A walk down Memory Lane

Today was all about nostalgia and unashamedly so. My travelling companions and I braved the morning rush hour to catch the MTR to Admiralty where we then waited at the bus stop for our old friend, the No. 15 bus to the Peak.

Familiar sights - the Bank of China Building (L) and Lippo Centre (R)

The bus wound its way along a very familiar route up Stubbs Road and made its usual detour down Mansfield Road.  How strange and wonderful to return to the place I grew up!  I was so fortunate to call this home for 15 years.  I recognised the old watchman's office on the ground floor, the playground where I spent so much time, the wall I used to sit on, the route to the shops...  And yet everything seems so small now and a little bit weary like the buildings are drooping under the weight of all those years and the hopes and dreams of the countless souls that have lived in them, cherished them and then left them behind.   

Here it is - 9 Mansfield Road.  Home was on the 11th floor (second from the top)

The Mansfield Road playground - happy memories

We could not have chosen a better day for visiting the Peak.  Visibility was freakishly good and there was a clear view across the harbour.  Days like this are vanishingly rare so we counted ourselves very lucky indeed. 

The magic carpet of Hong Kong laid out in all its glory

Clear views from the Peak

We continued along the nostalgia trail down Barker Road, onto Peak Road and Coombe Road.  Past all my dad's old haunts from his running days and the familiar weekend walk trail we would do as a family past the old playground mum and dad took us to as kids.  

One last glimpse of Mansfield Road for old times' sake

Sadly the Police Museum was closed today but my dad still managed to tell us some stories about the traffic control podium exhibited outside.

Traffic control podium

It was a beautiful walk down the wooded hillside back to Wan Chai.  Hard to believe really that this is the same Hong Kong where 7 million people live.  We only passed a handful of people on our steep descent back down to street level.

Gorgeous tree covered in epiphytes

The path back down to Wan Chai

The hum of traffic started to drown out the trill of the kites above and the trees gradually gave way to concrete.  Before hitting the mayhem of Queens Road East, there was some tranquility to be found inside Pak Tai Temple.

Dad inside the temple

A little bit of solitude in a crazy world

Finally we reached Queens Road East and were reabsorbed into the crowds, traffic and consumerism.  You can buy anything in Hong Kong if you have enough money...

A bathtub shaped like a shoe

Or a flash car if you prefer.  You can't see it but the McLaren had a SOLD sticker on the windscreen...

McLaren showroom

Joy of joys, we had a break from dim sum and indulged in a sandwich at Pacific Place for a change!  Back to Tseung Kwan O for a breather before Part 2 of the day...

Old friends and familiar places

After a slightly restless sleep I wake up to a glorious sunny day.  Our room has a fabulous view of the surrounding schools and imposing tower blocks.  Hard to believe that there are more people in just one residential complex here than there are in whole suburbs back home.

View from the Crowne Plaza Tseung Kwan O

Tseung Kwan O residential blocks and schools

It’s so nice to see everyone and I accompany them to their dim sum ‘brunch’ downstairs in the hotel before taking my leave and making my way to the MTR station.  I travel to Quarry Bay station and there I wait at the designated place for my friend, Gen. The building across the road catches my eye – it’s Model Flats!  The place my grandparents used to live.  What a coincidence.  Not that I’d ever recognise North Point now.  Model Flats are a bit of a quirky anachronism in this modern supersized world of glass and steel.

A familiar place - Model Flats

It’s wonderful to see Gen and Simon again – our first meeting since my wedding 9 years ago.  We have a really nice dim sum lunch before I make my way to Tsim Sha Tsui to meet the rest of the gang.  

Having lunch with Gen and Simon

We walk around aimlessly for a while trying to find the new location of China Arts and Crafts and get there eventually.  Then it’s a stroll through Harbour City - another old haunt although it doesn't really trigger too many memories.  I do get to act the tourist though and photograph the stunning sunset across the harbour.

Looking across to Hong Kong Island

The end of my first day back 'home' is a dumpling meal at Din Tai Fung before making the return trek to the comforts of the hotel and hopefully a better night's sleep.

The madness begins

Of course by madness I was referring to the anticipated whirlwind of the next four days in Hong Kong.  It turned out to be madness of a different sort as soon as I arrived at the Qantas check-in counter at Perth Airport only to find that the flight had been delayed by 2.5 hours and I'd miss my connecting flight in Singapore.  I was f-u-r-i-o-u-s.  Not least because it was the start of a 4 hour wait at Perth Airport.  

Oh and in that bizarre way the universe has of compounding one's agitation, an incident alarm had been triggered inside the airport terminal at that very moment too.  That meant nobody could enter the restricted area so the queues just built and built and built.  I think I had a visible storm cloud thundering away above my head by the time I got through to the Departure lounge.  Kudos to the fellow who tried to make small talk and invite me for a coffee.  Sorry for the death stare.

Perth Airport is really very boring.  At least I got a cup of tea using my $25 'please don't be mad at us' voucher from Qantas and used the time wisely to draft a letter to the Qantas CEO.... Dear Mr Joyce...

******

11:40am – Qantas finally gets its act together and the plane takes off for Singapore.  It doesn’t take me long to notice that my seat’s audio system is not functioning.  Sigh.  Something else to put into my letter to my mate Alan.

*******

My transit time in Singapore is a mad rush as I try to locate the correct transit desk and join another queue to get a boarding pass for my connecting Cathay flight.  Some more text messages to my mum begging her not to wait for me at the airport in Hong Kong.  My dad insists on waiting for me apparently – not good.  He’s had an even longer day than me and faces a 4 hour wait in the Arrivals Hall from the time his own flight arrives in Hong Kong.

*******

10:45pm – Finally clear immigration and collect my suitcase.  My beautiful father has waited at Chek Lap Kok for hours to meet me so I don’t have to arrive in an unfamiliar place alone and make my own way to the hotel.  I’m lost for words.

*******

Midnight – After surviving a Formula One driving taxi driver from the airport to Tseung Kwan O, we arrive at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.  I do my usual and try to extract my own suitcase from the back of the taxi, not realising that the hotel staff have beaten me to it.  Oh yeah, we’re in Asia – there’s service here I forgot!! 

Tired, we shuffle up to our respective rooms.  My key card doesn’t work.  I knock, but my roomie can’t hear.  I stand outside in the corridor in despair for a few minutes until finally my auntie opens the door.   Oh beautiful room and nice glorious soft bed.  AaaaaahJ

The day after the night before

Thursday 28 November 2013 - the day my beautiful sister married her wonderful fellow.  There were happy tears from the bride, happy tears from the groom and a good evening was had by all.  A really touching occasion.  

The exquisite bridal bouquet

And of course the wedding couldn't pass without some reference to the Harley! 

Wedding cake

Priceless.

Birthday indulgences

More flowers!

Isn't he lovely...

Birthday flowers

And one utterly fantastic gift...  not just new shoes to replace the poor little pair that found their final rest in Robin Hoods Bay but a gateway to endless possibilities.  Offa's Dyke anyone?! 

Endless possibilities...

And the BEST part of the day?  After brunch with the most special people of all, an absolutely amazing performance by WASO and Pinchas Zukerman.  Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 was heartfelt and Beethoven's Violin Concerto profound.   

Just perfect.