New Adventures for the New Year!
Words by Katherine Castillo Eustaquio
Published in Total Fitness Magazine Jan-Feb 2013 issue
It’s time to fill the pages of your spanking new planner with these action-packed trips that will surely get your adrenaline pumping! New Year doesn’t just mean new attitudes. It means new places, new adventures, and new terrains to conquer. Here are some suggestions for your new adventures that are not too far from home:
ATV Ride to Mount Mayon
Legazpi City, Albay, Philippines
The famous cone—Mount Mayon—isn’t just about the perfect view. The rocky, muddy trail towards its foot makes for a mean ATV (all terrain vehicle ride) adventure for all ages. Despite the rocky roads ahead, the trail is quiet enough for some introspection here and there. After twenty minutes on the road, you’ll reach the campsite. From here, you can climb the rocky trail up the helipad for a spectacular close-up view of Mt. Mayon.
Go Sandboarding at the Golden Sand Dunes of Mui Ne
Vietnam
What used to be an uninhabited beach became a popular tourist attraction for sand boarding fans. The picturesque sand dunes of Mui Ne turn golden yellow during sunrise and sunset, perfect for those Arabian Nights-inspired photo-ops.
Discover Pirate Treasure (Maybe) at Phang Nga Bay
Thailand
Navigate these magnificent islands that shoot up to the sky on board a small canoe. You need to lie on your back so you can slip through the cave openings where the chambers—believed to hold pirate treasures a long time ago—are located. Think Captain Jack Sparrow and the magnificent islands portrayed in the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Jungle Adventure in Taman Negara
Malaysia
After exploring the many magnificent structures of Malaysia’s concrete jungle, it’s time to explore the real jungle. Taman Negara is the country’s biggest national park that offers over 30 amazing rainforest sites for adventure and exploration. Malaysia’s highest point—Gunung Tahan at 2,187 meters—can also be found here.
Kite Surfing in Boracay Island
Philippines
Boracay Island remains to be the most famous destination in the Philippines. After all, it has everything you could dream of in a beach holiday: powdery, white sand, clear blue waters, extreme sports, nightlife, and serenity. This year, man up and try one of the most extreme sports activities the island has to offer: kite surfing.
Pilgrimage to Taj Mahal
Agra, India
It is absolutely amazing to think that a small city in India is home to one of the eight wonders of the world—the Taj Mahal. The entire structure is made of white marble and seems to exude a faint glow during a full moon. Apart from the unsurpassed Mughal architectural style, many travelers visit this place yearly to see for themselves the well-preserved tomb in the world, which also happens to be living reminder of a great Shah’s love for his wife.
Visit the World’s Largest Seated Outdoor Buddha
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
The 34-metre tall Tian Tan Buddha—“the world’s largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha”—is found on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. It sits atop a three-storey podium at the end of a 268-step staircase. A 25-minute cable car ride is the fastest, easiest, and most enjoyable way to get to the culturally themed village away from the busy cityscape of Hong Kong.
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SIDEBAR STORY
Ditch the proverbial New Year’s resolution list (how many did you keep from last year’s, anyway?) and start listing down the things you want to conquer this 2013. Finally, here’s a new, clean slate! It’s time to work on improving several skills in all aspects of your life.
TOTAL FITNESS:
Level up your fitness regimen with CrossFit workouts. Developed by the famous coach, Greg Glassman, the CrossFit program is a short (20 minutes or less) but high-intensity workout program which makes use of varied movements. Unlike other programs where you normally follow a fixed routine, CrossFit is more spontaneous but delivers extraordinary results faster. Visit CrossFit MNL today at www.crossfitmnl.com.
Go Paleo. Perhaps the #1 reason why diet fads don’t work is the mere fact that they are, well, simply fads. It’s time to stick to one diet and make it really work for life. One of the most amazing diets I have ever encountered is the Paleo Diet—a diet that focuses on what cavemen ate during the Paleolithic Age like nuts, fish, meat, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. A friend of mine took on the Paleo challenge at her local gym as a dare. After just three weeks of healthy eating and exercise routines, she was able to transform her body into a lean, fat-burning machine.
LIFESTYLE
Invest in your future health. According to a recent Northwestern Medicine study, healthy lifestyle choices made in your 20s through your 40s can lower your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases later in life. When you’re young, it’s easy to push the thought of heart disease prevention for later and drink yourself to oblivion. Heart problems can develop at any age. If your family history shares this risk, cut down on your smoking and drinking habits as early as possible.
Become a Freedomaire! A term coined from the combination of two words—freedom and millionaire, “freedomaire” refers to “the power to live the life you always imagined including choosing your perfect work and life structure.” While it seems impossible at first, you can actively pursue, build, and live the kind of life you have always imagined. This year is a new slate, how do you want to live it?
RELATIONSHIPS
New Year, better personality. Are you satisfied with your personality? Studies show that can you alter it completely. Here’s how: consider what you exactly you want to change. If your current environment hinders you from being what you want to be (i.e. toxic friends), remove yourself from it. Having a confidante and keeping a journal enables you to keep track of your progress and with each milestone, do reward yourself.
Love again. Whether you have found your partner already or still in search for that great love, truth is, it exists. Emotional hang-ups are so Y2K. Life is too precious to be scared of sharing your life with that special someone, no matter how many reruns you’ve encountered. Hop on board, fasten your seatbelts, and enjoy the ride of your life.
Published in Total Fitness Magazine Jan-Feb 2013 issue
It’s time to fill the pages of your spanking new planner with these action-packed trips that will surely get your adrenaline pumping! New Year doesn’t just mean new attitudes. It means new places, new adventures, and new terrains to conquer. Here are some suggestions for your new adventures that are not too far from home:
ATV Ride to Mount Mayon
Legazpi City, Albay, Philippines
The famous cone—Mount Mayon—isn’t just about the perfect view. The rocky, muddy trail towards its foot makes for a mean ATV (all terrain vehicle ride) adventure for all ages. Despite the rocky roads ahead, the trail is quiet enough for some introspection here and there. After twenty minutes on the road, you’ll reach the campsite. From here, you can climb the rocky trail up the helipad for a spectacular close-up view of Mt. Mayon.
Go Sandboarding at the Golden Sand Dunes of Mui Ne
Vietnam
What used to be an uninhabited beach became a popular tourist attraction for sand boarding fans. The picturesque sand dunes of Mui Ne turn golden yellow during sunrise and sunset, perfect for those Arabian Nights-inspired photo-ops.
Discover Pirate Treasure (Maybe) at Phang Nga Bay
Thailand
Navigate these magnificent islands that shoot up to the sky on board a small canoe. You need to lie on your back so you can slip through the cave openings where the chambers—believed to hold pirate treasures a long time ago—are located. Think Captain Jack Sparrow and the magnificent islands portrayed in the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Jungle Adventure in Taman Negara
Malaysia
After exploring the many magnificent structures of Malaysia’s concrete jungle, it’s time to explore the real jungle. Taman Negara is the country’s biggest national park that offers over 30 amazing rainforest sites for adventure and exploration. Malaysia’s highest point—Gunung Tahan at 2,187 meters—can also be found here.
Kite Surfing in Boracay Island
Philippines
Boracay Island remains to be the most famous destination in the Philippines. After all, it has everything you could dream of in a beach holiday: powdery, white sand, clear blue waters, extreme sports, nightlife, and serenity. This year, man up and try one of the most extreme sports activities the island has to offer: kite surfing.
Pilgrimage to Taj Mahal
Agra, India
It is absolutely amazing to think that a small city in India is home to one of the eight wonders of the world—the Taj Mahal. The entire structure is made of white marble and seems to exude a faint glow during a full moon. Apart from the unsurpassed Mughal architectural style, many travelers visit this place yearly to see for themselves the well-preserved tomb in the world, which also happens to be living reminder of a great Shah’s love for his wife.
Visit the World’s Largest Seated Outdoor Buddha
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
The 34-metre tall Tian Tan Buddha—“the world’s largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha”—is found on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. It sits atop a three-storey podium at the end of a 268-step staircase. A 25-minute cable car ride is the fastest, easiest, and most enjoyable way to get to the culturally themed village away from the busy cityscape of Hong Kong.
---
SIDEBAR STORY
Ditch the proverbial New Year’s resolution list (how many did you keep from last year’s, anyway?) and start listing down the things you want to conquer this 2013. Finally, here’s a new, clean slate! It’s time to work on improving several skills in all aspects of your life.
TOTAL FITNESS:
Level up your fitness regimen with CrossFit workouts. Developed by the famous coach, Greg Glassman, the CrossFit program is a short (20 minutes or less) but high-intensity workout program which makes use of varied movements. Unlike other programs where you normally follow a fixed routine, CrossFit is more spontaneous but delivers extraordinary results faster. Visit CrossFit MNL today at www.crossfitmnl.com.
Go Paleo. Perhaps the #1 reason why diet fads don’t work is the mere fact that they are, well, simply fads. It’s time to stick to one diet and make it really work for life. One of the most amazing diets I have ever encountered is the Paleo Diet—a diet that focuses on what cavemen ate during the Paleolithic Age like nuts, fish, meat, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. A friend of mine took on the Paleo challenge at her local gym as a dare. After just three weeks of healthy eating and exercise routines, she was able to transform her body into a lean, fat-burning machine.
LIFESTYLE
Invest in your future health. According to a recent Northwestern Medicine study, healthy lifestyle choices made in your 20s through your 40s can lower your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases later in life. When you’re young, it’s easy to push the thought of heart disease prevention for later and drink yourself to oblivion. Heart problems can develop at any age. If your family history shares this risk, cut down on your smoking and drinking habits as early as possible.
Become a Freedomaire! A term coined from the combination of two words—freedom and millionaire, “freedomaire” refers to “the power to live the life you always imagined including choosing your perfect work and life structure.” While it seems impossible at first, you can actively pursue, build, and live the kind of life you have always imagined. This year is a new slate, how do you want to live it?
RELATIONSHIPS
New Year, better personality. Are you satisfied with your personality? Studies show that can you alter it completely. Here’s how: consider what you exactly you want to change. If your current environment hinders you from being what you want to be (i.e. toxic friends), remove yourself from it. Having a confidante and keeping a journal enables you to keep track of your progress and with each milestone, do reward yourself.
Love again. Whether you have found your partner already or still in search for that great love, truth is, it exists. Emotional hang-ups are so Y2K. Life is too precious to be scared of sharing your life with that special someone, no matter how many reruns you’ve encountered. Hop on board, fasten your seatbelts, and enjoy the ride of your life.
