One of the interesting facets of opera is how it came to spread around Europe and develop as such a refined art form. Of all the operatic styles, I prefer Russian opera. Based usually on folk tales or the works of poets such as Pushkin, the works tend to be more choral, and the singing is at Baritone and Mezzosoprano levels, a register lower than Italians Tenor and Soprano. That interests me as while at university I spend some spare time with local operatic societies – in performances of Strausses “Die Fledermaus” and part of Wagners “The Ring”.  

However, in researching the subject of Russian opera – and I know many works by the likes of Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Glinka and Prokofiev amongst others, it became apparent that these are what are now regarded as “the Russian operas” – composed by Russians and usually featuring traditional Russian songs and dances to support them. However, it was not always thus, and it’s the pre-Russian operas that I’m interested in.

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My China Briefing publication celebrates its tenth birthday this month – which makes it I think one of the longest established business publications in China. Printing some 50,000 copies monthly, and with close to 200,000 online subscribers around the world, it is also available in six languages and has a very well read Daily News service too. Not bad for something I began back in July 1999 with an initial print run of 750 off my photocopier! The Beijing tenth anniversary party took place at the Capital Club, with over 250 people showing up. Free wines, food, and a raft of great lucky draw prizes – including flights from China to India, hotel stays, fine wines and spa treatments ensured everyone left around midnight very happy. Many thanks to our sponsors and to everyone who came. Our Shanghai event is on Wednesday.

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Well after four days of sitting lengthy afternoon exam papers, I finally completed them all – including a tricky navigation paper which was harder in the classroom than it was out at sea (where at least you can see and measure bearings and transit points for real. It’s not the same on a chart) – I’ve qualified. Passed all exams with an average of 80 percent which is either "good" or "very good" depending on which paper you look at. The exams included Ocean Skipper, Navigation, Bare Boat Charter and so on…all accredited by the American Sailing Association  courses. Pictured is me with my newly stamped and signed log book. I can now, should I want to, sail and skipper ocean going yachts (thats the big ones) from Shanghai to San Francisco, from Mumbai to Melbourne, or from Hong Kong to Honolulu. All of which sound like great ideas actually. I also get to be the Capital Club Beijing’s new Commodore, having been invited into the role by the Club GM – if I passed. Hopefully I can now get the club to invest in a decent Jeanneau to save me from having to buy one now I’m about to step into that role.

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Just back from a six day practical examination out at sea, taking out a 34footer and cruising around a number of Thailand’s outlying islands, including Phi Phi, featured in the popular film “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The weather was fairly benign given this is the monsoon season, with low winds and only a couple of squalls to navigate – winds rising from 11 knots to about 35 with gusts of 45 just offshore from Ko Yai. Otherwise, a succession of navigation exercises and tests – such as finding the safe water mark to the channel at Krabi, without GPS but armed with good old fashioned charts, a compass rose and points, using calculated bearing points and transit lines, is technical, and additionally requires a close watch on transit points, such as islands passing each other at a precise timed rendezvous and so on. However, I was bang on in my calculations and the water mark was (nearly) where it was supposed to be. So I got a bullseye in over 100 sq. miles of Andaman Sea, but the mark was actually half a mile further north than positioned on the charts!  Such is navigation in non-commercial waters.

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Not just the title of an old song by samba crooner Michael Franks, but also a way of life in Thailand, and Phuket especially. Life here really does move at a slower pace, and there is more of an observance of nature, which still rules supreme over man in these parts. The Weather dominates, and from scatter gun showers to fierce sun, to rip tides and fast running beaches, you need to be a little more on alert than in city dwelling. It’s simplicity too – want to eat, just reach out and grab any of a selection of South-East Asia’s amazing fruits – Durian are in season now, Rambutans are plump and fresh, and the Mangosteens sublime. A huge bag of all of them are just USD5, and is breakfast for several days.

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Well, I got lucky the past week, but yesterday the Monsoon, which I wrote about hitting the West Indian coast of Kerala nearly four weeks ago on my 2point6billion business Asia blog, has now reached the West coast of Thailand from the Bay of Bengal, and it’s giving us fairly intensive rain showers for 20-30 minutes every couple of hours. It’ll stay this way now for the next 4-6 weeks, which is why June & July are low season for Thailand’s tourists.

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The first mini-voyage of my advanced ocean skippers course sees me take a 32ft yacht out from Yacht haven, around Ko Yao Yai to the south, anchoring overnight at Ao Muang having first sailed of a southerly, northerly, and north-easterly course around various smaller islands before dropping down in the Ao Muang bay. The weather is good, but not that breezy, I find the wind gets sheltered and diverted from islands en route, and speeds of about 2-3 knots only are common for part of the route. The second day however is more fun, sailing south down Ko Yao Yai, stopping over at an idillyic small island Ko Hong to practice mooring. The waters are crystal clear, and as we secure the mooring, what can only be described as a hermit wanders up the beach opposite to eyeball us, sitting in the shade. Binoculars reveal a makeshift camp under some bushes, before we sail on, rounding Ko Yao Yai at about lunchtime. The wind immediately improves, and is much more fun, the yacht nipping along at @5-6knots as the Westerlies buffet us somewhat about a mile or two off the Western Ko Yao Yai shore. The bow digs in a couple of times, and the yacht is almost permanently at a 40 degree angle as the wind rips into the main sheet. However, it’s also pushing us to land, so progress is slow, although we eventually make anchor on the east coast of Ko Nakha Yai at about 5pm, more of less on time.

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This past week, and for the next two, I have gone to what amounts to a Maritime University – to sit both theory and practical exams for qualifications to Advanced Skipper on Ocean-going yachts. I’m based at Yacht Haven in Phuket, a quiet spot, yet home to a variety of craft – catamarans, cruisers and so on, but most of my time is spent on 32 and 34ft yachts. So far I haven’t managed to sink any of them, and my man-overboard techniques seem to be intact and responsive. Navigation too, and chart plotting remain good – at least in theory, but the drudgery of reefing, and hauling jib and main sheets up and down again not only plays havoc with my complaining muscles, but also my hands, which are blistered, and in one or two places, raw. Gloves are an essential, and no yachtsman ever wins beautiful hands competitions.

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It’s been awhile since I’ve been in Bangkok, and despite the recent political turmoil the city – and country – seem to have a remarkable resilience. Often referred to as the ‘city of smiles’, returning here for the first time in five years does not disappoint. Fortunately my travel agent, the wonderful Rebecca, based in the Asian hub that is Hong Kong (I’ve never met her, but she deals with all my travel arrangements online and via phone wherever I am globally) has booked me into La Bua – the State Tower. The rooms are superb, of course, and Thailand is one of the growing number of Asian countries that really does service (something China especially sadly lacks in their pursuit of dollar at all costs) – I am greeted everywhere by hands held in prayer and the ubiquitous Thai greeting “Sawadee Khap”. Great as La Bua is, the rooms and service are not the main reason to be here. That prize belongs to the Sky Bar – lavished, open air, across the entire 65th floor, it is, I believe, the highest open air bar in the world.

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I’ve been in Kenya, near to Lake Baringo, the past week to participate in the annual Rhino Charge which takes place each year at different locations throuighout the country. Theevent, now in it’s 21st year, is designed to raise money to build a 400km fence in the Aberdare Conservation area – to keep Rhino and other animals in, and poachers and encroaching tribes out. THis years event marked the completion of enough funds to complete the fence. Vehicles – mainly Land Rovers, Land Cruisers and Unimogs, compete over a gruelling course, comprising 13 stations. Each team must visit all stations over a period of eight hours, in the shortest possible distance. Terrain ranges from teetering alongside 400 foot drops, to clambering and winching over huge boulders, to crashing through the bush.

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