Journeying Pinay: How I Survive Solo Travels

Sounds introvert. But my profile in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is E, for extrovert.

People I meet on the road often ask this innocent question, which was not at all so easy to answer, “You alone?” I answer, “Yes.”

My friends who see my photo posts comment, “Who is your travel buddy?”, “Who were with you?”

My simply reply: Just me and myself.

Maybe the next question would be, “Why?” They are startled and just blurt out, “Ikaw lang mag-isa?” "Hindi ka ba natatakot? " These questions are said with an additional exclamation point. So I nod my head and confirm, “Yes.”

That “Yes” would be one word full of courage, not doubtful. Safe Solo? Sure? Certainly confident.

It was and still, is a brave decision to do this. Because I have experienced travelling on my own to places I have never been before.

Is it hard travelling all by myself? I assume that you have read why I travel all by myself. By Chance. Choice. And Commitment.

Why am I writing this all over again? I think I never mentioned in that post if it was easy after all. That post gave a lot of encouragement to many, to travel solo. Some of them talked to me, trying to get more advice. Because I tell you, it is not that easy.

on my way up to see the entire SiQuijor

I inform. I inform my cousin and some friends of my whereabouts, which flight I am taking, my expected time of arrival, my destination, days to spend, and what adventures to do. Sometimes i post updates in Facebook. So that my cousin and friends know where to find me in case I get lost or never come back. A text message would be like this:

“Off to ride the aircraft to CDO 5J504.will waterraft.see Camiguin/Bukidnon.will arrive Manila by Monday, 2pm.” Replies would be “Take Care. See you when you get back.”

I am alert. Even if sometimes I do not get my required 6-hour sleep, I make sure my senses are all active. Especially my ears and eyes. Tsismosa lang. ahaha. Kidding aside, I listen to every word when people answer my questions. When I was in the Visayas and Mindanao, I deciphered every Cebuano word they utter. They all answered me in Cebuano, especially when I talk Tagalog.

I ask. Then I realized, they answer me better when I talk English. However, they thought I was not a Filipino: “From what country are you?” So sometimes, I have identity crisis. Ahaha. But c’mon, I am Journeying Pinay. Empasis on “Pinay.” Of course I don’t tell them that. But often, I just talk English. And they assist me well. What is amazing is that I can actually understand them. In Camotes Island, I was asking the cleaner of the cave. All his responses were in straight Bisaya. I would react, “Oh. Okay.” Then I would ask again. And he would answer again.I understood when he described that when the seawater is on high tide, the cave is filled with water up to neck deep. And that the water is salty. If you are Bisaya, so can you tell me how did he say that? How did I understand all that? I don’t know. Simpy incredible.

In one of the caves in Camotes Island, Cebu

I "activate" my common sense. And IQ. Sometimes locals do not know much of another town. So I stitch up all their input. And choose what is best for me. Some would tell me, just take a tricycle. Or take the jeepney. And the most common, “you can walk. It is just near.” When I ask, how many kilometres away; Or how many minutes away, I get a reply: “malapit lang.” 7 kilometer-walk is “malapit lang.” You can’t afford to be upset when you travel solo. So if I take the wrong way, there would always be another way out. (will make a separate post on being lost.)

I stop. Look. And listen. When I touched down in Dumaguete, I stopped at the Sansrival Bakery. To eat, relax, talk to some friends over the phone. I do this to get my senses ready. I turn on my excitement first. Coming from work straight to the airport or bus terminal requires a paradigm shift. I stop to be cool. I look around to sense who are in town.

at Sansrival Bakery

And I listen. In case there are some terrible or great news—like “Bourne Legacy was here 1 week ago. The islands were closed.” Lucky me, I arrived after that. Or “Mt. Taraw is closed. A lady slipped, broke her leg on her way up. They’re clearing the trail.” Too bad, I wasn’t able to see the view of the islands from above. That was in El Nido.

in one of the islands in El Nido

I bring a whistle and a knife. One of my workmates is a mountaineer. I received a whistle as a gift. “Put it on you, for your great outdoors.” “Buy a knife. And keep it on you.” You’ll never know when these simple things come in handy. My necklace is a whistle, and my pocket keeps my knife.

I am nice. I stay nice to everyone. I smile. I am pleasant. I am patient. I do not argue. I do not demand. Even if I don’t understand what they say, I say a sweet simple, “Salamat po.” Or “Thank you.” I am sure no traveller has the right to be superior in a first-time destination. There should be a lot of humility in your head and in your heart. And how can you be grouchy in a place like SiQuijor, Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Valencia (Negros Oriental), Dumaguete, when all the people are so friendly to a traveller like me?

I close my eyes. And pray. For safe flights. For safe travels. That all goes well. It never fails.