Unless you’re here with us you may not understand some of this. We, the group, are like mercury on a sheet of paper, there is no plan and if somebody does have an idea then on the way to whatever it is we lose somebody because they are looking in a shop, or see something they want to spend some time looking at. As we find we’re missing somebody, or they’ve left something on a seat or under a table we recover, mutter a few words, then get on with it. None of us are innocent, but plans come together and we see and do things we talked about.

Today is China’s National Celebration day, celebrating the events of 1949 when China came together under Mao. A big day in China. There is a fireworks competition that night on Hong Kong Harbour near Macau, and we can go on a Star Ferry for 3 hours for not much money and watch.

Anyway, breakfast is at 9, level 4, and it’s a cracker, food is excellent, only thing is the jury is still out on the fermented soya beans that Jane tried with yogurt. There was stringy stuff, sort of like snot, dripping in thin stringy viscous lines off her chin, her lips were pursed, she didn’t look like it was enjoyable. Korea 1 Jane Nil. We left pretty full, thinking this was breakfast and lunch. There is a lot to do, let’s stop eating and get on with it.

A wander over to Nathan Road, we’re a bit split up, we have tailor  shoppers, jellery shoppers, spiteful venomous shopper haters, climate debaters, doubtful navigators, and a few cripples, all trying to work out what they’d like to do, in Hong Kong this is a difficult issue for a travelling group. A plan that you’r committed to does make it easy, trying to please everyone is very hard. Despite that I think we cope well for the day.

I have a small headache, have just been told by Genelle that she’s purchased more jewellery, for a lot of money, and I do comment sarcastically between gritted teeth that I thought she was short of jewellery and a bit more for Craig Carolan to clean and fix would be handy. A calm response from G informs me that they may be the last words I ever utter if I keep it up. Paul, you are a f…g idiot, just shut up and let things lie, you may end up in that mountainous cemetery on Hong Kong island yet.

Like a bunch of headless chooks we cross under a road with bumper to bumper traffic, into the ferry terminal, deicion made, we’re on the ferry tonight to watch the fireworks, and we’re catch a ferry to HK island and up Mt Victoria. This works well, we cross the harbour, catch a C 15 bus to Mt Victoria summit. The view is spectacular. A few beers, a bit of food and a rain storm and then we spilt, 4 to walk down, 4 to catch a taxis down. 

There is a break, them we catch up again at 5 or there abouts, after showers and freshening up. It’s steamy Asian heat, rain showers, cloud and sun. There is a debate about the shortest and quickest way to the ferry terminal, so we split onto 2 groups for the match race, Sonya G & P v the rest. SGP win. Nothing else needs to be said.

The wait under the roof of the ferry terminal is steamy, we are sweating, there isn’t much room, but eventually we get on the boat.

We have great food ( we bought), beer, bubbles, softies. There is Chinese Republic Nationalist music playing ( a bit weird but it’s their day), it’s a great atmosphere. The fireworks start and they go for ages, it’s spectacular in a spectacular setting.

Home at about 11pm, and to bed for everyone.

Tomorrow is shopping shopping shopping and then watching Il Commando going mad.

Tomorrow night at 1am we’re on the plane to Milan for a week in Cortona, Tuscany

Caio, arrividerci 

Pauolo