Feeling relaxed and a bit Zen-ned from the yoga session we had at Community Fitness in Pasig, myself, Christine, and Ferdz—who was also our Yogi teacher that morning—decided to do some urban exploration. “I have a barber appointment in Marikina plus a friend is inviting me to try out the James Dean Café; you can come with me,” Ferdz told us. So, off we went to the city known for its shoe industry, city-wide bike lanes, and a thriving local food scene.

Remember the Mark Renton swagger I had on my way to board Star Cruises’ SuperStar Gemini last year? Well, my frame of mind was a bit subdued this time, and no Trainspotting pop-culture reference ran inside my head. The enthusiasm of going on another cruising experience never wavered, though, as I inched closer to the gigantic SuperStar Virgo docked at Pier 15 of Manila Port. Who wouldn’t be captivated by the sheer size of the ship towering as high as a ten-story building, knowing that inside its massive bulkheads lies a fully recreated floating luxury resort? Finding myself about to board a cruise ship for the second time, I recited a brief prayer thanking the heavens for doling out good karma upon me.

In this age of the #MeToo movement, heaps of douche-bag sexual misconduct and abuse have been unearthed not only from the entertainment industry but also from various other facets of our society. We now come face-to-face with a chilling reality—to which most of us have turned a blind eye for years—that sexual harassment happens in every aspect of our daily lives.

For solo female travelers, the risk of being subjected to different kinds of harassment on the road dips the scale toward high probability. It is difficult enough to find oneself in an unfamiliar place; being subjected to catcalling, groping, and flashing by perverts definitely adds a layer of danger to women travelers all over the world.

One doesn’t need to be a hardcore mountaineer to enjoy the spectacular highland sceneries located all over Luzon. Just because you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views doesn’t always mean it will involve crazy calf-burning hikes or grueling six-hour-long treks! Without further ado, here are some easy, accessible hikes in Luzon that will instantly give you beautiful, postcard-worthy scenic backdrops.

Tharaburi Resort was a secluded property located about one kilometer from the gates of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sukhothai Historical Park. A courtyard fronted an old colonial house leading to an expansive Thai garden and a swimming pool. A dual singular row of wooden structures in an Asian contemporary style comprised the eleven deluxe and two suite rooms.

When I first went to India in 2014, I learned a lesson the hard way. Yes, I proactively took with me anti-diarrhea medicines, but when the severe onslaught of numerous cross-country train trips finally hit me, I was reduced to a drunk-like traveler helplessly seeing the world with a dizzy head.