I was back where I started.
Some things remained as I had left them … a lot of new developments around … perhaps the biggest change I noticed during my revisit to Palawan was how much of me feels different.
The last time I traveled to Palawan was one of my personal milestones. It was my first attempt to go solo backpacking. A taste of the life I was setting myself up for the next 19 months … almost two years ago, yikes!
I fell in love with the natural landscapes of Palawan especially El Nido. No place I visited still compared.
Before moving on to the new year, I craved to go back. I was feeling disconnected and needed to get in touch with how I was before so I could better understand what traveling means to me now.
Rediscover Palawan (Tabon Caves, El Nido, Puerto Princesa) in 13 days
El Nido and Puerto Princesa
El Nido was particularly memorable because I met two awesome travel buddies, Frtizie and Anna, there. They hooked me up with their gang of fun and interesting “travelmates” when I joined them on a summer trip in Calaguas Island. I was elated when Fritzie told me she also wanted to go back to El Nido and bring the travelmates along.
My trip started with a flight from “Iloilo to Manila” then “Manila to Puerto Princesa ” on board Airphil Express. From Puerto Princesa, we visited the Underground River in Sabang then went straight to El Nido (at the northernmost tip of the island). We spent two whole days on amazing island hopping tours of Bacuit Bay and then took a land trip to the undeveloped twin beaches of Nacpan and Calintang.
Sea of clouds onboard an early morning flight from Iloilo to Manila
Puerto Princesa Underground River, now one of the New7Wonders of Nature
Beautiful mountain and beach landscape of Sabang
Shimizu Island in El Nido
Seafood Picnic Lunch at the Beach
Elevated view of Matinloc Island
Lengthy shoreline, blue waters, and beautiful waves at Nacpan/Calintang Beach
Hike up Taraw Peak in El Nido Town Proper
Approaching dusk at Calaan Beach in El Nido
El Nido was still beautiful even the second time around!
While my friends left for Puerto Princesa and flew back to Manila, I stayed for two more nights in El Nido.
Southern Palawan
Southern Palawan isn’t as well visited as its counterparts in the north. It’s also not featured as much in travel blogs. I really wanted to go as far as Balabac, the southernmost town in Palawan, but didn’t have enough time. So, I had to choose just one destination: the Tabon Cave Complex in Quezon town.
I spent three days in Quezon and then another two days back in Puerto Princesa before finally going back home to Iloilo to await the new year.
Inside Igang Cave at the Tabon Caves Complex in Quezon
Archaeological diggings at the actual Tabon Cave
Bonton Falls in Brgy. Irawan, Puerto Princesa City
Realizations
I was in a crossroads of life again. Having spent this whole time engrossed at living a free spirited semi-nomadic life and then taking a long breather at home resulted into deep introspection on decisions about my “path.” I began to ask myself if traveling is something I can endure for the entirety of life (like a free spirit wandering the world) or if traveling is only sanely done in between life stages (like an escape from the normalcy of societal life or when searching for the promise of a more meaningful life).
I wanted to figure out an answer because I was afraid that if I went away to “live on the road” too long and then fail miserably, I’d be too devastated (emotionally and financially) to start over … especially because I already have what I consider a “home” (surrounded by my loving family and amazing friends). I could build a good life (in terms of living standards) if I actually invested enough of my time and money on it.
I’ve definitely changed since the last time I came to Palawan but I also discovered that I still had the same desire to “live on the road.” Now more than ever because I’ve worked so hard to make it that more possible.
I asked myself again … if I truly believed I had seen and experience enough. The answer was a big no … I don’t even feel like I am halfway there.
I should really learn to stop over-analyzing everything and just get myself out there … really experience firsthand what works, what doesn’t, and then make adjustments.
Air transfers from “Iloilo – Manila” and “Manila – Puerto Princesa” during my Rediscover Palawan Series was made possible by AirPhil Express, the country’s fastest growing budget airline. Connect with AirPhil Express in facebook and twitter.
Related Posts
Link to full article
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét