Travel with my sister – one of the highlights of my Philippines visit

The travel with my sister was something I had been looking forward to and imagined to come true. Although it’s not the first time we’ve traveled together, it was extra special and memorable. My sister Amber and I have a good sister relationship initially. But as we grew older and apart, we became the sisters we never thought we would be. And since I moved to Germany, she and I have shared similar sentiments on many things. So when I recently got back to the Philippines, she and I made a trip together. Traveling with my sister was one of the highlights of my Philippines vacation, so this was how it went.

Travel with my sister – how did it all start

How did it all start-I was not sure how. With her busy schedule- juggling online teaching and taking great care of her baby dog-Bruce, planning the trip was not very thorough. And most notably- never designed.

When we got home the night before, we were exhausted, hopping from one place to the other along with my aunt, brother, and nephew, Don. Even so, I have already packed everything up. I was in charge because I thought I was better at packing- I packed light; that’s my style. While she, on the other hand, packed a lot of stuff, ” it’s for OOTD, she says.” Ultimately, I was the packing manager-hence; everything about stowing up was my way.

In addition, even under the same roof, we’ve constantly exchanged messages like, ” okay, we leave at 5 am, sharp”. We both delightedly agreed.

Then morning came. My phone alarmed, but I snoozed several times.

The result? Well, you might have already guessed. We missed. The trip with my sister didn’t carry on.

We ignored it as if nothing had happened- we didn’t take it seriously, even if the planned trip was canceled. We were not in a hurry to make the trip, so we thought, ” well, we’ll leave tomorrow then.”

Finally, we managed to get up at 5 am the next day. Oh yes! She was the one who got up first, made a coffee for us, put the bag in the motorbike compartment, put on our helmets, and said goodbye to mum, who was also up early, as always- and waited for us to leave.

And off we went.

Thrilled and delighted- we enjoyed the moment and the drive itself. Soaked the crisp fresh air and watched the sunrise slowly giving beautiful colors on the road. The travel with my sister finally came to life!

Our stop was only for gas or water break.

She drove well, even though sometimes her braking style didn’t make me happy. haha

It was a total of 3 hours one way from home in Calasiao to Patar Beach, Bolinao, Pangasinan.

Places we visited

PATAR BEACH, BOLINAO, PANGASINAN

I may have mentioned this repeatedly, but I’ll repeat it anyway. Patar beach is one of the best beaches I love and keep coming back to. Not only because it is relatively accessible from our house but also because it is genuinely stunning. Therefore, it’s our leading destination for this trip.

BOLINAO FALLS
The Bolinao falls. We didn’t see the four of them as we couldn’t fight our exhaustion. We even fell asleep while watching the spring and said, ” rest for 5 minutes and swim again”.

Kopi Kubo- next to waterfall #1. We had a Thai iced coffee here. It’s my second time this falls, but I overlooked the Kopi Kubo. I think it’s because an enormous umbrella shade covered it. But, having seen it, how could we miss not sipping their deliciously refreshing coffee?

How and tips to visit the waterfalls in Bolinao

There was often someone waiting for you with a sign ” tour to Bolinao falls” before you could reach the right turn to Bolinao beach direction or go directly to Bolinao falls. Suppose you’re coming from the main road. However, if you’re coming from the off-road, Bolinao falls in on your right.

The first time I went to Bolinao falls was with my husband. We didn’t visit the five falls because we thought they were similar.

It was a lot of effort and kind of exhausting, but it was so worth it.

The number 1 fall was the one we enjoyed the best. There was a thirty peso (30php)/€.50 entrance fee; the same goes for every waterfall’s entrance. You’re welcome if you want to rent a lifevest to go through the waterfall. Well, we did. And also rented a Bangka (small boat made of bamboo)

Do you need a tour guide?

Well, you could, if you want to. It’s up to you. If I’m not mistaken, the tour guide fee was 500php/€10- full day.

If you have extra pennies, why not? Help and support local.

Benefits of traveling with my sister

There were plenty of benefits of traveling with my sister.

Besides having a lot to catch up on- because we don’t live in the same house anymore, our travel together gave us a chance to talk about things like family matters, work, relatives, and plans, among many other things.

I could count on her taking endless photos and videos. My sister was someone who could do the job well done. I’m usually lazy to take one, so it was mighty beneficial to have her around.

Second, I had a driver. During this trip with her, she was merely the driver, and I was only the one who requested and informed us where we were heading- like a co-driver, you know?

And besides the prominent elements, traveling with my sister made us closer to each other. We explored and experienced fun things together too! Usually, we travel with our family members like my mum, but only two of us this time, and it was lovely!

What I’ve learned from the travel with my sister

It’s not every day that we get to know the real person from within, but through traveling with someone, you’ll have a closer look and better understand their character and personality. In other words, you’ll know about the person when she’s on wheels. And in my sister’s case, I’ve learned that I have not known her (enormously) until I got to be with her on the road.

She- is the type of driver who is very generous on the road. She has the mindset of ” defensive driving.” It’s a term used in Germany for drivers who allow other people’s mistakes and do not insist on rights on the road. I admire her.

Second, she’s a very patient woman. Besides being patient with my senior mum and her hot-headed boyfriend, she’s also composed of many other things. She also doesn’t complain or whine about how long, narrow, and bumpy the roads are. Or the destination itself.

In addition to that, she’s not very picky. When I told her I would stay at this accommodation, she said, ” okay, wherever it is.” I also liked the fact that I felt safe with her. And that she shared the same foods as I did.

My sister- who is the real her

She’s a grown-up who can manage pretty much anything life throws at her. Looking at her, sometimes I wondered, where did my bunny look like sister go? ( she used to be called a bunny or a rabbit because she had two big teeth in the front)

One brave woman.

She offered to ride her motorbike when we were along the coconut trees to take some videos. I did. And boy, oh boy, ain’t easy to keep the wheels rolling! Just when I thought how courageous she was for enduring a 3-hour drive, one way, with plenty of reckless drivers on the road passing by us. And I guess my mother was right when she said to her, ” you couldn’t be braver than that.”

Having this trip with my sister made me appreciate her even more.

In addition, we had wonderful conversations about how I feel about several things, like my visit to the Philippines and something I love and hate. Surprisingly, we love and hate almost the same things.

And the best thing was, she made me see things the other way – a lot better ways.

We could be awkward with other people, but not with our sister. She and I had no feelings of edginess. Since we were a child, we played a lot to get her, so we knew our ups and downs. She never judged me for many things, and I truly relied on her.

Lastly, I’ve learned that my sister has my back like I am to her, making us both feel safe and confident about whatever is ahead of us.

Travel with my sister- one of the highlights of my Philippines vacation

I had plenty of amazing things that will always remind me of how valuable my short stay in the Philippines was. Renting an apartment in San Juan, meeting and traveling with my friends, and many more. Of course, the trip with my dear sister was one- it was absolutely one of the highlights of my Philippines vacation.

Although we squeezed the time to fit in many activities in just a short period, we dearly loved and enjoyed it.

Through this trip, we created memories and adventured together, leaving beautiful reminders in our hearts. And that we will indeed one day look back on and laugh and smile at how incredible traveling together was.

The journey gave us a renewed connection- something we both missed as we rarely see each other, although we exchange messages on messenger daily! And the time we spent at the beach and waterfall was a great chance to bond.

Beyond words, I am glad I made the trip with my sister.

Go and plan that trip together

Your sister is your best friend. Although you may not share every single juicy detail about love or sex life, it doesn’t matter. Or even if you can’t fully open up to her. Who cares? It’s not really a requirement. She’s your best partner-sometimes, a partner in crime.

Traveling with your sister is one of the best gifts you could ever give yourself. If you have a sister like me, you are lucky and blessed. I hope you also make a trip with her. Savor every moment. Share and do crazy things together. And don’t let anyone saying you can’t do it together win. I think it’ll be one of the best days of your life if you do. So go on, plan that trip, and travel with your sister.

YOU CAN ALSO PIN ME ⬇️

On personal thoughts

Looking back on those days that I went on a trip with my sister gives me excitement and chills- in a fun way. Waking up early, being on the road, eating street foods, and beaching with her was one of my happiest days. And because of this trip, we became closer to each other, and we knew that we always have each other’s back- and for us, that’s precious.

And one thing is for sure; if there were a chance to travel with her or any of my other sisters or siblings, I would always say yes to the adventure.

Lastly, I wrote this article as an appreciation for the travel with my sister. And because of her, she made my vacation in the Philippines worth remembering.

IF YOU LIKED OR WERE INSPIRED BY THIS WRITING, I’D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU’D SHARE IT WITH YOUR SISTER OR SOMEONE SO DEAR TO YOU! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! ???