Born to be free

Adventure gives us all a sense of fulfillment and provides us with the essential life skills that are critical for self-empowerment and personal well-being.

Best Letter
Mark Evans' interview (The Great Arabian Adventure, Feb 26), which followed his recently concluded trek across the rugged and inhospitable terrain of the Empty Quarter, was inspiring food for thought.
I believe that all men and women are born adventurous. After all, adventure gives us all a sense of fulfillment and provides us with the essential life skills that are critical for self-empowerment and personal well-being. This is probably because, just like adventure, life is also full of chaos, risk and uncertainty.
Unfortunately, from birth, we are also trained to seek out a safe and comfortable life. In the modern world we live in, any type of risk is seen as a threat that needs to be avoided. What most people do not understand is that these threats are necessary - we should not avoid them, but train ourselves to flourish despite them.
Luckily, being adventurous is something that we all have the power to do. Getting out of your comfort zone, learning a new skill, taking up a new hobby or taking part in a strenuous physical activity are all within our grasp. But the most important thing about taking up new activities, and the risks that come with them, is that they give us a never-say-no attitude. And that is priceless.

Congratulations on your winning entry, Sanjeev Sahai!We will BE IN TOUCH with you shortly.

» EAT LIKE A KING
It is general assumption that royals regularly eat rich, delectable foods. But after reading your interview with Carolyn Robb (Secrets from the British Royal Kitchen, Feb 26), I now know that this is a myth. As explained by Carolyn, both Prince Charles and Lady Diana insisted on eating simple, healthy, home-cooked meals. Carolyn not only got to cook these simple meals but also host royal gala dinners and society banquets, and received great acclaim and appreciation for them - thus proving her versatility.
It was great to get a peek into the life of a royal family through her lovely anecdotes. Along the way, she also lets us in on some unknown traits of theirs - Prince Charles' interest in food, his passion for fresh ingredients, and his insistence on using homegrown fruits and vegetables. Lady Diana's care and involvement with her kids' meals are also exemplified.
Through this article, Carolyn teaches us two important lessons - to eat wholesome and balanced food, and to always know and love what you eat.
Jayashree Kulkarni, by email
These days, I feel as though home cooking has become somewhat rare, with most people opting to simply eat out or order in. In light of this, it was very enjoyable to read about Carolyn Robb (Secrets from the British Royal Kitchen, Feb 26) and it brought to mind a simpler time, where people actually enjoyed home cooking.
Carolyn got a much-coveted job at a very young age. She is truly blessed to have worked for a royal family that also emphasised the importance of home-cooked organic meals. Like Prince Charles, I too believe that women are able to bring a more homely feel to the table. However, I also believe that cooking at home is what really gives food a 'royal touch'.
Ramachandran Nair, Oman
» IT'S BARBECUE SEASON
During the last few weeks, Dubai has seen absolutely gorgeous weather. Having lived in the UK before moving to Dubai, I remember how it was usually too cold to go outside to have a barbecue, and the few weeks that the sun did actually peek out, every park and open space would be completely occupied!
Well, with the weather being as nice as it is, I decided to take inspiration from the article Grilling Up the Perfect Barbecue (Feb 26). The article had some great tips about how to go about it and we ended up using quite a few of the suggestions. But my favourite part of the article was the marinade recipes. They were simple and useful. Looking forward to reading more such articles!
Linda Olivia, by email
» DEALING WITH DUNES
There are a lot of things that explorer Mark Evans said that resonated with me in the article, The Great Arabian Adventure (Feb 26). However, of all of them, I particularly agreed with the fact that it is important to be adventurous and active - especially in today's digital world.
It is sad that, today, most people would rather sit and watch the world through screens. We play video games, go to the gym and watch action-packed television shows and movies, but seldom think of actually going out, doing something we normally wouldn't do or having an adventure. You're only as old as you feel, and if an explorer at the age of 50 can trek across one of the most inhospitable terrains known to man, there's hope for all of us! Thanks for the inspiring article.
Cynthia Pereira, by email