Update: Since I became a parent in 2019 and with the pandemic in 2020, I decided to cut back on unnecessary travel for personal reasons. I have since channeled my ever-inquisitive Anthro on Foot energy on exploring the wonderful world of nature and our region with my child, and the wealth of wonderful literature that has been sitting on my to-read list for years. Always thankful for the amazing opportunity to visit all these wonderful destinations. All trips that follow are related to pilgrimage, work, travel incentives, and inevitable reunions.

Hello/ Mabuhay!

For my travel photos on IG: @anthro0nfoot

Sharing with you resources that helped me with travel planning + inspiration:

Books: Amado Hernandez’s Ibong Mandaragit; Anthony Reid’s A History of Southeast Asia; Arlene Chai’s The Last Time I Saw Mother; Dante Ambrosio’s Balatik; F. Sionil Jose’s Mass, My Brother My Executioner, Po-on, The God Stealer, and Other Stories, Tree; Francisco Baltazar’s Florante at Laura and Ibong Adarna; Funny Komiks; Jessica Hagedorn’s Dream Jungle; Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere; Lonely Travel Philippines; Lope Santos’ Banaag at Sikat; Lualhati Bautista’s Dekada ’70; Maximo Ramos’ Philippine Myths, Legends, and Folktales; Mellie Lopez’s Handbook of Philippine Folklore; Miguel Syjuco’s Ilustrado; Nick Joaquin’s The Woman Who Had Two Navels and Tales of the Tropical Gothic; Peter Bellwood’s The Austronesians; Rafe Bartholomew’s Pacific Rims (recommended to me but I haven’t read it yet); Reynaldo Ileto’s Pasyon and Revolution; Teodoro Agoncillo’s A History of the Philippines; Thomas Suarez’s Early Mapping of Southeast Asia; Tim Fisher’s A Photographic Guide to Birds of the Philippines; Trinidad Pardo de Tavera’s The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines; UP College of Medicine’s Guidebook on the Proper Use of Medicinal Plants; Wiley’s A Short History of Southeast Asia (Peter Church, ed.). For reviews, visit Goodreads and Scribd*. However, since Philippine history is not grounded in writing, to me the best stories in the Philippines are those passed orally, through chants, songs, poems, and our parents’ and grandparents’ bedtime stories.

Shows: Charles Kimball’s History of Southeast Asia podcast, Darangen Epic

Tourism sites: free walking tours, official tourism website, Pinoy Mountaineer

Travel planning sites: Airbnb*, Booking.com*, Skyscanner, World Nomads*

(*Note: It helps keep this site going every time you sign up or book from these links. I am a big fan and have been using these sites since 2015. If this blog helped you in any way, it doesn’t hurt to make your booking from these links. Thank you!)

P.S. My keys to sustainable travels: acknowledge that your trip might not go as planned | back up important files before and during travel | bring a portable multi-cooker, coffee/tea press, food containers, utensils, water bottle, water heater, and clothesline rope | bring extra medicines and prescription | bring souvenirs from home for friends you’ll meet along the way | get a local sim card | get travel insurance | have an extra card to be used only for emergencies | learn the language if you deem it necessary | listen to your gut | only bring stuff that you can carry on your own | only go for local food that’s vouched for being clean and safe | record and stay on top of your expenses | stay in accommodations where cooking is allowed | take public transportation | treat everyone and yourself with kindness and respect, as always | treat guidebooks as guides; don’t get boxed by them | visit local cafés | walk as much as you can | wake up early | when faced with difficult decisions, ask yourself why ❤