about me
travel
I AM MIAKA.
Coming from a family with an average income, I did not have the luxury to travel when I was younger. I’ve always wondered how it feels like to visit other countries, and I could only dream about beautiful cities and their famous landmarks. Then airline companies started dropping their prices. That’s when I decided to take on the opportunity to travel.
Growing up in the Philippines, I learned that though money is a necessity, it can’t give you the best experiences in life. I bring this philosophy with me each time I jet off for another adventure. I love to wander in new cities and get lost on its streets; I dine in hidden corners, and I bring home suitcase full of memories.
Traveling has taught me a lot of lessons about life, particularly when it comes to pursuing what I love to do. It opened my eyes to the beauty that the world has to offer. Having witnessed that, I experienced a sense of fulfillment and happiness that only traveling could fulfill.
travel
live a life of adventure
I encourage you to go out there and see the world and live a life of adventure. Yes, uncertainty can be scary, and people will try to confine you with what they believe is normal and even drag you to live a life you don’t want. The worst thing you can do to yourself is to be defined by someone else’s opinion of you.
As MLK once said “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” What he meant by that is, when you have a dream, and you’re passionate about something, you don’t wait for the circumstances to be perfect, and you certainly don’t need to know whether you’ll succeed or not. You will not go anywhere unless you take the first step.
In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take, and nothing is scarier than regret. Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and be excited of what could go right.
So live life to the fullest, because it only happens once.
I was 25 when I fell in love with adventure. I remember my first trip abroad like it was yesterday, from the sound of fireworks shooting up into the dark, Hong Kong sky to the smell of caramel popcorn to the enthralling lights of children’s rides. Call me childish, but which kid has never dreamt about going to Disneyland? I’ve always had and I’ve never outgrown that dream.
travel
other information
I am a proud Filipina, who hails from the largest city in the Philippines, Davao. I began traveling February 2010 without knowing that I would stumble upon a new passion in life. If not exploring the world, I spend my time having quiet and simple moments with family. I enjoy cooking for them, as well as catching the latest movies with my boys.
My high school sweetheart and I have been happily married for 10 years now. Together, we have two boys whom we would love to share adventures with when they are older. So far, we have only taken them once on a trip abroad to Hong Kong. We plan to have more trips as a family but only when the children’s education is no longer our top priority. For now, my husband serves as my trusty travel buddy or if he is busy with his career, then my sister makes a great stand-in.
I am still into freelancing as a graphic artist and web developer. Not only does this job give me more time to travel and to exercise my creativity, it also allows me to spend as much time as possible with the one thing that matters most to me, my family.
Most of the stories that you would find in this travel vlog include practical tips and culinary finds. Both are a reflection of me; of my simplicity and my love for food. When in a strange new place, my favorite part is discovering local cuisine as I am easily enamored by hole in a wall restaurants and local street finds. There is perhaps no better way to savor another’s culture than to taste their own unique food.
I am just a regular mother, wife, and Filipina coming from a humble background. There are a thousand more who are as “plain” as I am. However, my adventures are far from the ordinary and I open them to you and to everyone who would want to make the most of their travels while on a limited budget.
