Seair InFlight August-September 08 • My first cover assignment

I still have images of batanes in my head from a trip i made six or seven years ago. I stayed in a resort with rooms that had French windows opening out into a lush and open field. I spent many mornings just sitting on the window ledge, slowly drinking my first cup of coffee, looking at the vista, never wanting to move. At night, it's pretty much the same, sitting outside, soaking in the stillness and the dark, staring at the night sky lit up by countless stars.

Days were spent travelling on the road, stopping by rocky beaches, by hilltops and open fields. Sometimes it was lunch on the beach. Other times it was to stop in an open field and to hike up a mountain.

I remember there were little inconveniences. There were electricity cuts or "brownouts" which made the water pump at the resort useless. So, yes, it was pretty much third world. But the inconveniences paled in comparison with what Batanes had to offer.

Looking at the photographs shot by Oggie Ramos – Batanes is still breathtaking. And while it has opened up to tourism, it still is pretty much Marlboro country with its vast open fields, its quiet, its rough landscape, wild horses, cows grazing in the grass, scenes that may well be the Scottish Highlands. So if you’re thinking of a holiday, don’t miss out on this one.

We’ve gone off-the-beaten track with our coverage of Daet in Camarines Norte, a new addition to the Seair route network. Daet, while mostly unheard of, beckons with its fantastic, un-crowded beaches, and the lure of the surf.

There are more in this issue. In the news and Ins and Outs sections offer travel tips from the launching of inter-island cruise ships to a list of resort and restaurant openings in Boracay. InTalk section presents present-day eco-warriors and their views on junking plastic bags and changing our lifestyle to save our planet. And don't forget InFocus section, featuring another Oggie number, the photo of an amazing waterfall in South Cotabato, captured in all its vibrancy.

The two photographers we've commissioned for our destinations this issue - Oggie and Parc Cruz -- are both photographers who've fallen in love with travel. we hope through their eyes, you'd see beauty, too. (printed en toto from Seair's InFlight Magazine editor's note)

Needless to stay i am humbled by this blessing. my profuse thanks to Seair InFlight -- Mons, Jocas and Giselle for the faith. to Iren and Nik, too. To my buddy, ironwulf, who's been supporting me all along even if i had self-doubts whether i can pull this off. My family and friends. and last but certainly not the least, to the Man Upstairs without whom nothing is possible. I'll be posting the contents of the cover feature when the printed issue comes out for the benefit of my readers and visitors.