Freeyasoul 2006 Review

This is the last day of 2006, just want to do my Freeyasoul Adventure Review of 2006. It has been the only year that I didn't manage to organise a freeyasoul adventure holiday with my friends but then when I review this blog which I really started writing from the beginning of the year, I can't really complain, it has been an amazingly colourful year. And to end the year with a little appreciation is something that we should all do. Read on to see my top moments in 2006.

#1 Ice Climbing in Siguniang Shan - The trip really started in X'mas 2005 and ended in 2006. Being on top of Siguniang Shan would be another top moment but that was 2005, though when I was chopping away the ice on a frozen fall in the valley, I felt absoultely wonderful.... with my life.
#2 Topping Lion Rock with Alan and Tim - I am a nostagic person. Alan & Tim were like two of the people that got me started on mountaineering back in England, and for me to be able to share my first multi pitch climb with them in Hong Kong has such a special meaning.
#3 My first marathon - It was a real challenge, every second I had to push myself to keep up with my target. Marathon is just lifetime journey and challenge distilled into a 4 hours concentrated cocktail.

#4 Visiting Planet Finance- I went all the way to Beijing to see if there will be an opportunity for me to join this Microfinance organisation. Though it didn't lead me to a materialised opportunity, I learn much more about the field and I understand what role I am best to play if I do want to help to advance this movement. This year Muhammend Yunus and Grameem Bank has also got a Nobel Peace Prize for the work on Microfinance, MF has suddenly came to the spotlight and I am sure if I become successful in banking, suitable opportunity will open up one day.
#5 Birth of Bad Bad & Cham Cham-I was in Singapore for a conference and then on my last day I heard my then pregnant cat Yoda was in the Vet for an emergency operation, she was in labour for the last 12 hours and no one knew. When I got home, four new kittens has arrived, though only 2 of them grew up, Bad Bad & Cham Cham has filled my life with laughs.
# 6 Moganshan Misadventure- Then came the first of my 3 back to back race, I teamed up with Kin which I just met for the adventure race in Moganshan. It ended disastrously for me, reaped my knee open with an 1 inch cut to the bone and then endured a clean but brutal stiching operation in a village clinic. Thankfully it didn't kill my heart for more adventures....
#7 Bintan Triathlon - and two weeks later, I sealed my cut to attend my first triatholon in Bintan, Indonesia. I was completely unfit due to the injury, but I loved it, great weather, beautiful island and exercising myself with great pleasure. In 2007, I plan to do Triatholon properly as a sport.

#8 Action Asia Macau - then antoher two weeks later Andy and I teamed up in the AA Macau and raced against Kin's team. The race course was a lovely high speed chase, with frequent switching from swimming to running in the first half. I had this fear on the bike session but thankfully no more scratches today.

#9 Ironman Korea - I didn't get to swim in the Ironman Relay but I was able to run on the marathon course at my own pace, it was a battlefield out there, such a touching moment to see the warriors out there meeting their challenges. Fighting through cramps and defining the meaning of "Determination".
#10 Fracturing My Left Arm - In just one split second, I felt off my mountain bike during a leisure day out in Tai Lam Reservoir, it shattered many other could be top moments contenders, like hiking in Japan, Trailwalker and Action Asia Hong Kong. Though may be it was time for a break and reflect, maybe I was having too much fun.

At the same time we learned about my father's illness, the injury was timed perfectly to focus my priority. Family and career may have been neglected in these times. Though 2 weeks after the injury I took up a new job which I have enjoyed so far, being happy 5 days a week at where you are was more important than finding a moment of euphoria on races during the weekend. What have I learned this year? Nothing that can be distilled into wisdom, but I felt striking a balance is important, I think the way I live my life is correct, exercising my body all the time and pushing it beyond limit. But I have to learn to let go sometime, to be able to say that, it is not important, there are more important things in life then maintaining an arbitary level of fitness and endurance. In 2007 I will continue to fill this blog with mini adventures but I hope to bring you equal dose of progress in my other projects in live, like career, family, goals and dreams.

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Merry Christmas

My full squad are here to wish you a
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Why are you getting more and more intellectual

In respond to Kin's comment, well as you can see I didn't find much that is adventurous to contribute to "Freeyasoul Adventure" due to my immobility and disability. So how have I been spending my time that I used to spend on rambling in the hills and picking up scars? I've been waiting to see the rise of Vietnam for ages, much just like supporting an underdog football team like Sheffield United. Sadly I have just been sitting at home reading. And my reading has never deviate so much from my course in life (which vaguely consist of solving world poverty issue, fighting capitalism, climbing mountains, yeah I know I never do any of them really) I actually started reading stuff about the Stock Market!!! Well it all began with a lunch with my friend Julius and his cousin, they were telling me that there is window of opportuniy to invest in Vietnam. It kind of strikes the bell, I love Vietnam, my 3 weeks backpacking trip there in 1999 was an amazing time. People I barely just met would invite me to go mountain biking with him in Dalat, then another stranger would take me on his scooter to join a post football match scooter parade in Ho Chi Min City. (For a more recent travelogue to Vietnam, read Kin's.) I've been waiting to see the rise of Vietnam for ages, much just like supporting an underdog football team like Sheffield United. Anyway that conversation inspired me to do some research of my own on the investment condition in Vietnam, and when you are new to a job, you just have the time to sneaky do that at your desk, one thing leads to another, I am now reading about ways to evaluate stocks and macro conditions, like equity analysts do. You know look at the PE ratio, assess the yoy sales growth, analyse the profit margin and operating margin bla bla bla. Well I hope to get this done with and build up my own H-Share portfolio before I can start doing sports again.

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