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Our Story
In the enchanting corners of a Cebu hostel, our story began in March 2022. Yul, a local soul, and Em, an English backpacker, crossed paths. Em felt an unspoken connection with this mysterious man. A simple invitation for a drink led to an unexpected change in life plans.
Our journey unfolded on the captivating island of Siquijor, our first adventure. After exploring more of Visayas together, Em then ventured solo to Palawan. After spending two weeks apart, Em felt that the time with Yul was not ready to be over. With a mix of courage and a touch of humour, she asked Yul, “Uyab na ta sugod karon,” translating to “You will be my boyfriend.” From that moment, our story became filled with love, laughs, and new adventures as we moved in together.
We ventured outside the country in 2023, backpacking Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore. Upon returning, we made it our mission to explore the beauty of the Philippines. Amidst these journeys, Cebu became our base camp, where our home quickly became filled with our growing family: Four dogs, two iguanas, a plethora of fish, and the playful antics of a kitten. Together, we’ve embraced the rhythm of slow travel and unexpected adventures: A lifestyle balanced with hard work and enjoyment.
Get to know us better
Travel isn’t always perfect or predictable. Despite the illusions created by social media, it involves both thrills and challenges. We’ve shared a few random facts about our travels to reveal the true, unpredictable nature of backpacking and highlight the small, memorable moments that often make the best stories.
A Few Random Travel Experiences:
- We once got abandoned on a tiny island overnight from a scam tour. Despite the frustration and anger from the day, we ended up sleeping on the beach with the most stunning starry night sky we had ever seen. 🏝️
- After consuming copious amounts of alcohol, we concocted a whole song dedicated to our love of Banh Mi. As we wandered back to our hotel, we sang this song at the top of our lungs in the streets of Hanoi. Laughing so hard, our trip took double the time it should have! 🥖
- Em was attacked by a dog in Vietnam, forcing us to rely on Google Translate and elaborate hand signals to get help. We drastically changed our travel plans and ended up prolonging our stay in Da Nang. Despite this incident, it did not take away from our love of the country and ended up amplifying our appreciation of the Vietnamese hospitality. 🐾
Don’t be afraid of things not going quite as planned – they often create the best experiences!