Last Day in HK!

So, this is officially my last blog post on my last day in HK - can't believe it! The last few days have been crazy with finishing school (more sad than I was ecxpecting with lots of cards, presents, photos, meals out and a fruit salad!), the junk boat and lots of last minute 'socialising'!I've spent today doing lots of packing, sorting, organising etc but we're off for a meal tonight with the rest of the crew, quite a few people leave tomorrow so there'll be quite a few Good-byes including mine! Me and Adam head off to Malaysia at 5am tomorrow. It's not really Good-bye to HK for me yet as I'll be back here in between Malaysia/Beijing/New Zealand and Home but everyone will have pretty much left by the time I get back from Malaysia. Last night was the final night out in Lan Kwai Fong with the Chatteris crew - a good time was had by all and I think it's fair to say things will be rather more subdued tonight!

The whole leaving thing hasn't really sunk in yet but I'll miss the place and I'll miss people even more. Here's to more wonderful adventures in more crazy places with more fantastic people!

For the last time, this is Miss Gweebs, over and out!

R x

The End

So that's it then, 9 months all over.

I could go on and on about how much of an amazing time it has been but I think that flicking through this blog pretty much sums that up in itself.

I remember clearly when I sat down in Robs room on a cold and wet Bristol afternoon and said "How do you fancy going to Hong Kong?" She never has been one to turn down an adventure and that's kind of how we ended up here together.

But now Rob is going to adventure off to other places and I am sticking around in Hong Kong. Something about the place has made me want to stay, and I think it has that effect on quite a few people who end up in this amazing little place.

I'm aware that I may start sounding a bit too over the top in my final blog entry. Especially as Rob would tease me about it. :) So I am going to say that my time here so far has been insane, in a good way. And having Robyn here to share it with has made it even more insane, but again in a good way, i'm going to miss her lots.

The best 9 months of my life. No doubt about it.

bx

Junking in Sai Kung

The company laid out a final junk boat trip for anyone who wanted to go today. We decided that it should start in an area called Sai Kung because the water is cleaner and the beaches tend to be a bit nicer round that area. An extra bonus was that you could go wakeboarding or Banana Boating. Robyn and I chose the banana boating with some considerable hilarity.

Getting ready

On the way...

...and then click (here) to see a video of where is all went wrong.

It was when we fell off, my foot whacked Robyn in the ribs and the force of the water made her costume 'dislodge' and I hurt my neck on impact that we decided perhaps that banana boating is not suited to us in any way.

Afterwards in the late afternoon we headed back to the mainland for dinner. The choices were plentiful if you liked seafood.

And the name of the place amused me greatly

But don't worry, the food did not turn out to be chunky at all! It was really tasty.

I am now pretty sunburnt and am going to bed. This weekend is the last weekend for everyone who is leaving in Hong Kong. It is going to be painful on Monday, I can see it already.

bx

The Final Group Photo

The last time we will all be together under one roof :(

It's all getting quite sad at the moment.

bx

Student group thinking

So my friend was telling me today how she did a lesson with her primary students. The students were given a situation where they were assigned different characters and had to pretend that they were all in a hot air balloon.

but...

The air balloon is going to crash!! They have to decide which two people should be thrown out of the air balloon to lighten the load and save the group.

The character list went something like: scientist with cure to cancer, doctor, engineer, pregnant lady, prime minister, small child etc etc etc.

After much discussion the students came to their decision. The pregnant lady and small child had to die. The reason for this? Well the students decided they were of no real use and could not justify their staying on the balloon.

If that is not a classic cultural difference moment I don't know what is.

bx

Extreme weather

Hong Hong is HOT, I don't mean 'this is nice weather for the beach hot', it is more like 'I never want to leave the air conditioned flat' hot. Just walking into the (non air conditioned) kitchen left me me sweating this morning. Nice.

But then this happened (click here)

And when the storm passed there was thankfully a drop in the humidity, and it was safe to leave the flat. I decided to take advantage of the slight cool down to walk to the Star Ferry and take a trip to the mainland to buy a friend a present. On my way back though I took a picture of this.

It is pretty rare with all the smog and big concrete view blocking buildings in Hong Kong to ever actually see a good sunset from Wan Chai. So it was quite nice to be on the ferry to take these pictures.

We were supposed to be going island hopping today with the tickets that Robyn got. The storm unfortunatley changed those plans and thankfully I stayed (for the most part) on dry land. I say thankfully because we went out last night and did not get in till the late hours of this morning. When I woke up the very thought of a long boat ride would have had me running to the bathroom.

Next week is Robyns last few days in school and my last few days worrying about people in schools. It's very strange because everyone knows it's all coming to an end but at the moment I don't think it has quite sunk in. There are lots of people staying in Hong Kong from this years team, which might have something to do with the odd atmosphere. On Wednesday we are having a farewell prize giving ceremony and on Thursday the company has rented a junk boat for us all to have a final farewell party, which will no doubt last till Friday morning.

bx

The Birthday of the Buddha

Hong Kong seems to have endless random holidays at various points in the year. I never keep track of them and am always very happy on the monday when I'm told that I have a day off during the week that I never saw coming.

Today is a public holiday because we are celebrating the birthday of Buddha. To those people who are questioning the need for a holiday on this day, Robyn politely reminds them that we have bloody ages off to celebrate the birthday of someone else called Jesus. So why not Buddha too?

I was going to visit Lamma Island today but have decided a far better option is to go and watch Pirates Of the Carribean with Rob and then have a massage. What is ace about Hong Kong is that it has some really swish cinemas. Our nearest one has huge comfy chairs and serves olives and other posh nosh, tho I don't ever buy it, I just sneak stuff in from the local shops. In other news Robyn has been given 4 free tickets to take a boat to one of the far far far off islands in Hong Kong. There are 250 + islands to choose from so I don't know which one we are going to, but apparently it is rarely visited and uninhabited so prepare for pictures soon!

bx