Counting My Blessings in My Bonus Years

It is often said that those who live beyond the age of sixty and into their seventies are enjoying their bonus years. This is especially true for those who are blessed with reasonably good health and have their spouses by their side to share the journey of life. As I look back on my life, I cannot help but feel grateful for the opportunity to have lived through three-quarters of a century. At this stage of life, every additional year is a gift to be treasured rather than taken for granted.

These days, whenever I hear news of old friends passing away, whether from my schooldays, university years or working life, I am reminded of how precious and fragile life can be. The faces and names of those who once shared different chapters of my life remain in my memories. Some were close friends, while others were acquaintances whom I had not met for many years. Nevertheless, each passing reminds me that time waits for no one and that none of us knows how many more years we have ahead. I count myself truly blessed to have reached this milestone, and I look forward to more years to come, hopefully in good health, with a thankful heart and a peaceful mind.

My birthday this year was made special by the greetings and best wishes I received from my three children and their spouses. Their messages reminded me that, although our children have grown up and are leading their own lives, the family bond remains strong. Two of my grandchildren, who are living in Singapore, went the extra mile to convey their birthday wishes through videos and face-to-face greetings, thoughtfully arranged by their father. These little gestures meant a great deal to me. As for my other grandchildren, they are growing up so quickly and beginning to pursue their own interests, studies and ambitions. Understandably, they have their own busy lives and concerns to attend to. As grandparents, we can only watch them grow, wish them well and hope that they will always remember the love and values that hold our family together.

Another memorable moment came during the birthday dinner my wife and I enjoyed at a restaurant. When ordering our meal, she had simply requested a small candle when ordering a crème brûlée for me. What seemed like an ordinary dessert turned into a delightful surprise. As the restaurant staff brought the crème brûlée to our table, complete with a lighted candle, a birthday song was played throughout the restaurant. It was a simple gesture, but one that touched my heart. I had not expected such a celebration, and that made the moment all the more memorable.

Looking back, I realise that the best birthday gifts are not necessarily expensive presents or grand celebrations. They are the love of family, the thoughtfulness of a spouse, the warm wishes of friends and the precious memories we continue to create together. As we grow older, we gradually learn to appreciate the little things that might once have seemed insignificant.

Ageing may bring its share of physical limitations, but it also offers us the opportunity to reflect on life's journey, cherish the people around us and appreciate what we already have. I am reminded that happiness does not depend on having more, but on being thankful for what has been given to us.

As I celebrate another birthday, my wish is simple: to remain healthy enough to enjoy life's everyday blessings, to continue sharing meaningful moments with my wife and family, and to maintain the strength and wisdom to face whatever lies ahead. If these are indeed my bonus years, I hope to make the most of them - not merely by counting the years I have lived, but by making the years ahead count.

For all the birthday greetings, kind thoughts and loving gestures, I am truly grateful. Another year older, perhaps, but also another year richer in memories, experiences and blessings.

When Coincidence Becomes Providence

Around mid-August, many of the floor tiles in my dining area suddenly began to pop up. One possible explanation was the recent extreme heat experienced in Sabah and in many parts of the world. In some countries, extreme heat waves have pushed temperatures as high as 46°C (115°F), including parts of the southwestern and south-central United States. By comparison, the highest temperature recorded in Sabah during the first three weeks of August was around 34°C (93°F).

At first, my wife and I simply walked over the raised tiles. But as more tiles began to pop up, some started to crack under the pressure. To prevent further damage, we placed plywood and a thick rug over them to cushion the impact.

I immediately thought of contacting some contractors who had helped us with repair work in the past. I remembered one contractor who had repaired our floor tiles before, but somehow I just could not recall his name. Another contractor came to mind, but he is normally very busy, and I knew he would probably not be available for at least a month or two.

Just as I was wondering who else I could call, my phone rang on 20 August. It was Alan. I immediately remembered him, although I could hardly recall the last time he had called me - perhaps not once in the past 10 to 15 years. We are in the same chat group, where he regularly shares Christian messages and testimonies, but we had never actually contacted each other directly for many years.

Alan called to ask whether I could help him with some technical issues concerning an old house he was repairing. He normally consulted another consultant friend, Simon, but Simon was unreachable, so Alan thought of calling me instead.

I agreed to help. On 22 August, I accompanied Alan to the old house, where we met the owner and discussed the problems and possible solutions. During our conversation, I casually mentioned my own floor tile problem and said that I was looking for someone to repair it. Alan did not say much about it at the time.

He did, however, mention that he was currently handling a major repair contract at a college along Jalan Tuaran-Bypass. He had also taken on the house repair project because its owner was a member of the college's management committee and had sought his help to fix some leaking problems in the house.

Then on Monday, 24 August, to my great surprise, Alan called and said that he would set aside a day or two to repair my floor tiles. This was totally unexpected, and I was deeply touched by his gesture. Instead of merely helping me find someone else, he literally put aside his work on two ongoing projects and came to help me himself. In the end, he spent three and a half days, from 26 to 29 August, repairing my floor tiles. To me, it was nothing short of a God-sent miracle.

Later, Alan told me what had led him to call me in the first place. Being a man of faith, he often prays whenever he encounters difficulties. When he could not get hold of Simon, he prayed for someone who could help him. During his prayer, he had a vision of a white-haired man - and he immediately thought of me. That was how it all began.

Looking back, it is difficult for me to see this as merely a coincidence. At the very moment I was wondering who could help me with my floor tiles, Alan - someone I had hardly spoken to in 10 to 15 years - suddenly called me. And the reason he called was because he needed my help. Yet, in the end, it was he who ended up helping me.

Our paths crossed at precisely the right moment, and neither of us could have planned it. Perhaps this is how God sometimes works - not always through dramatic or spectacular miracles, but through ordinary events that come together at just the right time. And what initially appears to be coincidence begins to look more and more like divine providence.

For me, this was more than just getting my floor tiles repaired. It was a gentle reminder that God knows our needs even before we ask, and that He can bring the right person into our lives at exactly the right time. What began with a few floor tiles popping up ended with a reminder that, in God's hands, even the most ordinary circumstances can become extraordinary.

Buckets and buckets of sand were placed on the floor tiles after liquid adhesive was applied - a true “brute force” solution, as Paul aptly put it, to make sure the popped-up tiles were firmly glued back into place!

Prince Gong’s Mansion: Palace of Power, Lessons of Greed

After lunch on 21 May 2026, we decided to visit Prince Gong’s Mansion. This huge mansion, often referred to in English as “Prince Kung’s Palace,” is one of the finest and best-preserved examples of Qing dynasty aristocratic architecture in China. Located in Beijing’s Xicheng District near Shichahai, the vast complex offers a rare glimpse into the lifestyle of imperial princes and high-ranking officials during the late imperial era.

Originally built in the late 18th century, the palace first served as the residence of Emperor Qianlong’s daughter, Gurun Princess Hexiao, and the powerful court official Heshen, who later became infamous for corruption. Following Heshen’s downfall and execution in 1799, the estate was confiscated by the imperial court and granted to Prince Qing, Yonglin. In 1850, it was bestowed upon Yixin, better known as Prince Gong (Prince Kung), from whom the mansion derives its enduring name.

The man in this old photo on display taken in this mansion is Pujie (溥杰), the younger brother of the last emperor of Qing dynasty, Puyi.

Covering more than 62,000 square metres - roughly the size of nine soccer fields - the estate is divided into two main sections: the residence (over 33,000 square metres) and the garden (over 29,000 square metres). Designed in the traditional siheyuan layout, the mansion features symmetrical courtyards arranged along a central axis, reflecting Confucian principles of order and hierarchy. Formal halls and ceremonial spaces occupy the northern section, while the southern section served as private living quarters.

A highlight of the estate is its magnificent garden, regarded as one of Beijing’s finest surviving imperial gardens. Originally known as Langrun Garden and later renamed Cuijin Garden, it contains 44 scenic spots, including winding pathways, rockeries, ponds, bamboo groves, and elegant pavilions. Blending imperial grandeur with literati aesthetics, the garden stands as a masterpiece of Qing princely landscape design. Its Rear Building, Western-style Gate, Grand Theater, and the famed Fu Stele are collectively celebrated as the “Three Masterpieces and One Treasure” of Prince Gong’s Mansion.

Today, the mansion functions as a museum, showcasing restored interiors, Qing furniture, calligraphy, and historical artifacts that illuminate aristocratic life and court culture. Often described as a “mini Forbidden City,” it remains one of Beijing’s most valuable historical landmarks.

The palace’s history also offers a sobering reflection on human nature. Its most notorious early resident, Heshen, amassed immense wealth through corruption and paid with his life. Yet such severe punishment has done little to eliminate corruption across time. In December 2025, senior Chinese banker Bai Tianhui was executed after being convicted of accepting bribes totaling approximately US$155 million (Read here). Closer to home, a former Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Isa Samad was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for corruption.

These cases, separated by centuries and geography, reveal a persistent truth: the allure of wealth, power, and privilege remains extraordinarily strong. Despite harsh penalties and public disgrace, corruption continues to thrive, suggesting that greed and the pursuit of power remain among humanity’s most enduring temptations.

A Tale of Two Stays: Budapest and Munich - Misleading Listing and Poor Property Management

Our tour did not end upon disembarking from the river cruise on the morning of 16 May 2026. Having enjoyed the cruise, we had planned to extend our stay by another four nights in Budapest.

What seemed like a straightforward arrangement soon turned into an unexpected challenge. Finding our booked Airbnb, located in the heart of Budapest, proved to be far from easy. In fact, it felt very much like trying to solve a complicated jigsaw puzzle with several missing pieces.

To begin with, we only received the self-check-in instructions a few minutes before the stipulated check-in time. The process required us to walk to a different street altogether to retrieve the keys from a lockbox before making our way back to the apartment main entrance door. For four senior travellers unfamiliar with such arrangements, the instructions were anything but intuitive. We found ourselves deciphering messages, matching landmarks, and trying to determine whether we were at the correct location.

To make matters worse, the entire exercise unfolded in the middle of a steady rain. Laden with luggage and umbrellas, we trudged from one location to another, trying to follow the directions while keeping ourselves and our belongings dry. What should have been a simple check-in became a frustrating and exhausting ordeal.

Looking back, the experience was both mind-boggling and torturous. Yet, once we finally gained access to the apartment and settled in, it became another memorable episode of our travels - one of those unexpected adventures that, although stressful at the time, would later provide plenty of stories and laughter to share.

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Once we had settled into the Budapest apartment, we were relieved to find that the facilities matched what had been advertised on the booking platform. Everything was as described, and the apartment proved comfortable and suitable for our extended stay. The experience immediately reminded us of the nightmare we had endured at the very first accommodation we booked in Munich.

Our Munich accommodation had been reserved for four nights, but unfortunately the experience turned out to be one of the most disappointing and shocking aspects of our European journey. The property suffered from serious shortcomings in cleanliness, maintenance, facilities, and privacy.

Upon arrival on 5 May 2026, it was immediately apparent that the property had not been properly prepared for incoming guests. Several common areas appeared to be occupied by the host's or staff's personal belongings. The shoe rack was already filled with shoes, leaving no room for guests to store their own. Clothes hangers were occupied by jackets and bags, while the living room sofa was cluttered with personal items belonging to the host's staff. To our surprise, we also found a tray containing cigarette butts beneath the sofa, suggesting that the property had not been thoroughly cleaned prior to our arrival. To make matters worse, the washing machine contained laundry that had apparently been left behind by the staff. The overall impression was that we had walked into someone's private living quarters rather than a professionally managed guest accommodation.

The standard of cleanliness was equally disappointing. The kitchen dustbin was overflowing with food scraps and rubbish, attracting flies and emitting an unpleasant odour. This was the condition in which we found the property at check-in, raising immediate concerns about hygiene and housekeeping standards.

The accommodation itself presented numerous maintenance and usability issues. The mattress on the advertised double bed was noticeably smaller than the bed frame, making it uncomfortable to use. The door to one of the bedrooms could not be fully opened, creating difficulties when moving luggage in and out of the room. The bedroom curtain was too narrow to cover the entire window, allowing substantial amounts of outside light to enter during the night and affecting the quality of our sleep.

Privacy was also compromised. One of the bathroom door locks was broken and could not be secured when in use. In addition, a leaking heater in one of the bedrooms caused water to accumulate on the floor, creating both an inconvenience and a potential slipping hazard.

Based on our observations, we felt that the property's condition, cleanliness, maintenance, and facilities bore little resemblance to the description and photographs displayed on the booking platform. The reality fell far short of what had been advertised.

As a result of these concerns, we concluded that we could not continue our stay at the property. However, by the time we discovered the extent of the problems, it was already late in the evening, leaving us with little choice but to spend the night there. Had we arrived earlier and been aware of the conditions, we would have left immediately and sought alternative accommodation.

After enduring one uncomfortable night, we checked out the following morning. Before departing, we discussed the various issues with the property's management, who acknowledged our concerns and did not object when we informed them of our intention to seek a refund for the three unused nights.

However, much to our disappointment, the refund request was later rejected when it was formally submitted through the booking platform.

While every traveller's expectations may differ, we would encourage prospective guests to carefully review all available information before making a booking. In our view, the property was not presented in the condition that a reasonable guest would expect upon arrival, and our experience fell significantly short of the standards and representations outlined in the listing.

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Photo of what's published in booking platform site.

Left: What's published in booking site. Right: What's actually offered at check-in.

Left: What's published in booking site. Right: Actual condition at check-in.

Left: What's published in booking site. Right: Actual condition at check-in.

Left: What's published in booking site. Right: Actual condition at check-in.

Left: What's published in booking site. Right: Actual condition at check-in.

Left: What's published in booking site. Right: Actual condition at check-in.

Water leaks from a heater in one of the bedrooms.