We are born as adventurers

by Jojie Gabot


Many read my column about my travel adventures. You have to know me and the places I’ve been to or of some activities I have been involved in to better appreciate my writings. There's no doubt one enthralled with my travel accounts would notice my love for travel and to discover new extraordinary things, foods, places, animals, culture, history, places and people.
We might have been gone to the same places but we may end up with different opinion. Traveling around is not just about seeing the beautiful world God provided us but to enjoy it, to explore it and continually expand our experiences and how we touch other people's lives, especially our loved ones, when see places. Writing my accounts is not just about crowing about the unique and beautiful places I’ve been to but also to make my readers know that there is more than the beauty of these things, people and places. Earth is our planet and our big playground!
My adventuress eyes give me never-ending reasons to explore the delightful world. Each experience gives me an amazing encounter with the nature that each awe-inspiring place I’ve been to leaves me in venture to seek another spot like it and discover its own uniqueness to behold, promising different joy to indulge in.
The steep and risky way paths up the mountains during my teenage life didn’t prevent me from climbing and reaching the peak. I spent numerous mountainside travels during my school vacations. I love jazzing around, from place to place. Grabbing every opportunity when low-budget expedition comes my way, I was able to reach different places and discover their simple or complex beauty which sometimes even appear to be dangerous to people. And each escapade has been and is truly a meaningful one, always different from the other.
All of us are born adventurers. For our life itself is a never ending lesson and experience and adventure. Each one of us faces day-to-day obstacles in life. Confronting new challenges, searching for new opportunity, testing and processing our ability or knowledge to discover our own unique potential is exercising our adventurism or being adventurous.
Do you remember the first time you recited the whole alphabet? Do you recall the feelings of having done a remarkable thing to yourself? For three or four years old kids, it takes time and it's hard to memorize them all. A lot of memory exercising and reciting were spent but giving up wasn’t our option that time. We already know we have done something remarkable when we first recited the whole alphabet seeing our parents loudly clapping at us and saying worthy praises at us. With the astounding discovery of new joy that made us overwhelmed and proud at the very young age, we euphorically began reciting the whole alphabet more than ten times a day!
Making each gallivanting significant depends on the heart of an adventurer. Some enjoy the risky venture or in search for one, others relinquish a position of watching delightfully or sightseeing, many enjoy curiously study of many things and places, and many activities entail a full life of traveling. Others possess all the characteristics of every adventurer but the solidarity of all is their quest for more in life…
Like for instance, Ferdinand Magellan is famous for his great exploration, Casanova is noted for his amorous adventures and for being a philanderer and Neil Armstrong was a naval aviator who became the first man to touch the moon’s surface. They have different kinds of adventure but in commonality were their pursuit to quench their thirst for knowledge in their curiosity about life, hence, every find calls for a search for more, and more. They put their lives at risk in pursuit of a remarkable life and to satisfy their cleverness.
The lust of learning, the thirst of knowledge, playful mind of imagination, and the worth of every dream will take you to a great adventure - the adventure of life in the beautiful planet we live in and the great universe around us.
So, go for broke!
For comments, gagabytes@gmail.com .

A Dreamy Haven

A Dreamy Haven By JO ERLINDA G. NEBRES Printed in Fil-Am Megascene Chicago February 25, 2009

Basking under the cerulean sky, lying lazily at the immaculate white sandy beach beside the calm waves of the azure seawater makes a getaway perfect for intimate moment at Caramoan Peninsula !
There is no paradise like Caramoan Peninsula, the hidden treasure of the Philippines located in the province of Camarines Sur!
Getting there, you will readily fall in love with the beautiful place. Its beauty never stops to entice each visitor who comes to this place. The pristine white sand and the crystal indigo sea found in the cape of Caramoan are very alluring to the eyes of many. You’ll never stop wondering what’s beyond this dazzling azure water when riding in a boat. What promises lies ahead?
Seashore that can match a beach in Miami, Florida and privacy, a quiet, serene Caramoan Peninsula can be a wonderful retreat, a seventh heaven to be part and enjoy the nature. The place has its own beauty and pride of its own uniqueness. An undeniably charming paradise!
Caramoan Peninsula’s beaches are truly magnificent with its immaculate powdery white sand surrounded by sparkling cerulean water, unexploited by commercial tourism. Each beach has its own uniqueness.
Touring around the place gives island hopping a new significance to witness its enthralling beauty in many ways. A great ocean adventures for kayakers, snorkel and scuba dive to experience the diverse marine life, trek and search for the unfathomable lagoon, rock climb the limestone cliffs, explore the caves or star gazing at night!
There are many islands and caves clustered in Caramoan to hop around, each boasting its own beauty and individuality.
Here are some exciting islands to see.
The Lahos Island, the most popular, has its name which means "overflow" where the sea can wash over a part of this narrow island from one side to the other.
Matukad Island exemplifies the portrait of a perfect tropical island.
Honongan Island is the first resort in Caramoan to open. This hundred-room development is set off the cliff facing the beach. Its beachfront has beautiful views of immaculate islands right across the calm sea.
Island hopping won’t be complete without seeing the mysteriously majestic caves. Omang Cave is part of the Caramoan National Park located in Barangay Paniman and Barangay Ilawod. Its entrance is about 30 feet above sea level and the interior is like architecturally designed. The air is very cool inside. It is dark and, if lighted, shows extravagant beauty. It is like entering a new dimension of a limestone world.
The most intriguing Manipis Cave is located at Barangay Pandanan. It is believed that General Yamashita hid his treasure in this cave but you don’t need to look any further for the cave is a treasure in itself!
This cave has rich guano reserve.
Calapnitan Cave in Libmanan contains countless stalactites and pillars ranging from massive to extremely delicate. Thousands of bats make this cave their home. The site of the hundreds of bats also is a very extraordinary spectacle. Their presence provides a very good source of guano supply and phosphate.

The fresh cool water from the underground stream of Taisan is simply irresistible in Bulang-Bugang Cave. Explore the deep underground river of the cave.
Don’t miss the twin waterfalls of Itbog Falls in Sta. Cruz Buhi and the Malacsay Falls in Mt. Isarog in Panicuason. The cascading water measures about 40 feet from the top to a wide pond below.
Malacsay Falls could compare with famous waterfalls in the Philippines like the Pagasanjan Falls in Laguna.
There are many activities to do and places to see in this dreamy haven of Caramoan Peninsula and there 's a lot of natural wonders to discover. Island hopping, swimming, skin diving, limestone cliff expeditions, snorkeling, scuba diving, caving or spelunking, rock climbing , hiking, beach camping, kayaking, inland and island lagoon exploration, sea and marine cave adventures, subterranean river adventures and gold panning!
Whew! Aren’t these adventures enough for you to entice you to come in one paradise called Caramoan Peninsula? Think of getting thrilled in wakeboarding on your way home?
Let’s have fun basking under the sun and explore the many islands of Caramoan Peninsula together! Email me at gagabytes@yahoo.com.