Saturday, April 30, 2011
Melbourne - the artistic cousin
When you step into Melbourne, there's a feeling. A feeling that does not exist in Sydney. Sure, it's not as pretty as Sydney, not as famous as Sydney, but it has a feel to it that make its visitors and inhabitants fall in love. Streets full of graffti, where its encouraged for artists to showcase their creativity and talent. Free galleries with beautiful art, history, sculptures, and paintings. Impromtu shows out in Federation square. Hidden jazz clubs where extremely talented people perform. Sydney's for tourists but Melbourne's for lifers.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The Australian Outback
Ayers Rock, or Uluru by it's native name, is one of the most properly planned vacation towns I have ever seen. Practically ran by the tour companies, even flights are ideally timed to make the most of the trip.
Only a handful of flights land and take off at the two-gated airport, all the flights are scheduled to come in and leave between noon and 4PM. The Ayers Rock Resort, which is located only 10 min away by the complimentary bus by AATKing will stop at all 5 lodging options possible. With relatively few options, the hotels are all quite pricy with the rooms no less than a hundred bucks a night. We stayed at the backpackers hostel at the Outback Pioneer Lodge. Bunk beds and all, it's surprisingly comfortable and convenient with the water pressure at the showers being better than any shangri-las I've stayed at. At night, the the Outback is really the only hotel with a bar with any atmosphere with a live band that's better than the insomnia cover band in lkf.
While most ppl will whiz through Uluru in a day, I recommend two nights. You would have time to check out Kata-kjuta, the anagu's male sacred site where young boys become men, do both sunset and sunrise and have time to relax by the pool. My favorite part was definitely the Sound of Silence dinner, a wonderfully catered meal under the stars with a full astronomy lesson and unlimited wine and beer. I have never seen the milky way so clearly before. You also will learn how to use the southern cross since polaris is not visible in the southern skies. The sunrise camel ride is also worth a try. It's actually quite a different experience than riding a horse.
Uluru represents a place of ceremony and spiritual significance to the anagu ppl. While a very secretive ppl, a few stories about the legends have been told to the outside world. My favorite is the Kuniya and Liru tale. Because it's significant, the anagu ask the guests not to climb the rock. It would be like the non-bhuddists trying to climb a statue of bhudda. In fact the land is very sacred that it's rumored that if you take a piece of rock with you, bad luck will follow you around until you return the rock. There's a collection of letters from people around the world at the cultural center making up the "Sorry" book from ppl who took a piece of Uluru with them.
Beautiful place with friendly ppl and limited cell phone reception, I recommend ayers rock to anyone that has the chance to visit down under with a real taste of the outback
Only a handful of flights land and take off at the two-gated airport, all the flights are scheduled to come in and leave between noon and 4PM. The Ayers Rock Resort, which is located only 10 min away by the complimentary bus by AATKing will stop at all 5 lodging options possible. With relatively few options, the hotels are all quite pricy with the rooms no less than a hundred bucks a night. We stayed at the backpackers hostel at the Outback Pioneer Lodge. Bunk beds and all, it's surprisingly comfortable and convenient with the water pressure at the showers being better than any shangri-las I've stayed at. At night, the the Outback is really the only hotel with a bar with any atmosphere with a live band that's better than the insomnia cover band in lkf.
While most ppl will whiz through Uluru in a day, I recommend two nights. You would have time to check out Kata-kjuta, the anagu's male sacred site where young boys become men, do both sunset and sunrise and have time to relax by the pool. My favorite part was definitely the Sound of Silence dinner, a wonderfully catered meal under the stars with a full astronomy lesson and unlimited wine and beer. I have never seen the milky way so clearly before. You also will learn how to use the southern cross since polaris is not visible in the southern skies. The sunrise camel ride is also worth a try. It's actually quite a different experience than riding a horse.
Uluru represents a place of ceremony and spiritual significance to the anagu ppl. While a very secretive ppl, a few stories about the legends have been told to the outside world. My favorite is the Kuniya and Liru tale. Because it's significant, the anagu ask the guests not to climb the rock. It would be like the non-bhuddists trying to climb a statue of bhudda. In fact the land is very sacred that it's rumored that if you take a piece of rock with you, bad luck will follow you around until you return the rock. There's a collection of letters from people around the world at the cultural center making up the "Sorry" book from ppl who took a piece of Uluru with them.
Beautiful place with friendly ppl and limited cell phone reception, I recommend ayers rock to anyone that has the chance to visit down under with a real taste of the outback
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sydney, Australia
Sydney is like Washington DC with beautiful beaches minus the crazy politicians. There are a multitude of places that one can appreciate the beautiful Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. Even though highly recommended, I found the bridge climb quite boring and not worth the money ($198 AUD) or time (3 hours). Shows at the Opera House are definitely worthwhile, especially given the 50% discount ppl under 30 enjoys to encourage young ppl to go. I watched the Aria Co in a beautiful balcony room, with an intimate setting and overlooking the sunset over Sydney Harbor during the songs
There's enough to do for a week, but even if you only have a few days, you can hit all the highlights given all the major spots are at one place at Circular Quay. The one thing that should not be missed is a surfing lesson at Bondi or Manly. Only 30 minutes away, Manly is a whole different world with its beach town atmosphere and lazy boardwalk. I went to the Manly Surf School, where it offers small classes and encouraging instructors. Not a surprise, I was very bad at it and inky managed to stand up for half a second with the help of the instructors. The feeling of catching waves though, it's a feeling vie never felt before. Even the smallest wave feels so exerlerating as you are riding on it. Definitely the best thing I did in Sydney by a mile.
There's enough to do for a week, but even if you only have a few days, you can hit all the highlights given all the major spots are at one place at Circular Quay. The one thing that should not be missed is a surfing lesson at Bondi or Manly. Only 30 minutes away, Manly is a whole different world with its beach town atmosphere and lazy boardwalk. I went to the Manly Surf School, where it offers small classes and encouraging instructors. Not a surprise, I was very bad at it and inky managed to stand up for half a second with the help of the instructors. The feeling of catching waves though, it's a feeling vie never felt before. Even the smallest wave feels so exerlerating as you are riding on it. Definitely the best thing I did in Sydney by a mile.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
A shocking true story of greed, jealousy, and murder
In 2003, a riveting murder in the upper echelon of expat investment banking murder rocked Hong Kong. Nancy Kissell, the milkshake murderer, drugged her multi-millionaire investment banking husband with a milkshake given to him by his daughter, clubbed him to death using a lead statuette, and rolled him up in a carpet and stored him in their fancy Parkview apartment storage room.
A media darling instantly, the trial revealed the dirty little secrets of the expat investment banking life, where money corrupts beyond your wildest imagination. The story itself is a simple one, but the lifestyle is one that few people imagines possible. In 2006, a thirller-esque novel was written about the murder. The author cleverly describes the decadent lifestyle of Hong Kong. I pulled together a few quotes from the book that describe the world of expat bankers in Hong Kong.
"The highest priority of his employer was to assure that none of the untidy business of actually living in a foreign country would distract him from the avid pursuit of the riches. He was there to make gargantuan sums of money … and enrich himself even beyond the limits of socially acceptable greed, while living like the sultan of Brunei."
"It was much in the employer's interest, therefore, to make Hong Kong seem, insofar as possible, to be simply a post card. You could gaze upon the panorama from a skyscraper window and marvel at the human energy being expended down below, but you wouldn't have to hear it, smell it, taste it, or have it undermine your absurd but indispensable sense of self-worth. For what good to the firm was an investment banker with an inferiority complex?"
The story itself is an open and shut story. In fact, after weeks of trial, the jury only book 8 hours to convict. However, the illusion, the idea, and the lofty lifestyle of the expat bankers are real and complete. Read the book not for its plot, for everyone already knows the story. Read it if you want a glimpse of the world here.
A media darling instantly, the trial revealed the dirty little secrets of the expat investment banking life, where money corrupts beyond your wildest imagination. The story itself is a simple one, but the lifestyle is one that few people imagines possible. In 2006, a thirller-esque novel was written about the murder. The author cleverly describes the decadent lifestyle of Hong Kong. I pulled together a few quotes from the book that describe the world of expat bankers in Hong Kong.
"The highest priority of his employer was to assure that none of the untidy business of actually living in a foreign country would distract him from the avid pursuit of the riches. He was there to make gargantuan sums of money … and enrich himself even beyond the limits of socially acceptable greed, while living like the sultan of Brunei."
"It was much in the employer's interest, therefore, to make Hong Kong seem, insofar as possible, to be simply a post card. You could gaze upon the panorama from a skyscraper window and marvel at the human energy being expended down below, but you wouldn't have to hear it, smell it, taste it, or have it undermine your absurd but indispensable sense of self-worth. For what good to the firm was an investment banker with an inferiority complex?"
The story itself is an open and shut story. In fact, after weeks of trial, the jury only book 8 hours to convict. However, the illusion, the idea, and the lofty lifestyle of the expat bankers are real and complete. Read the book not for its plot, for everyone already knows the story. Read it if you want a glimpse of the world here.
Who needs a tropical vacation when you can go to Shek O?
I don't know why people in Hong Kong spend all the money on flights and resorts to go to Cebu, Bali, or Phuket. Shek O, an hour away from Central, on the south side of the island, is a gorgeous beach with nice sands, great facilities, and beautiful weather. Take the Island MTR to Shau Kai Wan and take bus number 9 all the way to the end. The entire journey from Central took less than an hour. Being there felt like a vacation. It's a completely different world from Hong Kong. A group of 10 of us went to Shek O for a BBQ at Lam Au BBQ. The bbq is food / coal / everything ready. You can bring your own food or drinks or buy from the store. It's right on the beach and extremely easy to find. We spent a whole afternoon making fish balls, steaks, pork chops, corn, and everything else imaginable. It felt like camp again, roasting skewers over open fire. The weather was gorgeous, the sand was smooth. Laying underneath the sun, swimming in the ocean or running on the beach, it felt like a tropical vacation just an hour away from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. The best part is, anything outside of the banker/finance expat world of Hong Kong is extremely affordable. We did not bring anything to the BBQ and managed to stuff ourselves with various food and beer for less than HK$100 each. An entree in any of the restaurant in Soho cost more than that. Definitely need to take more outings to Shek O.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)