Travel stories by Johanna Frejoles
A memorable trip to San Jorge, Samar in 2018 made me learn more about organic farming. It was a 2-day caving adventure into one of the most remote places in the Philippines. I was with two American tourists who happened to have a Ph.D. in Mountain Environment and Agriculture. Although I have almost zero knowledge about agriculture, I have huge …
“Oh my god! Kuya, there’s a snake!” I whispered nervously as we were nearing the exit of Lobo Cave. I have been to the other caves in Samar and so far, nothing unfavorable has ever happened. Not that I pray for something like that to happen but we can never know what the future holds for us. Late last year, …
“Tikang gud kamu ha Pinipisakan Falls, dai? Mayda man mga NPA heto ngadto!” (Are you sure you went to Pinipisakan Falls? There are NPA’s (communists) up there!) Those were the words uttered by the lady at the convenience store near the highway. I couldn’t blame her. Almost every remote area in the Philippines just happens to be the home of this communist …
Why do we subject ourselves to long uncomfortable bus rides, sleepy red-eye flights, or unsettling new foods? Why do we travel to places even if it means defying difficult logistics or risking our safety? I started asking myself these questions when I went to Pinipisakan Falls and Sulpan Cave in San Jorge, Samar. In order to reach this mysterious underworld, …
My recent trip to Paranas, Samar to try the Extreme Torpedo Boat Ride reminded me of the two P’s in life that I am terrible at – planning and packing. These two always go together when it comes to traveling. After all, being able to properly pack for a trip means that you have planned your upcoming trip well. Now, …
I only have two major travel goals in life ever since I was a child. The first one is to trek the Himalayas. The second is to explore the Hang Son Doong Cave in Vietnam which is the largest cave in the world. But achieving these two goals would probably take me a long time. Both are too expensive and …