The Travel Zen of Cai

Philippines

  • 13th Month Pay: A Blessing and a Reminder

    The year is almost over. And yet, the buzz conquering every conversation for many Filipino workers is the same: the “13th month pay.” If you’re working in the Philippines, you might be shouting, jumping with excitement, or already planning what… Continue reading

  • Golden Lights and Rustic Nights at Craft 1945

    You will never get bored exploring Baguio City. As someone who spent years in the City of Pines, I would say that it’s a place of endless adventure, especially the suburbs. When it comes to restaurants and coffee shops, you’ll… Continue reading

  • A Magical Overnight at Café Orilla, Baguio City

    Tucked away in the quiet corners of Irisan, far from the usual buzz of downtown Baguio, lies a hidden gem by the river –  Café Orilla at Camp Riverside. My sister and I had the pleasure of staying overnight, and… Continue reading

  • In the Heart of the Highlands

    I remember looking down below—it was steep ravines and the deep blue river at the bottom seemed so angry, its raging current crashing against the rocks with a wild intensity. I quickly averted my eyes forward. The endless sharp curves… Continue reading

  • What Happened After Graduation 2019?

    Have you ever thought about where you might be now if the world hadn’t paused back in 2020? Not just in terms of places you could’ve gone, but the version of yourself you imagined becoming. The plans you made –… Continue reading

  • Beneath the Mountains, Beside the Rice Fields

    Have you ever lived somewhere so remote, it feels like civilization is a distant hum on the horizon? A place where you wake up not to traffic or alarms, but to the sound of roosters crowing and the rustle of… Continue reading

  • More Than Dirt: A Mining Story

    One thing I’ll never forget is my experience going to the mines. My mom came from a family of miners- that’s actually where she met my dad. So in a way, mining is part of my story, part of who… Continue reading

  • Lessons & Life Between the Philippines, Thailand, and the U.S.

    Baguio was my beginning- a city wrapped in pine-scented air and early morning fog. I remember walking home as the sun came up, the streets quiet after another long night shift. On weekends, I swapped graveyard hours for exam rooms… Continue reading

  • “Be Like Water”

    There’s something about being near water that just calms the soul. Maybe it’s the sound-the way a river flows softly over rocks, or the sudden, powerful rush of a waterfall. Or maybe it’s the feeling when you touch it-cool, alive,… Continue reading

  • It All Started with a Cup of Coffee

    Self-discovery doesn’t always start with big decisions – sometimes, it begins with coffee. Before I finally left my home country and I was still in Baguio, I wasn’t searching for anything in particular. But with each café I wandered into,… Continue reading