Now that the really hot weather is with us, one of the hazards of walking around on the street is catching sight of men wearing vests who have decided that they need to keep cool by exposing their stomachs. Needless to say, men who dress in this peculiar way tend to have large beer guts,…

I may have given the impression that I thought that HSBC’s new automated queuing system was a good idea. I apologize for this – I was wrong. I went to the bank today and picked up my ticket with its promise that I would probably have to wait 6 minutes. As they were currently serving…

Most people in Hong Kong don’t drink tap water (or at least not without filtering and/or boiling it first). Offices very often don’t have their own water supply (hence the slightly bizarre sight of people washing cups in the washroom), so the only option is distilled water, distributed around Hong Kong in large lorries. Although…

Land auctions seem to be very dull these days. I think it’s time for that mad old woman to make a return to liven things up. “Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t seem to have HK$1bn on me right now – can I use my Hang Seng Bank Credit Card and pay it off over the…

There was a story in the paper on Sunday about the Filipino domestic helper who is trying to apply for right of abode in Hong Kong. I would have thought that she is unlikely to succeed (but then I know even less about the law than Conrad), because although she has been here for more…

A very puzzling letter arrives from HSBC. They want me to pick up my new credit card “four working from the date of this advice”. I’m not sure why their computer can’t add 4 working days to the date on the advice and calculate the date when the card should be available, but that’s not…

Here’s a piece of brilliant timing. On Thursday I got a shiny new 3 year visa to stay in Hong Kong, and then the following day they granted me right of abode, and stuck another label in my passport (right next to the first one). My fault really – I should have applied a bit…

This afternoon the Hong Kong Observatory issued a typhoon warning (standby signal #1). From their website: This is a stand-by signal, indicating that a tropical cyclone is centred within 800 km of Hong Kong and may later affect the territory. Action – If you are planning an outing, remember that there is a tropical cyclone…

Last Friday there was another demonstration by transport operators who want to protect their own interests and prevent new railway lines being built. The Standard reports that taxi and minibus drivers and owners are against the proposed South Island and West Island MTR lines. Noting the HK$5 million daily loss incurred by the Kowloon-Canton Railway…