I thank you for clicking the link. Seriously, you keep me on the road whenever you read my blog posts. You add an extra mile when you share my article to your Facebook friends or retweet my raves and rants.

September 2012 marks my 2nd year of blogging seriously (I started this blog as a personal account of the things I did but has transformed to being a travel guide for backpackers wanting to explore the Philippines). YEHEY! Although I wanted to give you something as a token of gratitude I guess my blog income is just enough for me to hang my hammock on my next destination. Spend less, travel more eh? Maybe next year when I have doubled my daily visitors?

To everyone who can read this post, I just want to share you what happened since last year’s 1st blog anniversary:

BLOG UPDATES:

October 2011. I was able to travel around Western and Central Visayas once again for 3 weeks and finishing it off with a 3-day tour in Ilocos region. I already posted some blogs about it with Visayas Trails tag. My Ilocos tour will continue to be on my backlog. Sorry about it. This also became my last practice for the biggest challenge I ever did which is the “ISANGDAAN Challenge.”

November 2011. Because of the continued growth of girls solo travelers, I collaborated with some of my favorites female bloggers to create a series called “Go Girls Travel Tips.” This is also my way of saying thank you for your support and I in return support all of you in your quest for solo adventure.

Here are the ff from the series: Nina & Paula / Chyng & Lisa Marie / Claire & Kaiz / Lois & Monette /Gael & Gay

December 2011. I did a short series about Pangasinan called “Napintas Ti Pangasinan.” You can review the series by clicking the link  Awed at Calasiao Church.

January 2012. I was one of the lucky bloggers who joined Lakbay Norte 3. It is an 8-day adventure trip to Rediscover Northern Luzon; organized by the North Philippine Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Manila North Tollways Corporation, Victory Liner, Mc Donalds, Petron and Universal Robina Corporation.

You can start reading the series by clicking the link: 7 Best Experiences during Lakbay Norte 3 according to Travel Bloggers, scroll at the end to check what you haven’t experienced yet in Northern Luzon.

February 1 -May 10, 2012. I did the most epic travel challenge in the Philippines yet. I’m not yet done with the series but I continue to publish blog posts about it. If you want to review what had happened for the past 100 days, you can just go my 100 Days blog category. I explain at the bottom of each post what day it happened.

May 2012. I had some TV and radio interviews that made the blog known to more people. I thank GMA News To Go, ANC, ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog, Net 25 and the radio shows that invited me. You can review my interview by visiting the Press and Media category on right side of my blog.

I also changed my blog theme with the help of my friend Regine of Between Coordinates. I know you will agree that my blog is “pogier” now and easier to navigate as all post are categorized. If you are looking for something, do check the Archives or use the Search button found on the upper right sidebar.

June 2012. I’m proud that my blog www.journeyingjames.com has been nominated and became a finalist for the Globe TattAwards 2012 under “The Explorer” category. It was an honor to be part of the finalist.

July 2012. I together with blogger friends partnered together to help a school in Gubat, Sorsogon by donating some books for their new school/community library. This coming September 13-16, we will visit the school and turn-over the books we collected. We called it “Book Sharing Project.”

BOOK UPDATE

Right now, I’m living at Dahican Beach at Mati City, Davao Oriental writing my book “ISANGDAAN JOURNEY: 100 Days of Backpacking the Philippines, Non-Stop, The Cheapest Way Possible.” I’ve been on the road for almost a month now trying to live within the income I get from my blog. I hope you continue to support the blog by visiting it everyday. 🙂

I’m done with 10% of my book already and hopefully finish writing it by October. I wanted to publish it at the first quarter of 2013. I don’t have a publisher yet but I’m very hopeful that once the book is finished, it will be easy to find a book publisher.

Before I end this 2nd Year Anniversary Post, let me share with you a piece of my life on the road:

“I don’t have an office cubicle. It’s hot in my office, the floor is sand, the walls are coconut trees, the air is fresh. I start the day with a hot coffee, run some miles and talk to the sea. I surf when I get bored or explore the ocean floor. I gaze at the moon and stars before I sleep. This is my LIFE and yes you can join me anytime.”

 

Keep posted on the ff social media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/journeyingjamesFB
Twitter: www.twitter.com/journeyingjames
Youtube: www.youtube.com/journeyingjames

 

Dear Reader,

THANK YOU!

-journeyingjames.com

spend less, travel more