“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
― Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan

Despite the scarcity of moolah I experienced throughout the year, I somehow managed to scraped off some travel funds and get my butt across 13+ destinations, both locally and abroad.

So before a new calendar goes up the wall – unless the world comes to a stand still today thanks to the prediction of the Mayans – I would like to take this chance to reminisce and look back to those crazy times I had on the road.

Anawangin / Nagsasa / Capones, Zambales
January  2012 

PTB Bagets at Anawangin Cove, Zambales. Photo credit to Ian of Brownmantrips.com

This spontaneous trip to Zambales paved the way for all my wandering adventures in 2012. Out of nowhere, I ended up joining the birthday trip of a co-blogger named Ivan where I also met other adventurous souls like Elal, Chino, Byron, Ian, Cai and JL.

Together, we traversed Mount Pundaquit in the middle of the scorching heat of the afternoon sun (believe me when I say I almost died on that trek!), scared ourselves senseless during a kwentuhan-slash-takutan session in Nagsasa Cove, marveled at the night sky veiled with thousands of twinkling stars and bathe in the rough waters of Capones to reach the rustic Faro Punta de Capones. Needless to say, it was an unforgettable trip made even more remarkable by new-found friends. Continue reading “2012: A year of Perpetual Summer” »

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Anawangin and Nagsasa Cove in San Antonio, Zambales are some of the favorite weekend getaway spots for those wanting to temporarily escape from the toxicity of Metro Manila. Situated just a few hours away from the bustling metro, these beautiful coves which are formed through the mighty eruption of Mount Pinatubo, offer scenic landscapes where the land, sky and sea meet.

So if your idea of a weekend getaway is to spend it chilling by the beach on a hammock or lying in the sand and staring up at the sky at night, then heading to Anawangin or Nagsasa Cove will be the perfect respite. Continue reading “TRAVEL GUIDE | Anawangin and Nagsasa Cove” »

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Joanna Jane Liwag

The amazing view of Anawangin Cove from the summit of Mount Pundaquit.

I was gasping for breath. My head kept on spinning and it took every inch of will power and concentration not to swoon and fall. I could even hear the rapid beating of my overworked heart, trying to compensate for the sudden lack of oxygen in my system. It was my first ever mountain climb  and I was having a difficult time keeping up with the rest of the gang. As it was, we were on the middle of our mission to traverse and conquer Mt. Pundaquit.

So how did I end up in that situation anyway? Continue reading “Zambales | Conquering the challenge of Mt. Pundaquit” »

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Joanna Jane Liwag