If there were any lingering doubts about whether the sun would appear when we boarded the bus from Legazpi to Sorsogon, they were quickly dispelled as the blue waters of the sea sparkled brilliantly beneath clear, open skies. As we approached Subic Beach on Calintaan Island, the boat ride was smooth sailing over calm, glassy waters.

I deliberately kept my expectations in check by telling myself, "This is just another beach in my own beautiful country." I assumed it was simply another coastal stretch among thousands. But much like the swarm of humanity around us, every shore holds a distinct personality that sets it apart. Visiting a new place provides that timeless sense of anticipation—of discovering what remains hidden just beyond the horizon.

The sky was a picture of indecision when we boarded the bus from Legazpi to Sorsogon. It looked as if it was totally unsure of dumping rain or simply sheltering the Earth from the blistering sun—which was keenly intent on making an appearance that day. The weather was shaping out fine, and the blessed absence of rain made it far more ideal for travel, but there were still a few stubborn patches of dark clouds hovering heavily above us.

It was the exact same heavy sky curtain that made our earlier attempt to see the famous Mayon Volcano up close a completely futile one. As the bus revved up its diesel engine and gathered speed on the open highway, the wind aggressively brushing against my face increased its sheer tenacity. Trying to safely avoid a direct hit, I looked quietly out the window and was enthusiastically greeted by a majestic, sweeping countryside.

The stone fish was staring out of his aquarium like a delirious sea creature high on helium when he spotted two travel bloggers—one a Chinese-looking dude and the other a semi-Chinese-looking dude with a flair of Spanish blood—walking inside the Old Village Seafood Restaurant in Kota Kinabalu. It was a strange window into the local dining scene, where the evening catch seemed to have developed a whimsical, satirical perspective on their own culinary fates.

Years before the boy who goes by the name Siddharta would become known as Gautama, the Buddhist religion founder, he was always in search for his life's meaning. It was a life-long quest that would ultimately help shape a big part of our world. I was always fascinated with the Buddhist religion, it strikes me as centering on one's peace of mind and its relation to every living things around. When I found myself on a bus going to the Ngong Ping highlands to visit the Tian Tan or otherwise known as the "Giant Buddha", I recognized that 'peace of mind' has always been the slippery toad caught between my hands; right here this moment and gone the next.

Surrounded by a man-made lagoon, the City Mosque at Likas Bay in Kota Kinabalu pulled off a floating apparition when seen from a distance. As I trudged closer from where we had gotten off the bus, I could hear chants of worship spread out into the open air. In a place like that, with the bay fronting the opposite side and the mosque facing it against the lagoon, the chanting bemused the ears of even the most undaunted passersby. At that moment, I felt solemnity as I quickly cut the distance between myself and that architecturally gifted place of worship of our Muslim brothers. After gorging on street foods in Kota Kinabalu, I was finally experiencing the place in a new light and perspective.