Flight chronicles of the backpacker Tutubi, with travelogues, pictures/photos/videos, travel guides, independent and honest reviews, affordable, recommended resorts and hotels (including inns, guesthouses, pension houses, lodges, hostels, condotels, bed and breakfast and other cheap accommodations), commuting guides, routes (sometimes street maps and GPS coordinates/waypoints) and driving directions to answer "how to get there" questions, information and tips on tourism, budget travel and living in Philippines, Exotic Asia and beyond!
Backpacking, independent travel, and flashpacking are cheaper than the "cheapest package tours" and promotional offers around but you can also use travel information for family vacations, even romantic honeymoon destinations.
More than the usual tourist spots and "places to see," this blog advocates heritage conservation, environmental protection, and history awareness for Filipinos, foreigners, and ex-pats wishing to explore Paradise Philippines and Exotic Asia!
"I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost "The Road Not Taken"
Every time Nina announces her blog anniversary, it's a cue for Tutubi that his own blog anniversary is drawing near, thus this post on Tutubi's 5th year travel blogging anniversary. (Another milestone for Tutubi was his discovery of a Google PR5 (PageRank) for this blog a few months ago.)
Oh, blog anniversary, but what is the significance of Robert Frost's poem to this "momentous" occasion?
Two things: Tutubi prefers to look for places off-the-beaten path. Yes, you can see him enjoying the usual things, visiting usual places and enjoying life like most "usual" tourists do, but he goes out to explore places and discovers things under the radar of even the indolent and ignorant people of the Department of Tourism who publicly declare their "unlike" of backpackers.
Second, is what makes Tutubi unique from other bloggers, not just travel bloggers: He took the road not taken i.e. he made it a point _NOT_ to give in to advertorials, sponsored posts, freebies including free trips. He has turned down offers from several firms and hotels' free accommodations so that he can proudly proclaim his comments and reviews come with no strings attached.
He earns a quite respectable passive income from this blog (especially during summer), though not enough to replace his day job with his salary, perks and travel opportunities that fuel this blog. He has saved his earnings enough to defray the costs of even a European tour and a long-wanted trip to Japan combined.
But those two expensive backpacking tours may wait as priorities in life need to be, well, prioritized!
For now, this blog is now part of Tutubi's assets that he hopes to someday bequeath to his "Mini-Me," the main reason why he turned down an earlier offer from a foreign-based company to buy this blog.
The advantage that readers get from "Bloggers not for Sale" is that they learn the best about the Philippines in its purest form, warts and all.
Five 5 years of maintaining a travel blog is no joke. Sama mo na ang budget limitations, writer's block,in my case losing my point and shoot camera and laptop and having not plans of getting new blogging tools soon because of other priorities.
But off course the glory of being on top ranks, to be featured in media (like PDI and news online) , inspiring Filipinos to go beyond their usual weekend trips to malls, inspiring people like me to put up my own travel blog,to be recognized by your peers and fellow bloggers for your job well done are just some of the lesser perks we get.
I guess the ultimate fulfillment here is that we share the our country to the citizens of the world and experience the beauty of the Philippines to people close to us.
Congratulations!.
P.S. about your invitation in Lakbay Rizal. I lost your number. I texted Sidney S. to forward it to me. He said he will get back to me after an hour. I think he needs to get your approval first. Want to talk to you about it.
The entire blog and not just this post is something to be proud of. This is probably the most influential blog where most newbie bloggers like myself learn from.
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