The road home

January 12th 2007.....

Not written a blog entry for a few days, but it has been a little chaotic. Tuesday night I went for my last night of drinking at the Tree. I was sad to say goodbye to people, particularly Josh, Gill, Ian, Donald and Anna. Email addresses were swapped though so who knows when paths will cross again! On Wednesday night I stayed at Peter and Mandy's as they very kindly offered me a lift through to Bundaberg airport on Thursday morning. We had a great night, and I think I've made more good friends with people who I plan to keep in touch with. Not sure if I'll ever make it back to Australia realistically but if they ever make it to the UK, then they will never be short of a place to stay. Theres always email for keeping in touch, too.

When I got to Bundaberg airport i was surprised to be sharing a flight with Thom, a Reiki master and electrician who was holidaying in 1770 and who i met at the Tree. He's a really chilled, nice guy from Christchurch, NZ and we had some pretty good chats, so it was nice to have some company waiting for my flight from Brisbane to Singapore. He's planning on moving over to 1770, and his combined spiritualistic take on life and his engineering knowledge mean that his plans for an Eco-property could easily come to fruition. Utilising solar power and making the most of low LED's for lighting are easily achievable in a climate with so much sunshine, and with the right amount of space, a well maintained “good life” style veggie patch could provide pretty much all the fruit and veg required for a more than healthy diet. The abundance of fishing spots off the coast also adds to the potential for his dream to come true. It all seems fairly far-fetched when looking at it from our totally consumer dependent way of life in England, but having seen the way people survive out there (theres a huge barter-economy of people growing things and trading with local fishermen for fish or labour) it's almost a throwback to ancient times. A fully functioning society where everyone plays their part. In the event of a global crisis that resulted in loss of power and connection with the outside world, the little town of 1770 would be pretty much unaffected and be able to sustain itself easily.

After weighing in my baggage at Brisbane I was told I was 20kilo's over my allowed baggage. I was able to re-jig some bags around and ditch some items to take me down to 10Kilos over, but it would still have cost me A$900 to get that 10Kilo's back home. I was told I could send my baggage unattended and that it could be shipped to Leeds Bradford, so feeling a little blessed as that only cost A$200 and I should see my bag in about a week. The whole process took over an hour though making me nearly late for boarding. They were just closing the terminal gates as I sprinted down to gate 88 (which was actually 88 gates from where I started!!!) I think the poor girl sat next to me on the plane felt the brunt of my exertion, as I'd dressed for English weather and not strenuous exercise in the 35 degree Brisbane heat. I attempted to wash in the plane toilets somewhat unsuccessfully but eventually just resigned myself to being extremely smelly!

The flight from Brisbane to Singapore was pretty uneventful, and Singapore was a suprisingly pleasant airport, although the weather somehow managed to be both exceptionally humid and rainy at the same time. I took the time to chill in a bar outside and smoke my last cigarette for 14 hours before going to buy some duty free. While in the queue to buy some tobacco I got chatting to a fellow Brit who used to live in Knaresboro – it really is a small world!

The flight from Singapore to Paris was hell – I slept through a good 7hrs of it, but it was uncomfortable sleep and when I tried to stand up halfway through the journey I was numb in places that I didn't think I had. I was suddenly struck by the reality of going home. Back to the real world. I promptly scalded myself for looking at it that way. The experiences that I've had have been no less the real world than the world back home, and it would be a tragedy for me to make any kind of a distinction between the two. If I can use what I have learned and carry on thinking the same way as I have been doing when I get back then there is no distinction within me, and that is what matters. After all, although I never described it in that way, I think that was what I was looking for when I went away anyway. When I get home, i need to remember how easy it is to keep that sense of calm, how simple it is to stay aware of what is going on around me and to not lose that sense of wonder at the little things that so often don't get noticed.

This will probably be my last blog entry – unless I disappear off anywhere else in future. I know that there are people reading this that I don't know though, and I would like to leave the blog on this advice. If you want to do something – just do it. Don't waste time, don't worry about the long term effects. If things are meant to be then all you need to do is allow them to happen. Don't get caught up in too many plans – you will only be disappointed if they do not come to fruition, but don't be afraid to let the path reveal itself to you and carry you to wherever you should be. Relax, enjoy life and take the time to see things that you had forgotten to look at. Turn off the TV and go outside. Watch the sunset, look at the constellations. Walk in the countryside, stand still and listen to the world around you. Chances are you will see and hear things that you haven't since childhood. The wonder of life is still there - you just need to remember how to look at it.

PR - 12/01/2007

Lizard Life

Had a pretty chilled out day yesterday and didn't do much at all. Relaxed, read, walked along the beach and popped into the pub for a few drinks and met up with Mal and his "puppy" (shes 7 months, but absolutely huge and still has that puppy spirit!)

All in all a pretty uneventful day. Did catch some great photos of a lizard that I found in the kitchen though who was really relaxed around me (most of them seem to head for cover the sooner you are anywhere near them). This little fella was a little too relaxed as I nearly stepped on him in my morning daze....
The mosaic of Captain Cook that's going in the bathroom downstairs arrived today, so managed to get a decent photo of that. Looks like it's being mounted on Wednesday, so I'll miss the finished article which is a shame. Just resting on the floor now in 3 pieces though it looks impressive. It should be stunning when it's complete!

What a LARC!!

Cycled into Agnes Water again yesterday. A pretty gruelling affair given the heat, but I'm getting quicker and less breathless the more I do the journey which can only be a good sign! On the way back I was passing the marina and remembered that I'd planned to do a LARC tour but hadn't got round to it. No time like the present, so I popped in and booked for that evening.

The LARC is an aluminium amphibious vehicle - a boat with wheels basically, that tours the coastline right up as far as the Bustard Head Lighthouse station. The evening tour is much shorter, going as far as the Eurimbula National Park though, but I think having been on the short evening (Sunset) tour I'll probably book in on Monday for the longer one. It was a great evening out and I managed to get some amazing photos, although the camera stayed in the bag for much of the tour because the abilities of the LARC were being demonstated. Certainly "surfing" in 7.5 tonnes of vehicle is an experience that will never be forgotten.

A little damp, I walked past the pub on the way back and stopped in for a quick drink. Didn't stop long though as I was accosted by a pretty drunk tourist who was quite irritating. I went home, ate and then played guitar on the veranda for an hour or 2, read then fiddled with the digital camera (it has some features that I haven't
looked at yet) before calling it a night.

I went to the caravan park this morning after going for a swim to pick up some more insect repellant.....bloody bugs are still mauling me at every opportunity. They're driving me completely crackers. I woke up this morning with a couple of nasty bites on my arms, back and the top of my foot. The insect life here really won't be missed.

The Tree

Another interesting day yesterday. I'd agreed to help move Rogers new fridge into the house when it was delivered. All in all a true "chuckle brothers" style affair as the steps up to the house are definitely not condusive to large stainless steel objects being carried up them. Between the 3 of us moving it in 35 degree heat i think we perspired more than the annual rainfall in this part of the world, so a beer was much needed on completion of the task! Coincidentally, the pub at the end of the road has now re-opened, and what better way to further dehydrate oneself than a barrel-load of alcohol :-)

The Tree is possibly the most unique pub I've come across. It consists of a window leading out to a patio area. There's no indoor seating at all, and the toilets are the public convenience across the road. The clientelle are the most interesting of all though. Because of the layout of the place there's no "grouping off" of people meaning it's really easy to find yourself in conversation with people.....a great thing when you're a "bloody foreigner" who doesn't know anyone. My fellow fridge mover Mal was there though and he got the ball rolling with introductions to a couple of seafarer types called Tiger and Gill. Gill looks like a cross between Santa Claus and Uncle Albert, and is a talkative old fellow, whereas Tiger is less talkative and a lot thinner and missing all his teeth. Between the pair of them though I heard some stories of a similar caliber to those I remember hearing working with Kates family at the Mission to Seafarers bar in Tilbury docks. The yarns got longer and the tall stories got taller, and various backpackers and tourists came and went. I met a multitude of people and it was great to just have a laugh and a joke with everyone! Quite a few Jim Beam and Cokes (of the canned variety??!) were sunk and a really good night was had.

I got back quite late and literally passed straight out after skilful avoidance of the "new" spider in the house. I've been trying to identify it this morning looking at the list of indiginous spiders in Queensland (it's become a bit of a hobby - not least because if one of the little critters bites me I wan't to know whether something's going to drop off!) No idea what it is and can't find a picture of one anywhere so i think its firmly on the list of wildlife I'll give a wide berth to!


Just found a photo I took last night of the sun setting when i was on my way back to the pub. As usual it was absolutely breathtaking - but for a change I had actually remembered to take my camera :-)

I thought the Great Barrier Reef was a big wall of alcopops? Maybe I got the wrong idea!

Amazing- that pretty much sums up today in a nutshell! Had an early start yesterday morning to get to the “Spirit of 1770”. We were warned when we got on board that the sea was likely to be rocky, but I don't think any of the 50 or so people on board anticipated exactly how rocky! I'm pretty good with motion sickness (the only thing that really throws me are the “Waltzers” in fairgrounds), however I do have an issue with other people's sick. Within half an hour of setting off there were 5 people clutching desperately at half full sick bags around me, and within an hour there were 10. All the time crew were collecting full bags and re-issuing empty ones, and the smell of vomit was permeating my sinuses. I managed to keep my own breakfast down and within 2 hours we were at the pontoon near the island. We were split into groups for activities, and being in the first group to visit the island, we had a chance to grab a quick cup of tea and then were allowed onto a small boat that took us to Lady Musgrave Island itself. The tour of the island was about 40 minutes and it was explained how historically the island was popular for “guano mining” - this is the collection of bird droppings which make rich fertiliser. The island absolutely hummed with the smell of the guano itself and I had to wonder whether it might be worthwhile rejuvinating the old industry just to make the place smell better. Flocks of birds nested in the trees overhead and were remarkably unintimidated by us walking round the island. The beach itself was covered in coral, but we were told not to collect any or risk facing a hefty fine.

When we got back to the platoon a buffet lunch was served, and then the main order of the day – snorkeling amongst the Coral. I bought an underwater camera which I'll have to take home before I get it processed, and I really hope worked ok, as the closest thing I can relate the experience to was swimming in a giant tropical fish tank. The variety of fish and coral was breathtaking – I even saw a stingray drifting along close to the bottom. Yesterday really was an unforgettable experience. I didn't think i'd be as affected by it as I was but feeling fish brushing up against your skin while you swim among them is incredible.

Got back to 1770 about half past 5 exhausted – a really worthwhile day though. This morning got up and cycled into Agnes Water to get some milk and cigs. Who says smoking's bad for you? The mission that I have to go on to fill my lungs with tar is the most energetic I've been in years. Bought another couple of books today as well. I seem to be churning through books like nothing else at the moment. Long quiet evenings sat outside have meant that I've had plentiful opportunity to rejuvinate a few old pleasures; reading and playing guitar.

Happy New Year

Another year over! Time flies when your having fun and all that ;-)

Not really been a lot happening here. Spending a lot of time chilling and reading, sat outside on the veranda and generally unwinding which has been long overdue. Getting used to the Aussies now too, and the interesting coloquialisms that feature in conversation (it took me a while to get used to not sniggering when someone would talk about going out and "drinking piss"). The wildlife is entertaining as ever, and I've booked in for the Lady Musgrave Island Great Barrier Reef tour tomorrow, so I'll be snorkelling on the Great Barrier reef.....which I would imagine will be completely insane! Certainly something i won't forget in a hurry!

Found a satellite image of here on Google Maps - isn't technology fantastic :-D

Walked through a cobweb in the dark the other day and an egg sac burst on me, resulting in hundreds of nasty spiders running all over me - my worst nightmare. In brushing them off I must have annoyed a few of them as I now have about 30 bites all over my torso about the size of bee stings.....this, in conjuction with the sand fly bites on my legs and ankles means I look a little like a walking blister at the moment the second I expose any flesh!

Had some problems with the car I rented - the guy I rented it off claims I've caused problems with the gearbox - it was ropey at best when i took it out, and it was the same when I took it back. He's trying to get me to pay for repairs. I've paid for the part, but beyond that i'm not even entertaining him. It does leave me with a slight dilema though - no transport, as theres no way on earth I'm renting another heap from him. Still, a few more days and I'll be heading on to Bundaberg. Until then I have no problem with walking or cycling.

Went up to the pub (there was a $5 minibus) last night for New Year, and met some interesting people. There were a couple of lads I met the other day up there again, and also got chatting to a guy called Christian from Norway. Once again the "Tao" on my wrist was a conversation starter - which I have to say is pretty cool. He's travelling the world at the moment and has completely walked away from materialism and is just living in a tent doing cash work to survive and fund his travels. I have to say he's pretty brave, but he's met a lot of people so far and has accommodation in quite a few countries. Swapped a few good book recommendations with him and gave him my email address so if he hits Britain at any point he'll have a place to stay. He seemed really familiar, and it's only now that I've realised that he reminded me of an old friend from Harrogate in his mannerisms and ideas.

In terms of where I am at the moment, well Roger told me that it takes a while for it to happen, but when you've been here a while everything slows down. I completely understand what he means now. I think it's pretty easy to forget that the world that we build around ourselves isn't real. I've been learning and trying to practice Qui Gong, and am feeling the positive effects already. This is the ideal place to start looking at meditative techniques though, with no distractions from the immediateness of the environment around you and how that affects your own energies. I'm going to be careful when I go back home not to let myself fall into the old patterns of distraction and continue to be aware of all that is going on around me. When was the last time you looked at the night sky? Not in a photograph, or a passing glance upwards, but actually stood and watched and felt the impact of everything going on around you. We try to disconnect from people and the environment around us, but the impact of everything on everything else is indisputable (what Douglas Adams would have called "the interconnectedness of all things", or what slightly more philosophical physisists would relate with Quantum Entanglement). 12 months ago I would have argued that I didn't have time to stand outside for an hour looking at the stars, but that was a limit imposed on myself by myself and the priorities that I set out in life. Even before I set off on this journey I'd started to realise this, and even made efforts to improve this (thanks to a particularly special person!), but now I find myself looking with childlike wonder at the little things like wind blowing the grass or leaves falling from a tree. We're too quick to stop noticing. If i was going to make a New Years resolution, it would be to carry on watching and enjoying these things - I think i'm turning into a hippy ;-)

Re-Connected

Finally......net access again :-) Just trawled through an abundance of emails - mostly spam, and I'm back online - granted via 128k ISDN, but hey - reconnected with the world.

I wrote a blog entry in a moment of boredom the other day just to keep on top of events, so here it is.

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22nd December 2006

Well, seeing as I've been several days without net access, composing this blog entry off line for publishing whenever I get a chance. It's been interesting since I left Hong Kong. My flight took me to Sydney – the taxi from the Hotel took me to Kings Cross. With hindsight this was possibly a mistake and my research on the area was pretty limited. I found myself in a beautiful hotel called the Devere, in unfortunately a slightly “ropey” area. I got to the hotel, showered and generally cleaned myself up then went out to find something to eat. Within a 10 minute walk from the hotel I had been offered crack twice and sex once. Seeing as I don't do crack and have never paid for sex in my life I would say that was perhaps not in an area best suited to my tastes. I found a Thai restaurant and went back to my room.

I got a decent nights sleep for a change and went out for a walk the next day, primarily looking for a method of getting up the coast to Bundaberg ASAP! The walk though took me through to the Sydney Botanical Gardens – a complete contrast the area I was staying in. I have to say the gardens were breathtaking, and they led me on to the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, which I have to say I'm glad I've seen, even if they were slightly less impressive than my imagination had served them. Was more impressed with the “Sex + Death” orchid and carnivorous plants exhibition and shop just outside the gardens! I managed to get a flight to Brisbane the next day at 6.30am. It then starting hammering down with rain, so i retreated back to the hotel and chilled out for a couple of hours before getting a taxi to the Airport. I should add here that it's recommended to get to the airport a couple of hours before you fly. Getting to the hotel from the airport took 45 minutes, so I got my taxi at 3am to make sure I was at the airport in plenty of time. A little presumptuous perhaps, as in the middle of the night it only took 15 minutes to get to the airport, getting me there at 3.15, a tad early. Sydney Airport is the first airport I have ever been in that actually closes completely at night. On arriving I saw a lady asleep on a bench and no sign of life from the airport itself. I sat at the bench next to her and she woke up and said the airport didn't open until 5am. It then started raining again.....bollocks.

We were approached by a young Korean lad. We all got chatting, and I have to say it's amazing the bond that can be created between 3 lonely travelers at 4am stuck in the rain outside an airport :-) It turned out that she was originally from France but lived in Tasmania (I'm ashamed to say I can't remember her name), and Sin, the Korean lad was on a working holiday just up the coast from me in Mackay. We kept each other entertained through anecdotes and linguistic problems for a little while, and i think we helped to keep each other sane in the dark dismal weather as the clock slowly turned. Wonderful people who I hope I will be able to keep in touch with, who otherwise would never have spoken but for that odd twist of fate. Once again I'm confident that the path laid out for me on this journey is guiding me in an interesting direction.


On arriving in Brisbane I then had to secure a flight to Bundaberg. At the airport there was little joy though. Eventually I managed to find a flight, but it was the last seat on the plane and going at a premium (A$650, about 325 pounds). A ticket for the flight 4 hours after this was a mere A$375 (about 190 pounds). Naturally in true budget traveler style I set myself up for a long wait at the airport, dug out my recently acquired copy of the Dalai Lama's Universe in a Single Atom and ordered an extremely over-priced Late'. On arriving in Bundaberg the journey to Agnes Water and on to 1770 were relatively easy if a little expensive. I am presently 144Km from Bundaberg in a blissful little town called 1770. If a little remote the place makes up for it with beautiful views, breathtaking scenery and wildlife, warm blue seas and friendly people. I've managed to hire a 4x4 from a guy in town, stocked up on essentials at the nearest supermarket and at the nearest pub.

My first night in Roger and Kitty's house was a little eventful. Having been warned by Peter who looks after and organises the maintenance on the property about visits from an 8ft guana, seeing a few snakes and then on going to bed and being woken up several times just as I was drifting off by gecko's running around on the bed on and near me, I was relegated to the sofa downstairs. I have no problem with lizards at all, in fact in the last couple of nights I've become “friends” with the family of geckos living in the house, it's just that in the dark feeling something running over your skin is somewhat disconcerting. I might try to get some sleep in a bed again tonight now I've got used to my “housemates”

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The family that look after the property were most hospitable and helpful and invited me for Christmas Dinner at theirs. The 4x4 is unreliable, but I am mobile and able to get to the shops and generally about the place, but I've pretty much spent most of my time walking on the beaches or reading on the veranda of the property.

The internal wildlife has kept me amused as well. There is a resident mouse that appears from an unknown location, sits and watches me and then disappears - I've no idea where he comes from or goes to, and he's far too timid to attempt to catch. I've been able to at least get some sleep though after Roger advised that the bugs and geckos tend to vacate the premises when the ceiling fan is on!

The only problem here is the isolation - I suppose it's one of those places where you need company to fully appreciate it. It gets dark early (about 7.30) and there are no street lights, so evening walks are by torchlight. Still, the idea behind the trip was to get away, have some time to think, and I've certainly had the opportunity to do that.

Gweilo gets a fat lip

Well, I said the earlier post would be my last here unless something interesting happened, and it did!

Went out to Victoria Park to have a coffee, smoke and watch the world go by, and stumbled across a group of people practicingn Tai Chi and Qui Gong (pronounced Chi Kung) not in the same way as I witness every morning, but in its form as a combat art. I sat and watched for about 3/4 of an hour fascinated, and when things were winding down got talking to a participant, a West Indian guy called Godfrey. I told him that I understood the concept of Tai Chi as a "soft" martial art and explained that I had trained in Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai. As it turned out he had also trained in both of these arts well as Shaolin Kung Fu. He asked if I would like him to demonstrate the effectiveness of Tai Chi against "hard" martial arts and I enthusiastically agreed.

First of all he asked me to push him hard...I went to give him a decent shove and with a shrug of his shoulders I ended up about 5 feet behind him. I think at this point I started to understand wu-wei as a concept applied to martial arts - with no effort at all (it wouldn't have been very impressive to watch) he had gone very soft and used his body like a spring to let me pass by him. He pointed out that if he had put his foot out I'd have gone scraping along the tarmac on my face!

Next he asked me to kick him. I put a gentle round kick into the point in the rib cage just under his armpit. I know the damage this can do after my fractured ribs, but after moving into the kick and pulling me round by it he seemed a little disappointed with the degree of effort I was putting in. He asked my to attack like I was really attacking, so I threw in pretty solid TKD offensive: Crescent kick, back kick, front kick, side kick - or thats what I was intending....what I actually got in was a side stepped crescent kick and got sat on my arse halfway through the back kick with no idea how it had happened!

He said to try again, so I thought maybe moving onto some Muay Thai techniques (although I'm a little rusty). I went for a push kick, followed by a jab, cross and uppercut elbow, but this time only got as far as the right cross, when he pulled my arm driving my face towards his outstretched elbow with my own body weight behind it, effectively slamming my face into his extremely solid elbow. At this point his Sifu came over to check I was ok, and pointed out that I was bleeding from the mouth - something that hadn't escaped my attention! I explained I was ok and very impressed by the effectiveness of Tai Chi as a combat art.

Godfrey explained what he had done and explained that similar to Muay Thai, the body is soft, however in Muay Thai the body becomes rigid at the point of impact, wherease in Tai Chi the softness of the body is kept. A block is not a solid effort to stop the opponent, but by movement of the body in line with the attack the energy expended in the attack dissipates and then the attacker is rendered at the mercy of the defender.

Interesting stuff. I exchanged email addresses with Godfrey so I can possibly train with his English speaking Sifu if I come back in the near future.

Joi gin....

....roughly translates as "Goodbye", well actually directly translates to "See you."

Just had my last full night in Hong Kong. Because I fly so early in the morning I'll be heading off to the airport tonight. I'll be really sad to leave Hong Kong behind. I've been made to feel astoundingly welcome here. Maybe thats partially due to the effort I've put into being polite and speaking a little Cantonese - certainly the common observation from people is that they assume I live here as I make more effort than the average ex-pat, and certainly more effort than your average tourist (all tourist guides say that everyone here speaks a little English so not many people bother apparently). I certainly feel extremely comfortable here. The Chinese culture and history is fascinating, and as a result of embracing that, and taking the time to learn a little about the customs and way of life it's been an exhilerating experience at times. I've missed home, or rather the people at home terribly though.

Little things that I'll take with me are memories of the courtesy that people bestow upon each other - caring about each other in a way thats long since been forgotten in England. People moving out of seats to let old people sit down on the MTR. Doors being held open for people. The smiles from the beggars on the streets even when you have no change to give them, but at least have the courtesy to make eye contact and give them a "Dzao san".

Even in the restaurants and pubs I've been made to feel like a regular. In one restaurant I educated the staff in the methods behind the making of a "wobbly" (for those who don't know, a wobbly coffee is a filter coffee, with a shot of alcohol, in my case JD), which they found most amusing, and now on my entrance they simply look at me and say "wobbly?", something that made other English people sat at the bar look up confused :-) In the Royals Pub next door (a faux English Pub, with British memorabilia around the place - including a 7" single of Sam Fox's Touch Me framed above the bar??!) I walk in and have a Jack and Coke waiting for me by the time I get to my seat at the bar.

I'll miss the staff at the Alisan as well. They really have been most helpful - giving me directions to places on my "to do" list and providing a better service than I've experienced in some 5 star hotels, let alone a budget guest house.

I'll miss the cleanliness and the order. It seems that whenever you turn a corner there is another "Hawking Officer" (someone there to enforce the no spitting on the street laws), Street cleaner or police officer. Before I came people were filling me with visions of a savage, cutthroat world here where street crime is common and people live in fear. I've experienced the exact opposite and am staggered at the misconceptions that people have. I feel safer here walking through Victoria Park in the middle of the night than I do walking through Skipton. As a tourist i think it's always good to be vigilant. I carry a spare wallet to give away in case of being mugged, with inconsequential bank cards and a few Hong Kong Dollars in it, and ensure that if I carry my bag it is securely over my shoulder. I keep my wallet in my front pocket so I can feel it (uncomfortably!) digging into my leg at all times. These are sensible precautions though and nothing that I would consider unusual, but I have not spoken to anyone here who has experienced crime of any sort. I've learned to navigate through the crowds without getting caught up to an almost intuitive degree and the time it took me to get from "a to b" has almost halved as a result.

Unless anything exciting happens this afternoon, this will be my last Blog entry for a while, as there is no net access at my hotel in Sydney, so I suspect I'll be offline until I hit Agnes Water. I'm hoping to be able to get in touch with people back home this afternoon for that self-same reason - no net access means no Skype, and i'm not sure when I'll actually get to Rogers pad. It could be as late as the 22nd, although I'm aiming for earlier.

Universal Language

Alcohol truly is a diverse and universal language. Just met 2 lovely guys called Chris and Don down at the Royal's pub. Popped in there for a bit to eat and a drink on my way to buy some cream for my new tattoo and ended up staying for quite a few drinks with some guys I'd seen there before but never spoken to. I got chatting to Chris, who it turns out studied for a year at Plymouth and Exceter and speaks excellent English. Its a tragedy that with just a couple of days to go I'm getting to know some locals :-(

Still, contact details exchanged so if i'm ever back here or they're over in England then we'll be able to catch up. It turns out Chris is even into comics and gave me a classic 1980's Hong Kong comic as a souvenir for Dev :-)

Bonsaiiiiiii ! Ching Chung Koon pt.2

Decided today to embark on another quest to find the Ching Chung Koon, as the previous one had failed so miserably. Armed with the name of the place in chinese, I set out again to Kwai Fong, took the number 58M bus to the Catholic Secondary School, glanced across the road and saw a dragon! As i crossed over the road the dragon became apparent as decoration on the top of a temple! I must have walked past the Koon 20 times on my search the other week, and today it was right in front of me.

I apprehensively went in to the grounds, walking throught the bonsai gardens, not seeing anyone to stop me or tell me that this was private property or otherwise. I passed by the Retirement home, with old people looking at me as though they were unsure as to what I was doing there and I started to wonder if I was in the right place, knowing that the Ching Chung Koon support all sorts of local enterprise. It was only when I stopped to look at one of the buildings that a man who had been watering plants stopped to talk to me. I asked if I was ok being here and he just said - "oh yes, it's all free here, look around". I relaxed a little after that and took some photos while walking around the beautiful grounds, although not wanting to disturb those in meditation I didn't take any photos inside the temple itself.

The bonsai trees were stunning, and impossible to gauge their age - apparently they were moved here when the temple opened in 1949. The temple itself itself was like stepping back into ancient China, with pagodas, amazing paintings and water features throughout the grounds and buildings.





As I went to leave, another gentleman approached me and handed me a calendar. This hospitality combined with the work that visibly goes on within the temple are a stark contrast between the Taoist and Buddhist doctrines that I have witnessed in Hong Kong. While the Buddhist monks themselves appear to focus entirely on their meditations and richly lavish decoration within their Temples, the Taoist monks seem to prefer to focus their energy on ensuring wellbeing in the community - the free clinics, home for the elderly and memorial shrines that are all within the Ching Chung Koon grounds are fine examples of the work done. The monks themselves and the foundation rely on donations from the community, but work entirely towards the wellbeing of that community. Providing a beautiful garden in the midst of Tuen Mun, a bustling town is an example of that work, and while the monks still maintain the Temple itself, and it is beautifully decorated, the shrines that are focused on during worship are a far cry from the lavish gold and bronze Buddhist statues. Funds here are diverted to where they are needed, and the monks follow the teachings of the Tao in their compassion and care for those who need it.

The Rain

I can't believe I've been here for 16 days so far. Went out for another long walk in the early hours of this morning in the rain. Its been pretty much solid now for the last couple of days but I'm not complaining....it's warm rain, and I love wet weather even in the UK (probably just as well really!)

On my walk this morning I was reminded of a Robert Frost poem; Acquainted with the Night.

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-by;
And further still at an unearthly height
One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

There is a kind of timeless feel in Hong Kong in the small hours. People still mill around as though it were the middle of the day. Casual glances of subtle suspicion are thrown my way, but I suspect thats largely due to my state of dress combined with the weather. The people here are wrapped up in scarves and wooly hats, while I meander around in a T-shirt and khaki's. And why not? I've worn less in the cooler summers in the UK.

Not long now til I fly to Australia. Flying in to Sydney as I couldn't get a flight into Brisbane at the right price/time. Booked into a hotel for a couple of nights there and going to get an internal flight up to Bundaberg on the 20th.

The only peril of the downturn in weather is the seriously low cloud cover, damning my efforts to get any final good photos before I leave. There'll be other times though. Hong Kong has a definite pull about it. I know i'll be back.

The other side of the journey

I've written a lot about the physical side of the journey i've been on. The sights, sounds and smells, the people, the culture, the differences that are apparent between Eastern and Western living, but I haven't really written much about the philosophical and psychological aspects of the journey for me.

I've always had an interest in Eastern philosophy and religion - the optimism in the face of adversity that is throughout Eastern culture is fascinating. I find it interesting to note that westerners, with all their luxuries that are taken for granted tend to wallow in their somewhat inconsequential misery. "I can't afford this widescreen TV", "My dishwasher's broken I'll have to wash up by hand", "I can't afford to go to the pub tonight" are all grave causes of concern and misery in Western culture, but this is starkly contrasted by the much lower standard of living in the East, where beggars in the street with no legs will still greet you with a smiley disposition. These are not people who can't afford satellite TV, or don't want to work because they can live on handouts from the state - these are people who have no way of earning any money to survive at all. There are no state sanctioned benefits in place for people in Hong Kong. If you can't earn enough money to survive, then quite simply, you starve to death on the street. People work hard to survive, and those who resort to begging do so because there is no other way. Through poor education and disability the only hope for these people are the religious foundations that provide the little help that they can, and the people passing them on the street.

I have to say witnessing this first hand it detracts from the sense of self. I was approached by a man today who had no hands and was begging with a cap balanced on his forearms as I got off the ferry from Discovery bay. At a guess I would say he was about 75 years old, although with the truly impoverished out here its very difficult to age someone acurately. Maybe i've not had enough experience of witnessing this level of suffering to become immune to it like the 50 or so people who must have walked past him in the preceeding 10 minutes - to be honest I hope i never do, but the one thing that was visible in his eyes was a sense of hope. I think that man did more for me than i did for him when i emptied my pockets. To see someone in real need, with his life hanging by a thread with a smile on his face and hope in his eyes helped to balance everything out for me put everything in perspective. There is no suffering or misery that I have suffered that can even begin to compare to what that man has endured. There is no grief or sense of loss that can hold a candle to what that man must have felt. I am as guilty as the next man of letting ego and sense of self affect my emotion and mood, but surely if that man can deal with the adversity of life with a smile and keep hope in what the future holds for him, then what excuse do I have not to?

This is not news to me - this is all something that I knew already, but once in a while you need to re-affirm what you already know to make that real again. It's easy to become self-involved, to see things from a single perspective, but broadening the angle of your view is the only way to see the whole truth. This takes me back to the conversation had last week with Jeff, in Starbucks. He said that the way he perceives things is this (not a direct quote but a paraphrase):

"To see the absolute truth you need to observe events as an outsider, viewing things from all participants sides. Imagine four people each at different sides of a crossroads all witnessing an accident. They all see different things and in their own perspective what they see is correct, however details will differ greatly in each individual account of events - there will be contradictions and differences entirely based on each view even though to each individual their account is the truth. There is only one true version of events however, and that is the version of events viewed from above. There is no need to look at each account if that perspective is available with all standpoints visible."

Interestingly, this is at complete odds with the Buddhist theory of dependant origination, which is one of the key theories within Buddhism. The theory states that by observing events then you cannot truly be independant of them - the process of observation is actually resultant in you becoming a participant. This lies at the core of understanding of the reality of the external and internal selves, which is a concept i am not fully able to grasp, and am not going to prove my ignorance by writing my basic understanding of here, but it is something that have a better grip of as a result of being here and having the time to read and observe the world in motion without distraction.

That is ultimately what has happened here for me. A much greater understanding even though I still know nothing in the greater scheme of things. The Tao Te Ching teaches that it is not about knowledge or understanding though, but about acceptance and following a path that you know to be right.
Anyone reading this could argue that I'm mixing doctrines of faith between Taoism and Buddhism but there are so many consistencies between Taosim, Buddhism and Confucianism that I could argue that Lao Tzu, Buddha and Confucius were 3 of the people stood at the metaphorical crossroads mentioned earlier witnessing that "accident". The more I learn and "feel", the more i believe that this is the case and to get a full understanding of how things are the only way to do this is to look from the elevated perpective that allows all three views to be taken into account.

It's interesting that in a culture so commercial - consumer goods shops are so commonplace here and the despite the desire for the latest and greatest MP3 player, TV, computer, etc, that there is still a higher degree of happiness, which surprsied me. Consumerism always makes me think of the KMFDM song, Dogma

You have nothing so say and no way to say it,
But you can say it in 3 languages
You are more than the sum of what you consume
Desire is not an occupation.

I believed that it was the desire for unattainable goods that made people in the west so miserable, so self involved, and i think I was partially right. To people here nothing is unattainable; rather than be unhappy and focus their energies on wallowing in self-pity over what they cannot have, they find a way to achieve whatever it is they want. They work harder, don't sleep so they can get a second and 3rd job (you see people asleep on their feet on the MTR), live with families in cramped apartments until they can afford the standard of living that they desire and so on. They dare to hope. That indomitable spirit is lost in the west and i think that is one of the greatest tragedies of our society. Our laziness is the key to our misery.

I'm going to be sad to leave Hong Kong, and I'm going to be insufferably intollerant in the UK I suspect after seeing life here. The ups and downs of existence in this part of the world are real and not in the minds of those who experience them. I even have a stronger dislike of myself as I was. Being here has definitely changed me, and i think for the better.

The substance of the mind.

The substance of mind is the substance of heaven. A joyful
thought is an auspicious star or a felicitous cloud. An angry
thought is a thunderstorm or a violent rain. A kind thought is a
gentle breeze or a sweet dew. A stern thought is a fierce sun or an
autumn frost. Which of these can be eliminated? Just let them pass
away as they arise, open and unresisting, and your mind merges with
the spacious sky. - Hong Yingming

Somewhere amongst the muddled thoughts of the moment I have managed to fulfil at least 1 of the items on my list of things to do today. Managed to get to see some Hong Kong cinema, in a Hong Kong Cinema! I went to see Battle of Wits tonight, which is a really good movie (with English subtitles, of course!)

Not sure what the plan is now. Think a walk, maybe a trip up to Victoria Peak if I can find a taxi that'll take me that far this late., although it is after 1am. Once again i think sleep will elude me this evening. Not even he vaguest hint of tiredness.

Mong Kok

After going out last night for some food and a drink, I came back and met an Australian guy called Anthony in the entrance to the guest house. He's been to Hong Kong regularly as he grew up here and has roots and family here. He was staying with his brother and his brothers girlfriend. We went out for a drink at the pub next door and then went wandering round the shops and looking for places to eat (i'd eaten but they hadn't). They're really nice people and we arranged to meet up again this morning to go to Mong Kok. This is where all the seriously busy street markets take place and some real bargains can be had if you are prepared to haggle. Anthony warned me though that the area is filled with pickpockets and opportunist criminals so extra vigilance was required with bags, wallets and belongings. Certainly Anthony and Adrian were able to help me bargain loads as they are both fluent in Cantonese - this made driving down prices a marvel to watch, getting goods at up to 50% below the asking price.

The guys live on the Gold Coast in Australia, so i think we'll keep in touch so that we can visit each other when i get there. It'll be nice having contacts there who can advise me what to see and what not to see, and I think this could be a long standing friendship considering how well we all get on after a couple of days.

I don't think i could have anticipated the size of the market itself - it was truly phenominal, and we only actually managed to cover a fraction of the market in 3 hours of continuous shopping before we had to get back to meet Anthony and Adrians mum who was coming in from China to meet them. The markets pretty much constutute knock-off brand names and tourist type memorabilia, but there are some bargains to be had as the art of imitation has not been lost in China - most goods are reasonable quality and I got a few more presents for people back home.

Another thing that once again caught my eye was the architecture and methods of construction. It's amazing to think that the scaffolding used to build such vast structures is actually made using custom length bamboo rods tied with nylon cord. It's obviously an art form in itself as it seems really sturdy when you see the workers themselves working on it, but it seems completely foreign to the heavily regulated methods used in the west.

Tonight I think i'll be taking in a movie and possibly going out to visit the Victoria Peak at night to get some photos.

Shopping :-)

Today set off early to do some shopping. The plan was to go to Stanley, which is on the Southern side of Hong Kong island. Apparently the Stanley Markets are a bargain hunter/tourists dream, so I thought getting some souvenirs would be an easy task there.

I got the MTR to Chai Wan station, then was supposed to get a bus, but on failing to find the bus terminal I got a taxi, which only cost $50HK - well worth it as the journey from Chai Wan is a pretty long one (about 25 minutes) so the extra comfort was appreciated.

Some success was had, although the items that i'd hoped to get for some people were not there so I think some of the night markets will have to be experienced before I go.

On the bright side while chilling and having a beer in a bar near the Stanley Markets I met to lovely ladies, Anna and Patricia who live in Hong Kong but also have residences in Provence. we exchanged contact details so that if they ever make their way to Yorkshire or I find my way back to Provence then we can meet for a meal or a drink. After a couple of really positive meetings with people (last nights meeting included) my hope is restored a little in the decency of the people i've met on my travels.

It's all a little mad as I only have a week left in Hong Kong before I set off for Sydney. With reflection on the last couple of weeks though I'll definitely be back here. I love Hong Kong, the people and the places are truly amazing, with beautiful sights, sounds and smells. The guest house I'm staying at is a frantic hive of activity with truly lovely staff and the food in tbe Causeway Bay distict is second to none. If it wasn't for the people back home I could easily settle here I think. Cost of living is fantastic, along with the beauty of the Bays and Gardens combined with all the benefits of city living.

I took some photos of the staff at Alisan tonight as a reminder of how helpful and friendly they have been. In particular Tommys daughter and Liza who have made my stay really enjoyable through their advice and general thoughfulness combined with excellent English speaking skills.

Still trying to decide whats on the agenda for tonight. Still on the list of things to do are:

• Visit the night markets all around the place.
• See some Chinese Theatre
• see Hong Kong Cinema, in a Hong Kong cinena
• Go to Discovery Bay
• Visit the Victoria Peak at night
• Visit the Buddhist Philiosophy Bookshop ion Mong Kok
• Visit the Ching Chung Koon and be blessed there
• Visit the Hong Kong Botanical and Zoological Gardens
• Go on the Star Ferry
• Visit Man Mo Temple
• Go on the "Dragon Cruise from Wan Chai
• Go on the Feng Shui Tour.

Think i have a busy 6 nights ahead of me!

Hijack

Today has been another interesting day.

Met Julian and Emma for afternoon tea at the Four Seasons in IFC2. Had a fantastic time. It was odd meeting the twins for the first time when they are over 2 years old and seeing Emma for the first time in 6 years. The twins look like a handful but Emma and Julian cope well, and seem really attentive as parents. Testimony to this is the behavious and obvious intellect of their children. A superb afternoon.

After meeting them spent the afternoon talking to people back home on Skype. I miss everyone badly at the moment, and although it's good to get away from it all, I do still love everyone there and miss my friends tremendously. Went out for a steak this evening at the Outback to immerse myself in more homely culture in an environment where the staff speak perfect English.

I got chatting to an American called Jan and his friend MJ, then Jan's date turned up who it turned out was Welsh-Korean. We got talking about the UK and she was impressed that I spoke a little Korean (albeit Tae Kwon Do related terms - counting etc!). A few drinks went by and I got the distinct feeling that I had hijacked Jan's date as we had talked all night and he'd barely got a word in edgeways, so I exchanged contact details with Pjinyau and they left, leaving me feeling extremely guilty (got shot a couple of dirty looks by Jan) as the last thing I wanted to do is ruin their evening. [edit: although in the sober light of day, if Jan had been planning a hot date, then perhaps he shouldn't have brought his best friend with him!] Pjinyau said she'd get in touch when she was back in the UK, which is cool. Anyway, a little drunk so probably going to try to get some sleep in while I can.

Improving International Relations

Gotta love the Americans. New York is the centre of the known universe, naturally.

Some New Yorkers checked in this morning while I was sat in the reception area using the laptop. It's easier on the low sofas there to keep my leg straight - the tattoo aches, and anything I can do at this point to make it hurt a little less is welcome.

There are a few things that really irritate me. One of them is being talked about as though I'm not in the same room. Phrases like "isn't he cute", "he's just like Hugh Grant" and "where can we get some proper food" only result in the raising of heckles and gritted teeth on my part while retaining that British tradition of remaining polite at all costs.

Let me explain something here. The resemblence between myself and Hugh Grant ends at my country of origin. I'm from Yorkshire, don't stutter, have never starred in a romantic comedy, or any film for that matter, don't have several million in the bank, have never had the pleasure of getting it on with Liz Hurley, or the inevitable breakup with aforementioned model after getting caught with my pants down parked on Hollywood Boulevard with a prostitute called Divine Brown.



Moreover, proper food in Hong Kong, would suggest, at an outside guess, perhaps Cantonese, or any other Asian cuisine perhaps (Taiwanese and Japanese restaurants are common). I'm pretty sure anyone reading this will know what these gargantuan ladies were referring to though. Proper food is indicative of anything with over 30oz of pure thoroughbred cow and a bucket of chips, or possibly even maybe your usual chain stuff. Lard Hut, Offel King, McCholesterol, et al. I duly with best british smile, kept thoughts of unquestionable cruel torture behind my glazed eyes and gave them directions to the Outback, taking them at least 3/4 mile round the long way. Lets face it, they could use the exercise. Cute indeed...

Hurt...

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything - Nine Inch Nails

On the way to the tattoists I was approached by a girl called Erica and some of her friends, apparently doing a survey type thingy for homework. She asked a few questions about what I was doing in Hong Kong and then if i'd mind having my photo taken with her and her friends. They all seemed pretty cool so I said yes.

I then realised I was still pretty early for my tattoo (over an hour in fact - just a little keen!!) so I headed to Starbucks for a coffee and a finger roll (nothing adventurous as didn't want to take a chance before I had to sit still for 2 hours!). There were no seats so approached a chilled looking westerner to sit with. We started talking about jobs and life - turns out he's an IT Headhunter called Jeff of American origin, but who has spent a lot of time living in Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. Conversation moved on and we ended up discussing economic ideals, philosophy (he's aware of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, but had similar Christian upbringing to me), books, psychology and relationships and we share a lot of the same ideals. It was a thought provoking conversation, looking at issues such as Globalisation from a fellow technologists perspective. We exchanged details and said we'd meet up for a beer or a coffee before I leave HK. Its always good to meet someone who shares a lot of your ideas and can add different angles to some of your arguments. I got so caught up in the chat we were having I was nearly late for my appointment.

I arrived at Cubist Tattoo and was introduced to Jason Choi - he spoke no English, but was careful to explain his best about what was going on and to put me at ease. I showed him my other tattoos so he knew that I was quite aware but he remained sure that I saw his assistant clean the studio (all surfaces stainless steel or smooth kitchen surfaces with a tiled floor), and that I saw him open the vacuum packed needles with gloves, etc and removed freshly autoclaved machines. His assistant spoke a little english and was able to ask for the money in advance just before we started and I explained to him that it was Angus that referred me. Various references were made by Jason about Angus being a stoner, and we were able to have a laugh - good start to an introduction to someone who's going to be inflicting pain on you for the next couple of hours in my opinion!

Jason kept checking on me to ensure I was ok at various points throughout the tattoo. Really the only problem there was occurred due to my leg cramping up as a result of it being in such a crazy position so Jason could tattoo the back of my leg. A quick stretch of my leg every 30-45 minutes sorted that out and we were back on track. I have to say he's a fast worker as well, despite digging pretty deep in places. Afterwards he checked I was happy and was more than happy to have his photo taken with me, and i'm really impressed with the aftercare card and ointment that he gave me - a stock is kept in both English and Cantonese.

Tomorrow I'm meeting Julian, Emma and the twins for lunch, so an early night for me tonight. Think i'll skype a couple of people, watch a film (got a couple of Hong Kong Cinema DVD's), then bed.

INK!!!!!

Finally got booked in for ink at 8pm tonight. Phoned the studio, and Jason speaks no English at all, but fortunately he was tattooing a guy from Provence, so between my pidgeon French and his pidgeon English I arranged to go to meet the artist at the studio and he acted as translator. Got a design sorted and a location (bottom of the left leg). Its going to cost me $3000HK, which isn't to bad for a permanent souvenir of my time here.

Got a decent nights sleep last night as well, although it was assisted by a few drinks. I went back to Soho to see it on a weekend....and it has to be seen to be believed. All the bars just meld into one, as the street is completely covered from side to side with people drinking and dancing, so effectively there is no separation between the people from 1 bar and another. It was a little claustraphobic to be honest. It all got a little much when i realised i had about 500 yards of people in any direction and there was no path out other than to fight my way through. I necked my drink and then fought my way out to get a taxi home.

Ching Chung Koon, the New Territories

After a really difficult time finding the Ching Chung Koon, I've postponed my trip until another day. 30+ degree heat when I got to Tsuen Mun made it highly awkward (to quote Bill Hicks, ""Isn't it great, every day, hot and sunny?" What are you, a fucking lizard? Only reptiles feel that way about this kind of weather. I'm a mammal, I can afford coats, scarves, cappuccino and rosy cheeked women.")


Yep, that about sums it up, it was too hot for the quest I had in mind, which was frustrating after wandering around for 3 hours asking people who had seriously limited English speaking skills, asking them about Ching Chung and being greeted with what I though were vacant looks when they swept their hands around them. Unfortunately I now realise I should have been asking for Ching Chung Koon, as Ching Chung is the name of the Taoist foundation that runs everything in that region. By sweeping their hands round they were probably saying "which bit of Ching Chung do you want? we have the Ching Chung Taoist Association of Hong Kong Ltd. (Head Office), the Ching Chung Sian Yuan, Ching Chung Home For The Aged, Ching Chung Free Clinic No.1, HKTA Ching Chung Secondary School, Taoist Ching Chung Primary School, Ching Chung Taoist Association of Hong Kong Ltd. (Head Temple), Ching Chung Care & Attention Home For The Aged, etc."

You get the idea!

Got back to the Alisan for another room change, but this is the last!! They've also given me the best room they have, with decent en-suite, a good view from the window and it's just next to reception if i need anything.

Went out for something to eat tonight, and someone in the street handed my a voucher for a $30 discount on a massage. Seeing as it's on my list of things to do, I had a Swedish/Oriental full body massage. It was awesome, but feeling a little zoned out now.

Just had a shower and heading out to Soho for the night. It is Friday night, after all!!

Dzao San....

Never underestimate the power of good manners.

Couldn't sleep again, so went for my early morning wander through Victoria Park, getting the usual suspicious looks (i'd be suspicious of me though; long haired twenty-something with tattoos and piercings wandering around at 4.30 in the morning!). The power of a smile and a "Dzao San" won through though, and an old lady stopped to talk to me, first correcting my pronunciation (it's pronounced like "how" but with a J instead of a H), then going on to ask me what i was doing awake in perfect English. I explained that I couldn't sleep and that I also really enjoy watching people practicing their Tai Chi first thing in the morning. She asked if I would like to exercise with her and explained a little about chi kung, which i gather to be a kind of breathing exercise that means that when you exert external force your breathing goes with it. This is not foreign to me as this is the breathiing method used in the other martial arts I have practiced, Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai. She explained that Tai Chi is "soft" and referenced the Tao Te Ching, and she seemed pleased when I understood what she was referring to immediately.

"The soft and the pliable will defeat the hard and strong."

The simple routine she took me through was walking and stamping, shaking arms and legs then stretching arms and legs in a similar fashion to the way it is practiced in warm up for TKD. She then went on to join a group for their main Tai Chi exercise and I sat and watched for a while. I would have liked to have been invited to join, but without invitation I did not want to presume or take advantage of her generosity in spending the time with me that she had.

She recommended going to a Taoist Temple at Tuen Mun, which i intend to do later today now that I know that it is there! I've just been looking at the MTR maps and it looks like a bit of a drama to get to the Ching Chun Koon though. I'll have to take the MTR to Kwai Fong then get a couple of buses/ask for directions. Should make today an interesting day though.

Lantau and Ngong Ping

Finally got a decent nights sleep (6hrs), and got up early enough to go to Lantau Island today. Also discovered the joys of the Octopus.

The Octopus is a card that allows you to buy pre-paid credit for use on the MTR and in some shops (7-11, Mannings Supermarket etc). On the MTR it has the benefit of you not having to use the coin operated machines, especially when the Customer Service desks are closed. On a few occasions I've found myself having to find a shop/newspaper stand and buying something that I really didn't want just to break a $100HK note, so I can use the change to go somewhere. You can also top up the card in some shops as well as using credit cards at machines in the stations. I wish I'd known about it when I first arrived as it would have saved me a lot of hassle. It works as a magnetic card that you just run over the top of the ticket slot on the turnstyles, so you don't have to get individual tickets for stations either. An absolutely fantastic idea!

Anyway, this morning after getting my Octopus card I set off to Lantau Island. I'd been told it was really beautiful by a friend who used to live there, but it really is a sight to behold. Apparently a lot of the ex-pats who live in Hong Kong live on Lantau, and I can understand why.
As you leave the MTR you are greeted by a beautiful water feature and theres a sense of calm that I haven't seen much of since being here. There are only a handfull of shops in the area, and the harbour and forestry are visible around you. From here its only a minutes walk to the Skyrail station. The Skyrail station was only finished on the 18th September 2006, after a 2 year multi-million pound investment, and it runs cable cars throughout the day up to the Ngong Ping villiage, where the Tian Tan Buddha Statue and Po Lin Monastary are located.

As you start to move up on the cable car you become immediately aware of the scale of the construction as the other platforms become visible (like corners of the journey, as the Skyrail goes around the mountains). The buildings of the Tung Chung city start to look very small, and the aiport runway comes into view. Further up, at the Airport Island Angle station you get the first proper view of the Tian Tan Buddha, and its size (over 80 ft!). I have to say I was a little disappointed with the Ngong Ping Villiage itself, as it is a cutom built villiage to cater to tourists only, with a 7-11 and a Starbucks on a street called "the path to enlightenment". The shops sell souvenirs like the more than slightly ironic "Path to Enlightenment Shot Glasses" and tacky plastic Buddhas. There are a couple of attractions though that are worth a look. Walking With Buddha provides a nice overview of the story of Siddhartha Gautama giving a simple insight to tourists about how Buddhism was founded, and the Monkeys Tale Theatre uses special effects and animation to depict one of the Buddhist Jakata stories.

The Po Lin monastary was also a bit of a disappointment - restaurants and coke machines throughout a place of spiritual worship detract greatly from how the monastary should actually be, and the monks themselves do their best to hide their distaste for the tourists ignoring the "do not enter" and "no photography" signs. I felt as though I was contributing to the invasion of their place of spiritual peace, and decided to go.

I then mounted the 268 steps up to the Tian Tan Buddha itself. The Buddha was constructed in 1990 and cost over $83,000,000 to build. While it serves as a spiritual marker and reminder, I have to wonder whether Siddartha Gautama himself would have approved of such frivolous and lavish expense?