Happy Valentine's Day and the vacation is over...

Well, the vacation is over. Randi and I arrived back in Hong Kong yesterday a little bit before noon and nothing says "vacation over" like immediately heading back to work. I dropped Randi off at her office and then I headed to mine...sounds fun...right?

Well, Randi is officially a certified PADI Open Water Diver and I completed my PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification as well. Here is a quick picture of Randi after one of her dives...doesn't she look like a professional after a long day in the water


We had a blast in Boracay and it was difficult to come back; however, it was also nice to come back. It is always good to sleep in your own bed and we were both missing Henry a bit. To say that Henry was excited to see us, would be an enormous understatement. I have not seen that dog shake so violently with excitement in a long time, if ever. I was scared that his butt was going to come off. He spent a solid 20 minutes running around, shaking his butt, and bringing various toys to us to play with. He was definitely excited.

I don't really know the best way to wrap-up or final days in Boracay...other than to say they were fantastic. Randi ended up doing about four dives and I ended up doing a total of eight dives. To be honest I was actually a little tired after the final day of diving.

I started the day (11th) with an awesome deep water dive off of Boracay at a site called Yapak II. This was an absolutely incredible dive to say the least. I have to admit I was actually a little nervous/excited about this dive before hand. the dive was scheduled for a total of four people - two divemasters and two divers. Due to the fairly technical nature of the dive it was a recommended one-to-one dive...at least for the first time...by technical I mean: negative-entry, deep water (in excess of 33 meters), navigation (compass), and strong current. Additionally, it was a shark dive with the opportunity to see some whitetip reef sharks. So, you add all that up and I was experiencing a little bit of the nerves and a bunch of excitement. Randi will tell you if there is a little danger involved and a lot of unknown...I will be the first to jump in (in this case literally). So, the other diver and one of the divemasters didn't show up for the 7:30am dive which left Jeco (the other dive master) and me for the dive. To add to the excitement it was really windy and the waves were actually fairly large as we motored out to the dive site. The waves were actually in the 3 to 5 foot range which is actually pretty large. The New Wave Divers (the awesome diving company we picked) website has the following description for the dive:

Start Depth: 30 meters
Maximum Depth: 40 meters
Rating: *****
Description: Yapak 1 and 2 are actually two separate walls which begin at 30 meters and drop down to 70 meters. The most famous of Boracay’s dive sites, close encounters with white tip and grey reef sharks, dogtooth tuna, groupers, napoleon wrasses and giant trevallies are common. Surface conditions can be rough, and therefore a negative entry is often required, followed by a spectacular blue-water descent.

So, the "idea" behind this dive is that you do a negative entry (because of the waves and current) and meet up under water around 5 meters. Then you find your bearing (compass) as you are in deep blue water (100 meters) and then you swim with the current while descending down to around 33 to 35 meters - where if you were dropped off in the right location and found your bearing you end up on an awesome wall that slopes slowly up to the island. You then swim along the wall and get to take in the whole experience. Jeco pretty much described it as "God's Theater". He also stated that this was his favorite dive...it is now mine as well.

So, by the time we got to the dive site; I was pretty much pumped up for the dive. We donned our gear, deflated our BCDs (since we needed to do a negative entry) and got wet. Just going into the water was awesome as it was a deep blue and you are literally surrounded by water with nothing but blue water all around you. It was the definition of a blue-water descent. Jeco and I met up at 5 meters and then we headed down while checking our bearing and direction of descent every 5 meters or so. As we approached 30 meters it was as if the world just opened up. Suddenly the wall came into view and thousands of fish were everywhere. We headed to the wall and basically perched ourselves at the edge of a drop-off (down to 70 meters) and sat there just watching the fish for a bit. It was awesome. Due to the depth our bottom-time was limited. So, after about five minutes we just started to drift along the wall taking in the sites as spectators to God's awesome underwater creation. We saw baby sharks, tuna, and just about a hundred different kinds of fish. It was incredible. As our No Decompression Limits (NDL) got closer and closer we slowly swam up the wall a little bit more to extend our bottom time. Unfortunately our NDL came and we had to ascend up to our 5 meter safety stop depth. Ascending was pretty spectacular as well...as you slowly left the underwater world and were again surrounded by just deep blue water...it was as if the doors to the theater had just been shut. After our safety stop we surfaced and tried to find our boat; as the current is pretty strong we ended up probably 300 meters away from the boat. We signaled the boat and they made their way over to us. just sitting in the water waiting on the boat was pretty cool as well...as you are just floating on the surface...hanging out and you really realize how small we are and how large the oceans are. Very cool. Well, since the seas were pretty rough Jeco told me be prepared to grab onto the boat. So, the boat motored in on us and due to the swells it was pretty challenging to grab onto the grab ropes but, we made it. We got our gear off while attempting to avoid being bashed up against the side of the boat and climbed on board. All in all I have to say it was an awesome dive and definitely an experience that I would like to repeat. So, for those of you who dive and those of you who want to...get certified and come over to Hong Kong. We will take a two day trip over to Boracay and get a few dives in and we will definitely hit Yapak.

Randi and I spent our final night in Boracay at Cafe Del Mar...the same place we started our vacation. We enjoyed another beautiful sunset and we totally relaxed as we reflected on our first true vacation as a married couple. I've attached a few pictures of our final sunset...I have done absolutely nothing to these pictures.

As the sun slowly set, the small sailboats sailing along the beach made for a truly remarkable scene.

After the sun had finally set; the sky really became an absolutely beautiful canvas.

With a nice lantern on our table we enjoyed the final moments of the evening in full Technicolor.

So, we are back in Hong Kong and glad to be back although we will miss Boracay...and definitely the warmer tropical weather. Last night we found out that Randi's parents are going to come visit in April so, that will be fun. If you are planning to come visit us, remember that our two years is up in February of 2009...so plan your trips now.

Boracay...dare I say Paradise???

Well...Randi and I are in Boracay and it sounds like it is a much better place to be than Memphis right now. We hope that all of our friends and family, in the greater Memphis area and Tennessee, are safe and sound after yesterday's severe weather. Our thoughts and our prayers will be with those who lost loved ones, who were injured, suffered damage, and/or experienced the tornadoes.

Meanwhile in the tropical island of Boracay all is well. Randi and I left Hong Kong yesterday morning via Cathay Pacific. Unfortunately we did not leave exactly on time. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 0805 in the morning; however we actually took off closer to 1000. Once we were all boarded on the aircraft (it never happens before you board) a "fuel pump" indicator issue arouse. This resulted in the mechanics having to replace a fuel pump on one of the engines. Now, don't get me wrong when you are about to travel several hundred miles over the South China Sea...you definitely want all of your fuel pumps working. But, let's be honest...why do these problems always crop up once you are on the airplane when there is no where to go? So, needless to say Randi and I sat in our economy seats for almost two hours on the tarmac (at the gate) in Hong Kong before heading off to the Philippines. This would normally not have been an issue; however, we had to catch a puddle-jumper to Caticlan so we could then catch a boat to Boracay. So, the late departure threw our original flight to Caticlan right out the window. I have to give credit to Randi and I both, as we were extremly calm and not worried...we just figured we aren't in Hong Kong and we will surely make it to Boracay eventually.

Well, we finally took off and had a safe flight to the Philippines. Once in the Philippines we had to go from the international terminal to the domestic terminal at the Manila International Airport (Ninoy Aquino International Airport - MNL) which, is an experience by itself. Here is a quick briefing for those of you who may be tempted to visit one of the smaller islands in the Philippines...highly recommended by the way.

(1.) You have to fly into MNL from wherever you are departing; this is the easiest step.
(2.) Once you land and deplane you have to make your way to immigration. You will stand in a long line looking at two flat screen televisions that continually say "Welcome to the Philippines" while sweating like a woman with questionable morals attending a Southern Baptist Church service in a bikini.
(3.) You've made it through immigration (no visa required) and you will find yourself in one of the most chaotic baggage collection areas you may ever see. Now, Randi and I decided to go carry-on so we skipped this part. Let's be honest if you have to check luggage for a trip to the beach you packed way too much stuff. All you need are some bathing suits, a couple of t-shirts, maybe one "dressy" outfit, some sandals, sunscreen, a toothbrush, and some toothpaste. Everything else is fluff. Randi and I both packed enough for a full week into two very small carry-on rollers. So, if Randi can do it you can too. I also have to say I was very proud of Randi for packing so little and for packing so quickly (under an hour). Back to our guide of surviving MNL.
(4.) You have your bags (checked or unchecked - congratulate yourself) and now you will make your way outside and decide on your mode of transport.
(5.) Option 1 - Taxi: You step outside into a hot, humid oven and you are immediately "propositioned" by taxi drivers. These are supposedly the unregistered guys - so steer clear. You want to take a "registered" taxi so, you have to cross the pick-up lane and you will clearly see a labeled registered taxi stand (look for the "taxi qeue". You proceed into the stand tell the guy behind the counter where you want to go and you will get a registered "slip". You need to take that "slip" outside and then you get into a qeue (line) and wait for a taxi. When it is your turn you hand the "slip" to the driver and you are off like a dirty shirt.
(5.) Option 2 - Airport Shuttle: You step outside into the same hot, humid oven but, you do not cross the pick-up lane; instead you head to your right and go to the "airport shuttle" holding area. Now, this is not a "special" area by any chance, there are some blue chairs and a large yellow handicapped parking square painted on the lane and a sign that says "airport shuttle". There are also some official baggage handlers with their blue numbered shirts. Here you will sort of form a qeue (line) and wait for a shuttle. Once the shuttle arrives you will pile in (you may climb over some pre-loaded luggage) and attempt to find a seat, a place to stand, or a good solid piece of luggage to sit on.
(6.) You head towards the domestic terminal through streets that are packed with cars and drivers who choose to ignore those pesky lane dividers. I have driven in some crazy places in my life and this is probably in the top ten. Like many places, you make your own traffic rules.
(7.) You have arrived in one piece, so say a quick "thank-you prayer", approximately 30 minutes to an hour after you have landed.

Now, once you are at the domestic terminal the fun really begins. It looks like you are stepping into chaos and in reality you actually are. You now need to find the ticketing office of the airline (I use that term rather loosely) that you are flying to the outer islands. You will have to purchase your ticket (cash or credit card) as most of the smaller airlines do not let you pre-pay for the ticket. You can pre-book but you can't pre-pay. Don't ask me...I just work here. Anyway, the domestic terminal is a bit crazy; there are a lot of armed security guards (all friendly) and a lot of little airlines (Cebu Pacific, Asian Spirit, South East Asian Airlines, etc.). Randi and I flew Asian Spirit and it was actually a great experience. There is a good bit of security and you will pass through three security checks. The first check is just to get into the terminal, you have to show the guards your passport and your ticket. Once you are inside the men are separated from the women...seriously there are separate security lines. You will proceed down your line (hopefully, I don't have to tell you which one) and have your luggage searched and you will more than likely be physically searched. Remember, that it is best to be the happy foreigner that is wearing a big smile and have fun with all of this...as it is for your safety. I think Abu-Sayyaf is still a big problem in the Philippines but, not big enough that you should be discouraged from visiting. After the first security check you are in the "terminal" where you need to find the hand written sign with your flight and airline on it. Here you will have your baggage weighed and checked for boarding (only one small carry-on). I believe the luggage limit on the smaller flights is 10kg or 22lbs so make sure you go light or be prepared to pay for the extra weight. They will tag your bag with a very small tag (no fancy labels here) and it will disappear into the depths of the domestic terminal. You will also notice that the Philippines apparently has no OSHA. We saw people (workers) crawling over belts, riding the belts, crawling into the baggage holes and a whole lot more. If you could take pictures in here...you would have some great ones. Next you have to pay the airport tax so, you take your tickets to one of the four tax booths and you pay your 200 peso tax per person. Now that you have paid for the privilege of the domestic terminal experience you head to another security check. Here boys and girls get to stick together. Your luggage is checked again and you are probably physically searched again, just in case you decided to grab a little kid and tuck him into your pants while checking your baggage and getting your boarding pass. Hopefully you make it through security and then you make your way into the gate area and by "area" I mean a large room filled with a ton of people and about four "gates" (which are really more like doors). Now, surprisingly most folks are pretty happy as they are probably going on vacation or are returning home to visit friends and family...there are no grumpy business travelers here folks. Once in the gate area you are going to need to find your "gate" and you will need to pay attention to the boarding times as I did not hear any boarding calls. I think you need to pay close attention and make sure you head to your "gate" at the appropriate time or you could be swimming to the outer islands. There are no jetways here, you pretty much head out a door...errr...I mean gate...onto a working and busy tarmac...so, keep your head on a swivel. Prior to heading out to the tarmac you may be searched again; I think this is for the shady looking people...also known as my friends. The airline staff will point to your airplane and you just kind of head towards it while dodging luggage carts, airplanes, fuel trucks, and other passengers.

Randi and I had a pretty good experience through all of this. Since our Cathay flight was late taking off we were late (as in missed) for our booked flight on Asian Spirit to Caticlan. Once we got to the Asian Spirit office we told the friendly agents what had happened and that we really wanted to get to Boracay ASAP. They re-booked us on the same flight for the following day as they informed us that the remaining five flights for the day were all booked. At this point we just figured that we would spend a night in Manila...no harm no foul. Once we were all booked for the following day one of the friendly agents (Neil) told us that we could probably fly stand-by on one of the flights later that day if we were lucky. We paid for our tickets and then he headed into the terminal with us and told us that he would do his best to get us on the next flight. Our original flight was at 1300 and he was going to try and get us on the 1330 flight...it doesn't get better than that. Anyway, he rushed us through the check-in procedures and maintained contact with someone on a radio the whole time. I am assuming that he was talking to the gate agent...as we were the last two to board the airplane and as soon as we were on the stairs were literally being rolled away.

So, after a late flight and an interesting experience making it to and through the domestic terminal we were airborne and headed to Caticlan on a short thirty minute flight. The best part of the flight was this little Asian kid who was probably four or five who kept saying "this guy doesn't want to wait". I guess he was as ready for a vacation as Randi and I. On the flight in you really get to see the beauty of the Philippine islands and the beautiful waters that surround them. The islands have awesome stretches of beaches and the water is a deep emerald blue. Absolutely amazing.

Landing in Caticlan was great...nothing like a short landing on a rough but paved airstrip. Once on Caticlan you basically get handled by your hotel greeter who gets your baggage and gets you in a van for the short lift over to the boats. You will wade out into the water and climb aboard the boat. Your luggage will safely be carried above the heads of the boat guys and handlers...so, you need not worry about wet clothes. Albeit, you may want to pack light not only for the 10kg limit but, also to make sure your luggage is not inadvertently dropped into the ocean. So, the key here is wear pants that you can either roll-up or just wear shorts and make sure you can easily slip your choice of shoes off or that they are amiable to getting wet.

Randi and I enjoyed a pleasant boat ride to Boracay. Seeing the deep blue water and being able to see the bottom (even though it was extremly deep) is such a contrast to the polluted brown waters surrounding Hong Kong. Once on Boracay our luggage was again handled by some porters and we were ushered into a small open back vehicle for the short ride to our hotel. The ride was awesome, nothing like cruising through tiny streets and getting to see the locals. Boracay is a neat place, if you are looking for an exotic five star lush escape...this is probably not your place. But, if you are looking for pristine beaches, local flavor, and an extremly relaxing atmosphere this is your place. There is even a golf course on the island. Apparently, the island was without electricity until the early 90's, so we are not talking state of the art. The first "resort" is currently being built by the Shangri-La and I am sure more resorts will come in after the first doors are opened there. Right now the island is dotted with small beach front resorts, mom and pop shops, local restaurants and beautiful white powder beaches...beaches with sand that is the consistency of ground cinnamon. Yes, the sand really is that powdery. Apparently that is why Boracay is always in the top ten best beaches...no matter who ranks them. This place is great.

Randi and I got into Boracay around 3:00pm yesterday and made our way to our hotel. We decided to stay at a little boutique hotel, named One Crescent Place, that is off of the beaten path. It had great reviews from www.tripadvisor.com and we really liked the idea of a little hotel with a bit more of a local flavor. We have been nothing but pleased with the hotel thus far. With only fourteen rooms you definitely get personalized service. The front desk attendant even walked us to the beach (literally less than 2 minutes) and pointed stuff out for us. Great service. Everything that we are wanting to do; they will arrange. They actually care about the service that you receive - not only from their hotel, but on the island. We have even met the owner's sister who lives in Hong Kong...a small world. The hotel room is great; stylish in a minimalist sort of way. Very comfortable with ceiling fans, air conditioning, a super clean bathroom, and great lighting...even the bed is comfortable. We are on the second floor and overlook some small local houses complete with crowing roosters in the morning. We really like the place.

Last night we walked on the beach and found a Cafe Del Mar; which is known for their great music. We sat on the beach around a small little table and watched a beautiful sunset while eating fresh seafood and sipping on delicious local calamansi juice with the smooth tunes of Cafe Del Mar playing in the background. It was absolutely relaxing and Randi and I just enjoyed the moment. After dinner we explored the beach area a little more (there really is nothing off of the beach) and spotted a few restaurants that we are going to try in the coming days. We called it an early evening and were in bed by 2100. It was a long but relaxing day.

We started this morning with a breakfast at the hotel. Breakfast is made for you every morning (you can eat it on their wonderful patio or in your room) and this morning we chose the "American" breakfast, eggs, bacon, ham, toast, absolutely divine fresh mango, plus fresh mango juice. It was delicious and we are planning on sampling the pancakes tomorrow. After breakfast we booked snorkeling and massages and then headed out to the beach.

We explored the other end of the beach and spotted a couple nice prospective hotels/resorts for a future stay...just in case we decide to stay beach-front next time. Although, we are currently enjoying our little private oasis. After exploring the beach we headed out for snorkeling. We made our way to the snorkeling spot on the Rod-Angelo, named after the boats owner and his youngest son...by the way we are talking a very small local boat - complete with outriggers. Once at the snorkeling spot the water was crystal clear but the current was a bit strong for Randi. After feeding some beautiful fish (while snorkeling) we decided to just cruise around the island and take in the beauty of Boracay. The boat crew (Marlo and Larry) pointed out the local sites, who lived where, and what was being built where as we ventured around the island. The island is small, probably no more than a mile or two long and probably only a couple thousand meters wide, so it is pretty tiny. Even though it is small it is beautiful and surrounded by some seriously amazing water. I hope that 10 years from now it will not be ruined and turned into just another tourist spot, complete with a Hard Rock Cafe. I am not knocking the Hard Rock (OK...actually I am) but, it is the epitome of a "tourist trap" complete with poor quality food...why anyone ever goes to one to eat is absolutely beyond me. If that were to happen it would be a waste of a beautiful location and be worse for the locals who are extremly friendly and polite. By polite I mean, everyone is referred to as "sir" or "mam" in every establishment...independent of it being a restaurant, grocery store, shop, etc. It is definitely more polite than say...Memphis. I have not heard "watsh ya want" yet from any customer facing employee of any establishment we've been in.

After our excursion around the island and our attempt at snorkeling we walked the beach looking for someplace to eat lunch. We settled on a little restaurant that served pretty good Mexican food and some super sweet iced tea. We had to head back to the hotel for our massages so, lunch was pretty quick. Randi and I decided to each get an hour massage "in room" at the hotel at 1700. Sure, enough at 1700 the front desk called and said our masseuses had arrived. Are we spoiling ourselves? You bet you and so would you when an hour "in room" massage is only 400 pesos or approximately US$10.00. At that rate, we are thinking this may turn into a nightly affair.

Well, that about wraps up our first full day in Boracay...we are currently deciding on walking down to the beach and grabbing something small to eat or just calling it a night and going to bed.

Cheers from Boracay and we will keep you posted. I forgot my SD card reader in Hong Kong so I cannot download any photos and the one computer shop we found was out of stock...so you will just have to be patient.

Today Hong Kong - Tomorrow Boracay!

Today is the last day in Hong Kong for awhile...it is vacation time. Randi and I are headed to Boracay tomorrow morning for a few days...actually six days. We are really looking forward to a nice vacation and we are hoping that the weather in the Philippines will be nicer than the weather has been in Hong Kong. It has been cold and overcast in Hong Kong for the last week or so...very "Memphis" type weather really. I am definitely looking forward to a little sunshine and some beach time. We will keep you posted on our travels as we head South.

Tonight should be an interesting night...I always enjoy watching Randi go through her packing routine. I do have to say Randi and I have absolute opposite packing routines. My "routine" (if you could even call it that) involves opening up a drawer or two and grabbing items and dropping them into the open suitcase below. I of course have some "order" to the packing; I of course make sure that I have the essentials: socks; boxers; shirts; pants; swim trunks; etc. However, that is the extent of my packing plan. Now, on the other hand Randi has a certified routine, that usually involves: writing out a list; matching outfits; narrowing down the selection; etc. I have found, now mind you I have only been married a year, that 40% of the stuff Randi brings never makes it out of the suitcase. I like to call that "excess" where as Randi calls that "back-up". My idea of a "back-up" is a sub-compact Glock; quite the opposite from hers. So, there shall be some packing in the Farage household this evening. I predict that my packing will take about 15 minutes (from start to finish - including a few minutes of wonderment and nostalgia as I find the proverbial thought lost article of clothing) and Randi will take approximately 90 minutes. Perhaps, I can place a wager with her and drop the packing time to under an hour. Wish me luck.

See you in Boracay!

Democracy, Vacation, and the end of January...

Well, it is hard to believe that the first month in 2008 is already behind us. One cool thing about living in Hong Kong is the fact that we are almost a half a day ahead of our family and friends in the US. Thus, it is always fun to call them in the morning and tell them that the day is going to be a good day, “Dad, Friday is going to be a great day…it was for us.” Randi and I had “dinner and drink” events Thursday night to finish off January. Randi had drinks with our friends Caryn and Jerry. Caryn works for W.L. Gore and Jerry owns his own business and is involved in consulting with oil companies. He is headed to Saudi Arabia for a business trip and I am sure we will have some great conversations when he returns. Meanwhile, I had dinner with my fellow FedEx Express ex-pats and one of our FedEx Trade Network (FTN) attorneys, John. I met John in Hong Kong almost one year ago when I was involved on a special project involving FTN. He is a great guy from Memphis and it was good to hear some stories from home. Apparently, we are not the only ones getting unseasonably cool weather. John informed us that it has been in the teens and low twenties in Memphis…which is cold…no matter where you live. February is going to be a great month. Randi and I are taking our first real vacation to the island of Boracay in the Philippines and then I will be heading to China for another project for the second half of the month. Boracay is supposed to be absolutely beautiful and we have heard nothing but good things from friends who have visited the island. Randi is hoping to learn how to scuba dive on this trip; that way she will be able to join me on some underwater diving adventures in the future. It is hard to believe but the end of February will mark one year in Hong Kong and it has indeed moved along very quickly; this will put is halfway through my assignment.

Now a few words from Randi…

Hmmm....words from me?....Well, I was supposed to write this on Feb 1 and now it's Feb 3, so from that you can deduct 1 of 4 things: 1.) I'm at work; 2.) I'm stressed; 3.) I need a vacation; and/or 4.) All of the above.

But honestly....(well, that is pretty honest)....I haven't sent one of my typical update emails since before Christmas. Christmas was a nice holiday once Mark's family arrived after a very chaotic travel schedule complete with uncooperative winter weather in the US and UK that left them stuck in London Heathrow for 14 hours (yes, sitting in Heathrow for 14 consecutive hours) and arriving in HK with no luggage after taking nearly 2 days en route. I think Mark and I will soon have to accept that requiring our families to fly anywhere to visit us seems to cause either: a.) natural disasters (the earthquake and flash-flooding that left my parents traveling nearly 3 days and arriving in Hawaii less than 24 hours before the wedding in Maui) or b.) logistical nightmares that paralyze the air travel industry on an international scale. I will contend that the real culprit behind the Hawaii debacle was a 4.2 ounce bottle of Clinique moisturizer and those rigid TSA rules about liquids, gels, and aerosols.

As for an update about life in HK...nothing really notable to add to the list of 257 of the craziest things I've eaten since living here. The last mass email sent had pics of the pigeon head for dinner in November attached but for some reason wasn't accepted by several email servers...how could pigeon head possibly be spam?? That's quality stuff. I have to say Mark's parents and brother were brave in trying the local flavors we offered them. Granted we were a bit tame...no internal organs, exposed heads, feet, eyeballs, anything with the viscosity of sinus drainage, etc...although neither us nor my friends could talk them into sampling the chicken feet with yum cha (dim sum) at lunch. Some things you just have to try.

The latest and greatest thing going on now is Chinese New Year. For us I suppose it would equate to a 4 day Christmas. It is the most important holiday of the year - most locals spend time with with family, have big meals, give red packets holding cash gifts (lai see), etc. This year marks the Year of the Rat. Allegedly the Year of the Rat symbolizes wealth, charm, and order...and here I was connoting it with death, disease, and filth....uneducated gweilo (white person)...what was was I thinking???

As for the expatriate community during CNY, most people take a holiday (vacation) and head out of town. We will be spending about a week in Boracay, Philippines. I cannot wait! I am so excited for some beach time. Boracay comes highly recommended as it is one of the few uncommercialized and naturally beautiful strips of beach around...and unlike a lot of similar destinations in Asia, western tourists aren't targeted and solicited so heavily to give money, buy useless souvenirs, and whatnot. From my understanding, it's a getaway with little more than a few restaurants/bars, beach, diving, and water sports. Yahoo consistently ranks it as one of the world's Top 10 Beaches...and what's good enough for Yahoo is good enough for me. I'm sure there will be future posts on flickr.com, so we will keep you updated.

Also soon to come out on Flickr maybe...I was on my way to the office today to do some catch up (on a Sunday afternoon--sigh) when I found myself in a Chinese protest march. The shouting, signs, and flags were all in Chinese so I have no idea what it was about. I'm sure onlookers and protesters were wondering where the clueless gwei mui (white girl) came from...just another typical I Love Lucy moment in life. Most likely it was a pro-democracy demonstration since reaction to China's decision to delay the possibility for universal suffrage in HK until 2017 (instead of 2012) has not been good. Ideas toward democracy here are as interesting as they are controversial - worth Googling "politics of Hong Kong" sometime. Anyway, I walked in the back of the protest march -- with the cops in case these usually very docile and non-confrontational Chinese suddenly went all Orange Mound on everyone (to non-Memphians that means homicidally crazy) -- until I found a way to get around; only then to try to cross the street when the light changed and left me stuck in oncoming traffic that involved multiple double-decker buses. Yet another predictable moment from I Love Lucy...one day I expect to go schizophrenic and hear Desi Arnaz's rebuking Cuban voice in my head when I do the absent-minded things I do. I have pics from the action I will try to post soon.

So until next time - Happy Chinese New Year...Kong Hei Fat Choi!!! We will update you on Boracay and the latest Hong Kong-isms later in February.