Q and A with Riley
What is your mother province?
RIZAL. It was December 2011 when my workmate brought me here.
What is your mother mountain?
ARAYAT. OOPS NOT JUST ARAYAT. BUT ARAYAT TRAVERSE. Boy was it so memorable because I was only wearing cheap clogs that I bought from Divisoria. My friends and I didn’t get a guide on our way to the top. Our feet brought us to the old trail which was much harder than the one currently used by most hikers.
What is your most favorite place in the Philippines?
BIRI ISLAND. I have visited Biri four times. I fell in love with it the first time I set foot in the island.
What are your top three favorite destinations in the country?
BIRI. BAKUN. BATANES. I left a piece of my soul and heart in these places.
What has been your longest trip so far?
VISAYAS-MINDANAO ADVENTURE LEG OF MAY 2019. I traveled for eleven days.
What was your first solo adventure?
EL NIDO. I was supposed to go with my mum but she bailed out because she was busy with her work.
What was the trip that you hate the most?
DECEMBER 2016. That’s it. No comment.
What was your most exciting trip so far?
BASILAN. I didn’t feel scared at all. I felt bloody excited instead.
What is your dream destination?
SCANDINAVIA.
What are the things that interest you the least when you travel?
CHURCHES. I like Instagrammable old school churches though.
MUNICIPAL/CITY HALLS.
RESORTS. Except for ones with awesome infinity pools overlooking a breathtaking view.
MUSEUMS.
LIGHTHOUSES. Except for those located in Batanes.
What are the essentials that you always have in your backpack when you go on a day tour?
MONEY.
CAMERA.
EXTRA SHIRT. I sweat a lot and I feel uneasy when I’m wet with sweat so I’m used to changing my shirt every now and then.
POWERBANK.
WET WIPES. Of course, for my funny tummy.
What makes traveling fun?
ROUGH WAVES. For someone who grew up in an island, I’m really used to bumpy boat and ferry rides. I was able to overcome my motion sickness and the fear that comes with it. I’ve actually begun to like the thrill of it.
PLANE TURBULENCE. That feeling of free fall when you’re airborne. Priceless!
What do you hate when you travel?
CLOUDY WEATHER. Overcast skies make my photos dull and flat. I need the sun for my pictures (unless I’m chasing waterfalls since I prefer overcast weather for my long exposure shots).
RAIN. Rain ruins everything especially the trail. I hate muddy trails. I’m never in the mood to wash my hiking gears like my shoes soaked in mud. It’s the least of my worries though since I’m so lucky when I travel because Mum Nature loves me and bestows me the sunshine that I need.
PACKING. It’s been years and I still hate packing up for a trip.
WASHING. I’m never a fan of washing clothes and stuff I used in a backpacking trip.
GOING HOME. It’s heartbreaking.
SEPARATION ANXIETY. Once I get home from a trip, I miss the place where I’ve been right away. It would take days before I get over that depressing feeling akin to being dumped by your crush and you’re trying to forget and move on.
TRAVEL BUDDIES WHO ARE ALWAYS LATE AND THOSE WHO MOVE SLOWER THAN A SLOTH. They ruin the itinerary.
SUDDEN CALL OF NATURE. I have a fast metabolism so I don’t really eat or drink when I’m on a long bus ride because I will pee after an hour or so of drinking water and I will easily feel that dreadful tummy movements once I put something in my stomach.
GROSS TOILETS. You can ask me to sleep anywhere, even on grass along the trail but I really hate dirty toilets.
SUPERNATURAL PEEPS. I have a sixth sense.
Why do you travel? What do you love about traveling?
UNPREDICTABILITY. I have high standards in terms of what can be considered entertaining. That’s why I love traveling because you won’t know what will happen. Even if I’ve visited a specific place countless times, it’s always a unique experience every single time.
CHAOS. I love the “chaos” that comes with backpacking such as contingencies or sudden changes in the itinerary especially when I’m traveling alone. They pretty much preoccupy my mind.
What do you regret the most as a traveler?
NOT INVESTING IN PHOTOGRAPHY GEARS AND SKILLS. It was only in 2016 when I bought a DSLR and studied the basics of photography yet I was already traveling in 2011. I could have taken lots of quality pictures since then.
Why do you blog and document your backpacking trips?
IT’S MY WAY OF HELPING THE LOCALS. It feels so great when a tour guide or a motorcycle driver in one of the provinces you visited sent you an SMS to thank you for posting his contact info online.
Do you have any achievements as a blogger?
TRAVEL NOW MAGAZINE 2016 BUCKET LIST ISSUE. My Biri Island and Linao Cave photos were printed in the magazine.
EXPLORE PHILIPPINES MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE. I got a full-page feature for my Asik-Asik Falls picture.
INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS. I was able to gain lots of followers, thanks to my quality photos on my account.
TOURISM ADVOCACY. I may be a newbie in the blogging industry but I am so proud to say that the greatest fulfillment I got from this is how I am able to help the locals of provinces in terms of their source of livelihood. I was one of the guys responsible for introducing Mt. Ulap, Dingalan and Hulugan Falls to the public.
Has traveling changed your social media lifestyle?
DEFINITELY! I no longer check my social media accounts when I’m on a trip. I sometimes deactivate my accounts so that I won’t have any distractions. I want to feel every second of those precious moments with nature. You have got to try it. Trust me, it feels so liberating.
***In relation to this, I have learned to refrain from checking my phone whenever I’m on a date with friends. Believe me, it’s so rude being busy on your device yet you’re with actual people you should be giving your attention to.
What was the greatest decision you made since you started your journey as an adventure artist?
LEAVING THE CORPORATE WORLD. I had been working in the HR industry since 2010. But it was 2014 when I finally let go of my corporate slave career. Before leaving, I realized that I won’t be able to go on long trips for about a week on a regular basis as I would be running out of vacation leaves. But now, with my flexible schedule, I can book my trips anytime I want. I’ve been working as a freelancer since 2014, doing manuscript editing, research work and social media management jobs.
What do you get from traveling?
YOU BECOME A STUDENT OF LIFE. Traveling changes your perspectives and beliefs. You acquire and hone your decision-making and interpersonal skills. You become self-sufficient, resourceful and independent. You realize that there is more to life than being imprisoned within the confines of your comfort zone as you meet people of diverse backgrounds. You change as you immerse yourself in the culture of different societies. You grow as a person. You learn.