Hong Kong Diary

Last day of an eventful year but all in all, a good one. I went down to the town for a full Irish breakfast this morning. Very nice it was too it was a shame a crowd of chavs came in with their little b...... i mean kid. Never shut up and running around all the time. I will never understand how people can bring their kid into a pub.

As per the family tradition, we all go out to my sisters place in Grange Con, Wicklow for dinner. It is basically the same again but in my sisters house, eating and drinking although today i couldn't drink as i was the designated driver that evening.

Christmas day was just like every other one i've ever had and that it a good thing. My mother always insists that diner is at the house, no matter how my sister tries to have it at hers.

It was really nice calling to my neighbors this morning and good to hear that all is well. The kids have really grown up since i saw them last. It was hard looking at my old house with a new car in the drive but at least it is rented now and not vacant any more.

It was strange driving up to Dublin again. The traffic is so much lighter now that the construction industry is as good as dead, no horrible sand trucks!
Dublin is much the same and surprise surprise the M50 upgrade is still not finished, who knew?
Calling into my old employer was strange, much smaller now and not too busy. Most are part time now except for the "monkeyboy" but that is no surprise really. Some people reading this will know who that is, maybe including the "monkeyboy too"! If his interest in my flickr page is anything to go by.
Anyway, that aside, it was great meeting my pal E again, always a great laugh! Memories and the odd rant always get rid of the recession blues, eh E?
Im missing my Tez the more i am here but you cant have everything i suppose.
Shopping in Dublin never happened though as the traffic was crap, some things never change!
Got home early before it was dark and a rest is in order from the drive, hard to believe i did that 5 days a week before.

I've been in Hong Kong 10 months now, its a bit late to be starting this blog but you have to start somewhere.
Its strange coming back to ireland after all this time, the country has changed but not as much as i thought it would from what i hear from the doom and gloom on the news.
It was very easy to become isolated from the resession in HK as its not such an issue there, it seems to be in its own little bubble and nice and safe from what is going on in the outside world.
During my stay in HK i always thought about Ireland and i suppose looked back with rose coloured glasses. Its easy to forget the negitive things about home when you are away.
Having suffered the hear for 10 months in HK, the cold has come as a shock to me and this christmas has been the coldest in a while.
I've been back here for almost a week now and will travel to Dublin tomorrow to see friends and visit my old workplace. It will be interesting to see what has changed in Dublin.
Here is hoping the traffic will have improved. As for work, it will be good to see most people there and not so good to see others but that is another story.
Time will tell....

Well i arrived here safe and sound after a pretty nice trip, even though the seats on Cathay Pacific are a form of torture.

Its tuesday and im flying out to Ireland tonight. After a pretty handy day in the office i left at about 4:30. Not before i went into my HSBC branch in Harbour City to ask "Can i use my HK ATM card in Ireland?"