Hiking Ma On Shan

I was asked to come for a hike with the HK Trampers, on a 3-boot hike, 15km, 7 hours. It was a lovely day, clearer than most in the past month. What a day! Great people, some spectacular vistas and new experiences. Francis, the guide for the day, a marine cop (I could not resist and had to ask him where to get the best pot in HK..), took us on an ancient trail made of mossy rocks. It used to be a trail linking the villages, which today are in ruines (see last pic). We got on this well hidden-away trail rather late, so it was hard to take any shots. To top it all, we all jumped into a crystal clear stream. The next hike is supposed to take us to this river pools a little earlier in the day, so at least we can see it!

We started from Mo On Shan station and ended up in Sha Tin. What a day! Thanks to Ben for convincing me to come out on a Sunday.

Shintori, Shanghai

Shintori in Shanghai is my second best restaurant, I decided today. What an experience. Will knows the best places in town, but this takes it all. We first met at People 9, which is the adjascent bar, very unique in itself. You've got to stick your hand in 9 different holes for the doors to finally open. Looking almost intimidating and unwelcoming at first, it opens the doors to warm people and a great bar. You almost feel teased and taken on a ride of lows and highs. Very low music, no smoke, SPACE (yes, you notice it in comparison to HK). My Capricorn cocktails tasted more like a diluted toothpaste with a touch of Malibu, but the margarita squared it all. Shintori (the restaurant) is well known for its unique design on minimalistic concrete walls, floors and tables, open spaces, food lift, open-kitchen with showman-cooks and some pretty good Japanese food.

Maybe it's the place, or maybe it's the company of a friend you can spend 3 hours with and wonder where did the time go..

Shanghai is becoming my second home now.

A Girl Was in Town

I knew that a weekend with Reena wasn't going to be just like any other, and true enough it was not. I think she has more friends in HK than me! A few shots here:

Photo Exhibition Nov 10-12

I've qualified for a Photography Exhibition and will be displaying 3 of my favourite photos in a showcase titled "Journey". There will some great photographers displaying good work, so I hope you will get as excited as me!

I will probably be there signing authographs ;) on Saturday.

Details below:


10-12 Nov 2006
Friday noon-11pm
Saturday 9am-11pm
Sunday 9am-9pm

Foyer Exhibition Area E3
Hong Kong Cultural Centre
10 Salisbury Road
Tsim Sha Tsui

Shanghai Oct 18th

5.30am hate my alarm clock
5.45am go down to the gym, cycle for 40min
7.00am meet Steve for breakfast for a one-on-one chat
8.30am leave for Ad:tech conference in Pudong
9.30am-1pm at conference, meetings, chats, laughs, do emails, planning for my KL trip, booking and re-booking dates. The fact that the flight is 2 days from now feels ages away. Not enjoying the conference too much; too shallow in depth, nothing new.
1-2pm grab a 5-min salad for lunch and sneak out to the business centre, log on to a virtual classroom with April for my putonhua class. I marvel at how technology has empowered our lives.
3.30pm leave to meet a new client and pitch, arranged by a fellow agency who thinks we are great ;)
4.30pm last-minute rehearsal, changes to the presentation with Clement
5-7.30pm pitch, look good and smart, re-align stuff with the PR agency’s activation plan, brainstorming, the client likes the ideas, esp the social media part
8-9.30pm Hooters, meet a guy we want to hire over from another agency. He has a hard time focusing, the girls here are gorgeous..
10pm back to the hotel, take a raincheck on dinner with colleagues, opt for a salad from the room service instead
10-11pm emails and more preparation work for a huge Friday pitch
11.30pm blog it.

Brenda sends me a URL to look at www.palestinejournals.co.uk. I look at it and think that my whole day has been a rather trivial pursuit.

Self-Acceptance vs Personal Growth

I googled “blogs of smart people” to see what dose I can enjoy on a chilled Sunday evening. But before that, a little diversion – Reena was in town on Saturday night which turned out (as expected knowing the girl’s ways!) to a big one. She had a friend visiting her the next morning at 9am for breakfast at Discovery Bay. Her friend never slept himself, came straight from a yacht trip. We started with breakfast and coffees but ended up with sangrias which, under my assurance, were supposed to work wonders, ie sort us all out. Reena ended up with a severe headache and her friend could barely walk to the ferry. I, on the other hand, was all sharp and sobered up, ready for what the day could bring.

Back to my Sunday finds. I came across a website that got me really thinking over the past few days. None of the things here may sound like anything novel, but I guess it’s the simplicity of thought that we sometimes lose out to.

Check: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/04/self-acceptance-vs-personal-growth/

The guy addresses an issue I’ve been pondering over the last few months – the rat race, the grind you find yourself in. In essence, what he’s saying is: if you just accept the way you are today it’s sheer complacency, laziness. If you want to grow as a person, you end up in a constant race for an ever-moving goal. We pitch and win 1mln bucks business, live in euphoria for 1 week. The following next week we want to win more, better and faster. We aren’t happy with the previous achievement and our self-esteem suffers. Where do you stop? How do you find an optimal point of happiness and internal peace?

He suggests rooting your self to a permanent cause – one that nobody and nothing can challenge and… move, hence accepting yourself they way you are. The examples he’s giving are passion for a cause, faith, compassion, dedication to nonviolence. He’s not saying one should stop striving for growth – the idea is: that growth desire should not be the core source of one’s happiness. I would like to think I can fully embrace it, but I know I do not in its entirety. Or maybe I just have not found it. But seek I will.

Andrew and I went to check out a meditation centre the other day in Tin Hau. I want to get back into it, as I have lots more to learn. The benefits of meditation I experience in India were amazing, but like everything else, it needs discipline and … time. The sense of peace and awakening is something I crave and want to make a permanent part of my life.

Think about it.

I'm Going PINK in October

A simple idea, little time needed, free form of expression and a great impact you can make. Not everybody will relate to the need of raising awareness on breast cancer, unless you had a family or your own personal experience. I remember finding a lump one day and breaking to pieces. I will never forget how that felt.

This is my own pledge: I'm going to Shanghai for Ad:Tech next week, will wear a pink dress on one of the days. My blog and IM are already decorated. I hope you can go pink in October too! And, if you are a guy, there must be a woman in your life you must care about, so just do it.

More on : http://pinkforoctober.org/


Love my friends Dan & Jo; big brains with even bigger hearts. They got me to go pink. More on Dan & Jo www.apogeehk.com