WHO said that

I've never been fond of the ridiculous surcharges that hotels place on making a simple phone call from one's room. More often than not, it makes a lot more sense (if you're thrifty like me) to head down to the lobby payphone to call your loved ones back home.

So, I decided to try Skype, a Voice over IP (VoIP) service which allows free calls from a Skype client installed on a computer to another in the same way that voice chatting works on other IM clients. The sound quality on Skype seems a notch better than the IM clients and it also allows one to make calls to POTS phone lines, landlines, or mobile phones.

This means I can make long distance phone calls from my computer wherever I am, be it while I am at home or stuck in a hotel on business travel. And the rates are pretty reasonable as well. To call regular phones, one buys SkypeOut credits in 10.00 euros chunks in a similar fashion as a pay-as-you-go mobile phone setup.

Calling Thailand using my landline (without any special long distance plans) costs me about $0.95/minute and Hong Kong costs $0.09/minute. With SkypeOut, it only cost 0.050 euros/minute to reach Thailand and 0.017 euros/minute for Hong Kong.

Chicago has a reputation for rebuilding itself. And it had to rebuild itself after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. But rebuild itself it did.. and it sure made itself pretty, at least in the downtown core. Chicago has a remarkable skyline with fascinating architecture.

Janet and I had the opportunity to enjoy Chicago this past weekend taking a break from our busy schedules for some time together. We took in the incredible Field Museum along with a highly recommended architectural boat tour.

Labels: travel

I just finished an intense 5 day leadership course in Durham, NC run by LEAP. My company sponsored me to attend the course, and while I was initially skeptical, it turned out to be a wonderful experience.

LEAP provides leadership training specific to Asian Pacific minorities (i.e., from South Asia or Southeast Asia). It helps individuals understand how culture and values can impact behaviours and perceptions. We engaged in discussions on diversity and also learned valuable leadership skills. Our time was filled with workshops and accomplished speakers that acted as role models and truly did inspire.

Above all, it provides a great opportunity to learn from each other, from the other attendees. I hope to put the lessons I've learned to practice and maintain the friendships gained.

Some more pictures have been added to the collection of photo albums. This album includes some pictures of the Yosemite Valley along with pictures of a storm in the Sierra Nevadas we encountered as we drove down to Vegas.

Here are some pictures from our hike up the Upper Yosemite Falls trail from back in July.

Labels: travel