"The first I heard of the beach was in Bangkok, on the Kao-San Road..." reads the opening page of Alex Garland's "The Beach". I first read the book about 5 years ago and I saw the movie immediately following it. Since then I've always been fascinated with Khao San Road. A few people I know have been here, reporting back how it has lost its charm, while some still perceives it as a place to really kick-start one's backpacking trip across Asia. Romanticism aside, Khao San is nothing but a stretch of short road, circling towards another street that houses hostels, hotels, restaurants, souvenir and tattoo shops, food carts and almost everything that will cater to a backpacker's needs.

"It's more fun in the Philippines". 

Last January 6, I was invited to the "top secret" DOT launch of its new slogan along with fellow travel bloggers; Lois, Melo, Angel, Izah and Fung Yu. It was actually my first time to enter the Department of Tourism Building and from the moment I stepped inside the room, I know that a feeling of anticipation started snowballing into what's in store for all of us that day. We all remember the highly polarized and maligned DOT slogan and logo almost a year ago, so you can't blame if people were sort of biting their fingernails on this one.

There is so much to do in three hours - as a number of sleazy motels suggests. What more in twenty-four hours times three? That's almost like an eternity for a traveler, as time like places, should not looked upon as a hindrance to satisfy a craving and a wonder for exploring previously undiscovered locations. Your job isn't your whole life, so email your immediate superior pronto and pencil out that coming long weekend for an "Amazing Race"-kind of trip, even in the farthest and beautiful countryside. Suck it all up and enjoy what the road can offer, because in a span of 3 Days and 2 Nights, you can experience a trip that will finally kickstart your desire to travel further. Give yourself a break, dip your feet into the water and taste the wonderful orgasmic feeling of being on the road. I'm betting my old wrist watch, you will be making another travel plans the moment you return back to sleep on your old familiar bed.

I heave a sigh of relief when the guards asked us if we have any reservations to Antonio's Restaurant, to which Eileen Campos answered with a negative. Earlier on the car, Lauren was saying "Ang cute, we shall have lunch at Antonio's" and I was like thinking "yeah read online that the average meal costs 1,500 pesos". I could not complain since I'm just a passenger on the car and these two lovable crazies might ask me to buy a pack of black Marlboro on a random highway store and might speed off the moment I get off. So I stayed put planning to order only a glass of iced tea and chips, if ever they serve some. We primarily went to Tagaytay for a foodtrip, but not necessarily to splurge. To think, it was a trip that started when Lauren texted me about a 1,000 peso Pampanga foodtrip challenge.