Things don’t always go as planned. Especially if you’re me.
I am everything a traveler should not be. I dread packing my bags because I tend to bring everything. Yet I complain when my backpack gets too heavy. I am geographically challenged, too shy to ask for directions, and too shy to haggle. I am clumsy. Carefree. Accident-prone. The only thing I share with most travelers is the drive to see the world. Yes, that drive.
When I started this blog, I was struggling to make ends meet. I was at the very bottom of the corporate ladder, working an 8-5 job. I shared a dodgy apartment with five friends and every payday I would always watch my cash vanish into thin air. And by thin air, I mean rent, bills, and daily expenses. I could not even afford to go out of town on my own. At the time, the farthest place that I had visited for leisure was, well, Tagaytay City. Ha, beat that.
The first several posts on this blog were actually part of company outings and business trips that I gladly took advantage of. The more places I set foot on for work, the more I was inspired to work harder, save bigger, and eventually go farther. I accepted part-time jobs and grabbed every opportunity to earn extra. Whatever I saved, I spent on indulging my wanderlust. It started out like that. I was happy to be trapped in that clockwork for I knew that for every week-long perseverance, I would be rewarded with an exciting weekend somewhere I had never been to before. I was totally fine with it.
That was the plan.
But you know life; it’s that one place where plans go to die. I didn’t expect that the blog itself — this blog — would open doors and pave way to more opportunities. Last year, I finally bade Sayonara to my office-based job and said Hola to eternal weekends. Some call it luck. I’d like to think it’s hard work. Maybe it’s a one-two punch of both.
The name of the blog was inspired by “The Seven Poor Travelers” by Charles Dickens, one of the blogger’s favorite writers, although the concept of this blog is oddly distant and unrelated to the story. I guess the only link there is that I want to give a positive influence to all who read this blog.
While most people now hardly label me “poor” when it comes to finances, I still find myself desperately struggling when I’m on the road. This blog is a diary of a traveler who always finds himself getting ripped off, whose time is always wasted getting lost, whose trips are always challenged by the sour weather, and whose bowel movement always gets in the way. I make mistakes, lots of them. Poor me.
Yes, you’ll find mistakes on this blog. But here’s hoping you’ll learn from them.
About,
I am a fan of ‘THE POOR TRAVELLER’.
Whenever I‘ll visit some places, I tend to visit your site and check out what are the do‘s & don’ts. Your blogs are very helpful, specially to the poor traveller like you.
Thanks, Vanessa! I’ll try to squeeze in more tips when writing!
we‘ve been to.El Nido last week and your blogs and tips are much appreciated. Thank You.
Hi,
i came across this page and saw your blog about Bagobo in bohol,we will be checking in the same resort and it was really helpful to familiarize myself to the place before even getting there, well a short intro atleast. thanks!
Great! Enjoy your stay. It’s not a stellar resort but pocket-friendly.
hi, i’m a fan of yours, and i really envy you travelling to many places i love to travel also, and i find your blog very helful. this march my daughter is schedule to have her externship (ojt) in malaysia and the school encourages the parents to visit their children. i might follow your itinerary. im very excited to see beautiful places in malaysia. thumbs up!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy your stay in Malaysia!
It’s my first time here in your blog. Really enjoyed reading.
full of info. And very inspiring. Keep it up!
Thanks,Kate. Hope to see you again on this blog!
Good to have a Blog like yours, I always search for a blog like yours whenever Im planning to travell for a vacation with my wife.
You know what, because of time and money constraint some time we just choose some place reasort near Bacolod to minimize time and money. Your blog has a very good advice for poor traveller like me. Thanks I shall be your vivid blog follower….
Dear POOR TRAVELER,
Greetings!
We are writing to you with regard to a possible collaboration for the promotion of our hotel in Coron, Palawan. We have been following closely your travel blog, and we thought that it might be of interest to you to visit Coron again, and write on a different aspect of the place, especially the accommodation, the value for money experience and the warm hospitality of our people.
MyHometel Inc. is a hospitality management company, operating budget and boutique hotels in the Philippines. Currently, we are operating four (4) hotels: two in Cebu, one in General Santos and another in Coron, Palawan, which just recently opened two months ago. We are in the planning stages of developing two more boutique hotels in Panglao, Bohol and Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
For Coron, Palawan, we would like to host your 3 days 2 nights stay (for two) accommodation as well as tour package for free. Our interest is not only to promote Coron and our Hotel through your blog, but also provide insights or ideas to help us further improve our service to tourists. For your reference, you may visit our website, coronecolodge.com and Facebook page (Coron Ecolodge).
We hope to hear from you soonest. We look forward to a possible meeting to discuss the above matter in greater detail.
Sincerely,
Manny Paredes
Marketing
You are an inspiration! Your blog is very informative. Must-read by all travelers.
i hope you visit batanes.. and stay @ amboy hometel.