First of all, Hello people of HIVE! It has been a while since I posted here and while there is no need for an explanation, I find writing about it helps me acknowledge the events that have taken place and get back on track to where I left off. I have been through a lot in the past three months and I hope I would get the chance to write about it soon enough. In essence, this involved studying for an exam, subsequently passing it, moving to unchartered waters, ticking off personal milestones and basically starting a new life. It's a lot to take in the span of three months but I am ready to settle in and get back to what I love to do - Traveling and Writing.
I was not around to witness what happened during the recent hardfork but I am trying to fill myself in with regards to any changes that may have occurred (if there were any). One thing that has not change for me though is my passion for traveling and the strong desire to share my travels with anyone willing to hear about it.
Where do Pinmapple and Haveyoubeenhere come in? Allow me to share how Hive and @pinmapple, along with the #Haveyoubeenhere community sealed the deal for me as a travel enthusiast and content creator, and the realizations I had along the way.
Pinmapple and Haveyoubeenhere Community Engaging into a network which encourages you to do what you love and share it with others
It was on August 11, 2020 when I decided to make a (re)debut here at HIVE. It was at this point where I intended to stay, seeing the potential of the platform and the blockchain. I have always loved the idea from the very start and it only depended on actually sticking to it through thick and thin. Simultaneously, it was also at this moment that I decided to take the first step towards being a travel content creator at HIVE, along with other things I may share in this platform. You can see the post here, if you wish. An excerpt of it reads as follows:
It would be an understatement to say that I love traveling. Frankly, it is safe to say that I live to see places, to see the world. A large portion of my savings are dedicated to travel. Living in Cebu City, I have visited the usual travel destinations both in the North and the South. Waterfalls, beaches, mountain tops, camping sites, scenic views and breath-taking experiences are the things that keep me sane (despite a hectic work schedule). I have only begun to conquer places outside my hometown - Bohol, Siquijor, Bacolod, and Siargao to name a few. I have also ticked off international travel when I had a vacation to Japan last 2019. Needless to say, traveling fills me with so much joy.
Knowing myself to be a travel junkie, you can expect to see the world through my camera lens. As I mentioned, I have only begun to traverse various places that I have yet to share. One of the things that pushed me to have a comeback here at HIVE is because of this. I love traveling with family and friends and this platform is the perfect medium for that. It is my honor to share scenic views with all of you here at HIVE.
Once I had made it clear that travel may be a brand I can stick to as a valued content creator, I began to scroll through my phone to scavenge travel photos I have not yet had the chance to share. I then posted a few of my trips one after the other:
TRAVEL BLOG: A 24-Hour Getaway - Uncovering the Secrets of Lake Bensis (Toledo)
The view is nothing of the ordinary. I can now see why this place suddenly got a lot of attention. We reached the Lake Bensis area around 2:00 pm safe and sound. Upon getting there, I'm sure I speak for the four of us when I say that the view was just spectacular. We were greeted with a little drizzle when we reached the scenic view of Lake Bensis yet the still waters of the lake allow it to reflect the surrounding mountain range. It seems that Cebu has its own miniature version of the magnificent lakes you only see in movies...
TRAVEL BLOG: Sirao Peak, Busay - The Perfect Family Day Trip
Examining the view, all we could see were the luscious greens the mountains had to offer. Trees erupt sporadically across the plains which allowed a lot of room for the vibrant grass to grow. What we saw was a serene panoramic meadow which was nothing short of being picturesque. Looking even further ahead, you could even have a glimpse of the mountain ranges not far from where we were standing. We could not ask for more but an almost 360 view of immense natural beauty...
TRAVEL BLOG: A Short Visit to Bantayan Island
And true enough, after the arduous drive and a minute worth of walking, we were greeted with a paradise! Upon arriving, you can stand on a cliff that provides you a pleasant view of the beach. You will be mesmerized by the beauty which stands before your eyes. Looking down, it is obvious how crystal clear the waters are. Now, shifting your eyes forward, you will be delighted at how smooth the waters transition into a deep blue hue leading itself to the sublime horizon....
TRAVEL BLOG: Visiting the Natural Wonders of Mystical Siquijor Island
After descending the steep staircases safely, we were immediately greeted with dense vegetation and vibrant turquoise water pools. Even at an oblique angle, you cannot help but feel a sense of amazement at the vast jungle that surrounds the waterfalls. What is striking for me is how the spring water is actually three tiers of cascading waterfalls all within close proximity to each other. Each pool has a different size and depth, but it is surprising how the seemingly cool blue waters are pleasantly warm throughout any of the tiers....
TRAVEL BLOG: A Taste of Glamping at Siquijor Island
What is striking about the resort is the abundance of palm trees which are evenly spaced in between glamping tents. At a glance, it would seem that the trees were intentionally placed at consistent intervals among the tents, although it is more likely the other way around. You do have to be mindful of your steps as thin strings attached from the sides of the tent are pegged strongly to the ground. You wouldn't want to sustain an injury at this tropical paradise. Native-looking torches, made of bamboo shoots and recycled glass bottles are also stationed near tents which illuminate the pathways at night....
What definitely took me by surprise was how much support I got from the community. At first, I thought it was just beginner's luck. But post after post, it became very apparent that Pinmapple has undying support for travel content creators around the world. That reinforced me to continue what I do and maybe possibly make it into my niche. Furthermore, it is this very show of support that encouraged me to stay and grow here.
Needless to say, HIVE has been a great platform for writers all over the world. But communities such as Haveyoubeenhere not only foster writing and content creation but also allows you to do so much more! In fact, I could enumerate a couple of reasons how this initiative has pushed the boundaries of how rewarding it is to create travel content at HIVE.
1. The building of a community
I am firm that the very essence of travel blogging is to share a portion of our experience with readers. It gives us the opportunity to take our audience with us by the power of our words. Personally, I really enjoy reading people's travels as it gives me an idea of what it feels like to be there. And the virtual space has made it easier to do that.
I always make sure to scan through my feed for posts from my timeline who share the same interest and passion as me. At some point, when this proves to be too much of a burden, I would simply head on over to @pinmapple's Daily Travel Digest and I can easily get in touch with recurring names of people who are fellow travel junkies. This has made it even easier for me to say "Oh, I want this person's content to show up in my feed", as I patiently wait for which place the user would talk about next. Suddenly, I was acquainted with a few other people whose content is very much worthy of a follow.
Soon, I found myself particularly involved with the lives of fellow travel bloggers from around the world. It allowed me to create a community whom I enjoy. I would name each one of them but I am pretty sure they know who they are.
2. The appreciation of the outdoors
We are in distressing times right now. As of writing, the whole world is still stricken with a pandemic - one that I know has devastated the plans of people who love to be outdoors. As such, I never really realized how much I enjoy the sunlight, the green grass and cold breeze until I had to stay indoors most of the time for almost an entire year! I guess it is true that you never know what you have until it's gone.
Strict lockdowns and quarantine measures make me yearn to go out and see the world again. It could have been much worse but I am just pleased to have an avenue to satisfy my wanderlust. Undeniably, one of those avenues which allow me to really appreciate the outdoors are the Travel Digests I read from Pinmapple and Haveyoubeenhere community.It's refreshing to see people still enjoying the hypothetical outdoors while in the comforts of writing all about it in their homes.
3. A repository of memories
As I mentioned, the coronavirus pushed the world to a sudden halt. This leaves travelers with nowhere to go but their gallery for that most coveted dopamine rush you get when you are traveling. And as expected, most travel content posted in the last few months are what we could say as "throwbacks" - memories from a certain point in time.
I believe there is a reason why we love to take photos, write about it, then share it with the world. We are inclined to cling to great memories and we are hard-wired to look back on those moments especially when times get tough. I could still remember back in nursing school how my instructors would say how the sight of a family photo could make the difference to a dying person's final moments of life. Indeed, when it gets too difficult, we love to distance ourselves from reality and either look forward to daydream or look back to distant memories.
To be frank, all of my travel posts had occurred around a year ago yet I am glad I held on to them because it takes me back to a much better time. In a sense, being a content creator at HIVE has allowed me to create a personal photo album and a repository of good memories. I know along the way when the need arises, I may look back on these memories and I have this community to thank for that 😊.
4. Ticking off and adding to the bucket list
I have always wanted to have one of those antique table-wide paper maps where you can put an X mark on the location you had already visited. It's one of those items that I would really care to have at this point in my life. However, the problem with that is that I need to carry it around - and that would prove to be totally inconvenient.
Fortunately for me, I no longer need to burden myself with purchasing a large map as I have a virtual one at https://www.pinmapple.com/@josejirafa. I now have a personal map of the places I have been to (or at least those I chose to share). Pinmapple's travel pins lets a reader know of the places one has visited, along with a writeup to accompany that location.
I am honestly very fascinated with the entire idea. It is revolutionary but it's just a shame that not everybody knows of it. At times, I even catch myself looking at other user's travel pins as well. I then look it up on Google Maps and save the places as locations on my bucket list. A large portion of my time is sometimes spent stalking people online in search of a travel itinerary through the website 😅.
5. A reason to keep on traveling
Now that I have made my presence in HIVE as a travel content creator, I want to try to keep it that way. Seeing places is an essential part of who I am and I am simply glad to be in a community that supports that part of me.
Perhaps the most significant impact @pinmapple and #haveyoubeenhere had on me would be how it indirectly invites me to "Keep on collecting places you should visit. We are here to help you do that". I usually reblog posts I find worthy of reading and could be places I want to visit as well - and a lot of these are posts that have been featured in the travel community. I take pride in being one of those people and I will continue to share my travels for my sake and for the community who may benefit from it.
Congratulations to Pinmapple!
And lastly, a big round of applause for the people behind this amazing community. Happy 1000th (plus) edition of the #TravelDigest! I know this is just the beginning but cheers to celebrating small victories.
Only three days left before the contest ends and I am just glad someone decided to extend the deadline 😂. I just had to share my sentiments to the community who gave worth to the posts that I make. I am glad I took that off my chest. Thank you for your outstanding support. I am a firm believer in what you do and an avid consumer of these Travel Digests as well! Long live the Hive.
What does this mean for me?
Well, after a few months of hiatus, I am now more eager to get back on track and create travel content. As I mentioned, I still have loads of memories waiting to be put into words.
Also, I am now in the UK and I am just itching to go out and see places in London and Europe! We are still on lockdown but there is already light at the end of the tunnel as three highly effective vaccines are on their way to distribution. It is still a long way to go but at the very least, there is progress. I hope I get the chance to share a few more of my travels in this part of the world as well. That would definitely add more variety to my collection of pins at pinmapple.com 😅. Fingers-crossed 🤞
🍺Live like a templar🍷 | ⚔️Serve like a knight💉.
Every writer needs to have his pen name. In that case, welcome to josejirafa's blog.
Aaron is an aspiring travel blogger whose dream is to visit the world's most famous tourist spots. A thinker and frustrated philosopher, Aaron spends his days off learning about himself, others, and the world. He enjoys discourse about philosophy, politics, religion, emotional intelligence, and has an aptitude for being vocal about his point of view. Although a registered nurse by profession, Aaron has an inclination for business and finance.