Author: ra
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Birthday Dive in Puerto Galera: Getting Certified in Technical Diving! (Part 1)
After nine years of recreational diving and 213 dives, I decided to enter the technical diving world. If you’re serious about diving but don’t want to become a Divemaster, and love exploring depths, wrecks, and caves, technical diving might be your next path. Here’s my progression and certification journey.
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Strawberry Moon 2025 in Bitan, Taiwan
Here’s how I shot the rare Strawberry Moon using Seestar S30 with a colleague. We also captured M20 Trifid Nebula and NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula. Her goosebumps reaction when seeing the “crack” was totally worth it!
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Cycling in Taiwan: 3-Day Dragon Boat Weekend Routes
Discover Taiwan’s stunning coastlines and mountain waterfalls on two wheels with these three epic cycling routes. Combine Strava challenges with commemorative coin hunting through historic old streets. Perfect for spontaneous weekend warriors seeking adventure beyond typical tourist trails.
Categories: Cycling -
Diving in Kenting, Taiwan: Testing GoPro 13 Underwater Macro Setup
Fresh out of the box, I tested my new GoPro 13 with a custom underwater macro photography setup in Kenting’s challenging conditions. From building the rig (yep, adult money!) to battling equipment hiccups underwater, here’s my complete breakdown of costs, configuration, and the results!
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Stargazing in Interlaken, Berlin, and Prague
A month into using my Seestar S30, I’m addicted to stargazing. Check out our portable setup, where we observed from across Europe, and what deep space objects we captured in this post. From Iseltwald’s dark skies to Prague’s city lights, the cosmos awaits!
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Holy Week in Europe: A 14-Day Adventure Through Five Countries
Looking for where to go during Holy Week or Easter? Join me on my third European adventure where I added five new countries to my travel list! After two previous European trips in 2016 and 2018, followed by pandemic years prioritizing visits to family and friends, I finally got to check more countries off my…
Categories: Travel -
Cycling in Taiwan: Coastal Routes in March
If you’re a recreational cyclist looking for safe roads to put in some quality miles, consider spending a weekend in Taiwan riding its picturesque coastal routes! March sits between winter and spring seasons, with temperatures ranging from 13-20°C, so pack your mid-season kit or thermal layers. In this post I’ve also linked my Strava activities…
Categories: Cycling -
Valentine’s Day in Taiwan: Maroon 5 Asia Tour, Lantern Festival, Flower Festival
Valentine’s Day and you’re single—or like me and Gerald, in a long-distance relationship—but you have a friend who loves concerts? Here’s an activity worth considering: book a flight to Taiwan and take a high-speed train to Kaohsiung, which is becoming a popular destination for international concerts! Getting There and Going Around Lotus Pond 蓮池潭 We…
Categories: Travel -
CNY2025 in Sogod Bay, Philippines: Scuba Dives, Frogfish, and Whale Sharks
If you find yourself in a country where Chinese New Year is celebrated, this trip report is for you! If you’re eager to see whale sharks but are concerned about the unethical practices in Oslob, and don’t mind spending money on a non-guaranteed sighting, this adventure is ideal for you. Additionally, if you’re a beginner…
Categories: SCUBA dive -
Winter Hiking in Taiwan: Hehuanshan East Peak Trail 合歡山東峰步道
Want to experience snow in Taiwan? This post shares my painful lessons from another failed winter attempt at Hehuanshan East Peak. While it’s supposedly the easiest snow hike, proper preparation is everything. Quality gloves, hand warmers, crampons, and tested gear prevent the mistakes that left me crying from frostbitten fingers.
Categories: Hiking
