Nagtahan, Manila, Philippines
November 22, 2009
10:35 PM

In my favorite book 1000 Places to See Before You Die, Patricia Schultz eloquently wrote: “With travel, our minds become more curious, our hearts more powerful, and our spirits more joyous. And once the mind is stretched like that, it can never return to its original state.”

(FYI: She completed this traveler’s life list in a span of seven years (with plenty of airline miles, I bet!)

St. Augustine of Hippo pointed out: “The world is a book and those who do not travel, read only one page.”

Patricia also writes in her introduction of the 894-page book, “Travel changes us. Sometimes superficially, sometimes profoundly. It is a classroom without walls.”

TRAVELER’S HIGH. Indeed, I credit traveling to be my greatest teacher.

When I go on a trip and I’m in my room at a hotel or in a resort, I sometimes get flashes of inspiration from out of nowhere.

In the stillness of the night, I get solutions to problems that I have been mulling about or I’m prompted to write about my views on life. It’s what I refer to as a moment of clarity. It’s a time when all is well in the world and you are at peace with yourself. It’s a time when I feel that my creative juices just keep on flowing and the possibilities are endless.

Going to a new, unfamiliar place always gives me that traveler’s high. One of my fondest memories is staying up and writing down my thoughts underneath the moonlight. The full moon was my only companion as I contemplated on my past, present and future plans.

I’ve heard a lot of people plan great things when they reach retirement age. We’ve seen senior citizens aboard cruise ships, excited to embark on the journey of a lifetime to dream destinations. That’s all well and good but to me, retirement age seems such a distant future for an impatient traveler like me. There is so much to see and do that it seems such a waste to wait before experiencing the traveler’s high. For me, it comes with exploring new terrain, tasting new viands, trying new sports, and seeing breathtaking landscapes as well as cultural hotspots.

Besides, it’s much more exciting to plan getaways when you’re young and foolhardy–thinking that you can get away with anything.

Now that I’m an advanced scuba diver and after conquering Mt. Pulag at the age of 28, I still feel the need to seek out more adventures and challenges for as long as humanly possible.

Learn to push yourself to the limits. Sure, there will be setbacks along the way but I guarantee that you’ll be a better and a more well-rounded person.

By the way, there are 3 spots in the Philippines that are included in the book 1000 Places to See Before You Die. I’ve already visited 2 out of the 3. The third spot is very expensive but hopefully, through visualization (a.k.a. The Secret0, I might be privileged enough to actually visit it in the future. Try to guess what Philippine tourist spots made it to the list then scroll down to the footnote for the actual answers.

But, of course, going on a trip isn’t always about the destinations that you want to reach. It’s also about the bond that you form with your travel companions. I’ve had the best of times with kindred souls while on the beach, on mountaintops, riding the waves on a surfboard, onboard a banana boat, while rappeling down a cliff, while walking along the rice terraces, while looking down on cloud formations from a plane and underwater while diving.

After all our adventures, we sit down, reminisce, laugh and plan our next getaways.

In the musical Rent, the characters extol the virtues of measuring life through seasons of love. I prefer to measure my life through the trips I’ve made.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you haven’t experienced that traveler’s high, I recommend joining these two groups that will take care of your traveling needs: the Nature Awareness and Conservation Club Inc and Travel Factor.

Individuals, groups and corporations often avail of Violeta Imperial’s trips, some of which are geared towards ecotourism such as tree planting activities and turtle adoption (sponsoring a pawikan that will be released to the wild).

To join the yahoogroup for regular updates about trips, CLICK HERE. You may also contact Violet at Tel. No. 5157964. She also maintains a Facebook account called PHILIPPINE EcoTourism Paradise)

(CLICK HERE for the Facebook account)

Travel Factor is run by a group of young professionals who share a common passion for the great outdoors. It’s open to everyone and you can even try joining as a solo traveler since you’ll be able to meet a lot of people when you join a group tour.

For more information, visit http://thetravelfactor.multiply.com/

P.S. These are the 3 Philippine tourist spots that made it to the New York best seller 1000 Places to See Before You Die written by Patricia Schultz (published in 2003).

1. Banaue Rice Terraces
“Earth Art, Millenia Old”
Location: Banaue, Luzon, Philippines

Ancient terracing preserves precious topsoil

2. Taal Volcano
“A lake within a volcano, within a lake within an island”
Location: Tagaytay, Luzon, Philippines

Taal’s first recorded eruption was in 1572

3. Amanpulo
“Garboesque isolation on a private isle”
Location: Pamalican Island, Philippines

Garboesque definition: Reference to film star Greta Garbo, evoking a quiet, mysterious, private, calm, serene, poised disposition.

Gimikera wants to know: What’s your favorite travel quote? Why do you want to travel?

There is so much to see and do in the Philippines. Blessed with an archipelago composed of 7,107 islands and one of the longest coastlines in the world, you won’t run out of exciting and world-class destinations to visit.

An advertorial in a travel magazine listed eight adrenaline-pumping activities that will have you raring to go an action-packed adventure. I added the last two activities based on my past trips. Here they are (in no particular order):

1. Surfing at Siargao

Dubbed as the surfing capital of the Philippines, hundreds of people make the long trip to the island at the northeastern tip of Mindanao. Because of the unique oceanic trench in Siargao, the waves break out of deep water and the wave energy goes straight to the beach. International competitions are held around October annually. For surfing novices, lessons are easily available but bring rubber surfing boots because you will need to walk across rocky reefs before riding the waves.

2. Swimming with whale sharks (butanding)

Originally a fishing town, Donsol (Sorsogon) marked itself as a hot spot with the arrival of the whale sharks or butanding. They are the largest species of fish in the world and measure up to 40 feet in length. Today, people who make the trip to that small town in Sorsogon have the privilege to swim with these gentle giants, an opportunity that can’t be found anywhere else. Enjoy swimming with them but make sure not to disturb them by touching or firing your camera’s flash at them.

3. Spelunking at Sagada

If you’re a backpacker, you will get a kick out of Sagada as you will be greeted by an abundance of flora, clear blue skies and rustic scenery. The place is perfect for those who enjoy roughing it up or the occasional city dweller seeking respite.

Aside from walking around the hilly slopes, one can enjoy spelunking as Sagada is home to 60 underground caves. The most famous is the Sumaging cave (in photo). Visitors are treated to a view of magnificent stalactites and stalagmites. At the end of the cave, a waterfall awaits you and you can swim in the pool below. (Be prepared for the ice-cold waters though!)

4. Scuba diving at Tubbataha Reef

Somewhere in the deepest part of the Sulu Sea lies the world-famous Tubbataha Reef. Some of the most beautiful coral reefs and exotic marine life are found there. Seasoned divers appreciate this underwater haven, which is why Tubbataha is one of the Philippines’ marine natural parks as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the marine life that inhabit Tubbataha Reef are giant jacks, hammerhead sharks, barracudas, manta rays, palm-sized Moorish idols and moray eels. It is even home to the hawksbill sea turtles, an endangered species.

5. White-water rafting at Cagayan de Oro

Thrill-seekers will surely enjoy the rough waters of Cagayan de Oro. White-water rafting, after all, is about unpredictability. One never knows the kinds of rapids or waves they’ll have to face. Guides are on standby to teach you the basics of rafting and it is ideal to try the sport in groups of six as the rafts can accomodate that number. Once you are briefed properfly, you are off to enjoy hours’ worth of 14 different types of rapids and the breathtaking scenery around you.

6. Trekking at Mt. Pinatubo

Over a decade ago, this volcano wrecked a lot of havoc but today (as of 2009), it is one of the most famous trekking spots in the Philippines. Locals and foreigners alike are intrigued by the spectacular aqua hue of the crater’s lake and thus willingly make the 3-hour walk from drop-off point in Capas, Tarlac. (If you don’t want to hike for three hous, you can bring your 4×4 vehicles through the Skyway for an additional fee and the hike is shortened to just one hour.)

Interested hikers should arm themselves with comfortable but sturdy footwear and pack light as the strong streams, relatively steep inclines, sharp rocks and long trek can be energy sapping. Once you reach the crater and bask in its beauty, however, you’ll forget how tired you were in the first place–especially since you can cool off by swimming in the crater’s lake.

7. Rock climbing at El Nido, Palawan

Palawan is known for its beaches as well as the bodiversity that thrives around it. With its rainforests, dive sites, caves and mountains, it has become an increasingly popular destination dubbed as the “last frontier.” What most people don’t know, though, is that Palawan is one of the top rock climbing spots in the country. Organized treks allow would-be climbers to scale limestone cliffs and behold breathtaking views from the summit.

8. Wakeboarding at CamSur

CamSur, the abbreviated term for Camarines Sur, is the place to be when it comes to water sports. The Camsur Water Sports Complex is a watersports park for wakeboarding, wakeskating and waterskiing; the most popular sport being wakeboarding. It is just like water skiing but the skier is instead pulled by an overhead cable suspended 8 to 12 meters above water. The six-hectare cable wakeboarding park is guaranteed to give anyone a rush — whether you’re a first-timer on a recreation high or a professional with fancy tricks.

9. Mountain climbing in Mt. Pulag

Known as the rooftop of Luzon, Mt. Pulag is the third highest mountain in the Philippines at 2,922 meters above sea level. Pulag’s cool, sometimes near-freezing weather is a great break from Manila’s heat. It’s 10 hours from Manila to Pulag but the views are well worth the trip. Pulag offers several trek options — the Ambangeg route is established, taking you through a mossy forest, grasslands and dward bamboo plants — perfect for beginners. The Akiki trail is a 10-hour to 12-hour challenge. The highlight of every trip is the climb to the summit to witness the glorious sunrise or the golden sunset amid a sea of clouds.

10. Shooting the rapids at Pagsanjan River

The two-hour “Shooting the Rapids” begins in the still headwaters of the Pagsanjan River. Each banca, paddled by two boatmen, can accommodate two or three passengers. The boatmen steer the banca upstream, passing narrowly between or above boulders or rocks. At times, the boatmen have to get-off the banca, and with their bare feet, step on the boulders to push the banca upstream, maintaining balance, against a downward strong current.

Depending on whether it is low or high tide, you will pass through 11 or 16 rapids before you reach the major waterfalls where you will transfer to a bamboo raft that will take you beneath the cascading water and into a hidden cave. The falls come from a 300-foot cliff in full view.

(I tried this before but I discovered there are some “hidden charges” that the boatmen suddenly ask for during the trip. Agree on a fixed price before you ride the banca to the waterfalls.)