I'm typing this in my best friend's flat, sitting on the couch I currently call home absentmindly watching So You Think You Can Dance on the TV. My boys are strangely grown up now and rather than party non-stop seem to work then gym then watch TV. There are lots of vegetables in the fridge. Last night was the first night I didn't go out and they did. I woke up to Andrius staggering around at 8am not having been to bed yet. I asked if Janis was at work and having been assured he was heard another young man shuffling about in the bedroom. I decided I wasn't ready to commence a morning party so feigned sleep. Then the new houseguest began making coffee and smoothies... which I thought was awfully forward. I peeked out from under my couch duvet to see it was non other than Janis. The boys really have become a regular married couple.
Andrius sleeps now while Janis works. Today marks one of the first days without a hangover. This does follow a disgraceful incident on Friday night which saw me curled up on the mat outside the boys' door from 3am til 6am as they wouldn't wake up and my bag had been removed from my possession in the delightul Lan Kwai Fong bar district. My eyes had been on another prize alas. That of a ridiculously handsome Australian hunk with the look of Chris Hemsworth in Thor and the voice of Russell Crowe in Gladiator. I was already undone. Then he began plying me with champagne? What was a girl to do but lose her head... and her daybag containing wallet, HK ID, bank cards, HSBC security devices, camera, make up, jewellery and housekeys. The lovely lady who lives nextdoor began to open her door at 6am to walk the lovely dog I've taken out a couple of times. I hurtled onto the stairwell and pretended to have forgotten my keys so she wasn't exposed to a homeless person napping outside.
I spent a joyful 3 hours asleep on the couch and then proceeded to the wonderful Ocean Park to celebrate my friend's son's birthday. This was something I had been long eager to do... but with a code red hangover, no sunglasses or possessions it was somewhat of a dizzying struggle. I have sunburn.
I was asleep by 9pm last night. Police reports have been made. Cards have been cancelled. HKID replacement schemes are afoot. At least admin is quite easy in HK...
Friday had been a bit of an accidental celebration following four job offers on the same day... for any of you who have read previous blog entries you would know this is somewhat contrasting to my experience in the UK. I was a little overcome. Oh and four offers for housing too. Two in the city, one on an island and another by the beach in the New Territories of North East Hong Kong.
There is a lot going on.
So since I last wrote there was Halloween. Which was a suitable return to Hong Kong. I leather corseted up and made quite the entrance. The issue with dressing like a dom however... is that whenever you are approached by handsome young things you have to tell them to leave you alone.. it doesn't cross your mind for one second to say thank you. You just sneer a bit. Having looked at photos I see there were some rather handsome admirers, most of them gay.. but still.
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| Trick or treat |
I had actually planned to meet a gentleman in Hong Kong on arrival. We'd been talking for a month. Making plans. Sharing photos. Gmailing. Whatsapping. Texting. Sexting. You know. All that modern aged romance stuff. I'd seen pictures of his son, his house, his view, his friends and other more personal artefacts. As soon as I arrived in Hong Kong it all went quiet. Quite peculiar after all the plans made. You'd think he'd have at least wanted to get laid?
The life of the spinster is often baffling.
But never dull :)
After the wildness of Halloween an altogether different celebration took place last Saturday. A wonderful man named Greg Derham passed away just before I landed. He was synonymous with Hong Kong. He held court over all of the best events here and Hong Kong is strangely vacant without him. I was lucky enough to call him a friend and help with one of his Aids Concern Events. His memorial ceremony was held at the Peak in a garden with a giant screen showcasing his wonderful photos and playing torch songs. The great and the good of Hong Kong were present. It was so beautiful, the reality of the situation only hit me when I returned home.
His friend quoted Romeo and Juliet to say this,
“When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.”
We released 44 red balloons to represent each year he shone here.
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| Bye bye Madame Madame |
And as we walked down from the Peak it truly felt like an enchanted evening...
In his remembrance booklet another friend said these magical words,
'You coaxed, coerced, chastised and encouraged each and every one of us, whose lives you touched, to reach beyond the boundaries of our humdrum worlds, to believe in the impossible, to discover the child in ourselves once more, and to know that fantasy is not just the stuff of dreams... and as a result, each of our lives is a more sparkling example, a richer and more exciting version than it ever could have been without you... and although we can never hope to fill the void you have left behind, if nothing else we have learnt that life is what you make of it, and that the seed of wonder is ours to grow. Thanks from us all.'
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| Cheers darling. |
Life is certainly larger in Hong Kong. More heart filling. More create your own adventure. They were always my favourite stories. Ones where you'd go to page 12 to fight the dragon, or page 52 to stay at home and wash your hair. I'd always have my fingers in all the various pages and didn't want only one option. HK suits me. Amongst the madness there have been wonderful relaxing moments. Sitting by the beach with an old friend drinking a beer as the sun goes down. Visiting old friends and hugging babies and playing with toddlers. And of course the sunshine. The warmth. The soaring kites.
The beauty.
I'd forgotten how beautiful Hong Kong is. Green, lush, verdant, birdsong filled. My favourite white crested bulbuls, the scent of HK$10 ginger lilies, the sea, the sea, the sea. And the dragonflies. Everywhere. Hovering around. Dancing. Reminding you it's all an illusion after all so smile and be happy.
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| What home looks like |
Peace be with you everyone.
May you find your Shangri-La and chose your own adventure.
Big love
xxx
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