THE YEAR THAT WAS… OUR YEAR 2014 TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS…

We opened the year with an amazing race adventure that even typhoon Agaton failed to hinder…

In my page’s post, I borrowed the quote from the great discoverer of all time:

"The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore... - Ferdinand Magellan

HINATUAN – BISLIG – SAMAL ISLAND TRIP

Then my princesses had their many first spell; first airplane ride, first out-of-country trip, first snow encounter, and so on.

SOUTH KOREA TRIP WITH THE KIDS

Before the summer kicked in, I had back-to-back dayhikes without hubby… MT. SEMBRANO in Rizal and MT. MAKILING TRAVERSE, Batangas to Laguna.

Our holy week trip was joined by my bestfriend and dear sister where we had another amazing race quest.  We climbed the highest building in Kuala Lumpur, retraced the Vietnam War at the Cu Chi Tunnel, experienced Lara Croft’s wat adventure at Siem Reap and chased Buddhist sites at Bangkok.

KUALALUMPUR – HO CHI MINH – SIEM REAP – BANGKOK TRIP

Before we sat off to our next foreign trip, we sailed the tides with Bourne in El Nido and was mesmerized by beautiful scenery and sunsets uniquely a Palawan’s beauty.

EL NIDO – PUERTO PRINCESA TRIP

My birthday was made special with our first out-of-Asia trip; a journey to the land down under where the reddish landscape was a surprise unexpected, and it brought me out of earth for awhile. LOL.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA TRIP

Back at home, a dream of Marlboro Country air came true with our BATANES ISLANDS escapade, the northern most province of our country.

BATANES TRIP

The rainy season had its languid shot… we were held home for awhile until the HALLER BALLER trip with the kids broke the curse.

BALER TRIP WITH THE KIDS

And we badly missed the long treks and the sweat that comes with it.  Thanks to Mt. Maranat for being nearby.

DAYHIKE TO THE CASCADES OF MARANAT

The giants of the sea made our last province hopping trip extraordinary, which was also our Year 2015 concluding amazing race trip.  We swam with the gentle giants – whale sharks or tuki of Oslob and the turtles of Apo Island, then chased waterfalls in Badian, Oslob and Dumaguete and scaled the Hersheys Kisses-like mountain of Cebu.

DALAGUETE – BADIAN – OSLOB – APO ISLAND – DUMAGUETE TRIP

Finally, a year-ender Mt. Naguiling climb closed our Year 2014 with a Jaybanga Rice Terraces side trip.

MT. NAGUILING YEAR-END CLIMB

Truly, 2014 was a year of many amazing races but was made more notable by the kiddos own share of fun and adventure… We also embarked on a farther foreign trip and up until today, I kept dreaming for the next one.

To 2014, thank you for the year that was... thank you for the learnings… the experiences… the fun... the adventure…your memories will be treasured forever…