From ÄYA Alpaca in Hong Kong to an update on the sunken Bayesian yacht – here's your weekly round-up

While you won’t find many alpacas in Hong Kong, their influence is present thanks to ÄYA Alpaca, an affordable luxury brand founded by Dale Hoole and Crystal Chiu.

Source: ÄYA Alpaca

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Alpacas, native to the Andean regions of Peru, are known for their cuteness as well as their soft and luxurious fleece, which has been prized for thousands of years. These adorable creatures are an integral part of Peruvian culture and provide fibers that are not only warm and durable but also hypoallergenic. While you won’t find many alpacas in Hong Kong, their influence is present thanks to ÄYA Alpaca, an affordable luxury brand founded by Dale Hoole and Crystal Chiu. This couple has made it their mission to bring the natural, ethical and sustainable artistry of Peruvian alpaca products to Asia.

From shawls, cardigans and scarves to slippers, blankets and even alpaca toys and keepsakes, Dale and Crystal have sought to connect Hong Kong with Mother Nature through their unique alpaca line. The brand embodies the belief that only by healing ourselves can we truly care for the environment around us. They’ve recently opened their first flagship store at The Southside in Wong Chuk Hang.

“ÄYA is short for the medicine known as Ayahuasca, which is also known as the vine of the dead or the vine of the soul,” explains Dale. “It can take you to heavenly states, as a vine can creep up a tree to the sky, but it can also go very low as well.” The name carries meanings across cultures and reflects Dale and Crystal’s high vibrational and spiritual roots. TMS caught up with the minds behind ÄYA Alpaca to learn more about how they brought this element of Peruvian heritage to the bustling city of Hong Kong.

Romance, business and baby alpacas

With a deep interest in inner healing, the two have always been on a quest for purpose. Dale spent the first 30 years of his life in North Yorkshire, England, before life brought him to Asia. “I was in a little part of my life when I felt stuck,” admits Dale. “I didn't have much official education, not much direction.”

Encouraged by his brother, who assured him, “I’ve got you covered. I’ll sort you out for whatever you need,” Dale moved to Taiwan. He started off as an English teacher but soon resumed studying massage and worked alongside a chiropractor, rediscovering his passions for the physical, as he used to participate in martial arts, like kung fu and kickboxing. He then began teaching yoga in Taiwan and was sent to Hong Kong by his company after five years.

Crystal, on the other hand, was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Australia. After an underwhelming college experience, she decided to switch gears and began training as a massage therapist. This new direction led her to work on a cruise ship in the US before returning to Melbourne, where the itch for travel took hold again. She eventually landed back in Hong Kong, where she worked as a massage therapist for about 17 years before fully dedicating herself to ÄYA Alpaca.

Dale and Crystal, partners in both business and in life, eventually co-founded ÄYA Alpaca over a love of Peru and their shared sense of spirituality. But how did life bring them together? “She was stalking me,” jokes Dale. Both had been working at Pure Yoga in Hong Kong and had occasional run-ins at the studio. But it wasn’t until after Crystal had left the company that the two got in touch and went out.

“I remember her being a kind-of happy-go-lucky personality,” Dale says, recalling the times they ran into each other at Pure. “She was known as the sunshine girl, and yeah, beautiful energy,” says Dale. But he admits feeling a little awkward around her. “I didn’t know if it was because I actually liked her or her happiness was a threat to my sadness,” he says with a chuckle, describing himself as feeling unstable at the time. “He’s a drama queen,” Crystal chimes in under her breath with a smile.

After a bit of touch and go over Facebook, Dale recalls sending a casual message telling her something along the lines of, “Oh, every time I see your face, it always makes me smile.” So Crystal then suggested they meet and catch up. The two went out for a packed day, with lunch, a walk in the park, a massage and a movie. “It was like four dates in one day,” Dale says. If that wasn’t enough, “Randomly, it wasn’t planned, but we ended up in the same taxi together,” says Dale, recalling Crystal’s head lying in his lap. “Literally within a few days after that, I was proper in love,” he says.

Ayahuasca, a door to the spiritual world

Ayahuasca retreats are guided spiritual experiences that are common in parts of South America. While Dale was familiar with Ayahuasca, Crystal initially had no intention of participating. “I was like, ‘No, I don’t want to do Ayahuasca; you go do it, and then I’ll meet you afterward,’” she says, recalling one of their trips to Peru. But then, in a “when in Rome” moment, she decided to join Dale in the experience, and this deepened their connection to each other and became part of the vision that would eventually inspire ÄYA Alpaca. “I went in there without any expectations, which I believe is the best thing to do. I also didn’t have any intentions because intentions can become expectations as well,” Crystal reflects.

While having participated in several Ayahuasca treats since then, Crystal doesn’t exactly label herself as a “spiritual person.” She explains, “I’ve always been drawn to wellness, and the spirituality side just came along. I like to see beyond the physical. I like to feel beyond the physical.”

Click here to read the full interview.

Some of the biggest Headlines this week

📩Election update: The US Democratic National Convention is ongoing, and current Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to formally accept the nomination for this year's presidential election on Thursday night, the last night of the event.

📢Indonesian protests: Indonesia had been considering making changes to its electoral laws, which led to thousands protesting around the country. Now, Parliament officials have said the plans have been postponed for the incoming Parliament, meaning no changes will go through this year. Elections are planned for November.

🧑‍⚕️Thai mpox case: On Thursday, health officials in Thailand confirmed a new case of a deadlier version of mpox. This is the second case announced outside of Africa, adding to the case found in Sweden last week.

🚓Andrew Tate in trouble (again): Infamous internet personality and self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate has been put under house arrest in Romania after being among a group of people arrested for alleged sex trafficking. His brother Tristan Tate was also put under special judicial control. The brothers are already awaiting trial on other rape and human trafficking charges, but these are brand new charges separate from that case.

📰Sunken yacht update: The Bayesian yacht had 22 people aboard when it sunk off the coast of Italy on Sunday after a sudden storm hit the area where it was anchored. Fifteen people were rescued, but several have been missing, and a search has been ongoing this week to recover any survivors or bodies. As of the latest reports, the body of passenger Mike Lynch, a British tech mogul, has been recovered, along with five other victims. Another passenger in the public eye who is confirmed to have died in the accident is Jonathan Bloomer, the CEO of Morgan Stanley. Lynch’s daughter is believed to be still missing.

✈️Plane crash: A small passenger plane flying in Thailand crashed on Thursday, and it’s been reported that five tourists from Hong Kong are among the dead. No survivors were found at the crash site, and the plane was carrying nine passengers, including two crew members.

🛳️Oil tanker trouble: On Thursday, officials said an oil tanker carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude is posing an environmental danger in the Red Sea. The tanker was attacked by Houthi rebels while anchored, and all of the crew was evacuated after it lost power. Delta Tankers, which operates the ship, has said it’s working on a plan to move it to a safe location for repairs.

💔Bennifer divorce: In celebrity news, famous couple Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are officially splitting up. J.Lo filed for divorce on Tuesday in Los Angeles after two years of marriage. This comes after lots of rumors swirling about the state of their relationship, as they’ve been seen out and about separately and not wearing their wedding rings. Many were dubbing this go-around as “Bennifer 2.0,” as the couple were previously engaged many years ago until breaking it off in 2004.

✈️Brazil tightens travel rules: Brazil has seen an influx of travelers, especially from Asia (primarily India, Vietnam and Nepal), who say they’re just stopping there on a layover but end up applying to stay as refugees. Investigations have found that many of them use this tactic to make Brazil a home base as they make their way to the US or Canada. That way, if they’re deported, they won’t be sent to their home country but instead back to Brazil. Now, Brazil is tightening travel restrictions and won’t be allowing visitors without a Brazilian visa or passport to stay in the country.

💻McDonald’s hack: A group of crypto hackers took over McDonald’s Instagram account to execute a “rug pull,” which is essentially where they promote a fake crypto coin to raise money that they then steal, leaving investors with nothing. They used this hack to promote a fake meme coin known as “GRIMACE” on the Solana network, which reportedly went up to US$25 million during the hack, and the hackers made off with US$700,000 in stolen money. The company has since apologized and said the issue with the account has been resolved.

🍸Beyoncé’s booze partnership: The Beyhive is buzzing with news of Beyoncé’s partnership with Moët Hennessy to release an American rye whisky called SirDavis. It's named after her moonshining great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, who hid bottles of whisky in “the empty knots of cedar trees” for his friends and family to find during Prohibition. The spirit was developed with the help of acclaimed distiller Bill Lumsden, known for working with Scottish top-shelf brand Glenmorangie. SirDavis is launching at select stores in London, Paris and Tokyo and across the US starting in September.

💍Look at that rock: A 2,492-carat diamond, as big as a hand, has been found in Botswana by Vancouver-based mining operator Lucara Diamond. It’s the biggest diamond found in more than 100 years and the second-largest diamond of all time. Determining its value could take several months, but it’s expected to sell somewhere in the range of tens of millions of dollars.

💗RIP Sphen: The world-famous “gay penguin” who was in a same-sex relationship with another gentoo penguin named Magic has passed away at the age of 11. Staff at the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium announced his passing on Thursday. Sphen and Magic were together for six years and adopted and raised two chicks together.