A Love For May

            It was the year of my Medical Internship and I was assigned to have my one month Manila rotation at San Lazaro Hospital and Jose Reyes Hospital for the month of May…

            From Baguio, I arrived in Manila at the condominium that I rented for a month on the eve of April 30th. Right away, I unpacked my things, removed all of my clothes and had a quick cold shower. After changing into my home clothes and feeling fresh again, I just jumped-off into my bed and pulled the curtain at its side, I just stared at what the Metro could offer, Manila’ skyline and City lights…

            While looking from afar and imagining what I will expect in my 1 month Manila life, I suddenly remembered this Girl close to my Heart, I have recalled all of my promises to her months before going here in the Philippine’s version of “A City that never sleeps”, that I would spend all of my time with her while I’m here in Manila for a month, being a keeper to my promises, I tried to call her and have asked her exact address as I was making an alibi that I would send her all the movies that we talked about. After getting her address, I right away rode the taxi and went to her place to give her a sweet surprise. There is a saying that “A key to a Woman’s Heart is an unexpected gift at an unexpected time” and I’m really after this Girl’s Heart, so I’m willing to take that extra mile to make her the happiest Girl in this lifetime & I wanted to be the sole reason of her happiness.

            So when I arrived at her place, she still wasn’t there because she just took off from her work, oh by the way, I forgot to mention, she’s a Flight Attendant and has an evening flight prior to that. So I sat and waited outside her apartment’s door for 3 hours… And then I heard her heel’s loud steps, I stood up quickly, with the excitement within my chest and hanging up onto my face. Then she saw me… Just as I imagined her, shocked with me being there, a priceless and perfect moment… She said right away “Oh my Gosh, Armie, what are you doing here?! You’re crazy! I can’t believe you would do this!” with an unexplainable awe and smile. And then I said to her “I wanted to surprise you, a promise is a promise right?”, then She just kept quiet still keeping that unexplainable smile and hugged me right away… I made her speechless… While we were talking about this moment back in Baguio, She was already so excited – excited with all the time and plans she would spend and do with me here in my month’s stay in Manila.

            Every after duty, I would swiftly change my uniform and run as fast as I could to arrive at our meeting place, endless surprises I have prepared just so that I could see her smile over and over again, that enchanting smile that keeps my Heart securely grounded to her…

            On our First Real Date, with Her having no idea where I would bring Her, even if She kept on asking where, I’m still not giving Her any clues coz’ I don’t want to ruin my plan and the moment of excitement to the both of us. So I really kept my lips sealed. As we have arrived at our destination, just as I thought, She became quiet and was speechless again for the second time around, Her face painted an overwhelming expression, I knew at that very time, it was romance filling up the air, it was the perfect surprise, I reserved a Dinner Cruise for the Two of Us along the Manila Bay… So while the Yacht was Cruising, spellbinding breeze of the wind just blew us away, with a fine sumptuous dinner and an acoustic performance singing old romantic love songs… It was the perfect First Date… At that very moment, I knew, I already had her Heart and this time, I intended to keep it safe within my hands…

            One of my many surprises that is close to my Heart was when I brought her to this Treasured Haven outside the busy buzz of Manila. It was Nature at its best, enchanted and Idyllic. We had our own privacy and time together. 6 days of romance-filled adventure, voracious food tripping and just exploring the exquisite & admirable Province together. It was the perfect First Vacation. I had the chance to let her experience how I lived my life, what my world was all about, I was given the chance to reveal to her the “True” Me… And I knew at that very moment, that she felt within her, that she was good to stay…

            While we were walking down this seemly antiquated but scenic Dock at a divine & restful Sunset, I pulled this anchored boat towards us & lend her a hand while she slightly leaped into the boat, as I too have followed. I removed the anchored rope and just continued paddling until the boat was in the middle of the Lake… And then I stopped, I held her hands again, looked right into her, with her enjoying the place and moment that we have… I called out her name and she looked right through my eyes. And then I said to her “After going through at what I've thought are the grueling series in my life, from the day I gave up at everything, there I met you… You were unaware that you were already saving me from doing something bad to myself. You were unconsciously giving me the reason why I should pick up myself again. You let me believe that there is still Life within Me and that remaining Life is all you… Thank You… Thank You…” And He added “Please stay in my Life, I want what we have to be permanent, I realized how beautiful Life is again because I have something to look at now and that is you… I Love You…” With a short pause, she kept in silence, still gazing at her golden brown eyes while waiting for what she would say back to me… Then She replied but I did not hear what She said (Fireworks came into our background), I said “What did you say?” And She repeated it again – I did not hear Her for the second time until She is becoming blurry to my sight, it’s like I’m losing Her. I keep on calling out her name…

AND THEN I WOKE UP.

            With a hazy vision at first, I looked around to orient myself where I am and then it clearly hit me, I’m at my condominium in my bed. I called out Her name and no one is responding, I suddenly looked at the clock and it’s Seven in the morning, I grabbed my phone and briskly scanned it, there’s no undeleted calls or saved messages coming from Her and I asked myself “What is happening?”, And then I saw on my phone’s screen that it’s May 1st… That is the time I knew that we never saw or even talked with each other at all, that I just had this Beautiful Dream… And when I woke up, it just left an Imprinted Memory within my Soul, even if it actually never happened in my Real Life…

            I stood up, looked at the clock again with a sudden realization that I’m already late on my First Day of Duty. I was in a rush to take a bath & put on my uniform and then I opened my unit’s door & just when I’m about to leave, I looked back inside my condominium, thought of my Dream with Her and slowly closed the door…


- Poetic Prince


*** This Article is dedicated to the "GREAT" ARMANDO Q. LEYVA. Tatay, I always miss you and I love you so much...

A Letter From A Granddaughter

Dear Tatay,


         October 29 was the toughest moment we had to go through and experienced as an entire family especially Nanay. It was not just us but everyone who dearly admired and loved you.

         You know why? Of course I know you do or else you won’t be where you are now.

         It was early morning of that day we asked you or I meant shouted at you so you could hear us loud and clear “TATAY! FIGHT! FIGHT! LABAN KA TAY!” to fight for your life until you wake up and be back to normal. I guess you got tired of fighting from the night before and just gave yourself up in the hands of our Lord.

         You know what Tay, this was the time that God did not answer our very important prayer. We prayed alone so hard. We prayed together so hard. We kneeled and beg him so hard to bring you back to life, to wake us up from this bad dream. But as you always say to us “MAY PLANO ANG DIYOS SA LAHAT NG NANGYAYARI SA ATIN - KUNG SASAGUTIN NIYA ANG PANALANGIN NATIN O HINDI. LAHAT YUN AY PARA SA ATING IKAKABUTI.”

         It hurts so much Tay to see you lifeless at the hospital bed but after the doctors and nurses removed the tubes in you, we all saw what is behind those — a SMILE ON YOUR FACE. Despite the pain you’ve gone through the night before, you were smiling. It is for us to conclude that you are happy where you are now. Happy in the presence of our Father. Then we again remind ourselves how God’s plan will always prevail and how it is always good.

         Tatay, allow me to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the best grandfather in the whole world (no one could ever replace you in my heart and in my life), for loving us, for being concern with our studies, jobs or anything that we do, for appreciating our efforts or any of our achievements, for being proud of us always, for your guidance and most of all for being an exemplary model of putting Christ first in our lives. You are a great man of God - you were always there with open arms and open heart to help those in need. You were never greedy and you knew what it meant to extend a hand. You gave away things and properties that were valuable to you just because God impressed it on your heart. I have attest of you putting all your words into action thus you’ve left a legacy behind — look at all the people who are mourning at your lost. They could not wait to see you at that box so they started seeing you while we had the 12 hour waiting period before embalmment.

        Tatay, we will miss you a lot. I will deeply miss your presence, your persistent calls to buy immediately what you wanted us to buy for you, your lectures and your knowledge on the new Apple gadgets available in the market that you would like to buy immediately.

         I would also like to apologize if I’ve done anything that hurt you. Also Tay, sorry that I haven’t married yet, as you always say “Ano? Di ka pa ikakasal? Matanda ka na at tumatanda na rin ako.” I know you would like to meet the man I would be married with and I feel so sad knowing you won’t be there when I walk down the aisle but I know you’ll be watching from above. You know what Tay, the reason I’m not yet married is because no one is asking (ha ha ha) but the main reason of it all is I would like to be married to a man who has a character like you. You have set the standards and I think it is just difficult to be like you because I myself is still not half way of what you are. I’m praying to be just like you.

         Tay, I know you would not like us to cry and be sad at your loss. If you are just here, I know you’ll tell of us “Tama na yan! Masaya ako dito oh! Babantayan ko kayo lagi. Ang importante, magmahalan kayo lagi at wag kakalimutan ang Diyos. Magpasalamat lagi sa kanya dahil yung ang pinaka-importante sa lahat.” For now Tay, allow us to grieve at your passing. It was so sudden, we’re left broken or paralyzed if that could be a better term of what we are feeling right now.

         My thought when I was at your place — seeing your cars, the dining table, the massage chair, your room and everything in it — “How do we all stand, when the pillar is gone?” Tay, I know it will be so difficult for all of us to stand and move on our own but please guide us in anyway. You will be our GUARDIAN ANGEL.

         Right now, God is helping us understand and accept peacefully why He got you. We all believed that you have accomplished all tasks He asked you to do. So you simply, gave up your working tools and joined Him in Heaven so you could both watch all of us from above.

         Tatay, I love you so much. I will do all my best in work, school and life so you could be proud of me more in heaven. I will continue doing what you’ve taught us to do. I will love everyone in the family and the ones you love as well. We will take care of Nanay and put her best interest first than ours.

         I know you are already in Heaven watching over us. I am sure you are also looking down with love and pride at the family you built. You can be rest assured that we will never forget what you have taught us and that we will pass it down to the next generation.

         I know I can speak for everyone, we will miss you and we will never forget you because you’ve been the best and you have imprinted yourself permanently in our hearts. We love you.

         I will see you soon.

                                                              Love,
                                                             Ceetee


- The Thoughtful Son


*** This Article is dedicated to the "GREAT" ARMANDO Q. LEYVA. Tatay, I always miss you and I love you so much... Happy 79th Birthday Tay... :_(

ARMIEYUSON.COM Season 4 Opening Trailer

            I died on the 29th of October in the Year 2012 but I was unwillingly resurrected. I was brought back to re-live an old tainted purpose. But now, the Game of Life has already changed. It has become darker and merciless. It will never be the same again, the old would never come back. Discover the New ARMIE that you never knew and watch him as he face fiercer battles on his latest SEASON 4. Coming Soon…

- Season Opener

A FAN Filled Day (Happy Loner Traveller’s Supporters)

              When I started to do blogging almost 3 years ago, many doubted my ability to write and share my personal stories to people, some laughed, some made jokes about it and others were not even impressed at all… I started to write testimonies regarding my travels because it’s what I’m passionate about… The very reason why I write is because I want to share to myself what my life has been through, it’s like talking to myself, sharing experiences with myself, a personal diary of reflection... So that one day, I could go back to my writings and they will remind me of what my life has been about… What it has & how it was lived…

                As I was continuously writing articles about my life’s experiences, I never noticed or was unaware that I’m already doing something worthy and meaningful, I’m already making a difference in people’s lives that I know nothing about. Because I was just writing for myself and then later on, I would receive messages of how I touched their lives through my writings, of how I inspired them to live life to the fullest, how I influenced them to travel and discover more of themselves, their capabilities in life. All of these I’m unaware of…

                I met great people through my blogs, they started as my supporters which later on became my friends. One of my very first and longtime supporters were Judith Fianza & Krystel Niolar, later on was followed by Rikka Rocca, Krista Guerina, Jude Roxas, Narciso Trumata, Reymark Mawaga, Mark Dela Rosa, Eran Decena, April Esposo and expanded to Clarence Ochinang, Denton Caballero, Jennet Razo, Tricia Jaime & Dave Franco. And of course, the group Armieholics which was pioneered by Heather Ocampo. "These people were always telling me how I changed their lives for the better, how I inspired them to just enjoy life and make it meaningful, but the truth is, they were all wrong, coz’ they were the ones who inspired me, because of them, I challenged myself more to write greater stories that would not only infect lives but try to change the world too, showing that there is always goodness, positivity, faith, true love, joy, laughter, friendship and hope amidst all negativity happening today." So they are the very reason why my blogs are a hit, they were my inspiration for writing & shouting out my thoughts because they listened, watched and read my life’s battles, failures and success…

                That’s why my blogs have improved a lot and I’m thankful to these people… Right now, I have a growing number of supporters loving and appreciating my works and it wouldn’t reach this point without my first supporters who listened to me when everyone else was judging me… And also, those people who did not believed in me before were proven wrong when I finally made it to the Philippine Blog Awards…

                So right now, that my blog has already been known and continuously spreading around the world, I am using my Blogsite for a bigger and more significant purpose, I am now using my name for Advocacies, trying to help as much people as I can… And I am also adding things that would entertain you more and making it interactive through my Hosted Travel Films and Exciting Contests…

                And hopefully, you will continue to love your Pambansang Manlalakbay, Armie “Happy Loner Traveller” Yuson’s unorthodox adventures and challenges to numerous undiscovered places in the Philippines… And I wish that you will always bring with you all the lessons that you have learned from my World…

- Happy Loner Traveller

The 283rd Day Of A Leap Year (9th Of October 2012)

ARMIE YUSON ADVENTURES - HAPPY LONER TRAVELLER AT 28

                It’s that day again, a day when you wake up and you can’t help but to recall what has happened all throughout your life, and you asked these same set of questions all over again. Have you reached your goals that you made 10 years ago? Did you become successful? Have you lived your life productive and useful? Are you already the person you think you would become 10 years ago? Well, I just have one simple answer to my yearly questions, “I Don’t Care Anymore”. For a change, I don’t want to set goals, be competitive and formulate another 10 year Lifeplan that would just end up disappointing me. Instead, I just want to live it one day at a time, enjoying every single hour making impulsive choices, creating a free-spirited life for me and just making the most out of every beat of my passionate heart & putting it into something more meaningful that you can call it as an “Inspiring Life”. Not perfect, not ideal but inspiring…

                You see, I’m just like everyone else, I’ve also went through struggles and battles in my life, a lot actually than the expected number of difficulties that a usual person would go through, I guess that makes me an unusual one. But instead of pitying myself, I accepted it, I confronted those challenges because we can’t do anything about it but to take it and move forward with our lives "coz’ the “Reality Of Life” will always be unfair and it is up to us on how we would resolve our own problems and make it a fair fight, no one can help us but our own selves and for me, the best way to deal with it, is to live with it in every hardships encountered along the way…"

                In the end, what matters most whenever you reflect about your life is not what you have achieved or done and not what you have become but rather what’s important is, is that you have found the right key in unlocking the door to your life that would allow you to just “Be Happy Living In It”, coz’ having a happy and content life is more priceless & satisfying than having a materially & monetarily rich life… And that probably is the best result that you can get out of life…

              Thank you to our Almighty GOD for giving me another year to look forward to, a new period to fulfill & inspire... And I would like to take this opportunity to thank a set of important lives on my birthday. Aside from my Family and Childhood Friends, I especially am very grateful to all of my Supporters who patiently and tirelessly gave their time in watching my Travel Films, listening to my Songs, seeing my Photos and reading my Articles. All of my Supporters became my True Friends already because they are the ones who genuinely have appreciated all of my hard works which I am so passionate about, they saw what I truly am as a person and they gave their precious time to see me & they are the ones who made my work visible to everyone. They were just there when all of the people I valued in my life bailed out on me, they stayed knowing that there is nothing to expect in return. They are the heroes in my life. That is why they are the ones that I would like to thank for this year, some of you were already there when I started my Blogsite 3 years ago and some of you even promoted me to your Family, Close Friends, Schoolmates and even to your Students. You’ve watched me evolved as a Traveller, Writer, Singer/Songwriter and Travel Filmmaker & it’s because of you why I matured as such so I owe this to you guys… I also would like to include in my special thanks my CO-PINOY TRAVEL BLOGGERS (PTB) Mervin Marasigan of PINOYADVENTURISTA and Dr. Wendell Cagape of JOURNEYSANDTRAVELS for sharing your Travel Stories to me…

                And lastly, I would like to thank my “BEIGH” who’s been there all throughout the 6 years we’ve been together… Truly, nothing compares to you in my life with the way you patiently took care of me especially on my rough times. You are one of a kind and your presence always defines how special my Birthday is for me. You always put me in a place where dreams and reality become possibly one, Thank you for doing that to me every single day… oh, and by the way, nothing much has changed, I’m still the old ARMIE “HAPPY LONER TRAVELLER” YUSON, the simple ordinary guy who tried living life extraordinarily… So that’s it, HAPPY 28TH BIRTHDAY TO ME… YEBAH!!!

- Soul Writer

A Traveller’s Abyssal Depth Of Azure (SCUBA DIVING)

ARMIE YUSON ADVENTURES - SCUBA DIVING AT ANILAO BATANGAS

            Eversince I was a kid, everytime I watch someone doing Scuba Diving on TV, I just can’t help but dream that I was doing it too. Scuba Diving has always been on top of my bucketlist. I love the ocean and its world below so much, "It’s as if I feel that I’m one of the lost sons of Poseidon, the Greek God of the Sea, that I’m a DemiGod who gets his strength and powers from the sea. Every single time I get back to the beach, only one feeling exists in my body and that is the sense of relaxation. The wind massaging my physique, the sand scrubbing my feet like footspa, the ocean bringing me into another world within the Earth, an even better world wherein those creatures living there knows how to value and appreciate what they have, compared to us humans from our world above."

            Finally, another dream has been met, your Pambansang Manlalakbay, Armie “Happy Loner Traveller” Yuson will do scuba diving in Anilao Batangas! Finally, he can visit his friends in the underwater world and broaden his knowledge about them.

            So my friends Davidson Santos and Rachel Villahermosa organized a Scuba Trip for us because it’s their newest hobby. The night before our Scuba, I stayed at their place in BF Homes Parañaque reuniting with my other friends for 23 years Jobie Doria who is now residing in the U.S.A and Aurora Del Mundo. After resting for a few hours, at dawn, we already headed in Anilao Batangas to this partially opened new establishment named HALO DIVE RESORT, there I met my cool Scuba Instructor Gage Veridiano and Divemaster & also my Divebuddy Melo Sabitsana. Gage Veridiano briefed me a short course about SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) and has taught me techniques & sign languages that I would use when I’m in the deep. It’s my 1st Open Water Dive and I would journey to a maximum depth of 67 feet! And the excitement and curiosity is with me. Finally! I could already see it in my own two eyes what I’ve always been hearing from people who have already tried this…

            So our 1st Dive Site is called Dead Palm, I would be at a maximum depth of about 35 to 40 feet and it would take us 45 minutes to check out the corals and fishes of the underwater world. As I entered the gates of the hidden world below, I felt the peacefulness and quietness that their world has to offer. They really welcomed me with open arms. On my 1st ever Open Water Dive, I saw a hunchback Sea Turtle, School of Barracudas and 2 Triggerfishes to name a few. It’s really a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle from our world. If you want to hear the most beautiful music your ears could ever hear which is silence, then better try SCUBA DIVING! So before reaching the surface, we need to have safety stops, 3 minutes for every 15 feet. And we need to rest for about an hour before diving again so that we could let out the accumulated nitrogen in our body.

            I felt so happy on my 1st dive, I can’t believe that I was actually experiencing what I’m just watching on the Television. It’s really one of the “Must do’s” in your life before you die. The best way to explain the feeling is to experience it.

            Our second Dive Site is in the Twin Rocks, here we can see Schools of Jacks (Talakitok in Tagalog) where you will get amazed coz’ you can witness tens of thousands of fishes in just one area. And I will be going to a maximum depth of 67 feet with expected strong currents. So as I was entering inside the territory of the Schools of Jacks, I suddenly had a problem with my breathing pattern, I hyperventilated and felt nauseous and then I panicked, so right away I did the “UP” sign because I already wanted to abort my dive but good thing, Gage Veridiano, my Scuba Instructor, approached me and calmed me down, and so I felt okay again and continued exploring Twin Rocks Dive Site… I saw more species like the Trumpetfish and better views from deep underwater… Another great thing is, my friend Davidson Santos has all of these high technology underwater gadgets where it has allowed me to document all of my adventures in the deep blue sea or Abyssal Depth of Azure as I call it…

            I would like to give my special thanks to my Divemaster & Divebuddy Mr. Melo Sabitsana who owns AGTA BEACH RESORT and my Dive Instructor Mr. Gage Veridiano who owns SCUBANOX STUDIOS and heads the Scubanox Diveteam. Of course, to my friends Davidson Santos and Rachel Villahermosa for making my Scuba Diving dream possible. And thank you to my friends Ms. Jobie Doria and Aurora Del Mundo for paying our hotel room for the evening.

                All in all, Happy Loner Traveller had a tremendous and unforgettable day for he has finally fulfilled his dream of visiting his friends from the underwater world…

- Happy Loner Traveller

A Traveller’s Primeval Unearthing (Tangadan Falls Of San Gabriel)

ARMIE YUSON ADVENTURES - 1ST DISCOVERER OF TANGADAN FALLS SAN GABRIEL

            Your Pambansang Manlalakbay, Armie “Happy Loner Traveller” Yuson’s scheme is to always feature “Off-The-Beaten” track destinations, to share to the whole wide world the places less travelled here in the Philippines. But never did he become the 1st Discoverer of a Place up until today…

            It has been 7 months since my very last adventure and my feet were already itchy to experience yet another extreme and thrilling quest through fine sands, rough rivers and rocky hills. And I told myself, it’s about time to reunite myself with nature and explore the Philippines once again.

            So on May 9, 2012 at 4 in the morning, I went to San Juan La Union, not primarily to surf but because I have heard from a friend of mine that there is an unknown place near there that has never been featured on Television by any Network or on the Internet by any Blogger, that even Locals from there has no idea that this specific place existed in their hometown. How unusual is that?

            So right away, I decided to visit San Juan La Union but take note that the place that will make me the 1st Discoverer is not located in San Juan La Union but rather 20 minutes away from its surfing spot and it is in the nearby small town called SAN GABRIEL…

            People from San Gabriel La Union make their living through farming, livestock and agriculture. And they have kept this astonishing asset of Nature away from visitors who only know how to spoil it and yet can’t even help to protect and conserve it.

            So as I have arrived in the outskirts of San Gabriel La Union, Me “Happy Loner Traveller” with my team of Tour Guides (Surfing Instructors) brought me to this “Best Kept Secret” of San Gabriel. Just as I expected, it was the most electrifying and stimulating adventure to date, just like what I have experienced in Mount Pinatubo Zambales but only this time, I am more prepared. Well, you don’t need professional mountaineering gears for this, just have the basic ones like rubbershoes, long shorts, hat and long sleeves just to protect yourself from the harmful rays of the Sun, jagged terrain and sharp bushes of the Forest. So it took us 1 hour to get there because we were fast but an average of 1 hour and 45 minutes would do for non-extremist to get there because your body would require to rest as you will pass through giant rocks and steep hills. Take note that going to this place will be at your own RISK! So make sure to be prepared as there is no near medical facility in the place.

            Now, I have finally seen that “Best Kept Secret” and I Armie “Happy Loner Traveller” Yuson was the very first one to feature the newly unearthed “TANGADAN FALLS”. It is as majestic and unquestionably unvarnished by Mankind. No wonder Locals doesn’t want this place to be discovered because it could only be the last space in the Northern Philippines not yet adulterated by Humans…

            The 1 hour trek and hike was all worth it as I have splashed and refreshed myself in the cold sprinkle of the Falls. I even jumped off a 25 foot Cliff into the deep water to exhilarate myself…

            "This latest Adventure of mine to date is my most cherished one because for the very 1st time in my life, I experienced and felt the feeling of being the only Adventurer to First Feature the Surreal TANGADAN FALLS…"

            Special Thanks to my friend Laken Riel David coz’ through her I found this place and my guides Allan, Freddie, Francis, Chris and kuya Johnny for taking good care of me when I was there.


- Happy Loner Traveller