has a story and each traveler has his/her own way to unravel them. I too have developed my own. Allow me to tell you what I do that got me so hooked up with the travel bug.

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Visit old churches

I get so fascinated whenever I see old churches. I can’t help but marvel on how great their architecture is and the genius/es behind them that no matter how many years have gone and how rough the skies and the earth have been, they remain gloriously in shape and unperturbed.

Fill my appetite with the local dish

This is my favorite thing to do whenever I travel. Eat – all I can eat style!

Learn the local language or dialect

I love learning new things. It is one of the things I am passionate about. Thus, it excites me whenever I get to immerse with people who speak in dialects other than Tagalog and Visaya because it gives me the opportunity to learn them. Now I know how to say “I love you” in 3 different Philippine dialects – “Kaluguran daka” (Kapampangan), “Ay- ayaten ka” (Ilocano) and “Namomot-an taka” (Bicol). Interesting!

Take lots of photos

If I haven’t taken a single photo during my travel, it makes me feel as if I haven’t been to the place, like I haven’t seen it at all. Sure, they can be stored in my memory but sometimes memories are worth looking back to and they become more special and meaningful when I have a whole lot of pages to flip from my photo album.

Collect pebble stones

I consider beaches my heaven but not all heavens are the same. Their sands and stones provide the distinction. Thus, my jar of pebble stones to chronicle the bits and pieces of my adventure.

Update: April 20, 2016 – I no longer do this since I do support and promote responsible tourism.

Buy lots of souvenirs

There are 2 reasons why I am fond of taking home souvenirs. First, I love to share my adventures to my friends and loved ones. Second is I plan to make a collage of the world pinning all the memorabilia I got from my travels.

Take on a new challenge

Whether the place I am visiting is a known surfing capital or home to the highest peak in the region, perhaps a rising extreme outdoor adventure spot, I make sure I don’t miss on any of the action. It takes a lot of courage but at the end of the day, after the nonstop throbbing within my chest, it is all worth it.

Explore the new place on foot

Most of the time, we don’t get to appreciate the beauty of the place we visit when we are all coop up within a car with the aircondition on full power. If we don’t pay attention closely, more often than not, we tend to miss some significant things found in between the places that we visit. Things that may have not been known to others. Hence, there are times that I prefer to explore on foot because it gives me the chance to discover mysteries I may not know when I’m confined within the comfort of a fast running vehicle.

Visit historical ruins

There is something awe-inspiring about historical ruins that despite only seeing rubble and rubbish all over them, I still find them breathtakingly beautiful. Perhaps because I tend to see not the ruins they are now but the magnificent piece of architecture they once were.

Talk to the locals about the early beginnings of their lovely town or city

Don’t you just love to hear stories? I do. Listening to the local people share myths and untold mysteries about their lovely little town is like watching their lore unfold in front of my very eye. It is so inspiring to see how amazingly animated and happy they seem to open up their world to a total stranger and how bold they are to invite me into their culture unafraid of my judgement.

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It’s time to share yours. Don’t be shy to leave your comments below. See yah! 🙂