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It’s Helper Appreciation Month, so let’s take a moment to recognise some excellence in that most Hong Kong of extra-curricular activities: dragon boat racing. And can we get a sponsor up here? Elizabeth Kerr reports PHOTOS BY Beatrix Malan - www.atscollective.com Maja Candiza, Divine Dela Rosa and Rhoda Manzano are gathered around a couple of tables at Pacific Coffee. All three are domestic workers as well as dragon boat team administrators and paddlers, so it’s no surprise each has a giant coffee cup in front of them. The big ‘Alto’. You’d need a few shots of caffeine too if you had half on your plate of what they do on theirs. The point of the meet-up is to talk about Tado’s Dragon, the all-Filipino, all-domestic worker, all-female dragon boat team that’s been training and racing out of Discovery Bay since 2020. That’s right. When the pandemic hit and you were making sourdough and spending consumption vouchers they’re not entitled to, Maja, Divine and Rhoda were putting together a competitive dragon boat squad. HITTING THE WATER “The first race we did as Tado’s Dragon was in October, 2021 in DB. We didn’t have enough paddlers; we’d only been training a year. We expected nothing,” recalls Divine. “We made it into the final round. We came in last but when we got to shore the cheering was just out of control. We felt like champions."Suffice to say, putting together a 40-person team during a public health crisis was challenging. Before actually coming around to Tado’s Dragon, the trio sounds off on illegal logging at home in the Philippines, climate change, the stress and frustration of the COVID pandemic (Maja and Rhoda only got home in December after four years), taboos and tattoos, and how important it is to budget properly and manage your money – but also to spend on yourself every so often. With a combined 56 years in Hong Kong between them, 39 of those in DB, they knew how to get the word out about the budding team. The short version? Word of mouth and social media – but mostly word of mouth. That’s how Maja, 46, Divine, 45, and Rhoda, 49, met: through mutual friends. Maja and Rhoda were roommates when she was between jobs years ago, and met Divine on a kids’ playdate. They have the easy banter of old friends that includes gentle ribbing, and a lot in common, but couldn’t be more distinct. Maja, originally from a small town just outside Manila, is a youthful grandmother (!) who refers to herself as a sporty type. “I’ve been paddling since 2003. I played beach volleyball with friends in DB and was happy to finally get a job here,” she says. “I like it. It’s quiet and I like to train on the beach.” The same goes for Divine, possibly the most obviously maternal and practical of the three. She was running, and playing basketball and softball at home in the northern Philippines long before she hit college in Manila. Water was quite another story, however. Once in DB, “I used to hike because I’m afraid of the water. I M used to hate it,” she says with a laugh. “When I started dragon boating, I used to freak out looking at the waves. But I’ve gotten over it because I’ve really found a passion for it.” Rhoda is a no-guff taking single (“I had a great life with my last employers and I forgot to find a husband”), who arrived in Hong Kong from her Sabella (now Cavite) home in 1994 and started paddling with the Mighty Dragoneers. “I didn’t think I’d be able to do because I have lower back pain,” she rasps. It’s April 3. “I was screaming my head off at the Sevens,” she adds apologetically. “A friend suggested I give it a try because you never know if the exercise might help. And I get seasick easily. But I had no problems, and I loved it so I joined the Sea Cucumbers,” she finishes. MORE THAN PADDLING It was the international, mixed Sea Cucumbers that gave circuitous rise to Tado’s Dragon. Tado’s captain and steersman, Rodel Contado (who the team took its name from), works for The Cukes’ captains, and the three of them encouraged Maja, Divine and Rhoda to go for it and start their own crew, putting their money where their mouth was by lending the emergent team its boat for training. Tado’s Dragon added gymnastics teacher Cecilio Cabueñas (or Doods) as a coach and it was off to the races (no pun intended). “Rodel and her employers – and our own employers – encouraged us to start an all-domestic helper crew to enhance their lives. I volunteer at the YMCA on Sundays, and I see the need for this kind of thing,” says Rhoda. “You see helpers on the Hong Kong side on weekends doing nothing or, worse, gambling. Dragon boating keeps people from bad habits and takes their minds off whatever stress they’re feeling. Because depression is real, I’ve been there, and if this provides relief that’s good.” Running Tado’s Dragon team is a group effort; all three (two other volunteers complete the executive committee) help with coaching and take on extra duties like Maja’s warm-up training and Divine’s sponsorship and fundraising, and women of all shapes, sizes, and abilities are welcome to join. “We’re always looking for new members for the team,” begins Maja. “I just ask if can swim and then suggest they come along and try it. If you don’t like it, you’re free to leave.” Rhoda is more direct. “Don’t ever say ‘No’ to something you haven’t tried,” she emphasises, a credo she herself lives by. LOOKING FOR SPONSORS About those sponsors. Right now, Tado’s Dragon is limited to local races – in DB, South Lantau and Lamma – but Maja and Rhoda have had a taste of dragon boating in June, in Stanley and Shatin. “We don’t want Tado’s to be just about training,” states Divine. “We want to get out into real races.” That’s easier said than done. A team of DB domestic workers is the point, of course, but it’s also more logistically manageable for 6am training sessions and it keeps expenses down. Tado’s Dragon gets no support to cover basics like entry fees; no one will even waive them. “Maja and I have been racing for many years, so the dream is to get a sponsor so that the other members can have that experience too,” says Rhoda. “Hopefully we’ll find someone to support us. As much as we want to enter more races, we just don’t have the financial ability just yet.” But the threesome is confident they’ll get there. It’s only been a few years, two of those in near-lockdown. And in the meantime, there’s more to the team than just racing. Training and meetings have turned into social events, birthday parties, celebrations of other landmarks, and they’ve provided a much-needed space for sharing, support and sometimes just venting to someone who “gets it”. “When my father was in the hospital last year, dragon boating helped me a lot, to refocus and manage that stress,” notes Divine. It explains why these ladies are making time in already busy weeks and giving up their single day off. Rhoda speaks for all three when she declares, “I make time because I love doing what I do.”

Your entrée to French Polynesia PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock PLAN TO VISIT IN JULY not only for the whale-watching (July to October) but for Heiva! The spectacular, dance-heavy festival, being held this year at Papeete’s Maison de la Culture from July 6 to 22, is a highpoint of every Polynesian’s calendar. The event kicks off with an umutī (fire walking) ceremony and is big on traditional sports like coconut-tree climbing, stone lifting and canoe racing. ALL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS to French Polynesia land at Faa’a International Airport (PPT) in Papeete on the main island of Tahiti. There are five archipelagos in the French overseas territory, and over 100 islands to visit but it’s well worth spending some time in Tahiti, the heart of the islands, before heading out to other dream destinations like Bora Bora and Moorea. YOU’RE IN THE CENTRE OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN , 6,000 kilometres from the nearest major landmass (Australia), so you can expect big waves. Head to Teahupoo on the southwest coast to glimpse or catch (if you dare) six- to 25-foot waves. The tiny village hosts the Billabong Pro Teahupoo, reputably one of the world’s ‘heaviest’ surfing competitions. PAPEETE MARKET IS THE PLACE TO BE on a Sunday morning, when it’s packed with locals doing their weekly food shop. You’ll likely be more interested in the pareu (sarongs), tifaifai (quilts), shell necklaces and black-pearl jewellery. Make your way upstairs to find plenty of hawker stalls supplying freshly squeezed fruit juices and fish-heavy snacks. TAHITI’S LUXURY OVERWATER BUNGALOWS exceed expectations. You’ll find them off any one of the beautiful, black-sand beaches that encircle the island; off white-sand Maui Beach on Tahiti Iti, the island’s south-eastern tip; and inland, stretching out over sheltered, emerald-green lagoons. Imagine yourself sitting back with a Mai Tai and a plate of Poisson Cru after a morning dive. VENTURE INTO THE INTERIOR BY 4WD to climb waterfall-laden mountains and see petroglyphic rock carvings, dating back 20,000 years. The third-highest peak on the island, 2,066-metre Mount Aorai, delivers one of the most breath-taking – and demanding – hikes in French Polynesia, and is rightly celebrated for its incredible views. DRIVING AROUND THE ISLAND on the coast road, stop off at Arahoho Blowhole where huge sprays of water shoot up when the ocean swell is big enough. A little further south, you can explore the lush gardens, overhung caverns and crystal-clear pools of Maraa Grotto – a fairy-tale spot favoured by painter Paul Gauguin, who lived in nearby Mataiea from 1891 to 1893.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, use them to add a healthy dose of colour and sweetness to mum’s special day PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock BLUEBERRY MOUSSE CAKE Makes 4 - 100g butter - 200g digestive biscuits, crushed - 4 sheets leaf gelatine - 142ml single cream - 500g carton fromage frais - 140g golden caster sugar - 1 small orange - 400g blueberries, lightly crushed - 284ml double cream To make the base, melt the butter in a medium pan, then stir in the biscuits. Tip this mixture into a 24cm round cake tin, about 5cm deep, and leave to chill. To make the mousse, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Heat the single cream in a small pan until it just comes to the boil. Take off the heat. Stir the gelatine leaves into the hot cream one by one – they will dissolve immediately. Leave to cool. Beat the fromage frais and caster sugar together, adding the zest and juice of the orange. Stir in the cooled cream mixture and the blueberries. Whip the double cream lightly to form soft peaks, then fold it into the blueberry mixture. Pour into the cake tin and leave to chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until set. Serve decorated with mum’s favourite flowers. DELUXE BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE Serves 1 - 175g blueberries - 1 small banana, sliced - 1tbsp Greek yogurt - 100ml apple juice, chilled - 3 mint leaves Put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. Add a splash of water if it seems too thick. If mum could do with a power smoothie, add 300 grams of drained silken tofu and 2 tablespoons of porridge oats to the blender. Pour the smoothie into a tall glass and garnish with a sprig of mint to serve.

As you ransack far-flung flea markets and souks this summer, consider bringing back a few treasures to reinvent your home decor. Imogen Clyde reports PHOTOS COURTESY OF Pexels & Flickr The homes I’ve visited in Lantau (and across Hong Kong) have one thing in common. Regardless of their size, shape or design savvy, they all exhibit a strong global awareness. Or to put it another way, we Hongkongers love to travel, and shop while travelling, and this is reflected in our homes. Travellers have always had a taste for the exotic and there is nothing new about decorating with objects from other cultures. As far back as the 2nd century BC, the Silk Road ferried luxury items, such as silk, porcelain and jade, from China to Rome. During the Renaissance, the world opened up to exploration and connoisseurs everywhere began to collect exotica, and use it on an everyday basis. When you substitute ordinary objects with a multicultural blend of furnishings chosen for their unique shape, pattern or craftsmanship, you are well on the way to designing a chic, travel - led interior. Creating an exotic atmosphere star ts by adding a few unexpected surprises to a room: replacing that boring glass coffee table with an ornately carved drum picked up in Chiang Rai or exchanging a pretty museum-bought poster for a dazzling beaded Nigerian George fabric. Travel - led style is about making ‘everyday items’ stand out by selecting unusual, globally sourced treasures in lieu of machine-made, massproduced goods. As French architect Le Corbusier said back in the 1920s: “The home should be the treasure chest of living.” START WITH A MOOD BOARD The idea is to combine the familiar and the foreign without falling into farce. The Victorians loved a themed room, in particular Turkish rooms, in which low divans were piled high with cushions and lavishly draped with Persian rugs, but today this kind of themed approach is definitely out – too studied at best, too kitsch at worst. What you are aiming for instead, is an imaginatively furnished interior that incorporates a host of different cultural objects and influences. The trendiest travel-led schemes combine furnishings, fabrics and accessories from all over the globe. In choosing key pieces, you are not confined to any one country, and neither are you tied to one period of time – modern pieces can combine well with curios and antiques. It’s about mixing things up to achieve a global perspective. One word of warning: making a success of a travelled scheme relies heavily on your own sense of style and decorating ability. You are creating a design scheme that reflects your appreciation for the beauty of other cultures, so a strong sense of purpose and aesthetic vision is required. It’s the way you put the look together that counts. When designing any complicated living space, the first step is to visualise how it will look, so it’s worth spending some time working up an interiordesign mood board. A mood board is a tried-and-tested way to collect inspiration, explore ideas and set the tone for your design project. Start by set ting up a canvas on which to arrange photos of new and existing furnishings and accessories that you’d like to include in your scheme. Add in paint and fabric samples that interest you, and see what works together and what doesn’t. You’re looking to create a cohesive scheme in which the contrasting shapes, colours and styles work together. So be ruthless. If the treasured wedding cabinet you bought in Beijing years ago doesn’t fit with the other items on your mood board, give it to a friend or put it into storage. KEEP IT MINIMAL Creating a harmonious living environment from pieces from far-flung places isn’t the easiest of options. And as a general rule, a minimal layout works best, star ting with the backdrop. Unusual textures and bold hues are part and parcel of a travel-led scheme – lacquer, pewter and porcelain, as well as animal skin, fake fur and beaded or ethnic fabrics can all feature in the furnishings and accessories. So you’re well advised to provide a bit of breathing space, some visual relief by keeping the surrounding walls and floors fuss-free. Simple wood or tiled flooring, perhaps punctuated by a couple of rugs, helps tone things down, as does monochromatic paintwork. While stark white walls are too cold for an exotic-looking room, you can play around with shades of off-white and cream, perhaps even a sexy combination of grey and taupe. If your heart is set on bold paintwork, limit yourself to just one colourful statement wall. A minimalist approach will also help when you’re filling in the details. Minimal doesn’t have to mean empty or utilitarian but it does mean clutterfree. A ‘less is more’ approach to accessories and furnishings will bring each piece into focus and show off your discerning eye. Overstuff a room with too many items, no matter how beautiful, and it will end up looking more like a flea market than an inviting place to hang out. MAKE IT PERSONAL From fusion cuisine to travel-led decorating, the exciting thing about blending influences from around the world is in creating something original. The romantic curves of a wicker daybed crafted in Java, the festive hues of a Moroccan throw… every element you select for a room changes the overall dynamic and reveals something about your personality. Above all, you are given the option to think out of the box, combining pieces from disparate times and places that mean something to you personally and, when arranged together, express your personal style. Know too that you are free to use furnishings in new and imaginative ways for purposes entirely different from their original intent. That tiny, cutglass Moroccan vase, you picked up in a souk last month, might, for instance, provide the finishing touch to your bathroom – as a toothbrush holder. Approach decorating in this way and every item in your home becomes a potential talking point, and something to spark fond memories. A travel-led scheme can take a lifetime to per fect, and therein lies much of its charm. It’s something that you build on year after year, as you add in interesting, new pieces. Finding yourself in a London flea market, you might finally happen upon the slightly rickety but beautifully formed Regency dining table you’ve coveted for what seems like forever; one morning in Cape Town, you might spot a couple of Shona statues on the roadside that will fill a long-standing gap on your bedside table. Above all, global style champions the unique, the interesting and the erudite. It’s not about filling your home with high-priced, big-brand items, supplemented by sneaky trips to Ikea. It’s about gradually creating your own personal ‘treasure chest of living,’ as you travel and shop the globe.

Ahead of Earth Day, Suren Safaya sits down with Elizabeth Kerr to discuss the fruit trees he grows across from his apartment and much else besides. PHOTOS BY Richard Gordon - www.richardgordonphotography.com Along rambling chat with Suren Safaya ends with a beer on a park bench on the east side of Discovery Bay. After a circuitous, leisurely walk around Peninsula Garden and past the 60-odd trees he’s planted over the last six years, Suren plonks down on the bench and pontificates on his post-semi-retirement second career as an LED lighting specialist. “I’m not earning a living from it,” says the former IT pro. “It’s purely for my own interest and to help out somehow. And it keeps my grey cells engaged.” Eventually Suren’s wife, Soshima, shows up with the aforementioned beer, a fruity San Pellegrino soda for him. Suren looks low-key aggrieved, but takes it and has a sip after he gets A Look, maybe the same one he got when he started growing fruit trees in their flat years ago – from seeds. Not flower market or garden centre seeds; seeds from whole fruit. Once the avocado, mango, pomegranate, lemon, lime, sufeda, tamarind and date plants started looking like something from The Last of Us, Soshima decided enough was enough. “My wife told me either I leave the apartment or the plants leave. Uh oh,” Suren says with his hallmark gentle chuckle. “It was quite a jungle in there.” Sure is why DB now has fruit trees. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE Born in Kashmir and educated in Kolkata, Suren and Soshima, an educator, relocated to Beijing in 1983, where he was assigned by Unisys for a United Nations development programme to implement a mainframe for the government. A student of electronics and telecommunications, with a master’s in computer science, Suren is an original gangster tech guy, working in tech industries before there were tech industries. He will tell you things about your iPhone you didn’t even know existed. After eight years in Beijing, the couple and their two children landed in Hong Kong. That was 40 years ago, and 31 of those have been spent in DB. Suren left Unisys in 2005 to work as a consultant to the HKSAR Government on its IT and to “chill.” As it turns out, Suren hasn’t done much chilling. His penchant for keeping busy led him to helping out DB’s former onboard dwellers with solar light options, as well as LED options for his neighbours who were having trouble making a green solution work. “OK, I’ll have a go,” he recalls. “That’s how I got into the LED lighting business.” A ham radio hobby also keeps him engaged, but at heart Suren’s a scientist, which is the main reason he started a jungle on his windowsill. His inner urban farmer was always there. “I always loved to put a seed in a pot and watch it grow. I just got curious as to what might happen,” he explains of his Peninsula Garden experiment. “There’s a fruit in India, kala jamun, that I used to eat all the time as a kid. It’s deep purple, oval, a long seed – and it turns your tongue black. The last time I was in Pune I saw some and ate them all. I saved the seeds, brought them back, and put them in a pot at home. All 13 grew.” Though he was focused on work when the potting journey started, eventually the time for a deep dive beyond what we all learn in Grade 10 biology cropped up. Suren casts his memory back for a second, recalling the moment it came to choose academic streams in school. “There was an agriculture stream, but I wanted to do science. My advisor told my mum I’d be better suited to agriculture. In hindsight he knew something I didn’t.” FRUITS OF HIS LABOURS Luckily for Suren he happened to be on the Peninsula Village Owners Committee, and so he had an advantage when he pitched the idea to plant some fruit trees around the village in 2014. Armed with a PowerPoint presentation, he made an argument for the plantings and the committee went for it. Suren did some research into what would be an invasive species and what wouldn’t, and what might have been here before the Second World War razed everything to the ground. “Most of the trees you see in Hong Kong are secondary trees. They were imported from Australia after the war. There were local trees but nothing that grew to any level. Some work – like guava and jackfruit – some don’t. I made sure to bring stuff from along the same latitude to give them a head start.” He’s also an occasional tour guide to DB’s flora (WhatsApp him on 9020 3729). A little girl trying her best to pull a branch off one of his kala jamun trees led to a chat with her mother about not pulling branches off, and the mother organising a garden tour. Ideally, Suren will be able to label every tree so everyone has a chance to become more knowledgeable about them. In the time he’s been planting in DB (some saplings went off to new developments like Chianti), there have been successes and failures – excitable dogs, rain, typhoons – but mostly successes. If you see a tree with green protective lattice around it, it’s probably Suren’s work. Right now, his pomegranate bushes are flowering, and the tucked away lime trees give off a vibrant, intoxicatingly sweet scent when the leaves are rubbed. And even though some residents have wondered who would “own” the fruit once trees bore them, Suren believes most people are thrilled just to have them there. PASTURES NEW In the coming months and years, Suren’s going to have to rely on the kindness of local gardeners to nurture what he’s started. With grown kids – son Sameer, a hydrologist in the Netherlands and Smriti, a geologist who just completed her PhD in Citizen Science in the UK – and considering Soshima retired from the Canadian International School a few years ago, the couple has decided it’s time to travel again. From a new homebase in Pune, they can flit around the globe, and Suren can continue the next phase of his work. Smart man Suren, but clearly confused about the concept of retirement. He’s working with a group of scientists researching the light spectrum’s influence on seed growth, and how to use LED to replicate it and speed up growth to make seed modification quicker, technically AI-assisted speed-breeding agro-tech. Don’t start him on GMOs and the anti-science movement that seems to be sweeping the globe, the unfounded illness fears and push back on all the good that GMOs do, like disease prevention, insect resistance and fortification to work in a world where climate change will impact food supply. Shady seed suppliers that bankrupt farmers are not a science issue. Suren has no idea where this research might lead, if anywhere, but in true scientific fashion, that’s not necessarily the point. “There’s a greater good at play,” he says. “That is a good point and maybe if I work at that level one day I’ll address it, but for now I’m happy just doing the science.”

Whether you’re new to financial planning or have struggled with it in the past, Ray Robertson has some pointers to help you keep your finances on track. ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY OF Freepik We’re already into the second quarter of the year, and my daughter Amy, 13, and I have been talking a lot about resolutions for the months ahead. We’ve discussed academic aims, household chores and a pocket money increase, and our little chats have got me thinking about my own ongoing plans and responsibilities for 2023/ 24. Importantly, I’m determined to spend smarter, starting now. As a husband and father, you’d think I’d have family budgeting sussed by now, and in many ways you’d be right. But as I’ve grown older, I realise I’ve let things slip. I no longer keep a tangible record of my monthly incomings and outgoings; I don’t actively balance my books. It’s time to go back to a monthly budget plan, and stick to it. Planning a budget is easy, and there are so many great ways to make it smar t. My wife does her personal accounts each month, as a matter of course. This comes as naturally to her as breathing, or, as she says, watching her weight (and my gout problems) by keeping a food diary. BALANCE YOUR BOOKS In creating your budget plan, you’re obviously going to write down your mor tgage or rent, insurance, utilities, cell phone, cable and creditcard payments, plus food and ferry/ taxi costs and school fees. But that’s not all. You also need to account for your ‘discretionary’ expenses, like meals out, cinema tickets and gym membership – absolutely everything. Look at your bank book and note any recurring expenses that you had forgotten about, or underestimated. Writing down all your outgoings will help you assess whether they are all entirely necessary. For me, actually seeing (in black and white) how much I spend on golf each month has encouraged me to hit the links a little less. When making a budget plan, be sure to overestimate a little on your expenses. For example, if your rent is HK$28,000 a month, round it up to HK$30,000. This way you buy yourself a little wriggle room, and make the math easier. If you overestimate all your known expenses, then you’ll have a built-in cushion in case an unexpected expense arises (say, a sale at Escapade Sports). While you’re at it, underestimate your income a little bit, too. If you typically bring home HK$58,000 a month round it down – log it into your planner as HK$55,000. Again, this will give you a small but handy buffer in case you need it. If you end up with extra cash at the end of the month, you have the chance to treat your family to something special. AIM TO SAVE Certainly savings need to figure in any serious budget plan. In this uncertain economy, everyone needs a nest egg, so aim to set aside 10% of your yearly income. While you may not notice the sum deducted from your current account each month, you’ll appreciate the sizeable extra saved by the end of the year. Your only good excuse for not saving is if you’re using all of your ‘extra’ money to pay off credit-card debt. Priority number one in creating your budget has to be eliminating debt. It’s essential to recognise that borrowing from your bank is like taking out a loan. It really is a fool’s game. If you don’t pay your bill in full every month, you’ll be charged interest and owe more than you originally spent. If you’ve ever written a cheque knowing you didn’t have the money in your current account to cover it, but that you would by the time the cheque cleared, you’ve kited. Kiting may seem harmless, but it’s never a good idea, because if you misjudge the timing, you could bounce a cheque, which in turn could cause another payment to bounce. Letting this happen is not only embarrassing it’s expensive, as most banks charge outrageous fees for overdrafts. Of course, we are not only accountable to our bank managers. I always try to remember that Amy is watching my spending and budgeting habits. If we spend more than we should, or live beyond our means, our children will likely follow our lead. But if we’re financially responsible and thrifty, they’ll learn these good habits, and use them to be more successful and less stressed in their own adult lives. DON’T PUNISH YOURSELF The aforesaid notwithstanding, don’t plan a budget you know you will never be able to keep. Your budget plan should be just as reasonable and achievable as your diet regime or exercise programme. If you’ve never been able to save well, or are a compulsive spender, don’t expect this to change overnight. Instead, make small changes and take small steps towards your overall budget goals. You’re looking at a long-term strategy, so don’t be punitive. Any sensible budget plan should include an expense entry of at least HK$1,000 per month for unexpected costs. This will cover anything you’ve forgotten, like flowers for Mother’s Day, or anniversary drinks. If you figure unexpected expenses into your budget, you’ll never be short of cash. Once you’ve completed your budget, have a copy of it handy. Keep it in your bankbook, or diary. When you’re looking to spend a large sum of money, pull out your plan to see if you can afford to do so. See where you can make small cuts to cover your additional costs, or work out how they can be absorbed into your budget over the coming months. In my case, it’s always possible to reduce money spent teeing off. Every few months, review your budget and make updates or changes according to how you’ve actually been spending. For example, if you change mobile phone plans, and are now paying a lot more or less, update your budget to reflect that. If you notice you’re spending more on utilities or taxi fares, increase that part of your budget, but be sure to take the required funds from somewhere else, like meals out or date nights. Think of your budget as a scale, where the two sides ought to be equal. If you take something away from ‘income,’ you need to take something away from ‘spending’. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be able to come up with an ef fective and fully personalised monthly budget. You should even be able to save a little.

Gordon Franks , Managing Partner of Lifestyle Property, suggests it’s time to make your move in Birmingham. Property investors looking for superior returns will often look for areas in the midst of regeneration, where significant internal investment is being made. Urban renewal is a sign of future demand, which often leads to an abundance of new amenities, new residents and ultimately, increased value. The Big City Plan: The Birmingham Big City Plan is an excellent example of regeneration. Starting with the Bullring in 2003, it has grown into an impressive masterplan that’s seen property prices increase by 200% over the last 20 years. This has totally transformed the city, and made it a highly desirable place for both owners and renters. The new London? Birmingham has been voted the best regional city in the UK to live in, with the cost of living approximately 60% lower than London. Companies such as HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Barclays, KPMG and PwC have recognised these cost savings and relocated many employees to Birmingham. This has boosted the economic output of the city and, importantly for property investors, demand for high quality rental properties. With a population of just over 1 million and an economic output of £18 billion per year, Birmingham is undoubtably the UK’s second largest city. The grey city some of us may remember from the 1990s is almost unrecognisable today and rapidly becoming its own economic powerhouse. In the past, UK property investment has focused on London or the areas immediately outside of it, but with a high-speed train connecting London to Birmingham in under 50 minutes expected to commence in 2033, Birmingham must be a consideration for future buy-to-let landlords. Once in a generation opportunity: Within the regeneration programme, Smithfield in Birmingham’s city centre stands out as an area investors must consider. Birmingham City Council sees Smithfield as an unprecedented chance to make a profound, lasting change for the city. A development purchased today could provide significantly higher returns in both rental income and capital appreciation compared to other areas. Smithfield is defined by its dynamic mix of uses creating a major cultural and leisure destination, much-needed business space and a new residential community. Birmingham’s house prices are increasing by 6.3% annually, according to HM Land Registry. This is faster than the UK average of 4.5%. Moreover, property investors can expect average rental yields of 5.11% far exceeding those of London’s 2.9%. With rising interest rates, yield becomes more important and these rental increases are significant, helping to compensate for any potentially higher costs of borrowing. According to the latest house price forecast from JLL, Birmingham’s housing market is expected to grow by a cumulative 19.2% between 2023 and 2027. This far exceeds the expected UK average of 8.9% over the five-year period and as such should be a consideration for all property investors. Contact Lifestyle Property at www.lfsproperty.com or via WhatsApp on 9635 4397 to discover how easy it is to invest in property. Gordon Franks is a long-term DB resident and managing partner of Lifestyle Property; he has been assisting his clients in creating wealth through property in Hong Kong since 2004.

Love.Together@DB has been helping residents embrace diversity and build a loving community for a little over a decade. Ray Au takes a look. PHOTOS COURTESY OF HKRCL Home to around 20,000 people hailing from 50+ countries, Discovery Bay is a truly unique place to live. Unique in its cultural mix certainly, but also in how happily residents of different nationalities, backgrounds and ages coexist. That ours is a harmonious, close-knit community is thanks in no small part to Love.Together@DB, the community-caring platform initiated in 2012 by Hong Kong Resort Company Limited (HKRCL). Over the years, Love.Together@DB has introduced numerous events, programmes and activities with the aim to bring the community together and promote a caring, sharing culture. “The strength of our community lies in the strength of the connections that we have with each other,” opens Simon Tu, General Manager, DB Operations of HKRCL. “Forging these connections takes time and effort but it’s worth it. The Love.Together@DB ethos is ‘Embrace Diversity and Build a Loving Community’. We set out to foster strong bonds and a sense of belonging within the DB community, while encouraging community service.” BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS The fabulous DB Fun Fun Carnival, co-organised by Love.Together@DB and the Neighbourhood Advice- Action Council (NAAC), is one of the most popular events on the DB social calendar, bringing handicraf t workshops and on-stage dance, music and fitness demonstrations. True to the Love.Together@DB ethos, local performers from different countries and cultures are invited to take part. For DB Dragon Boat Race Day, Love.Together@DB joins hands with City Management and the City Owners’ Committee. A high-profile, community building event, it serves to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle, while encouraging residents and stakeholders to meet and mingle. The DB Kids Farming Programme, launched in May 2022, is a relatively new Love.Together@DB flagship programme that helps residents build relationships through shared activities. Local schoolchildren, alongside their parents, siblings and elderly neighbours, are given a small piece of farmland to cultivate inside the greenhouse at DB Community Green Square. Members of the DB Landscape Team are on hand to teach the kids valuable farming skills. “Love.Together@DB initiatives are based on one or more of the following pillars – green living, healthy lifestyle, ar ts and culture, youth education and family harmony,” says Sara Lai, Senior Manager, Community Relations of HKRCL. “We are delighted that the DB Kids Farming Programme touches on so many of these.” The story-telling sessions and handicraft workshops, co-organised by Love.Together@DB and the Outlying Islands Women’s Association (OIWA), are another case in point. “The aim is to help foster harmonious family relationships,” says Luvis Wong, OIWA’s Community Services Development Manager. “The diversified, family-based programmes let OIWA reach out to many young DB parents and expand children’s horizons.” The annual competitions Love.Together@DB organises, alongside the Around DB team, are equally family-orientated, and specifically tailored to celebrate DB’s multicultural demographic. In the DB CNY Drawing Competition, DB kids and students share their New Year wishes and greetings with the community. In the DB Baking Competition – themed Love to Bake! Bake to Love! for 2022, resident cooks of all ages were invited to share a favourite family recipe that friends and neighbours might choose to add to their own culinary repertoire. SHARING THE LOVE In seeking to build a loving and connected community, Love.Together@DB makes DB’s elderly residents a priority. Elderly Fun Days, co-organised by City Management, are held every Tuesday and Thursday at the Multi-Purpose Hall encouraging older members of the community to get together and enjoy a range of activities, such as early morning exercise, table tennis, tea-sharing, dancing and Rummikub. Regular talks on useful topics like health, home safety and crime prevention are also provided, as are Christmas and CNY gatherings. Love.Together@DB is well aware that living in a well-connected community is important for people’s wellbeing and, with this in mind, it supports the numerous activities the NAAC provides at its centre in DB North and at the DB Community Centre. “Thanks to Love.Together@DB, we can strengthen our connection with the DB community, tailoring our diverse services to the needs of residents,” says Henry Yip, NAAC Centre Manager. “The more community activities we hold, the more residents we connect with, and the more easily we can identify people who need our support.” NAAC wellness workshops on offer include laughter-yoga and mindfulness, and there are spor ts clubs for table tennis, badminton and dance. Music-based activities include busking (DB Vibes), a choir for adults (Sing for Joy) and a percussion band for children. Love.Together@DB also suppor ts DB residents James Lee and Jane Tsui, co-founders of Sing for Love, who provide Cantonese Opera training classes at Cub Siena as a form of community service. The programme is open to children as well as adults, and all the coaches are volunteers. “We have a strong sense of belonging in DB. It’s our home and we want to make a solid contribution,” says James, who composes music and writes lyrics for the children he teaches. “Through the programme, we teach children about Chinese culture and promote positive thinking and values. All our members live or study in DB, so we see strong friendship bonds develop.” “We are not merely an interest class; we are a support network,” says Jane, formerly deputy principal at S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School. “We want to care for elderly residents, especially those whose children have moved out of DB. We hope to ease their loneliness. By singing together, many of us have become friends. During COVID, we helped elderly members get to the vaccine centres and we sourced necessities for them.” ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY SERVICE Volunteering is something that Love.Together@DB encourages and enables, with a focus not only on DB’s elderly population but also on locally based NGOs, such as Plastic Free Seas. “People who volunteer feel more connected to the community they serve, and it’s also a good way to connect with other residents and have fun,” says Sara. “In addition, volunteering boosts personal development; it broadens people’s horizons, helping them understand those they are trying to help.” While being DB-centric, the Love.Together@DB volunteering programme extends to the wider Lantau community, with a focus on Tung Chung and Peng Chau. One such initiative, on March 4, saw Love.Together@DB and the HKRI Care and Share Volunteer Team, alongside their families and friends, join with 30 other teams to paint a series of murals by the water front at Tung Chung Development Pier. The first mural highlights activities that Love.Together@DB arranges or supports; the second depicts signature DB events and facilities. “For this event, we partnered with Tung Chung Safe and Heathy City, with whom we have a longstanding relationship,” Sara says. “It created an opportunity for our staff to make a contribution to the wider community. They were also able to enjoy quality time with colleagues, families and friends while volunteering. “No matter whether you choose to provide a community activity or service, or sign up as a recipient, you will experience heartfelt fulfilment! Come join us,” Sara concludes. Love.Together@DB is a community-caring platform initiated in 2012 by Hong Kong Resort Company Ltd dedicated to serving the Discovery Bay (DB) community. The platform proactively supports and co-organises diversified corporate social responsibility initiatives with NGOs, community leaders and volunteers to promote a loving and caring culture in the sustainable and multicultural DB community.

Sink into the City of Sand PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock THE LAST REMAINING WONDER of the ancient world, Giza pyramid complex has to be the highpoint of any visit to Cairo. The complex was built to entomb pharaohs 4,000 years ago, and must-see sights include the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure and the Sphinx. Venture further into the desert to see more tombs, temple ruins and satellite pyramids. A CRADLE OF CIVILISATION celebrated for historic treasures that span the centuries, Cairo is also the sprawling and bustling Egyptian capital with a population of over 20 million. Egyptians call the city Umm Ad Dunya – the Mother of the World – and it famously has two sides: Islamic and Coptic. The skyline is a mesmerising mish-mash of mosques and churches, high-rises and pyramids. THE MIGHTY SPHINX AT GIZA is a lot smaller than you might expect, though no less formidable. The infamous man-lion sculpture is known as Abu Al Hol (the Father of Terror) in Arabic; the name Sphinx was introduced by the ancient Greeks who saw a resemblance to one of their own mythical monsters, a female who killed anyone unable to answer her riddles. THE TREASURES OF TUTANKHAMUN and other great pharaohs are expected to move this year from downtown Cairo’s historic Egyptian Museum to the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on the Giza Plateau. On opening, GEM will be the largest archaeological museum in the world, home to some 18,000 ancient artefacts, including the 5,000-strong full-tomb collection of King Tut. A NIGHT CRUISE ON THE NILE opens up another side of Cairo, complete with fine dining and belly dancing. If you have plenty of time on your hands, consider prebooking a slow (12-night) cruise up the Nile to Luxor, the ‘world’s greatest openair museum,’ where you can explore the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. FRENCHIFIED DOWNTOWN CAIRO first came into being in the 19th century, when Ottoman ruler Khedive Ismail Pasha set out to turn the largely medieval city into the ‘Paris of the East’. You can catch a glimpse of Cairo’s belle epoque in the fin de siècle, European-style buildings, boulevards and gardens bordering Talaat Harb Square. TROPHY-FILLED KHAN EL-KHALILI SOUK was built in the 14th century as an epicentre of regional trade, and it continues on as a medieval-style mall, where you can pick up everything from semi-precious stones to shisha. It’s easy to get lost in the maze of cobbled lanes and tiny courtyards as you barter for gold, incense and spices.

Try these easy-to-make, Easter-themed treats – they’re guaranteed to put a spring in the whole family’s step. PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock FUNNY BUNNY PANCAKES Makes 4 - 100g plain flour - 2 eggs - 1tbsp vegetable oil - 300ml milk Put the flour and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and crack the eggs, vegetable oil and 50ml milk into the middle. Start whisking from the centre, gradually drawing the flour into the eggs, milk and oil. Then beat until you have a smooth, thick paste. Add a good splash of milk and whisk to loosen the thick batter. While still whisking, pour in the remaining milk until you have a batter that is the consistency of single cream. Heat the pan over a moderate heat, then wipe it with oiled kitchen paper. Ladle some batter into the pan, tilting the pan to move the mixture around for a not-to-thin, even layer. Cook for about 30 secs until the pancake is golden underneath. Then, flip the pancake using a palette knife and cook for another 30 secs. Continue with the rest of the batter, stacking the pancakes onto a warm plate. To make an easter bunny, cut out 5 pancake circles for the face, eyes and cheeks. Arrange on a plate, then add two slices of banana and two blueberries to make the eyes, a raspberry for the nose, strips of cheese for the whiskers and two banana halves for the ears. EASY CARROT CAKE Serves 12 - 230ml vegetable oil - 100g natural yogurt - 4 large eggs - 1½tsp vanilla extract - ½ orange, zested - 265g self-raising flour - 335g brown sugar - 2½tsp ground cinnamon - ¼ fresh nutmeg, grated - 265g carrots, grated - 100g sultanas - 100g walnuts, chopped For the icing - 100g salted butter - 300g icing sugar - 100g soft cheese Heat the oven to 180˚C and prepare two 20cm cake tins. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, sultanas and half the nuts. Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins. Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins. To make the icing, beat the softened butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the soft cheese and beat again, then add the rest. Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and the remaining walnuts.

Flavourful and aromatic, these authentic Mexican go-tos work equally well as a snack, for brunch, or as an easy mid-week supper. PHOTOS COURTESY OF Adobe Stock ULTIMATE GUACAMOLE Serves 2 1 small red onion 1 medium very ripe tomato 1 red chilli, deseeded 1 large handful fresh coriander 1 lime 4 medium ripe avocados In a food processor, pulse the onion, tomato, chilli and most of the coriander until finely chopped, then transfer to a bowl. Roll the lime over the work surface with some pressure to help juicing, then cut in half, juice it and add to the mix. Now cut your avocados in half, remove the stones and scoop out the creamy flesh. Squash the flesh to a pulp with your hands to make it super creamy. Leave a few of the chunks for a bit of texture. Mix through the blitzed veg, add some seasoning and a little mayonnaise (optional). Drizzle with olive oil and some more coriander, and serve with nachos. EASY BEEF AND BEAN BURRITOS Serves 4 ½ red onion, thinly sliced 1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced ½tsp ground allspice 1tsp smoked paprika 3tsp cumin seeds 2 x 200g sirloin steaks, cut into strips ½tbsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 1 x 400g tin black or borlotti beans, partially drained Mix the red onion, red pepper, allspice, paprika, 1tsp cumin seeds, the thinly cut steak and olive oil in a bowl. Stir well and leave to marinate for up to two hours. Fry the beef mixture with a pinch of salt over a high heat until the beef is browned all over. Remove from the pan and rest on a plate. For the beans, add a dash of olive oil to the pan you cooked the steak in. Add the garlic and 2tsp cumin seeds and cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the beans, crushing them lightly with the back of a wooden spoon as you heat them through. Once soft, remove from the heat and set aside. To serve, spread some of the beans over four burritos and top with a little of the beef. Drizzle a spoonful of sour cream over. Add a scattering of lettuce, roll up and serve immediately.

With so many flights booked and so much fun to be had, the last thing you want is jet lag dragging you down. Samantha Wong has some solutions. PHOTOS COURTESY OF Freepik Sit bolt upright in a narrow, hard chair; breathe recycled, dry air; deprive yourself of sleep; hur tle your body through the troposphere at 500 miles an hour in a cylindrical tin, and hey presto… you’re ready to do business or enjoy your holiday. Not likely. Most of us have experienced jet lag and are familiar with the symptoms – fatigue, disorientation, ir rationality, dehydration and aches, followed by sleepless nights, short-term memor y loss, lack of concentration and reduced motivation. But why do we suffer from it, and how can we minimise the symptoms? CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS Everyone has a body clock that controls their optimum time for sleeping, waking, exercising, eating and being mentally active. If we ignore our body clock, or mess it up by taking a longhaul flight, our so-called circadian rhythms are disrupted, and we end up feeling stressed, anxious and fatigued. Usually, jet lag is worse going east than going west, so if you’re heading to Europe you won’t be as hard hit as you’d be arriving in the US. This is because flying westward, the normal cycle is temporarily lengthened and our circadian rhythms can extend in line with their natural freewheeling period of about 24 hours, and thus catch up. NASA estimates that we need one day for every time zone crossed to reset our body clocks and regain normal energy levels. So for a five-hour time dif ference, you need five days to recover. But surely there are tried-and-tested ways to minimise jet lag? The best way is to switch to the new time zone as soon as possible. As you get on the plane, adjust your watch to the destination time, and try to sleep at the appropriate time for your destination. An eye mask, earplugs and blow-up neck pillow are obviously travelling essentials. Short-duration sleeping pills can be useful. There are times, however, when it’s inadvisable to re-synchronise your circadian rhythms. For instance, if you’re a business traveller and your intention is to be away from home for 72 hours or less, it is much better to stay on Hong Kong time as far as possible. If you keep your circadian rhythms in mind when planning your day’s meetings, you’ll be more likely to per form when it counts. An example would be when visiting the UK, try and hold important business meetings in the morning when you feel at your best. Avoid meetings in the late afternoon (night time in Hong Kong). INFLIGHT MANOEUVRES Of course it’s not just the time changes that effect our post-flight condition. Often, we have a mountain of things to check-off before we travel, which may leave us feeling over-tired or stressed and therefore more liable to get sick on board (where the air is far from fresh) or on arrival. A simple but effective solution? Take Vitamin C. While Vitamin C does not reduce frequency of regular colds all that much, stress-related colds (when you’re tired and run down from lack of sleep etc.) are halved by high doses of the supplement. So take 1,000mg three times daily, from the day of your flight for the full week after. On board, the dry atmosphere can be a problem, especially if you’re used to the humidity of Hong Kong. Cabin humidity usually ranges from 5% to 15%, and this dry air can cause headaches and dry airway passages. It’s the per fect environment to catch a cold, cough, sore throat or the flu. With this in mind, make sure you drink plenty of water before and during your flight. Staying hydrated is essential. Avoid all diuretics (alcohol, tea and coffee) as they cause the body to lose water. This can lead to dehydration which makes the effects of jet lag that much worse. Note too that the effect of alcohol on the body is two to three times more potent when you are flying. Exercise helps blood flow, so on long flights be aware of the need to get up and stretch. Get up several times throughout your flight, walk to the bathroom and stretch your legs and arms as much as possible. You can do several effective exercises in your seat, such as moving your ankles in a circular motion to decrease swelling, stretching your arms above your head, and pulling your shoulders back. Long-haul travel (over four hours) brings with it a risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Smokers, the immobile, pregnant women, those taking oral contraceptives and people who have inherited an abnormally active clotting mechanism are most at risk. DVT occurs because of dehydration, immobility (possibly made worse by sedation) and the pooling of blood in our feet that happens at reduced pressure. The best ways to prevent it are by keeping mobile, walking regularly and keeping well hydrated. Antiembolism stockings to the calf or above can also be useful. Those who have had recent operations or suffer from a chronic disease often take an anticoagulant injection prior to a flight. WHAT TO DO ON ARRIVAL The inability to sleep at the appropriate time, after crossing several time zones, can turn a holiday or business trip into a living hell. But there are remedies. If sleep really is eluding you, take Melatonin, ideally sublingual Melatonin as it is quick acting and bypasses the stomach. It’s the body’s own sleep hormone, and it’s safe for short-term use at any age. Melatonin shortens the period you experience jet lag by half; and it halves sleep latency (that time spent tossing and turning in bed before falling asleep). Melatonin works, it helps you fall asleep but it’s not a sleeping pill and it won’t ‘knock you out’ for hours or leave you feeling groggy the next day. Before you turn in, open the cur tains a little and set an alarm, so you’ll wake up bright and early in the morning. Drag yourself out of bed, even if you don’t want to, and spend as much time outdoors as possible. Daylight, which helps to realign our circadian rhythms, is probably the single most useful tool you can use to ease jet lag. Keep yourself busy, do a bit of exercise, drink plenty of water and find a way to push through until the evening. By ignoring your body’s desire for a sneaky midday nap, you should win yourself a good night’s sleep – and wake up ready to make the most of your well-deserved trip. 6 WAYS TO COMBAT JET LAG 1. Leave home well rested 2. Use the flight to recharge and reset 3. On arrival, stay awake until an early local bedtime 4. Keep well hydrated 5. Soak up plenty of sun 6. Take Melatonin and Vitamin C