reply to comments about the tree issue.

Alientyc said...

i am just as sad as well whenever I see this happen. Trees were cut down in many areas too due to the new mrt circle line. you are brave to sit there but don't endanger yourself. 
solutions to the problem? public education and awareness.

@iPad

Alientyc:

What I am doing is not endangering directly on my life. It endangers my job because i am in this industry. The contractor on site will hate me, town management will list me under...

My industry is small. Everyone can be my customer. What I am doing clearly affected my name in this business. I may lose my job but I want to do some change in Singapore. I am sorry for those that are in this industry that I had put so much trouble in.

What I am doing now has affected everyone’s relationship in the industry.

I am not looking into the technical part on why that 2 trees at my estate has been crown reduced. I am looking at the 3 main points I mentioned on the posting below, especially point number #3.

I noticed that when I talk to fellow industry people about this matter, they discuss to me about very technical things. Some agree and some may have extra ideas on it. Tree maintenance is a balance between science and art. Some may find that doing it this way is good and the others on their way. Both methods served the same IMMEDIATE solutions.

See: http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/pruning_mature.aspx

But it may not be correct because those trees at this website origin are not the same as in Singapore.

Many of our industry players do not see the big picture. Their big picture is limited to their business and earnings.

That’s why I am sad.

Trees don’t tell lie, only human do.

Trees will need to make way for human’s better standard of living, example: introduction of building structures.

When it comes with comparison on a human life and a tree, of course… we do not need to mention... you know the answer.

Here is a picture I took during my round the world trip. It’s extracted from a book and I found it meaningful. Bottom of my heart, I would like to share it with all of you.

wait, it's not finished. just after i posted this, i went to the same coffee shop to have my lunch, i notice that the owner of the coffeeshop has a few large potted plants standing on the grass. 2 pots of bamboo and 2 pots of Juniperus.

The bamboo stands about more than 5 meters tall. top of the bamboo is always shaking because of the minor breeze. i ask myself: there isn't much wind right now. what if there are sudden wind speed approach, as described by those 'expert' that broke the trees? why didn't the coffeeshop owner cut the bamboo down, do the same 'crown reduction' as the trees i mentioned? then the wind will not topple these potted plants. then i move on and take a closer look:

He is a genius!

They are cutting all the trees at orchard road.

Police came, i gave them my IC. I had a lecture from them.

I am disappointed with the truth. They are doing the right thing but I’m just disappointed. Really? Please read on.

In this year, there are a lot of fallen trees in Singapore. Largely due to the change in weather condition. Heavy wind and flash food contributed a lot to it. The trees by the roadside has grown for so many years and is suiting itself to the usual wind speed and water supply. Suddenly, when a stronger wind attack the tree, the branches fail, fall and hit human or property. So, many property management is concerning about this problem and it concerns safety of human life. So these property management is issuing orders to prune down all the branches to make safe, just in case any strong wind attack, there will not be human casualty, property damage or any ‘case’ to attend.

As an ISA (http://www.isa-arbor.com/) certified Arborist, I do understand more about trees and it’s defect. The trees were being pruned down and were left with 20% of leaves, as compared to 1 hour ago.

Their reason of pruning:

They want to make safe.

So what will happened leaving 20% of the leaves? I do not bother to explain much here. In years to come, the management will need to remove the tree. So why spend money to prune the trees now?

‘but if we remove the big trees and plant the small trees, we will recive a lot of complaint from the public;

So, what is the reason of planting small trees? It is to hope that one day these small trees will grow bigger and provide shade, provide oxygen, take in carbon dioxide and help to green the earth. So when these trees are big, the management will ask contractors to prune or to remove because it is not safe! Then the cycle continues…

Why not think of a long term solution? Management is spending money on contractors to do unnecessary jobs because most management do not know what trees are. When they give money to the contractors, the contractors will do the job because the contractors are given reward ($$$)!

The contractors know that by reducing 80% of that tree foliage is not a long term plan for the property owner/management.

The contractors know that by taking 80% of that tree foliage has reward to feed the company expenses.

Sam and I were having breakfast at my neighborhood coffeeshop and saw some contractors pruning these 2 healthy trees. I approached the supervisor of the team and asked why they want to prune these 2 trees. His answer was the standard answer from EVERY contractors, plus, he fold his arms and look at the sky when he talk to me (as a member of public).

He added: if you have any enquiries, please call the town council directly.

I went to look for the town council contact number, called and wanted to talk directly to the horticulture officer on why is he pruning down these 2 healthy trees. The officer was not around. The receptionist took down my contact and they also want to know my full address when I just call to question. Are they doing any record on me?

I told the receptionist if there is anyway to stop the contractors right now? Because they are removing life. The receptionist just said she will let me know as soon as possible.

Pruning tree is not like removing any structure or fixture. Once it is pruned, it cannot be replaced or fixed back. Money cannot buy back the same health of the tree again. Their action must be stopped immediately.

It is like seeing someone being attacked, beaten up and you know that the victim has to be saved and the attacker has to be stopped immediately, and you call the police and the phone operator at the police station says: sorry, the police in-charge is not around, when he is back I will ask him to give you a call.

Then who is going to stop this crime?

Well, I am not saying that it is a crime to cut away 80% of the foliage of these 2 healthy trees. So I took a chair, went into the ‘keep-out’ area and sit under the tree so that the workers can stop cutting the tree.

Te supervisor came to me, shouted at me and used some 4 letters behind my back to ask me to get out of his work area because of safety issue. I ignored him because my intention was just to stop them from cutting more on these 2 healthy trees. He really got angry and he called the police. I sat down there but the workers were still working on the tree but they threw the pruned branches to the other side so that the branches will not hit me. I know that I am causing inconvenience for them to make money.

The police came. Ask me to stepped outside of the area because of safety issue. I gave them my Identity Card. They are coming to help me because of my safety. I tried to explained to them why am I doing this but their understanding towards trees are minimal. The police also give me a Q&A, trying to enlighten me in his way. He mentioned something like: if your hair is long, do you think you need to cut? when i tried to argue this theory against tree pruning, he interrupted me by saying: JUST ANSWER YES OR NO. They just know that their job was fulfilled, they know that they have attended the complained call and they have done their duty. I told them about trees and their understanding about it is limited. I just have to obey the law enforcer. The team of police left after having a talk with that angry supervisor that made the call and I heard them laughing together before they left.

The conclusion of the whole settlement is that I want to meet the person that made the decision to prune down these 2 healthy trees and yet stop whoever that is doing the pruning job on these 2 trees.

The manager of the contractor company came. He is also in his anger when he talked to me because he feel that I am giving him trouble for unnecessary things. The manager also gave me the standard answer, just like what everyone did.

Then the person that I wanted to see came down. He is from the town council. He’s knowledge of trees is good and he knows a lot of science to it. That is the correct person that I want to talk to BUT what I want to hear is not about the science about pruning the trees. I want to know:

WHY ARE THEY PRUNING MORE THAN 80% OF THE FOLIAGE ON THESE 2 HEALTHY TREES.

I did not spot any dead branches, defective branches or defective attachments from what they had removed. It is all healthy branches.

es.

Healthy branches were removed.

Size of healthy limb/branch as big as this was being removed. i didn't see anything wrong with it and yet, they remove it. it took years and effort to grow the tree.

The town council arborist told me it is because of safety issue. (Same like everyone’s answer).

Strong wind will blow and these smaller branches will break and hit this and that.

So I asked him, is there someone in your organization that can determine which particular tree to be pruned and how much to prune?

He said yes, they have their own team of arborist to do assessment.

Arborist that is doing trees assessments are very conservative. They are like doctors. Doctors will not guarantee patient of 100% recovery on any treatment. So that is what I meant by conservative.

So, these arborist, to safe keep their job, they will suggest to prune all the trees. In this case, these arborist are saved. But in some cases, these people will feel that some trees are ok not to prune BUT their superior, being the director of the organization, not trained in trees but trained in decision making and responsibility handling, will tell them off to prune off all, just in case…..

he is applying an ancient evil Chinese general quote:

Better to kill by mistake rather than to let one escape

So now you see the big picture?

Why do they do it? I give you a summary:

Tree workers: they are paid by the company.

Tree contractor company: they are paid by the Town management to do it.

Law enforcer: no comments and I do not want to comment.

Town Management: They have to safe keep their job in case public accident happen and they can show that they have done their job.

Then what is my point of all these troubles? My point is that everyone just want to keep their own job alive, able to get reward and use the reward feel good about themselves, forgetting about what is right and what not, forgetting about moral values.

I am not saying that pruning 80% of that 2 healthy trees is forgetting about moral value.

I love trees. I do understand some trees do create safety issue but they need to be assessed by professional with good moral and ethic values. These assessors must be balance between safety, ecology control, ethics and monies reward. Look at the trees at orchard road.

If the property owner wants to plant a tree to give shade, then I think it is not correct because by looking at the cases at my neighborhood, they had prune down the trees because they only love the wood. Really? If they want to have shade for the public, they can do something else like building structural canopy.

But if they want to plant a tree because of ecology issue like making the city looks greener or giving more carbon dioxide with oxygen exchange, then they should really think about how to sustain all these trees! Just look at Orchard road.

Imagine they are doing the same thing at orchard road, the management will sure get a lot of complaint from the top people and got their job unsecured.

So you see? Why are the trees different in orchard road and the trees different in my neighborhood? They have the same size and species of trees but they are being treated differently. WHY?

Orchard Road.

Orchard Road.

My neighborhood road.

Orchard Road

My neighborhood road.

Orchard Road tree.

My neighborhood tree.

Does some road has higher budget for trees assessment?

Maybe people in orchard road is worth more than my neighborhood.

So from the above pictures, we can see that size is not an issue, it's how the council manage the trees! The trees at orchard road are much bigger than my neighborhood but yet, they could maintain it at a proper level and at the same time, provide shade, control the amount of birds. but look at my neighborhood. now the birds are homeless.

Imagine the management is going to prune the trees in orchard road, same 'hairstyle' like my neighborhood tree.

What we need to solve this issue is not to prune away or remove everything when decision makers are unclear of which tree is really safe/unsafe to keep. .

1) We need to strengthen the trees to defense against external destructive factor instead of removing/prune down the trees in case of external destructive factor.

2) The public must be educated about the benefit of trees in our life.

3) Make transparency: Why is the decision made on action done on such act. It should start from policy makers, to town management, to what factor made them to prune down a tree, to their future plans they have for the town, to expenditure and investment. I didn't know our town council invested in funds until the Layman Brothers fell in 2008. by making transparency, the public are more aware of what is happening and feel being part of the council.

There was a time when the government advertise on TV on how to throw rubbish. They showed household rubbish were thrown into a plastic bag (from supermarket) that was easily installed in our household bin. when the rubbish bag is full, the actor took it out, tied it and throw it down the bin. then below, the big bin collector will be more easier to clear the big bin. so what happened after this? when we go to supermarket, we will request for more plastic bags because we were 'educated' this way. The TV/poster informed us that we have to put our rubbish in these rubbish bag. So, what happen when we need more and more plastic bags from supermarket? you know it better...

So, do we need to tear down all the high rise building in Singapore because there might be earthquake next year or wait for the first earthquake to happen then we settle it?

The western way of solving problem is direct and fast but do not solve the root of the problem. Is our environment forcing us to adopt the western way of solving problem?

example: a guy always have headache and he took panadol (a brand of pain killer). It really works for the first stage of the headache, it's fast, cheap and effective! but during later stage, he found that eating 2 panadols a day do not help the headache, he increase to 4, then 8. When 8 panadols does not solve the problem, he went to see a better doctor, then the doctor prescribe a stronger type of pain killer. In the end, his mum changed a sleeping pillow for for to sleep and the pain is gone but ended up, he got liver problem because overdosage of painkillers.

If you are a property owner reading this,

If you are a council leader reading this,

If you are a tree contractor / arborist reading this,

If you are the policy maker reading this,

Please help to think of a big picture on how we, Singapore, can go towards a better Singapore.

We can built a better home, we can built a better earth.

WRONG!

So what if we can built a better home where the earth cannot be rebuilt as it is already depreciating.

When i took this picture, they had already started the pruning and removed 20% of the foliage.

This is what is left after they prune. A piece of wood and some leaves.

After they left, Sam and i took a walk around all the trees that they have pruned. Its sad. They pruned down 80% on some and crown lifted some. They worked on all the trees except this one that is in the planter box. 100% untouched. this tree is also quite hugh and it is near the playground where the target rating is much higher than the rest. I heard a passer by giving remark that they did not prune this tree because they are not paid to do so as it belongs to another management. i do not know how true it is.

Please give me some comments.

Secret Society Leader turns into friendly helper.

View from Indonesia, how we came home? in a larger map

This is the biggest gamble in our trip. Even we seeked advise from Ulrich, the local travel overland expert, he do not have much information about getting in or out of Indonesia via Dumai. We do read on some previous posting on a forum that it is not advisable to ship bike from Malaysia to Dumai of Indonesia but right now we are doing the opposite way. So we would want to try Dumai. Maybe we can get a system on how the shipping works? Then we can let our Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand friends know and we can ride into Indonesia together!
Most bikers use Medan – Peneng for shipping. Both are major cities and logistic are made easier.
We are in Bukittinggi, 12 July 2010. Our aim is to reach Malacca before Crystal birthday on 20 July. Crystal is one of Samantha’s best friend. 2 of Samantha’s other best friend will be at Malacca for Crystal’s birthday. We want to make this a joyous day and event, marking Crystal being the first of our friends to be ‘seen’ by us.
To meet this target, we have 2 choices.
1) the faster way is to go by Dumai but there we will miss Lake Toba, road to Dumai is bad from what we heard, shipping is not reliable and Dumai is a cow boy town.
2) the safer way is to go north to Medan where many bike travelers has used this port for shipping their bike to Malaysia but it is about 650km and it will take us 3-4 days to reach Medan before we can start the shipping procedures. We may be late for Samantha’s friend gathering date.
I decided to take route #1. we need to go Dumai. It will take us 418km and 2 days journey. In between these 2 town, we would stop at Pekan Baru as we heard there are possible shipping from there, which, nobody wants to entertain us.
14 July 2010: we reached Dumai. We tried to ask around for a ferry that is able to get both of us with the bike on one boat across to Malacca but the only ferry service told us that we have to seek approval from the Port Master of the harbor on putting the bike on the fast ferry. We tried to get the best info on how to find the Port Master. One kind soul sincerely took us to look for the correct person. He is actually late in fetching his 6 years old daughter to school.
As usual, Samantha will be with the bike looking after everything we have and I will go into the office to do the business.
A guy named Mazuki came over. He tried to fulfill our wish but he need to confirm with us tomorrow. No promise. We have to come back again tomorrow.
15 July 2010: we got out of the flimsy HOTEL with a Malaysian tourist pestering us to lend him $200 because he do not have money to go home with his wife as his parents are supposed to transfer a large sum of money to his bank. We went to the harbor office to wait for the Port Master. Waited… from 830am to 11am, we finally saw Mazuki and he introduce us to a Port Master. He has big moustache above his lips. He never smiled. He had lots of badges on his uniform. He lighted his cigarette and blew his smoke onto the air. He did not have eye contact with me. Mazuki translated my English to him on what I wanted. Port Master blew more smoke onto the air, gave me a look that I am disturbing his time and he took up his mobile phone to call someone. His actions were very slow, like a secret society leader drinking tea with another leader. Then he told Mazuki that my request cost 2.2 million rupiah. Passanger cannot go with the bike as the cargo boat cannot take in private passangers.
** to buy off passanger ferry ticket, it cost about 0.5 million rupiah for both of us.**
Then I counter offer him 3 million rupiah inclusive of everything! The bike and 2 passengers together for 3 million rupiah! The port master suddenly put down his both legs on the ground, sat straight, threw away his cigarette to the floor, heads leaning forward to me, eyes enlarged by 50% and trying to reached out his ears:
3 million rupiah for everything? He questioned.
I stressed that it’s for bike and 2 passengers together. I am giving him 0.3 million rupiah extra.
Port master suddenly had a big smile on his face, made a few phone calls and ask me to follow his private car to the port. Surprisingly it was lunchtime now and he would still want to ‘work’.
Port master bought us to the port. Loaded Hope Too onto a big net and hoisted it into a cargo boat.

I asked:
What about us?
He said we have to take passanger boat.
But you just said 3 million including us with the bike?!
He misunderstood… we have to take another boat separately with the bike.
We asked for shipping documents. He said no need, just go to Malaysia side and look for ‘orrr kit’.
Orkit? Any address or telephone number for orkit?
He took out a crumbled paper and showed us : orchid shipping agency with address and contact number.
So now… we are at risk. We paid him 3 million rupiah, we leave Indonesia and he could retain the bike in Indonesia for sale or even ship to other countries. We do not have any proof.

In the port master's vehicle!

In the end, we took his private vehicle, went to the passenger ferry terminal and took a ferry to Port Klang, Malaysia, leaving Hope Too with the cargo boat in Indonesia.

I have to carry so all these panniers and bags. the bag on the extreme left is not mine.

16 July 2010, the bike is supposed to arrived in Malaysia. We called that Orchid Shipping contact number given to us… it was not Orchid Shipping. It was not a correct number.
Oh no…

Friendly port master (right) and the shipping agent (left)

free sex in singapore?

I am a person that is hard to say no. Finally, I had successfully not give in to 2 organization to help them to ‘make money’ or ‘do free promotions’ or replace their time when they are not able to work for FREE!
during the last seminar at suntec, a lecturer from a local university named Cheehong, spoke to me.
Cheehong: hello Goh, I was very inspired the talk you gave just now. I am from Singapore XXX University. I am from world tourism & tourism class. My students would love to hear your stories and I believe that u can inspire them.
Goh: oh sure! I am always very keen to share my experience with people, especially students.
Cheehong: blar blar blah blah blah……….(talk).
Goh: yes yes yes. Sent me an email on the matter.
After a few days, I received:

Sent: Sunday, 24 October 2010 15:46:00
Subject: Guest Speaker Invitation - World Travel & Tourism Class

Dear Mr Goh
It was a great pleasure to meet you in person at WIT and to hear you speak again. As mentioned I would be honored if we could invite you in to share your journey and thoughts with our students at XXX University. I really feel they will learn so much from you! My suggestion would be for Saturday Oct 30 or Nov 6 at 200pm - 315pm. They are usually quite forthcoming with questions so leaving about 30 mins for Q&A would be good. Please let me know if this would fit your schedule.
Thank you in advance and look forward to hear from you.
With kindest regards,
Cheehong


Then my reply:
On Oct 25, 2010, at 4:47 PM, goh mia chun wrote:
hi Cheehong,
it was nice meeting u at the WIT.
for the session, will it be only a one time off session
or
a continuity of a few session for the same students
or
a few similar sessions for different group of students/staff in XXX university?
How keen are your current student 'wanting' to hear about me? what is the rational of me talking to them? what do u want them to achieve after my session?
sorry cheehong, quite alot of questions back for u. i think 6 november would be an easier date for me but yet to confirm.
cheers!
goh
http://singaporedream-rtw.blogspot.com



On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 9:57 AM, cheehong‬ wrote:
Hello Mr Goh
Thanks for your email. I am thinking of a one time session to the student in my class this term.
I mentioned to the class I was hoping to invite you in to speak and they immediately gasped with excitement which prompted me to invite you in for this term, instead of waiting till next!
I am personally very inspired by your journey and even more so by what insights you picked up from the travelling. I would like the class to learn to appreciate what they have, and to learn to "give" than just to "take" to others.
If you like the idea, I am happy to work with you to fine tune the format and topic contents so that you will be most comfortable with and the class will also find most captivating.
Nov 6 would be great if that suits you. Thank you very much for your consideration.
Best regards,
cheehong


On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 2:50 PM, goh mia chun wrote:

Hi Cheehong,
i hope u understand that i have 2 business to start up and run. i am giving up my projects operation on that day.
goh


Sent: Friday, 29 October 2010 11:21:32
Subject: Re: Guest Speaker Invitation - World Travel & Tourism Class

Hello Mr Goh
Thanks so so much. I understand and am really grateful for your sharing your time with us. If there is anything I can help with ever please let me know. Thank you and look forward to seeing you on Nov 6. Kindly proceed to XYZ School of Business security counter and call me on 9876 5432 when you arrive, I will bring you to our lecture theatre.
Thanks again and have a wonderful weekend.
Chee hong


On Wed, Nov 3, 2010 at 10:03 PM, goh mia chun ‪wrote:

Hi Cheehong,
have u read my link that i sent u on the last email?
Goh

Sent: Thursday, 4 November 2010 03:43:17
Subject: Re: Guest Speaker Invitation - World Travel & Tourism Class

Hi Goh
Of course I had, can I share it with my students
as well? Look forward to seeing you this Sat.
Best regards

Cheehong

On Thu, Nov 4, 2010 at 8:25 PM, goh mia chun ‪ wrote:
Hi Cheehong,
good that u had read the link. ( http://singaporedream-rtw.blogspot.com/2010/10/free-presentation-free.html )

please let me know would you prefer the
a) summary of our trip, 2 hour session, S$1000.00
or
b) technical info of our trip, 45minutes S$500.00
please advise on media equipment availability.
thanks!
goh

The he reply:

Hello Mr Goh
Thank you for highlighting your fees. Unfortunately at this stage I would not be able to get approval from XXX for the amount. If you are interested in future I can ask for approval for future sessions but for tomorrow would you be able to waive the fees for our class? Otherwise I am afraid I would have to share the disappointing news with our class. Or if you could give me your phone number I could call you to discuss.
Please reply to both of my emails copied here as I am travelling at the moment. Thank you very much.
Best regards
Cheehong

Then i write to him:

Hi Cheehong,
Since the session of my meeting would be a free waiver, i would definitely love to meet the students outside school hours if only for those that they are interested in my travel and my inspirations.
I can meet them personally not in a academic environment.
Sorry I could not attend the Saturday session at your fixed timing as i have could not afford to reimburse the lost of income.
I am still very keen in meeting the students.
thank you


Cheehong reply:

Thank you for your email.
I am on business travel and communications might be delayed. I will be back in Singapore Studio on 08 November and will reply to you then.
If it is urgent please contact me on my mobile +65 9876 5432.
Thank you.
Kindest regards
Cheehong
Director, Strategic Partnering
XXX Group DesignworksUSA
Singapore Studio

At first, I am supposed to share my trip with his students on 6 November. Once I had let him know the price, his last email was informing me that he will be back on the 8 November. So I am taking over his job?
For your info, this XXX university spend more than S$500,000 on an Aussie guy to shift 2 trees in their new campus.
Why don’t they spend on a Singaporean, to shift that 2 trees?
Why don’t they do something worthwhile with that money?
Why they recruit many foreign students into this university and yet, many Singaporeans have financial difficulties in getting into this university.
Who can tell them what is right and wrong. Now people attend education is for gaining financial statues. It is a wrong step to take.




Remember the radio station interview? A media cum marketing company approached me. This media cum marketing company is doing a project for an alcohol company. This alcohol company is doing an adventure campain, giving free ticket to mount everest. At the same time, this media company also did a survey from 1000 singaporeans on how adventurous they are. Thus, they had a result and ask Samantha and I to give comment on the result.
Also, This media company is inviting other Singapore famous adventurer to comment on the survey result. But it seems that only Samantha and I are doing it for them (for free).
We had a first meeting with them. We had to go down to their office at a specific time for a ‘meeting’. Purpose of the meeting is to tell us about their campaign. Then they promise us that in return, they will give us a glass with our name printed on it. The company did not spoke anything about money, neither do we. So we are doing it for free. But the glass has not reached us yet, which is about 3 months ago that they promise us.
Later, they had arranged an air interview over the radio. They want us to meet 1 day before the interview at their office but I rejected. Instead, we had a telephone meeting. The telephone meeting was half hour. I was with a potential client for my landscaping business. The half hour telephone meeting with the media company affected my lunch meeting with my client.
Other than that, they sent us numerous email and telephone calls just to justify their queries. They just call and ask:
hello Mr Goh, do you have any children?
Hello Mr Goh, can I have your IC number?
Hello Mr Goh, when will you be free?
Hello Mr Goh, can you spell me your email address?
Hello Mr Goh, have you read my email?
On the day of radio interview, we woke up at 830am and went to the studio at 10am, waited till 1130am then we proceeded in. My job is to wait, go into the studio, be quiet, answer to all questions they ask. After the interview at 1230pm, Samantha and I said goodbye to those gals from the media company and THAT’S IT!
3 weeks later, they call me again:

Hello Mr Goh, we have arranged an interview for you with Radio XXX. Will you be free on 19 november?
I replied: ar?? I can’t hear you. Can u sent me an email.
She said: but…. But it is very URGENT you know?
I replied: sorry, something wrong with my phone… I can’t hear u.
At night, I read the email, it was:
Nov (Thursday), 8.45am
Hi Mr. Goh,
As mentioned over the phone, Radio XXX is keen to interview you and your wife on 18 November 2010 (Thursday) at 8.45am.
Will you be available then?
Meanwhile, I’m still trying to get hold of the interview questions.
Do let me know your availability. Thanks!
Best Regards,lily
From: goh mia chun 
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 10:44 PM
To: Lily Subject: Re: Interview with Radio XXX Nov (Thursday), 8.45am

hi, i am avalible after 10pm.
thanks
goh

Hi Mr. Goh,
The DJ’s timeslot is from 6am to 10am, hence, it is not really possible to shift the interview to 10pm.
We’ll have to cancel this if the timing doesn’t fit. Let me know again!
Best Regards,
Lily.

After this email, they NEVER call me again. They will only call me to ask both sam and I to do free things for them.

Shall I do all these things for free? My motive is just to create public awareness on our trip. Not to be famous but to tell every Singaporean that ‘it can be done’! Sam and I are getting sick about all these interviews and shows. We rejected a few magazine and other organization. If it is for the prison service, for the youth problem kid, we would gladly take our time off for them.
But when it is for business, helping people to make money, im afraid we have to charge a reasonable fee for it.
Like for a bike magazine, Motorculture, one of the editor called me, he said he is giving me 3 pages of his magazine (yes, pull your ear closer, he is giving me 3 pages for free) to write about our trip in their magazine. But I felt offended. It seems like I am begging him and he is giving me a chance. I did not reply him. He is another type of ‘making use of us’ to earn money for him.

tired singaporeans working

i am very tired working.

woke up at 645am,
reach home at 10pm.

what is life about in Singapore?

I want to have our own life. I can't even have time to write a blog.

I have been entertaining people around me. What about my wife and my family?

Most of the time during work, I am entertaining my Indian laborers. I must make them happy.

sometimes when i accidentally look at pictures in the RTW trip, especially pictures of friends and people, I felt very emotional.

Is this the life in Singapore?

My next challenge: to keep away from the Singaporean life but to live the Singaporean way in Singapore.

Give me some time. I still have some more things to share with you guys.

i'm just too tired and sleepy.

drop me a comment to support me.

thanks!

Our summary of round the world route

View summary of our route 2008-2010 in a larger map

Free presentation! FREE!!!!!!

Remember Saskia and Andreas? the Swiss team that traveled with us for a month in Argentina, Chile, Peru and Ecuador? Romina (pink) is the colleague of Andreas and he asked Romina to bring me a parcel, something which I love from Europe! We bought Romina and Johanna on the back of my dirty truck, from Lao pasat, we travel to Geylang, to Long Bar in Raffles hotel, round orchard road on a truck and back to little india. On 2nd meeting, we went to Mount Faber to visit the 'most high class' toilet in the world. Romina and Johanna had a good time on my truck, spinning around Singapore. Many vehicle came by close to see why are there bunch of pretty girls sitting on this dirty truck. Samantha and her friend, Jyln was also on the truck.

Special places in Singapore for photography.

Pricing for our presentation.

Summary sharing session of trip (2hours, not more than 120 pax, equipments and meeting time not included.) S$1000:

Show of slides of the 40 countries in chronicle order, bring listeners together with my journey. Most audience would be enriched with the unlimited land boundary that they can think of.

Motivational, inspiring and fun video of our trip. One of them is the ‘one year living on the road’.

The difficulties we met before and during the trip. How we managed to overcome them. For example: lost of motorcycle before the trip, penniless in Iran, Custom officer in Argentina do not allow us to exit the country…

sharing about our life. My wife and I come from normal family. I was raised up by parent that worked in hawker center. I was a rebellious kid with very poor academics results. How much matter I went through that made me change my life, turning my decision to give up my comfortable life in Singapore to pursue my dream with my wife. Especially giving up the business that is on the track very fast.

People we met on the road:

USA: Dr Greg Frazier: American Red Indian that had rode around the world on motorcycle for 5 times. His 4^th time is with a lady with Parkinson disease.

USA: Dave Barr: Leg-less person that rode his Harley Davison around the world and made several world records.

USA: Santa Babara: Duncan.

Argentina: David and Joan: 75 years old English couple on bicycle from Argentina to Alaska.

India: Mr Yadok: the honest man in India.

Pakistan: Shazard Abassi, the scholar that chose to stay in his village.

Pakistan: chinese man on his bicycle for 13 years.

Argentina/Chile: Miriam and Cecilia: Solo lady riders.

Argentina: Hostel Argentino: Gracillo got kicked out by landlord.

Argentina/Chile: Daniel: ‘you don’t have to like everybody’.

Argentina/Chile: Danile: 'Fabio, let your soul be my pilot!'

Chile: Enzo and Martina from Villa Kuntabunt: taught me what is ‘passion’.

Swiss/Singapore: Karin and Sam on bicycle in 2007.

Hospitality and lovely people in Pakistan, Iran, Brasil, Columbia, USA and Indonesia.

And many more!

Conclusion: regrets in life. OCS, mum, the trip, friend (junhui). Treasure everything we have now.

15-25minutes on stage Q&A.

Item 1-3: 45-60 minutes.

Item 3-6: 45-60 minutes.

Technical learning’s: (30-45minutes, maximum 120pax, S$500)

Route planning.

Gears and equipment: Self defense equipment...cooking and sleeping gears..

Base camp settlements – friends, wills, property, bank, and death of close and loved ones.

Minimizing cost, maximizing exposures.

Shipping.

Documents: visas, carnet and health related issue.

Seeking sponsorship + media marketing + responsibility – freedom = ???.

Terrain adaptability. High altitude challenge, arid desert, sand storm, rocky grounds, cold and snow riding, rainy activities.

Internet stuff like CS, is not real but many liked it.

Why are there so may Westerners travelers? Where are the Asians?

How to get money during and after travel.

Ho How much money is enough for the trip? who has that amount.

Reason for travels: Good for smaller groups in a small discussion.

(45-60minutes, price to be advice, only open to selected individuals)

Show off and get friends to be jealous?

Take pictures and put in facebook to impress others?

Record setting? 5 minutes fame?

Voluntary and charity work in other countries? Help the poor? Refer to beard man in Mexico. No thanks for us. Root to all the problem.

Politics and business, how are we not involved?

What is a Gap Year? What are the achievements?

‘I want to see and experience different culture.’ So, how big is the moon overseas? So what when we see and experience different cultures? What benefits?

Planning against adventure.

Time or budget limited travel?

Adventure is calculated risk?

What’s our next adventure? Clearing the cloud in the sky so that the moon will always stay bright in Singapore? Bringing the country to us?

Interested, please leave your email and particulars on my blog. Thank you.

Museum at Fort Canning.

Little India

View from 72nd floor hotel.

Clark Quay.

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxOur feelings xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Hello Singapore.

It has been 3 months since we touched back home. Sam and I need to adjust our life back. We need to eat, we need a place to sleep, we need to have babies, we need to work just like everyone of you.

Right now, our time are very precious. I am holding on to 2 vocations and both is on the start up, which made Sam and I VERY BUSY! If we are not doing anything, we would appricate rest time at home, sometimes doing some self studies to upgrade ourselves. No body can afford to buy our precious rest time, i'm talking on real value. i don't think anyone would want to pay S$10,000 an hour for me to chit chat or get to know us more.

Media, event companies and education sectors have been approaching us for sharing sessions. They are making big money! So far, we were invited to a few sessions to voice out and show face in their events. Helping them to make BIG money and in return, we have:

lost our time with family and close friends

lost my time in starting up my 2 career and business.

lost our rest time.

lost the time Sam and I enjoyed together.

What do we get furthur on top of all these? We don't know.

Education institutions and public organizations paid their lecturer and managers near to 5 digit of monthly salary. Yet, these people ask me to 'share our experience' with the students for free because it is for education.

FREE? NOBODY IN SINGAPORE RECEIVED FREE EDUCATION!

I bought a pants that i like a lot. it got torn on the first day when i walk in a construction site.

remember the times where we need to get money from our parents, queue up in front of our teacher's desk and get a recipe from our teacher? we have no chance to bargain about the price for studying. Yet, now these people want me to do things for free? haa... Try that on Khoo Swee Chiow, i believe he will spend his free time helping the needy in singapore, not all these cooperates.

Sorry, I earn my money through landscape industry, not by selling my adventure experience and inspiration. I also need to eat and have a house, like you! Sam and I are very willing to talk to public, friends, fellow travelers and any individual for free, if we have the time.

So, if you are now looking at this posting now, please let me know if you would want to buy my time.

Am I asking for too much? no!

for the summary sharing session and the technical session, it is CHEAPER than going to a cinema and watch a show! S$1000/120 pax = $8.30 per person!

Interview with Pamela Ho from 938Live is fun! What's not fun are the people working behind us. I have the recording in MP3 but i do not know how to upload on the internet. Being live on the air is an experience. Sam and i are so 'mic-shy'. Thanks Pamela, you are really great!

Stanley Leong (right) used to be in 938 media corp too! He started working for PMO (Prime Minister Office) not long ago. Meng Chuan (Left) was also arranging to interview me. He had read my blog upside down and i am very impressed with his interest in my blog. Both Stanley and Meng Chuan are writing articles and they are connecting Singaporeans that are living overseas. I hope our story would make more Singaporeans to come back home in no time.

Anybody wants to come for my little presentation for NUS? Leave me a message.

http://www.nus.edu.sg/osa/develop/programmes/enrich/bb_gohmiachun.html