Latest column for Expat Focus “There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson As an expat, my arrival in any country (these days) brings with it, the steely eyes of a super sleuth. The minute I step off the plane, I'm giving my holiday destination the once over! Judging, comparing, making rapid assumptions from the cleanliness of airport toilets, I'm sizing up the place for its 'liveability.' You see, living the expat life, almost every city has the potential to be your future home, which makes any foreign locality fair game. Who knows when or even IF, but as an hotelier's wife, there's ALWAYS a chance this unfamiliar neighbourhood will arrive on your radar at some point in time. We jumped on a plane and went for a mini-break to Thailand last weekend, a short two hour 40 minute flight from Hong Kong. It wasn't my first time in the Land of Smiles, but I was a virgin in the big city of Bangkok. I was excited to see what the so-called City of Angels had to offer. Stepping out from the airport, raising my sunglasses, I peered out at this populous city of 8-million that stretched before me. I'd barely scratched the surface of this vibrant metropolis but I was already shaking my head. “It's not Hong Kong,” I said under my breath. “Give it a chance” my inner voice retorted, sternly.When you're looking through expat lenses, it's hard to keep that raw, open mindedness a first-time traveler might feel in a new, unexplored and exotic environment. The butterflies give way to an anxious knot in the pit of your stomach. To read more, click here >>> … [Read more...]
One Night in Manila: Asia’s Forgotten City…..
When you're born in the land of the Long White Cloud - the place dubbed ‘middle-earth’ - and then raised in that other place they call 'The Land Down Under' -- getting to another country usually involves (at the very least) a good few hours up in the air. Let's face it, flying within Australia can take up to five hours and involve jet lag! So, the idea that I can be in a completely different country, new culture, new language (heck even new chopstick etiquette) within a couple of hours still manages to impress me! Suffice to say, during my time here in Asia's World City, I've managed quite a few short flights that have landed me, rather excitedly, in exotic, seemingly far-flung locations…all within the blink of an eye. With this in mind, I took my latest trip to the Philippines with a grain of salt. It’s just up the road - been there done that. That grain of salt was in fact so teensy; I didn't even check my e-ticket (properly). I'd been invited to host a corporate awards night as Master of Ceremonies (as I have done many times). But it seems the close proximity of this foreign land had me held hostage to a touch of complacency. Admittedly - I was a little sidetracked with family in town. As any expat will know, much-loved visitors on your turf means any semblance of normality is totally lost - you happily immerse yourself in the vortex of sightseeing, shopping and eating out. Every day is like a holiday in your own city (until reality bites). Click here to read more on EXPAT FOCUS … [Read more...]
Reinventing the Wheel: From Television News Reader to Expat Mum in Asia
Last day on air as a News Reader for Sky News Australia My column for online magazine Coping with Jane…. I want my old life back! You know the feeling right? That nagging little voice in your head -- sometimes it's not so little though, it's screaming out, desperate to be heard. I suppose it’s all par for the course when you’re catapulted out of your comfort zone into a foreign land where no one speaks your language and everything from the climate to the culture is about as alien as eating a fish ball on a stick! The initiation into expat life is not all that different to those frenzied days as a new mum. To say everything feels unfamiliar is probably a gross understatement right? Babies definitely don’t speak your language and working out their culinary desires can be a far cry from your usual dinner date. I copped a double whammy. From television news reader living the (sort of) glamorous life in the harbour city of Sydney, to the unknown fragrant harbour of Hong Kong, unemployed and up the duff! I’d been with Sky News for ten years and I’d worked hard for my dream job. I always assumed when or if I was lucky enough to have a family, I’d simply do what I’d seen the other mums do before me – come back to work after a year or so of blissful baby-dom, and slot into a few shifts a week on the tele. Perfect! That was until I threw a spanner in my own destiny. Click here to read more on Coping With Jane >>> … [Read more...]
One Man’s Junk is Another Man’s Treasure…..Cheung Chau Island 長洲
Hong Kong loves a good shindig! That's a given. In the last couple of months there've been at least half a dozen festivals around town, including one of the biggest art festivals in the world - Art Basel. But I figure there's enough info flying around on that for you to get a 'google' handle on without my two cents worth. There's also Le French May bringing a touch of Paris to Asia's Manhattan with a plethora of baguettes, croissants and enough l'eclair au chocolat to keep your gym membership alive, not to mention the ever popular and action packed Dragon Boat Carnival. The biggest in the world, this baby is renowned for revellers, beers and plenty of cheers! But what really caught my eye and not just for its annual 'Bun Festival' (which as one of the world's top ten 'quirky' festivals is a whole lot of fun) is a little island just south east of the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong's concrete jungle -- it's called Cheung Chau Island, meaning Long Island and yes… it's an excuse to bring you some pretty pictures (most of which I can't take credit for). Long Island it's not though - stretching just ten kilometres, it's one of 263 islands that skirt the biggest of them all - Hong Kong Island. But like a lot of things in life, don't be fooled by its size -- this pocket-sized paradise packs a mean tropical punch! Inhabited by locals for longer than most people have been wielding chopsticks in Hong Kong, historians put Cheung Chau at at least 7000 years old. These days around 23,000 people squeeze on board the duly nicknamed 'dumbbell' (because of its shape) but 100 years ago this once thriving fishing village had more residents living on Junk boats than on land. First impressions are of an island that still bears the footprints of a charming way of life that existed well before civilization. Laced with cobblestone streets and narrow lane ways, Cheung Chau has all the hallmarks of a quaint European village. With no roads wide enough for cars, it's two feet or two wheels... unless you've got an emergency! Then you'll take a ride in these 'made to measure' teeny tiny emergency service vehicles. (Which much to my husband's amusement fascinate me no end!) Littered with temples, seafood restaurants and sandy beaches, a 30 minute boat ride from Hong Kong, the island today is ripe for tourists. But truth be told, there's more to this treasure island than meets the eye -- it quite possibly has more history than could be deemed appropriate for such a small archipelago. For starters, there's a 19th Century pirate’s hideout -- famous Cheung Po Tsai reportedly used to hide his treasure in a cave on the island while he was sailing the South China Sea, pillaging villages and swigging rum. (In fact, the well known movie 'Pirates of the Caribbean' has a character based on this notorious lad.) With a robust community that has well and truly stood the test of time, most locals today stem from generations of family that have long called Cheung Chau home. And it's an island that hasn't been immune to hardship… in the 19th Century a plague almost devastated the tiny sanctuary. To save Cheung Chau, local fishermen travelled to mainland China to seek out the holy statue of Pak Tai (Emperor of Heaven) and bring him back to the island, desperately hoping his power could bring them safety and prosperity. Guess what? Legend has it, it did. And so it was the beginning of the famous Bun Festival. According to folklore, the epidemic disappeared after the event was staged and from then on it's been held every year, without fail. That said, there's another school of thought that the festival originated after a ceremony to placate the ghosts of victims of pirates who used to terrorize the island in the 18th Century. (Locals even advised us against swimming on the island during the Bun Festival, should we fall victim to evil spirits lurking in the waters....) Like everywhere in China, ancient mythology plays as big a role today as it ever has. Even now, before the Bun festival date is set, locals must ask Pak Tai's advice. Using two stones - flat on one side and curved on the other…. they're thrown into the air. The way they land dictates when the festival will be held. (Who needs a calendar!) Before the festival begins, residents on the island purify themselves by having a bath and eating a vegetarian diet for three days. Many fishermen cease to fish. Back in the day, locals built an altar to honour Pak Tai and ward off evil spirits. Aptly named the Pak Tai Temple, it's now the oldest temple in Hong Kong. 100 years later the same rituals are performed including a procession of courageous lions and magical unicorns dancing to the beat of rhythmic drums, along with the Piu Sik or Floating Colours parade which has become world famous! Children as young as three sit (although a little precariously) on poles with bicycle seats, some as high as 2.5 metres for up to four hours on floats gliding through the streets. The aim is to make them look as though they are Gods floating through the air. (I'm told by my local Cheung Chau friend, once these children are up on their seats….bribery is key - ice-cream anyone?) Then there's the grand finale - as night falls, competitors stand poised at the bottom of an enormous 60 foot bamboo tower studded with lucky buns! On signal they scramble to the top and try to pluck off as many as possible. These days they are plastic, the traditional bun climb came to a tragic end in 1978, when a tower collapsed, injuring thirty climbers in the process. The event was then banned for the following 26 years. Reintroduced in 2005, the new event is somewhat tamer than the original and all climbers wear harnesses. Don't worry if you're not up for the climb, these holy buns symbolizing good luck and good health are now available on the ground for everyone. Cheung Chau is a fascinating island village where in many respects, time stands still, a place where legends live on and still waters run deep. What about you? Have you stumbled across a treasure chest in your part of the world? Where is it? I'd love to know. *Thanks to Martin Williams for allowing me permission to use his spectacular photos. You can see more on DrMartinWilliam's website here >> … [Read more...]
A high price to pay…
There was a chill in the air at our house last week. 40 floors up, we were enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon - while two towers along, a woman murdered her partner, before plunging to her death from the 77th floor. I know. It's high. She landed in the swimming pool… Dragged out by a lifeguard, you can bet, it was a day on the job he'll never forget. The lifeguards, that for 364 days of the year, barely get their feathers ruffled by anything more taxing than how many towels to give you. It was a warm spring day, not far from the pool, BBQ areas were in full swing as residents soaked up the sun, oblivious to the drama that prevailed….that is until the word got out. The driveway was bumper to bumper with ambulances, fire engines and police cars and the sky above was swarming with media choppers and paparazzi. (And no, despite the media frenzy going on outside our door, we may as well have been on the moon, we were still none the wiser.) This week though, if there was a water cooler in the apartment block, it's a sure bet, residents would've been huddled around it, fishing for clues. Clues as to how it came to this. How a wealthy couple in the prime of their lives with young children could end up splashed across the front page of newspapers, another gruesome statistic. … [Read more...]