To see and experience as much and to capture them in words

As I was reading “Wild” a vivid memory of a friend flashed back to me. He was a friend I met on the road and travelled with. Then, just like any other thought it flowed to another insight… as much as I’ve been wishing to have a boyfriend, I definitely love my singlehood and the experiences and freedom that come with it. Before I got into my very first relationship, it took me a lot of years of meeting, dating, and getting to know quite a few number of guys. Disgracefully, I met most of them at a club, where I was my alter ego – find a cutie, judge him by the way he dresses, by the people he is with, by the his presence, talk to him, and if he seems to fit my subconscious criteria, flirt, I’d like to think I did it with class, but some nights, remembering them now didn’t seem too classy to my 27-year old self. YUCK. But the point was, I was fearless in the club, I learned to deduct the possibility of rejection. Fast forward to a few days after, when a guy would text me or ask ...

One of the happiest states I find myself in is when I go on solo travel. It may not be everybody’s thing, but I want to make a case as to why you should try it at least once. Basically because it’s so much fun but more so it makes me a better person – that is why I feel it is my moral obligation to appeal to you and disturb your senses with hopes that you go on and take that solo adventure. Before I go on to the list “why you should,” let me guess some of the reasons why have not tried traveling solo. 1.        You are afraid that something bad might happen to you. Like getting lost or getting ripped off. These are valid concerns but they are not unique to traveling alone, these things can happen even when you’re traveling with someone or with a group. The key to avoiding these is to plan and research. There are gazillion sources online about everything. I suggest that you: -           ...

As I reflect on the question I receive on a regular basis - why I still don't have a boyfriend - one of the things that comes to mind is that I think I am lucky in the department of having good men in my life. And when most your life you have been surrounded with the cream of the crop, it just follows that you construct for yourself standards based on them. It’s my ex-lovers, my friends, my brothers, my colleagues, my heroes who I am blaming as to why I still don't have a boyfriend, I mean, it can't all just be me. Let's expound on this a little more. I can say that most of my guy friends are the nicest and most interesting guys I know. I'm used to having good laughs with them, that's why I can never connect, more so get attracted to someone who does not have the same kind of humor as I do and I hate doing fake laughs just to be 'nice.' I'm used to talking with my boy friends about stuff, interesting stuff and vain/useless stuff. I like co...

I'm a really curious person, maybe that's the biggest drive for my love of travel and adventure. I've heard this TED talk about "Multipotentialites" which basically are people who have no one true calling. My favorite synonym to this is the Renaissance person, those "whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas, referring to the renaissance time period." And I felt a little relived after somebody told me that it's okay to be wanting so many diverse and sometimes contradicting things in life. As somebody who values consistency, it's always a constant battle whether or not I should be more consistent in the things that I pursue. Like my love of adventure and how I love my corporate stint. Sometimes when I review my life, I come reach a point where I force myself to make a decision on whether to pursue this and let go of that. Oh what a relief it was to stumble upon this insight, that I can actually chase after many drea...

If you're a friend, you probably know that I spend my birthdays somewhere I've never set foot in. I've been doing this for 5 years now. For my 27th birthday, I decided to spend it in the Himalayas. One of the best decisions by far. I am still struggling as to how to share that awesome trip to everyone. Within the 2 weeks of my travel, I have countless experiences, observations, insights, etc that I cant organized. Maybe for this post, to put more order, I will write the top 15 things that I learned from that trip. 1. BE READY FOR SURPRISES I've always loved good surprises. But what I re-learned during this trip is that I should be ready with both the good and the bad. The trek in the Himalayas was not what I expected it to be, in several aspects, but what I didn't expect was how it wasn't as easy to find a friend/friends who would trek with me. I had images in my head of fun-filled hours of trekking in the mountain with new found friends. I...

Last week, I've gotten my first barrel. It was not how I imagined it to be because 1. I thought I would have time to enjoy it, but it was too fast and it was too scary and I closed my eyes that I didn't see it happen, I felt it. 2. I didn't actually think that it was the day and the place where I'd get barreled. But I guess Im lucky than most, because its rare that one's first barrel is captured and immortalized in an image. The spot is called Speedy Gonzaleft, the name will make sense once you see how fast the surf breaks, it will make more sense when actually surf it. You will find yourself saying, "that's why..." once you surf it and wish that it slows down a little bit. Going to the Gonzaleft is a production, you need to take a car, then motorbike, pass by streams, rivers, narrow bridges, military check points, dirt road, pink soiled road, orange soiled road, etc. I guess you get the drift. Just imagine yourself, riding a vibrating chair for...