The lively chatter, the tinkling of utensils, the soft RB music downstairs - all these sounds faded in the background as I looked at the pictures on the wall, closed my eyes for a few seconds and imagined myself being transported to another place. The place I wanted to be at that moment - New York. After all, I was at Borough - a restaurant named after the five boroughs in New York - Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island. Okay, I told myself, so this is how dining in the Big Apple feels like. 

WHAT WAS I DOING THERE?

Nuffnang celebrated its 5th Anniversary and they invited some bloggers to join the party. Getting an invite was easy - you just needed to greet them through a blog post. The first 50 would receive an invite. I was one of the first 50 who posted a birthday greeting. We could tag someone along, and so I tagged my good friend Phoebe.
  

I expected a grand party, a large swarm of bloggers and media people, a big buffet, lots of freebies and expensive raffle items. The first level was fully-occupied but they were not there for the party. They're customers of the restaurant having dinner. The event was at the loft, the guy at the bar told me when I asked him if I've come to the right place. 

Apo Island is a volcanic island located off the southeastern tip of Negros Island, 30 km south of Negros Oriental. It's known for its marine habitat protected by the National Integrated Protected Area Act (NIPA) and under the jurisdiction of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). A popular dive site and snorkeling destination among tourists, Apo Island has been documented by the global science community, thanks to the Siliman University Marine Laboratory who's responsible for establishing and taking care of the marine sanctuary.
Getting There

Memory holds better images than photographs. A poetic, dramatic excuse for someone who has experienced something great but doesn't have a picture to show it. But then again, do all great memories have to be proven through pictures? Can't stories suffice? I may not have a picture to show you what a great experience it was, but you should believe me when I say that it's awesome. Will you just take my word for it, please? Anyway, we all know that it's the memories and remembrances that last -- oh right, photographs can be immortalized these days too.

 I didn't have an underwater camera, dammit. I just let the one-of-a-kind experience go down the drain, water if you must. Bummer right?

Here's what I did - on my birthday (that's January of this year) I went on a snorkeling trip with a bunch of divers in Apo Island. This piece of paradise, which means 'grandchild'  in Filipino and Bisaya is located off the Southeastern tip of Negros Island in Visayas. It boasts of wonderful rock formations scattered over the terrain, a protected rich marine reserve, and lovely white sands. They say it lists approximately 650 documented underwater species and 400 types of corals.

Travel buddy and office mate, Marvin, shares his travel journal primarily written as a Valentine present for his significant other, Ross. The unique yet romantic proposition earned him lots of hugs and kisses from his lover, who was enamored by the adjectives littered across the write-up. Marvin is a hopeless romantic, a poet in the making, a dreamer and sometimes, a nutcase and a loon. The journal below is a manifestation of his undying love for Ross and travel

Of Love and Travel - The Crossroad of Discoveries 
by: Marvin Erpe
(Warning: this is a very long prose. Read at your own risk. :-)
Yes, as mushy as it may sound, I get inebriated in sappiness each time I crawl back down memory lane. Well, you can’t blame me. The places I’ve been to and the memories herewith were nostalgia worth reminiscing. Heck that sounds like a love song! Got melody in mind?

Sometimes when I look at some of the pictures, my mind plays a song in the background incredibly fitting to that particular moment. Or is it just our mind’s auto-musical-scoring-machine working? I don’t know. There’s one thing I’m sure of, with or without melody, both Ross and traveling rocked my 2011 unforgettably.

Harold's Mansion is a backpackers' hostel located at the heart of Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental. There are several reasons you should stay here when you travel to the City of Gentle People:

1. Great location. Situated right beside the busy stretch of Hibbard Avenue, Harold's Mansion is a 5-minute walk away from Silliman University, the town plaza, Rizal Boulevard and various restaurants. There are a lot of tricycles passing by so going anywhere in the city is easier.

They say there is no better way to experience a destination than to explore it yourself. Exploring a destination can be done with a company or (para maiba naman) alone. Going alone can be a fun and liberating experience (scary for some) but it also has a few downside. Here are some of the things I have learned and discovered from my first solo adventure in Dumaguete.

1. You're the boss. Solo travel gives you the freedom to decide where you want to go, what you want to do and how you want to do it. You have control of the schedule and no one's telling you what to do. The time you go to bed or the time you wake up is your prerogative. There is no need to rush through things and you can be more spontaneous. Your mistakes are your own, your triumph all yours.

Young Blood Traveler* Marj Garra, an assistant manager in an international company in Makati, talks about how she was bitten by the travel bug; shares her dream destination and offers a few advice to newbie travelers.  

With friends at Calle Crisologo in Vigan

We've all dreamed about getting out of our comfort zones, seeing the world and travelling extensively. We just can't afford to actually do it because there are various hang-ups and considerations that prevent us from taking the plunge.

Jobs and money are two primary things that mostly hold us back. I, for one, just can't imagine quitting my day job without a sure fall back especially in these trying times. But some, however, like them travel bloggers [Edcel Suyo of Soloflighted; Lois of Sole Sisters], are brave enough to pull the trigger and take a chance. So far it has worked out fine for them.

For us who dream of traveling but are not ballsy enough to quit our job, there are a few options that would let us travel without having to worry about keeping a steady source of income.

1. Teach Abroad

Image from Google

Becoming a teacher off shore is probably the most popular way of going to a different country and still make money. Some employers don't require an undergraduate course in teaching, a teaching certificate or TOEFL can suffice. I've a friend who got employed by an international school in Malaysia without any teaching certificate. But the chances of getting a job offer are much higher if you have one. There are short-term education programs offered by local universities.

Almost as soon as the lamps are lit a glow appears on the horizon. The tip of a moonrise appears. Kerouac and Ginsberg want to watch it. We drop our knapsacks. I sit on the seawall between them. The concrete is still warm from the day. The moon pulls itself out of the water. Within minutes it’s sky-borne and the boulevard is washed in silver. - Elegies from Another Book, Bobby Villasis


1. Rizal Boulevard is a popular landmark and a historical site. Jose Rizal was believed to have made a short visit and strolled here before going to the nearby island, Dapitan where he was exiled. 

Creating a bucket list is fun but knocking off what's on the list is tough simply because there are just so many cool things out there to try and see and experience and there's not just enough time - and sometimes, there's not enough money. But none of these should get in the way or be an excuse to miss these amazing things and experiences.

1. Visit your hometown and explore sights around. Believe me, you don't know your province that well and there are interesting attractions you're unheard of that may surprise you.
2. Try a Roro. It's safe and it's not that bad.