California 2025 Highlights Pt. 1

November 7-18, 2025

This whole California trip was an achievement in and of itself. Our schedules were aligned, no flights were cancelled despite the US government shutdown, (and most importantly) we now have some adult money, and even with some unavoidable hiccups, we all managed to take with us special and fun core memories.

Travels with Kenneth

With our matching neck pillows (that feel more like neck braces)

I’m happy to be traveling with Kenneth again. After so many trips these past few months (12 flights!!), it feels nice that this last trip of the year gets to be with him. I’m also grateful that my friends are his friends too! We don’t have to worry about one of us being left out or getting bored. No awkward scenarios where one of us goes quiet and the other constantly asks, “Okay ka lang?”

Trimmed my bangs few minutes before going to the airport

Touchdown

Before this trip, I have no real idea what everything would look like—just bits and pieces from my very limited knowledge of the places we’re visiting. All I knew about LA was that it’s the place you move to if you want to get famous, and that it has plenty of palm trees. I didn’t watch California travel vlogs, nor search for ‘must-go spots’ and places to eat like I typically do. Since our friends and Kenneth’s cousins are from here, I didn’t feel the need to do any research. As someone who’s the usual designated trip planner, this go-with-the-flow plan of mine felt refreshing.

Ang unang sumalubong sakin ay si Aryan. It’s been about 8 years since we last saw each other, and it was nice getting to hug her again. Muntik pa kaming mag-iyakan! I was also excited to see Hudas again (Aryan’s husband—hindi pa rin ako sanay sa Jude so I still call him Hudas) whom I was super close with in high school. I haven’t seen him in 10 years! It was such a happy little reunion.

We’ll meet Nick, Benson, and the rest shortly after, and we still had half a day to explore a bit of LA before heading to Bakersfield—where most of our drinking, eating, chikahan, karaoke, and very little sleeping would happen.

Now with Nick and Benson! We missed youuu!

Quickie tour in LA

📍 Santa Monica Pier

📍 Venice Beach

Two other batch mates made time to have dinner with us. Thanks Cess and Janah!

Nature excursions

Dito super excited si Kenneth, ang mapuntahan yung iba-ibang national parks and other nature spots. Well, actually ako rin pala. More than Vegas and LA, mas excited akong i-hug yung malaking sequioa tree at makapunta sa Utah to visit Zion National Park.

📍 Sequoia National Park, California

📍 Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

This wasn’t in the original itinerary, but I’m so glad Hudas suggested for us to go here as a side trip while we’re in Las Vegas. This was where I got teary eyed as we were approaching the canyons. I love this place.

We arrived here a little bit late in the day and it was going dark too fast. So we decided to go back on our last day before we leave Vegas.

📍 Zion National Park, Utah

It still amazes me that we ended up hitting three states during this whole trip. Out of all our nature stops, this was the one I’m most excited about, simply because I’d like to be able to say that I’ve been to Utah hehe. I’ve heard so much about how beautiful this state is, plus one of my favourite podcasters live here (Delamar of Eve’s Drop).

Zion was something else. It was enchanting. The steep red cliffs really do make you feel so tiny. While hiking the Emerald Pools trail, we felt like we were in the Lion King movie. Especially when we saw this view: