Balls!

It may not have been long since I last typed but its gone 7 and I've a few minutes to spare plus it’s been a fairly eventful week.

Obviously there has been a fair amount of drinking, in fact as a friend that used to live here is back in town for a holiday and another mate left for a new life in Bangkok on Tuesday there’s been quite a lot, but that’s not the half of it.

We're now in the most pleasant season in HK (warm but not sweaty) and that not only means lazy days on the beach but also that the weather is almost suitable for sport.

Because of a groin strain I gave myself in a pre season friendly (celebrating probably the best goal ever) I missed the first couple of games of the new footie season but as my team were killed I didn’t really mind. However, to make amends I decided to drag Travis (a very big Aussie mate) along on Monday night as our keeper and fellow gweilo. He'd never played footie before but I didn’t see this as a problem as he used to be paid to play Aussie rules i.e. he can catch and punt a ball, perfect!

I was proved right, right up until the point 10 minutes into the game where he went up for and won a high ball, only problem was he was miles out of the area so got sent off. We went on to receive our worst wooping ever, d'oh!

My other bit of sports news is I'm now playing rugby again. My first match was last Saturday and already I have to say it feels great playing again. Great that is save the bruises and burns that come form playing on astroturf, only in HK!

Now as opposed to a regular god I would never claim to be benevolent, and probably only omnipotent after a few drinks but I know absolutely that I'm immortal and along with this I pretty much assume my mates are too. You can imagine the horror therefore of when 10 minutes from the end of the first rugby match I played with Sean in about 10 years I find him lying on the pitch, unconscious, twitching violently, drooling blood, struggling to breath and with his eyes pointing the wrong way. Of all people surely he should be one of the most immortal not one of those fragile human things!

Seeing as he's now 100% better and was within an hour of running into a bloody big bloke I feel I can now joke about it, and having ended up in hospital the first time I played rugby with/ met Sean it was a bit of trip down memory land. That said we now both own rather fetching helmets and might just think a little before diving in next time.

And that brings me to now, I’ve rugby training tonight then Cebu tomorrow so sure I’ll be in touch and in pain again very soon but until then…

Jonathan

Woohoo! ....... d'oh!

Now I have rather a blessed existence and don't really have a care in the world, however I have to admit my impending tax bill has given me cause for a moment or two’s anxious consideration (in HK they don't automatically take tax from your salary, instead they wait 12 months or so then send you a bill for that year and the next). Having been told they generally hit you for 15% of your salary per year, I was expecting a green envelope asking for about 30% of everything I've earned while here in HK and to be honest, I've been more concentrated on drinking than saving these past 12 months.

The bill landed yesterday and was for a pittance, all my plans of putting it on my HK credit card and then fleeing the country was unnecessary (apparently even international banks can't black list you anywhere other than the nation you get the debt in - yes I did check). Obviously I’m delighted about this but it does leave me to reflect on one thing... I clearly earn jack sh*t!

Moving on from the excitement of personal finance its been fairly quiet here, I've had a few very enjoyable and rather drunken all day sessions at the Stoep (South African restaurant that spills onto Lower Cheung Sha Beach) and I've been up into Zhao Qing in mainland China for another factory visit. Exciting as that sounds it was actually quite a laugh as there isn’t a lot of English spoken in your average Chinese factory however I could of lived without the compulsory bruising massage (really, I was left black and blue).

Other than my pitiful salary it looks as if I've moved up in the world at work. I've been given one of only two corner window seats in the place. Unfortunately this isn’t quite as impressive as it sounds, the desk apparently has terrible Feng Shui so no one else wants it, fortunately as a gweilo and a cynic I'm immune so...

In other news beyond the regular flow of beer and kebabs I've had a fun couple of weeks dog sitting so I got to live in luxury out in the New Territories. I think Bev and Sean were relieved to see the mutt safe and well when they got home as just before they left my plant sitting skills were proven to be a little lacking.

And finally, we've had the fun of the moon cake festival once again. The public holiday was good, people in the office walking up to me and offering the most vial food in china while chewing their own, mouths wide open, inches from my face, less so… Suddenly I realise the manners mum struggled to hammer into me all those years ago warranted attention after all.

And that's me, I'm heading to Cebu in week or so to dive, golf and to get drunk with Darren in some suitable combination so but until then.....

Be good!

Jonathan