Ten days in Hanoi

At some point in time of your life, you will do something that becomes a tale or story that you tell you children when they grow older... My ten days in Hanoi was one. The team worked hard for this one.
The stakes were high and we had set ambitious targets. At the end of 10 long days, we got them all. Sure it was hard fought, with some competitors playing high politics and driving hard bargains... and within the team, as sleep deprivation and the strains of illnesses take their toll, tempers flared and friendships strained... but this is what we live for.
The Story? I got to see first hand how some of the most powerful men and women in the world thought, what drove them and saw how they functioned under strain. It was a humbling experience being in the presence of these great minds. At the same time, you become more aware that these are people too.
And for Vietnam? They did a darn good job of showing all of us that they are on the way forward. We all know about China. But watch her little southern neighbour. It won't be long before this new tiger joins the ranks of the others. These are hardworking people with drive and energy that we see less and less in Singapore. Hungry people with a shared vision. I know of many other countries who have "hungry" people. Few of these have a common sense of direction. That's the difference.

To view the rest of the photos from this trip (I wasn't there to take photos to please excuse the quality of the shots), click on this link (or the link on the right): http://picasaweb.google.com/wallysmusings/HanoiNov2006