Simples Things I Enjoy When Traveling

by Regin Reyno

We travel to be happy. In whatever we do in our travels, at the end of the day, the reason we do those things, is to achieve happiness and/or meaningfulness. Whether that be hiking on the Great Wall of China, witnessing Rembrandt’s The Return of the Prodigal Son at The Hermitage Museum, scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro, swimming with whalesharks in the Philippines, riding Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain, or simply enjoying an over water villa in Bora Bora, French Polynesia. We go to great lengths to achieve happiness and meaningfulness. 

But in traveling, I also find happiness in simple things. They’re simple. In fact, some people take them for granted. But these simple things or activities make me happy. It allows me to have positive emotions. To have feelings of joy, contentment, and comfort. 

Every time I travel, every time I book that ticket, I feel excited not just for the major sites and activities that I’m going to do in a particular destination, but also for these simple things and activities when traveling. I’m a person who finds happiness in simple pleasures. 

1. Meal time on planes

Underground River sa Palawan

ni Regin Reyno

Dahil ngayon ay Linggo ng Wika, napagdesisyon ako na mag-blog gamit ang wikang Filipino.

Maaga kaming nagising nong araw na yon kasi madaming activities ang nakaplano. Naka-plano kaming puntahan ang Underground River sa Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Excited kami dahil di lang namin mararanasan ang napaka-pambihirang spelunking activity, kundi dahil ito ay tinaguriang isa sa 7 Wonders of Nature. Isang malaking accomplishment at pribilehiyo na mapuntahan ‘to.

Train from North Korea to China

by Regin Reyno

I woke up early on that freezing day. Looked through my window on the 25^th floor and saw the frozen Taedonggang river and some other buildings in that beautiful city. It was the 2^nd day of January 2016. Yes, winter. I just finished days of touring Pyongyang and Kaesong in the secluded country, North Korea, where locals don’t have access to the internet and cannot just travel outside of their country, unless sponsored by the state. It was my last day in that country. A country where a lot of people are scared to visit. 

After a good breakfast at our luxurious, Yanggakdo Hotel-a hotel built during the soviet era, located on an islet in the middle of Taedong river-I hopped on our bus taking us to Pyongyang train station.  

The train station was quite packed that time. Buses arrived. Tour buses that carried foreigners. Foreigners like me, who are curious what North Korea is like. Mostly Europeans and Australians, as Americans are not allowed to take the train. The Americans headed to Kim Il Sung Airport, also that same day. There were some Chinese, too. I think I was the only Filipino in North Korea that time.

26th

by Regin Reyno

Today, I arrived in Qufu, Shandong, China-hometown of Confucius, founder of Confucianism-via an 8.5-hour sleeper train ride. Comfortably slept in my cabin. Visited the Temple of Confucius, Qufu; the largest and most renowned Confucian Temple in the world. It was built in 478 BC and rebuilt in 1499. Confucius’ teachings are the foundation of China’s traditional cultural values. 

Visited Philippine Provinces

"Wag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan." (Don't be a foreigner/stranger in your own country).

Before I was able to have my first international trip in 2005, I was exploring the Philippines. It started when I was young. My parents make it a point to have family vacation somewhere at least once a year.

Camiguin

Staying with Nomads in Mongolia

by Regin Reyno

Staying with nomads in the steppes of Mongolia. 

My host family were singing traditional Mongolian songs after dinner on a cold autumn night over Arkhi. 

Klement Reunion Tour 2017: Southern Cebu, Philippines

by Regin Reyno

Our life, like a book, is composed of different chapters. One of those chapters is our college days. The people during those days, our classmates, professors, and in our case, clinical instructors, had an effect on us, and is responsible, in one way or another of what we have become as a person right now. We have developed a relationship with them; friendship, or for some, family. So it is just proper, that after we part ways during graduation, to see them again. Because they were part of the chapter of our life. How can you forget the people whom you’ve made precious memories with. 

Our nursing clinical division class, called Klement, graduated in 2009 and took our oath in 2010. After 7 years, we decided to make an effort to see each other again. And not just a simple meeting where you have that buffet dinner and talk over drinks. We had what we call a REUNION TOUR. It was from April 23 until April 27, 2017. We wanted to make it more memorable and meaningful, so we decided to travel together in the southern part of the beautiful island of Cebu in the Philippines. Because, why not?