I’m back blogging in this space and I’m not really sure whether or not I’m supposed to do that. Do I even have the urge to blog? Who’ld read these posts anyway? People who dream about traveling?! We’ll of course. Traveling happens to be part of anyone’s Top 3 wish list of things to do before they die – or at least 90 percent of the population thinks so.

Manor Hotel Baguio Dap-ayan Fireplace. Photo by Izah Morales

Even if writing rejects my very purpose of existence, I’ll write anyway. Oh, include typing to a certain extent. I get mental blocks sometimes when I’m in front of the computer. Perhaps they should hurry with improving those voice recognition software so that you don’t really need your hands to type anything anymore. This also means I don’t have to face this bright LCD that makes my eyes irritated when I’ve been staring for hours. Yes, I’m ranting.

Is The Sleepy Traveler an appropriate name for a blog like this? The blog existed around 5 years ago, before the Philippine Blog Awards ever came to play. It was nominated once for Best Photo Blog but never got the chance to get into the light. Perhaps I was too was caught up with other more important things. Like traveling, blogging can be a stressful thing too. Now that its back from hybernation, the blog is back to disturb the world.

And so The Sleepy Traveler exists, not as a photoblog, but as an advocacy that will either influence, tickle, or even tick your senses. The Sleepy Traveler is a travel blog of a boring, uneventful, unadventurous, and somewhat stressful, life of a travel blogger.

Anyhow, I’d like to thank everyone who will (1) put up with this blog (2) will still consider me as a friend even after reading all or any of the posts here (3) understand that the very purpose of this blog is to make people love what they do and appreciate what they have by seeing how miserable other people’s work can get – like mine, and (4) realize that any sarcasm you see here is really just for the fun, nothing personal, just plain fun. So please take no offense

So anyway, back to my boring, uneventful, unadventurous, and somewhat stressful life.

What’s up with me, you may ask? Nothing much. I have had the longest week in 2 years now. Not that I count. I don’t like math. But I guess if you’re part of a media tour for 7 full days, you have got to be prepared specially if it’s all expenses paid.

Its hard since you really don’t have a choice but to follow the set itinerary. If you don’t, you either get left behind, or worse, you get banned from joining any of these media trips in the future.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate being on this trip, its just that I am on a diet and that made it really difficult. I’m planning to lose 30lbs in 12 weeks and am currently on my third week. Two things were on the way. First is the fact that we brought home at least 12 bags of goodies and its mostly filled with food. Second is that I had to restrain myself with all the food choices during the trip. I had to make sure I’d eat only what’s enough – thus the difficulty.

Let me give you an example:

We were in Baguio last Thursday evening for the fourth leg of our tour by NPVB (For the record, NPVB did a great job with this tour even with the tight schedule). We arrived quite late which was before 8pm since we came from surfing in La Union. We were even too exhausted enough that it took an estimated 15-minutes delay just to get everyone board the bus. Now, Baguio’s weather was cold but wasn’t freezing cold (unlike our bus which I appreciate at times). Apparently, we were having dinner at the Manor Hotel. It was an outdoor dinner prepared for us by Chef Billy King courtesy of the Baguio CVB and LGU. I am thankful because I was famished, but I didn’t expect to be presented with a variety of Japanese, Korean, and Continental dishes all in one sitting.. or make that two since I had two rounds of servings but just enough to keep me full.

Alright, here comes the sad part. I’m done and all and I remember something – dessert. I forgot that there was dessert. In fact, there were a number of desserts laid quietly down the dessert table each of them calling my name from afar as if begging me to approach and partake. I could not resist, it was a table full of strawberries and fruits! What do I do? Will I break my diet? Should I just take one and leave the rest? It was a choice between chocolate cake with strawberry slices, strawberry fondue, creme brulee (which I hardly remember if it was in this dinner or was it the next day), an assortment of fruits, and some strawberry flambe with whipped and ice cream on it. I was stressed just looking at them and not knowing what to pick. Why does life have to be so hard?

Eventually I got one of each. I felt really guilty afterward because I enjoyed every single one of them. With my stomach full and the air starting to give me chills, I went round the fireplace where a few of us started to gather. I noticed there weren’t any fire extinguishers around. Hmmm. I guess it’s ok since it didn’t seem as though any of us will catch fire trying to do jump shots over the flames.

Before the night was over, I approached Chef Billy King and told him this.. “You made me break my diet”. True Story.

So that’s really just a glimpse of the 7-day North Luzon trip that we had. I’ll tell you more about it when I feel like it.