*Young Blood Traveler Roby Magsino confesses that he's just a regular guy who tries to travel as much as his budget allows. He takes a lot of pictures, tries out local food and soaks up the culture of that place. A true blue traveler, he gets completely depressed when he doesn't get to travel so he always makes it to a point to regularly pack up and wander about, regardless how far or near it may be. 

How to pet a tiger

How he discovered his love for travel
My sister and her then-boyfriend traveled together a lot and it was something I admired. So my girlfriend and I replicated it and vowed to travel at least one domestic and one international destination a year. After going through a messy breakup, I needed something that I will "own", anything that will allow me to re-establish a foothold of my identity. Traveling became my therapy and it stuck eversince.

Dumaguete

On traveling solo
Never tried it yet but I'm planning to. I'm still trying to muster enough courage to go backpacking by myself. I haven't thought of where exactly but perhaps somewhere that's tourist friendly, for starters.

Favorite movies/shows about traveling
The Adventures of Tintin had the biggest influence on me growing up. His character as a reporter leads him investigating cases around the world and these adventures fueled my imagination as a kid. Same goes to Alias, where the protagonist is a CIA operative that carries missions across the globe.

Dream adventure
To trek around Machu Picchu. Or dive in the Great Barrier Reef and swim with friendly sea turtles, stingrays and sharks!

Unforgettable travel experience
When a tsunami scare hit Cebu after an earthquake and people around us started running all over the place as they carry their belongings. We started sprinting towards what we thought was safer grounds, but apparently wasn't because everyone's going the opposite direction. We don't understand Cebuano so we don't have any idea what's going on or if the tsunami was even for real. Some of my friends started calling home but I couldn't because my phone was dead. Good thing it was a false alarm and everybody was safe!

Roby's itchy feet took him to Chi Minh to Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.

Favorite local attraction
I am a beach person so I'm gonna have to say Boracay! I've been there about 5 times and I can never get tired of its charm and beauty. I especially love how vibrant it is at night and then transforms into a place of tranquillity in the morning. I hope it doesn't get too much commercialized, though. If they put up a Jollibee or Mcdonald's, I'm going to puke.

On blogging his travel travel adventures
I've thought about it countless of times. Then I realized I am too lazy to upload my photos (I have literally thousands of travel pictures waiting to be edited before I post them in FB) let alone maintain a travel blog. I enjoy writing about my experiences but I'm just too slow at composing my thoughts.

Things he can't live without on the road
My DLSR camera and my Blackberry phone. The former because I love taking pictures during my travels and the latter because that's where I store my itinerary, type some random thoughts, view notes, keep track of my expenses and virtually "check-in" at places. Too bad I recently lost my phone so I have to stick with good-old pen and paper.

Bad experience while traveling
Not much. I'm always in a good mood when I travel and most of the time I get really optimistic that I ignore things that other people see as bad. For instance, if we get lost or if the weather acts up - I think of them as "part of the experience" so as not to dampen my mood.

Dream destination
Definitely Egypt! I am fascinated with their culture and I am drawn by the mysticism that every facet of it seems to be enveloped with. I love their architecture too!

Travel tips to newbie travelers
Traveling is most enjoyable if you are with people you genuinely enjoy being with. And if you already are, don't let it stop you from interacting with locals and other travelers. True travelers connect with the place and people, so don't be a snob and always wear a smile! Everything depends on your budget that's why it's important to set your priorities and spend wisely. A well-planned itinerary is crucial if you want to make the most out of a specific amount of time. Otherwise you can just decide as you go along, which can be also be fun and exciting. Be flexible and open to changes. And for goodness' sake don't complain! Everybody hates a whiner.

What he gets from traveling
It keeps me alive. I get to broaden my perspective on a lot of things and remind myself that everything is not just about me. It shows me how small I really am in this world and the problems I have fade into insignificance.

Crazy, funny, silly thing he did while traveling

"The only moment in my life when I felt absolutely overwhelmed at a place the second I laid my eyes on it. Reminds me how exceptionally small we really are in this world. Problems faded to insignificance."

During our trip to Grand Canyon, my sister and mom decided to sleep early for the next day's tour. My excitement hasn't died down yet at that time so I decided to go out, roam around our hotel and do some test shots using my newly acquired camera. I didn't bring a cellphone thinking that it'll just be quick. I met a few friendly pinoys working in the hotel and they invited me over to their place to have a drink (they really looked excited to see another pinoy). I've been away for just 2 hours when I went back to our room when my mom came up to me and said they have been worried sick about me. They've been looking for me everywhere and they almost called 911! I felt really guilty because they didn't have enough sleep from the previous nights. From then on I'm always keeping them updated on my whereabouts.

Best souvenir
Pictures I shot myself  Also, chopsticks from each of the countries I visited during my SE Asia trip - Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand.
What he's doing when he's not traveling
Work my ass off to save for more travels. Most of the time I shoot, edit my shots, eat out and daydream about places I haven't been to.

*Young Blood Traveler is an interview series on my blog that features young (or anyone who's young at heart) people who have passion for travelling but don't have a blog to share their travel experiences.  Want to be featured? Email me at journeyoferos(at)yahoo(dot)com