This weekend was the antithesis of my Easter weekend.
I spent almost every waking moment with other people. It’s been great. The feeling was the same over both weekends which just goes to show, I’m just as happy with people as I am without them. That’s not quite true. It’s timing related.
Friday night started innocently enough with me turning down after work beverages as I needed to be home for the internet guy who was due to arrive between 6-8pm. It really was an internet guy, that’s not code for anything even remotely exciting. What was impressive though, is that he actually came within the window and fixed the internet.
Since I couldn’t then be bothered going out, I continued reading and packed my bag for Saturday and another for Sunday. I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that I do like to plan ahead.
Saturday morning started the same as most others with me taking my dog for a walk. She was happy, I was happy, all was right with the world. Sunshine has that kind of impact. By 8.30am, I was at the ferry pier meeting a friend to go to the largest island in Hong Kong, Lantau. The island where I’ve lived for most of the time since being here.
We were on the slow ferry and as we rounded the bend into Mui Wo, I felt like I was coming home. The feeling intensified as we discussed where we could have lunch. I still know more of the places there than I do in my own neighbourhood. I really need to make more of an effort locally to explore rather than being sucked into going to the same places all the time.
After stopping for a briefing session from Planet Ark at Silvermine Beach, we walked up the hill, past some old HK-style tombstones to the planting area where we had five trees to plant. As it was ANZAC Day, I dedicated mine to the ANZACs. I still find the whole Gallipoli story very moving. No biscuits this year.
Planting completed, back down the hill for lunch and then a fast ferry back to Central. A 30 minute nap on the couch, a shower and then I was ready to head off for the evening’s birthday festivities.
Post 97 did a brilliant job of feeding us and supplying with a few beverages too. The presentation was excellent, the flavour was fabulous, the desserts were massive and I think I’m still recovering from mine. Lucky I’d decided on the dessert before ordering my main though I still struggled. I didn’t share.
Sunday morning and I was up early again with the dog. We were out for an hour before returning home, me changing and then leaving to join some of my team in Central before catching a minibus to Stanley where we met the others. Paddle grabbed, stretches done and I was at the front of the dragon boat ready to help lead the team in the training. Great day to be out on the water again.
Training completed, onto a bus (sitting at the top so I can enjoy the view) and I was on my way back home. Another shower and then to High Street Grill to meet another friend for a very late lunch. A massive salad later and we were due at the jewellery store. If you’re not meant to shop on an empty stomach to help avoid buying excessive food, what am I meant to do to stop me from buying excessive jewellery? It’s a bit of a rhetorical question since I like it. I think I may have been a magpie in my past life as the sparkles catch my eye and before I know it, I’ve tried on half the shop. Thankfully I don’t buy all of it. That would just be greedy.
I placed an order for a bangle and then we were off again, back to HK Island side.
Stopped in at the French chicken place, called another friend and we were driven to spot that two of us had found earlier. Up to the very top of the Peak, there’s some great picnicking areas. Turns out we weren’t the only ones who thought so as there were quite a few couples having their wedding photos taken up there.
Shivering, we left after finishing most of the food. Checked our phones to find it to be a chilly 23 degrees celsius and I’ve decided that the technology must do something funny at that height or our gadgets suffer from interference from the communication towers that are up there.
I’m meant to now be ready for work.
I’m ready for a sleep…
* Thanks to The Pretenders for the title to this post.