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I was a barefoot earth child for a couple of years.

I grew up at a time in Singapore - the '70s and '80s - where it was still possible to go riding around the island barefoot. And I was one of these kids that was just climbing trees and running around the neighbourhood.

We as children went up the mountain to find feed for livestock, like goats, cows and horses, and because in the winter time we would light the fire in the house, we would climb the mountain to collect firewood as well. Because of that, I suppose I became used to climbing mountains.

I grew up on a farm - it was a lovely life; we'd make tree houses all day - and my parents worked from home.

As a little kid, I climbed a lot of trees because I always loved the bird's-eye view.

I grew up around people that enjoyed life day to day and found pleasure in simple things.

Because of my poor writing posture, I started walking in the forest every day, and I found it a potent place to be creatively. It changed me in that it was a new way of doing my creative process, and I realised how much I liked being among tall trees.

I was raised by my grandmother on a farm, where we were really poor - we had dirt floors - but so did everybody else.