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

A Sin In The Dark About (The Unknown Ignorance Revealed)

            Do you ever wonder why there are more numbers of people in the poor sector rather than the rich? Have you even asked yourself why they became poor? That despite of people from the middle and rich sector’s efforts in helping them, they still couldn’t grasp that success within their hands? Don’t you have these questions bugging you up in your mind every now and then?

            As I’ve been reading and researching these books from highly respected Authors and relating it to the Scriptures from the Bible and as I’ve consulted Historians & Bible Experts, I have come up with this conclusion. I came up with answers relating it to my expertise as an Environmentalist.

            In one of the Scriptures from the Bible, God’s main order is “We should Love our Neighbors”, a law that he emphasized many times in the Old & New Testament of the Bible. So in order for one to be loved, blessed and be given success by our Almighty Father God, We must be obedient and follow his orders/law and to do that so, one must love his/her neighbors (Fellow People) but you see, if We didn’t obey that, then we commit a sin, if we hurt or do harm to our fellow people, we commit a sin and the grace of God is held back and we are punished as such.

            We were given minds that can not only think and create but analyze and rationalize as well, that our intellect’s capability were not only prepared for the simple circumstances but even in the complex learning environment. But how come, majority of us never used the ability of our brains, especially for the most common situations. My questions now are, when you are throwing a small piece of trash on the sidewalk or anywhere, is it considered a sin? When you are throwing your cigarette butts on the roads, beaches or anywhere, is it considered a sin? When you are smoking and passively affecting people around you with your fumes, are you already committing a sin? Is illegal logging of trees considered too as a sin? My set of questions might allow you to think that these are nonsense and a small kind of problem, some of you might also think that I’m just asking stupid & irrelevant questions that it should be dismissed right away because there are bigger problems occurring in our world that should be given more attention to. But isn’t it that everything starts from small things and then progresses to becoming something big? That these simple questions could one day greatly affect our lives and the lives of people around us, that ignoring to acquire knowledge and being unaware of what is needed to be learned is already a sin, because being humans, it is our responsibility to know these moral obligations to our fellow humans, animals and the environment. That throwing garbage or a cigarette butt to the streets could one day give rise to flood because it would fill up and accumulate upon these sewers and prevent water from flowing therefore causing inundation of a municipality or city, reaching up to 20 feet with strong currents that could drown & kill a lot of people with the aftermath of losing a loved one, having Leptospirosis (From A Parasite Found In Rodent’s Urine) and Dengue (Aedes aegypti Mosquito Bite) with it. That when you are causing second degree smoking to other people then they started having these metastasizing Malignant Lung Tumors and when you leave the mountains bald precipitating to landslides & flood resulting to high death toll. That because of ignoring those simple rules and laws could endanger lives and harm our neighbors and with that we already have committed a sin, a sin that violates God’s command which is to “Love Thy Neighbor”. He formed a law for us humans to follow, He created people who will perform as a Government body establishing laws & bills for us to act in accordance with, He gave us Nature because He loves us and he ordered us to protect what he has made. And once we disobey this, we ourselves are the ones who will put “US” in danger.

            A very good example of this are the Informal Settlers living along the Riverside, they are just dumping their garbage and wastes directly on the River leading to Water Pollution & blocked sewers that can later give harm to the biodiversity of Fishes living there, modifying their biomass and more importantly, bestowing adversity to their Fellow Humans.

            So please, don’t just read, don’t just talk & share but LIVE & ACT by it. If you love your Family, Friends & Neighbors, don’t throw garbage in the streets, stop smoking near susceptible nonsmokers and stop destroying Nature. If you are a Grandparent, a Parent, a Child and a Husband or a Wife, I CHALLENGE YOU to CHANGE your Lifestyle if you truly care for your Loved Ones…

- The Prodigal Learner

Happy Loner Traveller In Your Clasrooms!!!

                I have been an Adventurer and Traveller for 6 years and a Professional Blogger for over 3 years now… I’ve nearly explored the Philippine Islands, most of Asia and some parts of the Western World. And I’ve documented every journey and challenges I have encountered, whether it be travels, lifestyle and/or personal struggles.

                I write from my own experiences, the lessons I’ve gained, the values I’ve earned. And like what I’ve always said, writing is my way of communicating to the World. But I have no single idea on how big is my impact to those who’ve stumbled upon my blogs and have been my regular readers and viewers. Yes, I have been receiving texts, emails, messages, post-mails and calls on how I have touched and changed their lives through my writings. How I have inspired them to live a fulfilled life and how I opened their eyes to see how significant their life is, regardless of their status in this World. I appreciate those so much but I still haven’t digested in my thoughts on how powerful a writing could ever be over people’s lives.

                Until recently, I’ve heard that my Articles are being discussed and related by 3 classes/block sections of B.S Pharmacy & B.S Medical Technology students in Saint Louis University Baguio City (My Alma Mater) under Health Economics subject by Ms. Rhoda Jennet E. Razo. It was immersed through the topic about “1) Achieving Good Mental Health Amidst The Stressors In Post-Modern Society” and “2) Environmental Tourism As A Key To National Progress”. And the students made a reaction paper about my works relating it to what they have learned in their class, they even added plentiful of creative artworks with it. I was unaware of it until I received all of their works, and I joyously cried with their heartwarming reactions. I never would have thought that I could have an impact to these kids and I never even imagined that one day, they would discuss Happy Loner Traveller’s works in their classrooms. It was a huge honor for me and I, personally am inspired to write greater articles and create educational shows, not only for the youth but for everyone as well.

                You see, when you think that you are worthless, try to think again, maybe you have no idea that what you are doing in every moment of your life affects and changes another life, maybe even set of lives, with you being unaware of it. You have no idea on how powerful your impact is on another person, so never even try to think that you are “just nothing” in this World. We are all connected in every way possible, connected with each other and connected with nature. What we do always has an outcome to others. So, if you do good, it’ll always be goodness that will be given back to you.

                You see, as a Writer, Word is the language of my profession. A Writer’s Words always reflects and represents real life situations and could strongly affect and ignite people’s feelings. A Writer has this power and responsibility to change human beings and even change the World. So the power of the human mind must always be taken care of, thus, writing is a big responsibility coz’ it pierces through people’s hearts.

                I am so glad that these kids have learned a lot about real life from me, what they will never learn from their classrooms. Thank you so much to Ms. Rhoda Jennet E. Razo for introducing my works in her 3 classes, truly I am one with your principle, an “outside of the box” type of teaching, that in reality, 30% are learned from our classrooms and 70% are from our real life experiences.

                And thank you to these kid’s creative works, I will forever cherish it in my heart. I just wish that you will carry all throughout your lives what you have learned from Armie Yuson. And I still believe that one small act of goodness from one ordinary and simple human being can still cause the most powerful explosion, stronger than that of nuclear weapons, to create awareness, change humanity and make the World continue living with peace, hope and love…

- Happy Loner Traveller

Diary Of A Prince

            I have met and known so many women in my life and not a single one of them even had the right to be compared to you… I am very proud to say that I may be or could be literally “The Luckiest Man Alive” for over half a decade, up to this very day and even in the far future, for I have a person like you in my life. You never gave up on me when you have all and every reason to do so… You were just there every single time, comforting and taking good care of me, even at the times that I may seem to not care about you. How truly blessed I am for having a one of a kind and rare person like you, I would brag about it all my life…

            For the past 64 months, every single time that I’m having a problem in whatever aspect of my life, there would be no other person that I would run to immediately, not even my family nor my true friends, but just you because I knew that you’re the only person in this world that could understand me and that is just something that is so automatic about you. You are the only person in my life that just knows everything about me, all of my stories, all of my secrets, all of my pains, all of my mistakes, all of my past, present and future, you just knew the real me, the way no one else would have ever known in their lifetime. You have seen all my flaws but still you accepted me wholeheartedly and even loved me so much… The kind of love that you have shown to me is just inarguably incomparable to others. You just embody the words “Unconditional Love”, that most people believe to be just a “fairy tale” myth, coz’ everyone knows that sticking and standing by me is the biggest mistake a person could ever do, but still, you went through it doubtless, without fear or any hesitations. And with that Character, you’ve boiled my heart up to the most infinite degree it possibly could… I just love everything about you and I can’t even think of one negative word about you.

            Thank you for letting me have that freedom to be myself, for supporting me to reach my dreams, for allowing me to know that you are just there like a permanent tattoo in my life. Thank you for being the person who allows me to have those “Multiple Smiles” in just one smile coz’ you strive hard to see me that way everyday. Thank you for being the only person to give me the gift of feeling the most affectionate sweetness, the most cuddling thoughtfulness, the most heartmelting care and the most faithful love a human being could ever dream for in this wonderful, oh, so wonderful life…

            I am deeply sorry for all of my shortcomings to you for the past 64 months, but then, I already knew, that even before I said sorry to you, you already have forgiven me without any bitterness in your heart. Thank you “BEIGH” for being the proudest person with regards to having someone like me in their life, bragging me to everyone you know, even if I’m not worthy to be proud of. I am forever owned by you because you already claimed me from the very beginning, even if you never knew anything about me at all…

- Poetic Prince

King Dolphy : Father Of Philippine Comedy

            Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. or popularly known as Dolphy was born on July 25, 1928 in Tondo Manila Philippines and has passed away on July 10, 2012 at the age of almost 84 just 15 days before his Birthday. He is an Actor (Comedian - Drama) & a Dancer who created a masterpiece of 208 movies from “Dugo At Bayan” to “Father Jejemon” and numerous of TV (John & Marsha – Home Along Da Riles), Radio and Theater shows here in the Philippines and abroad. He has won countless of awards in his nearly 70 year Career, creating a Philippine history where he both won the Best Actor & Best Supporting Actor Award for 2 different films in the same year of the most prestigious award giving body for Movie & Films. He tapped into 8 different generations making him an Icon in the Philippines, with his astounding achievements in his chosen career. Billions of Filipinos then & now, who have been long gone and still alive knew all of his journey to his legendary lifeworks, an unmatched and unsurpassed career, creating him not only as a National Artist but a National Treasure. I won’t be diving into details with regards to his tremendous profession but I’ll dig deeper, I will focus on a more important part where he truly became a part of the lives of all the Filipinos for 8 decades, the real person behind the camera, the True Dolphy…

            Many knew him by different names like Golay and Pidol but first and foremost, he is a great Family man, having 18 kids (1 Deceased), he prioritized on providing everything for his children and grandchildren, that even up to the very end of his life, he left each one of them undisclosed fortunes and requested them to not fight about it but to love & take good care of each other. And he made sure too that they are all equally loved and given the most important gift in this world, which is Quality time… As a Partner, his 23 year lovestory with his Queen Zsa Zsa Padilla has gone through tough times throughout the years but Zsa Zsa recalled that Dolphy is the most sweetest and thoughtful man she has ever known, and that “He was worth it”, she also added that sometimes it’s hard to say things that you want to Dolphy because he will do everything to make sure that you will received that gift. As a Friend, Dolphy never leaves a friend in dire need, witnessed and attested by so many, that is why Zsa Zsa told him that if ever he had a weakness? That is his Giving Heart, he’d rather have no money for himself, as long as he could share all of this to everyone, whether he knew them or not. As a Co-worker, Dolphy is truly a professional and he considers everyone in the workplace as equals, that no one is above to anyone, he befriends even the janitors and security guards of the set. But his most important feature that gave a significant impact to all Filipinos around the world is his genuine humility, and with that virtue comes the utmost and highest respect of each and every Filipinos that stumbles upon him. True respect for me is not being chased and screamed at by people & fans when they see you but rather when you walked into a crowded room, everyone becomes so silent and they just smile because they pay you their highest dues of respect & as far as I’ve ever known, only two people in the Philippines has ever done that, it is Dolphy and his late friend King Fernando Poe Jr. (Father of Philippine Action). Dolphy is without a doubt, 100 percent believed by all Filipinos as an Icon, a pillar, a legend & a treasure, but for Dolphy himself, King as he maybe to the Filipinos, he is still the simple person he knew way back in Tondo, who came from humble beginnings selling squash seeds in old theatres in Manila and has always made sure that his feet will always stay on the ground and I will quote him “Humility is the name of the game”…

            Personally, I still can’t accept that King Dolphy is already gone, it’s hard and his passing has really made me cry… I may not have met him personally, but with his unchartered Charisma & effect on people, I feel like he is also my grandfather. I learned significant amounts of morals about life from him... The wisdom he shares to everybody has been there and will always be carried within our hearts forever… He served as my inspiration on why I began to dream & somehow would want to follow his successful footsteps in any of my chosen career and that I may also experience a fruitful life the way he has lived it… I could compare one similarity of mine to his, it is the way we love. Like what Zsa Zsa previously told, I am also like that, I want all the best things in life for my loved ones and I would do everything to pamper and provide them with everything they need and wished to have…

            Dolphy’s life has embodied what a real Filipino experience would be, we may be from humble beginnings or from a rich family, we may have undergone so much trials and afflictions into our lives, but one quality a Filipino has, that unquestionably the King of comedy have remarkably influenced us, is giving a good old SMILE & LAUGH to all of our daily problems in life… Still the Greatest Medicine here on Earth… Dolphy, I love you… And for me, you are not only a National Artist but a HERO…

- Trusty Appraiser

ARANAR (Yuson Siblings)

       

                 I am very lucky and blessed to have wonderful and amazing siblings. We each have our own super specialties, with me as a Travel Mastermind, my brother as a Technology Genius and last but not the least, my sister as a Book Whiz. But we all have one common denominator which unites the three of us and that is our love for Music… Eversince we were young, we were already introduced to music because our parents were also geniuses hiding in the closet when it comes to music. Me, Armie Yuson is a Vocalist & Pianist, my brother Lyko Yuson is a Vocalist, Guitarist, Bassist, Pianist & Drummer and my sister Inah Yuson is a Vocalist, Guitarist & Violinist. With the 3 Yuson’s Talent and Passion for Music, I came up with an idea, to make a Band involving the Three of Us and I named it ARANAR. The History of the name ARANAR is just the 1st syllables of our real names put together in the order of our age.

                We have our Sibling Rivalry but in a good way because that always brings out the best in us… Me & my brother collaborated in creating my 3 albums which totaled 30 songs. I could never be thankful to God for giving me my Two Extraordinary Siblings because when we are doing something together, we are just unstoppable in giving amazement to everyone and that is what ARANAR is all about…

- The Thoughtful Son