KAP with Shenzen Lady Stunt Kiteflyers (and man, they can fly). Eat your hearts out!

The 2nd Shenzen International Kite Festival (25-30 Oct 2007) was great. Lots of food, Tsingtao beer and potent "China water".

The "Habagat" wind (southwest moonsoon) is still on, dumping rains and brewing typhoon in the Pacific area. Not much kite action except the "Power Kite Boys" making use of the erratic southwesterly wind at the Mall of Asia open field.

I did not attend the Jakarta International Kitefest in July, but I did manage to participate in the August 2007 Bali International Kite Festival. Awesome experience!

Five days after that, I was in Kuala Lumpur to catch an Airasia flight that will take me to Bintulu, Sarawak. If you're not familiar with that far-flung name, perhaps Borneo will be more familiar. Now you will picture dense tropical forest, hornbills, snakes, longhouses and headhunters. Yes, the Iban tribe of Borneo were once headhunters. Now, we're teaching them how to make and fly kites!

October is not far away, and soon the "Amihan" wind (northeasterly moonsoon) will blow away the storm winds. But then before that, I will be in Shenzen, China to attend the 2nd Shenzen International Kite Festival (24-30Oct07).

I missed Weifang and Qingdao this year (Tsingtao Beer too!). Houlgate in Normandie, France sent in their invitation for the official signing of AKC-FFVL Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). I didn't go too.

The reason? I need to oversee two local events. The 1st Papagayo Festival in Batangas City went on smoothly. More plans for next year's event. The KAP also signed a 3-year contract with Yoshinoya (a popular Japanese restaurant) for an annual kite project. Cultural exchange!

It's May and the rainy days have arrived. The first typhoon of the season just skirted Philippine area of responsibility. A Huey chopper crashed in Cebu killing 9 people. They blamed it on kites! Tragic and bad news for kite people.

Let's pack our bags and travel to other far-away kite paradise. Invitations came from:

Jakarta International Kite Festival Jul 20-24
Bali International Kite Festival Aug 9-12
Borneo International Kite Festival Aug 22-26
Taipeh International Kite Festival Sep 28-30

Best winds!

2006 was a busy year!
Pasir Gudang, Weifang, Bali, Brunei, Borneo, Dieppe and Siem Reap, Cambodia in December. All these travels for the love of kites.
Oh yes! Let us mark May10, 2006 as an important date. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Standing Committee approved my application for affiliation of the ASEAN Kite Council (AKC) as the 55th and newest Civil Society Organization (CSO) recognized by the ASEAN. The Secretary General himself sent me the approval letter. All these for the love of kites.

2007 will surely be a busier year.
I have to decline the Gujarat International Kite Festival invitation due to more pressing commitments in the Philippines. We have also formally launched the AKC in Pasir Gudang in February with the Sultan of Johor himself launching the AKC kite.

Coinciding with that launching is the 11th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clarkfield, Pampanga. I have to leave the running of the kite events to my loyal KAP officers. Thanks guys!

Three days after arriving from Johor, I have to fly to Guam with 4 KAP members to attend the 3rd Annual Kitefest of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Another feather to our cap, I beat the Japs in a kite fighting demo! It was actually a staged kite duel using the Filipino "spiked gurion".
Of course, the mostly Filipino crowd cheered.

Local kite events now block most of our week-end calendar. This will go on till around May. I hope the rains don't come early this year.