Girls Night

Apparently when in HK you need money to go out and when I say money, I mean SERIOUS money! It's crazy - alcohol has a higher tax than anything else. Also,when in HK it is mandatory to go and do some things out on the town.

Dancing at my apartment to kick off the night

Being old - we are now sensible - we kill the dancing to line our stomachs!
Last week, after a very long and crazy week at work, it was time to hit the town for a girls' night to treat ourselves. Of course being the poor, newly moved here, broke teachers that we are, we started at my house with bubbles and dancing to old school R'n'B and then headed to the legendary, although not so amazingly talent filled, Lang Kwai Fong.

One of the thousands of taxis photos that surfaced

Staying alive/Dancing Queen down rat alley!
Tequilla!!!

After a mandatory Tequila shot, it was off to 'Al's Diner' to suss out the 'one must do while in HK' Jello shots! Totally, totally strong and not to be taken lightly - there was even a trick to it!

Orange flavoured Jello Shot!

What it actually tastes like -STRONG!!!!

Next off to Stormies - stand on the street bar - to meet up with some more girlie's and then off to the Cavern for stage dancing and a live band - free entry by a friend who knew the doorman saved us $100 and then from then on, good old Wan Chai till dawn

The crew at the Cavern
Paying for it Sunday and Monday truly showed my age and the fact that even thou it was a great night - remembering and not paying for having fun the next day is soooooo much better!

I blame this girl (Bonnie) for my ginger indiscretion!

Lesson learned and this weekend it was still girls night but Friday was a Tango show and then Saturday a Salsa class - that unfortunately was at a different venue!

Wearing pink shorts into a bar becasue Salsa was in the wrong place, had to be combatted somehow!

Gorgeous girls who missed out on Salsa class!

Oh no! To tell the truth this ended up being a very sober night - damn the watering down!

26 and still learning wrong from right,
Am I a lifelong learner or what?!?

Arohanui,
Love Amy xoxo

Not so holy!

DIY 101 - What the hell is wrong with this thing! Just another Friday night in HK

Well, after a few crazy weeks - not being able to blog at school early morning has really killed my blogging - I have passed that date - October 15th and to no avail! Although I did meet a male member of the secondary team - however with the huge school that really wasn't a big surprise that I hadn't meet him yet! Oh well, I'm sure it will happen one day..haha...but I have a feeling that Corey's advice may have been right! I loved it!

I am so lucky - my Dad is coming to visit this Friday for the October break! I am so excited! I really miss my parents and haven't seen them since January as they were in Europe when I was home for the NZ winter. We have lots planned and I need to do a a lot this week before he gets here! Macau and Harbour Plaza living here we come!

My apartment is coming along very nicely and I have had my landlords Dad over a few times this week sorting out a few issues - removing an air conditioning unit, fixing my toilet and filing down my door so it actually shuts - safety issue 101. My landlord and her family are so amazing - I am so lucky. Last Friday I was being handy lady/domestic goddess and was even getting my hands dirty myself. Poor Maya who was over for a relaxing time got roped in as well!

Air Conditioner removal 101 - My sister loved me showing her on camera how high up the hole in my wall was!

Although my apartment may seem to be falling apart, I am feeling so much more like this is a home for me, than when I was in China. Probably because I can actually do more things for myself other than get to and from basic places with a limited vocabulary.

Here's to independent and happy living!

Arohanui,

Love Amy xo

It was the holiest of things

Maybe it's the new hair....or not?

The weirdest thing happened to me on Sunday morning! Not able to sleep in longer than 8am, I quickly showered, bummed around on the Internet and then strode outside into the blaring sunshine to grab a quick Starbucks hit. Carrying my wallet and house keys I was struggling to balance my coffee and tuna melt when I looked up into the eyes of an older Indian man (IM). Immediately he advanced

IM: ‘Excuse me but your third eye is very open, this means you are a very lucky person’

Me: ‘Oh, really, that’s lovely’

IM – ‘I am true, I am not selling anything, I am the holy man of my church, this is me (he shows me an old photo of a group people) and this is my guru. Your third eye is very large, you are a very lucky person. On October 15th you will be very lucky, you have 2 boys in love with you, you only like one. You are very lucky’

Me: ‘Oh, that’s sounds nice’

IM: You have not been very lucky in the last 2 years with this (me nodding vigourously) – He starts to write things on a small post it pad as he talks. – ‘Your husband, he is not very lucky, but when he meet you and marry he will become lucky too. Your first child will be a boy, he looks like his father, next child is a girl’

Me – (thinking) Riiiigggghhhhhtttttt!

IM – You look rich, rich is not about this, rich is about being rich in here (points to heart)

Me – (still thinking) Hmmmmm, jandels = rich – cool!

IM – (still scribbling, now so I cannot see – screws it up and then gives it to me)

Me – ‘Ahhhh, thanks’

IM – (ignoring me) ‘Tell me your flower, any flower……..(me looking blankly –Pansy pops into my head first)…..your favourite flower’

Me (that’s easy) - ‘Iris’
IM – A number below 100, any number below 100

Me – (easy again, my favourite) ‘3’

IM – ‘How many children do you have?’

Me (scoffing) – zero

IM – ‘You have never met me, we have never met before?;

Me – ‘Ah, no’

IM – ‘Ok, open the paper’

Me – (struggling to open the piece of paper, balancing wallet, coffee, a tuna melt and keys – no help from him AT all) ‘HOLY CRAP!!!!’

Ofcourse, astounded, I could not believe that the piece of paper had on it:
3
IRIS
0

Very strange, if anyone can explain that to me, then I would be extremely grateful.

Of course, then he asked me to put the piece of paper inside this wallet thing and then said something along the lines of ‘money for my church $200/$300 is not much’.

Open mouthed, I then walked away. Afterwards, I felt quite bad, should I have given him money? – has he put a curse on my third eye luck thing now?

Over coffee later that day I asked some friends this same question – all replied with definite ‘no’s’

What do you think?

All I can think about is ‘Please let him be right about the 15th – my man troubles of the last 2 years SOOOOOO need to be over! Night out mid week anyone?

Arohanui,
Love Amy xo

This is my life

What a laugh, two days later we celebrate Mid-Autumn festival - 30 degrees! I love it!

When we arrived the school was kind enough to give us an interest free loan to help with start up costs etc. Of course with rent costs, deposits and no money elsewhere it was gone within minutes - thank god for it though! It will be paid back in four monthly installments. So from now until February, I will be working and playing on a strict budget. Let's pray that this is an easily doable task for me...hmmmmmmm...I highly doubt it. But I am trying to have a little faith!

Saving money - seeing an art show in the MTR!

So on Thursday - Chinese National Day - Maya and I set out on a day of freebies!

Deep Water Bay - 12 mins by bus from my house!

It was hot after a week of rain,so it was off to the beach we went, we were really prepared for the overcrowdedness - Qingdao springs to mind - however it was lovely. Deep Water Bay had not so many people and everyone was cramped up under the trees in the shade. The clouds came and cooled down the temp by 2 degrees taking it to a cool 30 (haha!) and we were in heaven. We even braved the Hong Kong waters and had a little 'Grandy nap' for 10 mins.

Hong Kong lifeguards on floats!

Later that night, it was off to see the Light/Lantern Carnival in Victoria park and then venture of to the 4th floor of the IFC building (thanks Gav) to watch the spectacular 25 minute firework display. I have never seen anything like it! I was blown away! It ended with Chinese characters saying 'China 60 years' FANTASTIC!

Victoria Park

HUGE lanterns

Fireworks from the middle of the harbour

Pretty! 4th floor IFC building - tallest in HK at the moment


My favourite of the night - exploded in the middle - so pretty!

So many great things for free!! I was loving it............I even splurged when we went past the movie theatre and saw that 'FAME' the remake is playing! So excited!!!!!!!!

Maya, Nikki, Gav and I at Red Bar - 4th floor IFC

Love to all,

Arohanui,

Love Amy xo