Follow Your Passion and Share it to the World

I remember one of my teachers in college asking everyone in the class: What's your passion? Simply because I was a homebody back then who loved to write anything I could, I told her "writing is my passion". She suggested, why not make a blog containing the quotable quotes of your professors? While I was blogging back then, it was more of a personal blog where I could vent out all the rants and raves in my life.

Like what was said in my "About" page, I only discovered my passion for travel when I was already out of school. The passion became more of a lifestyle than a simple hobby. I don't travel for vacations or holidays. I travel because it has already become a part of my life. For three years, it was rare that a month be spared from traveling. Hence, I seemed to be out of reach not only when I was on the road, but also on a daily basis when I was busy carefully planning custom-fit adventurous itineraries (I really transform into my "Don't mess with me" alter-ego during those days).

It was only recently that I had my "travel leave" and had all the time that I need to start this travel blog. For those who ask, while this blog was started just this March 2012, all the other pre-dated entries came from stored information and photos in my own safekeeping. I made it a point to collect and save these information because I always wanted to one day share it to the world. Also, the travel memories were carefully stored in my selective photographic memory.

Writing is my first love and travel is my learned love. Combine these, and the result is this blog. It's really a wonderful feeling to be able to pursue your passion, and be able to fulfill other incidental things on the side.

1. In my own little way, I had my venue to show my love for the beautiful places in the Philippines, which by no means, could be compared to any place in the world. And hopefully, I could influence Filipinos to explore this country, too, and see for themselves that the Philippines is worth more than what they see on those viral copycat memes.

2. I could help fellow travelers who are too busy (or too lazy) to do research. Researching for the best and most economical itineraries requires a person with a pure passion for deep research (or in simple terms, with exemplary stalking skills). Most of my itineraries to new destinations are a product of mixing and matching various available information in the internet until it fits what I want and what I can afford. As long as I have Google, I have no reason to be afraid to explore a new destination.

3. This, I experienced just today. I could win a prize, and on my side, that would be one of the best incidental thing that could happen while fulfilling my passion.

I won an iTunes gift card by joining my first-ever writing project. :)

4. While my aim was to share the love for travel to the world, I thought I would be the only person to love this blog. It was really touching and overwhelming that people find this blog influential. With all honesty, I joined the writing project so I could at least be cited once (by myself), but I was amazed that there were other people who cited this blog, thus making me the first on the list on the first week of nominations for the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2012. More than the nominations, the words that these bloggers said about me and this blog became my source of inspiration.

I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to these people who found this blog influential. Merely being cited as a helpful blog would make my day, what more if it is deemed influential?

I also suggest reading their blogs (click on their names to link). You will surely learn something from the experiences that they share.

And again, thank you Ms. Janette Toral for opening this chance for newbie bloggers. I wish I am that influential to invite people (even older bloggers) to join the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2012 Writing Project.

Again, feel free to cite this blog if ever you decide to join. Being on a "travel leave", the kind words from fellow bloggers are the things that comfort me and inspire me to continue posting new stuff while keeping up with my still long list of back posts. :)