Movie Review: Cloverfield

The Farage "F" Rating: FFFFFFFF

Cloverfield was released on January 18, 2007 to much anticipation in the United States as there was a bit of pre-release Internet hype over this film; much as there was about Snakes on a Plane. It was released in Hong Kong on the 17th to the same sort of anticipation. We watched this movie last weekend and Cloverfield is definitely worth seeing as it takes the "Blair Witch" concept of hand held held filming to an entirely different level.

I have read a few reports about people getting "car sick" while watching this movie and I can believe it; the filming is indeed a bit sporadic. I won't spoil the movie here, but faced with the "reality" the characters are experiencing...sporadic is indeed acceptable and adds to the experience of watching this movie. In fact, I cannot think of a more effective filming method.

In my opinion the last big "monster" genre film, 1998's Godzilla, failed miserably in reviving a genre that scared movie goers for decades in the past. Where Godzilla failed, Cloverfield will not. The movie is exciting and if you have a pulse it will startle you a couple of times.

The actors, although none of them were previously famous, performed well and more importantly performed as one would expect under the situation portrayed in the movie. This movie saved money on the actors in order to spend the cash on the special effects; this was an investment that would make Warren Buffett proud. Rumors of a US$30 million budget and an opening weekend of US$41 million in the US and Canada, means this movie is definitely in the black.

The movie is definitely worth seeing, although short, it is a fun ride. You will be pulled through New York in ways you never imagined and the feel of the movie will make you wonder, "what if this really happened?" Regarding a sequel to this movie, one only has to look at all the other "films" that were being made during the movie. As you watch the movie, note how many other people are seen filming the event. The Producer, J.J. Abrams of Lost and Armageddon fame, has hinted at the possibility of sequel from a different perspective. I can't think of a cooler possibility; two movies about the exact same event, occurring at the same time, but completely different. Definitely a neat possibility worthy of further exploration.

One thing to look out for; at the very end of the movie, when two characters are at Coney Island, just watch the sky.

Hong Kong Chapter III - August 12, 2007

"A Flying Dog and Typhoon Pabuk"

A flying dog and Typhoon Pabuk; It is time for another update from Hong Kong about the continuing adventures of Mark, Randi and Henry Farage.

Well, things have not been boring or calm since I last updated you on our adventures in Hong Kong. Randi and I are doing great and we absolutely love living in Hong Kong. Henry, on the other hand, is not the happiest of campers.

Henry has learned the inherent dangers of stalking birds in Hong Kong, the hard way. On June 20^th Henry and I were out of our evening walk and at the end of our evening walks we always come back to the complex and walk around the upper promenade, where Henry can look at birds and just relax. Well, on this particular night Henry decided that one bird looked particularly interesting and attempted to get closer to it. So, he went to jump on a ledge and misjudged things a bit. The ledge he went to jump on was pretty narrow and on the other side was a thirty foot fall to a concrete terrace below – things that Henry failed to notice. This basically meant that Henry had his first and hopefully only solo flying lesson. Apparently, the take-off went well but the landing was a bitch.

I, unfortunately, was looking at something else when he did this and did not have the opportunity to tell him “no”. All I heard was a thump and then some whimpering…which is never a good thing. I could not figure out what happened at first, seeing how these ledges are almost 5 feet tall; I did not think he would jump up on one blindly (had I thought that…he would have been on a leash), finally I looked over the edge and Henry was indeed way, way down below.

Well, Henry being the tough dog that he is decided that the fall was nothing and was trying to figure out how to get out of his predicament, I knew he definitely was hurt as he was crying softly and dragging himself around very slowly, all while leaving a trail of blood, another “not a good thing”. I told him to lie down and to stay, fortunately for him, he did.

Rescuing him was an adventure as the family, whose terrace he landed on, was not at home. I had to get security to open a vacant apartment adjacent to the one in question and then we had to scale a six foot wall that separated the terraces. We wrapped up Henry, after I assessed his injuries, (compound fracture, possible internal injuries, lacerations, etc. on my first inspection) and proceeded to extract him out of the terrace. About an hour after his fall we were at The Ark Veterinary Hospital and he was being assessed. I have to give major credit to our Gurkha security guards for helping me rescue Henry and get him to the hospital, they were great. For those of you who do not know who or what Gurkhas are, you should do a Google search on them. They are considered some of the finest, fiercest and bravest soldiers in the world. They are known for their inability to quit and their trademark Kukri knifes, the very site of these weapons in the hands of a trained Gurkha has literally stopped revolutions. Randi feels very safe with Gurkhas patrolling our complex, as can be expected.

Fortunately, for Henry, he is an extremely fit and tough dog despite his inability to defy the laws of gravity. Despite the severity of the drop and the landing (concrete) he walked away with only one broken bone (basically a doggy toe) and a slightly ruptured spleen and of course some serious bruises and lacerations. Every vet has basically been in awe that he was not hurt worse; we even consulted with our vet back in Memphis and she was equally shocked at the lack of injuries he suffered.

Henry had his 1^st surgery on the 22^nd of June to fix the compound fracture. We located a great Orthopedic Veterinary surgeon named Matthew Field and he was treated at the Ark, which is a great animal hospital. Well, around Henry’s 4^th week of recovery, when it was getting close to the time for his cast to come off, the surgeon discovered another problem with his leg. Apparently, albeit not shockingly, when he landed he severely hyper extended his carpal joint (which is kind of like the ankle joint) and severely damaged the fiber that holds the joint together. So, it was time for another surgery. On July 27^th Henry had his second surgery which involved “fusing” part of his carpal joint in a procedure called Arthrodesis. This is basically a process where the joint is cleaned out and a plate is installed that holds the parts of the joint together; the plan is then for the joint to fuse, basically growing together as one solid piece. So, Henry had to have a bone graph taken from his shoulder, as well as the actual Arthrodesis on the carpal joint. Luckily, they did not have to fuse the entire joint and he should (if everything heals properly) retain roughly 80% of his normal range of motion. This should let him still be able to perform at almost full capacity which means Henry will be able to run full speed again, after some physical therapy and rehabilitation. So, we have been a bit busy with Henry as you can tell. It is amazing that we put so much time, energy and money into our pets…but, they are part of the family. Per Randi, “we will do whatever it takes to make Henry better,” which, I translated to…prepare the checkbook. You know it is a bad sign when the vet has written on the first page of his records…”money not an object”. I am not sure how that got in there but, it can’t be good.

Henry is milking his injuries for all he can, he has learned that if he holds up his injured leg and makes a “sad” face that he can get whatever he wants. It is quite ridiculous really, but very, very effective.

Besides Henry, all is going well. We are experiencing our first typhoon of the season. The storm started as a “severe tropical storm” and has been named “Pabuk”. Apparently, a “Pabuk” is a large freshwater fish that lives in the Mekong River; the name was contributed by Laos. I am just hoping, for the sake of Hong Kong, that this is not a man-eating fish. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) the storm is moving towards Hong Kong with sustained winds of 65mph or 100km/h. They have a signal system here and we are currently at “signal 1” and according to my sources, it is absolutely nothing to worry about until “signal 8” is raised. As a confirmation of this neither Randi nor I get to skip work until “signal 8” is raised. We are looking forward to our first typhoon in Hong Kong.

Since, it takes me a few days to write these updates (time is at a premium) Pabuk has hit and has gone on its merry way. Did it make it to a “signal 8”? You bet you, was it anything to get worried about? Not at all…it is really quite comical looking back on the last few days. I would basically equate the “chatter” of Hong Kong to the “chatter” that happens in Memphis if there is even a “whisper” of the possibility of either snow or ice. You all know exactly what I am talking about, the run to the supermarket to buy 56 gallons of water…the quick trip to Home Depot to buy a generator, basically the complete and absolute overreaction of the populous. Well, Pabuk was an utter disappointment. When you think Typhoon, you think hurricane…right? Well, I would have to say Typhoon Pabuk was more along the lines of a small Memphis thunderstorm. I am not sure why everyone was nervous…even looking out onto the semi-rough seas…all I could think of was…”man, it would be great if I had a Seadoo right now.” I could have gotten some serious air on those waves. Once the “signal 8” flag was hoisted, basically the city shutdown…well everything except for the bars. Everyone was able to leave work early and it seems all the ex-pats decided it was a great time to head to a good bar. Randi and I joined her workmates for a few beers. Leave it to the British and Australians to recommend beer as a remedy for an impending Typhoon. Well, after 3:00pm on Friday everyone left the office and Randi and I ended up hanging out until around midnight or so…weathering the storm, with the rest of Robert Half Hong Kong. I think it only rained for an hour or so during the whole evening. I think the only “storm” worth mentioning was the downpour of Jell-O-shots that some of Randi’s workmates were downing with abandon. I am sure their Saturday morning storm left more of a mark on them then the winds of Pabuk. All in all Pabuk was a bit disappointing and not really worthy of noting in “Farage’s History of Storms”, due out this fall (kidding).

Unfortunately, as a product of the changing wind direction, the smog has returned in force over the last few days (or is it fog) and the visibility has been decreased significantly. For the past month, I could see the horizon with visibility in excess of 30 kilometers; today…visibility is down to 7 kilometers. Basically it looks like a lot of fog has rolled in…unfortunately this is not fog this is “clean” air from China being blown in from the mainland. If China wants to be a global force in the future, they are really going to have to clean up their environment…less no one will want to live there. No one likes the smell of petrol-chemicals in the morning except for Robert Duvall’s character in Apocalypse Now, in the words of Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore…”I love the smell of Napalm in the morning”. Well Bill, you would love Hong Kong right now.

Well, on to more interesting topics, Randi and I bought our first piece of furniture in Hong Kong a few weeks ago. Randi was sick of our A/V equipment sitting on the floor below the TV; so we went shopping. We hit Hollywood Road, a famous road in Central known for antiques, obscurities and generally all things Hong Kong. After walking through numerous stores we found a great piece (antique) and I negotiated a pretty good price for it (I think). Randi questioned my belief that it would fit in the back seat of the car, but I reminded her that you never question a Farage when it comes to packing something in a vehicle. Sure enough, that bad boy fit in the back seat like a glove, not even a millimeter to spare…perfect! The owner, a nice older lady (probably in her 50’s) helped me load the piece into the car. Let me tell you that lady was a pit bull; she picked that piece of furniture up like it was a pillow. It kind of surprised me a bit and I had to hustle to keep up with her as we loaded it up. I think Randi felt a little “shown up” as she tried to pick it up with me and she said it was a bit too heavy…well not for the pit bull. Did I mention that Randi joined a gym in the following days? Perhaps, I see a re-match with the pit bull in the near future.

Work is going great, I just finished my first project in Hong Kong and things went very smoothly. We are extremely busy as I am currently working on two other projects that are in various stages, never a dull moment. I will be heading to Indochina next month to review our operations in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Indochina, as a market, is growing and if you look at your house; I am sure a few things will probably have been made in Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia…especially when it comes to decorative type items. I am definitely looking forward to that trip, not only to see our operations but also getting an opportunity to see first-hand the Hanoi Hilton and so many other pieces of history related to the Vietnam conflict. From what we have read, Vietnam and especially the China Beach area has turned into a wonderful vacation spot with great resorts all along China Beach. Randi is going to take a few days off and join me in Vietnam for a long weekend. It will be a great opportunity for her to get out of Hong Kong and see another aspect of Asia. She is really looking forward to it.

Randi is doing great; she is starting to enjoy her job more and more as she has gone through various stages with it. I think it has taken her a bit of time to get use to the Hong Kong market and she is definitely enjoying things as more time progresses. Which, is a good thing…I think she would have been utterly bored if she was not working.

Well, we hope this finds you all well and that everyone in Memphis is enjoying the HOT weather there. Don’t forget to check out our Flickr page (www.flickr.com/photos/mrgarage), as we are always putting new pictures up.

Cheers.

Mark, Randi and Henry

Hong Kong Chapter II - May 4, 2007

All –

So, this is update number two…albeit it is the first full-time Hong Kong resident update. Well, today is May 3, 2007, which means Randi and I have been in Hong Kong for just about two months. I was kind of waiting a bit so that I could have some interesting and meaningful information to share, that and we have been pretty busy with everything going on in our lives over the couple of months.

As most of you know we left Memphis on the 6^th of March for our journey to Hong Kong…our dog, Henry, left on the 5^th due to flight restrictions and all that jazz. Just for your personal edification, it will cost you approximately $500 more to ship your dog via Northwest’s VIP (Very Important Pet) service than it would for you to buy a coach seat from Memphis to Hong Kong. When I was quoted the outrageous price I asked the highly educated and completely customer oriented Northwest representative if Henry would be receiving an in-flight meal as well as in-flight entertainment…she flat replied “no”. So, much for VIP service and so much for getting your money’s worth; I think next time we are going to slap some clothes on him and stick him back in coach…at least he will be able to stretch his legs.

Randi and I departed on the morning of the 6^th after a long week of prepping our house/condo for rent. We were “advised” that the condition we leave the condo in would be the condition that we receive the condo back in…so; Randi and I went to work. Now, having only been in the condo for a little less than a year, it was in very good condition; however there was still work to be done. We patched every nail-hole in the place, spackled, sanded and repainted to ensure that the walls were in tip-top shape. We ended up repainting the bedroom due to the walls just not looking right after our repairs; I personally think the paint color was a bit off…since you could see exactly where we repainted. So, we taped, drop-clothed and painted…which, really made the room look great. I personally think we did a better job than the contractors originally did. We also used some polyurethane (thanks to a tip from the Gillespie’s) on the tiles throughout the house…which really brought out the texture of the tiles and gave them a clean appearance. You would not believe the difference that little trick did on the slate around the fireplace…night and day. Randi and I decided to leave our home theater system in place for the renters…rather than pulling everything out. So, our lucky renters will be getting a 42” flat-screen and a Bose surround sound system hooked up to some high-end Sony equipment. I also had to leave my Xbox and PS2…so, whoever rents the place is getting a pretty decked out entertainment package. I am just hoping it is all there when we get back. Our developer, who is slower and less responsive than a corpse, is supposed to be swapping out our wine cooler and beverage center with G.E. Profile units…but, he has yet to do so. I think the only time he was responsive was when I had to cut a check for the condo…since then…we will just say “responsive” and his name do not belong in the same book…possibly even in the same hemisphere. So, after putting everything in tip-top shape…Randi and I were ready to head out.

Randi, Henry and I crashed at our friend’s the Gillespie’s for about 10 days as we packed everything up and prepared to move. A special thanks to David and Andrea for being so hospitable while we crashed at their place…complete with dog.

Randi and I also had to decide what to do with our cars. We sold the Saab right off and then we decided to keep my Land Cruiser…as it was/is my “dream” car and I am just beginning the process of building it into an “expedition” vehicle that I plan to someday cruise all over the North American continent with a few friends. Randi’s parents and uncle were nice enough to offer to keep the vehicle at their house during our absence…although I had several other offers to “watch” the vehicle why I was gone. Several individuals, who shall remain nameless, were extremely eager to get their hands on it.

We are still in the process of selling Randi’s Pathfinder and we are hoping that it will be sold by the end of the month…we hate to see it go…but, we can’t justify keeping two cars while we are out of the country. So, if anyone is interested in a fully loaded 2004 Pathfinder with less than 30k on the odometer…let me know. Sorry for the sales pitch…did I mention it is four-wheel drive?

Finally on the morning of March 6, 2007 Randi and I headed out. Well, headed to the Memphis International Airport early in the AM. Randi was worried that we were going to miss our flight and her parents decided to meet us there...so we had to get there a little earlier than normal. Randi’s parents help up pretty well, although her Mom did break into tears as we said our good-byes. They are not quite use to the “globe-trotting” lifestyle that Randi and I were embarking on. I am kind of used to flying all over God’s green earth and my parents, I suspect, are fairly use to it. Let this be a warning to all the single men out there…lesson one on how not to score points with the in-laws. Do not, and I repeat do not, tell your in-laws that you are moving their only daughter and only child to China just a few months after you get married. I have to admit they have been pretty good about it.

Randi and I arrived safe and sound on the 7^th in our new home along with my two co-workers/friends. We immediately went to check on Henry to make sure he survived the flight. I have honestly never seen a dog that “stressed out” before. I think his first flight, seeing how it was close to 20 hours and crossed numerous time zones, was a little stressful on the little guy. None the less he made it in one piece and as best as I can tell he did not use the bathroom in his kennel…apparently he has a strong bladder.

At this point in time, we are pretty much moved in and settled into our apartment. We had to stay at a hotel for about 10 days while our furniture made its’ way over here and all the apartment items were taken care of and switched over. Henry unfortunately had to stay in a kennel…he refers to this period as his Chinese Prison days…but, it wasn’t that bad. Randi and I were able to visit him once and it was an average kennel in the Chinese country side. I think Henry has just gotten spoiled sleeping on his feather bed and being tucked in every night by my wife. He is indeed a piece of work.

So, we were pretty excited when we were able to move into our new place. We are living on Victoria Peak which is on the Hong Kong Island part of Hong Kong. Hong Kong also has the Kowloon “side” as well as the New Territories. The island is definitely a lot more exciting and full of energy. Victoria Peak or “The Peak” is basically the top of the mountain that overlooks the city. It is a great area and we have some fantastic views of the city and the surrounding seas. We were fortunate to find a place up there within our budget as the area is extremely expensive. It is a great place for Henry as there are parks and trails all over the mountain. He loves going for walks and spotting all the new wildlife that he is not quite use to yet. As he is a birddog, he has an intense fascination with anything that flies. Unfortunately, being on the peak there are some large birds of prey that like to fly around…I think Henry is still sizing them up…or it could be the other way around.

Our apartment is great, we are living in a complex called “The Mount Austin”, I know it sounds a little “high-brow” but, I think if you add a “the” in front of anything you get the same feel. Go ahead and experiment with that one…start adding ”the” in front of everything at work or at home and see how people react. My pen…I mean “the pen” has taking on a whole cult following now…everyone wants to write with “the pen”…nothing special about my Pilot…except I added “the” to it.

We have a small three bedroom place with two bathrooms. It is roughly the same size as our condo in Memphis…so the transition was easy. We have great views from all of our rooms, we look down on the Pok Fu Lam reservoir and then the South China Sea…it is pretty cool to relax on the sofa and watch the ships go buy in the distance…very cool. We have hit IKEA numerous times to get all the little stuff that makes a place your home and we are really starting to get comfortable. Since our condo was only a one bedroom place in Memphis; we are still lacking guest bedroom furniture but, we are going to meet with a builder this weekend and hopefully we will be well on our way to having some furniture for our future guests. It is actually pretty inexpensive to get furniture made here…you can basically take the builders a picture of what you want (say a Pottery Barn catalog) and they will draw it up and then build it once everything is settled. We also have to get new bedroom furniture for our bedroom as the rooms are a little smaller. So, for the time being we are sleeping on the mattress which is parked squarely on the floor. It’s great, Henry’s bed is snuggled up right next to ours…so, when I wake up in the morning I get to either look squarely into Henry’s big brown nose…or if I am unfortunate…I get a canine butt shot…what a way to wake-up. We are pretty sure Henry enjoys being at eye-level with us, as in the middle of the night he has a tendency to covertly crawl into bed with us and snuggle himself up right between Randi and I.

As far as Hong Kong goes, we are definitely learning our way around and we definitely do not feel like tourists anymore. We can negotiate the streets with ease, the MTR (Mass Transit Rail) is an old friend and we know where streets cross and how to get from point A to point B with relative ease. Randi has the Central area down fairly well as that is where she is working and I have the Southern, Central, Eastern and Peak down pat. We purchased a car shortly after we got here and I have been zipping my way all around Hong Kong for the past month or so. I love driving in Hong Kong as you really get a feel for the city and you definitely learn your way around. I have been temporarily disoriented a few times…but, since we are on an island there is no fear of getting lost…sooner or later you are going to hit something that is familiar.

Randi is still a little nervous about driving…the streets are narrow and the buses and the mini-buses drive with little regards for the well being of those they share the streets with. I have seen several mini-bus drivers that are geared up as if they were preparing for the Daytona 500.

I had a run-in with a mini-bus driver yesterday that was geared up with sunglasses (Aviator style), black driving gloves and a bandana around his head...I think he was the Tom Cruise from Days of Thunder of Hong Kong. He was driving his mini-bus like he was at the wheel of a Porsche Carerra GT…tailgating me like he was drafting me on the final turn at Daytona. He was all about trying to cut people off and take them off the line. We squared up at a red light, he veered over into the left lane…a lane that ended right after the light…he knew it but, he thought he would get the drop on me. The lights in Hong Kong are just the same as in the US…the only difference is that you always transition between Yellow…even when you are going from Red to Green. So, when that light turned Yellow he gunned it off the line. I let him have about half a mini-bus length before I let the car off the line…just enough room to make him think he had me. I quickly closed the gap and he had to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting the parked delivery truck blocking the lane. Sure enough I got the evil eye from him as he realized he was now pinned and was going to have to wait for the 20+ cars behind me to pass before he could pull back-out…lesson learned…you never mess with an American behind the wheel. It’s a lesson he soon won’t forget.

I have yet to see a speed-limit sign in Hong Kong…so generally everyone moves at about 60kmh through the city which is just about 37mph. I have to admit…there are a lot of bad drivers in Hong Kong…and I mean really bad drivers. I think the fact is that most people have never driven outside of Hong Kong and when you drive in a small area your whole life, you really don’t get that much of a driving experience. For the most part…the drivers are extremely slow…extremely cautious and ride their brakes like it was their national pastime. They also stop for no apparent reason and don’t think about using your turn signals…apparently they don’t teach that in drivers’ education. The most enjoyable part of driving in Hong Kong is sharing the road with the 8 trillion taxis. To them time is money and they are not afraid to take a mile even if you don’t give them an inch. When it comes to taxis you have to fight for the road…otherwise you are going too screwed. All-in-all I am enjoying it…Randi was a little worried when I first started driving and occasionally she will still close her eyes and let out a little shriek…but, I have told her driving in Hong Kong is cake compared to driving in Iraq.

Randi is working at Robert Half here in Hong Kong and she is enjoying it much more so than she did in the US. The work environment is about a thousand times better and the “fear” culture that existed in Memphis does not exist here. Although, Randi has to adjust to working without the constant threat of being fired every day; I am not sure what management school the Memphis management people went to but, I am pretty confident having your employees constantly fearing for their jobs is not the best method to maintaining happy employees…maybe that is why they had such a high-turnover in Memphis…could it be? Needless to say, Randi is much happier here and her colleagues are great people. I think she will really enjoy it over the next few years.

As far as the reason why we are in Hong Kong, my job is going great. We just got back from Australia and finished up our first project. It looks like we are going to be fairly busy over the course of the next fiscal year. We will be traveling a lot and really getting to see a lot of the Asia Pacific area. The group of people I am working with our second to none and we have hired three great locals that are going to augment our team and really create a stellar group. I see this group growing over the next few years as China and the Asia Pacific area are in such a high growth stage right now. FedEx is definitely committed to the area and I am sure we will see our business grow rapidly here over the next few years. It is hard to believe but, we have been in this area for over 20 years now, I do have to say Fred Smith has made some excellent strategic decisions. We are in a great position to capitalize on the current economic growth that is occurring all over the region. The office here is great; we are working out of the Asia Pacific headquarters in Cyberport, which is a new high-tech development on the Western side of the island. The folks are extremely nice and everyone has been very helpful. We have had to get use to their work culture…they don’t joke around as much as we do in the States and when we joke around with them, they don’t often get it right away. So, there are some learning curves there…as expected.

Randi and I are both learning a bit of Cantonese here and there and we are supposed to be starting our Mandarin lessons soon. I can’t wait to learn Mandarin and it is one of my goals to be conversational by the time we leave.

We are definitely looking forward to having visitors and we will guarantee that you will enjoy your time here…the food is marvelous and the place is amazing…so much to see and do.

Till next time.

Hong Kong Chapter I - January 19, 2007

All –

Randi and I arrived on the 17th in Hong Kong, China. One day later than planned thanks to an “engine issue” on our airplane coming out of Los Angeles. Our flight was delayed over three hours and by the time we made it to Japan, all the flights out had already departed. Luckily, Northwest Airlines stepped up to the plate and had flights for the next day booked, rooms for the night, dinner coupons and buses for transportation. As far as delays go, this was probably the best delay that I have ever experienced. We flew out on the morning of the 17th and finally arrived in Hong Kong on the afternoon of the 17th. I think Randi thoroughly enjoyed the travel experience, as this was her first long flight flying Business Class and I am pretty sure she enjoyed it more than flying coach.

The Sheraton in Kowloon, where we are staying, is great. The hotel apparently was renovated a few years ago and they did an excellent job. The service has been great, the room is small but very nice and the food has been great. The morning buffet is phenomenal; we are both enjoying the cooked-to-order omelets.

We had our first house hunting/orientation day on Thursday the 18th. We spent the morning getting a great tour of Hong Kong, all the areas and some important local information. Hong Kong is a great city, busy, large and full of energy. It is definitely a vertical city and if you try to see the tops of all the buildings you might end up hurting your neck. We’ve visited almost all the areas of Hong Kong and the New Territories. From Repulse Bay to The Mid-Levels we have been all over the island. It is amazing how different and distinct the areas of Hong Kong are. There are slammed urban areas and then you can head to Victoria Peak and feel like you are in a mountain resort area. It is great.



The afternoon of the 18th we began checking out apartments. You definitely have to approach the apartment living concept a bit differently here. The apartments are a lot smaller and the builders firmly believe that the number of bedrooms in an apartment is much more important than the size of the bedrooms. Additionally, don’t plan on walk-in closets as some of the bedrooms are smaller than an average walk-in closet. It is very different…but in a good way…just one that may take a little time to adjust to. IKEA is probably a life saver here as you need to maximize the utilization of your space to the nth degree. I think Randi was a little discouraged (maybe even terrified) but after day two, it helped it all sink in a little – and it was helpful to see a furnished flat to see that it really is possible to live in small spaces like these. It will just be a more minimalist style of living.

We are traveling around with Rosalie and Donald. Rosalie is our relocation expert; she is a wonderful lady that handles just about everything. She is originally Australian but has lived all over the world and is calling Hong Kong home right now. She designs jewelry in her spare time and knows Hong Kong. Donald is our real estate man, a native young man from Hong Kong, and he is quiet but very good. He is quick to pick up on what you like and what you don’t like and he will through out his commitments with little abandon.

So, on Friday the 19th we hit the ground again looking at over a dozen apartments all over the city. We found several wonderful places and currently narrowed our list down to three, three apartments that we have to go back and review on Monday to ensure that we pick the right one. You really have to sacrifice a few things here and there to get the right place. Having Henry we have had to eliminate 80% of the properties that were shown to us as there are certainly some places that are not Henry friendly. Having said that, we have still found a few properties that are great and we will hopefully find one that works out well. There are some really great places and our short list is spread all over Hong Kong Island from the South to the North. I have to say there are some real gems on this island you just have to have patience and an open mind. You really have to throw out about 90% of your US views and re-center yourself into thinking differently.

Food, you want to talk about food, there is some amazing food on this island. You can basically have anything you want from Italian to Mexican. We have had some delicious Thai, Chinese, Mexican and American food since arriving in Hong Kong. The food is relatively affordable and absolutely delicious. Yesterday we saw our first Krispy Kreme in Hong Kong. It’s a very recent and new addition to Hong Kong – our relocation agent has never tried a Krispy Kreme donut. Randi is pretty psyched about having a Krispy Kreme in town…did it smell the same…you bet. Talk about an interesting site…a busy Hong Kong street with the sweet smell of Krispy Kreme…yummy!

The weekend is upon us and we are going to relax and enjoy Hong Kong. We are planning on meeting up with my friend Scott, whom I worked with in Iraq and his family today. Who knows what else we will do…the weekend is open. Monday we will start heavy again, looking at more apartments, checking out banks, furniture and all the other things one must do as you move across the world. I hope all of you are well, wherever you are.

- MWF

Time for Randi’s thoughts…

The city is HUGE – the apartments are TINY. It’s going to be an interesting adjustment to life in Hong Kong. I will probably cry when I have to part with lots of friends, clothes, shoes, and leave other misc. things behind….but it’s a great opportunity to live in another part of the world and appreciate all the unacknowledged luxuries you have at home. But the people we have met here are great and will be a big help in adjusting to life in Asia. There is so much to see and do – we hope to have lots of visitors from the States – that is, if the size of the bedrooms doesn’t scare you off! And with all the walking to get around here, maybe I’ll finally whip my butt into shape! J (or just walk straight to the Krispy Kreme…)

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE SOON!

-RKF

So this is cold...

So, we woke up this morning to find ourselves in the coldest day we have yet to experience in Hong Kong. Now...prepare yourself for the temperature...7 degrees Celsius...that's right 44.6 degrees Fahrenheit. So, at this point you are probably asking yourself, "why is that cold?" Well, it is cold...especially for Hong Kong. Now, that is not to say that Randi and I are wearing our The North Face goose down parkas (like some in Hong Kong are), but we did put jackets on this morning and that is a first. I wouldn't say that it is really that cold...but, like many places it just isn't prepared for the cold. A lot of places don't have heat and I would say that their heating systems are not the best. We are fortunate that our place has built in heaters...but, many places do not.

Now, I have to remind myself that "cold" is not really "cold" until there is ice and snow on the ground. I am hoping that it does not get that cold here...if it does...heaters will be the last of our worries as I am fairly confident that Hong Kong has zero ice and snow capabilities...much less a single snow shovel.

So, where does that take us...well, it takes us to a little place I like to call..."chili time". That is right, I am thinking that this weather may call for breaking out the world famous Mark Farage chili recipe...now, if I can just find a place that has an open fire and a NFL football game on...as that is the proper way to eat a bowl of chili...in front of a fire while watching "improper" football.

2008...Where did the time go???

So, obviously it has been awhile since I have posted some entries on this blog. It has been a bit busy of late but, 2008 is the year to kick this sucker back up. Have I been busy...you bet you. What has happened since the last post...well...try the following: (1) I got married; (2) changed positions and moved to a different operating company where I work; and (3) moved to the other side of the world...Hong Kong. So, Randi and I are living in Hong Kong...literally on the other side of the world from Memphis. I am sticking in a picture of our new home in Hong Kong.