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 Jan 30, 2012
Blurring the Lines of Work and Play
Working Hard
By the time I came back home to Dumaguete, I've already been gone 2 months backpacking from Manila, Coron, Cuyo, Iloilo and Bacolod. During that time, I went on tour boats to several islands, gone snorkelling in coral reefs, gone wreck diving on 3 WWII ships, free dived in 2 crystal-clear lakes and lavished myself with good food. I also went sea kayaking in the Busuanga outback and traversed its mountain range on a mountain bike and plunged myself in its forest lagoon. Another gruelling day at the office!
Gradient
Was I having a lot of fun? Yes! But I was also working that entire time. Somehow, I've blurred the lines between work and play. I don't know anymore if I'm working or having fun - usually it's both. Now that I've experienced that, I stand firmly that that should be the ideal balance - not just for me but for everyone.
Nobody Losses
Whereas before, I'd eat street food or eat in carinderias. Now I need to be a customer in these fancy restaurants in order to talk to the owner, not as a salesman, but as a customer wanting to help him with his web options. If I just knocked cold on his door selling him something, the door would just as readily slam on my face. But as a paying customer, the least he can be is to be polite. Moreover, what I put on the table is so unique and compelling, he signs up with my meal as initial x-deal payment. I walk away with cash and a free meal. He's happy, I'm happy. I believe that's key - that by playing to win, I also ensure that when I win, nobody loses.
Fun Time at Work
On my first wreck dive, as I got giddy exploring the inner bowels of
Kogyo Maru, a Japanese auxiliary boat that was sunk 34 meters, I was also mindful that what I was doing was part of the travel portal I was developing for Coron - 2 birds with one stone. Work doesn't have to be grudging.
A Bolder Experiment
Altogether, I was gone 2 months backpacking to destinations I hardly planned. This time, I had a different experiment in mind. In my last backpacking that took me a month, I proved that it was possible to generate income while travelling. This time however, I had to kick it up a notch. This experiment would be to find out if it's possible to travel indefinitely by generating as much money (if not more) than I was spending while being on the road.
Getting All the Stakeholders Involved
I used to do everything by myself. Now I realized, there are stakeholders who stand to gain by all this. I can also get them involved - the local tourism board. Surely, what I provide is something they'll find useful in pursuing their mandate. With that, I came to meet the board on whatever destination I went to. True enough, there was mutual understanding to work hand-in-hand. I would put their place on the Google ranking while they give the business owners a nudge to subscribe. Afterall, without the participation of the business community, the portal fails.
The Jury is Out
And the verdict? As I wind down from all that travelling, I looked into my pocket and counted how much I had left. Plus or minus a few hundred bucks, I ended up with what I started with. On the surface, I'm happy knowing I practically had a 2 month travel for free. But the ramification is profound. It means I can throw away the last vestiges of what I would call home. I can simply fit my life in one backpack (maybe 2) and go from one destination after another developing them as tourism portals. I may stay a month or 2 until I exhaust the business and fun possibilities, and then move on to another destination - Romblon, Samar, Mindoro...the possibilities are endless.
Everybody Wins
Again, by doing that, all stakeholders win. The tourism folks win by having increased visibility on the internet about their place. The traveller wins by having a one-stop portal with all the information he needs - no more spending days chasing after search engine results that prove to be empty or garbage. The business owners increase their revenues thru a vertically integrated online marketing campaign. Me? I explore new destinations, meet new people, eat new delicacies and fund my next adventure. Again, everybody wins! For as long as I keep that paradigm, work and play become one and the same thing.
--- TheLoneRider
ps - Hey, you want this lifestyle? Email me. You can be part of the team!
Google Map > Busuanga
 Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines
 tourist attractions
 hotel, beach house and accommodation
 tour and expedition
 Tribal Adventures Tours - multi-day kayak expedition, day tours, island tours, mountain biking, snorkeling, hiking
+63 998.999.3049 | tribaladventures@gmail.com Calamianes Expeditions & Ecotours - island tours, community based ecotourism experience
+639193054363 / +639202546553 / +63 9152543246 / 02 984 7795 | corongaleri@yahoo.com
- beaches, islands, snorkeling, scuba diving, wreck diving
- you want to add some more? please submit on the form below
- slow and unreliable internet
Coron Blogs
- Beach Life at Palawan SandCastles Oct 31-Nov 22, 2016
- Mountain Biking the Trails of Busuanga with Outback Greg of Tribal Adventures Oct 31-Nov 22, 2016
- Yoga at Palawan SandCastles, Busuanga Oct 31-Nov 22, 2016
- In Search of Dugong Nov 21, 2016
- 3-Day Circumnavigation of Coron Island by Kayak Nov 17-19, 2016
- Exploring Culion Nov 5-7, 2016
- Traveling with Cheng Oct 31-Nov 8, 2016
- Tribal Adventures in Coron with Outback Greg Jan 13-17, 2016
- Chillingout in Coron Town, Busuanga Oct 23-29, 2012
- Camp Life in Camp Calauit Oct 18-23, 2012
- Mountain Biking Fund Raising Event in Cheey, Busuanga Oct 20, 2012
- Salvacion-Cheey Traverse Oct 19, 2012
- Into The Black Jan 31, 2012
- Blurring the Lines of Work and Play Jan 30, 2012
- Free-Diving Calumbuyan Reef, Coral Garden and Lusong Gunboat Jan 14, 2012
- Exploring Dive Link Resort Jan 13, 2012
- Coron Island Tour - Malcapuya, Banana and Bulog Islands Jan 10, 2012
- Wreck Diving in Coron with Rocksteady Dive Center Jan 8, 2012
- Diving Barracuda Lake and Kogyo Maru Jan 4, 2012
- Banol Beach, Barracuda Lake, Calachuchi Reef, Siete Pecados Marine Park, Alcatraz Reef Island Tour Dec 27, 2011
- Coron Ultimate Island Tour by Calamianes Expeditions Ecotours Dec 24, 2011
- Life's a Beach at Camp Calauit Dec 17-31, 2011
- Traversing the Northern Coast of Busuanga Island Dec 14-16, 2011
- Skin Diving and Beach Camping at Calumbuyan Island Mar 10-12, 2010
- Sea Kayaking, Beach Camping and Skin Diving with Outback Greg on his Tribal Adventures Tour Mar 9-14, 2010
- Coron Skin Diving Mar 30, 2008
- Coron Kayaking Mar 31, 2008
Currency Converter
(February 11, 2012) While reading up on the Google Boys, Sergey Brin once told a colleague that his (colleague's) idea was good...but not big enough! Until now, I think about that...not big enough. How do I go beyond my own limited box to see the possibilities that lay outside? How would Henry Sy do it?..more »»
»» next Wealth Building story: Not Thinking Big Enough
»» next story: Into The Black
»» back to Wealth Building
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