Travel Gourmande

This is it. Plane tickets- check. Luggage-check. I'm on my way to the airport. I haven't spent Christmas there for the last 10 years. You see , I have been away for almost a decade. I can count the number of times I've been there in one hand. I'm heading home to go back to my roots and see family.

Coron, Palawan

I was born in one of the 7,107 islands of the Philippines, in the capital to be exact. Much as I'd love to say (when someone asks me) I was from one of the exotic islands, I pretty much grew up in the concrete jungle of the capital. It's a shame how I've visited more cities around the world than my own country. So this year, I'm heading back to explore where I came from.

Kayangan Lake, Coron, Palawan

I'm happy to have started this sojourn last year when I visited the islands of Coron, Palawan. This time I'm heading Southeast traveling with my college best friend.

They say that " True friends are the ones who never leave your heart, even if they leave your life for awhile. Even after years apart, you pick up with them right where you left off." ---I think that's absolutely true! Zepy of Travel Explore Beyond and I are of kindred spirits. She has been my high school and college classmate, maid of honor when I got married, and one of my best best friends who has always been there for me like a sister. After graduation, we started working together on a beach house re-design project. At that time we were oblivious to our passion for adventure.Two years later, we reunited to go backpacking in the rice terraces of Banaue and caves of Sagada - just the two of us with no hotel bookings and no idea what the itinerary was. This was during my first home visit alone as a Dubai expat. This life changing trip triggered our love for travel. It opened doors to more adventures in both of our immediate futures. Over the years, she has explored every corner of the archipelago and the surrounding countries many times over.

I am excited, anxious, filled with mixed emotions for this unplanned trip.

I am merely following where the wind takes me.

Let's see what I might find.

XOXO,

Arni

I am so thrilled to have a blogger friend, Helen here today, author of Eat.Enjoy.Live as she shares with us today what gives her utmost joy..

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Hey! Helen here from Eat.Enjoy.Live. How is everyone?
I was so excited when Arni asked me to guest post. I mean this girl has style!!
She asked me to write about what makes me happy.
I honestly didn't think it would be so difficult.
I didn't want to go down the route of family and friends, because although they do make me happy,
they have me going crazy too!! Who's with me?

The one thing that never lets me down?

Books.

{Via}

Oh man! I am the biggest bookaholic you've ever met.
I get most of my books from charity shops, as they are cheap and my money goes to a good cause.
The only trouble is when I'm trawling the shelves all you can hear me say is "read that, read that, read that".

Seriously. Whilst every other children was spending their pocket money on sweets, I was saving it up and buying books.

{Via}

I have a problem, but it's a problem I can live with.

My top 5 reasons why books make me happy?

Although books can make you cry, they will never ever let you down.
Books are the ultimate tool for time travel. In fact travel in general. Go anywhere, to any time and if you've picked a good author you're right there in the moment.
I learn a lot about myself.
The smell. I know it's weird, but that second hand book shop smell. They should bottle that. I'd buy it!
Characters. They can't talk back, you can hate them, hopelessly fall in love and encourage them. You don't have to be afraid. Their story is already written.