So a quick recap...

As I mentioned in an earlier blog ... the year started off with a Job offer as CEO of a new startup operating in the Virtual Reality (VR) Location Based Entertainment (LBE) Space, US VR Global, Inc..…An ambitious young company with a vision to create the world’s largest Virtual Reality and Technology Theme Park Group. Operating under the brand, Hero Central, their vision is to become a Global Pioneer in this space by opening an unprecedented 20 Parks over the next 3 years…. 

 

 As exciting as the offer was, I decided it would not be fair to the founders to take on a full-time role with the number of personal initiatives I already had in play, so I declined the offer and instead accepted an offer to invest in the project and take up an “ambassadorial” role as Director of Business Development….

So after 3 trips to the USA, multiple road shows all over the Middle East and Asia and in excess of US$7 million dollars raised; fast forward 12 months and we are now a listed company in the USA and on track to open our first park in Q4 2018, followed in quick succession by Hero Central Theme Parks in Macau, New York and Johor Baru.

I was invited to sit as an Executive Director in the listed company and am now embracing a new series of challenges as we look to build the narrative, and continue our fund raising internationally. I feel exceptionally privileged, as through this role I have met so many amazing people, learnt an enormous amount and built some genuine friendships which transcend the business space.

 This year also saws a few firsts for me…

 My first:

• Sojourn to Tucson
• Trip to New York
• Time in Tasmania
• Visit to Korea
• Holiday in Cambodia
• Excursion to Qatar
• Experience in France.
   
  In March I flew from Singapore to San Francisco for the first time since 9/11 to attend the SVVR Conference in San Jose, California. From there it was up to Seattle, over to NYC, across to Tucson Arizona, LA then back up to San Francisco for the long trek home..

 
 

 
New York
 
Despite having travelled to the United States dozens of times in the past, and having explored many parts of the country. I’d never actually made it to the Big Apple before. 2017 saw me visit this amazing city 3 times and spend a total of nearly 4 weeks in situ.

 
My first trip was for just a few of days in April. It was a little chilly, but not unpleasant and after 48 hours I arrogantly thought to myself “is that it?...I’ve pretty much done NYC… 5th Avenue, Central Park, Times Square… not sure what all the fuss is about”.

 
 

The Second trip was for about a week, a few months later, and of course this time I realised the follies of my hubris. I discovered just how enormous New York really is… it was warmer, and the city was bustling with activity… I explored the Meat Packing District, Dined in Hells Kitchen, trekked along the Highline, wondered up through Harlem and caught a show at the legendary Jazz Club, Byrd Land….wow, and I’ve only just scratched the surface.

 
 

  

 
 

My final trip, was for almost 2 weeks in September/ October… and I started to really embrace the culture, understand the attraction and almost settle in to a routine…I explored Soho, wandered around China Town, circumnavigated the city, bought my first NYC Hot Dog, sampled the legendary NYC Chicken Rice and met a host of fascinating NYC Natives…I was starting to feel at home.
In retrospect, I think a lot of the things which makes NYC unique in the USA, and which made me feel at home, are the things we, for the most part, take for granted in Asia. The hustle and bustle of a “living-city”, the 24-hour lifestyle, the prevalence of Street food, the dirt on the street, the “every person for themselves” attitude, the chaos, the characters and the intrigue… it is the one city in the USA most like an Asian city.

 France
 
This was a very impromptu trip; Marco, the newly appointed Chairman in Jaime Alexander, suggested we spend a few days in London, do some business, meet some peeps and then head over to his home town in the South of France, as his families yearly “AGM” was happening. Despite, being up to my eyeballs in work I decided the opportunity of seeing France and having a local and my friend as a tour guide was too good an offer to decline, and what an amazing trip; the South of France, is really inspiring, with a laid-back charm and rustic ambience which absolutely resonated with my sensibilities.

 
 

 

After a few days in London living it up at the Marriott on Park Lane...

 
 
...we flew to Montpelier and then drove to the little village of Saint Jean du Gard, where we spent 4-5 days before heading back home via Paris for a couple of nights.

 
 
 

Rather than prattle on I’ll bullet point out a few highlights, impressions and most vivid memories. 

• Opening the fridge and being over powered by the aroma of cheese (in a good way!)
• Goats cheese with every meal
• Marco’s family are wonderful peoples
• French people are lovely (outside of Paris)
• Rural Village life is unpretentious
• French Food is simple and delicious
• The country side is beautiful
• The ocean in Montpellier is Freezing
• I’ve seen enough fat, old naked French men for one life time. (Another story)
• Paris IS lovely, and I had the feeling I had been here before.
• A week is not long enough.

 

Qatar & Seoul
 

Both excursions were of limited duration, and although I had a small taste of the culture, they were way too short to really absorb anything more than a cursory reflection.

 My first trip to Qatar early in 2017 was just 2 days; purely business related and very focused. We were essentially there to meet with QIA one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, and pitch the Hero Central Project. Having said that we did manage to take some time out during the evening to soak up a little local atmosphere. I enjoyed the balmy weather, the coastal outlook and the modern infrastructure, strolling through the Souq Waqif was interesting, but it had a very touristy feel and I didn’t obtain a genuine sense of awe or wonder at the heritage on display.

 
 
Similarly, Seoul was a quick and dirty trip.. I stayed in the upmarket precinct of Gangnam, and had a meeting with my WPT Technology provider, Power Republic, who took me out for an amazing “light” Korean lunch after our meeting.

 
 
 
 
 This is another Mega City, which is bustling with activity, and punctuated by several happening enclaves. I did some epic strolling on my off day, but the area of town I chose to stay was very “Korean”. The majority of restaurants I attempted to dine in had no English Menus, and no English-speaking staff. I rarely feel alone, or get lonely during my travels, but this was one of those times, the inability to meaningfully interact with ‘anyone’ during my stay made me feel like a distinct outsider in this city of 12 million people…well, after 3 days and on my final night in Seoul, as fate would have it, I ended up gravitating towards the only place I could find with some friendly English speaking staff, Hooters…lol. I had a very pleasant final evening sharing a few beers and chatting with one of the waitresses from Kazakhstan who was a student there and working part time in the evenings.

Tasmania

August, saw my travels lead me to the Australian Eastern Seaboard. I flew in in to Brisbane, caught up with family, flew on to Sydney, for meetings, a couple of days later down to Melbourne, and then on to my first ever sojourn to the Apple Isle. My trip was far too short and the weather far too cold for a “lad from the tropics” like me to explore at that time of year, but I can safely say I will definitely return again this year…and return often, such a beautiful, compact little city with amazing food and a laid back lifestyle… I think a few images of my stay should suffice for now…until next time Tassie…

 
  
Cambodia

The last destination for the year, was the end of year planning session for the senior management of ilipa IT. The trip was equal parts business and pleasure. We flew in to the seaside town of Sihanoukville, on the gulf of Thailand. Despite living in S.E.A for the last 17 years and of being on the periphery of a host of Cambodian based projects, I had never actually visited the country before, and the impression I got after a week was one of both inspiration and depression.

 The country has a very young population and an appetite for growth, there are tremendous opportunities abound to develop the country in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner, yet sadly, the areas I visited are being destroyed by rampant over development, exploitation of the environment and admonishment of the local culture. Cheapy and gaudy casinos litter the landscape, huge, ugly monolithic eyesores are popping up on the beaches and there appears to be no sense of civic pride..

 
 
Still the positives out weigh the negatives and I plan to head back in 2018 and explore other parts of this beautiful country and people.

 Well, that ‘s a very brief summary of the year, and I am signing off now as it ‘s almost the end of January and these sort of things tend to lose their relevance if they are posted to far in to the New Year.

 2018 is off to a hectic start with 9 international flights already; trips to Singapore, Hong Kong, Penang and Macau already under my belt…

I am expecting to be in Europe for 2 weeks in early April, then Thailand, Cambodia and Philippines for the balance of the month of April and of course no doubt, the USA, Thailand and Australia will figure heavily in my itinerary this year…Three new Destinations I have never visited, and which I hope to visit this year are Mexico, Japan and Spain….

 I think 2018 will be a pivotal year for me as so many of my projects start to really take off… watch this space…and take care always….

  
The Stats:

• 78 Flights

• 135 Hotel nights

• 32 Cities

• 14 Countries

• 175 presentations and meetings

The Highlights

• Tucson Arizona: Loved it

• Lots of Thai-Thai food

• West End Show, Motown, in London

• NYC x 3

• Watching the Yellow Jackets at the legendary Byrd Land Jazz Club in NYC

• Staying on the Derwent River in Hobart.

• Trekking in the South of France

• French Goats Cheese..

 

Countries

• Thailand

• Malaysia

• Korea

• Australia

• Singapore

• USA

• England

• France

• Cambodia

• Thailand

• Indonesia

• Hong Kong

• Qatar

• Dubai

   

Cities

• Kuala Lumpur

• Penang

• Singapore

• Bangkok

• Phuket

• Pattaya

• Perth

• Adelaide

• Melbourne

• Brisbane

• Sydney

• Hobart

• Gold Coast

• Hong Kong

• Jakarta

• Yogyakarta

• Denpasar

• Sihanoukville

• Los Angeles

• Seattle

• San Francisco

• New York

• Chicago

• Orlando

• Tucson

• Doha

• Dubai

• London

• Montpellier

• Paris

• Seoul

• Saint Jean du Gard