Susanne and Jean went back to Scotland this morning after a two week tour of Hong Kong. We had a blast! I tried to give them a tourist experience by including days at the most famous attractions; The Peak, Lamma Island, Stanley Market, the Big Buddha. I also included some of my favourite spots such as the Chi Lin Nunnery, Nan Lian Gardens , Tin Hau temple and in Shenzhen, China (yes, we even managed a 2 day stay up in mainland China) the Splendid China cultural park and Dafen artists village.
We had a really strange encounter in Shenzen. As we walked around the area near our hotel, I explained that in June I met a couple from Falkirk, which is near their hometown. Just as I said it, I saw them again! What are the chances of that happening,in a city of seven million people? But wait...it gets stranger still. We got talking and it turns out that they know both my friends' husbands!
As well as all that, they accompanied me to some of my usual events, so that they could experience a little taster of my expat life. We went to the American Women's Association annual charity bazaar at Happy Valley Racecourse and we spent an afternoon in a school conducting mock interviews with teenagers about to go to university or into the job market.
They even did my ironing, bless, as you all know how I loathe that task.
We took in every possible mode of public transport; train (both under and overground), taxi, tram, bus, mini bus, ferry (2 kinds), cable car, funicular, escalators and travelators. We also walked for miles. Whew!
We ate all sorts of foodstuffs: Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, western and we squeezed in a Subway and a McDonalds too, though not all on the same day! They are both champions of the chopsticks now.
Shopping featured heavily on our agenda.We shopped in Stanley, along Nathan Road, on Lamma, in Lo Wu and even on the roof of a ferry terminal. But despite all that, their luggage was under the allowance when we dragged it onto the airport check in scales. Susanne was confident hers was OK..she'd already had it down at the apartment clubhouse gym scales five, yes five, times and had it weighed by another guest, herself and for good measure one of the door staff too.
I wish them a safe journey homeward and now I have caught up with the laundry and emails, I need to lie down in a dark room for a while!
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