The Philippines is full of picturesque destinations, and many of them haven’t been discovered by the many tourists that flock to the country each year. One such location is Osmeña Peak in the town of Dalaguete in the province of Cebu. It’s one of the best kept secrets of  the Central Visayas Region – a must-see for those who love absolutely gorgeous mountain views of the Philippines’ lush tropical landscape.

Full but still tired from all the commute, I couldn't wait to get to our hotel. On our way back from High Ridge, we made a pitstop at a roadside fruit vendor (which was already closed, but we begged to be let in) to get some durian. I wasn't too enthused about it to be honest, but I still enjoyed the communal durian-feasting. We drank Coke after – to burp the icky smell of durian away – and since I was still hungry, I bought some bread from the bakery across the street.

In any case, after our evening dessert, we finally made our way to our hotel.

It had turned dark when we left the Divine Mercy Hill. Dinner was our next agenda. As we approached the city center of Cagayan de Oro, I marveled at how quickly the traffic had turned heavy. I found it amusing but only at first. As we spent more and more time stuck on the highway of the city, the more I remember how hungry I was.

A 68-foot statue of Christ ala Brazil's Rio de Janeiro towers over the Divine Mercy Hill in the town of El Salvador in the province of Misamis Oriental. Every Holy Week, devotees flock to this site, up the 70 steps of the massive statue, into the tabernacle holding the Blessed Sacrament. Completed in 2008, the view here sweeps across the Macalajar Bay where sunrise is said to be extraordinary, particularly on the next Sunday after Easter.

Imagine going on a foodtrip right after yoga. Sounds counterproductive? Oh, totally. But, that's what Marky, Christine, and I did. We'd just finished attending Ferdz' yoga session in Community Fitness in Pasig where we also went in a walking tour/foodtrip.

We already did some good eating around Pasig, but we weren't done yet. In the afternoon, we rode to Quezon City for another round. Hey, what's life without a few workouts going completely to waste?

When I got a message from THE Gay Mitra-Emami, the PTB Queen herself, asking if I could represent her to a sponsored trip to Singapore, I instantly said no. 

One of my bestfriends Nikki was home from Dubai, and wanting to spend time with her, I took her with me to Batangas, to Eagle Point Resort for some quality bonding time.

When one literally eats dust on an empty stomach, one tends to crave real food. Fortunately, after the sandy soiree over at the La Paz Sand Dunes, and a quick jaunt at the Bangui Windmills, we proceeded to Pagudpud for lunch.

It's been almost four years since I started this life, since this magical, wonderful, wandering life became my reality. It may have been born of sorrow, but it had lead me to experience joy in ways I wouldn't have if I'd stayed in one place. 

On that fateful day in April of 2014, just three months after my mother died, I'd gone to what was the first of my many adventures. It was in the Ilocos that I'd traveled to, with my former colleagues who'd been kind enough to extend me an invitation. 

Storytime is a series of  stories about my most memorable travel experiences. Read more here.

As our journey to the North continued to Ilocos Norte, we found ourselves in the city of Laoag, in the expansive desert that is the La Paz Sand Dunes.

I'm no stranger to the sand dunes of Ilocos. I have been to the one in Paoay almost four years ago as part of my very first adventure. But still, I was excited to brave the desert once again.

So along with three of my companions, we boarded a 4x4 and rattled across the bumpy landscape. Our bodies jostling as we scaled hills and rushed back down. The ride, albeit bruising, was exhilarating.