About Me

My name is Sherwin -- Ish, for short, and I hail from the archipelagic country of the Philippines. I am an occasional nomad (currently on hiatus), a multidisciplinary writer-researcher, and a photography enthusiast. As of 2021, I have been to 44 out of 196 countries in the world across the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa.

I created this travel blog with the aim of inspiring others, especially my fellow kababayans, do the same thing without spending a fortune. Yes, traveling while carrying a Philippine passport does not have to be expensive and difficult. With proper planning, lots of research, little money, and a ton of guts, you can do it! There are many practical ways to travel in and out of the country on a budget (and even for free!). The possibilities are endless. As the famous adage goes, where there’s a will there’s a way. And this is true when it comes to budget traveling.

Having been raised in Carmona, a small town in Cavite, in a middle-class, working class family, I used to consider traveling as a form of leisure or luxury. This misconception, however, changed when I did my first-ever solo backpacking trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos in 2008. Inspired by a classmate of mine who did the same itinerary before, I took a leap of faith and tried it out myself. With only $250 as pocket money, I was able to survive the feat by myself, with memorable encounters with random strangers and fellow backpackers. I was amazed at how exciting and cheap traveling abroad, at least in Southeast Asia, can be.

During my two-week backpacking adventure, I met many interesting and generous people along the way. I spent New Year in Bangkok with a tourist family who I just met in Grand Palace. They let me stay in their hotel room and brought me to Pat Pong! It was a crazy night! Then on my way to Cambodia, I met a German couple, and together, we wrestled our way out of the chaotic border full of touts from  Aranyaprathet and traversed the rocky-road to Siem Reap on a debilitated taxi. While in Laos, I met a Korean girl who became my walking buddy around the chilly Luang Prabang. I never thought it’s possible to feel so connected and at ease with people that you’ve only met for the first time. This journey totally changed my life perspective and I have been hooked to backpacking on a budget ever since. It also made realize how small and beautiful the world is and that we are sort of connected with one another. 

Budget travel is something that I’m passionate about and good at and this is among the key topics of this travel blog. More recently, I have started volunteering too whenever I travel to a destination, and my experience has been meaningful and rewarding.

I hope you find the tips, stories, and travel accounts from this blog, in any way, informative and useful. If you have any questions, leave your comment below or email me at nomadilogue[at]gmail.com. You can also connect with me through my ig account (@nomadilogue).

Thank you for reading. Happy travels!
-Sherwin