A few years ago, I dreamt of being in a long trip, going to various countries and experiencing different cultures. Almost three years ago, I left my job to travel and ended up doing it for 6 straight months. I flew home after that and was torn between following the “norm” of staying put and working until I die or do something I’ve always wanted since I was a kid.
The kid in me won and I tried researching on possible ways to earn online and came across the “digital nomad” thingy. I studied it on my own for countless hours. I spent countless nights understanding HTML, SEO, Blogger, WordPress etc etc. I built my first blog (this blog) two years ago and hoped that it would be my stepping stone to a life long adventure.
I went back to employment after building my blog a few months after and stayed employed for four months before quitting my job to pursue this nomadic lifestyle fulltime.
Fast forward, I flew last March to El Nido to jumpstart this adventure and flew outside the Philippines after that. I’ve been flying to various countries, doing overland trips, chilling out in different beaches, walking around in different cities and towns, island hopping, eating a variety of food and more. And lately I realized, that it has been a year already. Time flew so fast.
03/2011-03/2012 Trip
What’s Next
It feels good to finally tick something off my life long list and now I’m ready to move on to something new. No, I’m not stopping my travels yet. I feel that this is only the beginning. But I’m ready to do something else aside from travelling.
On the first nine months, I’ve only been working on one blog. It was just three months ago when I finally learned how to properly do niche blogs and now it’ll be my priority for this year. To build and build more websites that I hope would help me earn more. My earnings in this blog is just enough to keep me afloat. So I figured that I just need to multiply what I’ve done in this blog to more websites.
I want to earn more so I could give more back to my family. And for myself, I also want to earn more because I want to continue being location independent for a long time. I enjoy the freedom that this digital nomadic lifestyle has given me. I enjoy waking up anytime I want and I enjoy sleeping anytime I want. I enjoy not reporting to anyone. I enjoy not having stomach crunching deadlines to meet just to earn a fix wage. I enjoy not waiting for the weekends anymore or for my vacation leaves to get approved before I could go somewhere.
Maybe I’m really an entrepreneur by heart. I enjoy the freedom and flexibility without compromising the target output. Although I’m still not discounting the fact that things might change in the future. Online earnings might dry up and employment or setting up a brick and mortar business might be the only option in the future. Nothing is permanent as they say, but as of now, I’m just enjoying it one day at a time.
Gratitude
None of this would be possible in this short period of time if various people didn’t support my journey. My sincere gratitude to all the bloggers who shared with me their knowledge in this craft and to everyone who read my adventures! As my way of saying thanks, I’d like to share with you the things that I’ve learned in this journey.
Learning
In the process of being away for a year, travelling while making a living online, I learned so much valuable life lessons that I I’d like to share with you:
1. I realized that I don’t have to choose between staying put to earn a living and travelling. I realized that there’re meeting points between the two where I could thrive. I realized and made it possible for myself to earn and travel at the same time.
2. I realized that I should commit more to myself than to anyone else. I’ve committed so much time and effort to my previous employment sacrificing almost 14 hours (and sometimes more) a day to get a job done in exchange of a fix wage. I realized that I could commit time to myself and sometimes earn more.
3. If there’s a will, there’s a way! Cliche, but TRUE!
4. I’ve travelled for a year in eight countries and got scammed for a dollar or two but at the same time I met SO MANY nice people as well who helped and trusted a complete stranger like me. Safety is relative.
5. Stay away from negative people. It’s so much fun being surrounded by positive people especially with people who makes a ton of difference in their own lives as well as in the lives of others. A drama-free life is so much better.
6. Just like anything else in this world, this kind of lifestyle requires hardwork. But what makes it different is that I’m working hard on something that I really like. Start with finding your passion.
7. Continuous learning and improvement. Earning online just like any other industry is an ever changing environment. Keep yourself abreast with all the changes fast.
8. Dreaming all day won’t take us nowhere. Acting upon it will.
9. Motivation is internal. There are external factors that might help boost it or ruin it but if your internal motivation is strong. Nothing can stop you from achieving something.
10. We HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE OUR LIVES. WE HAVE THE POWER TO ACHIEVE OUR DREAMS. If someone tells you otherwise then stop talking to them. YOU have the power to steer your life wherever you want.
I’m not going home yet. But as soon as I go home, I’ll spend my entire time with my closest friends and family (coz I’m gonna leave again after some time). I’m excited to see my brother and sisters so we could talk about everything that happened to them and everything that happened to me. But more than anything else, I’m excited to tell them that IT’S POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO ACHIEVE WHATEVER THEY DREAM AND WANT IN LIFE TOO!
Photo Credits: Map by SiteAtlas.com
Congrats Flip! One year na pala ang lumipas!
You’re such an inspiration to a lot of Pinoy travelers. I’m sure that whatever your future plans may be, you’ll give it your all and achieve everything you’ve dreamed of!
Thank you Nina for supporting me especially when I was starting. Bilis ng panahon, isang taon na pala
congratulations! heartfelt. see you soon. love, hugs and kisses!
woohoo! ayos na ayos Flip! I feel your positive energy overflowing! Thanks for being such an inspiration ! I’m running on my 2nd month now. Hope to achieve at least 6 months for now while I work on other priorities in life.
I wish you all the best on your online ventures. I hope we’ll all achieve our goals this 2012!
i agree that earning while travelling is really challenging and requires hardwork. but if you put your mind to it and you are doing the things that you love to do, then nothing is impossible. allowing yourself to be surrounded with positive people is also vital in achieving one’s dreams to ward off those negativity from other people. i am so happy that you took this huge leap in order to follow your dreams. you are the living proof that this kind of lifestyle is doable. continue to inspire us to live our dreams, flip! stay safe always and hope to bump into you again in the future
@doi and @ed: we can do it!!!
awesome post! congrats on your first year and hope I get to meet you someday and exchange stories!
thanks Lois
You and Gael and Gaye were the first few travel bloggers I interacted online, finally met you at the PNR Buendia train stop. (realized ur not a BOT but a live person) and saw you trailblaze a path that a lot of us from the PTB (a group you founded) are currently and planning to follow someday (including me), can’t thank you enough for being such an inspiration.
Keep it up man, more thrilling and fantastic life on the road.
thanks Marky
cheering up on you too as you (soon) will live a life on the road… not that easy but it’s doable man 
wishing you all the best too 
congrats, flip! one year is a long time! it’s only be 6 months for me and yet i’m already missing the feeling of having, let’s say, a semblance of permanence. to more travels and success in your digital nomad thingy!
Nothing but a sincere congratulations to you Flip! Ikaw na talaga haha! What you’ve done is what people like me can only dream about. Thanks for reminding us that dreaming can only take us a step further and soaring high means, packing a sturdy and hardcore backpack then never look back. In simple terms, leap of faith ba kamo? Eto sayo! Haha!
I’ve been following your blog and indeed an inspiration too ^_^.. ive rested for a wee bit to bring the good back but soon enough, like you, I will be on the road again soon.. hope to meet you somewhere down the road ^_^..
Woohoo one year na and more to come!
I am really thankful that I met you virtually and eventually, in person 
Thanks for inspiring me to do better and for believing in my capabilities. I really can’t wait to see you again and I am looking forward to your next adventures. Also, another scarf haha 
Happy Anniversary! 
@mica @grasya @drew and @paul: thanks!!!
how i wish i can have a fraction of your kind of lifestyle. i only consider myself successful when i get to live a life like yours because that’s where i’m truly happy and not laboring on a boring cubicle the whole day.
you can also do this
congratulations flip! im sure this year of traveling is really overwhelming.
very inspiring to know you’re not really a hardcore online writer or seo builder but you found your way to be good at it. more earning opportunities and lessons on the road for you. astig! \m/
@chyng: thanks.. i have basic knowledge of seo and stuff, hopefully i improve after some time…
Wow! One year! That’s a feat! Good to know you’re still very motivated on what you’re doing. Stay safe and God bless, my friend!
thanks Mike
I enjoy the freedom that this digital nomadic lifestyle has given me. I enjoy waking up anytime I want and I enjoy sleeping anytime I want. I enjoy not reporting to anyone. I enjoy not having stomach crunching deadlines to meet just to earn a fix wage. I enjoy not waiting for the weekends anymore or for my vacation leaves to get approved before I could go somewhere.>>>> basically the same thing that i want in the future. we always look up to your experience Flip. so keep up the nomadic lifestyle. one day… one day.
cheers to more years of earning and life fulfillment.
thanks Dong
Very nice post Flip, very inspiring for people who also dream of a nomadic lifestyle. Congrats on your first year on the road. Your posts have really helped me a lot. Hope to see you during one of my trips through Southeast Asia this May. God bless!
thanks Che for the kind words… glad to know that my blog has helped you in some ways
Congratulations and keep on inspiring us. Yes you enjoy the freedom and you fulfill it. God bless and we will keep on following you on your road trips…
thanks
Really enjoyed this post! My boyfriend and I are currently planning a 2 year backpacking trip through Europe and Asia (and are in the process of building a travel website – acoupletravelers.com). Your site has been incredibly helpful in our planning process! Currently I have a food blog and have been toying with the idea of combing it with the travel website but recently have been thinking of just keeping it separate and trying to run the 2 sites. Best of luck developing the new Banana Roti site – looking good!
thank you Vicky, yeah I would suggest to keep the food blog separate
goodluck on your travels and on your blogging journey as well
Hats off to you on what you’ve already accomplished! It’s worth noting what you’ve learned in the process because they’re something we all travelers could use as well.
Cheers to another year. And more!
congrats Flip! being on the road for a year is certainly a great feat
now that i look back on it, i also left my old job at around the same time last year. if i followed your path, i’d have also been on the road celebrating my first year of independence.
but alas, i’m not that fortunate (and wise) enough. i’ve sought employment, instead, twice. although my current company (my 4th employer) isn’t exactly a boring monotony that’s i’d despise soon, i still yearn to follow your footsteps.
let’s see what the future holds. more power to you and your site!
thank you Jherskie… goodluck and congratulations too on finding a job that isnt a boring monotony
Wow a year already? Congrats… it’s an amazing feeling when you finally make it to the year mark! I’ve loved following along & am excited to see where everything takes you. I love the determination you have to make all this happen. I know its hard work so congrats and keep it.
PS Love the photos!