In 1998, I quit my job as an Advertising Art Director and decided to travel. With a brand new Kodak 1 megapixel digital point & shoot camera, I explored some of the best places in the Philippines. Sometimes I travel with a friend but most of the time, I travel alone.

During those travels, my only constant companion was my journal. I wrote everything from experiences, thoughts, theories, ideas and expenses. I also drew when words were inadequate.

Thee years after, I was invited by a good friend to explore waterfalls and rivers in Bislig, Surigao del Sur. I packed my gear and bought a one way ticket to Mindanao.

Daytimes were usually spent exploring waterfalls, rivers, forests and beaches. Every night, I download all the photos I took while I write down everything that happened.

With free internet and plenty of time at hand, I created my website in GEOCITIES. “Explorer’s Journal” was born. It contained all my travels, adventures and explorations in chronological order.

My friends loved it and other people whom I don’t even know started leaving words of encouragement on my on-line guestbook. My simple on-line journal got complicated with the addition of an inter-active map and detailed and up-to-date information of the places I’ve been to. From 1999 to 2002 I religiously posted all my adventures for everyone to read.

Then BLOGGING was coined and it became popular. Everyone started to blog and it became a trend. I don’t like trends. That’s the main reason why I didn’t eat Shawarma, Crepe and Zagu when other people were lining up to buy them. That was the time I stopped posting. I received a lot of requests for me to continue my journal. But I found plenty of reasons not to, especially when others called it blogging. Explorer’s journal stopped in 2002. 8 years later, GEOCITIES decided to close down. I finally missed posting my journals on-line.

I created accounts on other social-networking sites like MULTIPLY, FRIENDSTER and FACEBOOK and I uploaded photos on FLICKR and DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER PHILIPPINES. But nothing really compared with the personality of my own website.

After a few months of planning, designing and constructing, I put up my own website again. With the help of a good friend Bambit Gaerlan and colleague Dave Joseph Santos, rollymagpayo.com is now up and running.

I have matured a lot since 2002 and found new ways of expressing myself. My website showcases my works in photography, art direction, broadcast design, graphic design and illustration. I regained my love for teaching and started conducting workshops again.

I still don’t like trends. Blogging is not an exception, but I couldn’t find any other way to share my thoughts but through words and images. So with so much hesitation, I created my very first blog.