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10 Things I Like About 2010

by Gay Mitra - 44

2010 ain’t as grand as 2009. Last year I worked overseas, backpacked in 9 countries (did my first long term travel too), got hitched, and honeymooned during winter. This year isn’t so bad as well. I may have only traveled a few times, but these trips were done either while I was pregnant or with our newborn in tow – which for me, a once carefree drifter, are such amazing feats!

With my newborn in Tam-Awan Village Baguio City, a minute away from my nomadic family’s first home. Moving in’s one of this year’s highlights.

Hereunder are the top 10 things I like about 2010…

1. Spending Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day on Pulau Mamutik. We took our tent “Hurley” abroad for the first time and camped on this island overnight. Stroke of midnight, we faintly heard the fireworks set off from mainland Kota Kinabalu as they welcomed the new year.


I was two months pregnant then. I guess we could count it as baby’s first ever camping trip.

2. Seeing Proboscis Monkeys for the third time, and lots of them at the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary in Sandakan, Malaysian Borneo. They’re my fave creatures on earth (pandas are in second place)!


It’s way better to watch them in the wild like what we did in Brunei and Bako National Park (Sarawak, Malaysia), but seeing them in a big group like this definitely makes me ecstatic too.

3. Rode a habal-habal on a bumpy road in Valencia, Negros Oriental to see the Casaroro Falls. For a preggy chick in her first term, this is such big risk and I made sure our motorcycle driver’s aware of my situation. Or else.


By the way, to get to the falls, you need to go through 300 plus steps of descent and ascent. Imagine how bushed I was.

4. Hubby’s birthday at Salagdoong Beach in Siquijor. We were feeling celebratory so we agreed to pay P800 for a room in Hotel Agripino.


It was worth it though for we were their only guests for two days!

5. Hiking, chasing the seven waterfalls in Mambukal Mountain Resort, Negros Occidental.


I know I’ve done a lot of crazy things while pregnant, but this one’s the extremest of them all.

6. Revisited Manila Zoo after 26 years! Four and a half months preggy and playing with a Burmese Python. Notice the snake getting too comfy resting between my legs?


This is one photo I am very excited to show Luna when she’s grown up.

7. Quezon camping trip with Pinoy Couchsurfers.


Since I (at five months pregnant) was the one who organized the trip, our itinerary mainly composed of eating (awesome menu by Vista Playa!) and beaching in Borawan and Dampalitan.

7. Babymooning on Magalawa Island, Zambales. The horrifying almost 6-hour, 1 stopover bus ride was traumatizing for my urinary bladder.


It was my last out of town trip before giving birth, for I was already approaching my third term.

8. Our newborn Luna’s first road trip to Baguio. We didn’t really do anything out of the ordinary during our stay but hubby liked the city and we decided to move here. Our wandering family’s first temporary home.


This is also my mom’s first appearance on my blog. We rarely travel together these days.

Since we live in Baguio, it’s possible for us to do a day trip to a mountain resort in Tuba, Benguet. Getting there’s Luna’s first jeep ride ever.


We celebrated at the resort our second dating anniversary. Yup, it’s been two years since hubby and I officially became a couple, and a backpacking duo.

10. Surfing in La Union, our 1st wedding anniversary shindig. Okay, I wasn’t really able to surf (hubby did) because of my monthly thingy plus I needed to watch over Luna, but beaching again after 5 months and giving birth is da bomb!


We took an ordinary public bus back to Baguio, thank goodness Luna didn’t go nuts. She actually slept the whole 2-hour trip.

It’s never gonna be easy (and as cheap) again, now that we’re backpacking as a family. But I’m happy with this new cumbersome arrangement for it shall bring me trickier challenges, new insights, and triple fun memories.

I say, this is the good life! Cheers to the coming 2011!

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Gay Mitra
When not backpacking, she teaches her daughter sight words and belly dancing (even if she's not good at it). She's currently eating her way around some hippie town in Australia. She loves talking about herself in the third person.

44 thoughts on “10 Things I Like About 2010”

  2. I am loving this post! 🙂

    Hubby and I were talking about you the other week. Told me that you used to reside in AAV. Sayang, it could have been a chance to meet you, pretty much as he sees, I’m so entranced with your travel escapades. 😛

    All the best, Ms. Gay! ♥

    Reply

  8. i like the having-a-baby-part the most. well not that i wanted to get pregnant. or i could get pregnant for that matter. jeez, what’s the matter with me. i’m just envious. hehehe

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  12. you are the bomb gay. awesome 2010 because i bet that pregnancy is an adventure on its own and that didn’t prevent you to wander around. here’s hoping for more travels and more blessings in 2011.

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  13. Good job! =) Keep it up! I always thought that a baby would be the only thing (should be person? haha) that would stop me from backpacking. First, I don’t think I would ever learn how to pack light, so what more with a baby in tow? Second, another luggage, I mean, the baby, is so troublesome to bring around.. But you make it sound so easy!! More happy travels for you and your beautiful family. Cheers!

    Marnie =)

    Reply

  17. Hi Marniejan, when you get there you will know what to do 🙂 Anything for the love of traveling and the bundle of joy!

    And yeah, it is troublesome to lug the baby around… and we have become the annoying parents who can’t keep their baby quiet on a bus, but we don’t really care anymore.

    Hahaha!

    Reply

  20. I agree with Oman, your pregnancy alone is such an adventure already. Every time my women colleagues would share their apprehensions about traveling, I always tell them about you Gay. Kahit buntis, walang mintis! — just trying to find a tagalog word that rhymes with buntis. hehe Astig!!!

    Happy new year and more travels!

    Reply

  24. whoa! proboscis monkey. amazing! nice to have met you this year Gay and the year for you with luna and your hubby made it more special.

    next to baguio… bring luna to batad. that’ll be very very special.

    cheers to more great year in travel!

    Reply

  30. Gay, i just went to Casaroro falls and i was complaining how ridiculously hard it was to walk down and up the 300 steps. I just read your’re story, and you were pregnant when you did that. ha ha ha i am such an unfit traveler. Good Job! What a well-spent year filled with lots of travels and realizations! Cheers to 2011 now that you’re three! Enjoy!

    Reply

  37. We almost had the same travel destinations last year… hehehe!!! again, I thank you because I was inspired by your post on Borawan and Dampalitan Beaches, that’s why we went there last year… thanks a lot… I wish you more travels this year…

    Reply

  39. It was still an exciting 2010 for you Gaye! Having Luna with you will surely redefine your travels and make it more exciting for 2011 😀

    Reply

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