Hong Kong in the Mists

There are so many differences living in Hong Kong, rather than Australia. One of the interesting phenomena that happens  each year is the "white out".  I am sure there is some wonderful meteorological explanation - maybe the cool weather moving down from China and meeting the warm South China Sea-  but I am NOT a meteorologist by a long shot. 

My (not at all scientific ) version goes, early this morning we could looked down on the city below to see the most amazing mist swirling in and out of the high-rises and rolling across the harbour. My mid afternoon we were in almost complete white out! When lived further up the hill, in Aigburth, this day would be a complete white out- looking out the window there would be a literal wall of white cloud.  So to try to give you a feel for this amazing event I have posted a few pictures. 

There is a housing development that sits high on a hill here called Parkview. We actually stayed there the first time we moved to Hong Kong in a serviced apartment whilst waiting for our apartment to be ready. This particular development has (I think !) 7 high rise towers and a hotel and is largely an expat community.  I remember hearing once about the term  "gwailos in the mists ! "(just like Gorillas in the mists but different) being applied to Parkview.  Gwailo is the term given by the local Chinese to foreigners, and particularly westerners, many years ago when they first had contact. the literal translation is something like "white ghosts" and it is  still in use today. 

Some of our summer pages

Apologies to all.......

OK, it has been brought to my attention that our blog is "top heavy" with Jasper info and was a little light on holiday details, including how important  the arrival of our newest niece, Oriana. So sincere apologies and let me try to fill in a few gaps. We had a WONDERFUL, AWESOME 7 weeks in Australia and we did SO much in that time it really is hard to know where to start. I guess when I first posted on our return I was well and truly in back to HK mode and I find if I focus on how wonderful and easy it is in Australia it makes the transition back into life here more difficult, Don't get me wrong it is great here and we love our life, it is just different to that ease of being in your native environment- not to mention the very obvious elephant in the room, which is leaving behind our dear family to return.

So instead of trying to recount all the details I have decided to post some of the pages I have been doing of our summer adventures. There is a lovely page of Oriana coming with her Mum and Grandma but I still need to put finishing touches to it, I brought back some 20 + partially complete pages and so have been trying to get then finished in the last few days. 

Lastly, in my defense, other than the fact that obviously Jasper is SUPER cute, he really is at the top of my consciousness at the minute since we are trying hard to re-housetrain him to the apartment  and get him settled into the HK lifestyle which is obviously a big transition for a little puppy. Anyone who has ever had a puppy will likely recall just how much hard work they are so please indulge my "Mummy" phase to baby No 5!

Back to school!

The start to the school year faltered a little with poor Callum coming down with a viral illness and missing the first day. So here are the pics of the kids (and Cal the next day!) We have finished the first week of school and the kids seem well settled, if a little tired out. We are happy with their teacher placements and  are embracing the return to the structure and routine of the school week.