Out with the old ...

 Working with narrow window - need to pack, arrange movers, sell old items and prepare for the move

Closing the Happy Valley chapter

The Happy Valley experience has been great, but it has not been without gripes. Moving from Sai Ying Pun to Happy Valley made sense at the time. Working in Wanchai, during Covid, more space, nice community. However circumstances have since changed. My office is in Central, sleep has become more difficult and now I need to mix things up. It's funny, because I've talked about moving for quite some time, and the Pros and Cons of Happy Valley are a fine balance. There's the ease of everything being available, and with the introduction of Marks and Spencer I really have no reason to leave the Valley, except for work, and for the gym, which incidentally happens enough. The wine stores, the grocery stores, the restaurant selection, the racecourse and the proximity to Causeway Bay.

However faced with the decision to finally renew or move, the decision to move was the one that made more sense. Plus dad got grumpy "Why don't you just move already?". So towards the end of April, I officially handed in my notice and gave myself a key return date of the 1st of June. The clock starts now.

Blur

I know I say this A LOT, but since returning to Hong Kong, time has felt like it's motoring by at an unenjoyable rate. I think it's the combination of being at work, being busy at work, and not really having many holidays to look forward to. As a result, my weeks feel like they go by so fast. The same monotony. Wake up at 6, go to the gym, sit in the sauna, head into the office before 8. Remember to take a breath, have some water, go for a walk, maybe buy some groceries. Actually, work isn't bad at all, the lack of mobile phones and Red Zones in the office definitely makes it feel like it's more intense than it really is. Leave the office by 6:30, try to make it home by 7:30. Friday comes along, the weekends pass in the blink of an eye and it's Sunday evening. A lot of my weekends results in being admin, life admin, so much life admin. Visiting the bank, trying to see medical specialist, laundry, doing things I can't be bothered doing during the week.

That being said, I have been reconnecting with a lot of friends. The interactions are different, they're less about being out at 10 pm having your fifth drink of the evening. It's more about casual lunches, home cooking, and just general chit-chat. We're getting older. 

Also, had some visitors in town which was nice. Relatives visiting the Jordan, Kowloon side which was nice, as well as a certain somebody else passing through. I wonder if that's why the weeks feel like they move by so fast. I have a new rule, no more than events after 3 during the week. 

Here's some screenshots of a recent 24-hour holter monitor. Some interesting stats from this all, looks like my heart rhythm has changed in the last 12 months. It also could still be changing.

 

3: Amber code

So as we round up 2022, Hong Kong as a whole is moving in the right direction. Cases remain high, however the severity seems to have waned. Meanwhile the virus runs rampant in the Mainland, Hong Kong feels to be slowly inching towards a state of normalcy. The fact that we are celebrating the removal of hotel quarantine goes to show when faced with such draconian measures, any progress in the right direction is a win.

So upon returning from KL, I have three days of isolation in the comfort of my apartment. I think this is a great way to return to Hong Kong from abroad.

Sleep aids

The apartment is so noisy. I've loaded up on things to make the sleep experience easier. Eye masks, ear plugs, new mattress. 

Settling into the new hood

After 16 months I finally have a bed frame - it's funny how we adapt to a way of living that would be considered non-practical. I would argue not having a bed frame is pretty practical, but then the judgemental eyes that see a mattress sitting directly on the floor would suggest otherwise. Found a pretty nice second-hand bed frame, 800 HKD for the bed, 800 for the movers. Moving is big business here in Hong Kong.

Here's a couple of snaps from the new apartment. (T-B) Outdoor terrace with feature wall, my Taobao standing desk, mattress on the floor in bedroom without curtains, kitchen, bed with bedframe in bedroom with curtains. 

New home

After 14 months in Sai Ying Pun, it's time to move East. It's funny, moving from Soho to Sai Ying Pun, I literally had 10-15 boxes worth of possessions and a mattress (that I need to replace). Now I have 20 boxes, a mattress (that I still need to replace) and a stack of furniture. Consequently the cost of moving has gone up to 5K HKD (~650 USD). 

Initial thoughts, I am loving the apartment and the new suburb. There's a big BUT though, it's SO NOISY. Not sure if I'll be able to survive 12 months.

T8 in Shanghai

It turns out touch football has quite the following in Asia. The migration of antipodean expats has expanded throughout the region with a large percentage of the major cities running domestic leagues. As a result, the governing bodies have put together and Asian Touch Rugby circuit, where teams fly to different destinations in attempt to win the country title and claim bragging rights for the year. These annual tournaments are held in Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok and even Hong Kong.

As a new joiner to the T8 Touch Team I was both flattered and thrilled to be invited to play in the upcoming Shanghai International Touch Tournament. The reality was, they were short players and it was an excuse to tell people the reason for traveling was to participate in an "international touch rugby tournament".

By the time we had landed in Shanghai, cleared Chinese Customs and checked into the hotel it was already time for bed. It's an odd feeling to be taking a Friday after work flight and going straight to bed. Most weekend trips have a set routine, after work flight, check into hotel, and head out to experience the local nightlife. It was one weekend, where we were trying to be athletes. No alcohol through out the week, calculated carbohydrate loading and going to sleep early.

The hotel we stayed in was less than desirable. Many team mates complained of cigarette infused bed sheets and the incredibly thin walls. The 6 am wake up call and strange "Continental Breakfast" interpretation solidified the fact that we would forfeit our second night's stay and look for a more appropriate abode. After a rushed breakfast we jumped into a minibus and were soon on our way to the rugby club for the tournament. The sun was out and the weather was amazing, a perfect day for sport.

For a lot of us, it was the first time playing together and the lack of cohesion was obvious. We were pooled in group A, and came out with 1-3-1 record. Despite feeling a little disappointed with our performance, we had adrenaline surging through the body which delayed the soreness and stiffness that would eventually arrive. We sat down in the cafeteria after the group stages and treated ourselves to a feed. Pizzas, pies, hamburgers, fries and beer. It was then when somebody ran in screaming "T8! We're in the shield semi-finals! All the teams are waiting for us to field a team!". We booted up and ran onto the field in a semi-dazed state only to lose in the semi-final by one point.

The rest of the trip was spent exploring the city, changing hotels and consuming a lot of dumplings. So. Many. Dumplings. Excellent trip with a nice balance of activity and debauchery.

Monday night blues

There is a moment of confusion when you're suddenly CC'd into an existing email thread. The confusion is magnified when you see a large list of email addresses and you have to scroll down to see the initial seed message. Sometimes if you're lucky, the agenda of the chain is obvious - this email thread read "Monday night Touch Football @ Happy Valley". Monday nights would never be the same.

Hypothetically speaking, if I could engineer a perfect start to a week it would incorporate the elements of Monday Night football at Happy Valley. 8 pm, a group of 20+ people head down to Happy Valley Racecourse for a social game of pick up football. Let's breakdown why this works. 

Firstly, it's Monday, and nobody looks forward to Monday. Any Hong Kong denizen will tell you that weekends in the Administrative Region are usually quite destructive; excess alcohol and consumption leave most feeling less than 100%. Combine that with the thought of having to endure another 5 days until the next weekend and Mondays really lack the redeeming qualities found in the other days. 

One way to rectify the Monday slump is with exercise. Touch football is less about football and more about cardio. Don't let the adjectives "social" and "pickup" fool you. It's 60 mins of high intensity movements: sprinting, changing levels, moving laterally and constant back-peddling. My first night was a shock to my cardio-vascular system. The lungs, the lactic acid, my body was red-lining and exposed to some severe stress.

Secondly, the group of people who participate are really awesome people. Admittedly majority of them are Australian, but you do get the odd, English, South African and Hong Kong local. Best part is, you always get the odd random person who was "walking by and decided to have a go".

Finally, it's not just about the sports but more about the post game feed. On the first night I made the mistake of ordering a water and a grilled chicken salad. As anticipated, as soon as my order was brought out it received raised eyebrows and silent judgement. Healthy food has it's place, Monday night is not that place. I've since adopted a more rewarding/satisfying meal plan, some ale and a hamburger with a side of fries and a slathering of tomato sauce. Is Monday the new Friday?

"You don't win friends with salad" - Homer Simpson