Win a FREE Backpacking Trip for Three!

Backpacking can be described as travelling on a very tight budget, but what sets it apart from regular travelling is how it steps away from mainstream tourist experiences. Backpackers are active adventure seekers, always looking for diverse experiences in various locations.

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*Promo is open to all Philippine residents who are fans of GV Hotels on Facebook.

WHAT’S AT STAKE:
An all-expenses paid backpacking adventure trip for 3 to one of the 22 branches of GV Hotels. This includes:

• Airfare
• GV Hotels Accommodation
• Meals
• Basic Tour

Adrien Brody in Manila

I just read from my favorite blog, Chuvaness, that Adrien Brody is in Manila. Yes, The Pianist is in the Philippines.

Apparently, he was seen lining up in NAIA 3 and boarding a domestic flight.

Credits to Literary Bulimia's blog

Adrien Brody at NAIA 1 with former model Eva Cadelina. Photo from Chuvaness.

I wonder what he's up to here in the PI. Business or pleasure? Could it be both?

February 29: Ladies' Privilege Day

2012 is a Leap Year. Apparently, any year which is divisible by 4 is a leap year. Full centuries, however, have to be divisible by 400 to be considered a leap year. For example, 1900 was not a leap year while 2000 was.

Have you seen that 2010 movie, Leap Year? Well, it is a tale of a woman who follows her boyfriend to Ireland in order to propose to him.

 According to folklore, February 29 is a day when it is considered the norm for a woman to propose to her man. The man is obliged to accept the proposal. Otherwise, it will only be deemed proper that he pays the woman or gives her a gift to soften the blow of rejection. In ancient times, a silk gown or a £100 was the price the man had to pay.

Aftermath of A Quake

February 6, 2012 - A 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the entire Negros Island, Cebu, and some parts of Mindanao. 

Credits to Ike Pacana Photography.

I have been trying to blog about it for some time but the aftershocks keep on getting to me. It is now two weeks later. So, instead of the earthquake photos, I will just post photos of people reaching out to the communities affected by the massive quake. The places massively hit were Jimalalud, Tayasan, La Libertad, and Guihulngan. These towns are all in Negros Oriental, Philippines. A landslide also resulted from that quake contributing to the increase of fatalities.

A photo from the La Libertad landslide. According to the photographer's caption, this is the 4th body to be excavated.
Credits to Mr. Ike Pacana. You take great photos, Sir!

San Carlos City, my hometown, felt the ground shake, too. The glass windows in the only mall (Gaisano) in our humble city were shattered. What  was even more alarming was the tsunami scare brought on by the Tsunami Alert #2. The people living near the coastal areas were evacuating to higher grounds. Everybody was in a panic. Thankfully, it was just a false alarm. Everybody returned safely to their homes.

Thus, it is heartwarming to see photos of the people from my hometown travelling all the way to the affected areas to help out. A day after the quake, my Facebook friends were already abuzz of how they can help out the people in Guihulngan (the nearest affected area from San Carlos City). Statuses were filled with solicitations for water, food, or any kind of help anyone could extend.

Here are some photos stolen from my FB News Feed:

Meet the Zapps

When I'm teased about wedding bells and marriage, my customary answer would be: "Not in a decade, I want to see the world first. If I get married, then I'll have kids to worry about. I won't be able to enjoy my travels because I would be thinking about them all the time." (This is, of course, assuming that somebody makes the mistake of proposing. Hahahahha. )

This is my peg for my future family. Any takers. Anyone??? =)

Then, I read about The Zapps family. The couple, Candelaria and Herman Zapp, started travelling aboard a 1928 Graham-Paige vintage car on the year 2000 and never stopped driving since then. They have even become parents to four children along the way. The children are Pampa, Tehue, Paloma, and Wallaby with different nationalities to boot. 

The couple before the kids were born

A balancing act on the Amazon River

The Zapp Family is currently in the Philippines. They even shared an anecdote on how a Filipino family let them stay in their one-room house and gave them the only peace of meat they had. The family even apologized to them for not having more to offer. Such is the generosity of the Filipino heart. 

I wonder who of their children keeps asking this question. There's one in every family. =D

Read More on the Zapp Family Journey: The Zapp Family: A Never-ending Journey

There Is Beauty In Everything

I am Thankful : 

FOR THE WIFE 
WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, 
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, 
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE. 

FOR THE HUSBAND 
WHO IS ON THE SOFA 
BEING A COUCH POTATO, 
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME 
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS. 

FOR THE TEENAGER 
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES 
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, 
NOT ON THE STREETS. 

FOR THE TAXES I PAY 
BECAUSE IT MEANS 
I AM EMPLOYED. 

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY 
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE 
BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS. 

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG 
BECAUSE IT MEANS 
I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT. 

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK 
BECAUSE IT MEANS 
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE 

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, 
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING 
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME. 

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING 
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT 
BECAUSE IT MEANS 
WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.. 

FOR THE PARKING SPOT 
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT 
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING 
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION. 

FOR MY HUGE AIRCON BILL 
BECAUSE IT MEANS 
I AM COOL. 

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH 
WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS 
I CAN HEAR. 

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING 
BECAUSE IT MEANS 
I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR. 

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES 
AT THE END OF THE DAY 
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN 
CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD. 

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF 
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS 
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.