This I think will be my favorite post, the essence of journeyingjames: come and join me as I walk, run, climb, ride, swim and fly!
Backpacking. My route would be Negros Occidental – Guimaras – Iloilo – Capiz –Aklan – Boracay – Carabao Island – Romblon – Batangas – Laguna (home). I will be bringing with me my 35L TNF bag, clothes good for 7 days (I will do laundry along the way), hammock and running shoes of course. The hammock will serve as my room/lodging most of the trip to save money.
Challenge: Simple but almost impossible, to spend no more than PhP250/day or less all-in (US$6/day). And that starts at the airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental (food, fare and lodging). At first, I’m very hesitant on this but because I want to encourage every Juan that traveling is not only for the rich and famous, I will try my very best to do this. This means that I will be spending P3,500.00 (US$80) for the whole duration of the journey. Can I do this? Let’s see! I hope I can update you along the way. P250/day.
Activities. Running tops my list of things to-do. That’s the essence of journeyingjames, to run around the Philippines. Of course, I have this mantra that “all waters must be tested, all mountains climbed” so I hope to swim on falls, sea, lakes and river as long as it’s clean (and safe); and climb on mountains. Taste the sweetest and most delicious mangoes from Guimaras, eat inasal and batchoy, piayaya and all the local delicacies as long as budget permits. Walk and roam around downtowns, take some pictures of tourist spots and make friends. Observe and learn from their culture. Eat & Run and Visit too.
Lodging. To tell you honestly, I do not know. I want to just set up my hammock on secret coves. I will couchsurf too (CS friends, please help). I have a friend in La Carlota who is willing to host me for 2 nights, one from Roxas City who will host me for 2 nights too. In my previous backpacking trips I saw rooms for only P150/night, common bathroom so maybe I will do that too and that means minus P150 for my daily budget. So, hammock is my best friend here. CouchSurfing, Friends and Hammock.
Transportation. Habal-habal, jeepneys, pumpboat, cadillakad as long as I move forward. As everyone will say, the journey is more important than the destination. Hopefully, I’ll be back to Los Banos on July 20 alive, healthy and ready for another challenge.
Updates. I hope I can find free internet along the way as usage would mean P20-25 on the budget. I think I will be updating my Facebook page (journeyingjames & james betia) on my whereabouts. For real-time updates, please follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/journeyingjames). I will text home-base of my whereabouts so they will be the ones to update you. If you are curious of my whereabouts, you can contact me through my mobile phone posted on my Contact Page. Let’s hope I can reply even as I enjoy the beautiful Boracay sunset.
Suggestions. I welcome any suggestion as I’m still doing my itinerary. Shout out a place to visit or things to do in places I will go to but please remember that I’m on shoe-string and I will do only those that are within my means. But if its free, why not?
Interested? Anyone interested of my story? Any suggestion on how I can use this trip to earn money? Thanks!
Before I forget, I bought my plane ticket to Bacolod for only P700, that’s PAL btw. I think I’m a promo fare junkie already.
Let’s all pray for my safety and success of this challenge. I trust that the good Lord will guide and protect me along the way. I’m holding on to His promise from Psalm 121:5-8 (NIV)
“The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day,nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
Start reading Day 1: Touchdown Bacolod-Silay Airport
i envy you! will definitely wait for your updates. take care!
thanks katie! i also hope i will be diligent enough to write my adventures
Good luck on your endeavor. Cheapskate trips are awesome… And Couchsurfing will definitely help you save some money. It's more educational too. Safe trip!
salamat PTJ for the 'well wishes' not only AWESOME, its LIFE, FUN, PARTY and AMAZING too!
wow parang super challenging yang balak mo bro. i pray that you'll be safe along the way.
super thanks ronnie! medyo nakakakaba na rin, see you sa milo on sunday.
goodluck sa travel! don't forget to take a lot of pictures,okay? see you Sunday.
P350/day?! cool! i want to try this too! good luck and take care 🙂
Wooaahhhhhh…. JJJJAAAAMMMMEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!Kaka-hanga ka! Idol ka talaga pagdating sa ano mang Journey! Php 350.00, that's challenging.. Solo flight lang ba talaga? gusto ko sumama (kaso di pa pala ako pwede mag-leave)!Give us daily updates, will be praying for your safety! That'll be a very very exciting, and so much fun experience ahead of you.Teka, ano ba talaga trabaho mo't gala ka ng gala? hehehe… kaka-inggit oh!
@te and pedz, not 350 but P250/day or 3,500 in 14 days.thanks ha!work, eto un magtravel..haha naka leave ako actually. astig dba?!@RE, sure. sana pahiramin ako ng friends ko.haha
Wow ang galing naman! Sana malakas din ang loob ko pag dating sa ganyan but I'm too much of a worrier, di kakayanin haha. Good luck and have fun!
In essence, I really hope that you can learn a lot from your trip. Thus the essence of Journeying James. I love what you are about to do and accomplish, and I admire you for doing it. I wish you the best and will pray for your safety. May you take in the beauty of the sun, and bask in the wonderful waters. Have fun, be safe and God Bless! Safe Journeying!
@aya, kaya mo din yan.. mga 2-3days lang muna for starters@kenley, thanks thanks! the sun, the seas, the clouds, the places to run! woohooo!
@aya, kaya mo din yan.. mga 2-3days lang muna for starters
@kenley, thanks thanks! the sun, the seas, the clouds, the places to run! woohooo!
whoa! astig! dont forget to pass by don salvador benedicto in negros. it's just an hour bus trip from bacolod city. a highly recommended running area with great views. you wont regret! one of my favorite place.
@dong, astig talga, yeah! i saw the pics of DSB from the net, nice! i want to get there too. thanks for the suggestion
Good luck!I'll be waiting for your travel report as I am going on a solo trip to Iloilo in November.
sure, i hope im not too lazy to write it on my blog. thanks for the visit
I envy you James! You have time and the youth going for you. Make the most of it as it comes only once in a life time. Wishing you the best on your "journey" and be safe. Will monitor your progress.
thanks sir amado! i survived the challenge
Ganda nang blog mo kuya James :D(Great blog James :D)
thanks jed! sayang wala ka kanina, you don't have a pic
checking on your blog kasi para na rin akong nagtravel, learning from you huh?..hope i can do that, i only travel through human emotions, haha..being a nurse.may i suggest you travel along aurora,my hometown, i know you've been through Dingalan, but there's more town and hidden treasures to see..Keep safe and God bless you more and more!
wow ang ganda ng route. if ever magkasakit ulit ako and I ahve 60days to spend, then I will do this backpacking trip too.mas masaya magbackpacking around pinas indeed! Ü
@jang, will try that too! thanks for the suggestion. i ralize that phlippines is a big country pala.@chyng, tara, next year i will try mindanao.
Whoah James, $6 per day budget is pretty hardcore! galing 😉
yeah! but it was fun at best. i got to meet almost all kinds of people. thank you so much for dropping by the blog. will add you on my blogroll. enjoy traveling!
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hands down, one of the few travel bloggers who have that urge and passion to get out there no matter what it takes! two thumbs up! You rock!!!
thanks pre! the est comment i read so far. this comment made my day. i appreciate it
Galing! very informative… plan to backpack solo this side of Pinas and hopefully spend the same!. 🙂
I hope you will be able to read the 14-part series, medyo mahaba lang. let me know if you need some help and good luck to your plans
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really love this post…
thanks flip..my fave post so far
I honestly think you’re AWESOME! I’ll add in to my bucket list a backpacking challenge of my own. Hopefully, it will be done this coming summer vacation. Thank you for the inspiration. I hope to you meet you in person one day! 🙂
hi HBR! muchos gracias, be sure to give me the link of your itinerary or finished report of the backpacking trip 🙂
i know you will have a blast. glad that this has become an inspiration kasi yan talaga ang purpose ng blog na ito- to inspire others to travel. see yah 🙂
sama sama sama AKO!!! HIHIHIHI
seriously? lets go!
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hey james, isa akong baguhang backpacker. 250/night challenge ha, amazing. pinakainteresado ako sa hammock-style lodging. gusto kong malaman kung paano/saan/kailan ka nag-seset-up ng hammock mo. nakita ko yung isa mong litrato na katabi ng mga bahay na yari sa tradisyunal na materyales. may plano akong magvisayas backpacking at marami akong matutunan sa iyo. nga pla bakit inggles ang travel blog mo e pilipino ka naman? salamt
hi joan! you are attempting a life-changing thing. i set up my hammock sa 2 puno, sa poste or kahit saan maabot ng tali. caution din kasi baka private property yung place or baka mabasa ka kapag umuulan. make sure na okay lang and safe mag set up ng hammock. wala pa akong nakitang ganitong hammock dito sa pinas. i bought mine sa cambodia, fyi.
its english so i can practice writing in english 🙂 and that foreigners would be able to read it too!
hey james, salamat sa iyong sagot. sigurado na ako, sa june magvivisayas backpacking na ako. ngayon ko lang napansin, taga-laguna ka pala, e ala e taga-batangas ako. sori ha di ko trip mag-ingles (kahit ingles ang itinituro ko :>). salamat uli.
yes im from laguna, saan ka sa batangas? i always go to lipa city.
btw, im planning to backpack CALABARAZON this march or early april. care to join?
btw, i will be excited for your visayas backpacking trip. how many days? saan saan ka pupunta?
malamang susundan ko ruta mo. pero mas random mas maligaya! naku di ako pede april kasi nakabased pa ako dito malaysia hanggang mayo 25. june 6-20 ang west visayas tip ko. caticlan ang huling stop.
taga-lipa ako. sige sa susunod join ako sa backpacking trip mo/ninyo. siguradong maraming matututunan sa buhay-buhay.
kip in tch. ‘ngat.
so this what they have talked about! 250 pesos per day. i envy you. not sure if i can do this 😉 Godbless
who are talking about this? its good to know that people or some few talks about this. i believe you can, go na!
nice sojourn dude… great heart and adventurism.hope we cud arrange like this wth co-CSers… cheerS!!!1
ang galing .. =) 500 pwd na mag travel ….
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hi. i really really want to travel. super, and when i say super, i mean SUPER!! as in. but my problem is.. i dont have any travel buddy. 🙁 thats why i envy you. huhuhuhu…
then you can travel solo, its safe monica. you should try it sometime
I really like i read it and enjoyed the post is great. And want to travel with my friend. Check out the mindblowing discounted air tickets from https://www.voyagesbooth.com
Amazing post. Thanks for sharing.