Tag: expat

Home Kong

Jul 30, 2024

I left Bali in a flood of rain, the car took two hours to the airport and was plowing through the waves on the street. The flight was smooth, besides the crew asking me if I would swap my window seat for an aisle seat… I was not keen, but when they mentioned the word “wheelchair” I thought I had no choice. Secretly I hoped my altruism would be rewarded with an upgrade to business class. But no, I was punished by being seated with two domestic helpers taking care of two spoiled Korean toddlers, one of which was terrorizing the plane with screams.

The words of Topo were still on my mind, and now that I was approaching Hong Kong, their meaning was inevitably going to manifest somehow. Would I want to stay in HK forever and go back to my old life?

I kept myself busy with watching a movie and reading, and soon we approached the promised (is)land.

Already the view of Macau-Zhuhai bridge triggered a familiar warm buzzing in my tummy. Touchdown.

The arrival was smooth and quick, and despite not having my cherished HKID with me, I immigrated fast and without questions. Soon I was sitting in the airport express, heading towards the center of my former life.

I grabbed a taxi and told the driver “gin dou tsat sap tsat”. The feeling as we drove through central and up on Cotton Tree Drive was exuberant and moving.

But first I had to meet with a girl who would hand over the key to Aluna & Karl’s apartment and explain the cat care. The place is in mid levels, only a stone’s throw from Loo’s home. She briefed me quickly, but I could not wait to be alone and to immerse myself in the feeling of just being here. The kitty was happy to see humans and needy for attention and caring. But he would have to wait, because I first headed out to walk down to Letizian and my old flat in Central.

As I moved down Soho through the warm, mild air, the familiar smell and the streets that I had walked hundreds of times, I had a big grin on my face and couldn’t believe I was here. It felt like I had just been dreaming for a while, and now woke up and found myself in the “real world” again.

Then the moment had come: I reached my old building and keyed in the door code. The staircase was like ever, and every stop climbing up higher I felt strangely as if I had just gone out and came back to my home. I felt moved, happy and overwhelmed by this emotion.

Letizian opened and I stepped into his place, that used to be mine so dearly. After being reunited and exchanging greetings, I studied the whole room, the improvements, the changes, but much more the remaining unchanged facets that I had memorized so well. I just realized how many things I had just abandoned and left for my friend to use. The new bed, the kitchen ware, fancy bluetooth speaker, and even my chic suede slippers for the roof.

It kinda made it apparent under what force and urgency I had left – no time to think, no holding on to possessions or to a convenient status quo. I had left it all behind, and now I felt like being too close to having it back, only to realize it was not mine any longer. I am not talking about the material value, but the emotion attached to it.

I returned back to the cat and tried to get some rest, but the furball kept me up all night, meowing, scratching the door or licking my face and biting my feet.

Yet I felt very excited when I woke up early in the morning, to go out and follow my old footsteps in my neighborhood. I had breakfast at Lan Fong Yuen, and when the owners and staff saw me, they were delighted and surprised, and the lady with the wrist bandages still remembered my special order to a t! I felt welcomed back. But this first day was not only for pleasure, but work, as I had to visit the office in Tsuen Wan to show face and good will. And I was a little bit thrilled to dress up and to go to an actual office and have a conversation with the staff.

It was ok, but after 4 or 5 hours I could not focus and sit any longer, so I headed home. I have outgrown office work.

Since then I have been walking around my beloved city with joy and melancholy, as it seems I have to decide whether The 852 would be considered back on the menu or if it was only a visit accompanied by nostalgic feelings. I give myself the entire 12 days to figure it out.

xoxo

Hong Kong, 16 4 2023
Arrived

Jul 21, 2024

Canggu, Bali, 08 04 2023

I am in Bali now, and I have finally settled in. Settled in to the tropical climate, to the different time zone, the food and being on my own. My body starts to feel normal again and I feel excited to explore. But it was not like this from the beginning…

I had spent the 3 days in Singapore mostly waking up at 7 am and walking over to the hawker center to eat, work out and go back to the hotel. Later I would head out to eat a second breakfast and explore the city a bit. Actually I have seen most of the sights and landmarks of Merlion City, so I was not very eager to move long distances or walk in the tropical heat. I did visit Tiong Bahru though, and enjoyed the food court there, too. LOL

The shops and cafes that I used to be excited about did not trigger me this time, and there was a latent presence of my time with my ex in his city, which was not negative, but also not something I wanted to recall or revel in.

The other night I went to China Town, which was quite empty and boring, and I passed by the local gay bars like Tantric, just to side eye them and move on. After that I took the MRT to Marina Bay, only to find out it was still in development and nothing there to see. I ended up walking all the way from the (also empty) Gardens by the Bay to the MBS, which brought up another memory, the night I had stayed there with my other ex, Wesley, when I knew he didn’t want me there and which marked the beginning of our end. Seems not many pleasant memories in Singapore! The food was still great.

The last day I was invited (actually invited myself) to my old friend from work, Eva and her Family. She has two adorable kids/babies now and is busy with domestic life. We had pizza and wine, and a nice conversation, but it was soon time to leave them to their tasks and head back to my hotel.

The next day I headed to the airport to go shopping at the Jewel, and boarded my Scoot flight to Bali in the afternoon.

Bali Love

I arrived tired, but excited and determined, at Denpasar Airport, and got picked up by the driver organised by the hotel. It was a long day! Still had to get a sim card and cash, so finally I got to my resort at 10pm.

What a charming, beautiful place! The Incense Impossible Beach consists of only 7 bungalows, and mine was called Frangipani. I loved it immediately, most of all the outdoor bathroom and open air shower! My home for the next 5 nights. I settled in quickly, enjoyed the nature time naked in my private “garden”, and went to bed. I had started to feel a scratching in my throat on the flight, and by now I had a pounding headache and was exhausted and knackered. I fell asleep with paracetamol and strepsils, knowing the next day would be full of events, and so I wanted to get my energy back.

Despite my tiredness, I woke up in the middle of the night again, and eventually went outside at dawn at 7am, woken up by the call of the many roosters.

I went for a walk in the vicinity of the resort in the calm morning light, with a fresh breeze and the smell of flowers and rice in the air. It was different than I remembered, so much greener and bursting with life. Agile, athletic chickens with their chicks running around, and people sweeping the sidewalks of their homes. I did a quick trip to the nearby Binging Beach, down all the steps to the ocean, but was a bit disappointed by the environment and swimability of the water.

Also, I wanted to get back to being the first to have brekkie at 8am! They served 3 choices of simple but lovely meals, always accompanied with fresh fruit and thick, black balinese coffee. I was excited but at the same time tired and lacking energy to do much. That day I also had my first social commitment of the week of wedding celebrations, joining the 11 girls and Aluna at her bachelorette party.

So I dressed up, got ready and walked over to their Villa, where I should join them. I felt nervous, for I had no idea what to expect, and most of all because I had not seen Aluna in over a year. What I did not know was that this kind of event revealed a lot about my personality and lifestyle, and in combination with the book “Quiet” that I’m reading at the moment, made me realize and accept who I am clearly, once more. I’m starting to get sleepy now, so I will elaborate on this more soon.

xoxo Good night, Bali

Tag: expat

Home Kong

Arrived

Canggu, Bali, 08 04 2023

Bali Love