Carmela Malic

📍Japan - Part 2: Kyoto. November, 2025 A self-appointed decree - I am claiming this city as mine. Kyoto is my city. Sorry, wala na kayong magagawa 🤷‍♀️ In an alternate reality, I’m spending the rest of my life here. Strolling the streets, getting lost in the woods, watching the colors change with the seasons… enjoying solitude while sipping my sweet cup of tea.

📍Japan - Part 1: Osaka. November, 2025. Japan! My dream country! Initially, my friends and I talked about going there as a joke. Somehow, plane tickets got booked, accommodations got reserved. We’re left with no choice but to get our asses there. Woe is us, isn't that so? 😉 We spent most of our days in Osaka. A vibrant city that comes alive especially at night. Massive, buzzing atmosphere - as if you’re inside an anime fever dream. Much to my relief, the city still offers oases of quiet spaces. Just the perfect balance to satiate my curiosity and… soothe my perpetual fear of crowds. Here’s part 1 of our eventful trip. TADAIMA!!!

I got into running as a way to escape my big (and sometimes scary) thoughts, and a way to be the master of my own pain. Thinking that somewhere along the way, I’d meet the better version of me. Only to realize, after running miles and miles and miles, that it’s not about finding yourself, really. It’s about creating yourself. A you that builds better habits, picks better mindsets to look through, and a you that bravely keeps on showing up no matter how sour things get. You’ll be surprised. You’ll find strength anywhere: in the warmth of the early morning sun, in the laughter shared with friends, in the immeasurable support of your community - any moment that makes you smile. All these didn’t happen overnight. It literally took a village. And this is how far it got me. ☺️

thank you, 2025! you may have etched yourself as one of the best years in my life. i’d like to know where my curiosity would take me next. i’m excited to get to know you and live all of your pages, 2026. ☺️ may we all have an abundant new year, everyone!

highest peak, done and dusted! mt. apo, digos-kapatagan trail. never have i thought that i’d be summiting mt. apo this year. despite not having a clearing, and not seeing lake venado due to its temporary closure, this whole 3-day ordeal is still one heck of a feat. i guess we were given reasons to come back... COME BACK?!?! 🤣 nothing but gratitude for these pockets of joy. moments like these remind me how great it is to experience life and to ever truly live it. i hope you guys get to do the same, in your own ‘unhinged’ ways.

the playground of the gods. thank you for letting us visit and see your wonder in all its glory. priceless moments spent in Kabayan, Benguet. i can’t wait to have my rolls developed! ☺️

pardon the feed intrusion… been wanting to keep it short and sweet these days 🌞

Ticao Island, Masbate. April 2025. I was not in the best headspace earlier this year. But then, a random encounter with a friend I had not met in a long time kind of saved me. Micah and I got reconnected when she invited me to watch the reunion gig of Radioactive Sago Project. From then on, we’ve met a couple of times, at doon ko naman nakilala si Brigitte. Once, over chats and drinks, Micah invited us to visit her hometown - to which both Gitte and I can’t say no to! Hindi sa lahat ng oras ay may mag-aaya sa ‘yong pumunta ng Masbate. Hence, this one heck of a trip! These set of photos don’t give justice to the marvel that Masbate, specifically Ticao Island, holds. This small island has everything - mapa-tubig alat man o tubig tabang. From white sands, to pebble beaches. From towering waterfalls that pour directly to sea, to vibrant colored springs. From century old mangrove forests, to beautiful marine biodiversty. All these within a boat trip or a motorcycle ride's reach. Met new faces as well. Heard different stories from different walks of life. Amazingly, one common thing they talk about is how they cherish their hometown. Sure, others have moved on and prefer to live a life in the city, but they always, always find a way to go back home. I kinda get it. Hindi man ganun ka-sikat, madalang lang bisitahin kung hindi sasadyain, but the memories and the community carved in this place is pretty special. Quiet. Honest. This may sound selfish, but I prefer to keep it that way - a paradise that’s best kept secret. I ended this trip with some realizations. That sometimes, we are led to the safest places in ways we least expect. The unintended changes in life’s iteneraries are like dancing lessons from God... or the universe, whichever you prefer. All you have to do is follow. Nothing forced. Go where it’s leading you, whatever suits your groove. In this case, it led me back home - to my healthiest self. Right where I should be. Thank you for this trip, Micah. Really learned a lot. Nangausap ng kaluluwa hahaha. Ticao, bitin ang apat na araw! Babalik kami ni Gitte, sigurado. 🙂

they say that when life cracks you open, grow a garden. and maybe… serve it cake too? 🤭 napakamakulay ng huling taon para sa akin. gone through a lot of seasons to be where i am now - a humbling reminder that i’ve gotten another year older. and perhaps, a little bit wiser, i hope. such is life. and how it continues to unfold wonderfully despite everything. so, here’s a little something to celebrate today. snippets of some of my favorite people and moments.

Kabayan, Benguet. January 2025. Mt. Tabayoc. Jr. Pulag. The four mystical lakes. I loved every minute and moment of this place. Everything looked otherworldly, like a daydream. The place was quiet, and it was carpeted with moss and lichen, a sign that the trail is mostly virgin and really well-preserved. Aside from the scenic landscapes, ang ganda lang na may mga alamat yung bawat location - and that made our trip more... strange in a really good way! Na-challenge rin kami sa monkey trail ng Mt. Tabayoc. Wala pang araw, nagsimula na kaming umakyat. The forest was so dense, we had to wriggle through countless vines, swing from branch to branch, climb over mossy boulders, etc. The higher we go, the colder it gets. Yes, it was an exhausting ordeal, but the overall scenery, and the view at the summit instantly took the exhaustion away. Marami ring nakakatawang moments yung trip na ‘to - gaya ng DIY samgyup na nauwi sa pausok sa loob ng transient house, pagtambay sa labas ng kapitbahay para sa Piso-Wifi kahit napakalamig sa gabi, mga chikahan at wantusawang hirit ng punchlines dahil ‘di kami makatulog… ang daming kwento! 🤣 You don’t get to see places like these and live these moments often. I feel so lucky to have set foot in here and just be. A really delightful experience that I’ll keep close to heart.

brave but chicken shit moment: my first half marathon!🏃‍♀️💨

November, 2024. Mt. Patullok at Tekip Falls. Bakun, Benguet. Met this group through a friend. Only to learn na sila pala ang aampon sa’kin sa karamihan ng mga susunod kong climbs. Salamat sa mainit na pagtanggap… at sa mainit na chikahan sa tuwing nagkakasama! Pasensya na at blurred halos lahat ng mga kuha ko sa set na ‘to. Imagine niyo na lang na POV yan ng mga nawalan ng salamin… 👓 Oo nga pala, kita niyo yung t-shirt? Ganda, ‘di ba! Binebenta ‘yan ng frenny ko, message lang kayo! 🤣