Najran surprised me in ways I didn’t expect. The warmth of its people, the sincerity of their welcome, and the quiet generosity in every interaction made the experience feel personal. And above all, there’s a certain stillness in Najran. A calm, peaceful rhythm that slows you down and invites you to simply be.
In just a short time, Tabuk revealed itself to be exactly what I had not expected: a place where breathtaking landscapes meet incredibly hospitable people—a true Tender North of Saudi Arabia.
I only write blogs about my country trips once I leave that country. But for Saudi Arabia where I am based now, I felt that it is high time to start introducing the Kingdom to my readers. I will try to write bits and pieces for Saudi Arabia. This project is part of the bigger …
Welcome to my 27th country — Oman! And the sixth Middle Eastern country that I have visited. For years, I tried to step into Oman. Almost every year, I’d book an Oman Air flight just to catch a glimpse during a layover but work always made me postpone. Ironically, it’s work that finally brought me …
This article was first published on 2 June 2018, 9:40AM PST; updated on 2 June 2019, 3:04PM PST and 6 July 2023, 2:45AM PST. In 2018, I had a four-night stay in Bangkok as I attended an Asia-Pacific Conference on 22-24 May 2018. In 2019, I stayed in Bangkok for two days but I was …
This article was first published on 3 June 2018, 1:39PM PST; updated on 2 June 2019, 7:24AM PST and 5 July 2023 4:08AM PST. Welcome to the first stop of the first series of my Indochina tour – Vietnam. I went to Vietnam for a vacation in May 2018. I went back in 2019 for …
This article was first published on 3 June 2018, 9:23 PST; updated on 2 June 2019, 14:02 PST and 3 July 2023, 2:22 PST. I experienced going to Cambodia from both Thailand and Vietnam. In 2018, I booked a seat through Busbud. TravelMart BangKok Co, Ltd. took us to Siem Reap through a VIP bus. TravelMart …
I would like to greet everyone a happy new year. Thank you for following my blog posts. It has been a great year for me – I visited four countries this year. The last one is South Korea. I had a two-day Asia-Pacific audit methodology workshop so I used this opportunity to go around South …
My travel column, The Solo Drifter, continues but this post is not about my solo travel. This time, I joined a group called Spice Gala Club (SGC). Thanks to my officemate, Atty. E, for introducing this group to me, and of course, to Gara – she told me that there will be an outreach activity. …
ARTICLE AND VIDEO: Paul Michael Jaramillo, VoicePoints Chairman and Executive Editor PHOTOS: Elton Encina, VoicePoints Photography Desk Bureau Chief The long wait is over! In celebration of the International Museum Day on 18 May 2018, the National Museum of Natural History opened its door to the public. The new museum is part of the National …