"... one man's attempt to tell the world what life in Hong Kong is really like, behind the glitzy marketing of travel magazines, shopping paradises, stereotypes and glossy pop culture. "

Notes

Add 10%, Please

Here's a tip: when ordering numerous pieces of furniture from IKEA, it's worth every penny of the 10% surcharge to have them build and install the units when they deliver.

It took three workers a couple of hours to assemble three closets, a bed frame, a night table and a bookcase. Judging by the thickness of the booklet for the main bedroom closet, I'm certain that if I'd opted to assemble the furniture myself, I'd still be at it 24 hours later.

Even with the service, it took most of one day to get the house back in order, and I'm not yet finished. It took less time to do the initial cleanup after being flooded than it has to start fresh, but I'm not complaining: the insurance company took a month to pay our claim.

After two days of clearing away the old to make way for the new, I'm knackered, but I shudder to think how exhausted I'd be if I had to build everything on my own.

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Go and Jump No More

I had to stiff-arm a guy who was so impatient that he cut in front of a bunch of people in the queue and then tried an end run around me on the train platform while a large group of people were exiting the carriage.

After blocking him I gently touched his shoulder and said: "Please wait." What I really wanted to do was grab him by the collar and haul him backwards, but although it would have been satisfying, it wouldn't have taught him proper manners.

I have no idea whether the soft approach worked, but here's hoping.

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10 Seconds Well Spent

I was approaching a taxi queue when I noticed an elderly fellow with a cane slowly making his way toward the cab I'd intended to take.

Obviously he'd seen it first, but he stopped, thinking I was going to sneak in ahead of him. But since I'm not a tool, I called for him to continue (and to take his time), and then opened the door for him. He was quite happy.

My good deed for the day completed, I jumped into the next cab. The first thing the driver said was: "You are a nice guy."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you let the old man go first."

It was a reminder that people often observe the things you do, even when you think no one is paying attention. I was glad that my actions helped set a good example, but I take no credit for it, my dad raised me that way.

Besides, what kind of a jerk would snake a senior citizen to save 10 seconds?

Time is all we have; spending it to help someone else is always worthwhile.

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Lost

I lost my mobile phone, but did not have high hopes that whoever found it would make an effort to locate me; sadly few people are that honest these days.

No matter, because when compared with tragedies befalling folks the world over, losing a phone is nothing to freak out about. Especially when the model is basic and inexpensive, which mine was, by choice (I don't need a phone that does everything under the Sun, and I already have an iPod Touch, so an iPhone is low on the priority list).

The best part is that in Hong Kong all you have to do is contact your service provider, have them deactivate the SIM card (so the jerk who found the phone and decided to be a tool can't make long-distance calls to Nigeria), and then pick up the replacement card with the same phone number, the same day if you wish. Along with a new phone, of course.

The new unit cost even less than the old one.

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Hong Kong Hostages

By now you've heard of the hostage crisis in the Philippines involving a bus full of Hong Kong tourists.

We watched the news unfold live and were appalled by the keystone cops handling of the situation on the ground. Of the 15 hostages, 10 are dead, and five survived with injuries.

I can only hope there is a special place in Hell for the douchebag who thought he could get his job back by killing a bunch of innocent travellers.

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