Comments on: Cheap Island hopping in El Nido, the local way …

By: The Longest Way Home

The Longest Way Home — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:57:42 +0000

-pinaysolobackpacker- Well it’s great to see you back again! Subscribing to my free email updates is a good way to avoid missing anything

By: pinaysolobackpacker

pinaysolobackpacker — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:38:30 +0000

I’ve been quite busy the past few weeks, I kinda miss reading your post. hehe so here I am again dropping by. will keep following your blog. =)

By: The Longest Way Home

The Longest Way Home — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:35:18 +0000

- pinaysolobackpacker- Thanks, I hope you enjoy it. There’s something special only for subscribers coming out in a few weeks too

By: pinaysolobackpacker

pinaysolobackpacker — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:47:39 +0000

i sure will! i’ve subscribed to your blog! =)

By: The Longest Way Home

The Longest Way Home — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:18:32 +0000

-pinaysolobackpacker- Thanks so much for such an insightful comment into the experience of a solo pinay travelling her own country.

Yes a package tourist does not always get the opportunity to mix with local people. And yes it would seem, and I have only recently been thinking this, that the age of independent travel exploration is perhaps coming to a close. While we can still travel alone, the fact is cultures are changing to meet the demands from the global tourism sector. That said, there will always me a few pioneers out there striving to find new places that have gone under the tourism radar.

You might like my 5 stages of long term travel article for a look at how a travelers perspective changes over the years.

So yes maybe even a solo pinay backpacker in the Philippines is making a differences to others that are not used to seeing someone like her traveling like she does. Well done to her!

Thanks for stopping by, and hope to see you again!

By: pinaysolobackpacker

pinaysolobackpacker — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:02:51 +0000

I like your insights and everything about your site. I hope soon enough you find your home. I am new to the the blog world and luckily,I stumbled into your blog,and I can’t help but comment. I’m hoping I can travel the rest of the world too like you but I don’t wanna be a tourist who’s goal is to visit a place and do sight-seeing, I’ve done that and somehow it bores me. When I was young I wondered why foreigners kept coming to our country and I watch in awe on how they can easily relate with our culture, yet I have rarely seen fellow Filipinos esp girls do that and that’s when my dream started..traveling and immersing in different cultures like E.Hemingway & M.Palin & like most travelers do and the 1st step is to smile & talk with the locals. But I guess,here in our country, people are not used to meeting a Filipina in her mid-20′s traveling alone, somehow I;ve gotten used to locals asking me why I’m alone. I just wish I have all the time & the money in the world to hop from one country to another.
I went to El Nido Nov of last year, solo too, I am glad you found your 1st friend in the Philippines. I’ve experienced sharing island hopping with a group on one of my travels but my experience is nothing compared to yours! =) I hope one day when you have your book, I can buy a copy and will surely treasure it. Keep walking, keep blogging, keep inspiring us & keep safe always! =)

http://pinaysolobackpacker.wordpress.com

By: The Longest Way Home

The Longest Way Home — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:25:06 +0000

Glad you’ve found the entries helpful to you! Palawan is really easy going, so relocating there should be no problem, depending on what you are looking for!

And yes, connecting with locals plays such a huge part in travel. Once sight seeing is complete, mixing with friendly locals really can make a day, or even a holiday seem ‘that’ much better. Especially if one can keep aways from the over touristy parts where things are not often that special due to the high turn over of tourist faces locals see day in and day out.

Many thanks for the compliments and good wishes!

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:56:34 +0000

I’m relocating to the Philippines in the next couple of weeks so I’ve enjoyed following your blog and gleaning information from your experiences. I had previously narrowed down my preferences to Palawan so I’m especially grateful for your recent entries.

Some of my longer travels were made so much better simply by hanging out in one place and making friends so this entry doesn’t surprise me at all. While climate, weather, etc.. are all important, it is ultimately the people that make a place great. Everyone should be encouraged to get to know them because they make the country what it is (good and bad).

Keep up the great posts & best wishes.