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Published: February 6th 2017
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Back in October 1996, I landed with my backpack in Hong Kong. Plan was to avoid a settled life in Europe and hope for some adventures around the world. Well, that was just over twenty years...I guess I've had my fair share of adventures. I tend to say today...if you had told me twenty years ago what was coming ahead...I would have asked straight on where do I sign....including all the good and bad days of these twenty years!
Imagine, my first two months in HK, I lived in TST, Kolwoon....24 of us in less than 120sq meters! Yes, that was 8 people per room! So when I see people complaining about their life, or not being happy of what is given to them, my answer is always the same. If you want a fun life, wake up in the morning, be happy...and go for it...because life is way easier when you make yourself the difference.
So twenty years later....continuing to say bye to the places where I have lived in Asia. Well, I will still be at least twice per year in the region...so it's bye bye, but see you in April! I told
you it's a small world!
This time, we are here for the Chinese New Year...a first for me in HK. If I remember properly, I've done two of those in Vietnam, one in Shanghai....never did a Thai New Year in Bangkok...so these moments are pretty rare!
On the first day of our visit, we were blessed by the weather. Not sure I remember many end of January with a beautiful sun and temperatures over 22 degrees! We headed first for the Peak via the tram. Long queues here...China, Vietnam, HK, Singapore, Taiwan are all on holidays! Imagine! Worst than Christmas! Good news, all these tourists are in a rush...so once at the Peak, we left for the 90 minutes walk around it...and there, it was solid quiet...and solid nice!
After a tram, next one...I wanted to show to Tanya how I spent my time in Hong Kong when I first arrived. I was pushing many doors to get a job...that I found in less than 3 weeks...but to do this...I had also to wait for answers...and those wait were the worst when you are a young man on a seriously tight
budget...so I took the tram....in one direction....across HK Island, and then back. This time, we only did it in one direction...best way to see Hong Kong on the slow! Imagine, the guy who hired me over twenty years ago, has been my business partner for over 16 years today...
Not the first time for Tanya and I in HK, but last time we had no time for a drink at Felix. This place is the iconic place on top of the Peninsula. As it's Chinese New Year, we had the place to ourselves...which is great with such an intimate bar. Imagine, this one was not in my budget twenty years ago, even if I was living only few hundred meters from here!
We left Hong Kong in style, back to Bangkok for few days. This time, it's First Class on Emirates. No I did not break the bank...and yes I know how to find the best deals. 360usd will buy you...if you do it way in advance, a return Bangkok-Hong Kong in business class on Emirates. We just had to add few miles to fly our return in First. No caviar on this flight.
We asked nicely, and we got pyjamas for both of us! But the best here is the shower...and the wine list!
Not my first shower at 36,000 feet. Sadly, and some will smile and be disappointed to read this...there is only one safety air mask per shower...which means...they will simply not let you share a shower....sad, I know!
Now the wine list...remember...very few miles, and if you put it per one way, it's 180usd per person for a two hours and half flight. Now a little warning, we should not do this every day....the issue here...is how far can you sanely go through the wine list. We started with the 06' Dom Perignon....I kept it for the aperitif, the shower and the starter! For the lamb main dish, I first did a little wine tasting. But...oh yes...they had a Mount Mary Pinot Noir 11' on the wine list. I visited the Yarra Valley (next to Melbourne Australia) some years ago...but could never put my hand on a visit or tasting there...and that wine, was slightly above my budget at the time....trust me...it's still deserve a serious price tag!
So we were
through the main....dessert now for me, and cheese for Tanya. As you can guess, taking the shower before dinner...is the way to go...specially when you have started the game few hours ahead in the lounge! Time now for a Chateau Giraud 1998. And yes, I have visited this serious Premier Cru Classe in the Sauterne. Ok, I have to admit, I could have also visited Dom Perignon few years ago, but I went instead for Veuve Clicquot in Reims...I would rather drink a Grande Dame than a DP. Hopefully you never made it so far in the is blog as to read all this bragging. My no so sincere apologies! Don't forget, twenty years ago, I first spent two months sharing a flat of 120sqm with twenty-four people!
To finish with the bragging in First on Emirates...they serve the Hennessy Paradis. Quoting the duty free price here may be slightly too insane...but let say two nice ones of those will cover the cost of the flight. As you can imagine, you do not drive a car after such an exercise! Was great to do it with great company. And Emirates always make sure you stay fit...you arrive
at the furthest gate from immigration...and even in First, with Emirates, the luxury stop at the door of the plane....you walk like everybody to get your bags...good for the legs...and to digest the experience!
One more entry in Asia before we move out of Asia...I need few more bubbles....underwater this time...coming soon!
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