Highlights of 2016

(Photo from: Google)

Happy New Year, everyone! The year 2016 was my happiest ever, yet one of the most challenging. There were lots of disappointments, frustrations, and challenges that tested me and pushed me to my limits. But the past year was also filled with one-of-a-kind opportunities, memorable achievements, and unforgettable experiences which I'll be forever thankful for.

Last year, I made a promise to myself that I would make 2016 my travel year and I'm glad I was able to do it! Since I couldn't leave work for a long time, I decided it was better for me to have shorter but more frequent trips. There were so many things that made my 2016 amazing and I couldn't possibly list all of them here, but I'll do my best to cover everything!

Read on for the highlights of my 2016!

To kick off 2016, I went spelunking in Sagada with my workmates. It was absolutely thrilling but totally nerve-racking! The rocks were so slippery that one could easily slip and fall into the darkness below. In the afternoon, we headed to a waterfall. We didn't know we had to hike for more than an hour to get there and back. I swam despite the water being ice-cold! This was such a huge feat because people close to me would know that I hate the cold! Lol. For the complete blog post on my trip to Sagada, click here.

This was the year I realized that the beach is the perfect holiday destination for me! I think this was the year I went on the most number of beach trips-- Boracay (twice!), Gigantes, Phuket, and a couple of other beach destinations a few hours away from Manila.

Aside from the cold, another thing that I hate (and fear) is swimming in deep water, because of one simple reason-- I don't know how to swim! This is why my experience of scuba diving with sharks was one for the books-- definitely a big, big achievement for someone like me. For the complete blog post, click here!

I've been in love with theme parks ever since I was a kid, and whenever there is a part of my year that consists of going to a theme park, that automatically becomes a highlight! Lol. Last year, I went to Universal Studios and Adventure Cove Waterpark! Read through my week in Singapore here.

Another first in the past year was when I went wake boarding in Hong Kong. But instead of being pulled by a cable, I was being pulled by a speedboat! This was definitely more thrilling than the ones back home! Check out my Hong Kong adventure here.

New experiences are always exciting and I'm glad I got to cross one country off my list -- Vietnam! For 4 days, I explored the streets of Ho Chi Minh. I'm not a fan of vegetables but I would never say no to Vietnam's fresh spring rolls!

Early last year, I discovered a love for yoga! And I'm also proud to say that despite so many things happening, I still stuck to the habit of exercising regularly.

On the third quarter of last year, I decided to quit my corporate job after working there for almost two years.  My job was great-- I learned so many new things, met so many different kinds of people, and had so much fun! Really, I couldn't ask for anything more. But I felt that it was time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life which is to focus on building my business.

Indeed, I really have a lot to be thankful for! My instagram posts below pretty much sums up my 2016.