At the foot of Mt. Talinis, Negros Oriental, Philippines, is a perfect place to have a respite from the stress of city life; from the noise and pollution that come with urban living.

This is no idle talk, or a smart marketing ploy because Forest Camp is 2.5 hectares of unspoiled nature.

Situated in Valencia, a town 11.5 kms west of Dumaguete City, the resort has been giving physical and emotional relief to weekend travelers and guests, both local and foreign.

For a good reason…

At 800 feet above sea level, the air is cool and clean because it is far from human traffic and pollution. Various species of local and foreign trees provide a soothing ambiance to the eyes, and the cacophony of sounds, i.e., rustle of the leaves, love calls of crickets and cicadas, melodious songs of the birds, and the gurgling waters of a nearby river, all conspire to ease every fiber of your soul.

Forest Camp Amenities:

Forest Camp has a staff of local young men and women who know what customer service is and attend to your needs with a courteous and unpretentious smile.

They treat their guests, regardless of accommodation, i.e.,  cottages, lofts, tents, or day-trippers with the same warm cordiality.

And if you are audacious or lucky enough, you can have a lively conversation with either Mrs. or Mr. Vicuña, the resort’s owners.

Campers may bring or cook their own food. For the more genteel guests, its tiny but tidy restaurant serves delicious local and foreign cuisines – with a heavy organic accent.

Other than immersing yourself in the beauty of Nature, you can have a cool splash in either of its two swimming pools which are continuously fed with pure and fresh river water.

For the past 23 years, Forest Camp has been a favorite destination for weekend trippers, young backpackers, newly-weds, and people who want to enjoy short moments of solitude.

How to get there:

Forest Camp is accessible through Dumaguete, the major city of Negros Oriental. From there, WAZE can lead you the way – as it did to me and my daughter.

Getting to Dumaguete, however, can be arduous, depending on your point of origin. Ours was a long five-hour drive from Cebu.

But it was well worth it. Stepping into the reception area of the resort is like stepping back in time when Mother Earth was covered in lush vegetation and life was simple and uncomplicated.

The atmosphere, cool and refreshing.

Amenities

After we checked in, we were immediately shown our accommodation – a cute cottage for four right after a beautiful hanging bridge.

Our cottage is like a two-room dwelling with two single beds in each room. Though not richly-furnished, it was suitable for the environment

Outside is a piece of lawn furniture where I spent long and precious moments soaking in the beauty, tranquility, and magic of the place.

Since I became a bachelor again, I’ve done some traveling, either long drives or an evening in a resort. Most of these travels revolved around beaches and the sea. Last year, I spent an evening in a mountain resort with my daughter and her hubby. But that was nothing compared to Forest Camp resort.

Forest Camp is a class by itself because it feeds on the primal need of man to be reconnected with his roots, his origins, which is the abundance and the beauty of Mother Nature.

You should not miss this.

~oOo~

The post Forest Camp: Perfect Place for the Weary of Soul and Body first appeared on Age With Charm.

When I feel the itch (and I am always itchy), I travel, one of the nice things about being healthy and single.

It can be a simple as a long drive, or a flight or boat ride to an island. In all cases, the destination is always the same – an evening in a quiet beach resort.

Every now and then, my daughter and her hubby bring me along for a ride. I like this type of travel because it has a touch of class (they have more money than me). LOL!

I have already lined up several destinations this year and they all promise to be exciting and fulfilling

What about you Have you made a list of travel destinations If you haven’t, start doing it now. Don’t let the year pass (and it can be over before you know it), with much regret for not having scratched your itch.

Why travel?
First, it is the best way of getting out of the confinement of your home, your boring and stifling environment. It is to have a whiff of fresh and invigorating air, an unobstructed view of the sunrise or sunset.

Other than the romantic aspects of travel, it is good both for your body and mind.

Exploring new cities, visiting museums, talking to new and different people and learning a few foreign words are all nourishing to the mind.For example it…

–  Improves social and communication skills;
–  Gives you peace of mind;
–  Helps generate creative and original thoughts;
–  Broadens your horizon;
–  Makes you a take chances and uncertainties with a smile;
–  Boosts your self-confidence;
–  Gives you real-life education.

In summary, Dr. Margaret J. King, director of the Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis, says this of the mental benefits of travel: “With a short list of activities each day, freed up from the complexities of ongoing projects and relationships, the mind can reset, as does the body, with stress relief the main outcome.

Traveling also requires a lot of physical activities like walking around museums, exploring city streets and malls, running after public transports, etc. Studies show that a tourist walks an average of 10 miles a day. That is a lot of walking for better health.

Of course, travel has its risks. Some places are better avoided to avoid getting into the midst of a local unrest, while the rest can be mitigated by ample preparation.

Here are a few safety tips to make your travel an unforgettable experience.

Tips for a safe travel:
A lot of things can happen while you are away from home. I know of a friend who had a heart attack while going around St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. So before leaving, be sure to:

1.  Get cleared by your doctor:
Get a go-signal from your doctor that you are fit to travel. Some airlines will require it if you have a known medical conditions.

Let your doctor know your destination, how long is your stay and what will be your expected activities.

If he recommends prescription drugs to carry along or certain immunization, don’t ignore it.

2.  Don’t forget your drugs:
If you are on prescription drugs be sure to bring along enough to cover your entire stay. Bring along your prescriptions, too, just in case.

It would not be a bad idea to bring along other drugs for allergies, headache, cough and cold or painkillers. Better be ready than sorry. The new environment may affect you in ways you never expected.

3.  Keep your family in the loop:
Let your family know of your travel plans.

My children always know of my travel plans, i.e., my departure and arrival dates, where I am going to stay, etc. And when I get there, the first thing I do is to let them know of my arrival.

It will give you and your family peace of mind.

4.  Be sure to get travel insurance:
Don’t scoff at the idea of travel insurance. It can come in very handy. A lot of my friends who are residing abroad benefited from it when they came home to have surgical operations.

It costs a pittance compared to the potential benefit you get from it in case you need it. Don’t wait until it rains before running for an umbrella. Bring one along.

5.  Know your destination:
Know as much as possible your destination, i.e., weather, hospitals, recreation areas, places of interest, crime rate, currency conversion rates, etc.

Have a general idea of the area around the place where you will be staying, how to get around, available transportation types, and many others.

Groping around in a place you are not very familiar is a great spoiler of could have been a wonderful travel.

6. Take it easy:
You are on a pleasure trip, so take things easy. Wake up as late as you can or go to bed as later than usual.

For a short time in your life, discard your habits and adopt new ones. You are there to enjoy, to enjoy and savor each moment.

Don’t push yourself too hard, though. Don’t rush through things. Take your own sweet time to cover everything in your itinerary.

And treat yourself to a nice warm bath and a glass of wine to end each day. You owe it to yourself.

Please share so other seniors will relish the wonders of going away for a change.

~oOo~

The post Do Something Different this Year – Travel first appeared on Age With Charm.

Do you sometimes feel like living in a cage Not the sturdy, steel-bar kind but just as confining. It is your self-limiting thoughts that lock you in a lonely, uneventful, and often miserable existence.

Your thoughts detain you in your comfort zone; fearful of the uncertainties that may come should you dare venture out. Thus you grudgingly accept your lack of purpose, of staring at the same old, scruffy walls of your home, eat microwavable meals, watch old and boring sitcoms, and talk to people as old as you and as locked in their own cages.

You find life to be such a drag.

Being a live-alone widower, I sometimes feel the same way – like a hamster going round and round its wheel. It is maddening. So each time I like a hamster, I get up, get out and just go before I implode.

You should do the same –when you feel the walls closing in on you, just go, anywhere, and loosen yourself up a bit.

A walk around the neighborhood is often good enough. If you want to explore, have an adventure, go for a long drive, or take a train or a plane trip to a far, far away place. Believe me, it is remarkably therapeutic to both body and mind.

How is travel good for the body?

It is a good exercise, especially for seniors, i.e., dragging your heavy baggage around, running after a taxi, or lining up in front of a check-in counter.

Exploring the streets of unfamiliar cities, or walking around museums, sightseeing or leafing through bookstores is an exercise you couldn’t at home.

US News reported that a typical trip can make you walk up to 10 miles a day.

Why is it good for the mind?

Traveling exercises the mind as well.

Navigating new cities, exploring museums, chatting with new people, practicing new languages, and seeing new sights are all stimulating to the brain; they flex your mental muscles and keep your brain active.

Dr. Margaret J. King, director of the Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis says, “With a shortlist of activities each day, freed up from the complexities of ongoing projects and relationships, the mind can reset, as does the body, with stress relief the main outcome.”

Learning new things is good for the mind, so is giving it a rest.

Other benefits you get from traveling are:

1.  A change in scenery:

Travelling allows you to see new and different scenes.

You can walk through the clouds in mountain tops, or feel salty spree on your face while sitting on a quiet and lovely beach somewhere.

Though less frequent, but a scene in scenery is just as necessary for your body and mind as changing your linens, your underwear, or clothes.

2.  It is liberating:

Travel makes you forget, even for a while, your daily concerns and opens up a world of endless possibilities. It allows you to do whatever you want to do, and go wherever you want to go. That is freedom.

You can try out new things, explore places, or live outside of the norms you live by back home.

It can make you forget your age and be as gleeful as a child again.

3.  Connecting with others:

Traveling gives you an excellent opportunity to connect with other people, i.e., the guy beside you in a bus, train, or plane, for example.

They are not just people who happen to be near you, but valuable sources of information, and possibly becoming good friends.

They can give you invaluable safety tips, interesting points to see, places to avoid, nearest police station or hospital.

If done amiably, a few minutes of friendly conversation can allow you to see them as they are, like how they live where they work, their marital status, or number of children, if they have any, etc.

While waiting for my daughter and her hubby who were window-shopping, I talked with the mall’s security guard. From him I learned so much about the city, which I could never have through walking around the shopping center.

4.  Allows you to find yourself:

In the course of a day, you are so engrossed with money, relationship, and health issues to know that there is so much in life other than fighting bushfires.

To see the horizon, you need to view it from a distance.

Traveling gives you that distance; it is seeing things from outside your cage. It allows you to see yourself from another perspective, i.e., your life’s purpose, your values, your needs, what makes you happy or sad, what interests you most in life, and your goals and ambitions..

Away from the maddening crowd, travel allows you to find yourself.

This year I have logged a lot of travel mileage. Most of them were with my daughter and her hubby who kindly took me along. The rest were solos.

Regardless of the mode, I always come home refreshed, rejuvenated and with lots of memories of the trip and a ton of pictures for posterity.

I plan to make three solos before the year is over and next year, when I turn 70, I plan to take a very long motorcycle ride.

That is how addicting travel is. Once it gets into your system, and make you want to do it as long as you can.

Please help other seniors by sharing this. Better still, subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly update of the exciting and bittersweet life of a senior.

~oOo~

The post Travel: A Remarkable Body/Mind Therapy for Seniors first appeared on Age With Charm.