Sticking to your daily routine is a good thing, but there will be times too when even if things are going great, you will feel the autopilot cycle tiring you out and making you feel uninspired. You’re burned out, your interest to continue doing fades, and worst, you just simply want to stay still and not do anything anymore.
Those are warning signals that we should not ignore or they will take us down. What we need to do is to break out of our comfort zones — get out of them and aim for short breaks that can give ourselves back.
One of the best solutions is to travel to be embraced by the unfamiliarity of the new environment and to interact with new people and cultures to get fresh perspectives. Admit it or not, traveling really changes our perspectives
Going to places can give us tremendous benefits when we dare step outside our “go-to” boxes whether they include having our favorite coffee brews in the morning or writing proposal letters to potential clients every single day.
I had the same autopilot-cycle-gone-bad just recently. And the more I take part in its featureless patterns, the more I feel them becoming a part of who I am.
Wanting to get out of the situation, I asked a few friends to recommend nearby places for me to visit and Astoria Palawan came up among the top suggestions.
Packing my travel essentials has never been so relaxing, never been so easy; I couldn’t wait to leave and go to the resort located along the coast of San Rafael village.
The water park in Astoria Palawan is the first thing you’ll notice coming from the national highway. The day, February 23, was madly dry, I thought I’d suffocate from the heat after getting down the vehicle.
The front desk was busy with guests milling around, waiting to be given clues regarding their early bookings. A staff greeted me and referred me to Rodney, the front office manager.
Rodney had a map of the beach resort which he used to explain where facilities are actually located. He also handed me a repellent lotion against sandflies (niknik) which are common in the area because of its mangrove preservation program.
I’ve never felt this importance in any of the resorts I’ve already visited.
On the electric cart, while riding to our room spot, Rodney continued to explain to us what he thought we needed to know before we go on full vacation mode.
I learned that the hotel manager, Joy Suarez, upgraded my accommodation. Thanks, Ms. Joy!
The room I was shown was nothing short of being awesome. It’s clean and in pristine condition, you can really immerse in its peacefulness and comfort.
Sleep was the first thing I wanted to do after Rodney had left. But that didn’t happen because my mind had not fully adjusted to the situation.
Thanks to the wifi connection available in my room, I still got to work and put my thoughts into writing.
I don’t exactly remember when I fell asleep, but it gave me the fresh energy to go out and explore the things I could enjoy while in Astoria Palawan.
There’s a sandbar a few meters away from the beach where I went because it was low tide. That was a whole lot of fun because it’s just you and the submerged ridge with its sands under your feet.
Several meters away from me were three fishermen digging holes to look for sandworms locally known as “wak-wak”. Sundown is usually the ideal time when the San Rafael fishermen prepare to go out to the sea to catch fish using the worm as bait.
I stayed for a while at the beach enjoying the sun as it slowly faded behind clouds and the edge of the mountain on the horizon. The wind blew cold on my face and brought back happy memories of days gone by. If you like nature and the wind blowing on your face, you should better come here.
Beautiful lights illuminated the seaside as soon as darkness came, giving it a vibrant rhapsodic ambiance. The pool was already brimming with people then, some had cold cans of beer in their hands to celebrate the end of a good day.
I rested my back on a beach chair and tried to connect with one or two guests, but that was a bit impossible since most of them, I think, were busy in their starring roles in their own joys and happiness that day. No restless thoughts of yesterday evident on their faces.
There’s a pathway in Astoria Palawan that’s Rodney’s favorite because it quietly goes under a canopy of mango trees where the ocean air smelled sweet and fragrant. It was like stepping into another world where nothing else mattered.
My guess must be right. The pathway could be the aisle of Rodney’s wedding in June.
Here are some activities you can do when you visit Astoria Palawan.
1. SWIMMING. Astoria Palawan, to my standard, is one of the places to swim. The ongoing beach improvement is designed for those who want to have the best beach experience.
2. KAYAKING. Enjoy and flex your muscles as you discover the wonders and beauty of Astoria beach and nearby areas.
3. SANDBAR WALKING. Take off your slippers and walk barefoot on the sand. The therapeutic benefits of nature will heal your soul.
4. SITTING ALONG THE BEACH. Sitting along the beach brings calmness and peace.
5. MEDITATING. The silence of the surroundings, particularly in the morning, brings you to “nothingness”. You forget everything and rediscover your inner self.
Astoria Palawan has never run out of fun-filled ideas to make sure that your stay is a complete experience.
My Astoria experience has helped me organize my thoughts and appreciate the blessings God has been providing me.
