Traveling With Your Mom: A Mother's Day Special

It takes someone really brave to hike the tallest mountains for days, but it takes someone even braver to carry a baby for 9 months.  One has to have the guts to travel solo but it requires even more for someone who is raising a child. Being a traveler can be very rewarding but nothing can ever beat the rewards of being a mother. This May, 20 of the country's travel bloggers unite to pay homage their moms on this very special day.

Marie Villadolid of Happy Travels shares a heartwarming letter to her Nanay Viring. Other travelers complain that it would be difficult to travel with a senior citizen since they can't easily keep up with the young traveler's pace but for Marie, it's a far cry from raising three kids and taking on the full responsibility as a mother. At a very young age Marie promised her Nanay Viring to take her to different places now she's finally making it happen. They've been to Hong Kong, Macau, Davao and this June they are booked for another getaway - Boracay! Marie may not have her real mom beside her but she's greatful enough to have the best grandmother who supersedes the role of a mother and even supports her passion for traveling.

For Excursionista Kat Torres, her mom was her very first travel buddy and at the age of 4 months she already had her first trip to Baguio. Mommy was little strict though as she recalls her cousins would poke fun at her because she couldn’t go anywhere without her mom's permission and even out-of-town trips with friends aren't allowed until she was already working. But now that she's all grown up, she has finally embraced being an Excursionista while still getting the usual text messages from her mom like "Asan ka na?", "Anong oras ka uuwi?" or "Anong oras flight mo?" What's cool about Kat's mom is that she has become supportive of her travels. In fact mommy even pushed Kat to go on with her Indochina trip even though it was just a little over a month after her mom had her last chemotherapy. She believes that they'd rather invest on experiences than any material possessions and as long as they have roof on their heads, can eat three times a day and able to pay the bills on time then they are okay.

Chino of Juandeful Pinoy was only on his second grade when his mom left the country to work as a teacher overseas and it was unbearable for someone so young to see his mother leaving. But now he finally realized why she had to leave them and seek for a better job - to give them a better life. He once asked his mom if he could ever touch or reach the moon as it was following me him wherever he went. He did not really get the answer that he wanted to hear but what his mom only told him is that because he was special. Now that he's all grown up, he still enjoys staring at the moon at night. The feeling of craziness is still there whenever he looks at the moon wrapped with shining stars guiding him wherever he goes. Chino has traveled to so many places alone but he made a promise to bring his mom in one of  his trips soon. Just recently, he finally got to see the supermoon, the biggest and the brightest full moon of the year but for Chino, his 'Mama' will always be his real supermoon.

Josiah Sicad of Lakas ng Trip knows that his mother happily hassled herself just to raise him and his brother so whenever she says "Anak, bumili ka ng kape" he would gladly hassle himself to buy her favorite coffee even if he has to go all the way to Sagada. When Josiah's mother learned that he was going to Hungduan, Ifugao for a travel project, she asked him to buy her coffee for pasalubong. And it's not just an ordinary coffee, she specifically wants the one from Sagada. He could have easily said no to his mother on buying this coffee and just tell her that it would be quite a hassle to go all the way to Bana's Coffee where he could find the authentic ones but Josiah knows that this is just a little thing compared to what his mother did for him. The 2 kilos of coffee on his backpack is nothing compared to the burden that he has given his mom when he make mistakes and even worse when he made the really big mistake of getting angry at her. Josiah is proud to say that his mom has done a great job in raising him well and the least he could do is grow up the way she wanted him to be and make her smile by simple gestures like buying her coffee even if he has to travel more than 13 hours from Manila just to get it.

On the lighter side, Maricar Villanueva, also known as Kura shares her wacky mother-and-daughter affair in Baguio, Guimaras, Bacolod, Quezon, Bohol and Cebu. Kura probably has coolest mom ever. She has the guts to wear a two-piece at the age of 55 and can even beat her daughter in having her own sense of adventure. And who says you can't be a model when you're already at your 50's? Kura shared that Ma got an invitation to be a model and was out of town for quite a few days. Looks like the apple never fell far from the tree after all. And by the way, this cool tandem is set for another adventure on August and this time in Boracay so if by chance you'll be there and you see a wacky mother and daughter duo having a photoshoot somewhere in the beach then it's probably Kura and her cool mom.

Joel Catimbang of Traveling Balance shares a touching story of a candle vendor that he met while he was on an assignment in Cagayan de Oro city. While he was busy taking pictures at a church, he bumped into an old woman who has been selling candles for almost five years. Joel had the chance to talk to her and learned that she is a mother of two daughters who was left by her husband for another woman. Unfortunately, her daughters had the same fate as hers and now she has accepted the responsibility of raising her grandchildren as well. What's interesting though is that despite of what happened and being less-fortunate, the candle vendor remains to have a positive outlook in life. Joel sees a selfless mother who gladly accepts her responsibilities and will proudly show to the world how she loves her children which also reminds him of his own mom.

Paula Anntoneth O of Pondering Paodaolei shares a short but really entertaining photoblog entry about traveling with her mommy. For Paula, a trip with her mom will never bore her because she'll never go hungry, she's always protected, she's always rich and best of all, she's always treated like a baby. She'll never get tired of traveling with her mommy because she always feels like she's just travelling inside their own home!

For Rain Amantiad, her mom was her role model and she on the other hand was her favorite accessory. It's not the typical mother and daughter relationship but more of a sisterly one. Rain had the chance to invite her mom for a Valentines Day trip 2 years ago to New Zealand where they had the chance to explore half of the country by bus for 10 days. Having the natural maternal instinct, Rain's mom packed sandwiches, a malong, a set of pajamas, bath towel, flannels, a huge bottle of Vicks vapor rub and even boiled eggs just to make sure that they have a comfortable trip. And because this is her first time in NZ, there are those 'praning' moments that Rain can't help but vividly recall about her mom but what's interesting about this trip is that it somehow helped her to loosen up a bit and be adaptable to all things new. She's lucky to have a mother whose maturity didn’t rob her of cool and her youth. A mom who knows not only most Parokya ni Edgar’s songs but also jetskis, rides the roller coaster, wears skinny jeans and even plays Angry Birds on iPad. A mother that definitely deserves the 'Royal Rockness' award.

Audrey Tamayo or Byaherong Barok's story is different. She and her mom weren’t really close and there was even a point in her life where she promised that she will never be like her, a boring mom. But it's not like she’s a bad or an abusive mother who maltreated her children if that's what you're thinking. It's simply because her mom wasn't like any other typical mom and for a daughter who's growing up she see's a mother who doesn't have a life. But when Audrey became a mother, she realized how selfish it was to think of such a thing about her mom. She then made a promise to let her do the things that their mom failed to do while she was busy taking care of them and one of which is traveling. For Audrey the worth of every mother is insurmountable to anything in this world but she do knows that while her mom is able, she would like her to experience the things that she missed out while she was busy being a mother to them and one of which is traveling.

Alex De Vera Dizon aka Rammmpa usually travels with his friends but when he won a nurturing treat at the Nurture Spa Village, he brought along his special travel buddy with him - his mom. Alex wasn't really expecting much fun on this vacation but it turned out to be a good one as both mother and son enjoyed the massage treat. Alex was thankful that he had the chance to spend one the best nights of his life at the spa and the best thing was that he got to enjoy it with the most important person in his life. So if you guys have any extra free spa treatments for two that you would like to share then why not give it to Alex and his mom so they can have another treat together.

Mhe-anne Ojeda of My Comings and Goings fondly calls her sassy mom 'Mami' which means noodle in Filipino. For Mhe-anne, traveling and Mother's day do not always go together but she always make sure that she spends this special day with her and do something meaningful in honor of Mami. Mhe-anne and her mom has been to different places and even shared several roadtrips with their family but during these group travels, Mhe-anne never forgets to have a "me with my mommy" time and have those memorable moments captured in pictures. Even though Mhe-anne still haven't had the chance to travel solely with her mom, she never felt like she was out of place in any of those previous trips, not even once. And although most of those trips was her treat, Mhe-anne always ends up getting the special treatment from no other than Mami.

The pillar of strength and ultimate inspiration - that's how Elal Jane Lasola of The Shades of Grey defines her mother. Elal lost her father a very young age and it was a devastating point in her life. But the strength that her mother showed to her and her sister were the reasons why they were able to survive the pain and move on with their lives. Being the eldest, expectations was passed unto Elal but her mother never pressured her about this responsibility. Nevertheless, she still finished her studies and left Dumaguete to find a better job in the Metro to provide and help her family - the reason why she was able to survive being apart from them for such a long time. And while traveling has help her moved on and get inspired with what she has seen more, Elal wishes to share these kind of trips with her mom and her sister. She may not have traveled to different places that often with her mom but they sure have traveled much more in life together. It may not always be smooth sailing but knowing that her mom is always there, all the experiences are worth treasuring, both good and bad. She still dreams of going back home and when that day happens, Elal promises to treat her pillar of strength that special mother's-day-of-a-kind trip that she truly deserves.

Adventist Adventurer Ephraim Arriesgado writes a special love letter to his ever loving and gorgeous mom thanking her for all the unforgettable lessons that has become the ultimate guide in his life. Happy and contented, Ephraim never forgets to owe his achievements to his mom who has done everything to raise him well and has been diligently praying for his success. He vividly recalls those priceless moments that they shared in Leyte, Cebu and Bukidnon. And now he's saving up to treat his mom for special date to Palawan where he promises to have a special time together, along with his dad. And while he waits for that trip to come into fruiton, Ephraim dedicates the song "An Angel to Watch Over Me" by Sally DeFord to his mom and all the mothers out there on this special day.

Reiza Dejito of Wander If You Must reveals that her Nanay is the original lakwatsera in the family. Mastering her Houdini act, Reiza's mom manages tiptoe her way out to her small adventures or flash trips with her teacher friends but still has the time to fulfill her duties as a mother. It runs in the family though, because the Dejitos know what it's like to have an adventure. Save it for their dad who's already contented stalking her daughters on Facebook and reveling at their most recent travel photos. So if you happen to live by near Reiza's place and you see someone sneaking out of the house in the wee hours of the morning, don't even bother calling the police because that’s just probably one of the members of the Dejito family who shares the same itchy feet that can be traced from the original Queen of Lakwatsa.

For Roniel Magtoto Macatol of Eating Halfway, his mom already knows the word staycation way before it even became a term. Being the homebody that she is, Roniel's Nanay wasn't much a fan of traveling because she's happy doing her duties as a full time mom. She takes pride in their family's achievements and all those things add up to her happiness and contentment. Roniel recalls their first trip out of town with his mom and his family was in December 2005 at Verde Island. For him it was one of the best Christmases ever because he finally got to see his mom step out of her comfort zone which for him is already a huge achievement. In fact this trip was so fun that it had a rerun when the whole family got the chance to visit Verde Island again just recently. Roniel's mom experienced a rough time though when she had to undergo an eye operation due partly to an accident and her being a diabetic. Fortunately Nanay has regained her sight and is now looking forward to go explore new places along with his family and order her favourite meal at the nearest Chowking branch.

Meanwhile Xian Christopher Go writes for the first time on her mom's blog The Journeying Pinay for this month's blog carnival. Xian shares that their first official trip was when they went to Boracay. The planned excuse was to tell his teachers that he got sick but Xian was still elated and was even proud to tell them that he skipped school to travel with his mom.  Xian even recalls their one of a kind roadtrip up north when his mom got herself a new car named Grant. And even though mom had an itchy feet she never fails to do her duties as a mom. She cooks best like the other mothers do,  can fix his sister's hair creatively and dab make up on her when needed and even do their homework. But what Xian loves most about her is that she is not just a mother but a friend. And when Xian sees his mom go online and he asks, "Mama, who is Jor-ne-ying Pinay?", she simply smiles and answers, "Me, Anak."

"Anong nangyari sa balat mo? Ang itim-itim mo!" that was the first comment that Senyorita Mica got from her mom upon seeing her for the first time at the Birmingham International Airport Arrival area. She is the total opposite of her Mama. While Mica is settled for using Johnson’s Baby Powder and a Lip Gloss, her mom never leaves the house without make-up and even has a nightly ritual by applying lotion and moisturizers on her face. But no matter how opposite they are, Mica is proud to say that she got her strength from her mom who took the risk of working abroad at the age of 40 just for the welfare of their family. It's a  big risk on her mom's part since she is used to her life in Pangasinan yet all of a sudden, she starts from scratch again. These sacrifices though is something that Mica and her brother is always proud of. Mica recalls her three months stint in the UK where she had a great time with her Mama visiting different cities such as Birmingham, Rugby, Coventry, Warwick, Worcester, Stratford Upon Avon, Cardiff and London. And although the trip is over, Mica is already drafting an ambitious yet doable plan of going back to the UK to be with her mom again. This however is not the usual backpacking route with her since Mama deserves a little pampering after all the sacrifices that she has done for her children.

Regin Reyno recalls his family's longest road trip ever from Isabela to South Cotabato. That's a lengthy 1,800 km drive that for a span of 3 days and his father was the only one driving the whole time. You may say that his father was the hero of that trip but for Regin, behind the success of a great man is a great woman. Regin's mom did a wonderful job preparing all the things that they needed for that long trip and she never missed out preparing their breakfast. He feels so blessed to have a mom like her who is always there to make their travel more convenient, meaningful, and happy. And even though mom is sometimes busy with her schedule, she always finds time for travel and leisure especially if it's a family vacation. Like Regin, his mom is a certified traveler and supports the idea of traveling and always having a regular family vacation.

For Bonzenti Panganiban of the Con Tour Blog, the ruins and the old structures in Cebu especially the one at the Old Port Area are the living witness of his childhood and his early trips with his mother. Back in the late 70's, this old port area used to be the docking area of passenger ships and Bonzenti remembers his mom who was a former merchant used to buy their textile merchandise in the streets of Manalili and Minglanilla. During his early childhood, Bonz was exposed to selling dry goods in a public market, more so in traveling to Cebu by ship overnight during Fridays and then back home by Sunday. And being the natural protective mother that she is, Bonz's mom always advise him not to talk to strangers since there are lots of swindlers around near the port area. Growing up raised and exposed in a market place, he also admires his mother of being well-versed in the field of retail merchandising where Bonz also learned how to dance with the tune of life on how to live decently and righteously in selling.

As for my superwoman, I have nothing but good things to say about her. We may never have all the riches in the world but having her beside me every step of the way makes me even richer than the world's biggest billionaires. My mom and I have already experienced alot of tough times together but I'm proud to say that we always seem to get through it all with flying colours. She's always supportive of my decisions and while other people may not understand why I travel a lot, Mumsie trusts me with what I do because she knows that this is my passion and anything that would make me happy would also make her happy as well. And even though I've been to a lot of places with different people, that trip to Macau with Mumsie will always be special. I could still recall how excited she was for me on my very first trip abroad even though it was actually my gift to her on her 55th birthday. For 3 days we had a great time together; checking out the free pastries in Rua do Cunha, freaking out because no foreign exchange would accept our pocket money, being pushed by a group of Japanese oldies at the buffet breakfast and even getting lost at Taipa only to find out that we were just a few blocks away from where left off. And although it was just a short trip, my mom happily recalls it as one of her best trips ever. Well, the same goes for me Mumsie!

They say there is no love like the love a mother has for a child. It is endless and unselfish. We may have traveled with our friends, our travel buddies and our partners but nothing can beat the experience sharing the journey with our very first travel buddy - our mothers. So before you go to the flower shop to get her a bouquet of roses for this special day, why not treat your mom to something a little more special this time — a trip with her perhaps?

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mom's out there! Without you, none of us would have ever been born.

This is the PTB Blog Carnival for May 2012 with the theme, "Traveling with Your Mom (A Mother's Day Special)" To see the archive of Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival click here.