Life in HK #1

Living in Hong Kong is exciting. It is a city that seems to be alive. Much has changed in the 17 years since I lived here before. One thing that hasn't however, it the Star Ferry.

In my opinion, the Star Ferry is still the best bargain on the planet. For HK$2.20 (US .28 cents) you can take a first class ticket voyage from the tip of Kowloon Penninsula to the Heart of Hong Kong Island. Granted, it only lasts for 10 minutes or less, but it has views that are worth a LOT more.

Imagine sitting on the upper deck of a huge ferry out in the middle of Victoria Harbour. HK Island to the front and Kowloon to the rear. A gentle breeze refreshing the trip, unless of course, you elect to ride in the air conditioned cabin. The ferry is gently rocked by the waves of other vessels transiting the harbour.

The Star Ferry is one of the little things that makes Hong Kong special. It's the best 28 cents you'll ever spend!

FORTUNE Magazine: Warren Buffett gives away his fortune - Jun. 25, 2006

FORTUNE EXCLUSIVE: The world's second richest man - who's now worth $44 billion - tells editor-at-large Carol Loomis he will start giving away 85% of his wealth in July - most of it to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

[Mr. Buffett, Is there any chance you'd throw a couple million my way? Hong Kong is more expensive that I thought.]

The Hungry Traveler updated

I have added a few more restaurant evaluations over at The Hungry Traveler. The address is: http://thehungrytraveler.blogspot.com Go over and take a look. Make some suggestions for other restaurants.

Coffee may reduce diabetes risk, study finds

Good news for women coffee drinkers! Hava cuppa Joe and reduce the risk! Read about it at this link: KRT Wire 06/26/2006 Coffee may reduce diabetes risk, study finds

Typhoon Jelawat

Well, our little typhoon has a name now. It seems to be moving away from us even further, although we are getting rain from it. We had a nice shower just now.

Typhoon Signal One

We found this sign at the mall this morning.


I found this diagram at Tropical Storm Risk

Well, the first typhoon signal to be hoisted since we arrived was done so today. Tropical Storm 03W is currently located at 17.3 N and 114.7 E. It doesn't appear to be a threat to us today, but it was kind of "fun" nonetheless, to see the sign in the mall.

For complete information about it, go to the HK Observatory detailed information site HERE. It is almost a "non-event".

A room with a view

This is the view from our living room looking southeast. You can just BARELY see the harbor. (It is in the lowest gap between the buildings.) I'll take another when I get my good camera repaired. I'll have to hurry, as it looks like they are building another building right in our line of vision.


This the view from our living room looking southwest. (we live at the apex of a curve). The tall dark building to the right of the street is the Langham Offices. There are no stores or shops on our street, which is really weird for HK. There are only schools and apartments.

Still Unpacking

The unpacking is coming along nicely. We only have about 15 boxes left and pictures to hang. It is starting to feel like "home".

The Hungry Traveler

Here it is! The long awaited debut of the blog I have been talking about for months and months!

THE HUNGRY TRAVELER

Check it out! I'll be updating it frequently. Let me know what you think!

Subscribe to bloglines at www.bloglines.com and keep up with your favorite blogs. You can check one site and see if there are any updates on the blogs you follow. It is easy to subscribe. Just click the "subscribe to bloglines" button on both of my blogs.

Doctor? More like "mister"

My wife spotted this as we were walking along today. Can you spot the inconsistencies?

Definately NOT "PC"

But, it is 'truth in advertising'! I found this at the local grocery store today and couldn't resist a picture.

Livin in the "Land 'O Plenty"

This one's for Jacob and Larry!

Disney on Parade in Hong Kong

This is the daily parade at Disneyland in HK. I took it with my Motorola V555 camera phone.

A couple of pics

Here's a couple of pics to whet your appetite!

Boxes, Boxes, Boxes!

Well, we are moved in the new apartment. I should have some pics in the next few days. We still have boxes everywhere, but everything we own in now in our flat. I must say, it is a beautiful place. Sally and I were talking that we think it might be the nicest place we have ever lived! Believe this or not, we even have a view of the harbor from our living room! (small, and far away, but it is a view.)

The internet/cable TV installers will be here tonight, so tomorrow, we should be
"wired for sound".

We had a GREAT time at Disneyland. The kids (and Sally and I) got our picture with Mickey Mouse. Emily LOVED Space Mountain and Audrey loved everything else. It was perhaps, our best family day yet. It was a great time. Pictures will follow when I can get a good connection.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that we are alive and well in HK.

Container Arrived (as promised)

That's right. Our stuff is here in HK. Somewhere. In some big port. Waiting to "come home". We'll find out this afternoon when that will be.

We have gotten our HK ID cards taken care of, our bank account opened, and our new SIM cards ordered. We have some temporary phone numbers, but I really don't want to spread those around, just yet.

Now, it is off for dim sum! Yum, yum!

They Knew I Was Coming!

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS ONE??????

Krispy Kreme announced yesterday tha the first of TWENTY KK stores will open next month in Causeway Bay, right here in Hong Kong! How about that!

That was the very first piece of news I learned when I came into the office this morning, right here in HK, to work on other things. Krispy Kreme. Here! Oh My Goodness!

We arrived last evening after a delightfully uneventful flight to HK. We got into our guesthouse flat at about 9 pm and enjoyed a huge thunderstorm for most of the night.

We trampled off to McDonald's for breakfast (they don't serve breakfast at McD's in Thailand).

It appears we are off to a good start.

Well, this is it from Thailand

Today, I give up my laptop to my Thai company.  I will be computer-less until our crate arrives in HK and we are able to get it all set up.  Meanwhile, I’ll enjoy an email-less weekend, the first in quite some time.  I am not sure that I will have any access to the internet over the next week, so don’t expect much from me on my blog for a short while.

 

By the way, Sally is feeling MUCH better now and I think we are all back to normal, whatever that is.

 

Lookout Hong Kong; here come the Boynes!

Signed, Sealed, and being delivered

This is the customs' seal that was placed on our container. It left our house for the port in Bangkok and will arrive (Lord willling) in HK next Wednesday. I don't know how long it will take to actually get to us. The truck pulled away from the house at 3:30 pm. Wow!

Almost done!

PTL! Everything fit! (with room to spare)

Working hard

Actually, this is the driver. I've noticed that most all drivers in 3rd world countries relax in the same manner.

Hong Kong Bound

Wow. Hong Kong after all these years!

All packed up

Loading up the container.


The container truck arrived at 1:20 pm.

Life is complicated

Well, for now, life is just a tad bit complicated. We moved out of the house on Sunday and into the Park Hotel. It is a great place. They have maid service and a breakfast buffet. 99% of everything we own is now boxed up and awaiting crating in a container. The good news is that once the container is closed (hopefully this afternoon, but maybe tomorrow morning) a customs seal will be placed on it and it won't be opened again until Hong Kong! Not bad, I'd say.

Now for the complications: my bride isn't feeling well. She is asleep at the hotel trying to get over a bout with bronchitis; my good digital camera is kaput. The LCD screen broke on my trip to China and yesterday the thing just stopped taking pictures. (an excuse to get a nice new one? hmm!) Then some personal family matters back home in Oklahoma that I don't want to blog about. Then, of course, the transition of actually moving to a new country! Yikes!

Pray for us.

Park Hotel Video

View of the swimming pool at the Park Hotel and of Doi Sutep Mountain in Chiang Mai.

Well, that's about it.

We are up to over 90 boxes that we have packed and there isn't a whole lot left to do. I need to take the kids' bunk bed apart, and perhaps the dining room table.

We are ready for this whole mess to be over with. The packing company called this morning and said that they have consigned a container for us and it will be at the house on Tuesday morning. Hopefully, we could even be finished packing it by Tuesday. They said it should be in HK on the 14th. That would be great.