Globetrotter plans to produce book on his travels in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew hailed Fan Yuhu’s plan to produce a book on his fabulous travels in Sabah as a documentation of his sightseeing, impressions and experiences.
She conveyed her appreciation to him through her political secretary Vivien Lee who represented the minister at a tea reception in honour of Fan’s maiden visit to Sabah recently.
“I am glad to learn that he has a good impression of Sabah and her people. He is fascinated by Sabah’s beauty and what it has to offer, particularly our iconic wildlife, and the people’s warmth and helpfulness towards him. I was told that he found the seafood in Sandakan and Tawau irresistible.
“I believe his book with colourful illustrations will further promote the ‘Land Below The Wind’ to the outside world, especially China, where, I am made to understand, some folks are still not aware of the existence of Sabah,” Liew said in a statement on Tuesday.
China-born Fan, 52, is a director of advertising in Shanghai. He spent 40 days in Sabah on and off since landing here in October 2022, while visiting Kudat, Kinabalu Park, Sandakan, Tawau and Semporna, among other destinations. Admittedly, he was in awe of the Kinabalu Park World Heritage Site, the majestic Mount Kinabalu, Poring Hot Spring, Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, the Proboscis monkey, Bornean pygmy elephant and Bornean Sun Bear as well as the Tip of Borneo, apart from hopping from one island to another in the east coast of Sabah.
Interestingly, Fan, who started globetrotting at the age of 42, had travelled to 81 countries, including Malaysia, to view the world and also in quest of a wife.
“I found my love in Malaysia,” he quipped.
He first met Chee Shin Yi, 33, in Johor Bahru in September 2020 and they tied the knot in October 2022.
And it was only in Sabah that he was able to overcome his phobia for heights, when he successfully crossed a hanging bridge in Poring, Kundasang, about 300 metres from the ground.
Throughout his travels, Fan drives, using his own modified van, which is shipped from one country to another while he takes a flight to his next port of call.
Meanwhile, the travel addict introduced his book to Sabahans, entitled “Wandering on the earth” which was published in October 2021. Written in Mandarin, the 400 pages in 56 chapters detail his journeys around the world since 2014.
Proud of countryman Fan’s achievement, Alex Xuan, who operates the Qian Tang Fu Garden Restaurant together with his wife Reanna, hosted the tea reception at the restaurant.
Sharing his success story in Sabah, Xuan, an electrical engineer by profession, said he came here before the Covid-19 pandemic after learning that Sabah abounds in investment opportunities.
“Business is picking up now post-pandemic,” he said.