Let's Slow Down Like a Local Together: Gullas Heights | Cebu, Philippines

This is my little sanctuary. An 8-minute drive from home. A quick escape in the middle of my 9-5, which is really more like a 3-12.

Every day I'd find myself in my usual spot: my home office, where the accessibility is unmatched. A 5-minute walk to the mall for a quick massage. 10 minutes to the nearest coworking space. Arms length to brewed coffee that tastes perfect every time.

And when in the verge of surrendering from all the stress, just one roll away to the bed.

But even the most comfortable spaces can start to feel confining. When the walls of my home office seem to inch closer, suffocating creativity and motivation, I know it's time for an escape. Not to the mall or the city, but to Gullas Heights.

It's an 8-minute motorcycle drive from home. But I often opt for the scenic 30-minute ride, savoring the journey as much as the destination. It's a route that offers more than just a change of scenery; it's a passage to clarity.

Gullas isn't even a tourist spot. It's just a little corner of the town that the local motorists love. One that started with just a strip of street vendors and now home to a couple of fancy restaurants and diners.

It's a charming part of town. Standing there, with a 360-degree panorama unfolding before me, I'd often find myself suspended between two worlds. The distant view of Cebu's cityscape, with its promise of the future. And the ever-present and resilient nature of the mountains, high yet grounding.

The best part is the ride on the way there.

There's a special charm as people burn the afternoon leaves. As if mocking my very own fast-paced life, the smoke gently rises as I zip through, my hand squeezing on full throttle.

Whether I hurry to the peak or not, I would smell the fragrant afternoon vibe for far longer, a gentle pull reminding me to slow down.

Watching these people who live just right above my home, I can't help but laugh at the irony. A woman who made a living in the digital fast lane, yet couldn't keep up with the simple art of living.

Here, time runs slow. There's no hurry when breathing, no guilt in thinking only of today.

With the kind of work that I do, I know I may never slow down at this pace for good. But I hope that by being around people who live it, I might ease my grip on my life's throttle even for a while as I stop to observe.

As the day turned to evening and I made my way back, the lesson from Gullas Heights lingered. Back in my home office, the space felt different, or maybe I did?

I realized that the key to dealing with restlessness wasn't about escaping-- it was about changing my perspective, about finding a balance between the rush of deadlines and the simplicity of just being.

It turns out, the best way to deal with feeling boxed in was to simply step outside the box, both literally and figuratively. And if I ever forget that lesson, I know Gullas Heights is just a scenic ride away, ready to remind me to slow down and laugh at myself a little.****