A retiree & a cafe owner share what they love about their part-time delivery gigs with Amazon Flex

For most of us, taking a week-long break to travel or indulge in a hobby is a rare luxury — perhaps three or four times a year if we’re lucky.

But for Lesley Yong, it’s almost a monthly affair.

After years of running two companies and shouldering the stresses of entrepreneurship, the 49-year-old Singapore Permanent Resident, originally from Malaysia, decided to step away from the grind in 2020.

But instead of settling into a quieter life that retirement can offer, Lesley wanted to stay physically active while maintaining the financial means to pursue her love of fishing.

Takes 5 or 6 overseas fishing trips a year

To call fishing a hobby for Lesley would be a colossal understatement. It’s a true passion, one that spans nearly 20 years and has taken her far beyond casual weekend outings to local jetties and parks.

“I just love the thrill of hooking a fish,” she gushes. “It’s so challenging and exciting — you never know when the fish will bite.”

On average, Lesley “disappears” for a few days to about a week each month to immerse herself in her fishing escapades.

Besides her regular “smaller” trips to Malaysia, she embarks on five to six larger expeditions annually, travelling the globe in search of her next great freshwater catch.

In fact, just a month before her chat with MS News on 8 Nov, Lesley returned from an angling adventure in Brazil — a destination she revisited after going there the year before, along with trips to India and Indonesia.

Her Facebook page is filled with photos of her proudly posing with massive scaly prizes, each caption detailing the exact rod, reel, and lure she used.

Takes on part-time delivery gig with Amazon Flex to fund her passion

After moving her fishing business entirely online and closing her construction company during the pandemic due to rising costs, Lesley and her husband took up delivery jobs with various delivery companies.

Fishing trips can really take a toll on one’s wallet — about US$2,500 (S$3,370) per trip, according to her estimate, and that’s not even including airfare. For instance, her plane ticket to Brazil alone cost S$3,000.

This is why Lesley and her hu...