

making your own luck
<photo: not sitting around, Kew Gardens, London> opportunity, it is said, knocks but once and you should seize it because it's not going to knock twice. but what if opportunity doesn't knock? do you wring your hands in despair and hear that familiar refrain in your head - Some guys have all the luck, Some guys have all the pain, Some guys get all the breaks, Some guys do nothing but complain... we wait for that opportunity of a life time to knock. we wait for that one lucky


100 year plan
<photo: Trees lighted up for Christmas at Kew Gardens, London> it takes time to build and nurture talent. in a recent report by Swiss business school IMD, Singapore has fallen five places to 15th place in a global ranking of an economy's ability to nurture and attract business talent. Does this mean that Singapore doesn't have smart students? Not true - in the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) test, Singapore students aged 15 years old were ranked No


do not go gentle into that good night
<photo: sunset at Mount Rinjani> <photo: sunset at Mount Kinabalu> <photo: sunset at the Himalayas> Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage agains


on the road to somewhere
<photo: Pasang Tharkey Sherpa> Hikers on the Everest Base Camp trek will come across a familiar figure after passing Namche Bazaar. Depending on donations from hikers, Pasang Tharkey Sherpa has been tirelessly helping to build the trails and roads in the Himalayas for over 50 years. the Himalayas can be both magnificent and harsh at the same time. without roads, we will never get to see the awesome views and reach Everest. even with roads, the trails of the Himalayas are fr


taking a step towards the first step
<photo: climbing Mount Kinabalu, October 2016> today is Evaluate Your Life Day. it's a day where we take stock of our achievements, near misses and outright failures and decide whether we are on the right path or hopelessly lost. it's a day where we try to motivate ourselves with inspiring sayings (A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step - Lao Tzu), brand exhortations (Just do it - Nike), a quote from a famous person (you can't connect the dots looking forward- Ste


8 reasons why you should climb Mount Kinabalu
<photo: Google Earth image of Mount Kinabalu> Located in the East Malaysian state of Sabah, climbing Mount Kinabalu is on the bucket list of many people. Mount Kinabalu is almost half the height of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. this makes reaching the peak of Kinabalu a worthwhile item to be on your bucket list. if this is not enough reason, here's 7 more reasons why you should climb Kinabalu: It's on everyone else's bucket list. Why not? Kota Kinabalu


learning how to fly
<photo: beach in Perth, Australia> Jonathan Livingston Seagull, written by Richard Bach, is a story of a seagull who is frustrated with the meaningless materialism, conformity, and limitation of the seagull life. “Most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight - how to get from shore to food and back again” writes the author. Jonathan vents his frustration by learning everything he can about flying. In doing so, Jonathan discovers his purpose in life.


how many men have walked on the moon?
<photo: overlooking Mount Elbrus, Russia> at 10:56 p.m, on 20 July 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong said the famous words “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” before becoming the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. since then, 11 other men (no women) have walked on the moon. a total of 12 men out of earth's population of billions of people. thousands of people have aspired and dreamed about going to the moon. and only 12 people have made it


be like water
<photo: winter at Yosemite National Park, USA> water is an amazing thing. it covers 71% of the Earth's surface, and is vital for life as we know it. 60% of the human body is made up of water, and you will die from thirst first before you die from lack of food. water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and when that happens, life stops. there's no doubt that water is life. and life is like water. it's forever changing and evolving. we adjust to successes and we are shaped by our


what is a base camp?
<photo: leaving base camp at dawn, and going on final summit climb to the peak of Mount Elbrus, southern Russia> a base camp is a place where climbers gather their resources (food, equipment, supplies) before attempting to reach the summit of the mountain. base camps are safe places where climbers can plan how to reach the peak - what routes to take, the role of each climber, what to do when an accident happens, and when to turn around. to turn around means to give up without