The Long Road Home

I’m in Cafe O on Queen’s Rd Central, Hong Kong. This is one of those places where foreigners eat eggs on toast and coffee, which is exactly what I’m doing. I’m celebrating the fact that my apartment is now empty, after a whole day of packing boxes for shipping back to UK.

Polly, who’s in the Reuters Equities team here, came round with her husband Rick to help out. I still hadn’t been able to get my RMB credit card, but Polly spent about half an hour on the phone and with a brilliant mixture of charm and persistence, managed to persuade Bank of China to let me pick it up, despite the fact I somehow hadn’t received the letter I should have received. The BOC people were finally wonderful and fixed everything. Thanks Polly, and Mr Mok and Florence at BOCHK Sheung Wan branch.

Now there’s nothing left at my place except my bike and kit; I’ve not even got a kettle any more so I’ve come down to this cafe. Well. I’m leaving HK tomorrow. No going back now. Better go and pump up the tyres…

Well, my departure is set for 10am on Sunday morning from Wanchai pier, from which I’ll take the Star Ferry over the harbour from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon, and start my Long Road Home.

Preparations are pretty much on track, but still a lot of things on my huge list not yet ticked. Still battling to get Bank of China accounts and credit cards open. The credit card office phoned on Saturday morning and said they were having trouble becuase my name is too long. We managed to sort that out (great relief that one could put S not Susanna), but I still haven’t received the card. Buying Kyrgyz som at HSBC also turned out difficult. First it took quite long to persuade the lady that Kyrgyzstan actaully existed. Luckily I had a Times Atlas of the World with me. Once we got that bit sorted out, she went to ask someone, and that also took ages, and then it turned out they couldn’t sell me any. Oh well. Sort it out later.

I put my bike tools together at 6am this morning before coming into the office, fiddling with spokes and checking what allen keys I’ll need etc. I’m really trying to minimise the weight as much as possible. The camera kit, podcast equipment, mobile phones etc are coming together - thanks to lots of kind folks. See you at Wanchai ferry pier…

DELIGHTED that my trip bike arrived yesterday! It has been prepared by the team at Beeline Bicycles, Oxford, which is a lovely, friendly, large independent cycle shop, where I once worked.

Inside the shipper’s box was a Specialised Tricross Sport, adapted for use on the trip. The team at Beeline had pre-fitted front and rear pannier racks, a cycle computer, and a pair of lights, and changed the wheels, tyres and bars from the original specs. Everything is black. I’ll put details on the kit list in case you’re interested. In the box was also a beautiful double pair of Ortlieb bags which I’ll carry all my stuff in, a choice of pumps, spare gear and brake wires, a great little multi-tool bristling with allen keys etc, and even a pair of blue polka dot socks. Was like Christmas!

I reassembled it all listening to Bruce Springsteen, and then went out to see how it rides. Quite strange to be in Lan Kwai Fong on a bike at 10pm. Never done that before. Rides pretty well, v stable and solid. Thanks so much to Luis and the whole Beeline team! You even set the cycle computer to Hong Kong time for me. I noticed it this morning. Beeline has done all this for nothing. Please think about using their super shop if you need a bike or accessories!! They are on +44 (0)1865 246615.

I will post a photo of MY NEW DOORSTOP in the website gallery. I am quite happy with it. It was given to me by a US national karate champion who used to train members of The Royal Hong Kong Police, Special Branch.

Why am I happy with my doorstop? Well, in two hours this weekend Robert Campbell of the Action Asia Foundation taught me a whole bunch of useful tips and techniques to make sure I help myself stay safe on the trip.

And he gave me a doorstop. It is an ingenious thing. At night it is for making it hard for people to open doors if I’m on one side of them and they’re on the other. During the day it’s for poking at people I don’t like. Pretty handy!

But it was hard to explain to Marta, a nice evening league lady, who noticed me fingering it whilst having a coffee at the tennis club later today. It was also hard to explain why I suddenly stood up pushed Ka Kee to the floor. Not a nice way to treat one’s double’s partner!

But I can see the simple stuff I learned can really work. Thanks Robert!
Robert didn’t teach me any karate, or kendo or live blade sword fencing, or any other martial art. But he could have, as he’s mastered about 18 styles. He went to Taiwan to study Chinese opera in the 1970s. Opera? I also was puzzled. Well, Rob knew that Taiwan’s opera performers were actually the top martial arts fighters in the world, taught by masters from China, who’d moved en masse to Taiwan after 1949. Under their guidance, and after stints in tough places in Japan etc, Robert went on to become US national karate champion.

Robert now works for the Action Asia Foundation as well as for his mentor and friend of many years, Gordon Oldham at the law firm of Oldham, Li & Nie.

Thanks A LOT Robert and also to Gordon Oldham at the Action Asia Foundation. I hope I don’t need some of this stuff too often, but will use your tips and have the best chance to stay safe!

Getting more jabs today… thanks Ben for setting up this site.