Christmas in Hong Kong or at sea?

Written by Torbjørn C. Pedersen on 16 December 2021.

Day 2,990 since October 10th 2013: 194 countries out of 203. No flight, no return home, min 24 hrs in each country and 1 pandemic!

(The opinions expressed on this site are my own, and do not reflect the position or policies of the Danish Red Cross which I represent as a Goodwill Ambassador).

A very short entry

pano

Last week I updated you on the situation. Check out that entry for more detail as nothing has changed. My wife is in Hong Kong and returns home on Saturday.

Last week’s entry: I think we’re leaving Hong Kong

Hong Kong: day 689: I still think we are leaving Hong Kong. I just don’t know when? It could be soon. The Omicron virus is being mentioned plentiful these days but there is still no indication that it will delay any of the progress we have made lately. I’m very much looking forward to embarking Pacific International Lines (PIL) ship from Hong Kong to Palau. Being onboard those ships has always been the closest thing to a holiday for me. There has been very little rest during the past eight years but on those ships, I can take it easy and enjoy the progress.

Antony Gormley's "Asian Field" at Hong Kong's newest museum, the M+ (visual culture). Simply brilliant. Hard to say if the exhibits or the building is more impressive. Here you see approximately 200,000 clay figures staring at you.

Ultra-wifey was nicknamed as such after she completed the 100 km (62mi) highly mountainous MacLehose footrail earlier this year. And we made a video about it. She’s a tough little cookie. Anyway – I’d much rather spend time with her than describe in detail what we’ve been up to this week. But in short, we went on a two-night / three-day staycation on Hong Kong Island. It was good to get away from the Danish Seamen’s Church which is near the container port, where my apartment also is. Who would have thought that I would be employed for a full year in Hong Kong? Well, our new Port Chaplain, Rebecca Holm, appears to be really strong and she took over on all activities last weekend: Church Ceremony, ship visits, kiosk sales etc. And that enabled ultra-wifey and I to get away for a bit. We reached out to our friend Jessi whom I have known for years and who met ultra-wifey in Oman long ago when Jessi was working there and ultra-wifey was visiting me. Jessi is now working for Marriott Hotels and suggested the Renaissance Hotel to us. It was just perfect! As long as my phone was on silent nobody bothered us. I did have a bit of work I needed to tend to but overall we were truly on a staycation, doing couples stuff in one of the worlds most extraordinary cities. We rode the tramline just for fun, we crossed Victoria Harbour on the historical Star Ferries several times and we had lots of good food.

What I look like more often than not. Although here somewhat more luxurious.

ross

Winter has arrived. It has been cold in HK but more recently warm again. Still, good to see the fleece and hard shell back in action. Also sporting the worlds greatest geothermal companies: Ross DK and GEOOP.

This week we also got to catch up with the Savagars which are the closets thing I have to family in Hong Kong. The Savagars hosted me for the first five months while in Hong Kong on the presumption that I would inhabit their guest room for four days only. Talk about a stranger being a friend you’ve never met before! Cassie and James and their two bright boys (Edward and Harry) have been really kind toward yours truly ever since I first sat foot in Hong Kong. And ultra-wifey and I got to enjoy Cassie’s insanely good hotpot this week which never disappoints. We also managed to stop by at Poul and Amy’s apartment this week for another home cooked meal. Poul excels in cooking traditional Danish meals and the two had been in the kitchen all day. Once again ultra-wifey and I feasted on a wonderful meal accompanied by conversation and good times. We even managed a short hike up across Needle Hill and down to WCY to see Captain Thomas of the Andersen Clan. Sometimes I look at Hong Kong and think that I could live a happy life here. But in reality, I am far too focused on completing the Saga and getting back home.

More than 50% of Hong Kong is government housing. This shot is from Yick Cheong building better known as the "Monster Mansion". No monsters to be found though - just people ;)

Yeah – that’s all for this week. It has been a busy week in a number of ways. Both as ultra-wifey and I wanted to do a lot of stuff but also in terms of work at the Danish Seamen’s Church and interviews within Once Upon A Saga. Media attention in Denmark has suddenly risen during December, which is rather interesting? Sometimes you’re in and sometimes you’re out. This week the Saga was in.

Another wonderful article by Mette Andersen at Midtjyllands Avis. Click HERE to read.

If the pandemic comes to an end, then I should be able to reach the final nine and return to Denmark in ten months. During the pandemic…who can say? When will I get to see ultra-wifey again? Who can say? Better enjoy the last few days together. Stay safe and sane wherever you are.

last

See you next week.

I would like to thank our esteemed partners for their invaluable contributions to Once Upon A Saga: DB Schenker Denmark, Kameli, Red Sand Solutions, Salomon, the Danish Red Cross and Ross DK / Geoop

Hi Res with Geoop