Boracay with Lugawmates

Mag-lugaw. It's the act of not doing anything or more apt, the act of not doing what you're supposed to do.

They say that this use of term originated from merchandisers/refillers who in their breaktime eat lugaw. Until the term 'naglulugaw' eventually evolve to a slang conveying 'not doing work'.

Lugawmates-- ex-colleagues slash great friends, who have mastered the art of 'lugaw'. An unlikely group coming from various parts of the country, brought together by work circumstances, glued by the same firey passion and ironically equally chill disposition.

The idea if Boracay sprung about from one of those lugaw email threads.
I don't remember whose idea was it, next thing I knew, I was booking online tickets for some of us.

Then the Boracay weekend came. True to our name, lugaw was what we did. With no definite objective or itinerary (we didn't even had reserved accommodations that morning of our trip) , we set foot to the island of Boracay.

But things unfold rather positively (despite the flight delays going to and from Kalibo) .

Free accommodation in Casa Pilar, courtesy of Baby's mom :)
Proposal story of Baby and Remus over cocktails.

A refreshing half day in Shangri-La Resort and Spa .

A bit of Swimming,
A lot of Lounging and People Watching.

And just chilling is quite cheap. I spent only about P2700 for the trip plus the P3000 roundtrip plane fare.

The art of just chilling are lugaw moments at its best. :)

Dive or Surf

I've been asked by a friend...
Friend: What do you love more, Diving or Surfing?
Nel: Hmmmm... If I were a guy, Diving is like my wife. It's first love. Surfing is like my mistress, it brings the thrill.
Friend: Bakit, di ba pwedeng magka-mistress ang girl...Mister-ess?

Travel Buddies

Travel--a passion I have ever since I can remember, a passion shared with a lot of people, and an aspiration for many others.

For those who share this passion and aspiration, keep traveling. Travel wide and deep. And keep in mind that traveling, most if not all of the time, is a shared experience.

It is not just where you go but who you are with that makes traveling memorable and enriching. Traveling does not only allows us to discover places and cultures, but it leads to further discovery of oneself and of others.

And with that, I urge you to travel with different groups of people, and in moments, travel solo.

Travel with your family. Even if you're all grownups, travel with your parents and siblings. It breaks monotony from your daily home lives. It may be the most stressful travel you may have, but surpassed the stress, the memories are more meaningful.

Travel with your best friends. With them, you can be just as you are, with zero inhibitions. They know your ins and outs, strengths and weaknesses, and every mood swings. Traveling with them is like a long sleep over -- non-stop teasing, joking, and laughing. But beyond the bickering and laughter are strokes of deep conversations rooted from real caring.

Travel with friends of friends. There's a certain thrill and excitement in meeting people with common interests and sharing the same experience with them. In tag- along trips, you grow your circle, you meet acquaintances and cultivate friendships.

Travel Solo. It requires a whole lot of courage to travel alone, but this can be the most enriching travel experience one can have. In moments of solitude, introspection happens. In introspection, a better understanding of yourself and of God.

But again, no one walks alone. In the course of solo travels, you meet people along the way, people from different walks of life, from different states of being, with different levels of life experiences. And as you cross paths, from those single-served chitchats to long-engaging conversations over meals and drinks, you're sharing a part of yourself and receiving a part of theirs.

In solo travel, there is always a sense of solitude and community. You are one but one with others.

To my fellow wanderers, and to aspiring travelers, just keep exploring. Visit new places and meet new faces.
Travel and be one with the world.