Tips on Getting Your Travel Story Published for First Time Writers

“[Ironically] we don’t have a Filipino contributor yet in Lonely Planet Philippines book. We’d love to have one.” says Greg Bloom, author and country guide of the book I just mentioned. The Lonely Planet book is the world’s leading resource, guide and authority in the travel industry for 40 years now. A lot of local and foreign travelers I meet in so many occasions have a Lonely Planet book keep this inside their backpack bags and suitcases. Most of the time I see the cover and edge of the pages are crimpled, a proof that this book is used to the fullest of its purpose. Pretty much it reflects how the founders of Lonely Planet, couple Tony and Maureen Wheeler how they started according to their website “a beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket, and a sense of adventure.”

I was lucky enough to learn travel writing with Greg and the ladies behind the Writers Block of the Philippines in collaboration with Fully Booked bookstore from bringing your own electric adaptor when going abroad as the outlets are not the same as the one we have here, bringing some extra toiletries, medicines, even bringing a nail cutter and a shawl et cetera. Always SHOW not TELL is probably the best that I can remember when travel writing. Allow me to elaborate this topic more below:

FREE: iBlog9, The 9Th Philippine Blogging Summit

It seems that it is just like yesterday that the iBlog8 happened and now the iBlog9 is coming in a few weeks. Blogging gave me so many opportunities (meeting incredible people and non-stop learning) that it literally changed my world.  Being able to create a blog-based business is the most important thing I am very thankful for because it paved the way for me to have extra income. Starting a blog overnight or after a length of time is not a guarantee that a monetization surely happens next instead it is a rigorous dedication of time and immeasurable patience. I cannot count how many blog-related events I joined for me to learn everything from getting to know who are the influencers related to my interest I have to follow, meetups I look forward to attend, fellow bloggers and blogs I have to keep checking for inspiration etc.  This is one of the events I super recommend to any bloggers either starting or already established because this event alone can give you a thousand more reasons to keep blogging.

Win A Trip to Sagada and Baguio

Do you want to go to Sagada and Baguio for free including round-trip bus tickets, meals, tour and accommodation? All you need to do is express why you want to go to Sagada in a creative way through an essay, photo/poster, a 30-sec music video or a slideshow etc. Just make sure it is original meaning no part of it was copied elsewhere. You can submit up to three entries if you have overloading reasons to go to Sagada.  

This travel promo runs until May. For more information please check Surviving Sagada's Facebook  Fan Page here.

First Prize: 2 roundtrip Victory Liner tickets Pasay-Baguio-Pasay (regular aircon bus) 2 roundtrip Baguio-Sagada-Baguio tickets Quick tour of Municipal Hall of Sagada 3D2N Accommodation at Masferre Inn for 2 w/ breakfast P1,500 worth of food voucher at Misty Lodge & Cafe Sagada Day tour with Saggas Guides 2 Surviving Sagada shirts

Things You Should Know About Puerto Princesa Underground River

The Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan is declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To be recognized and be given this title under this specialized branch of UN, an entity should  have spectacular beauty and universal value.This underground river is also included in the New Seven Wonders of Nature voted worldwide so when I went to Palawan last February, I said I have to see this no matter what. The river that serves as the portal to go inside the cave is so clean that its color is greenish. It is only knee – deep but there are a lot of small fishes swimming unmindful of the tourists getting in and out of the boats… a testament that this place is still very preserved. Inside the cave there are two parts: the Cathedral and the Supermarket which made me think, is there a divine intervention or some unexplained phenomenon that is accountable for the creation of so many images in the rock formation that resemble to so many things in this world and even beyond?

How do I Manage my Business’ Budget, Expenses and Income

During Juan Great Leap's Open Coffee event

Every one of us has a dozen of business ideas rambling inside our head but not everyone has the financial capacity to transform it into a means to generate profit. Like me I am previously so scared to start one because I don’t want to risk a single peso out of my wallet then end up to nothing. When I started in December, I decided to rely on organic way of search engine optimization to be reached by prospective clients but then I waited every single day, it is like I am waiting for the shooting star in a cloudy night… I haven’t had much.  Then one time I decided to try some online marketing worth P2,500 but it is on promo so I am only asked to pay 500. For me, a 500 peso bill is already big amount because I  am working so hard to get every single of it in my payday. 

Thanks to some online marketing (search engine marketing, social media marketing, etc…)

After a few days, my email started receiving a number of inquiries; my mobile phone kept ringing all day long for calls and text messages. I did not expect this influx considering that I was just starting. I was shocked by the overwhelming response that I am planning anytime soon to get a post-paid mobile service provider plan and a stable Internet connection because I need to be online anytime and anywhere.

Win A 3N Accommodation to Thailand at the Shangri-La Hotel

This contest is open to all residents in Singapore and Philippines of age 18 years and above. The prize is 4 days / 3 nights stay with daily breakfast for 2 persons at the Shangri-La Hotel, Chiang Mai, inclusive of return Chiang Mai Airport/Hotel transfers.

Here’s how to join: 

Like the Tourism Authority of Thailand (Singapore) Facebook Fan Page and answer two very simple questions here. Deadline of this travel promo is on 30 April 2013 at 11:59:59pm Singapore time. Contest results will be announced on 10 May 2013.

Win A Trip to Brazil by Tresemme Brazillian Flair Promo

Do you know that Filipinos do not need a visa to go to Brazil? Now you know! Tresemme Philippines is by the way offering an all-expense paid trip to Brazil. 

Here’s how to join:

1.       Like the Tresemme Philippines Facebook Fan Page

2.       Take a photo of yourself with a Brazillian hairstyle and share what kind Tresemme product you used for that.

3.       Share the photo through FaceBook, Twitter or Instagram account including the hashtag #SalonGorgeous.

4.       Follow Tresemme Philippines’ Twitter account.

So simple right? This travel promo runs from March 15 – May 9, 2013. Check Tresemme Philippines Facebook Fan Page here for more information.

FREE Travel Writing Seminar by Lonely Planet Philippines

Somehow travel writing can be almost as synonymous to the Lonely Planet travel guide book. I mean it is like asking if the grass is green. Local or international travelers, they all have one in common at least once in their life they have flipped through the pages of Lonely Planet book. And what could be more awesome than learning from them directly! I was reviewing my offline twitter feeds yesterday from my mobile app and I read a tweet from Lucy, the online persona of  the Fully Booked Twitter account dated April 4th and this is the most cherished tweet I ever learned that day.

I own a blog which is all about travel and tourism so I NEED to learn travel writing. I have to admit I am struggling on my travel writing skills like how to make the story compelling and the all-time grammar and spelling pain in the a** so and so.

To my felow travel writers, travel bloggers or anyone who loves writing own travel stories, This is one heck of an opportunity not to miss. Plus it is free people so I am posting this for those who “badly” need this. I would like to share to you this free travel writing seminar which is a collaboration of Fully Booked, Writer’s Block Philippines and Lonely Planet: 

Open Coffee Meetup for Entrepreneurs

Never did I ever thought of starting a business out of blogging and travel. To tell you the truth I started blogging because I just want to make use of my online time always spent on nothing and I started travelling because I was inspired of the travelers I met previously. But again selling tour packages? Nunca did I ever thought of doing this. But It was all about perfect timing and chances that paved the way. I would be hypocrite if I say it is not the money that gets me motivated but you know the feeling of going to sleep and waking up always inspired because I have something that I look forward every day doing which makes me happy and gets me   excited big time!

Running a business all alone made me half – proud and half – afraid. Proud because I was able to start something which no one literally helped me through and afraid because I have no solid professional background in this industry. So I read a lot of news, articles, blogs online that would give me information of how to be familiar of anything I need to know and most important I want to reach out to like-minded people who are into the path of entrepreneurship just to feel I am not alone. Now this one I am going to share below is something that I am excited to be part of this coming week and would recommend too.

Win a 2-Week Volunteer Trip to Thailand

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Are you looking for a vacation trip as a volunteer who can do the following: teach English, design English lessons, plant vegetables and care for the gardens, assisting teachers etc.? This is your chance. The International Student Volunteers has partnered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to encourage tourists to participate in a purposeful vacation like this.

If you win, you will be able to volunteer on one of ISV projects working in Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand -  volunteering in community development with the Akha Hill Tribe Children working with the Education and Training at Mae Kok Foundation.

Just submit a one minute video explaining why you believe you have what it takes to make a better world! Winners will be selected by a panel of judges and who has received the most votes for their video. Submission of videos is March 15^th to May 10th. Finalists will be announced on the May 16^th.  Ten winners will fly to Bangkok on June 16th! To lean more and apply here please click here. 

Win A Trip For Two to Boracay

iGrab.ph, a virtual shopping outlet that offers hand-picked goods and services to today’s top restaurants, hotels, boutiques, and designer brands, at special member prices will send one lucky fan and guest to a trip to Palawan for free!

Mechanics:
1. Like iGrab.PH on Facebook.
2. Enter this registration code during sign up: IGRABTHESUMMER

3. Sign up! Easy!

The winner will be chosen via electronic draw on May 1,2013 and will be announced on May 6, 2013. For more information please click here.

The Story Behind My Magazine Feature

"Rona, how did your face landed in that glossy page of a magazine? Did you paid them or paid them back?" It has been a month since I got featured but I still get the same question as this one I mentioned earlier so I decided I will make a blog post out of it. It was through a forum on Couchsurfing.org, a website for travelers that I learned about Good Housekeeping magazine looking to feature ladies who have travel-related stories that led them to positive life-changing events.

 There were a handful of us who joined as evidenced by the long thread of discussion. I almost did not want to try because I read about suggestions of this lady who just arrived from a 2 year round the world solo trip, these two ladies who own an award-winning travel blog and backpacked asia for 6 months et cetera, et cetera. But then again I tried just for the heck of it.

A week after I got a text message and an email that I was one of the chosen ladies.  Compared to those ladies who have incredible stories, mine is only a dot out of their achievements but I think in every competition or selection process sometimes  it is not the greatness that matters in this case the uniqueness  of the story prevailed.