2012 is a great year of travel!

Last year, I consider my 2011 a year of travel but 2012, unexpectedly surpassed my 2011 travels! 2012 was a great year of travel for me! Imagine 7 travel destinations in one year? That's an amazing achievement for me who's just a newbie when it comes to exploring places in and around in the world of travel blogging. 2012 is an amazing year of travel for me and so far my best year of travel since 2010. 

I know I have lots of backlogged post for these destinations that I have went on for 2012 especially the series posts that I started but haven't continue yet. But I rest assured that I will get all these travel stories series up to date this year as I'm planning to share them all. And I'm excited to finish it all. I'm excited to share my unforgettable moments and stories that happenedto me in these trips of 2012. Hopefully, I will able to share them all before the first quarter of 2013 ends. Yikes! (Pressure!)

March - Beijing China, July - Iloilo and Guimaras, October - Baguio, Sagada, Mountain Province and Banaue, Ifugao, and November - Anilao, Mabini, Batangas.

As the year ended, let me share to you a rundown interesting facts of my 2012 travels that made it as my great year of travel in 12 facts.

1. My trip to Beijing and China is first time but been planning to land here since 2010.
2. I revisited Iloilo after 4 years! My last trip was back in 2008 which actually not a visit to the province but used it as a transit to Boracay. This time I tried to explore the province and the capitol.
3. First time to experience meeting a sea turtle in Guimaras.
4. I returned to Baguio after 15 years! I think I was a kid since my last visit there. Weather there is sooo good!
5. I won't forget my spelunking experience in Sumaguing Cave in Sagada. It was really "buwis buhay" moment for me but very worth it after all the experiences.
6. First time to see the famous Banaue Rice Terraces in flesh! I really made sure to bring a new 20 peso and old 1000 peso bill to compare it magnificence right before my eyes.
7. First time to visit Anilao, Mabini Batangas with my workmate friends.
8. Climb the Great Wall of China in one winter day. I feel like I conquer China on that day! Yey!
9. Did a "Church hopping" in Iloilo. It was my first time to do that since the churches are the pride of the province because of its rich history and heritage.
10. Amazed by the marvelous sights of Concepcion in Iloilo. The municipality is truly Iloilo's hidden gem! I promise I shall return to that place again even if it takes another 4 hours on ordinary bus ride!
11. Became addicted to Bintanghulu or Caramelized fruits - a street food being sold in the streets of Beijing. In my four days stay there, I think I ate 6 sticks of it!
12. It was my first time to do a rice terraces trekking in Sagada. It was a phenomenal experience for me - trekking under the heat of the sun for 2 hours! But in the end it was a very worthy activity - Bomod-ok Falls was waiting for my eyes to see at the end of the trek. It was also my first time to see a waterfall face to face.

A memorable 2012 - Top photos/Left to right: No.12 and No. 11. Middle photos/Left to right: No. 9 and No. 7. Bottom photos/Left to right: No. 6 and No. 5. Description of the photos are the numbers listed above in my 2012 rundown facts.

No wonder why my 2012 become a year of travel because most are "first time" experiences. First time experiences that I won't forget! I hope to share these memorable trip experiences of my mine soon here when I posted my upcoming travel stories about these places I have been in 2012. I'm proud to say that my 2012 was filled with "experiences of a lifetime". A very unforgettable year of travel!

So much plans to visit places for 2013 but I wish this year will also become a great year of travel - definitely! Cheers to that and Happy 2013 everyone!