TRAVEL

Where Every Journey Tells a Story

Moments, missteps, and memories from the road

Every destination has a story—here’s mine

Scenic outdoor view of Montevalle with large colorful letters spelling "I Love Montevalle," including a strawberry shape, surrounded by green hills and mountains under a partly cloudy blue sky.

A Quiet Summer Escape to Aningalan, Antique

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Person sitting in front of the large red “I ❤️ KL” sculpture outside Kuala Lumpur City Gallery, with brick building and trees in the background.

Lessons from Travel: What the Road Taught Me

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The exterior of K-Cafe on the Seoullo 7017 elevated walkway during sunset, with the golden light reflecting off a modern glass skyscraper in the background.

Seoullo 7017: Seoul’s Sky Garden Walkway

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The historic red-brick facade and green dome of the old Seoul Station building, now Culture Station Seoul 284, set against a vibrant orange and yellow sunset sky with city traffic in the foreground.

Solo Travel in Seoul: A One-Day Guide & Personal Reflections

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Row of ornate mermaid statues with prayer gestures at Calauan cultural site in Laguna, Philippines

Isdaan Floating Restaurant: A Thailand-Inspired Escape in Calauan, Laguna

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Misty view of the crater lake at Mt. Pinatubo surrounded by steep rocky slopes and vegetation in Tarlac, 2015.

Throwback Adventure: The Road to Mt. Pinatubo (2015)

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Illuminated fountain in Macau with purple and blue water jets arching across a city plaza at dusk, framed by high-rise buildings, trees, and a decorative street lamp.

A Year of Moving Gently: Reflections on Solo Travel and Journeys in 2025

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White lighthouse with black-domed lantern room and arched entrance surrounded by landscaped walkway in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Last Day in Kaohsiung: Exploring Cijin Island and Farewell Views

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Street art mural of a child at Pier-2 Art Center in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Exploring Hamasen Railway Museum and Pier-2: A Railway Enthusiast’s Day in Kaohsiung

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The famous twin seven-story Dragon and Tiger Pagodas at Lotus Pond in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with tourists walking along the bridge.

Kaohsiung Lotus Pond: Dragon & Tiger Pagodas, Temples, and Pavilions

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Night view of the Great Harbor Bridge (Dagang Bridge) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The white cable-stayed bridge is illuminated in blue, reflecting on the water near Pier-2.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan: Rhythms of the Local Train and Night Breezes

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Large wooden sculpture with vertically arranged Chinese characters reading “Hinoki Village” in an outdoor plaza, surrounded by traditional black wooden buildings under a clear blue sky.

Whispers of Hinoki Village: My Serendipitous Stop in Chiayi, Taiwan

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Locker wall at National Chung Cheng University in Chiayi, Taiwan with numbered boxes and focus on locker 150, featured in Meteor Garden scene

From Chiayi to Minxiong, Taiwan: Tracing Meteor Garden Filming Locations

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A close-up view of a bright red Alishan Forest Railway locomotive and its cream-and-red passenger carriages stopped at the Fenqihu Station platform under a cloudy, misty sky.

Fenqihu to Chiayi, Taiwan: The Mountain Train I’d Been Waiting for Years

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Modern train station in Chiayi, Taiwan with sleek high-speed train on platform 5 under angular roof and white beams

Day One in Chiayi, Taiwan: Lost, Dizzy, and Grateful

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A view of the rocky summit of Mt. Pico de Loro against a clear blue sky, showing the unique parrot-beak-shaped peak in Cavite.

Pico De Loro: A Promise Kept, A Summit Reclaimed

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Scenic view from Mt. Manabu in Batangas with lush ridges and distant peak

Mt. Manabu Day Hike in Batangas | Beginner-Friendly Freedom Climb

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Mt. Batulao's mountain peaks framed by a leafless tree under a clear blue sky in Batangas

Mt. Batulao, Twice Blessed: A Summer Revisit

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A view of the rocky monolith at Pico de Loro in Cavite during a birthday solo climb.

Cupcake at the Campsite: A Birthday Climb to Pico De Loro

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Scenic view of Mt. Mabilog in Laguna, Philippines, during sunrise, with silhouetted peaks, gradient sky, and trees by a small body of water, taken in 2013

Mt. Mabilog: Dimlight Trek and Unexpected Side Trips

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Lush green mountain peaks of Mt. Batulao with blue sky and tall grass blades in the foreground in Batangas

Mt. Batulao: The Denim Shorts Debacle That Sparked a Decade of Climbing

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Scenic view of lush green rice terraces on mountain slopes with scattered houses in Buscalan, taken in 2018.

Buscalan to Sagada: A Journey Through Ink, Mist & Mountains

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Agricultural field in La Trinidad, Benguet, with rows of lettuce under plastic mulch, sunflowers at the edge, and a hillside town in mist.

Sagada to Benguet: A Farewell Wrapped in Mist and Strawberries

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Sunrise casting golden light over cloud-filled valleys and mountain ridges in Sagada, Mountain Province, with a silhouetted tree in the foreground.

Sagada Unfolded: Chasing Sunrises and Echoes

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Tourists gathered under the "Welcome to Banaue" archway sign at the entrance to Banaue, surrounded by greenery and vehicles in the background.

Sagada Unfolded: My Cave Connection Story

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CJ Oliva

Adventure Seeker 🌍 | Storyteller 📖 | Solo Traveler 🎒 | Railway Enthusiast 🚇

Hello. I’m CJ. 👋

Thanks for stopping by!
Not sure how you landed here, but welcome to my world! 🌍🚶‍♀️✨

I’m a solo travel adventurer, coffee lover, railway enthusiast, storyteller, and ISFP at heart. ✨
Hope you stay a while.