Places My Foot Has Stepped To

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Travel. Who likes to travel here? Me? I don't travel that much. Aside from the fact that I have motion sickness, I don't have enough money and will to travel. I am such a person who would love to stay at home. Okay, maybe travelling once or twice a year is okay with me.

Summer is here too! Weather is hot, too hot to handle just by an ordinary water at home. We needed to get out. We need to get away to ease the heat out of our body.

It has been 2 years since the pandemic started in the Philippines too. I know that your feet are getting itchy to go beaches, resorts or anywhere.

I am not a travel buddy but I've been to a few places. Let me share some places that I've been to.

Camalig, Albay

I think Albay is the farthest place that I travelled. It's 12hr+ landtrip travel from our city, depending on the route you till talk and what time you'll travel.

We don't go there mainly for leisure but for our Holy Week family tradition. Oh by the way, it is my father's home town.It has been years since went back to Camalig.

Can you see the Mama Mary at the back of the picture? It was somehow like an ancestral life sized status figure or sculpture(?). I don't know what's the term but you know what I mean. It has been years/decades that people in Camalig have been devotees to her. We also join the procession every Holy week organized by the church. It has been believed that our Mother Dolorosa (Our Lady of Sorrows) has somehow miraculous in its own little way. One instance was when the Mayon Volcano last erupted. Volcanic ashes where every where and they can't seem to think how it is that when the volcanic ashes were all over the town, it was our home or where our Mother Dolorosa stays were not that much affected. The ashes where just on the streets, it didn't go through all the way to the house which we find it a bit odd but we are all thankful.

Right after the Soledad people will wait and until it gets blessed and devotees will grab every single flower that was on the karo.

I can still remember when was still a kid, we always climb up to the Karo after the proccession going back home.

Seeing the Mayon Volcano wasn't new to me, we've been going there since we were kids. I can still remember that we used to travel by renting a jeepney and passing through an unfinished or developing road somewhere that resulted to our hair frizzed by the sand and soil along the highway.

I hope that we can go back to Bicol soon and I hope that our tradition will go on as long as there's someone who can manage to go there.

Cavite/Tagaytay 2014

If I can still remember, one of our classmates in College invited us to their house in Cavite since we already graduated, like a graduation celebration. However, it was only the guys who can come. Wait, I just had a flashback whew!

Alright going back, we just graduated (irregular students) and we were invited to go to Cavite right after Christmas. I just remembered what happened as my ex was there and I brought my new boyfriend that time with me, as a plus one. There was a bit of a drama as it was just a few weeks after me and my ex broke up. He was the boyfriend who didn't meet me up on my birthday. So yeah, quick drama happened. Drinks happened and we managed to go to Picnic Grove. Imagine how cold the weather was that time. It was also my first time going to Tagaytay and I only had shorts with me as my lower garment. GRRRRRR

We also went to a lake? Somewhere in Cavite, I forgot what it's called but it has a deep well. They were still developing the place that time so yeah, I forgot the name of the place.

Tagaytay 2017

We also had a chance to do a quick getaway celebrate two of our friends' birthday. We just rented a car and planned a day that some of us can go. We only rented a sedan so just a few person can join. Fortunately, seats were just enough for us who have the same rest days and after we got out of the office, we travelled right away.

It wasn't my first time in Tagaytay, but it was my first time to visit other attractions there like Skyranch and People's Park.

It was just a day trip because we still have shift the next day. So much for a quick getaway.

Stolen trip: Dingalan, Aurora 2018

I posted this article months ago. We went there for a quick barkada getaway. Me and my office workmates managed to snuck our way just to make this happen.

Oh I just remembered, one of us here just made up an excuse so she can get out of the office early. She actually pretended that she has diarrhea, went to the clinic and advised to take a bed rest for a few hours so the medicine can kick in, we told her to pretend to go to the bathroom every now and then so that the nurse on duty can give go sign for her to go home. Quite an actress! One of us requested to VGH (voluntary go home) because luckily the volume of the calls coming in was very low.

Boracay de Cavite 2019

Some of my officemates were looking for other people who want to join their trip. They rented a van and of course to lessen their expenses, they needed more people to join the trip. Fortunately, me and my current jowa that time can squeeze in to our schedule and join in. Right after our shift (midnight) we prepared and waited for the others to end their shift.

We travelled around 1am in the morning so we can be there early. We took the route where in we don't have to pay for toll and also because there will be no heavy traffic as we are travelling that early. We got there around 3-4am and to our surprise it was still close. The person who organized this trip didn't check what time it is open to public because the beach was inside the Marine Camp. So, we checked online and also asked the guard. We were told that they will open the gate to public at 6am. Gosh we needed to wait for 3 more hours.

Good thing that we have a tent and we waited outside the camp. We've also been warned by the guards to be careful and be mindful as there are wild pigs (baboy ramo) roaming around.

We waited, chitchat about our lives and experiences. Around 4 or 5am there were soldiers marching going outside maybe for a quick jog. Then around 6am, the guards let us in. Whew!

It was a 5 to 10min ride from the gates to the beach.

It was a semi unprepared trip but it was worth to wash our stress away.

Papaya Island, Batangas 2019

Another quick trip. Our Team Leader organized a team building in a form of getaway. He organized it, looked for a travel package from someone he knows so that all of us can come. The also somehow made a deal with other agents to cover some of our team's shift as a favor and then waited for others who will end their shifts.

I can't recall it all because, I slept all the way while travelling. We got there and took a quick breakfast, ride a boat going to the island. Of course, there was a quick island hopping too.

Oh I remembered that I didn't engage on the activies much because I had my monthly period that time and I just got out of my shift. I basically had no sleep and still have a shift after that.

Team buildings in BPO are usually a team alcohol session hahahah!

We had fun, chillin' in the middle of nowhere, fresh air, no work, but me no sleep. We were having fun but I came to a point that I needed to sleep or else I may passout. So I slept and didn't notice that I slept too much for me not to enjoy the remaining time to stay there.

Well, we still have alcohol drinks to finish so we had shots while we were on the boat going back to our ride.

I know that restrictions are on level 1 now but we should still be careful and take care of ourselves. Vitamins to go pipz!

I know that your feet are also itchy to go somewhere far away or your skin may long for a dip in to the sea water.

GO!!! Enjoy, while you still have time, while you still have energy to have fun.

SUMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

lead image from unsplash, image posted are mine