Well, this week is the week. On Wednesday I move to the new apartment. Without any furniture or household stuff. I do have 3 big suitcases of clothes and junk that has not been shipped up. But no fridge, washing machine, cooking utensils, plates, glasses, etc. We purchased a cheap duvet, sheet, and pillow on the weekend (from Ikea HK), and I bought them up with me on Sunday.
I managed to borrow a blow-up mattress from someone at the office. I have not inspected it yet, so I'm not 100% clear whether it is a single or larger. If single, then I am a little concerned about where Sonia thinks she will sleep when she arrives on Sunday. The floor? With her pillow but no duvet? When it is snowing outside? Not sure how this is going to work, but since I have to go to work on Monday, it will not be me on the floor!
Trying to figure out the logistics of buying a washing machine and fridge. Except that it's not clear whether they are able to run on NZ voltage. So do we end up having to sell them before we leave (incurring the inevitable loss)? I think tomorrow will be yet another trip to Akihabara to ask the sales guy about the voltages required for the appliances. After reading up on the manufacturers' websites (Japanese pages translated through Google) I am pretty sure that they only work on 110v. Which is a problem. Wait and see what happens in part 2 of the story....
Monday, February 01, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Back from Dubai
It's a great and strange place. Great because of the huge, modern buildings, and the many hundreds of cranes sprouting from the numerous construction sites. Strange, because in the end it's in the desert, with an unusual mix of arabic and western cultures. You see many men walking around in long white robes, with head coverings of white or white/red checked, sometimes accompanied by women in tip to toe black. At the same time, the office areas are full of western suits of both the male and female variety. The hotel was announced as "dry" in that no alcohol was permitted. The biggest mall (Dubai Mall) also proudly labels itself the same way. There is another mall next door for those who want a drink with dinner.
There is clearly a lot of money around the place. Lots of Hummers, Mercs, Porsches, Ferraris, etc. But the bulk of the population is actually low-paid imported labour from India, Bangladesh, Philippines, etc. In fact I remember seeing a statistic saying that the expats comprised 70 or 80% of the population (I think that's what the number was, but whatever it was it was very high). The population declined by around 15% when the crisis hit, with many of the expats losing their jobs and being packed off home.
The new tower is tall - very tall. Stupidly tall, in fact. And because they are worried about someone else building a taller building, they have a backup plan to add more height to it - just in case.
I'll probably get back there again, hopefully with a camera next time.
There is clearly a lot of money around the place. Lots of Hummers, Mercs, Porsches, Ferraris, etc. But the bulk of the population is actually low-paid imported labour from India, Bangladesh, Philippines, etc. In fact I remember seeing a statistic saying that the expats comprised 70 or 80% of the population (I think that's what the number was, but whatever it was it was very high). The population declined by around 15% when the crisis hit, with many of the expats losing their jobs and being packed off home.
The new tower is tall - very tall. Stupidly tall, in fact. And because they are worried about someone else building a taller building, they have a backup plan to add more height to it - just in case.
I'll probably get back there again, hopefully with a camera next time.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Permits
Well there is progress on the work permit front. I'm sitting in the Ramada hotel in downtown Dubai. It's right next to the new Burj Dubai - the tallest building in the world. And indeed, it is very, very, very tall. Standing close by and looking up, you really are looking straight up. It was clearly visible from the plane as we were coming in last night. In fact it was poking up from the low clouds that were hanging around.
Anyway, back to the work permits. On Saturday I submitted my extension for HK as a dependent on Sonia's work permit. This expires tomorrow (Monday). And then today (Sunday) I went to the Japanese consulate here in Dubai and submitted the application for the Japanese visa. This was possible because here in Dubai Sunday is the first day of the week and is therefore a working day. Friday and Saturday are the "weekend". I am supposed to go back to the consulate on Wednesday around 1pm to collect my passport, which should have the visa stamp by then. Then Wednesday evening we fly out, back to HK. I'll probably stay there until Sunday and fly back up to Tokyo.
Riveting story, huh?
Anyway, back to the work permits. On Saturday I submitted my extension for HK as a dependent on Sonia's work permit. This expires tomorrow (Monday). And then today (Sunday) I went to the Japanese consulate here in Dubai and submitted the application for the Japanese visa. This was possible because here in Dubai Sunday is the first day of the week and is therefore a working day. Friday and Saturday are the "weekend". I am supposed to go back to the consulate on Wednesday around 1pm to collect my passport, which should have the visa stamp by then. Then Wednesday evening we fly out, back to HK. I'll probably stay there until Sunday and fly back up to Tokyo.
Riveting story, huh?
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Tokyo Towers
As requested (T) here is a link to the apartment complex's website.
Glad to see that someone is reading the blog :-)
Glad to see that someone is reading the blog :-)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
More progress
Well, more progress on the housing front. Told the company today which apartment we want - they are now sorting the contract. We should be moving in on 1st February - work permit and shipping permitting...
Monday, January 18, 2010
Progress on the housing front
Well, it appears that there is progress on the apartment front. The company has negotiated a pretty good deal on one of the apartments that we like. With a final tweak, we might have a place sorted in the next day or so. Yay!
Location on Google Maps (point C):
View Larger Map
Conveniently close to the Tsukiji fish market (specialists in premium sushi-grade fish), and the Ginza super-premium shopping district. Maybe that is a bad thing given Sonia's preference for shoes. I wonder if it is too late to cancel the application?
Location on Google Maps (point C):
View Larger Map
Conveniently close to the Tsukiji fish market (specialists in premium sushi-grade fish), and the Ginza super-premium shopping district. Maybe that is a bad thing given Sonia's preference for shoes. I wonder if it is too late to cancel the application?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Tokyo - end of week one
I guess you could argue that we arrived just over a week ago, but it is close enough. In any case, it is probably time for an update on things.
Saturday and Sunday we looked at apartments and houses. All pretty much on the southern and western sides of central Tokyo. We started the first day with a nice little house - nice neighbourhood and layout. But a little in need of care and attention. We mostly saw apartments for the rest of the time. Most were in low blocks - 3-6 floors. This makes up most of Tokyo. I believe it has to do with earthquakes, and only more recently built places in higher.
I went to work on Tuesday (Monday was a public holiday ) while Sonia fly back to Hong Kong and then on to Bangkok. First day at work was pretty normal - ease into things, lunch with the team, that sort of thing. Wednesday went similarly, although I have been working to prepare for the first trip, which is to Dubai for a workshop with the team for middle east and south asia. This will be the week after next. I had not realised that it took so long to get there - from Tokyo to Hong Kong is over 6 hours, then to Dubai another 9 (if memory serves).
Thursday morning I went back out to look at a few apartments, and found a couple that were nice. We ended up with 3 choices, and have passed them over to the company to negotiate with the landlords. They basically sort the best deal they can, then come back to me to agree before they sign the contract. Very helpful.
Went for a run last night, as the current apartment does not have a gym. Sore legs this morning! I guess I used muscles that I have not used in a while. Running is interesting - it was very cold (13 degrees in the apartment when I got up this morning) so there was very little sweating involved until I got back to the apartment. And it was a little windy as well. Makes it challenging when you are waiting at a crossing for the lights to change...
Breakfast this morning is Starbucks while waiting for church to start.
One last thing - I had forgotten about Tokyo weather. For some reason it seems like it is either really good (bright blue sky now) or proper rain. Not much in between. And not like Hong Kong's continually polluted skies. Yay!
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
News
Well after a pointed email from a relative who shall remain nameless, here are some photos from the trip.
First up, the Christmas fair in Hyde Park in London.
And the hotdogs that you can buy there - the sausage is almost twice as long as the bun.
On to the night we spent at the French Horn (restaurant and hotel) in Sonning on Thames. In the morning:
In the evening:
And later once the sun had basically gone down...
Then on to the Danesfield Hotel for Christmas. First the Great Hall:
And Carols sung by the local church choir...
The view from the bedroom window:
And the light in the bedroom:
Then back to London for New Year (skipping Manchester because we didn't take any photos there):
And lastly, one taken on a bike ride in Japan - in the distance you can see Mt Fuji. Note the colours on the trees.
First up, the Christmas fair in Hyde Park in London.
And the hotdogs that you can buy there - the sausage is almost twice as long as the bun.
On to the night we spent at the French Horn (restaurant and hotel) in Sonning on Thames. In the morning:
In the evening:
And later once the sun had basically gone down...
Then on to the Danesfield Hotel for Christmas. First the Great Hall:
And Carols sung by the local church choir...
The view from the bedroom window:
And the light in the bedroom:
Then back to London for New Year (skipping Manchester because we didn't take any photos there):
And lastly, one taken on a bike ride in Japan - in the distance you can see Mt Fuji. Note the colours on the trees.
Monday, January 04, 2010
We're Back
In Hong Kong for the week, before flying/moving to Tokyo on Friday!
Cute video for the day:
Cute video for the day:
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
This morning's excitement
We found out overnight that the British Airways strike is likely to go ahead. The ever-so-kind cabin crew have decided that Christmas/New Year is a good time to strike. Not very smart on their part, for a range of fairly obvious reasons.
The problem for us is that we had booked to fly on the night of 22nd (next Tuesday). That is the day that the strike starts. While you can take a guess that cabin crew in HK are still likely to fly back on 22nd (otherwise they would be stranded in HK for the duration - hang on, maybe they want to be?), we decided that it was probably not worth the risk. So this morning I ended up on the phone trying to get the flights changed. We are now flying out on Friday night - an extra four nights in London.
Our return flights are booked on 1st January, and the strike is supposed to be finishing on 2nd. At this stage we've left those flights as they are, and will probably take the risk. Talking to a few poms, this is a fairly common tactic employed by the unions and it is likely that the strike will be resolved before then. And if not, BA will have to make alternative arrangements.
Watch this space...
The problem for us is that we had booked to fly on the night of 22nd (next Tuesday). That is the day that the strike starts. While you can take a guess that cabin crew in HK are still likely to fly back on 22nd (otherwise they would be stranded in HK for the duration - hang on, maybe they want to be?), we decided that it was probably not worth the risk. So this morning I ended up on the phone trying to get the flights changed. We are now flying out on Friday night - an extra four nights in London.
Our return flights are booked on 1st January, and the strike is supposed to be finishing on 2nd. At this stage we've left those flights as they are, and will probably take the risk. Talking to a few poms, this is a fairly common tactic employed by the unions and it is likely that the strike will be resolved before then. And if not, BA will have to make alternative arrangements.
Watch this space...
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Big burgers
Just watching the Travel Channel - an episode of some show that is talking about Thurman's burgers. A burger with a 3/4 lb burger pattie, ham, salad, cheese, onions, etc. And you can apparently do a multi-Thurman burger...
They also have a "Thurmanator", which is now being shown. 2 Thurman burger patties, cheddar, mushroom, onion, ham, bacon, eggs, etc. Yumm!
They are leading up to the Dagwood challenge - a huge burger accompanied by 1 lb of fries. The challenge is to finish it within 30 minutes.
They also have a "Thurmanator", which is now being shown. 2 Thurman burger patties, cheddar, mushroom, onion, ham, bacon, eggs, etc. Yumm!
They are leading up to the Dagwood challenge - a huge burger accompanied by 1 lb of fries. The challenge is to finish it within 30 minutes.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Closer and closer
Well it looks like Japan is going to happen after all. "Negotiations" have progressed significantly, and contracts are being sent backwards and forwards. All going well, come sometime in January we would relocate to Tokyo.
Then comes the challenge of finding an apartment - if you're interested in Tokyo apartments, take a look here. The company will take care of contracting the apartment, so the key is to find the right place at the right price. And the right place. I will work in a place call Kinshicho, which you can find on Google Maps here. This is likely to mean a commute on the train of about 30 minutes in each direction. So the ipod will get a good workout each day. The key is finding the right train lines (anything that goes direct to Kinshicho) and then working backwards from the train line. Ideally we will end up with a few minutes walk to a train station on an easy line, which will make things simpler. Otherwise I will have to see if I can't push for a parking space at some point...
One good point will be the accessibility of Japanese rice. Rather than searching for the limited range that is available in HK, we'll be able to walk into the supermarket in Tokyo and pick up rice at a reasonable price.
In other news...
We have finished the final bookings for the holiday in the UK. It is now 13 days until we fly to the UK. We have a night in London before going to a country house close to Marlow (on the Thames) for Christmas eve night, Christmas day/night, and then back to London on boxing day. We will stay one more night in London before heading up to Manchester. The night in London is for the purpose of checking on the sales... After 3 nights in Manchester, it's back to London for 2 nights. Then back to Hong Kong on 1st. We've booked a rental car (poxy little Ford Focus) so we'll have the option of driving around when/where we want.
Well, nothing more to say right now. Good night.
Then comes the challenge of finding an apartment - if you're interested in Tokyo apartments, take a look here. The company will take care of contracting the apartment, so the key is to find the right place at the right price. And the right place. I will work in a place call Kinshicho, which you can find on Google Maps here. This is likely to mean a commute on the train of about 30 minutes in each direction. So the ipod will get a good workout each day. The key is finding the right train lines (anything that goes direct to Kinshicho) and then working backwards from the train line. Ideally we will end up with a few minutes walk to a train station on an easy line, which will make things simpler. Otherwise I will have to see if I can't push for a parking space at some point...
One good point will be the accessibility of Japanese rice. Rather than searching for the limited range that is available in HK, we'll be able to walk into the supermarket in Tokyo and pick up rice at a reasonable price.
In other news...
We have finished the final bookings for the holiday in the UK. It is now 13 days until we fly to the UK. We have a night in London before going to a country house close to Marlow (on the Thames) for Christmas eve night, Christmas day/night, and then back to London on boxing day. We will stay one more night in London before heading up to Manchester. The night in London is for the purpose of checking on the sales... After 3 nights in Manchester, it's back to London for 2 nights. Then back to Hong Kong on 1st. We've booked a rental car (poxy little Ford Focus) so we'll have the option of driving around when/where we want.
Well, nothing more to say right now. Good night.
Friday, December 04, 2009
News
Well I guess I really should be putting something new on the blog. Not exactly sure what, s nothing much has happened since we got back from the NZ trip. Sonia has spent the week in Bangkok (arriving back tonight), while I have been working on a consulting project here in Hong Kong. Weather-wise it is getting colder in HK - temperatures are forecast at around 21 degrees most days. Right now it feels a littler cooler than that - sitting outside and starting to shiver. It is also getting darker earlier. Last night I looked outside at 6pm and realised the sun had completely set. So I guess that confirms the behaviour of the local girls (wearing scarves, boots, big puffy jackets) - winter must be here. Anyone living in NZ would probably be going the other way - throw off the jackets and switch to t-shirts and shorts...
Well, cannot think of anything else to say, and besides I need to be getting to the gym now. Till later.
Well, cannot think of anything else to say, and besides I need to be getting to the gym now. Till later.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Cool effects
This clearly took these guys a while to put together. The video is on the long side (around 6 minutes) but worth a look all the way through.
This guy is really good
I particularly like the Morgan Freeman impression - reminds me of the movie "The Shawshank Redemption".
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wipeout
I don't know if you've seen it, but I'm sitting on the couch watching Wipeout Australia. The sight of a wide variety of Aussies wiping out on a stupid-looking obstacle course? I can't stop giggling - although maybe it should be "chuckling" rather than giggling. If you get the opportunity, I highly recommend watching it at least once. The American version is also very funny...
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Overdue Update
Well I guess it is fair to say that an update is overdue. I write this sitting on a plane, waiting for it to leave Bangkok for Hong Kong. Sonia is somewhere in Australia (Melbourne?), probably heading for bed. She is working there for a couple of days before going down to Auckland. I have the next few days in Hong Kong before leaving on Friday night to meet in NZ.
I have been working here - getting a couple of proposals put together. If any of them come off, I should have between 6 and 12 months work through my own company. It is interesting and exciting at the same time. But also rings some bells from when I worked with Tacit in NZ. I recall the boss talking about projects and bids - and some of the ridiculous behaviour of the prospective clients.
Oh great - a stinking Chinese guy has taken the seat next to me. And by stinking, I really do mean stinking. In drastic need of a shower... At least the flight is only 2.5 hours long!
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Charlie Bit My Finger Again
If you haven't already seen this, it is pretty fun (and a little cute as well).
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tokyo Revisited
It was a great weekend in Tokyo, weather notwithstanding.
I got there on Thursday night, about 10:30 (remember me moaning about the long bus trip from the airport into town?), and on Friday went to meet a couple of business contacts. Then in the afternoon went out to get a motorbike jacket (found a nice one on sale with about 40% off the regular price). Then collected the motorbike.
Saturday, we took off about 6:30 in the morning to meet another friend who was taking us on the ride. We rode up into the hills after shooting down the motorway for about 30 minutes in heavy traffic. We stopped a few times to rest our bottoms (bike seats are not always very comfortable) and to admire the views. We had lunch at a vineyard - Manns vineyard in Katsunuma. Then back towards Tokyo and onto the motorway.
Dinner Saturday night was out in Tokyo midtown - a nice American-style restaurant. Then Sunday went to church with the friends. Monday, I met a couple of ex-colleagues before going back to Kappabashi to buy a couple of knives. These are very nice - one of the knives has (I think) 30+ layers of steel using to make it. That makes for very nice patterns on the blade, and (from what I've heard), extremely sharp knives. Not something to put into the dishwasher, I think.
Now back in HK and need to get focused on moving some consulting opportunities forwards.
I got there on Thursday night, about 10:30 (remember me moaning about the long bus trip from the airport into town?), and on Friday went to meet a couple of business contacts. Then in the afternoon went out to get a motorbike jacket (found a nice one on sale with about 40% off the regular price). Then collected the motorbike.
Saturday, we took off about 6:30 in the morning to meet another friend who was taking us on the ride. We rode up into the hills after shooting down the motorway for about 30 minutes in heavy traffic. We stopped a few times to rest our bottoms (bike seats are not always very comfortable) and to admire the views. We had lunch at a vineyard - Manns vineyard in Katsunuma. Then back towards Tokyo and onto the motorway.
Dinner Saturday night was out in Tokyo midtown - a nice American-style restaurant. Then Sunday went to church with the friends. Monday, I met a couple of ex-colleagues before going back to Kappabashi to buy a couple of knives. These are very nice - one of the knives has (I think) 30+ layers of steel using to make it. That makes for very nice patterns on the blade, and (from what I've heard), extremely sharp knives. Not something to put into the dishwasher, I think.
Now back in HK and need to get focused on moving some consulting opportunities forwards.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Bangkok update
A quick update... We are back in Bangkok now, having flown from Bangalore overnight last night. A horrible way to travel, getting on board the plane and taking off at 30 minutes past midnight. We arrived into Bangkok about 6am, got quickly through immigration, and into a car to the hotel. At that time of the morning traffic is not an issue, and we were at the hotel within 30 minutes. We slept until midday, and then Sonia went to work. I met up with a few business contacts, and then we had dinner at the hotel's Japanese restaurant. Sushi and soba noodles with tempura.
We had a great time in Ooty with Chris, Karyn, and Ian and Wendy. And the sproglets of course. Chris, Ian, Ralph (a friend of theirs) and I went for a bike ride on the Saturday morning - I hired a 150cc bike. We went down the hill (46 hairpin bends on one section) and then back up, around, and back to Ooty. Good fun, although quite different from riding elsewhere because you rarely get going any faster than about 50kph.
Chris' birthday party was on the Saturday night - dessert and coffee at Ian and Wendy's place. We sat around a bonfire, while Wendy and Ralph (see above) sang a song to the tune of The Beatles' "A little help from our friends" describing some of the "Phases" of Chris' first 40 years. Then Chris made a speech (unaccustomed as he is to public speaking).
We had Sunday lunch at King's Cliff (nice Indian food), and then Sunday dinner at a Dosa restaurant. A family-sized dosa, which was somewhere over 1 metre long... Very nice. Ian and Wendy also arranged an Indian feast at their place on the Friday night - mutton biriyani, mutton curry, dahl makani, tandoori chicken, raita, and bread. And Ian had a chilli chutney which none of the rest of us could eat (basically minced green chillis).
I'm on the way back to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon, then up to Tokyo on Thursday night. In between I have a business meeting (which will hopefully generate more paying business) to attend in Hong Kong. And I need to do some washing so that I have clothes to wear in Japan. We are going riding again, and this time I have hired a Suzuki GSXR 750 (official Suzuki site). Should be a lot of fun, riding out on Saturday and returning to Tokyo on Sunday morning.
We had a great time in Ooty with Chris, Karyn, and Ian and Wendy. And the sproglets of course. Chris, Ian, Ralph (a friend of theirs) and I went for a bike ride on the Saturday morning - I hired a 150cc bike. We went down the hill (46 hairpin bends on one section) and then back up, around, and back to Ooty. Good fun, although quite different from riding elsewhere because you rarely get going any faster than about 50kph.
Chris' birthday party was on the Saturday night - dessert and coffee at Ian and Wendy's place. We sat around a bonfire, while Wendy and Ralph (see above) sang a song to the tune of The Beatles' "A little help from our friends" describing some of the "Phases" of Chris' first 40 years. Then Chris made a speech (unaccustomed as he is to public speaking).
We had Sunday lunch at King's Cliff (nice Indian food), and then Sunday dinner at a Dosa restaurant. A family-sized dosa, which was somewhere over 1 metre long... Very nice. Ian and Wendy also arranged an Indian feast at their place on the Friday night - mutton biriyani, mutton curry, dahl makani, tandoori chicken, raita, and bread. And Ian had a chilli chutney which none of the rest of us could eat (basically minced green chillis).
I'm on the way back to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon, then up to Tokyo on Thursday night. In between I have a business meeting (which will hopefully generate more paying business) to attend in Hong Kong. And I need to do some washing so that I have clothes to wear in Japan. We are going riding again, and this time I have hired a Suzuki GSXR 750 (official Suzuki site). Should be a lot of fun, riding out on Saturday and returning to Tokyo on Sunday morning.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Hong Kong update
Well yet again it has been a while between updates. There is still not much to tell...
The weekend after next I am off to Japan to go motorbike riding again. We will probably try the 299 road again, which is the windy one from the trip before last. I go up on Thursday (22nd) afternoon, and return on the following Tuesday. A lot of time for just a weekend riding? True, but it was necessary in order to take advantage of the cheap flights available from Cathay Pacific. The Friday and Monday flights were all taken! So instead I'll swan around Tokyo for a couple of days, visit Kappabashi to buy some flash knives, and see who I can catch up with. Actually I'll also try and arrange a few meetings to see if I can generate some consulting work. Which brings me to...
I've been doing some consulting work for an American life insurance company (not AIG). Quite well paid, so I hope it continues for longer. If I can make it work, it will help pay the bills and make it possible for to work on expanding with other companies. Generally things seem to be picking up in business, a common theme when talking to other people in HK.
It's also starting to cool a little bit. Temperatures are peaking at 31 degrees most days (instead of 33 upwards), so here's hoping autumn comes quickly!
The weekend after next I am off to Japan to go motorbike riding again. We will probably try the 299 road again, which is the windy one from the trip before last. I go up on Thursday (22nd) afternoon, and return on the following Tuesday. A lot of time for just a weekend riding? True, but it was necessary in order to take advantage of the cheap flights available from Cathay Pacific. The Friday and Monday flights were all taken! So instead I'll swan around Tokyo for a couple of days, visit Kappabashi to buy some flash knives, and see who I can catch up with. Actually I'll also try and arrange a few meetings to see if I can generate some consulting work. Which brings me to...
I've been doing some consulting work for an American life insurance company (not AIG). Quite well paid, so I hope it continues for longer. If I can make it work, it will help pay the bills and make it possible for to work on expanding with other companies. Generally things seem to be picking up in business, a common theme when talking to other people in HK.
It's also starting to cool a little bit. Temperatures are peaking at 31 degrees most days (instead of 33 upwards), so here's hoping autumn comes quickly!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Back in Hong Kong
Well, I am back in HK. Got in late last night after a 10 hour flight from Auckland. Managed to watch 5 1/2 movies on the plane: Duplicity (amusing, and Clive Owen good as ever), Fast & Furious (typical Vin Diesel caper), Push (interesting seeing some of HK in a big movie), Angels & Demons (surprisingly faithful to the book), and half of Alien vs Predator (a walk down memory lane).
We are now the proud owners of a very small piece of land in Auckland - in between Orakei and Mission Bay. Next comes the task of building a house while located a 10 hour flight away...
We are now the proud owners of a very small piece of land in Auckland - in between Orakei and Mission Bay. Next comes the task of building a house while located a 10 hour flight away...
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Friday, September 04, 2009
Chocolatey goodness
Or maybe it should be "chocolatey badness" when you think about what's in it...
(The spoon in the picture is a teaspoon)
(The spoon in the picture is a teaspoon)
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Cooking concoctions
It's been a while (at least a few weeks because that's how long it has been since we changed houses) since I last cooked something. So tonight I decided it was time to try something new-ish.
Being a small, serviced, apartment, there is not a lot in the way of cooking stuff. (All our own "stuff" is in a storage unit) So I looked at what is in the cupboard and tried to figure out what to make. We have sugar, chocolate, flour, baking powder (or is it soda? or are those the same thing?), biscuits, more sugar (icing, this time), cream, and a few other bits and pieces.
So that it suggested to me something like another cheesecake. Except that we have no bowls, or things to beat eggs with. So that was out. Sonia has just pointed out that not having an oven is probably a bigger issue than not having a bowl or whisk...
Anyway, biscuits, chocolate, cream, butter, and sugar. Oh, and marshmallows. That suggested some form of uncooked ganache pie. So that is what I made - in a Glad (as in gladwrap brand) disposable container. Biscuits (smashed in a plastic bag), with butter melted in the saucepan and some sugar. No idea of the quantities as we have nothing to measure with. Lined the container with the biscuit mixture, and stuck it into the freezer for a while.
In the meantime, I melted some chocolate chips, added some cream, and stirred it well. Then I cut up marshmallows into half-size pieces. Taking the container out of the freezer, I put a layer of chocolate stuff, then marshmallows, more chocolate, more marshmallows, and then the rest of the chocolate. Then back into the freezer for a while, and then into the fridge.
Sonia reckons that I will have to eat it in extreeeemly thin slices (or wedges) since it will be sooo rich. But I suspect that she has underestimated my capacity for sweet desserts! We shall see.
In case anyone has not heard through the ever-efficient grapevine, I have a meeting in HK on Thursday next week and so will not be arriving until Friday lunchtime (instead of Wednesday).
Being a small, serviced, apartment, there is not a lot in the way of cooking stuff. (All our own "stuff" is in a storage unit) So I looked at what is in the cupboard and tried to figure out what to make. We have sugar, chocolate, flour, baking powder (or is it soda? or are those the same thing?), biscuits, more sugar (icing, this time), cream, and a few other bits and pieces.
So that it suggested to me something like another cheesecake. Except that we have no bowls, or things to beat eggs with. So that was out. Sonia has just pointed out that not having an oven is probably a bigger issue than not having a bowl or whisk...
Anyway, biscuits, chocolate, cream, butter, and sugar. Oh, and marshmallows. That suggested some form of uncooked ganache pie. So that is what I made - in a Glad (as in gladwrap brand) disposable container. Biscuits (smashed in a plastic bag), with butter melted in the saucepan and some sugar. No idea of the quantities as we have nothing to measure with. Lined the container with the biscuit mixture, and stuck it into the freezer for a while.
In the meantime, I melted some chocolate chips, added some cream, and stirred it well. Then I cut up marshmallows into half-size pieces. Taking the container out of the freezer, I put a layer of chocolate stuff, then marshmallows, more chocolate, more marshmallows, and then the rest of the chocolate. Then back into the freezer for a while, and then into the fridge.
Sonia reckons that I will have to eat it in extreeeemly thin slices (or wedges) since it will be sooo rich. But I suspect that she has underestimated my capacity for sweet desserts! We shall see.
In case anyone has not heard through the ever-efficient grapevine, I have a meeting in HK on Thursday next week and so will not be arriving until Friday lunchtime (instead of Wednesday).
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Trip
Well, I assume the ever-efficient grapevine has already passed around the news of another trip to NZ. I am off to Auckland from 8th to 28th September, to look for a house to buy. No, this is not a sign that we are returning to live in NZ. Just a sign that Auckland's property market appears to be picking itself up out of the dumps. As a result we are thinking that now is a good time to get back into the market ourselves. So it will be a few weeks of tripping around the open homes, agents' offices, and houses. And of course the banks to see if any of them will be stupid enough to lend us money. Warning: if the banks are not open to sharing in our investment, we might be calling on family...
Then it is back to HK, by which time I hope the temperature has calmed down a bit. It's still averaging 32 degrees and 70-80% humidity most days. Sharon was saying that it's around 14 degrees in Auckland most days, so that will be quite a change. Better get my snow-suit out.
Sonia is in HK all week. To put that in context, we are talking about her "working" in the apartment (of 40 sqm) where I attempt to work. So I guess by Tuesday (maybe Monday?) there is likely to be blood on the floor. By Wednesday she should be safely on a plane back to Bangkok. At least that is my plan - just don't tell her...
Then it is back to HK, by which time I hope the temperature has calmed down a bit. It's still averaging 32 degrees and 70-80% humidity most days. Sharon was saying that it's around 14 degrees in Auckland most days, so that will be quite a change. Better get my snow-suit out.
Sonia is in HK all week. To put that in context, we are talking about her "working" in the apartment (of 40 sqm) where I attempt to work. So I guess by Tuesday (maybe Monday?) there is likely to be blood on the floor. By Wednesday she should be safely on a plane back to Bangkok. At least that is my plan - just don't tell her...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Late Show
Well I have gotten interested and stayed up watching The Late Show (David Letterman). Just flicked across the channels, and I noticed the weather channel is saying it is 29 degrees and 81% humidity... But hey, at least the UV index is 0. I guess it should be - being 11:45 at night, and dark and all...
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Rain, rain, go away
It is Typhoon season (in case you had not worked this out from the extensive news coverage over the past week or so). This means that it is not just hot, but also wet. When it is not raining, the humidity is very high. For example at around 9pm last night it was still 28 degrees, and 87% humidity. At this time of year this means you need to carry your umbrella most days. Even if the forecast does not specify rain, there are often brief showers to take into account.
It is also the time of year when two showers a day becomes normal (at least for me). One when you get up in the morning (as usual), another when you get home sweaty and hot. Pleasant mental picture?
It is also the time of year when two showers a day becomes normal (at least for me). One when you get up in the morning (as usual), another when you get home sweaty and hot. Pleasant mental picture?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Success
In two ways...
Apparently I chose the correct apartment - the one with the Queen size bed. At least that's what Sonia says. We now reside in the Chi apartments in Jordan, Kowloon. A one-bedroom apartment that is nicer (albeit smaller) than the one we were in on The Island, for a reasonable amount less. And it's furnished and serviced (dishes washed every day, floor cleaned, linen changed, etc)... It's true that the apartment is a lot smaller, but it will be ok for a while. We are also the proud renters of (yet another) a storage unit in Kennedy Town. Really just a big lockable cupboard...
The second "success" is having finished cleaning the old apartment. I have spent Monday and half of Tuesday cleaning it from top to bottom. Handover to the landlord is tomorrow afternoon, at which point I want to ensure there is no reason for the landlord to retain any portion of the deposit. In HK there is almost zero regulatory protection for renters - the landlord can do pretty much whatever they want - claim cleaning, repairs, etc. The last landlord we had was very good, and refunded 100% of the deposit (possibly because Sonia left the apartment very clean?). We are hopeful that this landlord will be similarly inclined. Deposit is equivalent to two months rent, so it is not insignificant...
Handover is at 4pm tomorrow (Wednesday), and before that I have two meetings and need to get to the gym. A busy day, I guess.
Apparently I chose the correct apartment - the one with the Queen size bed. At least that's what Sonia says. We now reside in the Chi apartments in Jordan, Kowloon. A one-bedroom apartment that is nicer (albeit smaller) than the one we were in on The Island, for a reasonable amount less. And it's furnished and serviced (dishes washed every day, floor cleaned, linen changed, etc)... It's true that the apartment is a lot smaller, but it will be ok for a while. We are also the proud renters of (yet another) a storage unit in Kennedy Town. Really just a big lockable cupboard...
The second "success" is having finished cleaning the old apartment. I have spent Monday and half of Tuesday cleaning it from top to bottom. Handover to the landlord is tomorrow afternoon, at which point I want to ensure there is no reason for the landlord to retain any portion of the deposit. In HK there is almost zero regulatory protection for renters - the landlord can do pretty much whatever they want - claim cleaning, repairs, etc. The last landlord we had was very good, and refunded 100% of the deposit (possibly because Sonia left the apartment very clean?). We are hopeful that this landlord will be similarly inclined. Deposit is equivalent to two months rent, so it is not insignificant...
Handover is at 4pm tomorrow (Wednesday), and before that I have two meetings and need to get to the gym. A busy day, I guess.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Time for another update, I feel
Well it has been a while since the last real update... again.
In between I have been to Thailand twice, first time to visit the Ellwoods and the de Jongs on their respective ways back to India and Burma. Second time was this weekend just gone, when Sonia and I went to Phuket. I have come back sun-burnt on my shoulders and back, while Sonia remains white as a sheet.
Tomorrow (Saturday), we will be moving apartment to a serviced apartment on the Kowloon side. This is of course a major move, as we will no longer be "on the island". One step closer to China, so I guess we will need to watch out. We are still not sure what we will do for a longer term place to live, so we've booked the serviced apartment for 3 months. By that stage we should know one way or the other.
In the email news today I saw an article saying that unemployment shot up in NZ last month, and is forecast to rise further next year. Bummer! Hope you are all keeping your heads down and working hard.
Sonia should be on her plane around the time I write this - it's a 6:40 flight from Bangkok. I will have to go down and collect her from the Airport Express station - she has no HK money for a taxi. It's still quite warm at night this time of year. As a result it is an exercise in judgment in terms of walking slowly enough to get there without being covered in sweat but still arrive on time!
In between I have been to Thailand twice, first time to visit the Ellwoods and the de Jongs on their respective ways back to India and Burma. Second time was this weekend just gone, when Sonia and I went to Phuket. I have come back sun-burnt on my shoulders and back, while Sonia remains white as a sheet.
Tomorrow (Saturday), we will be moving apartment to a serviced apartment on the Kowloon side. This is of course a major move, as we will no longer be "on the island". One step closer to China, so I guess we will need to watch out. We are still not sure what we will do for a longer term place to live, so we've booked the serviced apartment for 3 months. By that stage we should know one way or the other.
In the email news today I saw an article saying that unemployment shot up in NZ last month, and is forecast to rise further next year. Bummer! Hope you are all keeping your heads down and working hard.
Sonia should be on her plane around the time I write this - it's a 6:40 flight from Bangkok. I will have to go down and collect her from the Airport Express station - she has no HK money for a taxi. It's still quite warm at night this time of year. As a result it is an exercise in judgment in terms of walking slowly enough to get there without being covered in sweat but still arrive on time!
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Bangkok
Word to the wise. Never go through Bangkok airport without a book to read in the immigration queues. Even at midnight they seem incapable of matching the number of staff to the workload - and that is even knowing the airline schedules in advance!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
News?
Well there isn't much to say, which is why I haven't posted anything other than Youtube videos for a while :-)
Sonia and I are taking a few days off in Phuket this weekend and into next week. We looked at the past months and realised that we have not really had a "holiday" in quite a while - the wedding in "all-y'all-ville" does not really count as a holiday... So we are heading to Phuket on Saturday morning, and back to Bangkok on Wednesday. Sonia is to turn off the CrackBerry, and we will (intermittently) check email for anything important.
Next week we (I) will be moving us to a new apartment in Kowloon. Yes, you heard correctly, we are venturing across to the dark side. After a year and a half of residing on "the island" we will now have an address on the mainland. At least for a while, during which time we will need to decide what we are doing. Of course we might find that it is too strange, in which case we will scurry back to the safety of the island.
And that is about all I can think of to tell this time. No new cooking adventures, no trips anywhere, no purchases, no problems (so far, at least). Just the wet (sort of) season in Hong Kong.
Till next time...
Sonia and I are taking a few days off in Phuket this weekend and into next week. We looked at the past months and realised that we have not really had a "holiday" in quite a while - the wedding in "all-y'all-ville" does not really count as a holiday... So we are heading to Phuket on Saturday morning, and back to Bangkok on Wednesday. Sonia is to turn off the CrackBerry, and we will (intermittently) check email for anything important.
Next week we (I) will be moving us to a new apartment in Kowloon. Yes, you heard correctly, we are venturing across to the dark side. After a year and a half of residing on "the island" we will now have an address on the mainland. At least for a while, during which time we will need to decide what we are doing. Of course we might find that it is too strange, in which case we will scurry back to the safety of the island.
And that is about all I can think of to tell this time. No new cooking adventures, no trips anywhere, no purchases, no problems (so far, at least). Just the wet (sort of) season in Hong Kong.
Till next time...
Monday, July 27, 2009
Don't you wish you'd done something like this
Instead of the slow-step down the aisle on your big day?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Cheesecake 2.0
Well last night I set out to make another cheesecake. This time it was to be a full-size thing instead of the 1/3 recipe used to make 6 tiny ones last time.
And of course since I have already made the plain cheesecake, I thought I would mix it up a little. The flavourings that I have in the cupboard are... wait for it.... Rum and Raisin. Surprise.
The cheesecake has turned out a little "creamy", I suspect because I did not cook it for quite long enough? Still it tastes great. Having cut it into eight pieces, and eaten one for afternoon tea (I am about to go to the gym to work it off), I am faced with needing to cut each piece in half. Way too big for one sitting....
The finished article, with a piece cut out.
And a single delectable piece.
And remember that I am mixing all of this by hand. I did cheat and use the blender to mulch the biscuits into crumbs, but other than that it was a saucepan (no bowl big enough) and a wooden spoon. Think of the muscles!
And of course since I have already made the plain cheesecake, I thought I would mix it up a little. The flavourings that I have in the cupboard are... wait for it.... Rum and Raisin. Surprise.
The cheesecake has turned out a little "creamy", I suspect because I did not cook it for quite long enough? Still it tastes great. Having cut it into eight pieces, and eaten one for afternoon tea (I am about to go to the gym to work it off), I am faced with needing to cut each piece in half. Way too big for one sitting....
The finished article, with a piece cut out.
And a single delectable piece.
And remember that I am mixing all of this by hand. I did cheat and use the blender to mulch the biscuits into crumbs, but other than that it was a saucepan (no bowl big enough) and a wooden spoon. Think of the muscles!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
And now, back to the news
Well it has been a while since the last update. Not too much has happened...
1. Monday, Sonia and I hired a car and drove around Hong Kong. Literally. We drove up to Sai Kung (look it up on Google Maps), then across the top of Kowloon and across to Lantau Island. We had intended to get down to Cheung Sha beach, but were not aware that private cars are not permitted to drive around most of Lantau. So we turned around, came back to HK Island. We decided to drive past our old place (new blocks of apartments have been built close by, so it looks a little crowded now), then on past Stanley to Shek O. Then back around the eastern side of the island towards Central.
Promptly got lost in the one-way streets around Happy Valley, having originally intended to head for a petrol station prior to giving the car back. In the end we came across a petrol station in Wan Chai, which enabled us to avoid extortionate charges when giving the car back.
We were lucky with the weather. The night before we had been watching the lightening, thunder, and heavy rain, thinking that the Monday trip might not be a great idea. In the end it was fine all day.
Possibly the highlight of the trip was lunch in Sai Kung. HKD 100 for the two of us to have noodles and dim sum: spring rolls, siew mai, pork spare ribs, bbq pork steamed buns (favourite), and something else that I cannot remember. Getting the same in Central would be more than HKD 200, so it was a great deal.
2. Shingles. I have them. What started out looking like I'd been bitten by an insect overnight, turned red and angry. After a couple of days I went to the doctor, who has given me pills to take. The most frustrating thing is that there is no known trigger - he said it was nothing that can be identified, but might be stress (not me), tiredness (nope), or something else (who knows?). Still, it is a good excuse for not going to the gym for a couple of days.
3. The Mac broke, again. I tried to turn it on, Tuesday morning. It sounded like it was working and made all of the usual noises, but nothing on the screen. This is the second time it's broken - the first was a power supply problem. The Mac is back today, with a new video card. I wonder how long it will be until something else goes wrong. Luckily the warranty is covering everything other than the frustration of losing the machine for a few days.
4. Next weekend we will both be in Bangkok, and likely to catch up with the Ellwoods.
That's all we have time for tonight...
1. Monday, Sonia and I hired a car and drove around Hong Kong. Literally. We drove up to Sai Kung (look it up on Google Maps), then across the top of Kowloon and across to Lantau Island. We had intended to get down to Cheung Sha beach, but were not aware that private cars are not permitted to drive around most of Lantau. So we turned around, came back to HK Island. We decided to drive past our old place (new blocks of apartments have been built close by, so it looks a little crowded now), then on past Stanley to Shek O. Then back around the eastern side of the island towards Central.
Promptly got lost in the one-way streets around Happy Valley, having originally intended to head for a petrol station prior to giving the car back. In the end we came across a petrol station in Wan Chai, which enabled us to avoid extortionate charges when giving the car back.
We were lucky with the weather. The night before we had been watching the lightening, thunder, and heavy rain, thinking that the Monday trip might not be a great idea. In the end it was fine all day.
Possibly the highlight of the trip was lunch in Sai Kung. HKD 100 for the two of us to have noodles and dim sum: spring rolls, siew mai, pork spare ribs, bbq pork steamed buns (favourite), and something else that I cannot remember. Getting the same in Central would be more than HKD 200, so it was a great deal.
2. Shingles. I have them. What started out looking like I'd been bitten by an insect overnight, turned red and angry. After a couple of days I went to the doctor, who has given me pills to take. The most frustrating thing is that there is no known trigger - he said it was nothing that can be identified, but might be stress (not me), tiredness (nope), or something else (who knows?). Still, it is a good excuse for not going to the gym for a couple of days.
3. The Mac broke, again. I tried to turn it on, Tuesday morning. It sounded like it was working and made all of the usual noises, but nothing on the screen. This is the second time it's broken - the first was a power supply problem. The Mac is back today, with a new video card. I wonder how long it will be until something else goes wrong. Luckily the warranty is covering everything other than the frustration of losing the machine for a few days.
4. Next weekend we will both be in Bangkok, and likely to catch up with the Ellwoods.
That's all we have time for tonight...
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Cooking
Well I downloaded some files off the camera, and figured I should throw a few here.
So first up, I made fried rice and prawns in butter a month or so back. The fried rice shown here is what I was attempting to make at D&S's, but it worked better here than there...
And the prawns, before:
and after:
And finally, on the weekend I made cheesecakes - six little cheesecakes in the same size things I made the cupcakes in. Yummmy - this was the recipe from Use Real Butter, which works well.
So first up, I made fried rice and prawns in butter a month or so back. The fried rice shown here is what I was attempting to make at D&S's, but it worked better here than there...
And the prawns, before:
and after:
And finally, on the weekend I made cheesecakes - six little cheesecakes in the same size things I made the cupcakes in. Yummmy - this was the recipe from Use Real Butter, which works well.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Location, location, location
In response to Sharon's question, here is the map:
View Larger Map
We are at number 36.
Oops - for some reason Google maps is showing a completely different location from the one I selected to paste here. Not sure what is going on. Rest assured we do not live at the place shown above.
View Larger Map
We are at number 36.
Oops - for some reason Google maps is showing a completely different location from the one I selected to paste here. Not sure what is going on. Rest assured we do not live at the place shown above.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Map of Hong Kong
An amusing map of Hong Kong - done with computer graphics. This link will show you where we live (for now, at least).
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Tokyo revisited
Well this entry comes to you from my favourite Starbucks in Tokyo. It is in Roppongi Hills, a reasonably upmarket area. It has been raining or drizzling most of the day, which is a bit miserable. At least here you can sit quietly with coffee, out of the rain. I am on the way to book my bus for tomorrow, back to the airport.
The rain/mist was a bit of a pain, as we were thinking we would head out in the morning for a quick ride. Quick, because the guy I am staying with left at 1230 to catch a flight home to the US.
Must say, I think I had forgotten how good a place Tokyo is. Very clean, everyone polite, and easy to get around. Not without it's quirks, many of which I have commented on in the past. Dress sense being one of the most prominent. I have been reminded of this by the lady who just walked past in fluorescent pink gumboots and long shorts. Sharon would be most impressed - gumboots on a "townie".
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The ride
Well we got a bit sidetracked. After deciding to detour to visit the Ducati shop that David bought his bike from, we set off down the expressway from home. I immediately had a small problem with the ETC card, which you need to present to a human being at the toll booths. I thought it was being read automatically by the system (duh).
We got to the Ducati dealership, and David ended up agreeing to trade in his current bike for a much better one - a white 848. Plus a reasonable amount of cash... They are pretty good there, and allowed David to take one of the 848s for the day (test ride). We eventually got underway again, and headed down to the coast, in the direction of Odawara. And promptly spent the next hour or two in stop and start traffic. It turns out that the road I had picked goes straight through the various cities, with traffic lights all the way. Not a good thing, especially when it was a hot day.
We made it to the beach at Odawara in the end, which turned out to be very stoney. More of a coast than a beach. Now, back home and looking at the map, it would have been much better to take the expressway almost all of the way, then drop down to the windy roads for some fun... Next time.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Japan and bikes
Well, off to Japan again on Thursday. I am meeting up with a friend and spending the weekend on motorbikes. This time it's going to be a YZF-R6, a 600cc bike with street-bike styling. It's a brand new 2009 model (in blue for those who care). You can see the pictures here.
At this stage we are planning on a full-day Saturday, heading south from Tokyo to the Izu peninsula. I've set up a Google Map with the route.
View Larger Map
As you will see from the directions on the map (click through to the full-page view) the ride looks like it will take around 6.5 hours. We may change it a bit and spend more time at the beach to break up the trip. A lot will depend on the temperatures and weather on the day. At this time of year the forecasts are for around 25 degrees during the day. The current forecast is showing about 20% chance of rain on Saturday. Here's hoping they are incorrect.
At this stage we are planning on a full-day Saturday, heading south from Tokyo to the Izu peninsula. I've set up a Google Map with the route.
View Larger Map
As you will see from the directions on the map (click through to the full-page view) the ride looks like it will take around 6.5 hours. We may change it a bit and spend more time at the beach to break up the trip. A lot will depend on the temperatures and weather on the day. At this time of year the forecasts are for around 25 degrees during the day. The current forecast is showing about 20% chance of rain on Saturday. Here's hoping they are incorrect.
Lightning and Chinese Food
"Lightning", because I am in the midst of a thunder and lightning storm. All of a sudden, with no rain and no warning, it has started flashing and crashing (see the rhymes?). I have been watching Star Trek DS9, so it's interesting to see flashes on the screen and hear the thunder from outside the window.
Chinese Food, because last night we took Uncle Lloyd and Auntie Gwen to a chinese restaurant here in HK. They have stopped over on their way to Israel and Turkey. In actual fact, at the minute that I write this they should be on board their flight (it departs at 11:15pm). We were served 1000-year eggs as an appetiser. Uncle Lloyd and I ate them (he ate two), and wouldn't you know it, they taste like chicken (doesn't everything?). I mean, they tasted like eggs. However, they do not look anything like a normal hard-boiled egg. So kudos on trying this - to the MEN at the table, at least. If you are wondering what they look like, check out the entry on Wikipedia. The picture on the right is exactly what we were served, along with a bit of pickled ginger. The rest of the meal was reasonably tame: half a roast goose, sliced beef with ginger, shredded (more like chopped finely) pork with chilli, sweetcorn soup, and vegetables with mushrooms. And as usual, lashings (!) of Jasmine tea...
Chinese Food, because last night we took Uncle Lloyd and Auntie Gwen to a chinese restaurant here in HK. They have stopped over on their way to Israel and Turkey. In actual fact, at the minute that I write this they should be on board their flight (it departs at 11:15pm). We were served 1000-year eggs as an appetiser. Uncle Lloyd and I ate them (he ate two), and wouldn't you know it, they taste like chicken (doesn't everything?). I mean, they tasted like eggs. However, they do not look anything like a normal hard-boiled egg. So kudos on trying this - to the MEN at the table, at least. If you are wondering what they look like, check out the entry on Wikipedia. The picture on the right is exactly what we were served, along with a bit of pickled ginger. The rest of the meal was reasonably tame: half a roast goose, sliced beef with ginger, shredded (more like chopped finely) pork with chilli, sweetcorn soup, and vegetables with mushrooms. And as usual, lashings (!) of Jasmine tea...
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Back in HK
Well I have recovered from the trip back to HK. In actual fact it was much easier than the flight to NZ. I think that the 10 hour trip down, leaving at 6pm as it does, is harder because you get on board not feeling in the slightest like sleeping. They serve you dinner, then you are supposed to try and sleep in their uncomfortable seats. But by that stage you are probably four hours into the flight anyway. And then breakfast comes along a couple of hours before you land. So there is not much sleep going on there...
On the way back up, you take off at 11:15 at night. In my case, we were delayed by around 30 minutes due to an electronics problem, and then they needed to check why 7 out of 10 toilets were not working. The technicians apparently assured the captain that they would work once we got to cruising altitude, and he bravely decided to take off. I say "Bravely" because have you thought what an 11 hour flight would be like for a couple of hundred people trying to use 3 loos? Not pretty!
Anyway, HK is hot and sticky. 30 degrees in the apartment at 9am this morning. It has been raining fairly heavily on and off through the afternoon. But better than freezing my toes off in Waimauku... I cannot believe how cold it was - we hit a really cold spot, with temperatures below freezing overnight on 3 or 4 nights running. Heavy frosts and standing water had a covering of ice. Some of the days were very clear and blue, which is a nice change from HK's smoggy pollution.
Aunty/Uncle are visiting from Nelson on the weekend - arriving Friday morning (same flight as I did), and leaving for Europe on Sunday night. It will be good to see them. I cannot remember when we were last in the same place. Certainly a long time ago.
One last thing - Jordan's blog link is updated.
On the way back up, you take off at 11:15 at night. In my case, we were delayed by around 30 minutes due to an electronics problem, and then they needed to check why 7 out of 10 toilets were not working. The technicians apparently assured the captain that they would work once we got to cruising altitude, and he bravely decided to take off. I say "Bravely" because have you thought what an 11 hour flight would be like for a couple of hundred people trying to use 3 loos? Not pretty!
Anyway, HK is hot and sticky. 30 degrees in the apartment at 9am this morning. It has been raining fairly heavily on and off through the afternoon. But better than freezing my toes off in Waimauku... I cannot believe how cold it was - we hit a really cold spot, with temperatures below freezing overnight on 3 or 4 nights running. Heavy frosts and standing water had a covering of ice. Some of the days were very clear and blue, which is a nice change from HK's smoggy pollution.
Aunty/Uncle are visiting from Nelson on the weekend - arriving Friday morning (same flight as I did), and leaving for Europe on Sunday night. It will be good to see them. I cannot remember when we were last in the same place. Certainly a long time ago.
One last thing - Jordan's blog link is updated.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Made it
Well I made it in the end. The flight was ok, although I did not manage to sleep. Snoozed for a bit, but managed to get in four movies...
NZ is cold, and wet. Had a pie for lunch today - mince and cheese of course! And I (with much assistance from Kyla) have made my special brownies for dessert tonight. The extended clan will be here for dinner...
NZ is cold, and wet. Had a pie for lunch today - mince and cheese of course! And I (with much assistance from Kyla) have made my special brownies for dessert tonight. The extended clan will be here for dinner...
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Boarding
At the gate, waiting to get on board the plane... Lots of people so I suspect it is going to be a full flight. Funny to hear so many NZ accents.
Mmmm
A chocolate sundae. Not really duty free, but very yummy. After all, who knows when I will be fed next? (probably in about an hour and a half - just after takeoff, which is 6pm). Still, I need to ensure that I do not fade away before then. Or faint from lack of energy...
The airport
Just got through immigration and security. Checking out duty free shops now. I wonder what I will find...
On the road again...
Well, the trip has commenced. I write this while sitting at HK station, waiting for the airport express train to arrive. Have just checked in my bag, which weighs about 27kg. Must be all of those presents. Oh to be a sproglet again... We were lucky enough to get a very cheap upgrade to Premium Economy, which will be the first time for me. Apparently it is a seat that is somewhere between economy and business, plus business-class meals. I will have to report on that later.
HK has continued with the theme of hot and wet. Today dawned bright and sunny, and the temperature started climbing immediately. This is a bit of a change, as the past 7 days or so have been fairly consistently wet. Probably because of this recent history, the weather decided we needed a brief reprieve from the heat, and so it rained around 2pm. For about 20 minutes before starting to heat up again.
More as the trip progresses.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Questions
These questions are hard! For example... Which black and white movie finishes with the words "well, nobody's perfect"?
Rain
Not the Korean pop singer, the wet stuff.
It is pouring again. Just got home after an appointment, and it is raining heavily. Not such a big deal, except that there is nothing to eat at home (I have been eating down the cupboard in anticipation of flying to NZ tomorrow). I was planning to walk to the supermarket, but when it is raining like this and I don't have an umbrella? I do not think so! Instead, I have ensconced myself in a seat at an english-style pub a few doors up the road. As I write this, I await my beef and guiness pie with chips (no mushy peas!). Watching the rain outside, and some cricket game - england is playing someone or other. And a guy has just announced that tonight is Pub Quiz Night, starting in two minutes exactly. Bonus! This should be a bit of a laugh...
A bit of a giggle
Remember Ally McBeal and the dancing baby? (we've been rewatching the original series on DVD):
And here's a different take on the baby dancing to the Bee Gees:
And of course who can forget the alien singing "I will survive"?
And finally, do you remember the crazy frog?
And here's a different take on the baby dancing to the Bee Gees:
And of course who can forget the alien singing "I will survive"?
And finally, do you remember the crazy frog?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
HK Weather Report
Well in addition to getting hot, it also started bucketing down yesterday afternoon. Heavy rain in the evening, which should have cooled things down. However I think someone forgot to turn the rain on from the cold tap, and instead used the hot tap... Then last night and into early morning, thunder and lightening. Very cool.
Now it's back to being sunny, with temperatures rising...
Now it's back to being sunny, with temperatures rising...
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Hot
Well it is officially hot here in Hong Kong.
Hot enough that the air-conditioning has been on most of the day, along with the fan that I've been using to keep the air moving. Every time I came in the door today (after meetings, gym, etc) the temperature was up around 29 degrees. And that was inside the apartment, where it felt cooler than outside.
This gives some cause for concern, as we are not at the hottest time of the year yet...
Hot enough that the air-conditioning has been on most of the day, along with the fan that I've been using to keep the air moving. Every time I came in the door today (after meetings, gym, etc) the temperature was up around 29 degrees. And that was inside the apartment, where it felt cooler than outside.
This gives some cause for concern, as we are not at the hottest time of the year yet...
Monday, May 18, 2009
Bangkok
Well I spent the second half of last week in Bangkok, although the place is just getting into the rainy season so there was no sitting by the pool this time.
I flew in on Wednesday morning (plane over half-full), getting suprised at the checkin counter when I was informed that my Qantas card has been downgraded. Haven't been flying enough, I guess. The flight itself was uneventful. That evening I met a couple of business colleagues who are setting up a business providing call center services.
Thursday and Friday were both busy, with coffee with a business contact each morning, followed by the gym.
Friday night Sonia and I went out to a casual restaurant and watched a group of guys playing pool against some Thai girls. It was quite entertaining, as the girls were clearly quite good and were fleecing the guys (20 baht to play a game). I'm pretty sure that the guys weren't unhappy to with the attention.
Saturday involved the gym after breakfast, then out to a spa for a massage. Sonia has taken to the Thai massage - the one where they poke, prod, and bend you into all sorts of yoga-esque shapes. Then off to one of the other hotels for dinner - not bad, with a range of tapas on offer.
Then yesterday we went to the DVD/CD shop to stock up. Including all 3 High School Musicals to bring back to NZ for the sprogs to watch.
When I got back to HK last night, it was 30 degrees at 9pm. So I guess we are now hitting the higher temperatures. Does not seem so long since I was writing about how cold it was... And we are not at the hottest time of year yet.
I flew in on Wednesday morning (plane over half-full), getting suprised at the checkin counter when I was informed that my Qantas card has been downgraded. Haven't been flying enough, I guess. The flight itself was uneventful. That evening I met a couple of business colleagues who are setting up a business providing call center services.
Thursday and Friday were both busy, with coffee with a business contact each morning, followed by the gym.
Friday night Sonia and I went out to a casual restaurant and watched a group of guys playing pool against some Thai girls. It was quite entertaining, as the girls were clearly quite good and were fleecing the guys (20 baht to play a game). I'm pretty sure that the guys weren't unhappy to with the attention.
Saturday involved the gym after breakfast, then out to a spa for a massage. Sonia has taken to the Thai massage - the one where they poke, prod, and bend you into all sorts of yoga-esque shapes. Then off to one of the other hotels for dinner - not bad, with a range of tapas on offer.
Then yesterday we went to the DVD/CD shop to stock up. Including all 3 High School Musicals to bring back to NZ for the sprogs to watch.
When I got back to HK last night, it was 30 degrees at 9pm. So I guess we are now hitting the higher temperatures. Does not seem so long since I was writing about how cold it was... And we are not at the hottest time of year yet.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Eating - The Postscript
In response to Sharon's comment:
We got to the restaurant at (I think) around 11:45am. We finished at around 3:00pm. Of course we paced ourselves over this time, but it is true that we (well, me at least) consumed a fair amount of food.
The foie gras station was one of the best bits. Although the Peking Duck one was also pretty good. And the sushi station, where they make the sushi in front of you.
For desert they had two chocolate fountains - one white and one normal. Sandra would love it. I managed to skewer a macaroon and cover it with white chocolate. Nice.
We got to the restaurant at (I think) around 11:45am. We finished at around 3:00pm. Of course we paced ourselves over this time, but it is true that we (well, me at least) consumed a fair amount of food.
The foie gras station was one of the best bits. Although the Peking Duck one was also pretty good. And the sushi station, where they make the sushi in front of you.
For desert they had two chocolate fountains - one white and one normal. Sandra would love it. I managed to skewer a macaroon and cover it with white chocolate. Nice.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The End
Well, much to Sonia's chagrin, we made it to th end. She was so sure that we would be good after a couple of hours. Instead, we left at 305pm!
A Problem
Just been warned that we are down to the last 10 minutes for the buffet. But I cannot fit any more. Not sure that we have got mtr money's yorug. Wonder if the would do takeaways for the last round?
Lunch continued
Feel like we have eaten a week's calories in one meal. And we have another 45 minutes to go. Time for another round of dessert before it is too late...
Lunch
At the Intercontinental Hotel lunch buffet. Have been here (and eating) since 1130. The buffet finishes at 3pm. Only 1.5 hours to go - better get eating!
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Amusing advertisements
This set is for a Mexican beer.
Introducing the most interesting man in the world:
and
Should you go rollerblading?
Or wear tight pants?
And when to use pickup lines?
Introducing the most interesting man in the world:
and
Should you go rollerblading?
Or wear tight pants?
And when to use pickup lines?
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Trip
Well I am now booked to visit NZ at the end of May and start of June. Just me, no Sonia. I admit this is not the best timing, what with winter on the doorstep. Still, it will provide a nice counterpoint to the rising temperatures in HK. Last night when I got home from the gym the inside temperature was 27 degrees. Some of that is because Sonia had kept the windows shut and the air conditioner off, but it still gives you an idea of how quickly things have heated up. For round the house I have a couple of pairs of shorts - baggy things that we got from Stanley market. One pair are Billabong, the provenance of the others is uncertain...
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Problems
Well, this week is athlete's foot week. Monday started fine, but by the afternoon my foot started to feel tender. Tuesday night I had trouble sleeping, with a bit of a fever. By Tuesday morning, my foot was swollen, and glands as well. Still, a good excuse to sit on the couch all day and skip the gym.... I managed to finish the first half of Private Practice season 2, then a movie, and the first four episodes of Brothers and Sisters. Last night was another feverish night, so this morning I went to the doctor. I'd been thinking that it might be something more than athlete's foot, but the doctor confirmed that it was just infected. So I am now armed with antibiotics, creme, and nurofen... Another day on the couch keeping my foot up, rubbing in creme and popping pills, and hopefully it should be ok in a couple of days.
Should I put pictures on the blog? Suspect this is not as interesting as some of the cooking/travelling things...
Should I put pictures on the blog? Suspect this is not as interesting as some of the cooking/travelling things...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
What is your Hobbit Name?
Mine is "Mungo Brambleburr of Bindale Wood"....
Click here to find your Hobbit Name, and tell us what it is.
Click here to find your Hobbit Name, and tell us what it is.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Not much to say
Well I realised that I have not updated the blog for a while. That is really because there has not been much to say.
Sonia is in Bangkok at the moment, dodging bullets (joke). Things are calm, as usual, despite what the papers/TV say. It will be interesting to see how things develop, as there is clearly a lot of maneuvering behind the scenes. I suspect it will not be too long before Thaksin is back in the country.
We are off to an ANZAC Ball on Saturday evening. A combination of the NZ Society of Hong Kong (we are members), the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, and a couple of unimportant Australian associations. The Ball's theme is uniforms, which seems a little strange. Usually these things are themed around things that are a little easier to dress up - like "White" or "Glamour" or "Las Vegas" or something equally inane. We are going in normal Ball stuff, as neither of us own a uniform of any sort. Unless you count business suits as uniforms (some would).
We made biscotti last weekend, chocolate flavour. It has turned out quite well, although it could do with being a little dryer and harder. But the recipe (click here) did tell us in advance that it would be a little soft in the middle. And I don't consider pistachios a valid part of a cake, cookie, or biscotti, so we didn't add them. Also because we didn't have any...
I bought some marshmallows, ready to make another lot of sickly sweet, gooey brownies this coming weekend. Which brings me to the gym. Or maybe that should be drives me to the gym? To atone? They are still renovating the gym. There are subtle signs that suggest it might be close to the end, one of which is a sign saying that the cardio machines will be unavailable after 10pm this Friday night. I have been to the gym a few times on Friday nights, but never that late...
Sonia is in Bangkok at the moment, dodging bullets (joke). Things are calm, as usual, despite what the papers/TV say. It will be interesting to see how things develop, as there is clearly a lot of maneuvering behind the scenes. I suspect it will not be too long before Thaksin is back in the country.
We are off to an ANZAC Ball on Saturday evening. A combination of the NZ Society of Hong Kong (we are members), the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, and a couple of unimportant Australian associations. The Ball's theme is uniforms, which seems a little strange. Usually these things are themed around things that are a little easier to dress up - like "White" or "Glamour" or "Las Vegas" or something equally inane. We are going in normal Ball stuff, as neither of us own a uniform of any sort. Unless you count business suits as uniforms (some would).
We made biscotti last weekend, chocolate flavour. It has turned out quite well, although it could do with being a little dryer and harder. But the recipe (click here) did tell us in advance that it would be a little soft in the middle. And I don't consider pistachios a valid part of a cake, cookie, or biscotti, so we didn't add them. Also because we didn't have any...
I bought some marshmallows, ready to make another lot of sickly sweet, gooey brownies this coming weekend. Which brings me to the gym. Or maybe that should be drives me to the gym? To atone? They are still renovating the gym. There are subtle signs that suggest it might be close to the end, one of which is a sign saying that the cardio machines will be unavailable after 10pm this Friday night. I have been to the gym a few times on Friday nights, but never that late...
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Thankyou Sharon
At least one of the relatives is able to extract information from Jonathan. Although given the responses I suspect that Sharon and Daryl resorted to sitting Lui down at a wooden table with spotlights shining on her and extracting the answers directly.... Lui: Apologies if D&S went over the top in encouraging the release of any specific information :-) And I no longer look anything like the wedding photo that is on top of the bookshelf in Mum and Dad's house.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Surreal moments in Hong Kong
We have just come home from having kebabs for dinner. We went to a cheap Turkish place in one of the less salubrious places. The food was fine, and there was lots of it.
On the way back we were sitting on the tram, working our slow way through the centre of Hong Kong. We saw a bus passing us (they go faster than the tram). As the rear of the bus came up level with the tram, we saw a strange sight through the windows of the bus....
A drunk, asian, Elvis, standing up in the back of the bus, swaying backwards and forwards, hanging on for dear life to the pole.... in his white Elvis suite, complete with sequins.
Only in Hong Kong.
On the way back we were sitting on the tram, working our slow way through the centre of Hong Kong. We saw a bus passing us (they go faster than the tram). As the rear of the bus came up level with the tram, we saw a strange sight through the windows of the bus....
A drunk, asian, Elvis, standing up in the back of the bus, swaying backwards and forwards, hanging on for dear life to the pole.... in his white Elvis suite, complete with sequins.
Only in Hong Kong.
Monday, April 13, 2009
New Sunday habit
In what looks like becoming a new habit each Sunday, yesterday afternoon I decided to try making cupcakes. Everyone says they are easy, so it should be more difficult for me to stuff them up compared to the previous challenges involved in Sonia's birthday cake.
Here is a picture of the results. The recipe said it would make 24 - in actual fact it made 20 (for those of you who are observant, the missing ones have been eaten). The chocolate ones are chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chunks, raisins, rum flavouring, and chocolate butter cream icing. The other ones are plain with lemon butter cream icing.
The next photos are the story of making Sonia's birthday cake. The first one is of the cake after taking out of the oven, and trying to get it out of the tin.
And you need to see what the turntable from the oven/microwave looked like after taking the cake off it. The detritus that you see is part of what spilled over the side of the cake tin. Remember that this is what is left after I
And of course you need to understand what sort of oven we are cooking with...
Below is a picture of the cake at the end of the process. It actually looked ok (IMHO), and tasted fine.
Here is a picture of the results. The recipe said it would make 24 - in actual fact it made 20 (for those of you who are observant, the missing ones have been eaten). The chocolate ones are chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chunks, raisins, rum flavouring, and chocolate butter cream icing. The other ones are plain with lemon butter cream icing.
The next photos are the story of making Sonia's birthday cake. The first one is of the cake after taking out of the oven, and trying to get it out of the tin.
And you need to see what the turntable from the oven/microwave looked like after taking the cake off it. The detritus that you see is part of what spilled over the side of the cake tin. Remember that this is what is left after I
- scraped it off with a spoon so that it would not spill over the side of the turntable onto the floor of the microwave, and
- scooped some of the cake mixture out of the cake tin (while it was cooking) using a jug that I use for making milk for coffee...
And of course you need to understand what sort of oven we are cooking with...
Below is a picture of the cake at the end of the process. It actually looked ok (IMHO), and tasted fine.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Noodles
Today's lunch was Udon noodles, with bits of left-over chicken breast. The broth was a combination of dashi and tare no moto.
Dashi is a fish-based stock, made from seaweed and bonito flakes. It's very thin, with a fairly delicate flavour. It does tend to smell up the apartment when I make it. Tare no moto is a combination of soy sauce, mirin, and a little brown sugar. It's quick thick, and is basically the flavouring. To make the broth, you mix 5-1 dashi to flavouring.
Very nice! We should have put spring onions in it, but not having any we decided to have the noodles anyway.
Dashi is a fish-based stock, made from seaweed and bonito flakes. It's very thin, with a fairly delicate flavour. It does tend to smell up the apartment when I make it. Tare no moto is a combination of soy sauce, mirin, and a little brown sugar. It's quick thick, and is basically the flavouring. To make the broth, you mix 5-1 dashi to flavouring.
Very nice! We should have put spring onions in it, but not having any we decided to have the noodles anyway.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
What to say?
Well, Sonia is back in Bangkok this week. HK is alternately sunny and raining/overcast. Or is it just smog? Hard to tell sometimes.
The gym is being renovated at the moment. Instead of the old 3 floors, they are now taking up 5 (level 2 up to level 6). And of course they build the changing rooms on level 5. With stairs.
The worst bit is the noise that goes with the renovations. They are keeping the gym open while doing it, alternatively closing off a floor while they renovate. At the moment, level 3 is closed and there are jackhammer noises coming from it all the time. The stairwells look like they had a major water leak at some point in the renovations and the carpet is starting to smell. Yummmm!
Still, all the other floors are pretty much completed so it should not be much longer. Level 6 will be the "Group Fitness" area - aerobics, "spin classes" (what a joke!), etc. Level 5 is the changing areas. Level 4 is the strength floor - lots of free weights and machines. Level 3 will be the treadmills, bikes, and step machines. Level 2 will be a cafe (healthy food of course - not).
The gym is being renovated at the moment. Instead of the old 3 floors, they are now taking up 5 (level 2 up to level 6). And of course they build the changing rooms on level 5. With stairs.
The worst bit is the noise that goes with the renovations. They are keeping the gym open while doing it, alternatively closing off a floor while they renovate. At the moment, level 3 is closed and there are jackhammer noises coming from it all the time. The stairwells look like they had a major water leak at some point in the renovations and the carpet is starting to smell. Yummmm!
Still, all the other floors are pretty much completed so it should not be much longer. Level 6 will be the "Group Fitness" area - aerobics, "spin classes" (what a joke!), etc. Level 5 is the changing areas. Level 4 is the strength floor - lots of free weights and machines. Level 3 will be the treadmills, bikes, and step machines. Level 2 will be a cafe (healthy food of course - not).
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Birthdays
Today is Sonia's birthday, as many will know. I took the momentous step of attempting to bake and ice a chocolate cake. The chocolate cake recipe is the Black Magic one on the Chelsea Sugar website.
All started out ok, mixing the cake stuff in a saucepan because the only bowl is a little (actually a lot) small. Then the fun started.
The only oven we have is a combination microwave, grill, convection thing that sits on the bench. Basically a microwave on half a course of steroids... We decided that the convection setting would be best because microwaving a cake is not a great move.
After about 10 minutes in there, the cake had an afro! Then it continued to rise. And kept going... Until there was able mixture flowing freely onto the spinning table. I ended up getting the metal jug used for frothing the milk for coffee and scooping mixture out... I guess I should not have filled the tin so much?
The cake tastes nice, albeit a little on the "wet" side. The thick cooked icing makes up for that. I took a few photos and will put them up shortly so you can all admire my handiwork.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
An open letter to a recalcitrant brother
Dear sir,
It has been brought to my attention that you have recently changed address at extremely short notice, creating significant inconvenience. Further, I understand that this involves someone of the opposite gender. Having never had the opportunity of meeting said individual, it has come as something of a suprise to learn that she is the cause of the relocation.
As such, I (and my spouse) have a number of very important questions:
We appreciate your earliest attention, and remain your humble relatives.
Kind Regards,
Andrew & Sonia
PS: We understand that there is a general consensus of opinion that what Paul did should not be considered to set a precedent.
It has been brought to my attention that you have recently changed address at extremely short notice, creating significant inconvenience. Further, I understand that this involves someone of the opposite gender. Having never had the opportunity of meeting said individual, it has come as something of a suprise to learn that she is the cause of the relocation.
As such, I (and my spouse) have a number of very important questions:
- We understand she goes by the name of Lui - what is her full name?
- How tall is Lui?
- Educational background?
- Please describe Lui's cooking ability?
- Does she have any special interests or hobbies?
- Does Lui play sports of any kind?
- When did you meet, and how?
- When was your first kiss, if any?
- When can we expect that you will introduce us to her?
- Is there any other relevant information that we could reasonably expect you to share, and if so please provide details?
We appreciate your earliest attention, and remain your humble relatives.
Kind Regards,
Andrew & Sonia
PS: We understand that there is a general consensus of opinion that what Paul did should not be considered to set a precedent.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
And now for the weather
Today continues much the same. After a week or so of hot and sticky weather, Hong Kong seems to have changed it's mind and decided that there is a bit more winter to get out of it's system. Oh well...
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Rain
Today started with thunder, lightning, and much rain. It rained heavily for the first few hours (not sure what time it started), and then fizzled out into a gray day. The rain is a good thing, because it has cooled the place down (was getting a bit sticky) and has washed away some of the smog. Now I can see across the harbour and through to the beginnings of the hills behind Kowloon!
Friday, March 20, 2009
The Toilet Strikes Back
Well not really. In fact the big news today (apart from the change in CEO at my old employer) is that the toilet is working again.
I finally managed to get Eddie the maintenance guy to come over just after lunch. He attacked the toilet with the plunger while I stood smugly behind him thinking "I have already tried that and it did not work". However, being the canny man that he is, he quickly noticed that it was not working. At this point I was feeling vindicated. However, asking for a cloth, he threw it into the bowl before applying the plunger with renewed vigour. And hey presto the toilet works. Turned out that the cloth ensured a much tighter fit around the plunger, which stopped air and water escaping around the edges and ruining the effect. A useful home-handyman tip to remember (feel free to write it down if you need to) for when this next happens to you...
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Today's Adventures
This morning started with me feeling extremely virtuous, having determined that today was to be Housecleaning Day. Immediately things began heading downhill. First, I managed to break the brand new mop. Oh well, the mop shop is just up the road, so off I went to get another new one.
Partway through mopping the floor I stopped to clean the toilet. Only to find that when I flushed it, the water did not disappear at it's normal rate. Or, in fact, at all. Problem. Off to the shop again to find drain unblocker. Which has not worked.
So the gym's "facilities" will come in useful until I can get the maintenance guy to see what he can do...
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
American Politicians
Sitting on the bike at the gym again. Watching CNN.
I have never come across a better example of the stupidity of politicians than what I just watched. Barney Frank's performance to the media only showed what a sorry politician he is. Populist, combined with what appears to be a general lack of competence. Or maybe the two are implicitly linked?
The soundbite (it only took a few seconds to demonstrate his "abilities") was shown as part of a segment on the 165 million in bonuses to AIG. Keep an eye out for this gem.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Tuesday
Today is Tuesday, and St Patrick's day. In Hong Kong this means an excuse for many people to go out in the evening. It is also warmer today. The past few days have been cooler, such that the air conditioner has been switched back off (it ran at night a few times before the wedding trip).
Caught up with an ex-colleague for lunch today. A good excuse for getting out of the house. Staying at home is going to wear thin, I think.
The rugby sevens are coming up soon, which means there will be a number of functions in the evenings. And the ANZAC ball is being held on Anzac day. Busy times...
Monday, March 16, 2009
More on USA and Canada
Colorado Springs was an interesting middle ground between country and city. Lots of music seems to be country, and boots are quite acceptable footware. But lots of Starbucks and American-style "restaurants". Restaurant = burgers, fajitas, pizzas, pasta, and anything else that can be fried or covered in melted cheese. That was a bit of a shock to the system after Asian's focus on rice, vegetables, and little or no fat/oil.
We climbed (drove) up Pike's Peak, where it was so high that Craig complained of being faint. This was of particular concern because he was driving... We also went to Garden of the Gods, which was impressive and would have been more so if there were not so many signs saying "stay off the grass", "stay off the rocks", "do not climb", etc. And Daryl managed to avoid following his own driving instructions and got lost trying to find the Visitor's Center. Might post some photos of these areas later on.
The flight from Colorado Springs to Denver was incredibly bumpy. Reminded me of flying into Wellington on a very windy day. We are talking about a plane that has two seats on either side of the aisle and no storage space. The flight was scheduled for 15 minutes, and I think the pilot took great pleasure in putting the plane at just the right altitude to maximise the bumps. The flight from Denver to Edmonton was much better, probably because we flew higher. Still the same size plane, but I guess the flight was longer.
Interesting aside: it was cheaper to buy a ticket from Colorado Springs to Edmonton (which involved the two flights via Denver) than to buy a ticket from Denver to Edmonton on the same plane! Idiots.
Canada was cold. We arrived into Edmonton (to be greeted by Evan's smiling face) and immediately had to go to Tim Horton's to warm up. Actually it wasn't that cold (not snowing, and the sun was shining) but we had to go to Tim's anyway.
The first day in Edmonton/Sherwood Park was cold but not too cold. It must have been hovering around zero if my memory serves. But the next day it turned cold - down to -15 and snowing. This is nice when you're used to HK/Thailand temperatures. I went to "help" with the delivery to Evan's store the next morning, which required getting up at around 5:30 in order to leave by 6am. It was snowing as we left the house. Arriving at John's store (Evanhelp'shelps John with his delivery, then they both go to Evan's store to do his), we settled into Tim Horton's for a quick coffee/bagel while waiting for the truck to turn up (normally shortly afterwards). After about 10 minutes Evan gets a call from the driver, who has been sitting stuck on highway waiting for the road to reopen. He's been there since 3am... Anyway, the short version is that the truck arrived a couple of hours late...
While in Edmonton we went to West Edmonton mall (as you do). The place hasn't changed much, although now that the girls are bigger they can go on more rides. Watching the people around the mall, I was struck by two things. First, there were a lot of people at the mall on a work day - why? Second, the mixture of people is different than I remember. More teenagers who looked like they were trying to immitate the goths around Harajuku in Tokyo...
Anyway, we had a great time catching up with E&K, and please refer to the Eggs Benedict review earlier on.
We climbed (drove) up Pike's Peak, where it was so high that Craig complained of being faint. This was of particular concern because he was driving... We also went to Garden of the Gods, which was impressive and would have been more so if there were not so many signs saying "stay off the grass", "stay off the rocks", "do not climb", etc. And Daryl managed to avoid following his own driving instructions and got lost trying to find the Visitor's Center. Might post some photos of these areas later on.
The flight from Colorado Springs to Denver was incredibly bumpy. Reminded me of flying into Wellington on a very windy day. We are talking about a plane that has two seats on either side of the aisle and no storage space. The flight was scheduled for 15 minutes, and I think the pilot took great pleasure in putting the plane at just the right altitude to maximise the bumps. The flight from Denver to Edmonton was much better, probably because we flew higher. Still the same size plane, but I guess the flight was longer.
Interesting aside: it was cheaper to buy a ticket from Colorado Springs to Edmonton (which involved the two flights via Denver) than to buy a ticket from Denver to Edmonton on the same plane! Idiots.
Canada was cold. We arrived into Edmonton (to be greeted by Evan's smiling face) and immediately had to go to Tim Horton's to warm up. Actually it wasn't that cold (not snowing, and the sun was shining) but we had to go to Tim's anyway.
The first day in Edmonton/Sherwood Park was cold but not too cold. It must have been hovering around zero if my memory serves. But the next day it turned cold - down to -15 and snowing. This is nice when you're used to HK/Thailand temperatures. I went to "help" with the delivery to Evan's store the next morning, which required getting up at around 5:30 in order to leave by 6am. It was snowing as we left the house. Arriving at John's store (Evan
While in Edmonton we went to West Edmonton mall (as you do). The place hasn't changed much, although now that the girls are bigger they can go on more rides. Watching the people around the mall, I was struck by two things. First, there were a lot of people at the mall on a work day - why? Second, the mixture of people is different than I remember. More teenagers who looked like they were trying to immitate the goths around Harajuku in Tokyo...
Anyway, we had a great time catching up with E&K, and please refer to the Eggs Benedict review earlier on.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The holiday is over
Well, we are sitting at Tokyo's Narita airport, waiting for our 6:30 flight back to HK. The last couple of days in Tokyo have been on the cold side. The city seems to have been experiencing a cold snap, while it should have been getting warm in preparation for cherry blossom season (sakura). Alas, we are a couple of weeks too early to have seen it.
However, while it may be cold outside, never fear! Tokyo-ites are accustomed to it being considerably warmer inside. The gym at the hotel was kept at a cosy 24 degrees! Not great when you are trying to work out, as you only have to walk across the room to break into a sweat (losing weight by sweating out water does not count). And the lounge at the airport is so hot (Qantas lounge) that we are rapidly depleting the place's supplies of Coke and ice.
However, while it may be cold outside, never fear! Tokyo-ites are accustomed to it being considerably warmer inside. The gym at the hotel was kept at a cosy 24 degrees! Not great when you are trying to work out, as you only have to walk across the room to break into a sweat (losing weight by sweating out water does not count). And the lounge at the airport is so hot (Qantas lounge) that we are rapidly depleting the place's supplies of Coke and ice.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Los Angeles
I write this while standing next to the toaster in the Beverly Hilton, the hotel we stayed in overnight. We have about 3 hours to in before we take off on a 12 hour flight to Tokyo.
Friday, March 06, 2009
E&K's Eggs Ben
We were recently fortunate enough to have an opportunity to sample Eggs Benedict at a new location in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. E&K's place is somewhere that we have visited a number of times over the years, but never eaten Eggs Benedict. This visit, K decided that it was high time.
The dish was presented on a toasted bagel. The bagels were toasted just right, and hit just the right note. The eggs were freshly poached - in actual fact the whole dish was less than 30 seconds from creation to the plate being placed on the table. The whites were just right, not at all underdone or overfirm, and the yolks were comfortably runny while still being cooked. The only negative on the eggs is the colour - the yolks are not as yellow as a good NZ egg. The smoked salmon was thinly sliced, with two pieces providing a great counterpoint to the rest of the meal. The hollandaise was made fresh and was not too thin. Coffee was courtesy of Tim Horton's and freshly brewed.
And so to the scores:
The dish was presented on a toasted bagel. The bagels were toasted just right, and hit just the right note. The eggs were freshly poached - in actual fact the whole dish was less than 30 seconds from creation to the plate being placed on the table. The whites were just right, not at all underdone or overfirm, and the yolks were comfortably runny while still being cooked. The only negative on the eggs is the colour - the yolks are not as yellow as a good NZ egg. The smoked salmon was thinly sliced, with two pieces providing a great counterpoint to the rest of the meal. The hollandaise was made fresh and was not too thin. Coffee was courtesy of Tim Horton's and freshly brewed.
And so to the scores:
- Eggs - 9/10.
- Bread - 10/10 - fresh bagel, toasted just right.
- Hollandaise - 10/10 - excellent.
- Coffee - 8/10 - not a real latte but for what it was, great.
- Ambience - 8/10 - pleasant environment with grown-up conversation.
Mothers and fathers
An amusing take on the relationship between mother and child:
Momsense by Anita Renfroe (lyrics are available here).
And a followup that describes the relationship between a father and child:
Momsense by Anita Renfroe (lyrics are available here).
And a followup that describes the relationship between a father and child:
It's true - men really do suffer more
We all know that men are affected more by the common cold when compared with women.
Monday, March 02, 2009
American Airlines
We have flown twice with American Airlines now, and I am a little unsure what to make of them. The first one was from Tokyo to Dallas, and was pretty good. Good enough that we were congratulating ourselves on having chosen them. We have just boarded mtr second flight, from Dallas to Colorado Springs, and so far it has been a very different experience! To be fair, much can be laid at the feet of the airport company rather than the airline. Checkin was a mess, with 3 counters open, and long lines queueing up. The checkin lady was nice, and pretty efficient. Then security - I have never been through a ruder of less friendly lot before. They had one line open to process a huge queue. Eventually they realised this might be a problem and opened another one, but by that stage the queues had built up. Then they shove the bags through the machine, and you had to watch your fingers as the lady shot the out the other end with no regard for how many might already be waiting to be collected. All in all the security team seemed to consider us a major blight on their days...
And to top it all off, the lounge did not provide complimentary wireless internet access. I think many of these people would benefit immensely from attending a customer service course, preferably run somewhere in Asia. They would learn a whole heap!
Captain just informed up that the plane is being "fixed" and that he will let up know more once he hears back from the maintenance crew. Meantime we are to sit tight... Grump, grump, grump...
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