For some reason, Hong Kong has never been a city that I've been desperate to visit. No real idea why - it doeson paper seem my type of place - big city, tall buildings, very very pretty bridges...
And if visiting HK had come up, I really don't think I would have chosen the to do the trip the way that I did. For my first HK experience was a solo trip, integrated with my chartership exams, which I may or may not tell you about further.
So very early on a Friday morning I set off for Changi airport. By far my favourite airport in the world. Except this time I was flying from the Budget terminal - effectively a shed in the middle of nowhere. This, though, is still more pleasant than the worst of the UKs airports, and on a par with the better ones.
In between revising for exams in what is, quite simply, the most unremarkable hotel room I've ever stayed in, I dodged rain showers. And didn't dodge them all that well. I had a free Sunday - so tried to go and have a look around Kowloon. But got soaked. Then I thought of going up the Peak. But couldn't see it even from Hong Kong Island - so decided to compromise and stay at sea level, and get some shots across the harbour - but I couldn't see the other side..
In fact - it was so wet, that I needed a shower to dry off - which really just meant stoning in the hotel room doing revision. Of course - this is not a bad thing necessarily. After all, the trip was to take exams - and if I've passed these then it was successful. If I failed them, then it's one of the worst blow outs of my life!!
Eventually the place did clear enough for me to take and stitch this skyline of HK Island:
In many ways 2010 has so far been a relatively quiet year. I mean, once you take out the whole moving 7500 miles thing, then I've really not done much other than work.
I've not been on any giant adventure - I went on a rather sanitised tour of Indonesia for a few days - I even got a chest infection from there. Otherwise I've not been out of Singapore. I've managed to work for almost all of the year. And so far, I've not yet spent a single night away from Singapore on work. A remarkable achievement for someone who racked up some 150 nights on business in 2008 and 2009. But the truth is Jan to August this year has been remarkably unremarkable.
Somehow I think September may be rather more memorable. I mean, I'm leaving Singapore, to go to Hong Kong, for 3 days. Sounds fun doesn't it. What a pity it will be ruined primarily by the absence of the Dodgess, and secondarily by two exams that I have to sit (and pass come to that) in order to become a professional engineer. In many ways I hate the concepts of these exams - I mean, in what way have I been unprofessional as an engineer for the past 4 years? Have I been keeping my amateur status in order to design at the engineering olympics? Or perhaps if I pass I'll suddenly find I don't get distracted by interesting websites that have nothing to do with work!
I'm also going to see the Singapore Grand Prix. That should be fun I think. Better buy some ear plugs though - guess it will not be quiet.
Oh and I'm getting married. That will be memorable. Over the past few months we've put in quite of lot of effort, and even now we are working hard to get the details sorted. We are getting there - The Dodgess has her dress. We have a menu, we've sent out invitations, we think we know who may turn up... still a few more to go too. But we'll get there :)
Anyway, September got off to a good start last night, after our last meeting with the hotel, we were invited to eat their buffet. It was very very good... the range was perhaps not as much as for my birthday, but the quality was. It also had the most magical desert I've had - a harmless looking chocolate mouse that then burst into life inside my mouth like a million little fireworks (very little, nicely chilled fireworks). Hopefully all of September will be equally fabulous!
