A blog is a great way to share travel stories, tips and advice. But where does a traveler store her most intimate thoughts and musings? A place where she can be herself with no pretense or judgment? I'm sure most of us still like to keep a travel diary or journal to write down observations, reminders or seemingly incoherent ideas.


When I started traveling, my journals became my most prized possessions. I enjoyed going through the pages, reading my former self's thoughts, and wondering about the places I've been and where I'm headed next. One of my favorite entries was written on my birthday last year.

I was asked to join GMA 7's Poptalk as a guest on their Batanes episode. I had a wonderful time with the crew, exploring what I would remember as the most beautiful place I've visited in the Philippines. But I didn't expect that the trip would last longer than just the 1 week I initially planned.

My backpack, which contained almost all my clothes, laptop and essentials ended up "stranded" in Itbayat, one of the lesser visited islands in the region. And to make it worse, trips going to and from the island were cancelled for more than a week because of bad weather. I ended up spending my birthday in Batanes, which a friend's family. All in all, it wasn't such a bad place to get "stuck" in. I wrote my thoughts down on my journal:


"On Turning 31

I discover that I'm not out to accomplish anything or prove anything to anyone. Not even to collect experiences or souvenirs.

I know everything is fleeting, transitory. My life is constantly shifting, moving and I dance along with these changes.

I stare at the waves and know that I am drawn to their energy, power and grace. Because I am simply a wave in a big ocean. Coasting along, transitioning, moving forward- always. From shore to shore. I have no home but I belong to the vast sea.

I move forward to lose everything- things, sanity, myself even. I lose everything to find myself. Because self is often hidden in the clutter and the noise. You never really see yourself for who you are until you have lost everything.

Light is how I feel. As light as a baby born with nothing. Happy only to be alive. Alive - that's how I feel today- at 31."

Valugan, Batanes March 2013
Sole Sister Lois

I asked my Sole Sisters to share a page from their travel diaries. Here's a peek:

“People in constant movement recognize the value of stillness,” said Pico Iyer during his talk at the Singapore Writer’s Festival some time ago. Finally, after the craziest, most challenging and overwhelming month at work, I’m happy that I can finally put my life on pause this weekend.
So I’m okay with staying in on my first night in Seoul, Korea where I’m writing this entry from my hotel room. Sometimes adventure can wait until tomorrow. Tonight is for stillness."
I’ve been living in an island near Bali, Indonesia for over a year now. Moving here was nothing short of life changing. My existence here is so different from the structured and restrictive “normal” routine that I have been accustomed to. I feel as if I have been given a second childhood to just be myself and play all day.

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