Burning our bare hands

Experiencing snowfall for the first time in Utah.

It was mid-March and we had just driven into Hurricane, Utah. Winter was almost over, yet the temperature remained at thirty-nine degrees Fahrenheit—chilly, but not freezing. As we pulled into the Motel 6 parking lot and stepped out of the car, Sev and I started to shiver from the late afternoon air. Right away, Sev headed to the front office to check us in to the room, which was just off the main highway that would eventually lead us to Zion and Bryce, the first national parks I would visit on my first trip to the United States.

How did I grow as a travel blogger

Hidden swing in La Jolla, San Diego overlooking downtown San Diego.

Travel blogging. What is it? It is a platform in the blogosphere where, people, who love to write and wander, exchange helpful travel information and ideas, fascinating travel narratives, and inspiring travel stories that give us a bigger perspective on life and connect us to the outside world. A passion project for some, a hobby for others, and a source of income for many.

My guardian angel was a kabayan

The statue of the Risen Christ at Monasterio de Tarlac.

My flight was nine in the evening. Anxious and excited, I left Dubai for Yerevan, traveling solo.

That was in May last year. Aboard the FlyDubai's Boeing 737 Max aircraft, I took a three-hour flight bound for Armenia for the purpose of leisure and tourism. For this trip, I didn't research. No plans. No itinerary. No nothing. It was a spur-in-the-moment trip. And with all honesty, I knew nothing about this country; all I knew was, during those times, I could vividly remember I was so sad and stressed and devastated that I wanted to climb up a mountain to shout out all the problems I was carrying and to reevaluate myself of the things that had gone wrong in my life. Saving my sanity was the only way I could think of, so I decided to follow my heart to go on a vacation.