I never had a plethora of hobbies as a young boy. In fact, I still struggle to answer that question to this day. However, if I narrow it down to something that consumes my time, it is reading about places. As early as five years old, I could memorize all the flags of the world. At seven, I could memorize most of the capital cities of countries and identify their respective continents.

Ten years after graduating from college, I finally embarked on a journey to ten countries, all located between the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. These countries spanned across four continents: Asia, Australia, Europe, and Africa. Here’s a brief overview of my countries and some special memories I made in each one.

1. Japan

For a first time traveler, it will be some place that is going to be a dream. Not that I dreamt of Japan to be the first, but Japan came to me. I applied for the Japan-East Asia Network Exchange of Students and Youths or the JENESYS program. I fortunately got in and was bound for Tokyo and Shizuoka.

It was destined for me to have such a wonderful experience, not just traveling but also immersing myself in the local culture of Japan. My co-participants and I lived with a family in Shizuoka, and I made wonderful friends with the Japanese family. In fact, one of them even visited Iloilo a few years ago. This experience broadened my perspective on the vastness of the world and demonstrated the possibility of forming meaningful connections with people from different countries.

One of the places that has left an indelible mark on my memory is Mt. Fuji. I caught a glimpse of this magnificent mountain while riding the shinkansen, the incredible bullet train. Shizuoka was a breathtaking backdrop for this awe-inspiring sight. My host family also took me to Fuji City, where I indulged in the freshness of sushi. It was there that I fell in love with sashimi, a craving that still lingers to this day. In Tokyo, we visited Odaiba, where we saw the iconic Gundam statue (the original one) and a smaller version of the Statue of Liberty.

2. Singapore

Singapore, one of the two international destinations accessible from the Iloilo International Airport in the past, was the first country I traveled to on purpose solely for tourism. It was also the first country I funded myself. What made this trip even more exciting was that I didn’t travel alone; I brought my mother with me and paid for her trip as a retirement gift.

In Singapore, I discovered more of my potentials in traveling abroad. At first, I was really afraid of getting lost. I was also scared of making mistakes. My mom and I apparently did make mistakes when we arrived! I was aware of the public transportation system and had no problem about it after I did all my research. However, that time, the line from the airport was closed for some construction work. I did not have a Plan B back then. Luckily, a friendly local working in the airport helped us take a bus. It was a long ride. We had a great tour around Singapore on our way to the hotel. We even passed the less touristy parts where most locals lived.

The highlight of our trip was the view from the second tallest building in Singapore with the tallest observation deck. My mom and I had it all to ourselves. One Raffles Place had this amazing observation deck at the rooftop. It gave an unimpeded view of the Singapore Marina and from there, the Marina Bay Sands hotel simply looked small. It was an incredible bonding experience for me and my mom.

3. Cambodia

If I must be honest, I literally barged into my former students’ lives with this two-country trip. So, the first stop was Thailand. On the day of our arrival, we had a whirlwind day tour of Bangkok. In the evening, we headed to Don Mueang International Airport (which now has a direct flight to Iloilo) to fly to the historic Siem Reap in Cambodia.

In Cambodia, it felt like I had stepped into a real-life version of Temple Run, a game that was incredibly popular back then. The ruins of the ancient sites were simply breathtaking, with trees reclaiming the land. Naturally, our trip wouldn’t be complete without the iconic Angkor Wat.

My former students and I were a group of five people, and it was my first time traveling as a group. We had planned the itinerary quite well, and it turned out to be an amazing trip. We visited many temples and indulged in a variety of street food. What I particularly enjoyed about Cambodia was the affordability of the prices.

Another highlight of our journey was traveling by land from Poi Pet to Bangkok, Thailand. The journey took nearly 10 hours, but we were fortunate to have taken the morning schedule, which allowed us to witness a significant portion of Cambodia’s countryside and Thailand’s landscapes.

4. Thailand

Thailand has been visa-free for Filipinos for a 30-day period, and this policy has likely persisted until now. Additionally, Filipinos are only allowed to enter the country twice a year. If you plan to visit more than twice a year, a visa is required. Fortunately, our plans to enter the country twice were just as we had anticipated.

Thailand as country number two in the Thailand-Cambodia escapade with my students was an enjoyable part of the itinerary. We went on temple-hopping, as well as go to the famous Khao San Road for the night life.

Thailand, one of the countries I’ve visited four times in total, was my layover destination for my Istanbul-bound flight. I was traveling from Sydney and was headed to the IRF World Congress 2024. Suvarnabhumi Airport is massive, and at the moment, I nearly got lost due to the recent addition of a new concourse.

5. United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates was my first solo travel experience. This trip was a perfect blend of business and pleasure. The main reason for my visit was to present my poster at the 26th World Road Congress in Abu Dhabi. Since flying through Dubai with Cebu Pacific was more affordable, I decided to take this route. I spent a few days exploring Dubai. One of the highlights of my trip was meeting up with my high school and college classmate. He was like a “safe zone” for me throughout the entire journey. The moment I met him the day after I arrived in Dubai, I felt a sense of confidence and knew that I could handle the rest of the trip.

Of course, being a child who loves skyscrapers, Burj Khalifa was at the top of my bucket list. I spent a significant amount of money just to visit the observation deck and purchase some fantastic souvenirs. Additionally, I invited my friend to join me on a boat cruise in the Persian Gulf. We marveled at the breathtaking coastline of Dubai, adorned with towering skyscrapers. Among them were the iconic Atlantis Resort on Palm Island and the magnificent Burj Al Arab.

The real thrill was in Abu Dhabi, where I embarked on a solo adventure. I visited the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a harmonious blend of various Islamic architectural styles. This awe-inspiring structure capped off my trip, as most of my days were dedicated to attending the congress in Abu Dhabi.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this two-part reflection on my travel aspirations. You’ve seen these five destinations so far: