Moving Thoughts

Oh the noise! I think I've done well not to mention it for quite a while but this morning it is as if they are making up for the time they have lost by having 2 full days off over the Christmas break. This is something I will be so pleased to leave behind. I've never been tolerant of noise, perhaps because I grew up in quiet surroundings with no siblings until a relatively old age, for a child, but whatever the reason, today I'm counting down.

We move out officially on January 8th after 2 full days of packing. It was a long way to move so much stuff for just a year (and a bit), but I'm glad we had some home comforts while we were here. It has definitely helped me to settle easier, having some personal things, not to mention our very own furniture, around.

I am looking forward to one thing in particular, by moving back. A peaceful space in which to practice yoga, in all it's forms. On a positive note, I can see that my ability to sit with the noise during my practice has increased over the past year. Like anything, some days are easier than others, but on the other hand, it has also impacted my yoga practice. I've had to take it off the mat, so to speak on more occasions than I would have liked. Instead, I find myself writing, blogging, walking....rather than being on my mat. My body has noticed...this coupled with the vast array of amazing restaurants here in Hong Kong and the tiny unappealing kitchen space here in the apartment, has lead me (us) to eat out and indulge in ways we just don't have the opportunity to at Home. Bizarre as it may sound, I am looking forward to a simpler life...more peace and less food! :-)

So this is Christmas...in Hong Kong

Christmas to me is never just Christmas. How can it be with a birthday just 2 days before? It becomes a beautifully intense time, with much to look forward to and many things to think about...I always used to wish as a child, that my birthday was in the summer, so that I could have an outdoor party and more importantly at a young age, have something to look forward to at a more convenient interval rather than it all happening within 2 days! As the years have gone by, I no longer wish for such a thing, clearly that's a waste of time as it can never be...instead I relish the intensity and do my best to pack all the excitement into a very small box of time!

This year was no exception on that score. I spent my birthday in Macau. We had a relatively leisurely morning although it did involve a quick "inspection" by the management company here, in anticipation of our move in the next few weeks...making sure we had not trashed the place. Thankfully they acknowledged that we've been well behaved and our list of things to "fix" is minimal. Phew. So with that out of the way, we headed for the ferry terminal and swiftly boarded and departed HK Island. One hour later we arrived in Macau - the sun was still shining there and the temperature was pleasantly cool. Perfect. We checked into our hotel right next door to the show venue for that evening, all very convenient and before we knew it, it was time for our pre-show dinner at a wonderful little place called Antonios, a tiny Portuguese restaurant in the heart of Taipa Village. If you are ever there, it comes highly recommended by us and several of our friends, which is why we ended up there in the first place. The show followed dinner and quite simply...Wow! What a show. I've never been to Vegas, but this felt very "Vegas" to me, for all the right reasons. It was colourful, exciting, beautiful, awe-inspiring, edge-of-your-seat-gripping, with some acrobatics that I would have believed impossible in a theatre. Amazing. We rounded off the evening with a first for me...a visit to the casino. Quite eye-opening really. And surprising...as I decided to see what all the fuss is about and found a Roulette Table to try my luck on. And Lucky I was...put it down to beginners luck or detachment...whatever it was, it worked and I walked away with enough cash to pay for our hotel room that night! ;-)

On Christmas Day itself, we were lucky enough to be invited by some of our best friends here in HK, to their home, for pre-dinner drinks where we enjoyed a glass of champagne or two and some festive spirit before heading back to our place to cook our own fairly traditional Christmas Dinner. It was nice to part of a larger "family" for a few hours, when ours are all so far away.

I wonder where we will be next Christmas.

It seems I will miss Hong Kong after all

As the days go by and the Move gets closer, I am realising that I actually will miss Hong Kong. At least bits of it.

It's been a fun place to be for a year but I'm ready to shift back down a gear, to a different pace of life, but all the same, I suspect there will be days when I will look back somewhat wistfully on all the very convenient things, the perks if you like, of living in a city where you can get almost anything you want at any time you want it. I'll miss the ease and numerous opportunities to meet new people from all over the world, who also find themselves living in a "strange" country where things are not familiar. Although I have to say, settling in Hong Kong has been relatively easy, all things considered. Or does it just feel like that because it's over now? :-)

There are so many available support groups and information is just easily accessible here in it's various forms. They have truly mastered service too. The locals are friendly and seem to genuinely want to help you. Those who aren't locals also want to help because they know how hard it can be to find yourself in a foreign place. There is a somewhat "safety in numbers" feeling here...you know you are not the only one and if you have a question, someone not so far away from you, will know the answer to that question because they have already been there and done it. Just knowing that can be very reassuring.

So, what will I actually miss about Hong Kong? After all, don't I just complain about the weather and the noise all the time? Maybe I won't fully realise this until we've vacated, as is often the way; you don't know what you've got until it's gone.

I was going to write a list of the things I think I'll miss about Hong Kong and then realised that it felt a bit familiar...I did that at the half way point and upon reviewing that list, I find that nothing much has actually changed. My feelings at 6 months pretty much echo my thoughts and feelings now, as we approach the end of this assignment. So I won't repeat myself.

However, I do already know some of the things I'll appreciate even more upon our return to Canada, and it certainly doesn't hurt to be reminded to be grateful for what we have. In these somewhat material and very convenient times, it's easy to take the simple things for granted. These simple things are likely to be different for all of us, but it's important to realise what they are, what makes you feel happy, content, relaxed, grateful to be alive. Hopefully I will return Home with a greater sense of what's important to me and build on it, because life is too short not to.

I would like to take this opportunity, whether they see it or not, to thank all my Hong Kong friends and acquaintances for their support and friendship along the way. Without them, it would have felt very lonely and definitely not easy. The ease in being and doing comes through the support of others and I won't forget these heady Hong Kong days! ;-)

I'll miss the smell of incense wafting from the numerous temples that I pass on my daily travels...sometimes unexpected and uplifting and surprisingly calming amidst the noisy traffic and other much less pleasant city smells!

In-between Worlds

Less than a month to go until we move out of Bamboo Grove. I feel a bit dazed this evening...in a kind of limbo land...not quite here and clearly not there yet. That said, I'm determined to stay present and not either wish this time away or get so swamped in thoughts and concerns about packing and moving that this final month slips from my grasp. This is a festive month with lots still to look forward to and I intend to make the most of it despite the lists that must be made for Canada Customs and the thoughts about what I'll do when I get back.... those things can wait. Well...Customs won't wait for anybody but Plans for my Future are less demanding right now.

This is truly a test of my ability to be present, a meditation of sorts. When the mind wanders to thoughts of "but what will I do when I get back and there are no organised weekly hikes or Tai Tai Afternoons to attend..." I remind myself that I am still here and that as excited as I am to return Home...Canada Home...I have some great things to do here still so long as I remember to breathe and take it one day at a time. Enjoy every last day...enjoy the friends that I've found here while I can and just breathe it in...else it will be gone in a flash!

Today we had the chat with the people who organise our move for us and once again I need to get my head around packing. Well, that's not quite accurate...we are lucky enough to have the packing part arranged for us but I do have to sort out what we take, what goes by air and what goes on the slow boat from China. That's simple enough really, especially on the return, much easier than it was coming out here as this time it ALL comes with us, one way or the other, I just may not see it for a couple of months.

Transition is an odd thing, more challenging to some than others but I believe it definitely takes a degree of awareness and presence to do it well. Ahead of me lies another shift in culture, a change in climate, a change in lifestyle, different food options, different people with different outlooks on life. It's a shift, no doubt about it, regardless of having done it before. This time will be different too...coming from Hong Kong will feel different to having come from England last time. So just another Adventure really...and of course another new Chapter. The Canadian Chapter Part 2! I'm excited.....

Solo in Singapore

It's unusual for me to be the one travelling solo, especially in Asia. I feel brave but lonely. It is of course all for a good cause though; a sneaky yoga teacher training to study with a teacher who only teaches on this side of the globe, before we return to Canada and I start to incorporate all these trainings into my life and return to doing some yoga teaching. It's been nice to have a rest and focus on learning and absorbing with no pressure to pass that on for the last year or so but that era is coming to an end. A new chapter awaits and is not that far away now. In a month from now we will be packing our bags and indeed everything we have here in Asia and sending it back to Canada on that slow boat.

In the meantime, I have one more day to immerse myself in the study of postnatal yoga, which naturally follows on from the prenatal training. Not a Mum myself, I've found it totally fascinating and extremely eye-opening. All yoga trainings have a tendency to make you question things and look at things differently and this is certainly no exception. I thought I was coming here to learn what postures I could safely teach pregnant women and women who just had a baby....and I did...but I got a whole lot more into the bargain and my head is full of subjects that are totally new to me and as a result I feel just a little bit more alive...very tired, but alive!

Birdsong, Waterfalls & Construction

I've been here over a year now and the constant contrasts in this city still amaze and delight me.

I got myself up and out this morning for a walk. I walked from our apartment, straight out the back door and onto Wan Chai Gap Road, which is possibly the steepest hill I have ever chosen to walk up. More than once. From there I was instantly among others, mainly locals, out for their morning constitutional. It seems to be a very social thing with the old folk. I take my hat off to them too because I didn't see them looking out of breath or out of sorts at all, they were just pacing themselves, clearly they do this often. Daily is my guess.

It was 9am and the air was still pleasantly cool...and the birds were singing. That rather took me by surprise, I have to say! I'm afraid I can't tell you what sort of bird I heard although I did see it perched up in the tree and stopped to listen to it's beautiful song (a perfect opportunity to catch my breath) and in the background I could also hear the rushing water from what's left of the nearby waterfall. It's pretty dry here now so there isn't much to see but I could hear the falling water and the beautiful birdsong and I almost forgot where I was. What a way to start the day. Why don't I do this every morning?

As I made my way further up the hill towards Bowen Road which is another footpath but this time a completely flat one, which winds around the mountain side towards Central, I was welcomed by the national sound of Hong Kong. Drilling! :-) They have been doing construction work on the hillside and along the footpath for months now. I am still not clear exactly what is going on other than it appears to be maintenance of sorts. Repair work...but it is serious whatever it is. Maybe it's falling down...or they are simply taking preventative measures. I'm not sure, but I don't think we will be here to see the end result, there is no way it will be finished within the next 6 weeks.

From this point I quickened my pace and after about 45 minutes of brisk walking (passing more construction along the way) I found myself in Hong Kong Park...and of course I had to seek out my Favourite Place as it has been a while since I visited. Yes, as always, my bench was free and I happily sat down, closed my eyes and took in the Nature that surrounded me. All other sounds drowned out by the falling water. Time to take some long deep breaths.

I stayed a while but the park was starting to get busy, so I decided to retrace my steps homeward bound. The tourists were out with their cameras and there were numerous classes of school children...little ones...practicing their english on me as they ran by me, giggling. Teachers not having to do too much to keep them in orderly fashion either, which was nice to see.

I couldn't help but compare this walk to one that I take from Home...Ottawa Home. I barely meet a soul and pass numerous beautiful houses with perfectly manicured front gardens, very flat, even pathways...oh so civilised. Worlds Apart and yet both beautiful in their own way.

More Temples and Buddhas in Bangkok

I've never thought of Bangkok as a place on My List, but when you're presented with an opportunity to visit a new place, in a beautiful country, that you may not get another chance to visit, it seems rather rude to refuse! So, I flew in for the weekend to meet my husband once his business duties were over for the week. Given the fact that I hadn't seen him in 2 weeks, we were ideally looking for a bit of down time, a place to relax for a few days rather than to jump on every tour available. On balance though, it feels quite wrong to go to any place and not sample a bit of the local flavour and culture, so we did what we had to do and arranged a half day tour to take us to just a few of the top sights listed in our Lonely Planet Encounter Guide. I love these guides, they have proved so reliable in this last year. When you have a limited amount of time in a new city they are ideal, drawing your attention to the Must See bits in very few words - perfect for the last-minute traveller who is also a bit of a slow although experienced, packer!

So what did the wonderful Encounter recommend we do in Bangkok? Well, it said not to miss The Grand Palace or the Reclining Buddha. I'd have to agree. Maybe there were other "unmissable" sights that we missed, but the great thing is that I'll never know. I am happy with what I saw...and was impressed, big time, with the Reclining Buddha. I have a bit of a "thing" for buddhas lately and I have to admit, I have seen a lot of buddhas in the past year, so to see something so unique that literally takes your breath away, really has to be noted as Impressive.

The gold plated Reclining Buddha is 46 metres long and 15 metres high and is designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. The feet and the eyes are engraved with mother of pearl, which you can see on the first picture. You can also get some perspective on his vastness on this last picture where you should just about be able to make out a human figure by his feet!

Hand painted walls within the Grand Palace

The Grand Palace complex was established in 1782 and consists of the royal residence and throne halls along with a number of government offices and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha - where photos were not permitted...but we did see Him and rather special He was too.

Beautiful, ornate architecture...

Ongoing renovations in front of our eyes...

So that concludes our short cultural expedition in Bangkok...the rest of our time was spent relaxing by the pool and in the spa, in true Chapman fashion :-)

Riding the Tram

Today I rode the Tram. I had the time. I had the patience. It was a nice day and not too hot. And...my destination was directly on the tram route.

I confess it's not my favourite mode of transport here but if you're not in a rush, and feel you can cope with a bit of a bumpy ride, lots of road noise and plenty of squishing, then it can be fun...just another experience to be had really.

As I jumped on I was pleased to see an empty space on the bench which I filled and promptly turned my gaze out of the window; partly to observe the bustling Sunday activity and partly to keep track of where we were going as I didn't want to miss my stop. All of a sudden I felt a sharp finger poking my arm...several times in fact....I look around, a little old lady is still poking me and babbling away in (I assume!) cantonese...I don't know a word I'm ashamed to say (oh, apart from how to say my address in case the taxi driver doesn't speak english!) but I got the gist from all the poking that she wanted me to budge up..make space, so that she could sit down. For the first time it didn't feel rude to me...I must be getting acclimated at last!

It must be time to go home soon!

The Elusive Beijing

Finally, I can tick Beijing off my List. I was beginning to think I'd never make it after several failed attempts (in the form of cancelled trips) but with just 2 months left on the Asia Clock, I did it. Alan of course has been here many times, but much to my delight was working hard every single time and hadn't seen ANY sights yet, so that gave me permission to organise a couple of tours in which we were escorted around our chosen sights of Beijing...ensuring we didn't waste our valuable 2 days in this fascinating city. We don't usually do the Tour thing, we go it alone and make our own way...we're a bit slow...we both enjoy photography and like to go at our own pace but on this occasion there was simply too much to see and too little time, and then there's also the language thing, so we needed some help and if the photography suffered for that, well then, so be it.

Our first stop was the Great Wall. But I've covered that already...and as it happens I think we did go just a little too slowly for our guide but thankfully she was professional and very accommodating and just smiled sweetly...and kept walking, in the hope that we'd just follow I imagine.

On our second day we did a whistle-stop tour of some amazing sights: The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven, Tian'anmen Square and Summer Palace. It was quite a full day with a lot of walking and I was very glad I dressed my feet for comfort rather than style.

The Forbidden City was HUGE. It was the Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of Qing Dynasty and is right in the centre of the city. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government.

I'm getting used to the style now... in the beginning it felt so unique and so different to anything I'd seen before but I've seen a lot of temples now... and there are similarities. Bit like churches I guess. However, what was noticeably different from many of the temples I've seen around Hong Kong, was the amount of space here. Vast open areas and courtyards. Huge temples to accommodate huge numbers of people. So vast that I really didn't have a lens on my camera to really do it justice!

Taken at The Forbidden City...couldn't do the place justice, so I went for detail instead.

Probably one of the most well known and the largest city square in the world; Tian'anmen Square, named after Tian'anmen Gate which means Gate of Heavenly Peace, which is the gateway to the Forbidden City.

The Temple of Heaven. For me this was a unique temple, with no roof, so that people could pray directly to the heavens, apparently for good weather...or whatever kind of weather it was they needed....

And the Temple of Heaven where they prayed for a good harvest.

Some Temple of Heaven detail.....

And finally...an old fashioned tea house in the guise of a marble boat at Summer Palace. Sounds ideal to me...my kind of boat...just somewhere to sit and sip your afternoon tea and admire the views over Kunming lake. Nice.

The aptly named... Great Wall of China

So Great that it deserves it's own entry. It could have been named the Awe-inspiring Wall of China and I for one would not have questioned it. It's one of those attractions that everyone has heard of but I suspect relatively few ever get to see. I certainly never thought I'd be lucky enough to walk on it and on a blue-sky day in October too! Our guide informed us that up until a few days before it had been very foggy for some time too, so we felt doubly lucky!

The Wall is the longest man made structure in the world, and some say it can be seen from Space, although I can't verify that either way. It was built in segments by varying dynasties to protect China's northern boundary and what survives today is mainly the stone and brick bits predominantly from the Ming dynasty.

It's truly fascinating to me to imagine how on earth they managed to build this wall. We walked such a small piece of it...it apparently stretches for over 30,000 miles! Bending and weaving as it does and makes it's way up and over, down and round the mountains. Incredible. Did I mention it was totally awe-inspiring? Many died during construction too...that unfortunately doesn't surprise me so much given the terrain, it must have been a pretty tough job.

All the tourist information I'd read in advance of our trip had me worried that walking the wall would feel a bit like walking in central Hong Kong during the lunch break, but we left our hotel at 7am, travelled north through some interesting villages and were on the wall by 9am and to have some sections with views like this, was most rewarding.

Quite beautiful and an experience never to be forgotten!

The Life of a Travelling Spouse

It’s an odd existence I lead these days. Enviable at times, by some. And at times, rightly so, it can be great. It can be fun. But it’s still odd. Like right now, I’m in Beijing, China. Sitting in a hotel lounge catching up with email and other stuff while Alan is up in the hotel room, on a call. He is always on calls, or so it seems to me. He travels so much and then when he is close, physically, he is seldom with me. Work. The sacrifices some of us make for it, for whatever reasons.

I often think that it’s a jolly good thing that I was an only child until the age of 9 and as such, am well accustomed to amusing myself and making my own entertainment. I’m comfortable with my own company. At times maybe too comfortable and I need to nudge myself to reconnect with the outer world. This evening though, I thought I’d catch up on some blogging, clearly. Feels like a perfect time to do so.

I tried to log on to my Blog account but no...it seems I can’t. I'm in China. I knew that Facebook was banned here, but Blogger too? Well...that’s just too much! It makes me wonder how I would have coped had we been sent to mainland China rather than Hong Kong...which was a distinct possibility at the time. I guess I never would have started the blog and I would be none the wiser but no Facebook either as a medium to share? I would have felt so very disconnected from my friends and family! How would that have felt? Hard to predict, but not good I sense. More than odd. These days, many people thrive on Facebook and other social media networks and many of those people have the majority of their friends and family virtually on their doorstep. I suddenly feel quite uncomfortable. But why? Why should this make so much difference? Go back 5 years perhaps and this would not have been a consideration. If we chose to leave our home country then we could rely on phones, email, MSN and Skype...and I did, the first time around. But now I have new technology addictions and I wonder how I’d cope without them. Well...thankfully I didn’t have to, so all I can say is Thank You Hong Kong for allowing me to connect and to share in ways I should never take for granted!

Time to Go. And to Let Go.

My time in Suffolk is coming to an end. Not sure when I’ll be back again but I do know that the reason to return seems greater than before. It’s been an incredibly sad time and impossible to blog about and quite possibly hugely inappropriate to do so anyway. I certainly haven’t felt like sharing my thoughts or experiences with the world in general, about anything, least of all the Biggest things. At times like these it can be difficult even to share with those very close to you. We all respond differently in times of grief as our various coping mechanisms kick in to keep us functioning. If we are very lucky, our individual strategies work in harmony with those close to us so that we are at least able to support each other through such challenging times. Ultimately though, it feels as if we are alone in our grief, with our individual thoughts. Our individual memories. Surely only we as individuals can learn how best to navigate our own emotions and how to come to terms with the radical changes that have been made for us, without our consent or approval.

As my time here passes and I now dare to look ahead to my own future and my next physical destination, it is clear to me that I would now like to bring this difficult chapter, at least the written chapter, to an appropriate close. To not write anything about this time, to pretend on paper that it never happened, seems odd. Wrong. Like I am in denial about what has happened. My blog has been my witness to many things during this past year; thankfully most of them positive or at least new and exciting so it seems only fair to allow it to also be witness to the sad times.

So finally, I return to blogging and hope that it will help me as it has before, to process things. When you lose someone instrumental in your upbringing, someone who has become a part of you and who has helped shape the person you are today, it goes without saying that it takes time to recover. Who knows how much time...we are all different so it will be different for all of us. We should not judge ourselves or others but allow ourselves whatever time we need to come through the other side.

For me though, as another step in my personal letting go, I chose to share these words and trust that is OK with those close to me to do so.

I was 4 when we met.

A shy little girl, not accustomed to meeting tall, dark, handsome men…

He was introduced to me as Jim, and so that is was I called him

Mum and I used to watch him from our window high above the road each morning as he drove off to work in his little yellow car

And then at the weekends he would take us out with him, often with the top down, and he would drive fast down small and windy country lanes

I would sit on the back shelf, holding on to the passenger seats in front of me

I think I might have complained about this rather undignified arrangement at the time, although my memories tell me that I loved every minute of this new adventure

Jim loved the countryside so I’m glad that some of my best early memories took place in some of his favourite places

Mum would pack picnics for us to share in far away welsh fields

We would walk in the woods and he’d give me piggy-back rides that made me giggle with delight

Sunday lunchtimes were often spent in country pub gardens...the 3 of us and usually a doll or two to keep me occupied

Of course I didn’t understand at the time, but looking back now I realise that these were his courtship days and my respect deepens further for the man who not only made my mum happy and gave me two wonderful brothers, but who welcomed this little girl so readily into his life and treated her as his own.

I may have called him Jim, but he was my Dad.

October in Suffolk

October in Suffolk. Not quite the crisp autumnal days I so love in England with sunshine and crunchy red leaves falling under foot. Maybe I'm a bit early for that. Instead, certainly along the coastal regions, it has been extremely bracing! Which, to be honest, is how I remember the east coast. Mainly cold and windy to be frank, but there is still beauty to be found, you just need to wear a woolly hat and gloves to stay out long enough to find it.

Just a few of my favourites sights...

Southwold Promenade with the Pier in the distance

Boats in Woodbridge Harbour

Rustic old boats on Aldeburgh Beach

This one actually looks like it might survive a trip out...

Suffolk

Not a time for words. A time to be with family. To reflect. To remember. To Be.

I am grateful to be in a place where these things are, although certainly not easy...then easier than anywhere else I could be right now.

Hiking Plover Cove

This weekend we ventured north of Hong Kong into the North East New Territories and joined a fabulous group hike around Plover Cove Country Park. It took us about 90mins to get there from our central location on Hong Kong Island, using a combination of public transport options but once we were there, it felt like we were a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The hike was 9km long and took us through mountain valleys, around old fields, along rocky shores and inlets and through deserted villages. It was not exactly tough terrain, but the heat...and the humidity...oh my...lets just say it's a good job it was only rated a 3/10 and not a 9/10! We hiked in the 30+ heat for 4-5 hours, with a break for lunch in the middle and by the time we got home around 5pm, we were good for nothing other than sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine with our feet up, in front of a good movie!

Mirror Falls - A beautiful waterfall...a positive outcome after all the recent torrential rain!

We hiked past an old, abandoned "village" where we visited the ghost houses of Kau Tam Tso...

It really was like one day they just decided to go...leaving behind many personal possessions...

Yes, they really DO have big spiders here....!

Beautiful lush green hills of the New Territories....

Hiking Plover Cove (Part 2)

This was where we stopped for lunch and what a welcome sight it was!

This shoreline was tidal and we had to move quickly because it was a little soggy underfoot...although on the plus side the tide was out...

Just beautiful....

Apparently this was our sobriety test; luckily I didn't partake in any lunchtime drinking though....

Our timing with the weather was fabulous. As we neared the end of the hike the clouds rolled in...and the rain did come...Oh did it come down...!

Thank you Michael Hansen... we will be back....again!

Getting back in the swing of things

I've been back in Hong Kong a week now. The journey was long and the jet lag was harsh. I guess it is a whole 12 time zones between here and Canada and the middle-of-the-night connection in Vancouver probably didn't help the recovery process but finally, I think I am back to normal, or at least as normal as I'll ever be!

It struck me all over again how different it is on this side of the globe. Six weeks away is long enough to forget..at least temporarily, but of course the minute you touch down in this vibrant city you are shocked back into a whole new lifestyle, all over again.

My quiet chair on the deck seems a million miles away...and I was greeted back to the apartment by the very familiar sound of drilling....some things are not so quick to change it seems.

So it appears we have some bonus months here. Our stay has been extended to the end of this year and I'm determined to make the most of it. As it is anywhere on the planet, it is so easy to get complacent and take things for granted once they start to feel familiar, so I remind myself that this is a great but short opportunity to be lived and I'm looking forward to exploring just a little bit more of Hong Kong and if I'm lucky, a little bit further afield too.

Words

I bought a card some weeks ago, just because I loved the words...not because I wanted to send it to anyone. It has been sitting on my desk these last weeks, reminding me to be strong and to heed these words. The card will stay here, but I wanted to take the words with me, so here they are....

Live with intention.

Walk to the edge.

Listen hard.

Practice wellness.

Play with abandon.

Laugh.

Choose with no regret.

Continue to learn.

Appreciate your friends.

Do what you love.

Live as if this is all there is.

Just Some of The Things I'll Miss....

It's almost time to move again. Pack bags, clean up, get organised, think ahead to the winter months. I have mixed feeling as I prepare to depart but it's all part of the plan. I'll be back again before too long.

In the meantime, I know there be some things that I will miss all over again, if not more so this time, given the time I've had to reflect on the differences in lifestyles that I've been living these last few years.

I've always appreciated nature but something has changed. I've noticed how much I need it to Be well and to feel alive.

The solitary walks amongst wildflowers....

The clear view of the moon and the bright blue sky

The quiet, unpolluted waterways

Watching the boats go by...

White fluffy clouds

And my morning tea on the deck in the "fresh" air

An Afternoon in Aylmer Part 2

Following on from my previous entry, I took these photos to capture the more yang energy of Aylmer yesterday. By contrast to the peacefulness and solitude witnessed on one side of the harbour, on the other side I found a beach full of happy, excited children...and adults...playing in the water, eating, drinking, generally enjoying a beautiful summers day. Many boats came and went from the harbour, in various shapes and sizes...from one-man kayaks to some very impressive yachts and then there were the kite-surfers who were beautiful and fascinating to watch!

The mood was vibrant...more tangible and somewhat bustling...and it felt good to be around these happy people. Just breathing it in.

My limited skills (and lenses) didn't allow me to do it all justice, but this is what I did get.....