Join the #mirrorless revolution!

I've always loved good photographs ever since I was a child. From wallpapers to lucky shots, I was awed every time. 

To me, great photos are a precious treasure. It is something you can keep for a long time. It is a moment frozen in time.

Along my journey of travelling and photography combined, I simply cannot withstand the burden of carrying a bulky camera that adds up to my backpack. It destroys the concept of "travelling light." It slows you down. Come on, my empty backpack already weighs a bunch!

I've decided to sell my Nikon D7000 and got myself a mirrorless Fujifilm X-Pro1 (this is not a sponsored post). This is not to say that one is better than the other. But the Fuji is better in addressing my needs.

Nikon D7000 with 35mm 1.8G
takes really good photos. But at the end of the day, it's not going to be the camera. It's going to be YOU!

Why I'm excited about it:

• Very light and portable
• Vintage design
• I got the 18mm f2.0 lens which is GREAT for travelling like shooting landscapes and people in a wide angle!
• Embrace change

Why I'm worried about it:

• New settings/functions that I will have to adjust to
• I had broader DOF (depth of field) in my 35mm DSLR lens especially for people shots
• I've noticed it was slower in continuous shots
• Difficult for me to use the eyeview
• – or I may have just misused it

So did I help you choose your next camera? Not really. This is not a general comparison.
If you do not face the problems I had with my DSLR, then you might just ditch the mirrorless camera especially in terms of the price. A significantly cheaper DSLR can outperform a more expensive mirrorless camera. But that's just how it is; new and more advanced technology and gadgets are always pricier.

I will be using this camera for my future adventures. So stay tuned and watch out!

Fernweh – an ache for distant places (with video)

We were once nomads in this used-to-be unindustrialised world, going from place to place to find food and shelter as food becomes scarce and the terrifying weather closes in. As culture evolves and as science progresses, many have lost the sense of wander.

I am one of the lucky few with intense wanderlust only waiting to be expressed in the most efficient ways. Travel bloggers and travellers of this country have also inspired me to travel in a more fun way.

I've realized that travelling is empty when you look for the destination, because the place is just a cold environment but what makes it come to life is the PEOPLE & the CULTURE. This is where we learn. This is how we grow more. This is how fully grown adults can grow more.

But we are all different. My ways are not yours and yours are not mine. Many go out with company and some with no one else but themselves. I'm the kind of person who is not a planner. I procrastinate. I am selfish. I have barely have and want schedule. I don't want routine. I don't want "this weekend." In fact, I travel on weekdays to avoid too much crowd. I'm a traveller who just packs and go after deciding the night before. It teaches me to be vigilant, and to be prepared for what is coming.

"The adventure is not knowing what's gonna happen next. It's accepting that you don't have control over the future, that all you have control of is now.."
"..when you are in the moment, you are able to do things that other people might not understand or put a finger on.."
~ Daniel Ilabaca, Traceur (Parkour practitioner)

When you think of the future, you fail from being in the moment.
The only moment is now.

Now, stop reading this. Go out there and explore the world!

Here's a teaser video for my solo travel from Cebu-Dapitan via Bohol, Siquijor, & Dumaguete! Enjoy watching. SHARE :)

Here's to brighter tomorrows!

BOTH FEET FORWARD: My first & solo travel

It all started after being bored and stressed of all the life around me, I mean, I knew I wasn't the only one who felt the same but most people kind of just leave it at that and just live with it. Eventually, after a few years of pressure I felt like I needed some fresh air, literally. I was just sick of facing traffic everyday; all the noise and blinding glare of the scorching sun on my way to another stressful obligation that I don't like to do. 

It was on the 2nd week of May 2014 that I made my first and solo travel with no proper itinerary, no proper budget allocation, absolutely just for the sake of escaping the life.

OSLOB: The gentle giant & the showers

The first bus trip to Oslob was at 2am in South Bus Terminal (SBT). Most people just call it 'South Bus' for short. 

I went there and the bus left at around 3am. I always told the conductor of the bus to drop me in the right place because I literally had no idea where I was going. I didn't even know which comes first, Oslob or Dalaguete. 

I arrived in Tan-awan, Oslob (where the resort that handles the watching was) at around 5:45am. I went to the desk and had a little chat. The guy in charge told me I had to wait a little while because the fishermen/handlers were still preparing for the watch. While waiting, I took some photos.

Sunrise at Tan-awan Oslob: the handler prepare

After a few minutes, more and more people arrived, mostly foreigners. I paid the watch fee of P600, had my locker, and changed outfit for the swim.

I met this guy from abroad who was also travelling solo. He said he just graduated from school and just came on vacation. We were having a small talk until the paddle boat detoured us to the orientation area where we were told the rules:

• Camera flash must not be turned on
• 4 metres away from the whaleshark
• No jumping into the water or making splashes
• Do not feed the whalesharks

That was it! It was time to go! I was very excited to see this giant.

As it turned out, it was as huge as a car but as gentle as... I don't know.. a turtle..? 

Swimming with or watching the whalesharks is only given 30 minutes due to the number of tourists coming every hour. After the swim/watch, I ate my breakfast on the resort. The guy in charge offered me a ride to Tumalog falls for a price. Of course, I could have gotten it cheaper but I wasn't as budget-conscious at the time. He charged P140 for it back and forth. The ride took several minutes but when I arrived it was magnificent.

Tumalog Falls is a unique waterfall because of the way the waters drop – not in a concentrated, heavy manner. The waters showered as if it were heaven-sent through the pouring rain.

I met a family on vacation who had a problem in taking a picture because of possible water damage. So I offered my camera and proposed to just send them the photo through Facebook, and I did. 

DALAGUETE: Pico Osmeña

It was a great experience and I was back on the highway for my next destination: Dalaguete.

It was still mid-morning but I didn't know where to go so I went on a bus anyway. I arrived in Dalaguete and I stopped in a coffeeshop/bar to have a cup of coffee; my tummy was feeling a little funny. It also let some time to pass. 

It was still 11am so I went to the nearby Museo Dalaguete to have a little look.

I asked the tourism inside on how to go to Osmeña Peak. 

I took a habal-habal ride from the highway of Dalagete to the Vegetable Basket of Cebu: Mantalongon. The fare to the town was P50 and another P50 to the foot of the mountain, which I should've taken but didn't. I was able to meet a councilor in that town who gave me choices of which path I can take. 

There were 3 ways to go to the foot of the mountain:

1. Via habal-habal ride for P50 from Mantalongon market
2. Trek from Mantalongon market going the same route as the habal-habal ride
3. Trek from Mantalongon via around many vegerable plantations, the long way

Having no idea of the suffering I was about to face (lol), I took option 3 because I had the urging feeling of adventure. So then I went.. Saw houses, people, plantations, but no one else took the route as I did. It was not just the road less taken, it was the road NOT taken. Everyone I encountered and asked along the way all similarly replied, "You are going the wrong way.", "It's the other way." It was deeply discouraging yet I had no choice but to move forward. I could not stop and turn back as all my efforts would be for nothing. 

I moved forward with little hope, little hope that was completely shattered when, after an hour of trekking, another girl told me I was still 2 hours away. I was literally exhausted. I was saving water because I had no idea what distance I had yet to cover. 

At last, the foot of the mountain at 1 hr & 30 min of trekking under complete exposure to the scorching 3pm sun. There's a stop in the foot where you are required to sign in a logbook for monitoring purposes, and a P20 fee. From the foot of the mountain to the peak, it takes 10-15 minutes; it felt nothing compared to the road I took so I had no complaints. 

For the first time in my life, I've reached a mountaintop and on my own. 

It is a rugged paradise that had me paused for a moment to absorb its magnificence. 

The view was stunning.

I was hoping for a sunset but sadly, the fog peaked at 5:30pm. I had no choice but to go home. Nevertheless, it was a great experience to be on top of such marvel of nature and seeing what was frozen in time in my eyes.

I called the same habal-habal driver to pick me up. 
I went home with satisfaction and great fulfilment as I've realized..
that I was escaping from the slow torture of daily routine and stress, and that I was having the best time of my life with life itself; what life is all about. 

Don't be afraid to travel, especially alone. We never stop growing. We never stop learning.

Will I be back in these places? Certainly, and with a more interesting story, a more detailed how-to-get-there.

My expenses:

• Approximately P350 fare (cebu-oslob, oslob-dalaguete, dalaguete-cebu)
• Whaleshark watching - P600
• Breakfast - less than P150 (your preference, I suggest bringing your own)
• Tumalog Falls - P140
• Dalaguete highway to Mantalongon market - P50
• Mantalongon market to foot of the mountain (optional, but suggested) - P50
• Foot of the mountain down to Dalaguete highway  - P100

–– TOTAL - P1,290