Was asked by Jason to do a bit of a write-up about who I am and what-in-the-world I'm thinking of when I asked if I can actually join the expedition.

So here we go.

I'm Melissa Mak, 25, Singaporean Chinese. I am/was with Outward Bound Singapore as an instructor for the last 3 years. While I was at OBS, it occurred to me that while I was in the line teaching all about adventure, I had never quite had one before.

The ones in university where I went New Zealand and Australia are pretty much “safe” since everything's easy to get in and out of, locals speak your language and kind of like... comfortable to me. I think that whatever I had teach/preach before was not quite complete somehow.

And so late last year, I actually saw this poster that one of my colleagues put up in the office all about Jason Lewis from Expedition 360 doing a talk with one of the adventure clubs in Singapore. I totally missed it due to work (as usual) and instead wrote to Jason about cycling in Africa (a leg yet to be completed).

Why Africa? Not because it has boundless safaris, lions and cats that kind of thing; but to really see for myself how do people there live. You know how there's always stories about starvation, strife and wars in Africa on the media. I wanted to study public health as my Master degree, so it made sense that I did try to get to know this place at least.

Eventually when I did meet Jason, we agreed on cycling from Thailand to China instead, lest we do not actually get along, its easy enough for me to fly home. Also, it would be a good opportunity for myself to see the lesser known parts of the world. Jason, on first impression, is a kind of down-to-earth, patient and nice British; not like erms... some of the overbearing expedition project directors I use to meet back in university. :P

Anyway, my 3 years contract with OBS was on its way to completion. I had oodles of leave to clear (around 3 months) and so I packed up my bags and bike to come along. Everyone was great when they heard that I was going on this expedition.

My aunt, who lives in the same apartment block, went out of the way to get me an amulet. Belinda, my colleague, loaned me her tent and sleeping bag. Johann (of the 1^st Singapore Transcontinental Cycling Expedition and Everest 98) loaned me his spanking brand new bike panniers! There were the many people who took time out just to see me off by organising the parties. I even caught 2 of my close friends who were working in Shanghai before I left.

Had lots of nothing but good luck since I decided on leaving to do this whole expedition. Won some cold hard cash from a gameshow. Yes, I should have listened to Jane (my hostel mate back in university) and not gone into OBS, but turned into a professional gameshow winner. Won enough for holidays in university, buy stuff and all that jazz.

I consider Catherine Hartley (the 1^st British Woman to do North and South Pole) as my biggest source of inspiration. Imagine her definition of herself - a media bunny doing all that trekking in the world's coldest and remotest areas!A good friend of mine, Teo Yenkai, summited Everest himself with the NUS Centennial attempt too. We're pretty much the same in terms of our character, so I suppose whattever he's got built into him, I've got it too.

Well, I reckon I'd survive just as well. And like my boss likes to say “Come on lah, you are an Outward Bound instructor. This should be nothing new to you!” (Ah, the usual all-mighty instructor prep talk we always get.)

So lets see what's new.€