Prediction: "THE MOST POWERFUL TYPHOON IN 20 YEARS" - ("Typhoon Megi")

Reality: Gloriously clean clear fresh blue sunny skies

Id planned a PJ paint lockdown with inappropriate amounts of chocolate and a dash of 24 season 8 for pre bedtime treat time.
I still did that... just managed to also squeeze in some of that GORGEOUS PERFECT weather we were blessed with.

Hence:

Out enjoying the sunshine and the man wowing me with his surf skills in the secret surf spot (I will actually be assassinated if I reveal its location online) gorgeous spot.

Some pictures from the weekend of camping in Tai Long Wan. Taking advantage of the long weekend (China National Week).
Such immensely beautiful weather. Sorry, I knows all freezing cold again in the Uk (actually jealous) but here its still hot diggity dog!

In Hk recently. Would love to see one!!

HK... when you look like this, I LOVE YOU

Read this in our local weekly magazine (HK Mag) today and it made me chuckle since its soooo completely true!
All of last week it bucketed down continuously. Yesterday was criminally gorgeous and I shall post pics of the boat trip I went on (yes its Junk season again already) soon.

'Rain Rain, Go Away' by Yulan Tu
All weather forecasts point to the fact that you'll be reading this article on a beautiful sunny day but I hope that you can take a trip down memory lane with me and recall how absolutely terrible it has been outside last week and weekend. It was one of those-stock-market-falling, gray apocalyptic, taxis-don't-stop, all-is-forsaken type weekends. It also didn't help to see the World Cup results for most of us, but Im sure there's some half-German half-Ghanaian guy doing somersaults and eating wiener schnitzel and yams. Me, Im just f*cking depressed.

Luckily, I've come up with a list of fin things to do in Hong Kong while it's raining. I've thought very long and hard about this and I consider this list to be quite comprehensive. Here it is:

- Watch a movie

That's it.

When it rains, there's absolutely nothing to do in Hong Kong. The other indoor activities (shopping, drinking, drinking and shopping, buying a huge flatscreen TV but waking up and realizing it was all a dream because you've spent all your money on drinking) just don't have that same pizzazz when its pouring cats and dogs outside.

When you have a guest in town, these days of rain are really bad. My family friend Lucia's visiting and when she came last time it was raining. Her default view of Hong Kong is that it's some sort of village in the Amazonian rainforest except not eco-friendly due to the light pollution. I was trying to sell Hong Kong and talk about all the good stuff but when you're trying to jump out of a taxi to a restaurant and you're soaked and exhausted walking those five feet, there's nothing really to do.

I guess the moral of the story is that we should all stock up on some good DVDs.

Suffering with HK cabin fever, and on a mission to save necessary cash to pay the taxman (annual bill about to hit waahhh), we decided to go hiking and camping taking advantage of the last long weekend in a while.



Naturally it decided to rain all weekend (with brilliant sunshine this morning on the way to work -typical) and I discovered that tropical thunderstorms above your head whilst curled up in a tiny tent on the beach are quite terrifying!!

Despite the rain the views as ever were breath taking, and I felt blessed to be able to live in a country with such a beautiful and challenging landscape.



SO DONT SPOIL IT HK... look at this DISGUSTING RUBBISH!!!!



Stupid campers, and thoughtless boats who dont dispose of their garbage correctly spoil it for everyone. Our usual favourite beach spot, Tai wan, was disgustingly filthy and we were forced to move on to another along the coast :(

The upside of this was that our 2nd destination, Sai Wan was gorgeous, deserted - us being the only nutters prepared to camp in the continuous rain- and clean!
There was a tiny noodle shack there providing yummy food, beer, shelter, and mossie spray (abundant and persistant little feckers). The owner there, Thomas, had lived in Bournemouth for 2 years!! Small world!

Feeling much better after some fresh air, exercise and quiet time :)

One of the major drawbacks to this incredible city is the monstrous air pollution.
With a sandstorm in the mainland this week, on top of ENDLESS construction and billions of cars in a teeny tiny space here, the air pollution hit a record high yesterday.
An index of above 200 is considered severe... yesterday it hit FIVE HUNDRED!!!

"Pollution levels are now 12 to 14 times the amount recommended by the World Health Organization"

Goodie

:(

Wonderful country, lovely friendly people, AMAZING food, super cheap, pretty and hot diggigy dog. Here's the pics:

Lunar New Year Decorations deluxe - year of the tiger grrr





Motorbikes EVERYWHERE, creating constant death zone scenarios!



Mekong Delta River trip








Vung Tau - trip to the nearest beach, 2.5hrs away on a public bus (hilarious trip full of bewilderment due to being clueless gweilo girls)




Random Signs