Imagine my surprise. I get home from my holiday to see an e-mail from Helen, our allocations manager in the office. Call up, find out they’d like to send me to Boston for a month to work on a case. Didn’t take me long to say yes!
So I’m off to Boston this coming weekend. Superb! Can’t wait. So from seeing long lost friends in HK, I’m off to see more long lost friends out west! Pak Wing and Annie, I’m coming your way!
Anyway, must keep my excitement in check… 
I’m back home. And missing Hong Kong and Shenzhen already. I wanna go back…
* WHAT WAS IN GUANGZHOU? *
Tuesday saw me visit Guangzhou with Peter Wu, who assures me that the trains in China run on time. Well, maybe it’s the L.E.K. blood in me (L.E.K. works a lot on railway projects in the UK, don’t we, Alison? 
), but our train out from Shenzhen to Guangzhou ran slowly with delays. Nonetheless, once we arrived in Guangzhou, Peter treated me to another surprise – McDonald’s!
Now, it had been installed on me by Lou, my tour guide with Contiki on my European tour with Ling three years ago, that we weren’t to ever visit the home of "Satan’s Clown" whilst on holiday, except to use the facilities (because they’re free!), so I was shocked. But I had deprived Peter of his breakfast that morning with the early rise (though bear in mind I had to get up earlier than him to get to Shenzhen in the first place!), and you can’t deprive a FAF of his breakfast. (FAF = Fat African / American Flatmate, the affectionate names he and his flatmate, Nick, give each other…). Anyway, not to be tempted into a burger, I settled for a 2 kwai ice cream!
It was a sweltering day in Guangzhou reaching 35C with unbearable humidity, and I honestly can’t remember too much of where we visited! We had visited a shrine, a burial ground, archaeological digs on Beijing Lu and Sun Yat Sen’s memorial (although we didn’t go in), but it was simply too hot. By mid-afternoon, we had decided to go to the China Hotel By Marriott, supposedly the poshest hotel Guangzhou has to offer, and I sat there drinking a Pimms No. 1 in their lounge, as one must on a hot day…
By late afternoon, we had given up and decided to go back to Shenzhen. Then it struck. Our train was delayed and left Guangzhou half an hour late… China’s trains run on time? I don’t believe it! Or was it me? Can’t be, never worked on a rail case in my life (fingers crossed, I don’t!).
PLEASE DANCE, BUT PLEASE DON’T SING! *
After reaching Shenzhen, and dinner in the best Japanese noodle chain of restaurants in the world (Ajisen Ramen), Sunny and Lin joined us to go down to V-Bar at Shenzhen’s poshest hotel, the Crowne Plaza. The impression going in was "Great! There’s live music!", followed by a "Uh-oh…", followed by a "Please stop singing!". A band had been brought in to sing cheesy classics, all of them dressed in orange boiler suits, and singing very flat. A thought did cross my mind that they should have returned to Guantanamo Bay… I think our dear own Sunny should have taken over and wow-ed the crowd.
Nonetheless, their dancing was all right. And Sunny and I continued where as we did last Saturday, adding our own moves on the dancefloor.
We finally caved in after midnight though. A tired Peter, dreadful singing and Absolut-ly ginned, we all went home singing along to Sunny’s Whitney Houston’s Greatest Hits CD in the car…
The next morning, it was a lie in, before Sunny invited Peter and me off to the Raindrop Café for some false Western food… Well, it was meant to be Western style, but just like many of our Chinese imitations in the UK (not my dad’s of course!), it’s always inferior! Anyway, I think I foolishly accepted an oyster, which I’m still feeling the effects of a few days later!
I was sorry to leave Shenzhen in the afternoon, particularly as I had so much fun there that I hadn’t expected! Sunny, Lin, Stephanie and of course Peter had made it into a fun place for me, and to them, I’m very grateful.
On my return to Hong Kong, I finally caught up with Peter Pulsford in the Post-1997 restaurant. Great place, and a bit more food of home, except this time, it was a little more authentic! Hope all is well Peter!
* FINAL DAY *
On my final day in Hong Kong, an early morning to pack up my suitcase (surprisingly still very light), and had lunch with Jonathan and Jennifer. After a bit of shopping afterwards with Jennifer, I managed to bump into the demonstrations that are now a part of the 1st July festivities. Some 200,000 people were there to make their views known on a variety of political issues, particularly, direct elections of the Chief Executive, and although crowds were down on last year, it was one of the most amazing sights I’ve seen of a mass gathering. Thousands of people wearing their white T-shirts and demonstrating peacefully.
It was soon time to say farewell to a country I have come to love to visit. Although I probably could never live there, it is to me a fantastic holiday destination, where my friends live and lots of hustle and bustle. Aptly enough, the last person I saw before going home was Liana, on her way home from a business trip in Taipei, we bumped into each other in the airport. It won’t be long before I return again…
I’m not going to go into an entire enormity into how many partying I did over the weekend, mainly because I can’t fill all the details, but I should state that I’ve not done so much partying in my life. Bring it all on again!
Friday night was the first night. Having nursed my sore head following England’s disappointing defeat, I slept the day away, and took up an invitation to a evening with Teddy, Rui and Jonathan who were throwing a party for their respective banks. Reputedly 120 bankers from 4 banks in one room. Plus a few other non-bankers, strangers and a clearly out-of-place management consultant or two in the mix as well. 120 bankers in the same room – not often that happens! Anyway, after a few(!) drinks, we went of to another club at around 1am and danced the night away – well most of it, as some people had to return to the office the next morning. I love being on holiday to see this!
Saturday, for me though, was a trip to Shenzhen to meet up with my good old mate, Peter. He managed to choose the best place to meet him, the lobby of the Shangri-La Hotel, and kindly provided me with the pleasure to gawp at a few supermodels who walked in. I noticed I wasn’t the only one gawping at the near 6 ft Chinese babes…
But eye-candy aside, there were more physical delectations to enjoy later. First, my first ever visit the driving range to hit a few golf balls. Now, the only golf I’ve played before was at Blenheim Palace on their miniature putting range (which I must admit I wasn’t great at and even Ling had beaten me on the first three holes there), but this time, I was determined to give the ball a real thwack. Not surprisingly, you’d see me miss my first swing. And then the second. But I did manage to hit it the third time, and it was ok. Later after a few more hits, skims and thuds (well, they didn’t really go far), I did manage to hit a few fairly sweetly, managing around 130 yds on a 7 iron. Don’t know if that’s any good or not, but it was a nice feeling.
After swinging a club, it was dinner and then time for swinging IN a club. Well, less swinging but a lot more dancing in a lovely place called Casa de Michelle. Some great music, some cold drinks, some more dancing… It was great evening!
Sunday, though, was a much more relaxed affair. As part of APS’s 5th Anniversary celebrations, we borrowed a boat from a bank and put a load of people on it and set sail in the direction of Sai Kung. Most people went for some watersports – from whoo-hoos from Wesley on the banana boat, to a determined, statuesque Rui on the waterskis – but others just enjoyed the scenery and sunbathed. (And some brought their work, Jonathan!).
Sorry to those who weren’t able to come along for whichever reason (the most novel excuse award goes to Paloma), but we’ll organise something like this again, I’m sure! Thanks to Rui and Marianne for doing a lot of the hard work this weekend too!
And so three parties in 3 days. Not bad, not bad at all… Now for some sleep…
* Up late for a painful loss *
It’s 5.30 here, HK time. England have lost. Heads hung low down at the Champs bar downstairs as England lose 6-5 on penalties.
It’s always been hard for me to watch England. I never watch the qualifying games because they usually involve an excrutiating period when England take the lead and you wonder if they can hold on, or they go behind and doubt they can claw it back.
Well, tonight was no different. Three minutes gone, Michael Owen scores. For the next 107 minutes, England defend for their lives. First Postiga scores, then a scorcher from Rui Costa in extra time. England out? No, Lampard saves England, but only for a dreaded penalty competition.
Now if David Seaman was in goal, I’d have a little bit of confidence. David James never got close. Our hero, another David, Sir Beckham misses – his third penalty miss for England in a row. He looked back at the penalty spot and the remains of the cloud of dust that came up when he scuffed the ground. Doesn’t matter. He missed.
Rui Costa may have missed, but Darius Vassel’s miss was decisive. Ricardo, the Portugal keeper, takes the final penalty. Flies by David James. All over.
5.44am and on Portugese television on cable in my room, there is a carnival going on. It could have been England’s carnival. Dawn has broken over Hong Kong. Time to go to bed. Sadly, I can’t wake up later thinking this was all *just* a nightmare…
It’s 3 days into my holiday and apologies to those who expect my blog not to be so updated. But I have my trusty laptop with me and about 5 minutes, so why not add to it?
* Stanley and the Dragons *
Well Tuesday was Tuen Ng, or, for the Dragon Boat Festival, which takes places in several places all over Hong Kong (and indeed much of China). The festival I went to was the Stanley Dragon Boat Festival, a place more renowned for its fantastic market rather than a very large bunch of corporates descending on the town to participate in furious paddling for a minute and a half, all throughout the day!
Anyway, my role was to simply watch and sample the lovely corporate hospitality on board some luxury yachts that all the corporate big guns seem to have. Moreover, they’re all tied together, so in a unwritten gentleman’s rule, one can hop between each of them and say hello (and do lots more) to mates in other boats. Or you could just keep going until you reach the end.
Of course, some boats had a much more party-like atmosphere than other. The UBS boat had Senegalese drummers beating a tune, whilst next door, on a boat where they shouted Liechtenstein out every 5 minutes (I still haven’t worked out who they were representing!), they had a pro DJ with some dirty dancers on deck. As the various parties went on, it almost felt like a dream, with so many bikini babes on the various boats. It dawned on me that maybe all those beautiful people you’d expect on my flight over (if the adverts are to be believed) were simply here in Hong Kong in the first place.
One thing though, I didn’t bump into lots of (or even any) celebrities (I’m still holding out on bumping into Karena Lam Kar Yan – of Tiramisu, July Rhapsody and Floating Landscape fame – and asking her to marry me at the first opportunity…), but I did bump into lots of friends (even better of course). As well as my host, Teddy, Rui and Paloma were there putting bits of wood to water too, and Janet was also there to watch. And old friends from eras ago popped up (Roy Lam, nice to see you again). All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable day, even if it was a little bumped by jet lag and watching England win!
* The Swankiest Visa Section in the World *
As I’m planning to pop over to Shenzhen to see me ol’ pal and partner in crime, Peter, I had to get myself a visa at, wait for it, the China Resources Building in Wan Chai. I’m not sure what other resources they have in that building, but I hope they’ve got enough security looking after the goldmines, oil rigs and the environmental resources in that building. I mean, who knows what is kept safe at the bottom of that building?
Anyway, it was also the nicest Visa Section of any Embassy/Consulate/Delegate I’ve ever visited. Whilst most places I’ve seen are basically the basement of any embassy what has second hand furniture that has only been cleaned once since the 1960s when they bought it, The CRB has its visa section on the 7th floor, and it’s all brand new. In fact it was more akin to waiting at a new airport.
But even with their advanced electronic ticketing system flashing up numbers of which counter to go to, one thing doesn’t change, and that’s the queues. I had to wait 2 and a half hours, through which I probably had read every word in my passport a few dozen times.
But I seemed to be one of those people who filled in their forms right because in the end (apart for a 30 second dash to make a photocopy, I was in and out in a minute. But I got my visa all right, so that’s just fine!
* Chilled, on the Rocks *
Now today was supposed to be one of my two days of chilling, so I started off by going shopping as soon as I had finished trying to get my visa. I also had thought about seeing a HK film, but too my disappointment, not many are on. Super Model was one that’s on (featuring the lovely Karena… yum), but it’s not the type of film I felt like seeing. Oh well, I’ll see it soon on DVD anyway.
So instead, I decided to grab myself some DVDs and watched Love On The Rocks (Louis Koo, Gigi Leung). Unfortunately, it wasn’t the greatest movie in the World, in fact it doesn’t even come close to average. And that’s coming from a guy who wants to marry Gigi if he bumps into her, but won’t because Ekin’s got her and Karena’s got my attention now…
Anyway, Thursday is going to be another chilled day, followed by some partying on Friday. Can’t wait!