My 2014 Journey

As I reflect on 2014 in its last few hours, I am filled to the brim with gratitude.

Today’s entry is a round up of everything, everywhere I went in 2014, along with a few lessons and comments. There were some rough times this year, that's to be sure, but it’s not just about looking back, it is also a time for me to look forward and think about my life and the journey i created.

First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my stories and journeys. And to my family , wife, kids, and friends for being a part of my journey. I hope it inform and inspire you to get out and see the world.

So here it is, some of my highlights from 2014. May 2015 bring as much joy, excitement, fulfillment and peace to everyone. I hope to see the world Soon...

*A memorable climb to Mt. Maranat with my high school classmates. You can read the full story here. A climb where lifelong friendships were rekindle, love for travel and nature,and a lifetime’s worth of memories were made.Thank you 4-1 for joining me in this journey , your simply the best.

*A historic journey to the province of nueva ecija. My special thanks to Anne, Kap Isko and jackie for being a part of this journey. You can read my story here and here.

*I accomplished my biggest goal of the year, to travel and explore Cagayan province. I was able to Explore Palaui again and its enchanting beauty. You can read my full story here.

*I completed Maktrav with my cousin Reynald and some new friends. You can read my full story here.

*The opportunity to visit the old churches within the metro to give thanks for this amazing year. You can read my story here.

*A chance to revisit cawag and finally completed Cinco picos traverse.You can read my story here.

*Experience the feel of adrenaline rush in extreme adventures in one day. Rock scrambling and spelunking in Bulacan. You can read my story here.

*I faced the challenge of completing the Bakun Trio in Poblacion, Benguet before the year end. You can read my story here.

I climb 11 mountains and 4 waterfalls

... I visited 13 century old churches

...I visited 14 provinces

...I enjoy 8 beautiful beaches

... I gain more friends

It’s so nice to be able to look back on a great year with fond memories and a big smile.

  I am thankful, grateful, and truly blessed to have received all that I have this year.  There is really nothing to complain about.

I’m filled with gratitude to my family, to my health and to my experiences. Therefore, I’m going to indulge in reviewing what went well in 2014 and not let the year slip away without some reflection of what i learned in 2014. 

What a week! My head was spinning and mind is floating with different remarks and comments, my thoughts and half-baked ideas is gone. Been hearing a lot of negative remarks with my blog, comments like why do i need to blog my adventures ? and my blog focus only on fancy topics. I knew there was only one way to get it all straight.

Well, how did I get here? and Why do i write ?

Well, the real answer to this question for me on why I write a blog is simple, that is i love to write and document my life experiences.Blogging for me is like a personal journal, In fact i started keeping an online journal way back in 2007, and i keep those journal only for myself to read so i can still look back at my experiences with the places that i have been. And, I write because I see these images in my head that I don’t want to forgot, and because I hear words that need to be in words. I write because I’m not very good at speaking and that's a fact. For three years, my journal was filled with pages of my adventures, misadventures and experiences. I find it quite bizarre that I haven’t shared the reasons why I do it, or even how I came to do it. But since i have my blog open for public to read might as well submit this entry for my readers to know and understand.

I actually started my personal public blog way back 2010. I forced myself into a weekly deadline of posting new entries for my blog. Still, it all feels completely spontaneous. The stories and the words flow through my fingers and I can't help myself. I have written stories that I always wanted to write. By now I had begun writing other things apart from my travel and adventures. And this writing made me happy.

Itatagalog ko na lang para matuwa naman ung mga nagsasabing bakit kailangan kong mag- English.

1.Ang Page na ito ay hindi para syo kung ayaw mong makabasa ng mga mali-maling english.

2.Kung masaya kang punahain ang mga mali ko masaya ako para sayo , sarilinin mo na lng huwag mo na akong i-private message para lang ipaalam sakin ang mga mali ko

3. wala akong paki alam kong magaling ka sa english at proofreader ka, wala akong kinokompetensya at lalung hindi kita kakompetensya.

4.wala akong trabaho oo pero gumagawa ako ng paraan para makapag trabaho, kung sa tingin mo pag liliwaliw lang ang alam ko dyan ka nagkakamali.

I love climbing...

Hiking is one of my passions. There seems to be a point on every hike i make where fatigue sets in. Much like life, i can either turn around easily or push through the difficulty. Choosing the latter, i receive the payoff by reaching the peak and basking with our god's creation.

Why do you climb? A frequently ask question on my every climb.

Climbing draws allure and mystery of life to me. When i was growing up in North view , filinvest i went to school passing through some hills. That is where i grow up and made it. Now, those are not “mountains” when you compare them to the mountains on Sierra Madre or Benguet, but I remember hiking and passing through this hills in Filinvest for the first time in grade school and how it made a huge impact in my life. I think that is where my love for hiking and mountain has started.The sense of awe and wonder I get from being at the top of the hills has never gone away since that time.

Mountain top experiences are called just that for a reason,and  i want to prove myself that i can do anything i set myself to do.First there is the peacefulness of being at the peak of a mountain.Then there is the camaraderie of friends working up a mountain not as individuals but as a team.It also has some spiritual quality to it. I feel very blessed and close to God when I am in the mountains.And lastly, the challenge of making each step on a steep ascend knowing that a mistake could be deadly and the next step will be rewarding.

Although hiking comes with danger I think it's invigorating to do something dangerous and make it through. Also, thrill seeking may be a way to let go of one's fears, to face them and overcome them. Holding on to fear is letting something control your life. Doing dangerous stuff is letting go of that fear and I feel it lets me put things into perspective. I also enjoy confronting my fears and dealing with them rather than let them control me.

I have challenged myself to complete each climb eventhough sometimes it pushes my boundaries. What a huge difference it makes in my enjoyment of life. And, there is nothing like the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a climb. Now that I’m married with a family, i hope one day i can take my boys on a hiking adventures. I hope one day they’ll appreciate the beauty that is all around them and the satisfaction that come from experiencing God’s works.

My Journey

Hi. My name's JP, and this is my journey.

Welcome to my blog. 

I love noting down all my food,travel, etc., experiences around my hometown and my country. I've been documenting my life experiences through writing (which i call my personal journal) but only this year when i finally  open my blog to public to share my experiences. 

While I started blogging in February of 2007, it was not until September of 2011 when I decided to take my travel blog to the next level.

I started this blog with no direction and with some unanswered questions:

* Can i do it? 

* Do i have enough time for it ?

* Why do i need to pursue it ?

What i have found later, is I'm caught with my passion and was hooked. I am now on a lifelong journey to share and inspire.

I was born in Mindanao and raised in Manila where i learned to respect and adore the outdoors. Travelling is my passion, and i love to travel alone sometimes.I'm inviting you to follow my journey as I attempt to convey my experiences to you through my pictures and stories - it is what inspires me more and refuels my passion to travel and share a new perspective on other people, places and cultures. I know it’s not an easy task to maintain a blog, but I’m loving every second of it now. I’m completely dedicated to make it work this time. I may now dream big, but you have to dream big to be big! Right ?? Obviously it’s a lot of more work at the moment - as with any other project - because I’m just getting started again, but I’m getting a great sense of accomplishment out of the work that I’m putting in.

If you have a passion for writing and would like to share your journey that would change you or maybe for the others, this blog is for you.