My first impression of the sport of Muay Thai was of a violent one where fighters battled each other almost to a pulp. No thanks to my childhood memory of watching the film ‘Kickboxer’. In the movie, Jean-Claude Van Damme’s character had to go through a blood-spattered match against the villain Tong Po—to avenge his brother who was left paralyzed after an earlier fight with Po. Besides, if boxing could kill fighters in the ring, how much more in a martial arts sport that used fists, elbows, knees, and legs as main weapons.

Adventure plays out like a series of rock 'n' roll tunes on this part of Ilocos Sur. Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life could very well be blasting in your head once you sign up for the day’s first undertaking. Taking advantage of the varying rudiments of our planet—water, wind, earth, and fire—and incorporating them with various thrilling activities and a great outdoor vibe, a one-stop adventure hub is born. Situated at the foot of the rolling slopes and the beautiful coastline of Narvacan in Ilocos Sur, NOAH (Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub) dishes a magnificent landscape that provides the perfect setting for a number of great outdoor exploits.

Like what most millennials would say, “I’m G” all the time for an adventure. It just so happens that in recent years, most of my travels have taken me to explore every nook and cranny of new cities—urban and quaint towns, and isolated islands to boot. The mountains, where I first found my love of the great outdoors when I joined the UST Mountaineering Club back in college, had taken a backseat.

Mentioning ‘Tinder’ over a table conversation with friends always elicits mixed reactions. For most, the app only serves useful for dating purposes – but for a rising number of travelers, the Tinder app becomes more than just an avenue to find a hook-up or a romantic affiliation.

Like in all avenues of meeting people – similar to hanging out in single bars, the chances of meeting people you share similar interests with, are always a possibility. When traveling solo, Tinder becomes a medium where you can chance upon kindred souls, who will be more than willing to show you around and become a new friend on the road.