Exploring One of the Many Gardens in Suzhou, The Humble Administrator's Garden

"If heaven has paradise, China has Hangzhou and Suzhou" - Marco Polo
It was those words that actually drove me to include both of these cities on a trip that was supposed to be only dedicated for Shanghai. It got me curious as to why both cities are highly acclaimed and recommended when visiting the Eastern part of the country, so I allotted two days to see what was in store for us here.

A Checklist of Things To Do in Lake Sebu

Now emerging as one of top eco-cultural tourist spots in Mindanao, Lake Sebu is bound to surprise you with experiences that will combine nature, culture and adrenalin rush in one go. This vibrant municipality of South Cotabato is blessed with natural wonders that will surely keep travelers busy for a day or two. These activities are some of my recommended items that you need to keep in mind when visiting this part of the country.

Rain, rain did not go away and came back again on my second day around Lake Sebu

30 Before 30: A Travel Bucket List

I had this thought when I was in grade school that I can go and explore all continents by only a few months. You know, because it was so freaking easy to just pinpoint places in the map and I assumed that plane tickets were darn cheap and all countries share the same prices of commodities. So I made it a point to travel when I already started earning money for myself. The experience was one of a kind and I felt that this is something that I want to do for the rest of my life. I started to do more trips, sometimes with a group, sometimes on my own. I was able to track down my expenses and the rate of how I long I want to stay and explore one town or city. And I came to a conclusion that I am inclined to enjoy long term travels than shorter ones. Basically, that "goal" of seeing everything in a couple of months is not possible for me. I have read about some people who have done it, but it just sounds too cramped and stressful for me.

Soooo, I am building a list of places that I want to see and experiences that I want to accomplish before I reach my "milestones" (30th, 40th birthday and so on.) I built this list last August, a week before I turned 24, seeing that I am only a couple of years before I reach my first deadline. And I actually had 30 things jotted down, thus, naming this 30 before 30. Most of these are inspirations I got from travel shows and blogs and things that I wanted to do ever since I was a kid.

From martina15 on Flickr