Daene is one of those people who are trying to break free from the cubicle nation by engorging herself with some travel treats every now and then. With a backpack in tow and of course her flip flops, Daene will see the wrold one country at a time.
Her dream destinations include Mt. Romaraima in Venezuela, Tuscany in Italy and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
If you want to know more about her, visit her at Filipina on Flip Flops.
Here's Flip's short interview with Daene.
How did you discover your passion for travelling?
"I think my love for travel began as a love for the beach. I particularly remember going on one beach trip with friends back in college that probably started it all - we were to spend the day island hopping, and at around noon we stayed on this small empty stretch of sand in a tiny uninhabited island. A kind of cliff formation separated our stretch of sand from a smaller one, but it was only a really short swim away. So I swam the short distance and found myself alone in an empty stretch of beach. It was perhaps the most peaceful and tranquil experience I have ever had in my entire life, sitting alone on that beach, watching the sea, and silence – no other sounds but the chirping of birds and the ebb and flow of the waves. I didn’t stay long and had to swim back after a while (I didn’t want to worry the others) but that experience was really special – I felt as if I had a corner of the world all to myself, even for just a moment. Since then, I guess it's been a passion of mine to gain experiences like that in different parts of the world, whether on the beach or elsewhere. So I guess that's how it all started."
What’s the most horrible experience that you’ve had on the road?
What’s the most horrible experience that you’ve had on the road?
"Thankfully I'm quite the optimist so I've managed to find the good in every travel experience I've had so far, whether pleasant or unpleasant. If I had to pick one though, I remember being lost in the trails of Mt. Kinabalu once, because my friends and I got left behind by the group we were supposed to hike with. We managed to find our way back without anyone getting hurt and we only got lost for a few hours so we were lucky - but otherwise, things could've gone terribly wrong. These days my friends and I laugh at the experience and chalk it up as one of those lessons you learn the hard way, but sometimes I shudder at the thought of what would've happened if we hadn't found our way back quickly."
What’s the most outstanding travel experience that you’ve ever had?
'There would be five (and I'm taking some of this from some of my blog entries because I don't want to re-articulate, hehe):
1. One summer night on the year I graduated from college, on a beach in Bantayan Island, Cebu, when I slept on the sand under the stars, Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” on my iPod, next to friends who were, as I was, leaving school behind in order to marshal in the rest of our lives.
2. In Coron, Palawan, swimming through a hole beneath a massive limestone precipice and finding myself in a deep aquamarine lake enclosed by towering cliffs, floating effortlessly in its still, buoyant waters.
3. In Hoi An, Vietnam - just being there, actually. I knew nothing about the place before we went, and it turned out to be such a pleasant surprise. I have lots of fond memories of that place. I really want to go back soon. :)
4. In Cambodia: having the temple Banteay Samre all to ourselves when my friends and I visited (actually, exploring the whole Angkor temple complex was a magnificent experience!).
5. Bungee jumping in Macau Tower - the craziest thing I've done so far, I think!"
What’s the biggest realization that you’ve got out of travelling?
"That every place in the world will have something unique and new to offer you, but it will also have something that will remind you of home. It's a wonderful paradox, I think. :)"
Travelling is too tiring sometimes and a lot of our friends and relatives sometimes don’t understand the point of it aside from the fact that it’s a leisure activity. What keeps you going? What keeps you motivated?
"I've always been a little stubborn and have always done the things that I want to do regardless of what other people think (a result, perhaps, of being an only child for ten years - yes, I would admit to being a bit of a spoiled brat - and of having a Type 7 - Enthusiast personality), so I don't often pay attention to people who don't understand my love to travel. And I guess I'm also thankful that a lot of my friends are actually supportive of my passion to travel. :)"
This is a silly and hypothetical one. If you would be given a chance to travel with a popular person or a celebrity, who would it be and why?
"Jason Mraz, hands down. I love his music and the way he lives his life. He's become a bit of an environmentalist of late, and it might be a bit of a problem if on our trip he would keep me from using the toilet and suggest that I pee outside (apparently there's really an organization that promotes that!) so that I save on flushing and toilet paper. (It must be said, however, that I have TOTAL respect for the people who are able to support this cause - I would too, and I can totally be rough and rugged like that if needed, except I'm still a girl, and it's really difficult for us. So I will just save the world in other ways :D)."
What could stop you from travelling?
"If I've already seen everything that I want to see in the world. So it'll probably take a while for that to happen. :)"
Among the places that you’ve been to, which one fascinated you the most?
"I really fell in love with Siem Reap, Cambodia when we went. The temples in Angkor, the lovely people - I'm not sure why but I really fell in love with the place."
What's the best travel advice that you could give for a novice traveler like me?
"I'm really still a newbie when it comes to traveling as well, but what I always keep in mind when I travel are these two things:
(1) Be an optimist, and always manage your expectations - not everything will go according to your plan. This way, there's more room for pleasant surprises to happen!
(2) Smile! Be friendly towards strangers rather than being wary of them. Of course it's always good to keep your guard, but I honestly think that if you look scared, stiff and overly guarded, there's an even bigger chance that you'll get the attention of the wrong people."
What do you think about yourself?
What’s the most outstanding travel experience that you’ve ever had?
'There would be five (and I'm taking some of this from some of my blog entries because I don't want to re-articulate, hehe):
1. One summer night on the year I graduated from college, on a beach in Bantayan Island, Cebu, when I slept on the sand under the stars, Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” on my iPod, next to friends who were, as I was, leaving school behind in order to marshal in the rest of our lives.
2. In Coron, Palawan, swimming through a hole beneath a massive limestone precipice and finding myself in a deep aquamarine lake enclosed by towering cliffs, floating effortlessly in its still, buoyant waters.
3. In Hoi An, Vietnam - just being there, actually. I knew nothing about the place before we went, and it turned out to be such a pleasant surprise. I have lots of fond memories of that place. I really want to go back soon. :)
4. In Cambodia: having the temple Banteay Samre all to ourselves when my friends and I visited (actually, exploring the whole Angkor temple complex was a magnificent experience!).
5. Bungee jumping in Macau Tower - the craziest thing I've done so far, I think!"
What’s the biggest realization that you’ve got out of travelling?
"That every place in the world will have something unique and new to offer you, but it will also have something that will remind you of home. It's a wonderful paradox, I think. :)"
Travelling is too tiring sometimes and a lot of our friends and relatives sometimes don’t understand the point of it aside from the fact that it’s a leisure activity. What keeps you going? What keeps you motivated?
"I've always been a little stubborn and have always done the things that I want to do regardless of what other people think (a result, perhaps, of being an only child for ten years - yes, I would admit to being a bit of a spoiled brat - and of having a Type 7 - Enthusiast personality), so I don't often pay attention to people who don't understand my love to travel. And I guess I'm also thankful that a lot of my friends are actually supportive of my passion to travel. :)"
This is a silly and hypothetical one. If you would be given a chance to travel with a popular person or a celebrity, who would it be and why?
"Jason Mraz, hands down. I love his music and the way he lives his life. He's become a bit of an environmentalist of late, and it might be a bit of a problem if on our trip he would keep me from using the toilet and suggest that I pee outside (apparently there's really an organization that promotes that!) so that I save on flushing and toilet paper. (It must be said, however, that I have TOTAL respect for the people who are able to support this cause - I would too, and I can totally be rough and rugged like that if needed, except I'm still a girl, and it's really difficult for us. So I will just save the world in other ways :D)."
What could stop you from travelling?
"If I've already seen everything that I want to see in the world. So it'll probably take a while for that to happen. :)"
Among the places that you’ve been to, which one fascinated you the most?
"I really fell in love with Siem Reap, Cambodia when we went. The temples in Angkor, the lovely people - I'm not sure why but I really fell in love with the place."
What's the best travel advice that you could give for a novice traveler like me?
"I'm really still a newbie when it comes to traveling as well, but what I always keep in mind when I travel are these two things:
(1) Be an optimist, and always manage your expectations - not everything will go according to your plan. This way, there's more room for pleasant surprises to happen!
(2) Smile! Be friendly towards strangers rather than being wary of them. Of course it's always good to keep your guard, but I honestly think that if you look scared, stiff and overly guarded, there's an even bigger chance that you'll get the attention of the wrong people."
What do you think about yourself?
"I don't know how to answer this, but here's to trying: I guess I'm thankful and feel very fortunate that I'm able to do what I love to do even if it means slaving in an office cubicle for the most part of the year so that I can travel."
"For the most part, it's an outlet for my two true loves, writing and travel. As an offshoot of that, I hope that other people who read it are either able to live vicariously through the things that I post and write, or are inspired to travel and see the world as well. " - Daene Luna
Hi! Thanks for this. Cheers to fellow nomads! :)
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