Sam At Large

I’ve been gone from this blog for quite a while. My last post appears to be more than 15 months ago… and this isn’t the first time that I’ve been absent from the blogs I’ve had over the years.

I love reading them, seeing what people are up to, discovering new information… but for some reason I haven’t wanted to be the one who shares.

Lots has changed in the last year or so. I’m married now to an amazing woman. I’m living in a really nice place, feeling awfully grown up (which is probably a good thing since I’m no longer 18 years old), make meals, and I think seriously about the future in a way I have never had to before.  I have more responsibility in my job.  I’m even more appreciative of the friends I have. I feel more concern for my aging parents.

But I haven’t really wanted to share any of this. These things have been mine and it feel like it wouldn’t be right to share them. But perhaps I really feel that it’s just not that interesting for others to read. Whatever the case, I’m starting to feel like it’s okay to share again.

I had a great time in Hong Kong. I need to go back and spend some more time there.

Nice to know you can get the quality stuff there. A little PBR is awesome.

I was staying on Cheung Chau Island most of the time, so I took a lot of ferries.  This is me and my friend, Callan (son of a couple of my co-workers from Hong Kong), enjoying the ride from Central to Cheung Chau.  It was a gorgeous day.

You can’t take a picture in Asia without the classic “V” fingers.

I had this amazing hotel during the staff retreat.  I pretty much lived with those sliding doors staying open, letting the sea air come in.  It was like having a couple of extra weeks of summer while it was raining back home in Vancouver.

I also got a chance to explore a bit of Hong Kong, itself.  I particularly enjoyed the trip out to Stanley.  It was a very hot, muggy day.  It absolutely begged for a beer at a British-style pub.

I wish I had taken photos of the markets in Kowloon.  Those were such an experience with the knock-offs, the bartering, the naked capitalism… A lot of fun.

Actually, I have no idea why I’m referencing Billy Joel’s classic song, “New York State of Mind.”  I just seemed to fit.

I arrived in Hong Kong this morning after completely skipping Friday. It’s already Saturday here, for those of you that are timezone challenged.  I’m now 15 hours ahead of Vancouver.  But the best part is when I come home and I actually go back in time!

I’m in the city for some ICC meetings and I can’t help but be a bit excited.  As I was in the bus from the airport, we came over the suspension bridge into Kowloon and suddenly the mountain-sides exploded with high rises.  Then I looked to the right to Hong Kong side and saw the epic skyline from the picture above.  This isn’t my pic — I just found it on the interwebs. But funny enough, the weather today is almost identical to the photo.  It’s grey and low cloud, but muggy as hell.

Me and airplanes don’t really mix when it comes to sleep and I just did the Asia equivalent of the red-eye. The plane left Vancouver at 2 am on Friday and landed in Hong Kong at 6am on Saturday. So I still have a whole day to get through… and I’ve had maybe and hour and a half’s sleep in the last 36 hours.  I think I’m going to find some food and then take a nap.

Oh, and a note to Air Canada: Overall, flight AC 017 – Vancouver to Hong Kong on Friday, October 8, 2010 was great and I love flying the 777 as it’s very roomy.  But that food was horrific. I’m just puttin’ it on the record.

In all fairness, I do need to say that Air Canada totally gets it right with the Maple Leaf Lounge. THAT is the way to sit and wait for a flight and well worth the extra bucks I paid to get in since I’m not Elite status or anything.

Well, honestly, who would be.  Thank you, Province Newspaper!  My goodness, I love FailBlog.

These two people have a problem with photos being taken of them in rooms with bad lighting.