Well Hong Kong is interesting (not Hona Kilty Primal :-). Most of the people I know are working in finance, so the mood has been strange due to the turmoil in the markets. Complete panic over Bear Stearns and then euphoria when the Fed cut rates.
The single expats are determined to party their last bonus payment away, while those with families are in a panic as their gravy train runs out of Bisto granules - who the hell will mind the kids and do the cleaning for $1 an hour when they move back to Boston? The Chinese are also worried, not about Tibet, which you would hardly know exists, but the collapse of the expat cottage industry. Each expat subsidises a range of staff along with a host of clubs, bars and restaurants, if they start getting sent home it will have ramifications for everyone.
I was the only person in HK who actually wants to get out, but I am limited by Air Miles. Currently I’m trying to get a flight to Singapore and then Air Mile it directly to Dublin. If anyone would like to donate miles, please give generously to the “Get Flirty Back ” campaign.
Otherwise I will have to take the transiberian route, which takes around 3 months and will play hell with my hair. On the plus side there are meant to be more men than women in northern Russia and they’re probably pretty well built from all that working in the Salt mines!
Assuming you are very drunk, in a dark room and squinting - a lot. Email me on Irishflirtysomething at hotmail.com
March 22nd, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Well, I hope you’re having fun in the midst of all the madness. It sounds entertaining and if it’s providing material for wittily-written posts like this then it’s all worth it, right?
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:28 pm
OK, when’s the next flight to Siberia? Working in a freezing salt mine would be a breeze compared to the nightmare that goes for dating in Dublin!
March 23rd, 2008 at 7:30 am
I can see where this is going:
Flirty and the Seven Salt Miners - Horny, Snotty, Cutie, Hairy, Blondie, Smelly and Crook. Flirty is tricked by the Wickedly Hot Lady Lips into eating some poisoned Pampushki and Prince Charming McRide has to come to the rescue.
Anyway, in the meantime, to hell with Stern Bears and the like, jayzez mind your hair, girl!
March 23rd, 2008 at 6:37 pm
How I shall laugh at all those snotty barrow boys losing their mega-bonuses. What really kills me is all these private banks rushing to the state for help as soon as they go belly-up. Hope the hair stays intact while you chat up all those beefy Russian blokes. And make sure they’re giving you vodka and not anti-freeze.
March 24th, 2008 at 2:20 am
I vote Trans-Sib. I did it a few years back and it’s an epic way to travel. Don’t forget to stop off in Irkutsk and go visit Baikal. Mind you, might be a bit nippy in Siberia at this time of year. Buy some thermals!
March 24th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Laughing at your very accurate description of expat life! Growing up we were expats in the US and Belgium. Were always jealous of our compatriots in Asia with their servants!
Come home soon!
March 25th, 2008 at 10:53 am
play hell with my hair lol. i’m surprised ryanair don’t have some kind of a crate you can pay to be squeezed into to get home! looking forward to hearing about the salt miners
March 25th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Flirty, don’t tell anyone I told you but you can get flights from Hong Kong to Gatwick with oasishongkong.com starting from around £200.
Good luck!
March 25th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
I hear British Airways are reasonably priced too.