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AT THE TEAM FEAR JUNIOR CHALLENGE Some 600 youngsters aged 8 to 17 ran, coasteered, kayaked and rockscrambled around DB on November 30 as they took part in the annually anticipated Team Fear Junior Challenge. The HK$140,000 raised through sponsorship funds will be split between Youth Outreach and the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. An additional HK$5,000 was collected on the day to support those affected by the Tai Po tragedy. [PHOTOS BY James Branch, Oliver Decker, Darren Donnelly, Olivier Durand, Jenelle Johansson, Wayne Knowles, Sharon MacEneff, Diana Marlan, Olyvia Postaccini, Thomas Robinson, Chloe Sim, Col Sim & Ganesh Vijayan.] AT THE WORLD PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Discovery Bay Recreation Club hosted the World Pickleball Championship, Hong Kong, China from December 5 to 7, for the third consecutive year. Open to various skill levels and all ages, the tournament was organised by TLP and Bay Pickle, and endorsed by Pickleball Global. [PHOTOS BY Andrew Spires.] AT THE HITSWAVE PRELUDE The Hitswave Prelude was a blast on December 14 at DB North Plaza with top local artists performing their 2025 hits in the lead-up to the Metro Radio Hits Music Awards. Standouts of the afternoon were Honey Punch, Andy Lai and Vincy Chan. [PHOTOS BY Andrew Spires.]

CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING Did you know there are not one but two ways to recycle ‘real’ Christmas trees in DB? You can take them to the Green@ Islands recycling spot, which is open every Tuesday from 10am to 1pm, and 2.30pm to 5.30pm at Green Icon, or you can schedule a home pick-up by calling Winson Cleaning Services at 3176 3188 (a service fee applies). In both cases, the collected trees are further handled by the EPD and are either converted into compost or upcycled at Y·PARK, the government-operated yard-waste recycling centre in Tuen Mun. DB OPEN FS CHALLENGE The 2nd DB Open FS Challenge is taking place from January 2 to 4 at DB Ice Rink. Endorsed by ISIAsia, the event gives skaters from different regions a chance to every Tuesday from 10am to 1pm, and compete under a shared standard. There are opportunities for young skaters and beginners to gain competitive experience, and for advanced skaters to showcase fully choreographed freestyle routines. To find out more, visit www.dbicerink.com. TOSCANA: DB NORTH MID-LEVELS Toscana, the Italian-style oceanfront residential complex in DB North, is already creating a buzz, with HKR International expected to launch first-phase sales (320 units) early this year. The development will cover over 650,000 square feet, with around 1,400 units (one- to four-bed) providing 1,300,000 square feet of living space. Whether or not you are looking to take up residence, the property is well worth a visit. For a start, there’s the onsite sales centre with garden and rooftop terrace, which showcases Toscana’s signature design style – modern Italian luxe meets DB resort living. You can also explore Park Toscana, a meticulously landscaped green space spanning over 160,000 square feet. The views across the bay are unparalleled and there are 13 carefully crafted, Italian-themed zones encouraging visitors (and soon homeowners) to immerse in nature, sports and art. A central part of HKRI’s MP7 expansion/ master plan for the DB North area, Toscana integrates housing with recreational and lifestyle facilities. Art is a major focus with a Toscana-themed Italian Art Festival already under way. To kick off the festival, Italian artist Francesco Lietti and teachers and students from Discovery Bay International School were invited to collaborate on Never So Close – an exhibition of oversized, Italian style masquerade and carnival masks. Four works, themed Waterfront Living, Green Living, Luxury Living and Happy Living, are on display through January 25. More activities promoting Italian culture and art are in the offing. To find out more and track listings, visit www.toscana.com.hk. VIUTV SOUND BEAR FAMILY RUN Postponed in November out of respect for all those who lost loved ones in the Tai Po fire, the ViuTV Sound Bear Family Run has been rescheduled for January 31 at DB South Plaza, from 8am to 3pm. The participation quota is a whopping 4,000+ people and there’s something for everyone: a 10km (16 years and above); two 3km races (10 to 15 years, 16 years and above); and two parent-child beach obstacle races, one with a 1km run and one without. To find out more and enrol, visit www.viutvfamilyrun2025.com SANDAE BEACH Sandae Sand Art, headed up by DB resident Gary Melsom, continues to evolve with exciting new sand-sculpting activities. Their newly launched team building programme – Sandae Golf! – challenges groups to design and construct their own miniature golf courses entirely from sand. Teams work together to create playable holes complete with obstacles and bunkers, then enjoy a friendly tournament on their handcrafted course. To book a corporate retreat, visit www.sandae.online. THE SNOW QUEEN DB’s The Performer’s Studio Theatre Company – a semi-professional troupe of 30+ child actors led by director-producer Emma Tielus-Ward – is staging Paul Boyd’s The Snow Queen from February 2 to 7 at the Hong Kong Arts Centre’s Shouson Theatre. A modern interpretation of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, the show brings catchy songs, fastpaced choreography and larger-than-life characters. To find out more and book tickets, visit www.theperformersstudio.com. WELLNESS SCENE Arts for Health founder Rachelle Conradie is hosting three wellnessfocused events in DB this month: a women’s singing circle at Beach Village on January 14; a community dance fundraiser at YogaUp in DB North Plaza on January 17 and an art journalling workshop at Mountain View on January 20. To find out more and enrol, visit https://linktr.ee/artsforhealth.hk. For more on the DB wellness scene, turn to page 18. THURSDAY MANDARIN SCHOOL Yifan Mandarin is launching Thursday Mandarin School at DB North Plaza on January 15. Designed for children aged 4 to 10 (K2 to P4), the systematic classes build Chinese literacy in a 100% Mandarin environment, making them perfect for bilingual families. And Yifan has an exclusive offer for Around DB readers: enjoy a free trial class plus 10% off full-term fees when you enrol with the code 2026YF@ADB. To find out more, WhatsApp 9208 7611 or visit www.yifanmandarin.com. CINDERELLA ADVENTURE Fans of Cinderella Adventure get ready to be happy! We have confirmation that the ‘popup’ will be in place at the former EpicLand in DB North Plaza for the next six months at least. Guests get to enjoy all the playcentre facilities plus handcrafting activities. Cinderella Adventure is open from 10am to 6pm daily; children must be accompanied by an adult – entry is HK$288 for two, HK$100 for each additional visitor. To find out more or make a booking, call 6315 0611. INTERNATIONAL FOOD & BEER FESTIVAL Make your way to Midvale playground on January 24 to take part in One World Spirit’s International Food and Beer Festival. Everyone who attends is asked to bring a popular dish from their hometown to share with friends and neighbours. Capacity is limited with priority given to OWS members; find out more at www.facebook.com/1worldspirit. Dates For Your Diary JAN 03 | GATHER AT THE PLANT MARKET in Community Green Square from 2pm to 4.30pm. Visit FB @db.community.hk. JAN 17 | SHOP THE DB MARKET in DB South Plaza from 11am to 6pm. Visit www.handmadehongkong.com. JAN 17 | JOIN A BEACH CLEAN-UP! Meet at the Nim Shue Wan gate at 2.10pm. Email dana@plasticfreeseas.org. ALL MONTH | DONATE PRELOVED FURNITURE to people in need through DB Mothers & Friends. To arrange for pick-up, visit FB @dbmf.collection. Clean Up Your Act! Commit to embracing the 3 R’s in 2026 REDUCING IS THE BEST SOLUTION We all know the mantra of REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, but did you know that reducing is the key solution to solving our waste and plastic pollution problem? Here are some tweaks to your daily routine that you can make to ensure you’re part of that solution. Carry your own water bottle every day, and a coffee cup, food container and cutlery for takeaways Reduce how often you ‘order in’ meals and shop online to avoid single-use packaging Bring your own bag when shopping, and choose products with no or minimal packaging Be conscious of the food you buy to avoid food waste and make a point of using your leftovers Choose bar soaps, shampoos and cleaning products. If you prefer liquids, bring your bottles to a shop for a refill Sell or give away good-condition unwanted items like toys, clothes, gadgets and homeware See if you can buy the things you need second-hand, before buying new WASTE REDUCTION IN DB Make sure all recyclables are clean. Only plastic bottles go into DB’s plastic recycling bins. Keep the cap on. Drink boxes must be clean and dry, with the plastic spout, cap and straw removed. Don’t put plastic bags in the food waste bins – only food waste. Don’t put paper cups or food containers in DB’s paper recycling bins. Recycling is important but reducing is the best solution! START SMALL! MAKE A BIG IMPACT! Together, our choices create a cleaner, greener future for everyone! Find more from DB’s homegrown environmental charities at FB @DB Green and www.plasticfreeseas.org . What's Happening Across HK! DREAM ROOMS Celebrating seven decades of visionary work, Dream Rooms: Environments by Women Artists 1950s–Now is showing at M+, West Kowloon Art Park through January 18. The exhibition invites visitors to navigate 12 immersive, multisensory installations – there are mirror-lined rooms, feather-filled rooms, and pillow-filled rooms you can reshape with your own hands. Purchase tickets at Klook. AIA CARNIVAL This year’s AIA Carnival is now in full swing running through March 1 at Central Harbourfront Event Space. Enjoy 30+ rides and attractions, with a focus on traditional rides like chair swings, giant slides, bouncy castles and a carousel, plus an outdoor ice rink. There’s also Gandeys Circus back for the event’s 11th edition, that brings together top performers from around the globe. Purchase tickets at Klook. HONG KONG MUSICALCON A major new musical convention, Hong Kong MusicalCon is running from January 11 to February 8 at the Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District. Highlights include Café I Do – The Musical, a tribute to Canto-pop icon Leslie Cheung; The Addams Family Musical, a Broadway favourite; and Ephemere the Little Witch, a musical for the whole family originally from France. Purchase tickets at Art-mate. KIDSFEST! An exciting festival for the whole family, led by A BA Productions, KidsFest! sees well-loved children’s books brought to life and presented vividly on stage. The fun starts on January 14 with five world-class productions running consecutively at Rita Tong Liu Drama Theatre, HKAPA through February 15: The 91-Storey Treehouse, The Gruffalo’s Child, The Koala Who Could, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Charlie Cook's Favourite Book. Purchase tickets at Cityline. To save 15%, quote ‘STAGE15’ when booking – applies to all weekday performances. HONG KONG MARATHON EXPO The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Expo, being held at Kai Tak Sports Park from January 14 to 18, provides an excellent pre-race and race-day experience for both local and international runners, as well as their friends and families. This year’s newly added Youth Run on January 17 is a highlight aimed at fostering the next generation of runners. Crowds of over 100,000 people are expected over the four days, entrance is free.

2026: the year artificial intelligence went mainstream

Mervyn Black sits down with four DB-based wellbeing practitioners to shine a light on different ways to slow down, reconnect and live your best life in 2026. Each expert shares a time-tested approach to nurturing body, mind and spirit PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew Spires At a time when switching off from technology and the pressures of daily life is becoming increasingly difficult, Discovery Bay offers a range of wellness experiences to help you slow down, rebalance and reconnect. From meditation and forest bathing to aromatherapy and expressive arts therapy, four local practitioners – Sherry Yasay, Amanda Yik, Paula Lepore and Rachelle Conradie – share the methods they use to nurture wellbeing. SHERRY: MEDITATION Sherry Yasay, a mindfulness and meditation facilitator, and mindset coach, calls her DB studio “a space to slow down, connect and remember what is truly important. “For me, wellness is about reconnecting to self, remembering to slow down, prioritising rest and remembering who we are as humans – we’re not machines. Life can be do, do, do but it’s important to take time out just to be in the human experience through the five senses,” opens Sherry. Sherry works both locally and throughout Hong Kong, drawing on decades of experience in the mindfulness space (www.sherryyasay.com). “The overarching thing for me is connection to self and connection to others,” she says. “Community is a huge thing for me – that’s what motivates me to continue doing what I do. “With meditation there is this space and silence where you start to become aware of yourself – what you’re feeling, your body, your emotions, your thoughts. When facilitating meditation, I find that people have these insights independently; my role is not to offer anything back but just to sit and listen.” One of Sherry’s specialties, sound healing, uses the soothing tones of Himalayan singing bowls to quiet the mind and guide it into a meditative state. “The mind is meant to continually think – that’s its job, just like the heart is meant to beat. So how sound works is it gives the mind something to do: listen to the sound,” Sherry explains. “There’s a moment where you slip into a deep meditative state: your mind is not fighting for attention, and you float in and out. This allows for relaxation and healing because when you allow the body to rest, the body does what it needs to do to rebalance.” AMANDA: FOREST BATHING For Amanda Yik, founder of Shinrin Yoku Hong Kong and a certified nature and forest therapy guide (email: amanda@shinrinyokuhk.com), the road to wellness is reconnecting with nature, or more specifically forest bathing. “It’s really about giving your nervous system a break,” Amanda opens. “I think right now most of us are glued to the screen one way or another: we’re constantly stimulated in a way that is not very conducive to wellbeing. We live in a world where negative news stories dominate, so we are always on high alert and our nervous system is always tense. What we need is a space where we feel safe, connected and restored. For me, that space is in nature – and happily here in DB, that’s all around us.” While it may sound to some like a glorified way of describing a nature walk, Amanda is quick to point out the benefits of an expert-led experience. “If you go into the hills and just sit there and enjoy the forest, you are forest bathing but when it’s a guided process it’s more therapeutic. We bring a group together and take them on a journey – the aim is for everyone to drop their daily hustle-and-bustle and come into a place of stillness and quietness, where they can reconnect with themselves.” Amanda references worldwide studies that support the benefits of forest bathing. “Our blood pressure is regulated when we go into nature, our mood is lifted and our stress hormones come down. What’s more, phytoncides, the amazing chemicals trees emit, are proven to have anti-cancer properties and immune-boosting properties. “Connecting with nature is allowing ourselves to return to who we actually are. Most of us wouldn’t consider ourselves sick or unwell, but we have deviated from how we are meant to live as human beings. Holistic practices, like forest bathing, bring us back to default settings and allow us to reset and achieve balance.” PAULA: AROMATHERAPY Paula Lepore is a wellness coach and aromatherapist, currently celebrating 10 years at Young Living Essential Oils (email: hooplaessentials@gmail.com). She describes her route to wellness as a “spiritual walk, based on knowing who God is and an everdeepening relationship with him”. Paula first got on the path, and into aromatherapy, 12 years ago when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. “I started to explore natural options for healing and as I saw my mother heal through nonconventional treatments, I realised that people always trust the first things their doctors tell them instead of exploring other options.” The experience led to Paula quitting teaching (science, math, technology and PE). “I felt very passionate about helping people who wanted to actually heal, not just cover up their illness or medicate themselves to get through pain.” Paula’s journey has seen her study the science behind aromatherapy and she works through a holistic process with her clients. “Usually, they come to me with a specific situation, so we’ll deal with that right away, and then I’ll ask a series of questions that uncover what’s going on with them emotionally,” she says. “Often, those emotions are what’s driving the physical issues. “I love using essential oils because they work on a physical level, regenerating cell tissues, but they also work on an emotional level. The limbic system is triggered by aroma and it controls your emotions, hormones and metabolism. They call aromatherapy an alternative route but it was never that – if you look back in history, it was always the way we would heal.” These days, Paula focuses increasingly on the spiritual: “I’ve realised a lot of people are not in tune with themselves and that consequently they feel conflicted inside,” she says. “Until we understand we’re not just physical beings – we’re emotional and spiritual too – we’re never going to feel whole.” RACHELLE: THE ARTS Licensed mental health professional Rachelle Conradie blends her lifelong holistic wellness experience with the transformative power of the arts at her private practice, Ar ts for Health (www.rachelleconradie.com). She offers community arts experiences (singing circles, yoga and sounding, gatherings for life transitions and conscious dance) and expressive arts therapy – tailored individual or group therapy sessions for adults and children, supporting sensory regulation, emotional processing, creative expression and digital-life balance. “The arts were always integral to my family’s way of life,” Rachelle opens. “Arts aren’t just meant for a talented few; creating is a way of being and expressing ourselves. Living creatively, we invite aliveness and connection into a more holistic, conscious way of life.” Rachelle’s passion is palpable when she espouses the profound therapeutic impact of arts creating: “Arts engagement activates more neurological pathways than talking alone to foster new perspectives to find solutions. Clients often find insight and deeper ease after creating or moving together. Evolutionarily, movement, singing and mark-making precede language, explaining why non-verbal creation deeply impacts our sense of belonging. “One of my main motivations is to highlight creativity as a mental health necessity, not just a ‘nice-to-have’. It’s a really vital component of who we are, how we express ourselves and how we create connection – not only to each other, but also to the natural world and to the mystery of life. “In community arts we embrace art like our ancestors did in their daily lives, singing, dancing, creating together – not for performance, commerce or perfecting technique but for connection with community and our environment. Arts therapy provides a safe space where we can develop capacity for uncertainty, process emotions, regulate nervous systems and welcome vitality, playfulness and beauty. Magic happens when we co-create; our nervous systems co-regulate, moving us beyond our normal way of thinking into a place of deeper wisdom.”

Martijn Ros is shaking up the city’s recycling game – linking farms, festivals and food waste to build one of Hong Kong’s only truly circular systems. Turns out, garbage might be the smartest idea he’s ever had. Elizabeth Kerr reports PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew Spires Actually, that's a good idea, Elizabeth. I hadn’t thought about that,” says Mar tijn Ros via Google from his home in Discovery Bay. Our conversation revolves around his almost two-year-old garbage company, Waste Wise, and how he can make the most of its connection with Hong Kong’s small independent farms – of which there are hundreds – and hosting a farmer’s market. Martijn never thought in a million years he’d be making a career out of waste, so why not host a Sunday market? He’s got more than just those three dozen farmers keen to collect Waste Wise’s free compost and he has plans to spread the gospel of urban farming through partnerships with workshop providers. To say Martijn runs a garbage business is reductive, considering the 30-year-old Netherlands native and his company co-founder Ivan Tai are actively working towards not just recycling, but also circularity in Hong Kong. Waste Wise (www.wastewisehk.com) was established in response to the 2024 plastic tableware ban, and its facility specialises in compostable tableware. The ban nobly aimed at reducing plastic to landfill, but there was no management facility able to cater to those materials. “We already had a composting facility and technology that collected food waste, yard waste, animal waste… and donated the compost to local farms,” Martijn explains. “[We] want to grow Waste Wise to have a positive impact instead of being focused on the negatives of manufacturing, and work towards improving the overall recycling situation in Hong Kong.” Recycling is a constant source of debate, as are most subjects related to waste management. Martijn can go on at length about the wisdom behind the now scrapped waste charging scheme, a carrot-and-stick rewards-based approach that works in Germany, Taiwan and Korea among others, and the endless argument over infinitely recyclable glass or lightweight petroleum-based plastic – which admittedly extends food life and reduces food waste and shipping costs. “Life cycle analysis is what counts,” Mar tijn explains. Which doesn’t mean we shouldn’t recycle our plastics. It’s just a complex challenge that Martijn is trying to help overcome. And calling Martijn a Netherlands native is only half the story. Martijn relocated to Hong Kong with his family in 1999 at four years old, thanks to his father’s work with Dutch multinational Philips, which was expanding its health technology manufacturing in China. He completed kindergarten, primary and high school (at Discovery Bay International School) before heading back to the Netherlands to study hospitality at university. It was in Amsterdam for his first extended stay that he realised how unique Hong Kong’s cosmopolitanism actually is, as well as finding himself in the strange position of being neither truly Dutch nor truly a Hongkonger. He hung out mostly with international students, and when he graduated, he made the unconventional choice to come back. Many would ask why, when an EU passport was right there, but Martijn’s answer is simple. “Because Hong Kong is my home,” he states, without hesitation, adding his parents are still here, and that his older sister (working in Amsterdam) and younger brother (studying there) are probably moving back too. He’ll admit the city has changed over the years, but thinks it’s turned a corner, and remains dynamic. “Everyone is here because they understand it’s extremely special.” Martijn’s not leaving Discovery Bay either. “I’ve lived in DB for most of my life. I don’t like to go to the city too often. My Kwai Chung office is actually two MTR stations and a bus away; it’s not too bad.” He raises his voice a bit in order to be heard over the blaring car horn coming through my window. “Someone’s angry outside your house, huh? That's another reason,” he adds with a chuckle. “I’ve definitely thought about living in town, but in DB I can walk three minutes and I’m at my gym, at the supermarket or at different restaurants. Ten minutes and I’m at the start of a beautiful hike that ends in Mui Wo, where I can get a taste of the local Chinese cuisine from the seafood restaurants. I can go to Tung Chung and experience a subdued city life, where I’m not suffocating in crowds. I’m extremely happy in DB, and I make concessions in convenience to live here.” So considering Martijn plans on living here for the foreseeable future, he’s vowed to do his part and make it better. In many ways, Waste Wise is the result of living with a father whose work involved innovating with regard to waste generation and management, and to manufacturing processes and operations. He credits his father’s support with helping Waste Wise collect 80,000 kilogrammes of waste so far in a tricky recycling environment. Many consumers take a dim view of recycling, assuming the worst, but Martijn argues that despite a lack of crucial industrial space, Hong Kong has put considerable investment into recycling infrastructure over the last decade – that’s actually being used and is having an impact, particularly on the plastic bottle front. And anyone who doesn’t believe it is welcome to follow his trucks to see for themselves. “That's actually where Waste Wise comes in,” he says. “The reason people are resonating with our mission is because we offer a tracking mechanism for the waste that we actually collect.” In fairness, plastic recycling is only part of Waste Wise’s mandate, a sector it naturally segued into alongside other materials. “We started with hoping that the impact itself would be enough to get people interested in the programme, because we’re one of the only fully circular systems in Hong Kong,” says Martijn. “Everything we collect from our waste categories that we compost is donated to Hong Kong farms. So it does go straight back to the ear th, and it’s 100% durable.” A huge chunk of Waste Wise’s energy goes into education at all levels. The company regularly hosts in-person and online presentations for students, teachers, parents and its corporate and F&B clients and their employees to boost engagement and awareness. In schools, the Zero Waste Olympics offers some friendly competition, complete with a leaderboard, monthly contests and a year-end school champion. Waste Wise’s most high-profile corporate client could be Clockenflap, which shifted to compostable solutions for its food vendors in 2024. Waste Wise collected 3,500 kilogrammes of waste over three days with just a 5% contamination rate. Even though his unique plug-in solution has gotten attention from cities in the Philippines and Australia, and Mar tijn is happy to share the wisdom, it’s slow going given complex regulatory issues and consumer behaviour that changes from place to place. Martijn is keeping his focus on Hong Kong for now, and is planning to scale up from composting 500 kilogrammes per day to 10,000, to accommodate some local clients that need more capacity. “I grew up in Hong Kong and my partner is a local. We’re similar in age, but we grew up on different parallel paths. He went through the public school system and I went through international, and that kind of juxtaposition has been essential in us creating our services and our overall messaging.” The next year is shaping up to be a big one for Waste Wise, between new, bigger clients and that farmer’s market (fingers crossed). Martijn will carve out some time to keep fit and decompress in his favourite getaway spots in southeast Asia, but ask him where he is when he’s not in a truck or at the office and the answer is no surprise. “When I’m not collecting garbage, I’m thinking about new ways we can collect garbage.”

Looking to make the most of your precious annual leave in 2026? Ray Au has this year’s vacations all worked out for you PHOTO COURTESY OF Pexels As I write, I’m imagining you happy and raring to go, and just back from a fabulous Christmas break somewhere sunny and relaxing, or snowy and action-packed. Either way, I hope you enjoyed a full 12-day escape (December 24 to January 4) by cashing in four days of your 2025 annual leave (December 24, 29, 30, 31) and just one day of your leave for 2026 (January 2). Safe to assume that moving into 2026, you’re looking to establish a fulfilling work-play balance: nailing your job, while making time for leisure and personal wellbeing, minibreaks and long vacations. Here’s your guide to doing just that in 2026. The good news is that Hong Kongers enjoy 17 ‘general’ holidays, aka ‘public’ holidays, a year: these are statutory holidays for banks, schools, government offices and most businesses. Added to which many of us work a five-day week, Monday to Friday, leaving our weekends free. The bad news is that Hong Kong bosses are obliged to give staff just 14 days paid leave per year, and that only kicks in once we’ve been with the same company, on a continuous contract, for nine years. Of course, many employers have a more enlightened attitude to our need for downtime (and you need to be savvy about this when negotiating your employment contract) but still, it’s a good idea to maximise the leave you get by planning it around those 17 government-given holidays. CNY ON TOUR: FEBRUARY If you’re on the ball, you’ll have already booked a full nine-day Chinese New Year holiday, using just two days of your annual leave. February 17 to 19 (Tuesday to Thursday) are public holidays, so by taking February 16 and 20 off work, you’ll have a generous amount of time to welcome in the Year of the Horse. A nine-day trip in February? Think Rajasthan: the weather is ideal (warm days, cool nights) and a series of kaleidoscopic festivals are in full swing. Book a private car and you’re looking at a few short, scenic drives (five hours max) between each of the big-ticket destinations – Jaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur. Medieval for ts and palaces, camel rides to dusty desert outposts and safaris through tiger-stalked national parks: that’s Rajasthan. SPRING BREAK: APRIL There are no public holidays in March, so by April you’re going to be ready for a vacation. The Easter and Ching Ming Festivals come together in 2026 – April 3 to 7 – so by taking time off work from April 8 to 10, you can grab yourself a tasty 10-day break for the price of three. How about ticking the Seychelles off your bucket list this year? Base yourself on Mahé, the main island, home to over 60 white-sand beaches backed by lush jungle. Water temperatures rarely dip below 27ºC in the Seychelles, and scuba divers can expect up to 30 metres of visibility in the crystal-clear Indian Ocean. Every watersport imaginable is on offer – if you can summon the willpower to leave your idly swinging hammock, that is. SUMMER ESCAPES: MAY, JUNE AND JULY We’re not blessed by many public holidays midyear (if you want a traditional summer holiday, or to spend time with your kids over the long vac, you’re going to have to dip heavily into your annual leave) but there are a couple on which to hang some lovely long weekends. Labour Day, May 1, is a Monday; the day following the Buddha’s Birthday, May 25, is a Monday; Tuen Ng Festival, June 19, is a Friday; and HK SAR Establishment Day, July 1, is a Wednesday. A minibreak in South East Asia… Let’s see: Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Siem Reap, Hanoi. Been there, done that? Well, how about Seoul? The South Korean capital is an unexpected delight – in addition to the futuristic skyline and buzzing nightlife, you’ll find culture-rich temples, palaces, teahouses, parks and lakes. Be sure to visit Gyeongbokgung, a palace complex reminiscent of Beijing’s Forbidden City, complete with a picturesque pavilion in the centre of an artificial lake. And for a glimpse of ‘new Seoul,’ head to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). This popular cultural centre – DDP stands for Dream- Design-Play – is filled with galleries, event spaces and shops. Designed by the late, great Zaha Hadid, it’s a futuristic sight to behold in undulating aluminium and concrete, with lawns that rise up to its roof. AUTUMN GETAWAY: OCTOBER Two more opportunities for a long weekend away present themselves in October, since National Day falls on October 1, a Thursday, and the Day following the Chung Yeung Festival on October 19, a Monday. Macau is always a great option for a couple of nights, whether you’re chasing glitz and gaming on the Cotai Strip, or Coloane’s leafy trails and quiet beaches… but how about a quick trip to Tokyo? The mesmerising Japanese capital is easy to get around and wacky as they come. With three or four days in hand, you can mingle with the manga crowd on Harajuku Bridge; catch a kabuki show, ‘bathe’ in the lucky incense at Sensoji Temple and – on a clear day – get a glimpse of Mount Fuji. WINTER VACATION: DECEMBER Having worked hard all year, you may well decide to secure yourself an ‘out of office’ experience at Christmas and/ or New Year. The public holidays fall on December 25, 26, and January 1. Taking two days off (December 24 and 28) will give you five days to unplug, or you could jingle all the way through to the New Year by also booking leave from December 29 to 31. Should you choose the latter option, grabbing an 11-day break for the price of five, you’ll want to make the most of your time off. So how about treating yourself to a big-ticket, white Christmas? If you’re a fan of romantic comedies – like Miracle on 34th Street (1947), When Harry Met Sally (1989) and Serendipity (2001) – you already know that a New York Christmas is hard to beat. There’s skating at the Rockefeller Center, the annual Christmas Spectacular at Radio City, and, of course, shopping on Fifth Avenue. Enjoy!

Best train journeys in Asia PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels THE BEIJING-TO-LHASA EXPRESS covers 3,757km in 40 hours, gliding from the neon-lit capital across the near-deserted Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. At the Tanggula Pass (the highest rail pass in the world, at 5,072m), the views become truly sensational: think snow-capped peaks, Gobi-like desert, remote Tibetan villages, grazing yaks, fluttering prayer flags and boundless blue skies. THE HOKKAIDŌ SHINKANSEN starts in Tokyo and ends in Hakodate, the southern port of Hokkaidō, covering 824km in just four hours. One of Japan’s iconic bullet trains, with an average operating speed of 260 km/h, it zooms past picturesque rural landscapes (mountains, forests, farmland) and through the Seikan Tunnel, one of the longest subsea rail links in the world. THE ARGO WILIS journeys 696km across Java, connecting Bandung and Surabaya in just under 10 hours. In the train’s ‘panoramic’ car, giant side and ceiling windows provide glorious 360 views – crossing the Parahyangan Highlands is a highpoint, showcasing rolling hills, volcanic vistas, traditional Sundanese villages and well-preserved Dutch-era estates. THE EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS rolls in high style from Bangkok through central (and coastal) Malaysia to Singapore, covering 1,900km in three nights and four unforgettable days. Large picture windows in the luxurious, wood-panelled observation cars provide an excellent view of the passing scenery. There is also an open-air observation deck at the rear of the train. THE REUNIFICATION EXPRESS , starts in Ho Chi Minh City and ends in Hanoi, covering 1,726km over two days. One of Southeast Asia’s best-loved railways – and one of the most epic overnight train journeys in the world – it runs the full length of Vietnam, rattling through inviting colonial-era towns and alongside spectacular coastlines. THE DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY , known as the Toy Train, covers 88km in seven hours connecting New Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling in West Bengal. An impressive feat of engineering, the line winds along extremely narrow tracks with sharp turns, steep climbs and precarious-feeling loops that offer stunning views of the Bengal plains and Eastern Himalayas. THE COLOMBO-TO-BADULLA TRAIN covers 292km in 10 leisurely hours, rising from Colombo’s leafy, sea-level boulevards into mist-wrapped hill country. Jungle and forest give way to paddy fields and palms, then soaring ridgelines and plunging valleys. Approaching Ella, the train crosses Nine Arch Bridge, a striking example of colonial-era engineering set amid lush tea plantations.

Vegan Winter Warmer Serves 4 1tbsp sesame oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 red chilli, finely chopped Fresh ginger, finely chopped 1½tsp ground turmeric 1½tsp ground cumin 400g sweet potatoes 250g red split lentils 600ml vegetable stock 80g spinach Heat the sesame oil in a wide-based pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the red onion and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli and thumb-sized piece of ginger and cook for 1 minute, then add the turmeric and cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Turn up the heat to medium, add the sweet potatoes, cut into even chunks, and stir everything together so the potato is coated in the spice mixture. Tip in the lentils and vegetable stock. Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender. Season to taste, then stir in the spinach. Once the spinach is wilted, serve the dhal topped with finely chopped spring onions.

From Discovery College to Oxford Uni: Jae Won Park's journey and advice for aspiring students “It is so much more than you see in the university prospectus,” opens Jae Won Park, who attended Discovery College from Year 1 to Year 13, and has just completed his first term at Oxford, one of the most prestigious universities in the UK. “History is all around you,” he adds. “There are carvings in desks made centuries ago. And the names associated with each College, remind you that thi s is a place that has been attended by world leaders and captains of industry that have shaped society. It is pretty amazing!” Jae Won is now embarking on a three-year undergraduate Computer Science course, having earned an incredible 44 points in his International Baccalaureate Diploma. DC recognised his potential early: he was awarded an academic scholarship, a programme which included a reduction in his school fees, and a mentorship from a Senior Teacher. With this support, he went on to engage in a variety of elective and extension courses, inside and outside of the school. So how is Jae Won settling into his new home and what advice does he have for students who are looking to follow in his footsteps? Why did you choose Oxford? “It was the nature of the Computer Science course that really stood out for me. I had some brilliant guidance from the Higher Education Team at DC who suggested that this was really important. To look for the detail and nuance in what you are studying and to make sure it aligns with your passions. “I love the theory of computer science, and the course here is rooted in this, which has meant that my lectures and seminars have been a joy so far.” What’s it like, living in a new country? “Living abroad is a huge shift, even greater than I had expected. There are lots of small things that are different from Hong Kong. There are no high-rise buildings here, and the rooms are far more spacious than I am used to, which is an adjustment and really liberating. Cooking for myself has been fun, though I don’t enjoy the washing and laundry as much!” How did your school experience prepare you for all this? “DC gave me a place, a community, to grow in confidence. I joined the school in Year 1 and I felt part of a tight group of friends, and of teachers, who knew me and encouraged me. I was shy in many ways, but the school helped me to find passions in Mathematics and in Programming, through the curriculum and extracurricular opportunities.” What advice do you have for someone applying to a prestige university like Oxford? “Oxford values your passion, knowledge and interest in your chosen course. So being able to draw upon the experiences that DC of fered me, such as entering informatics programming competitions was invaluable. “The interview itself is about the subject and the critical way in which you can think about this to solve problems. DC provided me with multiple mock interviews and constructive feedback on my answers each time, which gave me both the confidence and skills to perform when I needed.” What does the future hold? “I think I will move back to Hong Kong when I graduate, as that has been such a happy place for me. Right now, I’m enjoying the subject so much that a career in academia and computer science research is where I see a future. This is where my passion lies, and following this has been a good approach so far, so – whilst I’m enjoying the moment – I’m already very excited about what may come next!”

From playground disputes to everyday choices, the small ‘no’s’ we teach our children build the foundation of self-respect, confidence and empathy. Joanne Li reports PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew Spires Your four-year-old is at the playground. Another child runs up, grabs her yellow sunglasses and laughs as she reaches for them. Your daughter looks at you with big, confused eyes, tears welling up. In that single moment lies a choice – do you rush in and fix the situation for her, or do you kneel down, hold her hand, and help her find the words: “Please give my yellow sunglasses back. They’re mine.” That small sentence, spoken aloud, is not just about a pair of sunglasses. It is the first brick in a fortress of self-worth that will protect your child for the rest of her life. Sounds crazy, right? Read on... Healthy boundaries are the gentle rules we teach children (and adults) so that they can keep themselves emotionally and physically safe. Boundaries are not walls; they are bridges to help people connect in healthy and respectful ways. Picture these boundaries as glittery lines that indicate: here is my space and here is yours. When a child learns to draw these glittery lines early in life, something magical happens – they grow up knowing they are allowed to take up space, to feel what they feel, to disagree even when all their friends agree, and to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from a place of self-w or th instead of fear. Setting boundaries is a form of self-love. Every time a child says: “I don’t want a hug right now” and instead of telling them to stop being dif ficult, to give Uncle Jimmy a hug, we answer: “Ok sweetie,” we are telling them – your body belongs to you, your feelings are real and valid and you are wor thy of being heard and respected. Every time a child says: “I need a little bit of space” or “I need quiet time” and we honour that, we are watering the deepest root of confidence. Many parents worry that when their child says ‘no’, it makes them rude, difficult or selfish. This is far from the truth! Children who feel safe in their own skin become the most empathetic humans on earth. When a child knows how it feels to have their voice respected, they naturally learn to respect someone else’s ‘no’. They notice when a friend looks uncomfortable; they stop tickling or teasing when asked; they share toys because they want to, not because they are afraid to lose a friendship, to lose love, if they don’t. Imagine living in a world where you are in a playground and when your child bravely says: “Please give my yellow sunglasses back. They’re mine”, the other child actually respects this and gives them back. In actuality, this scenario doesn’t often happen but the truth is, it needs to start with us. As parents, we have a responsibility to demonstrate healthy boundaries so our children can learn from our example. Boundaries and empathy stem from the understanding that every person has their own space and their own opinion, and we need to respect it even if we disagree. Why is this so important? Well think of it this way, a child who is always forced to hug Uncle Jimmy learns that their body is not fully theirs. Later, when a classmate touches them in a way that feels wrong or a teenager pressures them to do something they don’t want to do, the old lesson shows up – my ‘no’ doesn’t matter. Alternatively, a child who has been encouraged to set small, healthy boundaries since they were very young, hears a different voice – my opinion matters, I am allowed to choose and I am worthy no matter what. This will be the lesson that shows up when later in life, that classmate touches them in a way that feels wrong or that teenager pressures them to do something they don’t want to do. They will stand their ground and draw that glittery line without feeling guilty about upsetting someone or scared of being disliked. So now it doesn’t sound so crazy, right? We must help our children set healthy boundaries when they are young. At three, let them decide if they want to share their toys in the playground. At four, teach them to say: “No more hugs today, thank you”. At five, help them tell a friend: “Stop calling me stupid, it is not nice and I will not play with you if you keep doing it.” As a mother, life-skills coach and author, this is what I tell people – make sure when you say ‘yes’ to others, you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself. Setting boundaries can bring discomfor t and that’s okay. Why? Because even though most people mean well, saying no is sometimes necessary. We need to teach our children to distinguish between the discomfort of doing the right thing and the discomfort of not being liked. Uncle Jimmy will be sad when he doesn’t get his hug, the other child in the playground will probably cry if you don’t share your toys and guess what, that’s okay! As parents, we might feel the urge to smooth things over – let’s just give that hug, let’s just share that toy one last time. But we need to pause and reflect, am I doing this in service of myself or am I doing this in service of my child? Am I trying to be the ‘good’ parent who doesn’t upset other people or am I teaching my child that their needs don’t matter? Remember, you are not responsible for other people’s happiness – no one is. Having said that, when a situation arises, you can gently explain that you are teaching your child about boundaries – teaching them that their body and feelings belong to them. Over time, the people who truly love your child will celebrate their growing sense of self-worth instead of being angered or discomforted by it. As children get older, boundaries help them walk away from gossip that feels unkind, leave a party when everyone else is still drinking, and end relationships that make them feel small. The little ‘no’ you taught your three-year-old becomes the quiet courage that keeps them safe at thirteen, twenty-three and beyond. Children with healthy boundaries become parents who raise a generation that understands: love does not demand self-betrayal; love makes room. So tonight, when you watch your child brush their teeth, sing off-key and talk a lovely lot of nonsense, make a promise to both of you that you will help them guard the magic inside them, one glittery line at a time. Let your child learn this – you are allowed to be fully, beautifully and unapologetically you! That is the quiet power of boundaries. And that is the loudest way we can teach our children to please, be you.