JAIME Dempsey: “Filipinos are very proud of their country.”
RETURNING to Asia for the fourth season of History’s “Ride N’ Seek,” American biker Jaime Dempsey explores the Philippines anew, to showcase more parts of the archipelago for the travel-culture series.
“There are more similarities than differences,” Dempsey said of the Philippines, East Malaysia and Brunei—places she visited for the show, in a phone interview. But a significant change in touring, she told the Inquirer, involved the motorcycles she uses.
“I was riding different kinds of bikes. We had a scooter company as our sponsor. Instead of being on big bikes, I rode vehicles that were more local. I blended in with the environment a little more—which is cool.”
The LA-based Dempsey, apart from hosting the show, also snowboards and surfs, and has been biking since 2006. This month, she and two business partners will launch Atwyld, a clothing line for female motorcycle riders, in the United States.
In the show’s previous season, Dempsey was introduced to the Philippines, where she mingled with locals to get a closer look at disparate cultures and customs. For the new six-episode season that will air every Sunday (10 p.m., starting Aug. 28), the tattooed, blonde biker rides to more Filipino communities. Her destinations include Boracay, Cebu, Leyte and Samar.
Excerpts from our chat:
How different are your two seasons on the Philippines?
We did Luzon. It was a tour of northern Philippines [last season]. This time, we were in Visayas and Mindanao. I did more mountain-type adventures last season, while this time, there were more islands and beaches. It was quite different, even though it’s the same country.
Do you have any favorite spots?
Kalinga was my favorite spot, absolutely. It was beautiful riding up some mountains—rice terraces as far as you can see-and the valleys were deep. I had the most amazing coffee while I was up there. Then, I hiked up to a village and got tattooed.
How many crew members followed you around?
We have two cameramen, a line producer, two directors, a drone operator and a sound man—seven.
How would you describe the entertainment value this season?
There’s a lot of fun stuff that we do, everything from jumping off waterfalls, to getting really sticky in waist-deep mud and digging for water eels. I really get down and dirty again. There’s a lot of action, maybe even more so than all the other seasons put together.
Tell us about the different Filipinos you’ve encountered.
Filipinos have this really fun attitude toward life. They like to have a good time and are very proud of their country and want to share it. People were inviting me in, teaching me about the area, or they’re reaching out through social media: “Oh please, come to this place
…these are all the great things about it. I live here.”
When I was in Mindanao, in Butuan particularly, we met a couple who ended up taking the crew under their wing, and they showed us around their home and all their favorite places. We planted a durian sapling, not even for the show, just for pleasure.
How different were you when this started four years ago, compared to now?
One thing that hasn’t changed is my thirst for experiencing new cultures and adventures. I’m proud to have gone to so many different countries in Asia with the crew, and I’m proud of what we have accomplished—showcasing those different places and inspiring other people to go out and travel!