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Dawn Of 2013: A Giveaway

Day two of 2013 found us driving interstate in Australia. We were merrily cruising in a supermini car that we hired for five bucks a day. Yes, five Aussie dollars. But under the condition that we drive it from Sydney to Brisbane within five days. A time frame that certainly is more than enough to cover a thousand kilometers.

Our supposed final destination was an “intentional community” in a peaceful bushland near hippie suburbs Mullumbimby and Byron Bay, where we planned to stay for a month. Though we’re kicking off another year as a technically homeless family, hubby and I are thrilled at the idea of schooling (Or shall I say unschooling?) ourselves again in far-flung foreign lands. Never mind we spend all our earnings as we go, so long as we live in “the now”. 

The long drive on the Pacific Highway made us fondly reminisce about how we traveled like it’s the end of the world in 2012. Twelve countries. We’re probably never gonna top that. But it doesn’t matter because it ain’t a goal of ours. What we do intend to accomplish this 2013 is to live in different places, in the Philippines and beyond, on longer periods. In a way it shall prepare us for normalcy. Next year, our daughter will start preschool education which will surely anchor us somewhere. Where exactly? We don’t know.

I feel as though we’ve started counting down to the end of our carefree days. A prison with cells made of conventional rules and routines awaits around the corner. It saddens us quite bit, but who are we to whinge? For four years that the hubby and I have been together, all our memories revolved around travel. Packing and unpacking. Checking in and checkin out. Departure and arrival.

Like I said a while back, the universe spoiled us to bits. We really couldn’t ask for anything more. Can hardly wait to know what 2013 got up its sleeve! And you know what? I’m spreading the good vibe around via a giveaway!

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Left: Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012 and 2013 bundle. Right: The Travel Blogging Calendar 2013, Women’s. Can you spot the Pinay Travel Junkie?
Prizes at stake (one winner for each prize): 
Lonely Planet’s Best In Travel 2012 and 2013 bundle. Jumpstart your 2013 reading about the best travel experiences the past year and for the year ahead!
Travel Blogging Calendar 2013, Women’s. 24 fearless travel bloggers from around the world posed nearly naked (Okay, mostly the men.) and purred for the camera… For charity! All these sizzling hot snapshots are printed on a 2013 calendar (Thanks to Uprinting.), and all proceeds from the sales will be donated to Mitrata Nepal and VSO Bahaginan Philippines. If you don’t win this one, please consider buying. $25 each.
Punchdrunk Panda’s “Stamp Collector” SLR camera strap by Jennifer Horn. Get your travel groove on by embellishing your DSLR with this fun strap!

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Punchdrunk Panda “Stamp Collector” SLR camera strap by Jennifer  Horn. DSLR not included.

What you gotta do… Just “like” a bunch of pages and share the news to others. Let Rafflecopter lead the way.

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to Philippine residents. Contest will run from January 13 to January 31. Winners will be announced on February 1. Prizes will be sent within the month of February.

Good luck, fellow travel junkies! Now share us your travel plans for 2013.

This is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival “New Beginnings” for the month of January, hosted by Roj Braga of Adventuroj.

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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.

143 thoughts on “Dawn Of 2013: A Giveaway

  1. Congrats to your four years going five! Nice preparation for Luna’s schooling. Keep it up hippie parents!

  2. 2013 seems to bring in a lot of new beginnings. Though I envy you and a lot of other travel bloggers for still having the freedom to roam, my Teloyskie will starting grade school this year so I have to be more grounded/domesticated. I am not complaining though and still plan on exploring the region with the boys instead πŸ™‚

  3. This 2013, I’m planning to take my studying “SKILLS” to the next level, hopefully! I also want to publish a book or a story online for this year! πŸ™‚

  4. How exciting! Yup, I guess you guys just gotta make the most out of school holidays. We’ll get there soon.

  5. 2013 travel plans include diving with the whale sharks in Donsol, Sorsogon, attending the Malasimbo music festival and solo trips to Vietnam and Malaysia. πŸ™‚

  6. 2013…Planning to visit Apo Reef with girlfriends. wanna try water rafting & zipling in visayas with hubby’s bestfriend & a friend. Hope to travel with habibi to an off-beaten path again. God bless on your trip gaye…your family rocks!!!!

  7. Aww.. Thanks, Loreen! Apo Reef sounds awesome! I’d really love to visit someday too though I’m not keen on diving.

  8. Yup, been following them for a long time na. I stalk a lot of nomad families online and I’m not sure if it’s healthy for me. Haha. I get all these radical ideas that the hubby and I debate about.

  9. I have so many plans for this year! Basta the travel plans that I’m 100% sure of – I have to do Cambodia this year, Chiang Mai (I am so adopting a panda or a koalaaa! And I have to do Siquijor and maybe Camotes. Baby steps. Busy-busyhan sa work. Chos. πŸ™‚

  10. I’m so bad at planning. I don’t plan beyond the next few months (which makes me miss out a lot on promo fares!). So, so far it’s just Nepal for me in Feb.

  11. You think Luna’s preschool education should anchor you? Have you ever heard of homeschooling? *wink wink*

    Anyway, I don’t really have much fixed travel plans for 2013, but my goal is to incorporate volunteerism whenever I can in my travels, especially teaching baybayin, our ancient Filipino writing system. =)

  12. I’ve thought of homeschooling and even unschooling. But the thought of taking Luna to school, and picking her up after actually excites me.

  13. Unschooling – I like that! Often conventional schools take away creativity and sense of adventure. If you do get anchored, I’m hoping for the best school that suits a cool and unconventional family like yours. =)

  14. Surf sa surigao sa march! πŸ˜€

    Si luna na talaga ang pinaka bonggang bata. many adult travel bloggers envy her. kasama na ako dun. ehehehe m/

  15. I initially planned on going to Indonesia to see Mt. Bromo, Borubodur Temple and Ketut — but no definite plans yet. I also want to do some volunteer work in Nepal or Thailand πŸ™‚

    The BRATpacker

  16. travel plans? im going to Indonesia today! wee! Also, im plotting all possible plots to get my ass off to another continent.. i love Asia, but i’ve been here for too long πŸ˜€

  17. Will try to finish off SEA this year πŸ˜‰ Myanmar on March. SG, Indonesia, Malaysian Borneo and Brunei on 4th Quarter. I’ll try to squeeze in Laos whenever I can. South Korea is in this year’s list too. India and Nepal with 2 fellow bloggers also in the works. n_n

  18. Settling down like most families do make for weary ordinary days, but it does build and heighten the excitement for future travel plans like no other. Too, there’s that heartwarming comfort in coming home to something familiar after a trip elsewhere. Slow travel ain’t such a bad idea πŸ™‚

    This year, we’re revisiting Corregidor, Tagaytay and Bataan. Crossing my fingers that I could also start mountain climbing na this year, kahit Manalmon sana or Maculot πŸ™‚

  19. Maculot’s my first mountain! And it’s true. I crave for that feeling of coming home to a familiar pillow. It hasn’t happened for a looong time.

  20. madeira or copenhagen, hoping to see any of the two this year. wish! wish!
    good luck to both of you and to the little traveler! πŸ™‚

  21. Am going to India in March, but I want to go to South America on the second half of the year! Cross fingers!

  22. being technically homeless gives you the adventure of a lifetime!.. the road is your home but yes, sometimes there are certain things that we can’t getaway with because this is the rule of life, e.g. schooling.. but it’s not as bad either..

    My 2013 plans?.. haven’t really thought about it.. πŸ™‚ but first, I must ensure that I’m still alive before this year ends.. lols.. Maybe stepping away from home for a year is not a bad idea!.. πŸ™‚

  23. Hi Gay! This giveaway of yours is packed with all the right travel goodies! I hope I get to win at least 1, so that I can bring those with me on my future travels.. Oh yeah, I’m planning on flying to Tacloban to visit a friend… and maybe book more flights to Davao for Kadayawan, Surigao del Sur for the Enchanted River.. and more! *Here’s to more travels and moolah for us this 2013! πŸ˜›

  24. I will visit my girlfriend in Singapore in April, then I will go to Hong Kong with my brother in May, I will go to Hong Kong with my girlfriend and her family in June to celebrate her birthday and I will visit my girlfriend in Singapore again in July for our first anniversary… πŸ™‚ I booked all my tickets already! πŸ™‚ And for the 2nd half of 2013, will probably visit again one or two Philippine destinations (e.g. Coron, Cebu or Bohol) πŸ™‚

  25. Will be in Kalibo for Ati-atihan this weekend. πŸ˜€ A good travel start for 2013 I guess. Planning to be in Cebu on Holy Week as well. Hopefully I could go to Ilocos before the year ends. πŸ˜€

  26. Hi Gay! Cynie here πŸ™‚ Mishu much.. I will be joining your contest.. :p
    I will be in Marinduque and Batangas this January. The provinces in Panay Island by April. Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand in June. Negros provinces and Siquijor in November. And anywhere goes in between those months. <3

  27. My travel plans this 2013 is to visit Manila on February. Then, a family trip to Boracay is Scheduled on March. After, We’ll be going to Davao for another round of family bonding until we finally go back to General Santos before The School Year 2013 starts! πŸ™‚

  28. Would Love to go to Cebu again and be with my ‘kuya’ but this time I’m really hoping that I could travel with my whole family and stay there for 2 to 3 weeks (crossing fingers super hoping) πŸ™‚

  29. For 2013, my travel plans are the following:
    – to visit and explore Ilocos (Vigan and Pagudpod) within March
    – enjoy and invade Coron in September
    Just hope the weather will cooperate so as to enjoy the trip .. !! πŸ™‚

  30. hahabol..hehe
    no definite travel plans yet..but this year I want to explore more of Mindanao, climb (major) another mountain, run a half marathon (half lang muna) hehe, revisit El Nido & Myanmar and hopefully ma meet na kita..hehe

  31. Hi! This 2013, I actually plan to explore different places here in the Philippines. I want to go to beautiful, unexplore beaches!

  32. If given a chance i would like to travel to mindanao or in visayas. where i can see my father’s home town he kept on telling me about cebu but still i can’t picture out what cebu looks like πŸ™‚

  33. Question: What are your travel plans for 2013?

    Answer: As for 2013, I don’t really have immediate travel plans. But if things go well, I might be going to Bacolod City or in Manila.

    For the years to come, I plan to visit more places in the Philippines and some countries in Asia. Top of my list will be Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

  34. My travel plans for this year is to spend my Christmas out of country like in Hongkong or Singapore. I want to experience Christmas in theme parks there πŸ™‚

  35. I and my travel buddies started wandering early, too. On Jan 2, we headed for Bantayan Island then to the islands of Bohol and Panglao up to Jan 7th. The following are my travel plans for 2013: February: Samal Island; March – Dipolog, Dapitan, Dakak, Fantasyland; April – Surigao Sur/Norte, Siargao; May: Agusan Marsh; June: Coron and El Nido; August: Basilan, Jolo, Tawi-Tawi; October: Bacolod and Camiguin; November: Manila and Manila Ocean Park’s Asian Horror Ghost House if they’ll have it again this year; December: free month. I don’t like travelling alone, so either family, friends or both will be going with me in all those trips. Thank God my job allows “rest day on duty for offset.”

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