Truth is I haven’t even booked a place to stay for my trip abroad next week. Why? I have been busy arranging trips of others que no tengo tiempo para ocuparme de mis propios!! When I went to Palawan last February I started finding an accommodation only when I arrived in the airport via brochures handed to me and asking the locals on the road. Unfortunately this one is not going to work this time nor I advise anyone to do the same.
Observe how walking tours are done abroad
My two friends will arrive a day ahead and me a day behind then the other one is 4 hours later. Good thing, Lyn one of my buddies for this trip has been to Singapore previously so I am entrusting her my life and everything. Since I am into heritage slash culture slash tourism advocacy, I want to join this award-winning Old Singapore Walking tour or any city tour in Malaysia but I don’t have time at all to know how I can be part of. I want to observe how a walking tour in other parts of the world is done so I can compare it to ours because I am also soon to be formally organizing an Intramuros, Binondo, Quiapo and Sta Cruz walking tour.
My two friends will arrive a day ahead and me a day behind then the other one is 4 hours later. Good thing, Lyn one of my buddies for this trip has been to Singapore previously so I am entrusting her my life and everything. Since I am into heritage slash culture slash tourism advocacy, I want to join this award-winning Old Singapore Walking tour or any city tour in Malaysia but I don’t have time at all to know how I can be part of. I want to observe how a walking tour in other parts of the world is done so I can compare it to ours because I am also soon to be formally organizing an Intramuros, Binondo, Quiapo and Sta Cruz walking tour.
I have started talking to Lawrence Chan and he returned a positive response to collaborate with me and we only need a definite time to make everything formal. He is the one doing tours for the Filipinas Stamp Collector’s Club which he is the vice-president, the Metropolitan Theater and FEU Heritage tour where he graduated. After two nights we will take a 6-7 hour train ride to Malaysia and spend a whole night then back to Singapore.
Following the desires of the “wind and the spirits”
Lyn was also my buddy when I took my first round the country trip last year that started in Ilocos then I went all the way to Cebu, Bicol, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Bacolod, Guimaras Island then back to Ilocos to attend the International Conference on Cultural Tourism. I was having second thoughts to choose her because that time I have an informal plan of going there with a guy that I fancied for a while. But then the “pangaral” of my parents and the fear of going out of town with a stranger prevailed so I chose her. When I saw how lovely the places in Ilocos specially seeing the Bangui windmills, the long bus rides to and fro and that romantic sunset had me rant in silent I wished I would have chosen the other. Turned out had I not followed the desires of the wind and the spirits, there would be no amazing photos taken by her that pushed me to start a business of tour packages and even no chance for me to get featured in a local magazine.
I will die if I don’t go online a day
I am also worrying how much sale I am gonna lose for the five days and 4 nights stay that I am out. Thoughts like this make me wish I have a TRUSTED assistant who can take over my task. My own definition of vacation is a total disconnection from the online world and just being with yourself and the place you are. I have tried countless times pero nunca gano … I WILL DIE IF I DON’T GO ONLINE IN A DAY
Is this a travel blog? Am I a travel blogger?
En muchos casos, cada vez que tengo la oportunidad de presentar este blog, I am always labeled as a travel blogger and this a travel blog. But in the travel blogging sphere the advocacy of the majority of travel bloggers in the country is all about the do-it-yourself thing and going off-the-beaten-path. Mientras me estoy vendiendo paquetes turÃsticos que tiene un efecto negativo connotación to serious travelers because it is all about canned activity of going to the usual touristic places... Nada emocionante que estoy de acuerdo..
En muchos casos, cada vez que tengo la oportunidad de presentar este blog, I am always labeled as a travel blogger and this a travel blog. But in the travel blogging sphere the advocacy of the majority of travel bloggers in the country is all about the do-it-yourself thing and going off-the-beaten-path. Mientras me estoy vendiendo paquetes turÃsticos que tiene un efecto negativo connotación to serious travelers because it is all about canned activity of going to the usual touristic places... Nada emocionante que estoy de acuerdo..
Of buying tour packages vs going off the beaten path
I scour a lot of travel blogs every night. A number of them says
"I may not have much on my savings account because of my trips but it is alright. I GOT A BANK OF MEMORIES out of it instead.”
Sucks so bad… There is nothing wrong with travelling NONSTOP but then again will they continue to be until they get old? Are these people advocating location – independent lifestyle will never stay put ever? These are just some thoughts that I have in mind. That's why my dream of travelling does not end of just wandering and taking it the cheapest way but it is about finding means to fund my going places.
While there are a lot who prefers to take the road-less traveled, whatever happen there will always be a market for those that have no time or no courage to do it so. They are our grandparents who are spending their retirement days, our parents who does not care much of the place to go instead it is about getting together, our bunso joining an educational tour, our older brothers and/or sisters who are too excited for their out of town company team building activity. So definitely there is a thriving business and a market way bigger than those who want to do it themselves.
While there are a lot who prefers to take the road-less traveled, whatever happen there will always be a market for those that have no time or no courage to do it so. They are our grandparents who are spending their retirement days, our parents who does not care much of the place to go instead it is about getting together, our bunso joining an educational tour, our older brothers and/or sisters who are too excited for their out of town company team building activity. So definitely there is a thriving business and a market way bigger than those who want to do it themselves.
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