Life on the Happy Lane!

As the rainy season officially arrived with a splash, I watched the last days of fun and vacation season come to an end. I let summer pass me by, but in my mind,I remember my days of sheer happiness in the beach with nary a care to the sunburn that will ensue; the times I've spent with friends and family traveling and picnicking; the feel of the wind blowing through my hair as I journey to some off-the-beaten path; and the touch of sunshine and sea breeze on my skin--so vivid and real, that I can almost smell the sea, feel the cool water on my feet and hear the waves. Sigh, unfortunately, I had none of those of late. Or at least not yet. These images flash through my mind at random hours of the day--right while I'm in the middle of my work, before I fall asleep or as I sit idly in front of my computer surfing through the summer outing pictures of my Facebook friends. My longing for travel intensifies even more when people tell me what wonderful time they had during their recent...

The Imposing Beauty of a Near-Perfect Cone: Mayon Volcano of Albay Just a few months back, Mount Mayon stole the headlines once again. The impending eruption, which fortunately did not materialize, gave many of the residents living near the volcano a scare...but promised tourists and sightseers a view like no other. Thus, despite the clear danger of being near a temperamental beauty that is Mount Mayon, at a time when it was about to erupt no less, people still could not resist to be awed by its sight. I didn't witness this near-eruption stage save on TV, but decided nonetheless to share my Mount Mayon sight-seeing trip not too long ago. Mount Mayon is the queen of volcanoes in the Philippines. Not only does it have an attitude--not a single decade has passed in my entire lifetime that the volcano did not act up, spew ashes, shake the earth, cough out molten rocks and force people to evacuate--it is also, above all, a sight to behold. Mount Mayon is one of the most act...

Paguriran Island confirmed that there is still so much to discover around the Bicol area--and what a wonderful discovery it was! Paguriran Island It was one of those spur-of-the-moment events when I just go ahead and simply do whatever I wanna do. With all my deadlines finished and the opening of classes just a few days away, I wanted to maximize the remaining days I have as a beach goddess even if summer has officially ended and June--the month of rain and opening of classes--reared its ugly head. I came across Paguriran Island during my Internet search for new travel destinations, and I knew that very instant that I want to go there. The soonest the better. Apparently, wanderlust can be infectious and I immediately influenced my friend Melody to come also. In no time, Von, Don, Kath and Johann are with us as well. Wow, it was a childhood friends reunion of some sort hehe. Throwing caution to the wind and believing in fate's benevolence that everything will turn out fine, we al...

(Click on pictures for larger view. Photos courtesy of Kuya Arnold L., Karen B., Kuya Rainier B., and Joann Z. Thanks po!) Caramoan Paradise Imagine tranquility and nature. Picture white sand beaches, rolling hills, fresh sea foods and friendly locals--a cozy escape from the mundane and the busy life. Savor the spirit of travel and adventure all within reach. This is Caramoan. Located at the tip of the Caramoan Peninsula in the Province of Camarines Sur (Bicol Region), the once slow-paced rural fishing town of Caramoan has been bustling with tourism activities of late. The place is touted to be one of the top travel destinations in the Philippines in the recent years and in fact, was catapulted to widespread--and dare I say international--fame after two foreign Survivor Series have been shot in the island--the first one from France and the second, from Israel if I remember correctly. Hence, the island has become a part of the mainstream Pinoy traveler's lingo. A friend of mine onc...