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I met this backpacker while I was on Boracay, Philippines, with Cristine, my multi-recidivist travel companion. Cristine is from the Philippines and she knows a bunch of local bloggers, so it was all naturally that we met this inspiring character.

Everybody knows that the average salary in the Philippines isn’t very high compared to western standards: A professional nurse, for example, will earn an average of 150 USD per month.

Yet Filipinos, just like the rest of us, like to travel. And if they can’t make it to some far away country because of the excessive cost of a flight, they will find another way.
Amongst all the countries I visited, Philippines must be the place where I met the most eager travelers around.

And Journeying James is one of them: he knows how to make out of the smallest escapade, the greatest adventure!

Corinne: Hello James, you seem free like a bird!
Tell us what you do for a living and how travel blends in.

James: I don’t have a day job and I dont plan of having one. When people ask me that, I just say I’m a travel writer (emphasis on the travel part).
Well, I write for some local in-flight magazines. Then for the past months, I began enjoying some income from the blog, through advertisers.
So, I just travel and write something that would make others go to the place I went to.

Corinne: Every time I stumbled upon you in the Philippines, you were surrounded by a bunch of people. How do you usually create encounters through your travels?

James: I also don’t know. Can I call it charisma? hahaha! It usually starts with a smile and then I let them now that I’m traveling solo and would be very happy to meet the locals in the places I’m visiting. Then the locals I met will introduce me to other locals and so on….

CORINNE: How much do you travel per year… and what are you doing when you don’t travel?

James: I would say I’m on the road for a total of 7-8 months per year. When I’m not traveling, I run half-marathons or write as much blog articles I can. I just stay home, sip some coffee and relax. Watch movies too.

CORINNE: Excuse the question, but how old are you? When did this crazy travel bug bite you, and when did you start your blogging/backpacking adventure?

James: I’m 27.
While still in college (2001-2006), I always wanted to travel but funds were limited. So after graduation, I worked 2-3 years (2006-2008) then said to myself it was time to pursue this dream of traveling.
I’ve been traveling full-time for almost 3 years now (2008-2011) and my travel blog is already 1 year and 6 months now.

James at Camiguin, Philippines

CORINNE: What, above all, would you like to achieve?

James: Short-term goal is to backpack the Philippines for 100 days non-stop in the cheapest way possible, like less than 50,000 pesos all-in (= rough 1’200USD), write a book after that. A local travel show would be awesome too!
Long-term, I would be to backpack Europe and maybe do a Round The World trip.

CORINNE: Any plans/dreams of visiting some far far away country?

James: Yeah, definitely. I dream of going to Europe. I’m always fascinated by Europeans. :)

CORINNE: can you describe an usual day in your travels?

James: I love the beach, so you’ll see me hanging on my hammock in between two coconut trees and just relax (maybe read a book to kill time). Have a mango shake or have a good lunch. Then snorkle or explore the island by foot.
Budget is always below Php500 (= 12USD). i also spend more time on knowing the locals, trying to learn their dialect or trade, or how they cook.

CORINNE: Could you give some advice to the people out there that are dreaming of traveling, but for some reason, think they can’t, or are afraid of it?

James: I share two of my favorite travel quotes:

Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think. - Horace, Ancient Roman poet

When I had youth I had no money; now I have the money I have no time;
and when I get the time, if I ever do, I shall have no health to enjoy life. - Louisa May Alcott

If you can still read the two quotes then you can still travel. It’s like learning how to swim. At first, you are afraid because you don’t know how, but then when you begin to float and swim and be confident with water, and you begin to enjoy it. You just have to be in the water. In travel, you just have to be out there.

CORINNE: How much are you enjoying your everyday life, right now? Is there anything you would like to change, or go back to?

James: I’m living my life to the fullest! I am not rich, financially speaking, but I’m rich with relationships-friendships fostered while traveling, experiences to share to my future kids and grandkids. I can easily go anywhere in the Philippines anytime and stay at a locals’ place for free.

CORINNE: What is the most important thing that travel brought into your life?

James: I learned that there is goodness in everyone’s heart. I also observed that those who don’t have are the ones who share: they share themselves.

Meet James…

… on his travel blog, Journeying James. You can also follow him on Twitter and like his project on Facebook …or somewhere through the Philippines :)

James at Bugtong-Bato waterfalls, Tibiao, Antique, Philippines