Phillippines, the halfway point

Hi family and friends! I can’t believe it’s 2019 already… let alone February. After several months of travelling, we have gotten comfortable living like nomads. We enjoy the constant novelty… new places, new faces, and new experiences. It is tiring at times, though, so we make a point to stay in and relax when needed. Having stayed in Philippines for 2 months, we had a chance to recuperate from our travels and reset. We were grateful for the time

spent with family and inspired by the generosity the whole culture has shown.

From a traveller’s perspective, Manila continues to be the crazy urban jungle from my memories. I’ve never been so aware of traffic as I have been in this city. People schedule their days around traffic. Some refuse to drive during Saturdays as apparently that’s when the roads are the busiest. Some schedule their get-togethers only on Sundays as that’s the day with the least amount of cars. Being stuck in traffic for 2 hours when less than 1 km away from our destination made me appreciate the lovely roads in Vancouver (even during rush hour). Being surrounded by hundreds of people in the streets, there was always a constant buzz in Manila.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we visited a little island in the Visayas region where I grew up. There are no cars on the island and scooters and boats are the main mode of transportation. It was the type of scene where everyone seemed to know each other or are related to one another. Our days consisted of walking to the coconut farms, going to the beach, riding scooters, boating, and singing karaoke. We definitely loved the island life.

Another island close to our hearts is Coron. From a tourist’s perspective, this is definitely a place I would recommend visiting. Although, to get away from the party scene, I wouldn’t suggest staying in the main island. We stayed in a small island called Dimakya Island, which was only a boat ride away from the main island of Coron. The white sand, the crystal clear warm ocean water, and the most amazing sunsets felt like a piece of heaven on earth. Relaxed and recuperated after a couple of months in the Philippines, we continue chasing the sun in the land Down Under. Stay tuned for a post of our time in Australia at the end of February!

We look forward to seeing your faces and catching up in the not so distant future. Stay warm and cozy :)