Life comes up, but that’s okay! Due to some really nice developments in our careers and the re-discovery of an old childhood hobby, we had fewer adventures in 2019 compared to the past years. But those didn’t stop us from indulging in our passions. Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun and adrenaline-pumping escapades! Let’s take a look at what we’ve been into this year:

Do you know that we have our own version of Maldives in our own country? Yes, we do! We visited the expansive sandbar of Manjuyod in Negros Oriental and frolicked in its crystal-clear waters. Super cool! And we didn’t have to go somewhere to enjoy our food. Local, freshly cooked seafood came to us!

With the help of tour guide and fellow blogger Ferna of the travel blog Everywhere with Ferna, we toured Alexa around Dumaguete City, the famed university town in Negros. She was so love-struck by the university that she asked us if she could study here when she goes to college. But Dumaguete is definitely more than just a university town!

As members of Project BLUE, we are duty-bound to help protect our oceans. That’s why we always join reef cleanups like Dive Against Debris by Project Aware.

One of our grandest adventures in 2019 was a 3-day/2-night climb up Mt. Madjaas. One of the highest and most challenging mountains we’ve ever climbed, our adventure up Mt. Madjaas taught us lessons of humility—that we are not exempt from an ecosystem; we are a part of it. That there are powers that are unfathomable for us to comprehend. That we are only ephemeral in the universe.

There is a new special place in Antique where nature, relaxation, food, and adventure all come together in a delightful gruel. It’s located up in the visually stunning highlands of Tibiao. It is a place where you can have a truly enchanting, exciting experience. That place is called Calawag Mountain Resort.

The Philippines has over 7,000+ islands. But not all these islands are accessible by normal means. In fact, some of them, such as Seco Island in Antique remain raw, unadulterated, and almost unexplored. Her visitors are only the denizens of the sea and the few local fishermen who ply the Sulu Sea.

Thanks to Potpot of Travel Trilogy and through the invitation of the Camiguin Tourism Office, we were able to visit an alien world within our world. Camiguin has a lot of surprises when it comes to scuba diving, and together with Aleah of Solitary Wanderer, we got a taste of Camiguin’s spectacular diving adventures at the stunning Black Forest during their first-ever Camiguin Dive festival! We had this amazing opportunity to discover the world beneath the waves surrounding the Island of Fire.

The incredible beauty and history of violent eruptions of majestic Mt. Hibok-hibok in Camiguin gave it a certain charm that is impossible for us to resist. We just had to climb it! And the volcano didn’t disappoint. It is stunning!

We continued our quest to complete the 400-kilometer Cebu Highlands Trail as part of our dream adventure to undergo a long-distance trek. Southern Cebu is perfect for growing fresh vegetables of all kinds. Segment 5 of the Cebu Highlands Trail took us across Cebu’s vegetable basket. The story of fresh, local vegetables that we enjoy eating starts in the highlands of southern Cebu. Here in the misty mountains, we learn and appreciate more about the healthy food that we put on our tables.

Cebu is full of beautiful, unexpected surprises. And these stunning surprises are just waiting for someone with a sense of adventure. So get off the couch and start exploring! Dayhag Falls in Upper Beceril, Boljoon is worthy of a visit!

Milestones

Finally, a dream come true! Probably the biggest milestone we have accomplished in our adventuring lives! A beautiful December 22, 2019 marked the end of a remarkable 2-year adventure as we literally took the last step in completing the 400-kilometer Cebu Highlands Trail! Yes, that’s from Bulalaqui Point at the tip of northern Cebu, to the watchtower beside Pebble Beach, Liloan in Santander at the tip of southern Cebu. Breathtaking and unseen scenery, undiscovered natural treasures, friendly interactions with locals, interesting tales of the mountains—the Cebu Highlands Trail is truly an adventure of a lifetime!

As a collective, Apol, Sweetie, and I are the second people next to Sir Jing and Sir Jonathan who has completed trekking the CHT! Since we can’t fit all tales of our CHT adventures in this year’s batch of blogs, we will publish them on next year’s batch. Stay tuned!

2019 marks our third year being ambassadors of Deuter, a leading brand that manufactures and sells top-quality backpacks as well as travel and outdoor accessories. Thank you very much for putting your trust in us.

And in the same manner, this is our second year in representing our very own local brand Se7en Outdoor! Choose Se7en for high-quality outdoor apparel!

This was quite unexpected, but we became ambassadors of Goosehill Sports. They manufacture sturdy, top-quality inflatable paddleboards that you can bring anywhere! Now, the sea has become an even more fun playground!

But do you know who actually led us to where we are right now? Well, give a huge clap to yourself! Yes, YOU—our readers, followers, fans, friends, loved ones, and fellow travelers and adventurers! You made all this possible!

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We are starting off strong for next year’s next batch of adventures! Ready? We are! So let’s go! Book your airline tickets, list down your itineraries, pack your bags, and strap on your adventure-face! Come with us for another great stride in 2020!