Solo travel and the people I've met on the road


"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.”Tim Cahill 

More travel quotes here: 50 Inspiring Travel Quotes

One question that people often ask me, aside from "Where are you?" or "Are you in the Philippines?", is "Why do you travel?"  This is one question that is easy to answer, and I have many. One of which is to meet new people, to meet new friends.

In the last 10 years, I've met quite a few, and thanks to Facebook, I'm still in contact with some of them. For those whom I am not in contact anymore, I still have our shared moments to cherish. My traveling experience has been made memorable by these new found friends, and on this post, I would like to give tribute to these amazing fellow adventurist.

Crazy Christmas eve celebration in Saigon, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 2009

On my first solo backpacking trip in Southeast Asia, I ended up celebrating my Christmas in HCMC, Vietnam. It was my first Christmas outside the country, and the first time I am spending it alone. After a tour of the Mekong River, I went back to the hostel and discovered all my roommates getting ready for dinner. It was an 10-bed mixed dorm in the middle of Pham Ngu Lao - Saigon's backpackers' area.

It was a crazy mix of solo travelers, a girl from Netherlands, a lady doctor from Brazil, a couple of Aussie guys, and the rest from different countries in Europe. We went out to dinner, then had a few bottles of Saigon beer. Too early to call it a night, we transferred to another area that served cheap draft beer (I think it was about 1 USD for a pitcher). Stories were shared, advice were asked and even stories back home were overflowing. After midnight, we went back to the hostel too drunk to care as the others were competing for the loudest snore.



Party in Vang Vieng, Laos

This is how you party in Vang Vieng, Laos. This is just one of the many activities that you can do in this party heaven.



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Your private island

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The bridge is picture perfect, both for photographers and soon to be newlyweds having their pre-nup shoot.

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A typical Plaza in Quito, the country's capital

New York

The view of Manhattan from the Empire State Building

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The majestic Falls shared by Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay

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Colorful houses on Bolivia's side of the Lake

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A spot to read a book, and just below are hundreds of Caimans (cousins of alligators)

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Rio de Janeiro's famous beach

Curitiba, Brazil

One of the sights to be visited in their hop-on, hop-off Linha de Turismo bus service