Antioch Agent

Last weekend we suited up for our first family overseas trip. A rather hastily planned getaway to Hong Kong, due to the fact that we could only decide on the dates after my busy project schedule had eased off a little. And boy, were we certainly looking forward to this one as this would be the first time for the 3 of us.

Although it was pretty hot and humid for most part of the days we were there, the Lord blessed us with very good weather conditions. Not a drop of rain during our time there even though many weather forecast in the build up to our trip stated otherwise. The typhoon headed straight for HK steered a different course and didn’t hit the island. So it turned out that the only drops of water i felt, were from the dripping air conditioning units in the apartments above the busy streets. Nothing I couldn’t handle.

Interestingly, my eldest brother together with his family (and extended family) chose to make the trip to Hong Kong on virtually the same date as us. We didn’t know about each other’s plans till a week before our trip, and I believe it was the Lord’s timing that we arrived at the HK airport at virtually the same time though on separate flights. Now, that made our first day especially memorable as we went out for dinner together and then made a dash to the Avenue of Stars for the night lights showcase.

The second day was basically a trip to Ocean Park to see dolphins, seals, pandas (one of my highlights!) and other site attractions. The place was so packed with people, it was like we were at the Beijing Olympics. Add to that the heat of the of sunny day at 34 to 36 celcius, I made for some rather uncomfortable moments at times. With ground rules at the park not allowing the bringing in of food and drinks, we had to rely on bottled drinks sold at the park at prices up to HK$16 ( approx RM 8 ) per bottle of 600ml water! Nuff to say, that the park probably made quite a bit from thirsty folk over the weekend. In the end we managed to see and enjoy the place for ourselves, counting our blessings because there was no rainfall. We’d take sun to rain anyday in HK.

We did a lot of walking and taking the MTR to get about. The train and bus system is so well integrated, it’s got to be given top marks for speed and accessibility. Maps we picked up at the airport were instructive, signages were useful and accurate to guide us to the intended exit points, staff at booths were friendly and courteous … all in all it was a very nice experience. The only slight inconvenience was the need to negotiate a pram up and down stairways as these were subway systems. Other than that, it was all very positive. Oh, and a quick tip for those visiting HK with kids in tow: prams are absolutely necessary for sight seeing and shopping activities, they carry the kid and the shopping. Invaluable! 😉

Contrary to my previous perception, the people in HK are actually friendly. Some have said that the atmosphere changed dramatically after the SARS virus hit the island a couple of years back and tourism took a major dive and businesses suffered. It seems this event humbled them a great deal. So in year 2008, unlike the impolite waiters i experienced in some HK eateries in Melbourne years ago, the ones I encountered were well mannered and pleasant. I must also add that so were the taxi drivers who never turn down a customer and always turn on the cab meter. Good stuff. Overall, we had a great impression of the place and had a memorable holiday.

To make the our Merdeka weekend getaway even more memorable, it also marked our 5th year of married life, this trip coming just at the right time to coincide with it. Time really does fly and the years just zip by. And as i think about it, how wonderful to think how God had brought us this far after all these years. We trully marvel at the Lord’s providence and goodness and pray that we only continue to trust and walk close to Him for the road that lies ahead for us.

So with all that said, I think it’s safe to say it was a pretty good trip.

[here’s a little selection of shots taken. click for larger version]