FUN-Damentals of Adventure
First of all, adventure is a mindset.
Second of all, it is never late. Koreans and Japanese have a trekking culture built into them, we often see elders with walking poles on trails. I often see older westerners in the water surfing. Sylvia Earle, a world renowned marine biologist, is still diving in her 80’s. Eating and cooking is obvious - our grandparents have the best recipes!
And the most important thing, you just have to start.
Learning as an adult
It feels awkward and intimidating to do anything for the first time, let alone trying something completely out of your comfort zone but all these adventure activities are lifelong hobbies that keep your body and mind healthy and strong. And I truly believe that it opens us up to the possibility of things we think we are “incapable of” and “impossible for us”.
As an dive instructor, I have seen many adult learners. And as an adult learner myself, I have also gone through the motions of beginner to some level of competence and confidence.
Here are things the top 3 things to consider when Learning Something new:
Know Your own Limitations
Fear - If you are nervous to start something new whether it is diving or surfing, you need mentally prep yourself. And start writing down all the questions that you do have for your instructor/guide/coach.
Physical - This world has given all of us tech neck and turned us into couch potatoes. When you start adventuring, you need to make sure you won’t hurt yourself which means starting out with some simple and easy stretches and strength training.
Baby steps - You don’t have to go straight into a multi-day hike. Take the small steps into all new activities. Whether it is a free Discover Scuba Dive or surfing the white wash on the beach or a 2hr trek to a magnificent waterfall. Start small but also recognise that the unfamiliar feels hard and to give it a chance, even if you might hate it the first time. This also applies to how and where you start, next time you plan your holiday, set aside a morning just to dip your toes in, you do not need a dedicated “adventure holiday” to start.
Safety
Prioritise safety over saving money. The cheapest option is usually not the best or safest option.
Learn from reputable professionals. In the long run, it will expedite your growth and joy in the new activity.
Avoid crowds. When you chose a quiet place to learn, the experience is always so much better. You get to focus on yourself rather than worry about someone else ending your dive early or crashing into you with a surfboard.
Time
Give yourself the time to learn. For example, an open water dive course can be done in 2 days, but 3 days is much better.
And for all the other activities, sometimes weather and tides make for harder conditions, give yourself time to change plans and stay flexible.
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Do not ever be discouraged by the big word “trekking”; it is just walking in nature. We have flat walks for you to see orangutans and elephants and we have 2-hr hilly ones that bring you to remote villages and larger than life waterfalls. As you realise how capable and strong you have been this whole time, you can summit start to summit volcanoes for sunrises and maybe even Everest Basecamp one day.
Camping goes hand in hand with multi-day treks. And the rewards of going somewhere only accessible on foot…it is hard to describe. -
Southeast Asia is the most bio-diverse region on the world. We are lucky to have the Coral Triangle, an area that spans Indonesia and Southern Philippines; the western corner of the Pacific Ocean.
I have been a dive dive instructor since 2009 and have gone around the world in pursuit of meeting ocean creatures big and small and I will tell you with conviction that all of my favourite dive sites are in Indonesia.
We will spoil you on your first dive with the beautiful of the underwater world you have to experience first hand. -
What is the point of getting to peak fitness and not using it for adventures?
We are slowly building out our cycling destinations around Southeast Asia. Prioritising safety and an experienced support crew, smooth and empty roads, and of course, breathtaking scenery. -
Surfing and kitesurfing is a hobby that people seem to inherit from their parents. But over the last decade, surf camps and villages have been popping up and these places are just as much for absolute beginners as for anyone who loves a party wave.
Just remember that the best surfer is the one having the most fun.
And the places we choose to work in mitigate the most important thing.
Safety.
We bring you to places with less people so you can focus on your own learning experience. -
Call me silly, but when I go far far away to some villages where the inhabitants are still living the way of our ancestors, it is time travelling.
“The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.” South East Asia has over 40 sites; if we include Intangible Cultural Heritage, there are close to 100 destinations.
UNESCO is just the start of things. There is so much to learn from from these places and people. There is something magical about being somewhere our ancestors lived centuries ago, abandoned, and then rediscovered again.
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There is no better place to learn about handicrafts and the arts than in Southeast Asia. Creativity hubs like Ubud, Hoi An, Luang Prabang offer everything from making your own jewellery, ceramics, woodworking, and batik printing.
The world is your oyster, you just have to decide which one you want to start with. -
One of the best ways to “city travel” is to eat where all the locals flock to. But with a language barrier, it makes it hard to navigate.
Just bring your appetite and an open mind. We will do the rest.
We are currently working with our local friends in the major cities around Southeast Asia to build Google Map guides.
Sign up below to be the first to know. -
There are so many YouTube channels that you can start with on your personal yoga journey, but when you are ready to practice without verbal guidance or advance into a stronger and more challenging practice, one of the best places to do this is Bali.
Yoga is as much a work out as it is a work in. Finding a great instructor that can balance a flow with this in mind is key.
We hope to host a yoga retreat with our favourite instructor in the near future.
Start adventuring with us
When you choose to book with us to cultivate your curiosity, you will travel will ease and confidence that the coaches/instructors we work with and the places we will bring you to have been tried, tested, fully trusted. And bonus, we also think about two aspects, so you don’t have to:
Sustainability
We make sure that we leave a positive impact where we go by working with local operators in off beat destinations
We make sure that you are prepared with a few key items to make sure you reduce your footprint.
Overtourism
We will bring you to places most are not talking about so that you have dive sites, jungles and waves to yourself
We time our trips to avoid the mass migration of tourists
When you hear from a friend that has done something epic, you listen and you ask question to essentially do what they did. They’ve did the hard work, they went, they put their stamp of approval. We can be that friend.
And just remember…stick to the FUN-damentals because learning should be fun.
See what we did there?
TL;DR:
Adventure is a mindset—and it’s never too late to begin.
Start small and start smart. Taking baby steps, even a short local hike or try dive, counts.
Your body and brain thrive on learning new skills, even as an adult.
Key to success: Know your limitations, prioritise safety, and give yourself time.
The world is full of quiet places where you can learn at your own pace—no pressure, no crowds.
