tight-knit clan
MY HOLIDAY in Tokyo in December 2005 was especially memorable as I got to travel with over 20 members of my immediate and extended family.
They included my mother who is now 76 years old, my siblings, nieces and nephews. The oldest in the group was my mother and the youngest, my nephew, Xinglong, 11.
We are a very tight-knit clan, and we would always gather together for Chinese New Year celebrations and family birthdays.
We enjoyed the winter atmosphere at a ski resort in Tokyo. It was a 8-day trip costing approximately $60,000 or about $3,000 on average per person.
We spent 3 days 2 nights in the resort. As few of us knew how to ski, we did things like ride the cable lifts and play in the snow.
Many of my family members have never been to a ski resort, thus it was very fun pelting each other with snowballs and enjoying the weather of minus 5 Celcius degrees to 5 degrees.
I have been to Japan on numerous occasions for work and with my family. However, this is the first time such a big group of us were able to schedule this holiday together. It was wonderful as I had the chance to enjoy scenic spots and theme parks like Disneyland with my mother.
More than taking a break from work, I appreciate that this family outing allowed us to bond even closer and I look forward to our next trip, which will take place this year during the Christmas season.
We are planning to go to Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It should be beautiful with the Christmas lighting and atmosphere. Of course, we are looking forward to the shopping, food and shows in Las Vegas. When I see my family members beaming with happiness, I feel the greatest happiness.”
Best World International (www.bestworld.com.sg) is listed on the Singapore Exchange.
This article along with several others were part of a package put together by Leong Chan Teik for Pulses magazine a while back and is reproduced with permission.