Our comfy table

I’d never even heard of a champagne dinner let alone work through one until last night. The Dusit Thani Bangkok’s Trudy Cook treated a handful of invited guests to a fabulous evening at D’Sens restaurant with the main focus being Billecart-Salmon champagnes. Perched on the 21st floor of the Dusit’s flagship property in downtown Bangkok, D’Sens offers sweeping panoramic views of Lumphini Park and and served as the perfect venue to learn about fine champagne, sip and eat. As a co-founder of Smiling Albino I’m always checking out new places and trying to keep my fingers on the pulse of the areas we operate in and this was a perfect opportunity to expand the pulse.

We were seated at a private round table, full of champagne glasses, a custom menu and the bubbly quickly started flowing. We started with Billecart-Salmon Reserve which tasted nice, but like a typical upper-market champagne. I managed to get down a couple glasses along with the Saumon Fume served with to-die-for bread.

Next came Billecart-Salmon Rose which was quite interesting and tasty. Just a bit sweeter than the first bottle of Reserve, it was a bit softer and really hit the spot (or perhaps it was just the fact I was now on my third glass). They paired this with a crayfish and smoked salmon duo with green asparagus coulis which was very satisfying and left me wanting a bit more. With my bowl empty I opted for another glass of Rose instead.

Bring on my favorite of the evening: the gorgeous Billecart-Salmon Brut Vintage 2004. I won’t pretend to know my champagnes but this one was the tastiest I’ve ever had. Very dry, crisp and delicious, it went down smooth and quickly. Pretty sure I had about three glasses and good thing as word circulated that it usually sells for a bit over 10,000THB ($350US) per bottle. Steamed cod fish with espellette pepper, eggplant and caviar went so-so with the Brut, but then again with this bottle I think few people were focused on the food.

Another glass please...

Our fourth and final bottle was the best according to the resident expert, Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart 1998. Again this one was very crisp, light and dry, but by this point I can’t truthfully say if I liked it more than the Vintage. To be sure I had two glasses. Quail in a glazed red wine reduction complimented this pour very nicely and I only wish there had been a larger piece of this tasty bird.

A small raspberry/champagne desert rounded-out the evening, a top-up for a final glass and one guest treated us to two acapella songs songs which she belted out like a pro. Oh hang on, she is a professional singer (must be that champagne clouding my memory).

D’Sens is a very nice room worthy of a visit with someone special to gaze at the sprawling city, soak in the relaxed cool vibe and of course tap a bottle of bubbly and snack on tasty French treats. Thanks to Trudy and the Dusit’s team for a very nice evening.

was tasty

Really??

Few things during a trip to Thailand cause as much apprehension, excitement and uncertainty as a visit to the toilet. What’s it going to look like? Will it be dirty? Will I be able to use it? Just what’s behind that door anyway?

There’s definitely no substitute for one’s personal ‘throne,’ and most of us acknowledge this. Who gets excited or is even willing to use a public toilet when one is at home, let alone in a foreign country and traveling well off the beaten path? This is one daily activity that ideally requires the utmost cleanliness, familiarity, and personal space. But, as travelers we forgo this luxury in exchange for the exotic and interesting: an opportunity to see life on the other side of the door.

Read the entire blog here: http://www.smilingalbino.com/planetasiatravelchannel/2012/02/how-to-use-a-thai-toilet/

Read, set, action!!

I first went to U Smile about two-and-a-half years ago with my girlfriend Erika. Despite dating on and off for about four years at that time we had very few photos together. I had seen U Smile in The Mall Bangkapi during some visits there but had never gone in. I popped-in to see what the story was and was knocked out. Starting at 399B ($13US) you can have a private photo session with a variety of fun backdrops. You get a set number of prints of various sizes, can upgrade your package, buy more photos, use them to make coffee mugs, calendars, key chains, etc. Our photo session together in October 2009 was a lot of fun and the shots turned out great.

My parents are currently here in Thailand, I had been wanting to get a nice family shot and some again with Erika. Time for another visit to U Smile! My parents were a bit apprehensive and shy at first, took their shoes off slowly, snuck into the studio and were pretty rigid for the first few shots. Things quickly changed as you’re in such a ridiculous environment, being shot and directed by a photographer who barely speaks English, being asked to hold teddy bears and the words “new action!” regularly being exclaimed by the shooter. Twenty-five minutes later the 40 shots were finished, we were laughing, smiling and had the time of our lives.

Good family fun

So on to the shots. Cheesy – yes! Strange – yes! Some winners – absolutely. It’s amazing after such a short time, having so many laughs, that you can end up with not just one or two good shots but at least a dozen great ones. We bought a ton more pictures: small, large and had them put on a CD too. The final bill for about 25 pictures of various sizes and the studio time? – 889B ($29US). While getting photos is the main goal, the U Smile Experience brings people closer together and is a very fun outing in itself.

Next time you’re in need of some good pictures, head to U Smile Photo in The Mall Bangkapi. It’s located on the 2nd floor, behind the waterfall (02-734-0291). There’s another U Smile in downtown Bangkok but it’s not affiliated (this is Thailand!).

Have a blast!

Here are a few more shots to enjoy:

Sharon & Don having fun

Mom deserves a kiss

A quick visit to Europe

Scott & Erika

It's all good!!

Hokule'a sailing with Honolulu in background

On March 16, 1978 more than 10,000 people were at Magic Island, Oahu to see the crew of the Hokule’a set-off on their epic self-navigated journey to Tahiti. What should have been a joyous journey quickly turned into disaster. This could likely have been averted had an unnecessary risk not been taken, which then cascaded into a series of other risks. One day later the boat was capsized and one of its crew, Hawaiian surfer and North Shore legend Eddie Aikau was missing.

Extrapolating from one of Week 3’s themes – Risk, I drew some parallels from a book I just finished reading, “Eddie Would Go” by Stuart Holmes Coleman.

The Hokule’a’s mission of navigating by stars in a traditional Polynesian boat was conceived and managed by the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS). While their goal was lofty, they’d spent a good deal of time training and selecting a diverse crew, ensuring their sky navigator was up to the task and were more or less ready to go. On the day of departure weather conditions were less than ideal. High seas and offshore gales led many crew members including Captain David Lyman to suggest a delay of departure until weather improved. With a mass of media and politicians present, PVS President Mike Tongg and his board didn’t want to suffer a PR embarrassment and insisted departure continue as planned. This unnecessary risk set into motion a series of risks that would ultimately lead to Eddie’s death.

That evening, weathering 15-foot seas the Hokule’a’s hull filled with water. Prior to departure the Captain had asked that rubber gaskets to seal the hatches be installed but the modification had been refused by the PVS. With large waves breaching the hulls, the hatches leaked and no amount of bailing could prevent the boat from flipping. The craft overturned so quickly the crew was unable to locate and salvage the Gibson Girl radio and the Emergency Radio Beacon, greatly reducing their chance of rescue. They spent an arduous night hanging on to the boat, fighting terrible weather and praying for a rescue which didn’t come.

Eddie Aikau memorial at Waimea Bay, Oahu

Eddie was a strong character with a lifetime of experience in the water and respected as one of Hawaii’s greatest surfers and all-around water god. Despite there being a cardinal boating rule of not leaving your vessel until it totally sinks Eddie suggested to the Captain on the first evening that he paddle his long board to the nearest island Lana’i for help. He was denied.

The next morning with some crew members desperately sea sick and the Hokule’a drifting out of traditional shipping lanes, Eddie again asked the Captain to let him paddle the now 20 miles to Lana’i. Eddie being such a strong character and rescue looking unlikely Captain Lyman violated sailing protocol and gave Eddie the “okay” to go for help.

At 10:30am on March 17 Eddie paddled-off and was never seen again. To this day Captain Lyman struggles with his decision and one wonders had the Hokule’a not left port in poor weather on the 16th, if Eddie would still be alive? Cascading risk had taken its toll.

Eddie Aikau aboard Hokule’a

Shortly after arriving in Honolulu to attend the Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) I decided I would only read books about Hawaii while here. One that was recommended by an alumnus and surf fanatic was Eddie Would Go, by Stuart Holmes Coleman. I’m glad I read it in my first month as it influenced my impressions of Oahu and added a lot of depth to guest lecturers we met later in the course, namely Stuart and Nainoa Thompson.

The book chronicles the life and untimely death of Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard extraordinaire Eddie Aikau. It was not only a thoroughly entertaining and moving book about a legendary Hawaiian but also did an amazing job of introducing the island of Oahu back in the 1950s up until Eddie’s death in 1978. Without giving away too much about the book (it’s well worth a purchase), Eddie met his fate while crewing aboard the Hokule’a, a double-hulled Polynesian voyaging canoe, on its second journey from Hawaii to Tahiti using only the sky and traditional navigating techniques.

On May 16, 1978 the Hokule’a set sail in poor weather, soon thereafter water filled her hulls off the island of Molokai, she overturned and after a terrible night bobbing in high seas Eddie was granted permission by the ship’s captain to paddle on his surfboard to the island of Lanai for help. That was May 17, the last day Eddie was seen. It was a monumental loss for Hawaiians and watermen worldwide.

Nainoa Thompson was the navigator on that journey and is mentioned several times in Eddie Would Go, where I first heard of him. When reading about Eddie’s disappearance, trying to save his fellow sailors, I often thought about the weight his death must have had upon Thompson, who rather than let the Hokule’a’s mission die (many wanted it to be put in a museum after the disaster), took some time to gain perspective from the incident and eventually returned stronger than ever.

Thompson is currently President of the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) and has been the driving force behind their voyages over the last 36 years. Not only has the Hokule’a sailed the equivalent of six trips around the world, but Thompson has taken a dream of proving that Tahitians did indeed sail to Hawaii more than a thousand years ago and grown it into a mission that now educates students, trains navigators and inspires people around the world. I was delighted to learn we’d be visiting the PVS on November 30 as part of our studies, meet Nainoa, then sail with him in the evening, learning a little bit about navigating using the stars.

Our cohort of 40 sat on chairs in a large circle in one of the PVS’s classrooms and Nainoa was two seats from me. Small in physical size, I was mesmerized at his quiet demeanor and Yoda-like answers to our questions. We had roughly an hour to converse and his answers were vast, multi-sided and totally inspiring. He spent about five minutes answering most questions, covering an incredible variety of angles and delving so deep at times I forgot what the original question was, but everything and every word he uttered was mesmerizing. He’s truly a legend and one of the most inspiring characters I’ve ever met.

APLP cohort preparing to sail

A number of things stood out from our conversation, mostly about leadership which is a major focus of our course. Sections during our studies have been called Manifest, Charting, Navigating, and so forth, sailing being a major theme of the APLP and Thompson imparted some wisdom I’ll never forget:

Learning, Planning, Training, Practice are the ingredients to a successful voyage.
Being an entrepreneur and running Smiling Albino over the last 12 years I drew a lot of inspiration from this. Not only is it necessary for a successful voyage but for any sizable, meaningful project to achieve success. Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of this simple fact and when you fail it’s likely you haven’t done the aforementioned properly.

The Doldrums provide fear and inspiration.
Thompson loves the doldrums, the windless, tough-to-navigate, cloudy area around the equator most sailors fear. He loves it because this is where fear and uncertainty live. In order to achieve great success you must get to the point of fear, be at its door and have the courage to open it and move forward. The doldrums provide this opportunity.

One must plan/earn the voyage.
While there were many minutes of explanation behind this statement it’s incredibly true and applies to almost any big undertaking. An idea is just an idea, a plan is just a plan, but all elements and people must come together and plan together to achieve success.

There are no fights on our voyages (most are about 30+ days) as everyone trains so hard and fully understands the voyage is much bigger than them.
To get a team all on the same page for a small project is no small feat. To do so for a multi-day voyage across the world where lives are at stake and one misstep can spell disaster is incredible. Any team or company to be successful must truly understand this point and believe it wholeheartedly.

Thompson: You must be able to ‘see’ Tahiti to get there.
He told us how Eddie would say he was going to “Pull Tahiti from the water,” literally envisioning their arrival, propelling the crew to their destination, believing in their mission and being able to see the goal. Too many times we embark upon projects and missions where we don’t really believe we’ll achieve success. If you can’t see it, you won’t succeed.

One of the most profound messages Thompson shared was of practice. We all know that to become proficient at something it stands to reason one must practice – lots. While we practice to learn a language, how to play an instrument or get good at a sport, often with work or projects we somehow don’t put the same time, energy and practice in. During the time of Eddie’s Hokule’a voyage the crew would do a couple practice sails before heading out. Crews since then, log about 5,000km around Oahu and the Hawaiian islands before heading out for the real journey. The message: there’s no substitute for practice and preparation. This is likely one of the main reasons crews have had so much success since that infamous 1978 journey.

Nainoa (blue jacket) telling us about navigation

Our evening with Nainoa will stand out as a highlight of my time in the APLP and one moment in particular still has me buzzing. He looked at all 40 of us sitting in our circle and talked about the importance of Eddie’s death. At that time Hawaiians were expected to fail and things Hawaiian were perceived as flawed. His death proved it. Hawaiian culture and values were at the beginning of a renaissance and his death could have spelled the end of popular Hawaiian culture. Instead the PVS pushed forward, made much good from a terrible incident, and Eddie’s death has in many ways not only kept the PVS mission alive but elevated Hawaiian culture and inspired thousands not only in Hawaii but around the world.

Thank you Nainoa Thompson for your time, inspiration, teachings and making my Hawaiian experience that much richer.

The Hokule’a is currently in dry dock undergoing a complete restoration, preparing it for a 2013 Worldwide Voyage and another 36 years on the high seas.

In Honolulu near the sea

December 1 hit with a bang, reminding me that it was one year ago already I had my application material submitted to try and take part in the Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) here at the East West Center. At that time I couldn’t conceive taking a leave of absence from Smiling Albino, a travel company I co-founded and have been fully involved in since moving to Thailand in 1999, or being in Hawaii.

Well, I got accepted, my business partner and Board graciously supported my studies and now it’s a year later and almost time to head back to Thailand and my regular life running one of the world’s great travel companies. Where has and does the time go!!?? I remember my mother telling me when I was about 15-years-old, not to wish my life away and that time will go faster with age. I had no idea what she was talking about but I got it a few years ago. Time really does pass far too quickly, not only is my APLP experience almost over but I’m creeping up on 40 and realize that I truly must make every day and moment count.

Part of making the most of the APLP experience for me is reviewing what we’ve covered over the last 16 weeks. It’s tough to verbally list what we’ve done as each week has been so different from the last and we’ve touched on a huge range of topics, but I’ve started the process. There’s a long way to go but I hope to complete it in the next few weeks. I’m seeing this experience as not just something to work on while here but review the material over the coming months and think of the concepts touched-on when back at my job and home in Thailand. I want to make sure I don’t let some of the ideas fade into the background and keep items that resonated with me for a long time.

While reviewing the first two weeks in the program there are a couple interesting bits which I’ll share. Here are the Learning Outcomes of the APLP as listed by the facilitators of the program:

Upon successful completion of the APLP, G11 fellows will be able to:

• Compare and contrast various leadership styles and approaches
• Define and apply leadership skills and competencies
• Assess personal leadership style, including strengths and weaknesses
• Identify personal, work, and lifestyle values, and explain how they influence decision making
• Envision and plan preferred futures
• Articulate the advantages and challenges of diversity, and demonstrate ways to lead diverse groups
• Work collaboratively and build effective teams
• Demonstrate ways to enhance group performance through attention to process, consensus decision making, and articulation of purpose and desired outcomes
• Identify common leadership challenges, and articulate ways to overcome adversity and build resilience
• Navigate change

At the East West Center

Another interesting bit I came upon  is a document that outlines Leadership Principals. I talked with one of my professors about it today and he suggested a good exercise is to list my own points on what leadership is. Here are their’s:

• Leadership makes a difference
• Leadership encompasses all aspects of life, from personal to professional
• Leadership can be learned and should be taught
• All human beings, regardless of background, have leadership potential
• Leadership is a choice
• You lead out of who you are
• Excellent leaders are excellent learners
• Leadership is contextual and culturally nuanced
• Leadership is situational. Different leaders should emerge based on situational needs
• Leadership takes many forms. There is no best style of leadership.
• Leadership is a relational process
• Leadership is conferred not claimed. Leadership is more than a title or position of authority
• Leadership is about influence no control
• Leadership involves mobilizing people
• Progress (positive change) lies at the heart of leadership
• Leadership is never mastered. New learning is always required
• To lead others you must first learn to lead yourself

After reading this list it seems like a tall order to fill and quite a person to aspire to be. I hope I can retain much of what I’ve learned here at the East West Center but one thing’s for sure, I’m a much better person for having come.

Glowing crater in the park

has been on fast forward. How did it suddenly get to be December 1? I’m left with just three weeks before returning to Thailand on December 20th and soon thereafter back to work at Smiling Albino in early January. I guess time has gone fast as I’ve been up to a lot of things, learning, exploring and loving life and the weather in Oahu. It’s been a few weeks since my last post and I’ll make an effort in the coming weeks to post a bit of final impressions of Hawaii, the program I’ve been partaking in and a summary of what I’ve learned. Until then a quick update on one of the coolest places I’ve been.

My girlfriend Erika came from Bangkok for a visit on November 19. After three-and-a-half months apart it was great to see her and we spent 10 days exploring Oahu and also went to Hawaii’s Big Island for five days. We rented a car and spent two nights at Volcano National Park. The terrain here was incredible. While the big draw for most people is to see lava flowing, it wasn’t flowing while we were there but it was still an incredible experience.

Multiple volcanoes have blown here over the years and there’s almost always been some sort of activity. We did get to see a crater glowing at night which was incredible. We were about 500m away and the glow was really bright. Amazing how Mother Nature does such things. We spent a couple days driving around the park, up to 2,000m for a view down on the active crater, down to where lava meets the sea and did a couple short hikes on the hardened lava. Our stay was complimented with two nights at the very comfy and romantic Volcano Rainforest Retreat – a must for couples visiting.

Here are a few photos from our trip and you can view the full gallery on Facebook.

Aloha!

Along a road in the park

Driving along the Chain of Craters Road

On a recent flow near the sea

Hardened lava along the coast

At the edge of a still-steaming crater that blew in the 1970s

Erika & Scott at one of the park's many craters

The 2011-12 APLP cohort

Aloha Friends – if you’re feeling in need of a life reassessment, expanding your horizons, and/or growing, consider applying for the 2012-13 intake of the Asia Pacific Leadership Program, at the East West Center which I’m currently enjoying here in Honolulu, HI. It’s been a very rewarding three-and-a-half months so far and I’m happy to have come and taken part. The deadline for application for the 2012-13 intake is December 1 so now’s the time to get filing documents and learning more if you’re potentially interested.

It’s very hard to believe it was one year ago now that I decided to apply, not really thinking I would be here now. Has it been a while since you enacted serious change in your life? Been out of your comfort zone for an extended period of time lately? Do you like getting up everyday?

Click the link and have a read.

Mahalo

With the west’s global dominance and eventual decline seemingly inevitable, it’s interesting to ponder how western nations will deal with the economic playing field being leveled? While countries like China and India have economies that are growing like wildfire, western nations’ continuing financial decline is helping to speed up this process.

In November 2009, Hans Rosling, presenting at TEDIndia, traced the global economic growth of India and China since 1858 and predicted that those economies will be equal to the United States in 2048. The presentation is not only entertaining and funny, but rather plausible. It really was only a few hundred years ago that all three economies were very close with one another. It’s never easy to part with what you’re used to and swallow the hard pill that you’re not always going to be top of the heap.

Even President Obama stated in a September 29, 2011 interview with a television station in Florida that America isn’t looking nearly as good as it once did. “The way I think about it is, you know, this is a great, great country that had gotten a little soft and, you know, we didn’t have that same competitive edge that we needed over the last couple of decades. We need to get back on track.” Will the US get back on track or have the tracks already been re-routed?

While China, India and Asia all rely on America continuing to succeed and be a strong economic force in the world, there seems to be little sympathy about their current decline. A November 4, 2010, Economist article, At America’s Expense, does a pretty good job summing-up why that may be. “Another historic burden Mr. Obama carries in Asia is the arrogance of American officials during the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98. That caused resentment, helped burnish China’s image and inspired some scarcely concealed glee at America’s comeuppance a decade later.”

So, the question remains, how will the west deal with and face their inevitable decline and leveling of the economic playing field? It certainly will help if they come to grips with the fact they’ve had it too good for too long and Asian nations’ attitude will no doubt play a role in maintaining face, which just may become something more important to the west to nurture and preserve.

During our Discussion Group last week about Risk, it was interesting to see where global population growth will mostly come from over the next 39 years – developing countries (see graph below, taken from the Understanding Risk reading, Page 20).

The stress this growth will put on the planet, its creatures, environments and our ability to produce and distribute adequate food and water for these people will no doubt be one of humanity’s greatest challenges.

Populations in developed countries between now and 2050 pretty much stays steady. These countries have much more advanced and accessible education systems whose students typically go on to have few children, typically about two per couple according to most global studies. It’s logical to then suggest that education is the most effective tool to lowering high birth rates in developing countries and reducing global population problems.

While many organizations, governments and NGOs spend millions of dollars each year on food, water management, environmental and other programs in developing countries, these bodies should focus all their energies on educating the struggling masses far and wide. Educate them at basic and universally deserved levels: primary and secondary. As they learn math, language, social studies and basic sciences, it will empower them to think about other issues, grapple with them and contextualize larger issues such as population growth and the stress it puts on the planet and more importantly their communities.

Population growth and the basic stress its growth places on the planet and everyone’s accessibility to food and water is paramount to our survival as a species. Radically redefining how all Earth’s citizens understand this issue is our duty and the most effective tool to do so is by providing basic education to all as quickly as possible. Our future literally depends on it.