Decisions

Oftentimes we put off making decisions in the fear of what the resultant outcome might be. For many, we prefer to maintain the status quo. We are comfortable in our existing surroundings. We are familiar with our working environment. We feel secure.

 

Life is such however that we sometimes reach a crossroads and a decision has to be taken. Whichever path we choose will bring about change, hopefully for the better. When at such a juncture, one often has to weigh the pros and cons. I for one rely very much on my instincts. I am certainly not one for writing business plans for instance. It's all in my head, and in my heart. I go with my gut feel.

 

The next few months will be interesting ones. A bit of a hassle no doubt, but exciting nevertheless. A new direction always brings about new surprises. I hope they will all be good ones. Fingers crossed!

 

 

Ready for prayers in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Birthday Wishes

I thank all - family, friends, colleagues - for your birthday greetings. I hope I managed to respond to each one of you personally, whether in person, on the phone, via text or Facebook. Your kind thoughts are very much appreciated.

I am thankful for the encounters of the past year. There were highs and lows, success and failure, the multitude of experiences that life has to offer. Through the good times and not so good times, I am grateful for those who have shared those moments with me.

I look forward to the year ahead and the fulfillment of all your well wishes. Although the past year has been relatively good to me, there are always better things to experience, greater aspirations to attain. I shall be putting my best foot forward. The best is certainly yet to come.

Two rainbows, a sign of good luck, sighted during dusk at Chisapani, Nepal.

Living Vicariously

Sometimes a setback acts as a catalyst for us to live more vicariously. It pushes us off the ledge that we have been afraid to jump off. If playing safe hasn't yielded the desired outcomes, then perhaps it may pay to embrace a little bit more risk.

Life takes us on a winding journey. One turn may lead to joy and jubilation, whilst another may take us into the depths of despair. And when we have hit rock bottom, then the only way to go is up. While on the ricochet, the brave are those who take bigger strides, larger leaps.

I am on my way out of the woods, after my own setback of sorts. I am embracing the adage 'you only live once, so what the heck'. Living vicariously, it should be an exciting ride.

Trekking between Chisapani and Sundarijal in Nepal.

New Year's Eve

2011 has come and gone and I am in a reflective mood this New Year's Eve. Instead of braving the crowds downtown, I am spending the evening at home, after having just returned from a Japanese dinner with my Mum and sis. I suppose I can consider last night's dinner at Bunny and Nabil's as the party to end the year, with much merriment and good friends. Tonight is more about spending quality time with my family.

2011 has been good to me. I've been relatively successful on the workfront. There were some hits and misses, but I can't complain when I look at the bigger scheme of things. There is always room for improvement and that's what I shall be aspiring to do next year. This year has also been good to me travel-wise. Seven holidays in all - Chinese New Year trip with my family to Koh Samui, company trip to Hatyai, celebrating Mum's birthday in Seoul, participating in my first triathlon relay with good friends and cousins in Bali, surprised my cousin Siew Yoong on her 40th birthday in Bangkok, returning to the family village in China, trekking in Nepal with my cousin Lynette to mark her milestone birthday. I hope to top that in 2012, or at the very least equal it.

Most of my resolutions and aspirations for the year have been met. A few, I did not attain. These are the ones to work harder towards from tomorrow onwards. Yes, there are still goals to achieve, dreams to realise. As the curtain comes down on 2011, I am grateful for the good times spent with family, friends and industry colleagues. I am thankful for good health. I appreciate the experiences life has accorded me. Here's to an even better year in 2012.

Turning prayer wheels to cast away sufferings, at Boudhanath in Nepal.

Christmas Greetings

My festive greetings to my family, friends and industry colleagues this year ...

As Christmas draws near and the New Year beckons, I wish you many journeys in the year ahead!

Smooth sailing careers ...

Vacations every now and then ...

Reunions with loved ones ...

Weekend jaunts to rejuvenate ...

Trips of a lifetime ...

Voyages across continents ...

Here's also to a year of good health, great fortune and much happiness.

Photo of Lake Phewa in Pokhara, Nepal.

Regrets?

A good friend of mine recently asked me if I had any regrets. My instinctive response was no. That is because I don't believe in regrets. Sure I've had my fair share of bad experiences, and an even greater share of mistakes. I re-visit these not so fond memories from time to time. They are a part of my past which I cannot change.

And because they are in the past, I seldom ask 'what if'. What if I had taken another route. What if I had been more patient. What if I had played another card. There is really no point in dwelling on what might have been if the circumstances were different. Instead, I keep on looking toward the future. I keep the faith in my aspirations. I hold on to hope. I search for better experiences.

To my good friend who has been down in the dumps of late, I would say 'when the dawn breaks, a new day beckons'. It is up to us to make it a good day. It is our chance to seize the opportunity to make better choices in life. It is up to us to improve our lot. We ought to be thankful for what we have in our lives as there are others who are much worse off. A new day marks a new beginning. A fresh start. Every little positive step is one which will lead us to a better circumstance. Have faith my friend.

The coming of dawn at Nagarkot in Nepal.

Equality 2

Last month I did a post entitled 'Equality'. Encompassing so many aspects of our lives, our inherent aspiration is to be treated fairly, as an equal.

Everyday, we see and hear cases of discrimination, abroad and at home. A foreign worker who gets treated badly. The lack of women's rights in some countries. Suppression of democratic ideals in others. In the midst of all this, advocacy groups work to bring attention to these injustices. It is lawful to do this in some countries, unlawful in others. Some do it with class while others not so.

I came across this ad in a friend's Facebook page. The status said ... 'A short film about marriage equality. Donate to put it on TV. Sign the petition. Or just watch it'. So I watched. A beautifully created ad really. An engaging way to get the message across.

Football field in the mountains of Nepal. Equal access to football I guess.

Effort

Nothing good comes easy. To see the view, a better view that is, one must climb when in Nepal. And despite the fact that I am not much of a trekker, ascend I did, 4 hours on the first day, 6 hours on the second, before 5 hours of descent on the third. My cousin Lynette is much more well trained and she had little trouble with most of the trek. I struggled at times, well most of the time, but still managed to complete the 44km, 3-day trek.

Although we only reached an altitude of 2800m, the views were already stunning. Every time I stopped to admire the landscape, I was awed, and slightly inspired to continue on. Thin air, legs giving way, a heavy backpack as we had no porter, only a guide, it was physically, probably the hardest thing I've ever done. I am happy to have met the challenge.

Will I do it again? Or perhaps take on a longer, more arduos trek, with the promise of even more breathtaking scenery? Ask me again in a year. Never say never is what I've learnt. A friend of mine can certainly attest to that.

Photo of Lynette and I on the second day of our trek, from Choukibhanjyang to Chisapani in Nepal.

Serenity

The main section of Lake Phewa in Pokhara is often abuzz with activity. Tourists on row boats. Street kids performing hoping to earn some money. Locals having a BBQ on its shores. All this activity against the backdrop of hills and mountains, with the sun reflecting off the water.

I much prefer the serenity at this far end. This section of the lake is just across the road from the hotel where we stayed. In fact, this is the part that we first set eyes on when we arrived in Pokhara. Calm, peaceful and serene, I took a moment to take in the panoramic view.

This is why I travel. For moments like this. A bit of solitude in such beautiful surroundings, admiring the work of Mother Nature. A prayer of thanks was certainly very apt.

Photo shot at Lake Phewa in Pokhara, Nepal.

Village Life

When in Nepal, I had a chance to visit two villages and stay in another two. The first two were in the Kathmandu Valley - Bungamati and Khokona. We toured both these Newari villages one afternoon with our guide Prem and had a chance to witness the rural Nepali way of life. The latter - Choukibhanjyang and Chisapani - were two stops during our three-day trek. We stayed a night each at these mountain villages, a truly authentic and eye-opening experience indeed.

Rural life in Nepal has made me more appreciative of the lifestyle I lead. Whilst I always try to be grateful of the comforts I enjoy, first hand experience of a more rural nature makes one even more acutely aware of how lucky some of us are. The mod-cons we so often take for granted are luxuries that are beyond the means of many a Nepali.

We complain of traffic during the balik kampung rush. Some of the Nepalis have to walk for days to get home for festive celebrations. Just one of the many comparisons that came to mind during my recent holiday.

Photo of women having a chat in Khokona, Nepal.

Breakfast With A View

Breakfast always tastes better when there is fresh air and a beautiful view. Cool, crisp morning air, lush greenery, a hint of mist over Lake Phewa, the mountain range partly hidden by clouds, the sun peeking through.

Here we are enjoying breakfast in Pokhara, Lynette and I with our guide Ram and driver Raju. We had risen early, 4am to be exact, and had experienced sunrise over the Annapurna range and valley below, from our viewing point at Sarangkort, not far from Pokhara. A leisurely breakfast to satisfy our hunger pangs and an opportunity to reflect on the spectacular views Mother Nature had to offer earlier in the morning.

What a wonderful way to start a day.

Photo shot at Fewa Paradise Restaurant & Bar in Pokhara, Nepal.

Prayer In Nepal

I always make it a point to pray when on holiday. For the opportunity to visit. For my family and friends. For business. For my personal life. For health, good fortune, love and happiness. To express gratitude for the good things in my life.

This I did at Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, two Buddhist stupas that are part of seven monuments in the Kathmandu Valley that together form one of two World Cultural Heritage Sites in Nepal. One feels spiritually uplifted at these places of worship, sharing a common bond with the throngs of pilgrims who have come from near and far. We may speak in different tongues, but prayer is a universal language.

My visits to Swayambhunath and Boudhanath have given me greater faith, stronger belief, that all will be well.

Photo of Boudhanath in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Nepal

Today is my cousin Lynette's birthday. It is a milestone in her life and to celebrate, she invited me along on a trip to Nepal from 24 September to 3 October, that's 10 days in a country that was not high on my travel list.

The planning started last year. Actually, all the planning was done by Lynette. I told her I'd just tag along. I came away from the trip with a sense of wonder - wonder because of the breathtaking landscapes and beautiful architecture, wonder because of the artistic creations that satisfied my retail cravings, wonder because of the inner resolve I displayed to complete a 3-day, 44km trek up to an altitude of 2800m.

Nepal brought out the best in me - having a go at completing the trek, physically the most difficult thing I've ever done. It also brought out the worst in me - swearing almost all the way, particularly during steep ascents. Most importantly, it made me appreciate what I have in my life, what we have in our country. The Nepalese are a resilient people, yet they have so far to go in terms of opportunities in life, infrastructure, social development, you get what I mean. I have so much to be thankful for. So, I hope to complain less, appreciate more. I come back stronger in spirit, more resilient in faith.

Photo of the Annapurna range and valley, shot from Sarangkort in Pokhara, Nepal.

Shopping

I seldom shop when home. Maybe it's because I am so busy all the time. But come holiday, especially if I am visiting a destination that is big in shopping, I do pretty well. Places that I've been to this year that fall into this category would be Seoul, Bangkok and most recently Hong Kong. There's a retail vibe in each of these cities and one can easily get into the groove of hitting the shops.

One principle that I always adhere to when on vacation is to enjoy. Sure, I have a budget which I try to stick to when it comes to shopping, but by and large, I buy whatever that catches my fancy, provided it doesn't burn too big a hole in my pocket. For me, retail therapy is at its best when on holiday.

This time next week, I'll be in Nepal. Ain't sure if there'll be much shopping available but am sure as hell going to try!

Photo shot in Hong Kong.

Birthday 2011

A friend, Celia from Spain, reminded me on Facebook that I was in Turkey last year for my birthday. We met on a tour to Aspendos, near Antalya, on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. I was supposed to be in Shanghai this time round but plans fell through. I suppose it is a blessing in disguise as I have another plan up my sleeve for next month. It's meant to be a surprise. So we shall wait and see.

I started today doing the morning news at RTM and then headed straight for a swim. Other than training for the swimming leg of the Bali Triathlon relay end of June, I am also working to be fit enough for a project involving my photographer friends Peter and Evelyn. The latter is another one of my self-motivation endeavours which for now shall remain private too. Next up was shopping for our Nepal trip in September with my cousin Lynette. Who would believe we could spend almost two hours just getting the basics. It is good that we are starting early. I gather I will need much preparation for this particular trip. I am not one who usually roughs it out on holiday, so it will certainly be an adventure. A nice dim sum lunch resolved our hunger pangs after the shopping.

A much needed nap later, Mum, Suk Harn and I headed out to Siang Lin's advanced birthday and thanksgiving party. It was great catching up with a number of friends whom I have not seen in quite a while, particularly those from the advertising industry. My birthday and Siang Lin's are only two days apart, and since today is actually my birthday, I got a cake and a song too, despite my telling her earlier that it was not necessary in view of the fact that the event was much more of a thanksgiving party on her behalf. All in all a pretty fab day I would say.

Photo of me enjoying a birthday lunch on a beautiful spring day in Istanbul last year.