GP Reyes opens up on tough childhood, raising baby Olivia: ‘I want her to have what I never did’

The Manzano-Reyes family in Mongkok. Image: Instagram/@gp_reyes

DJ and host Andi Manzano and businessman GP Reyes have been jet-setting ever since they started dating, continuing their travel adventures with adorable daughter Olivia.

In an Instagram post of their family on a trip, the club owner and restaurateur shared that traveling came “pretty late in life,” and that his childhood was marked with less-than-fancy vacations and went as far as calling them “nightmarish.”

“They consisted of actually being utilized for child labor by my ex-father’s foolish fly-by-night enterprises in Japan,” he related, and that these were “thankfully” seldom because of incidents that included “getting stranded in Kai Tak airport for 11 days, or getting held by customs for pirated VHS tapes.”

I started traveling pretty late in life. I mean aside from the occasional lola sponsored clan trip to HK. The rest of my overseas trips were actually nightmarish to say the least as they consisted of actually being utilized for child labor by my ex-father’s foolish fly by night enterprises in japan or pseudo vacations where we would attempt to sneak 6 people in a room that fit a maximum of 2 just to save on hotel bills. And such trips were so few and far between and thankfully so because the worst that could ever happen always seemed to: whether getting stranded in kai tak airport for 11 days, or getting held by customs for pirated vhs tapes, and so on. I was at the ripe old age of 15 when I first set foot in a Disneyland (tokyo) and I remember it being the happiest day of my life with my beloved mom trying her darnest best to make sure her kids had a blast; shitty paternal circumstances notwithstanding. So despite All evidence to the contrary I never grew up with a jetset lifestyle. Quite far from it. And after I disowned myself from family money and started making some of my own is when I really began to explore the world. When I started dating andi I found the perfect travel partner too and we traveled the globe every single month since we got together, marveling at all the wonders each country lay at our feet. Today I have committed to ensuring my daughter doesn’t experience any of the same suffering. (And believe you me there was indeed much suffering back in my younger days) so yeah, I’ve vowed to let Olivia experience all the world’s most beautiful places, even if she may not fully recall them in full detail later on. (Hey that’s what social media is for right?) because I want her to have what I never did. And isnt that the wish of every father for his child? In less than a month we are going to Rome, Florence, Venice, Budapest, Paris, and Amsterdam. I am so excited. Another continent. Another stamp on the passport. More wonderful memories made. And with the advent of technology we can immortalize each and every precious moment. see you soon Europe! 😍 #1amthoughts #forgivethenovel #gpreyessays #oliviagoestoeurope #thereyeses #readyjetsetO

A post shared by GP Reyes (@gp_reyes) on Sep 26, 2017 at 10:09am PDT

“And after I disowned myself from family money and started making some of my own is when I really began to explore the world,” he said.

The businessman has made a name for himself and owns multiple nightclubs and restaurants which include Valkyrie, Palace Pool Club and Tides Boracay.

Reyes declared, “Today I have committed to ensuring my daughter doesn’t experience any of the same suffering.”

“I’ve vowed to let Olivia experience all the world’s most beautiful places, even if she may not fully recall them in full detail later on… because I want her to have what I never did,” he said.

One of his “happiest” memories was a trip to Tokyo Disneyland when he was 15–Instagram darling Olivia has been able to go to Disneyland by the age of 2.

The daddy’s girl has also gotten so used to travelling that she’s at home on business class:

Like a boss! I remember the days when she used to just sit on my lap. Even the earlier days when andi would have to breastfeed her before take off so she didn’t cry with the air pressure. Now she just puts on her headphones and chooses a movie and chills the whole way there. She’s a little jetsetter this one. #pilarolivia #littlegpandi #oliviagoestohk

A post shared by GP Reyes (@gp_reyes) on Sep 15, 2017 at 4:43pm PDT

He expressed excitement for their upcoming Euro trip, which includes a tour of “Rome, Florence, Venice, Budapest, Paris, and Amsterdam.”

“Another continent. Another stamp on the passport. More wonderful memories made,” the doting dad wrote. JB

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