A Tyger On The Loose: September is a good time to start

Okay I'm a bit late to the game, but I've joined the blogging generation. It's September 6 and this is my first ever post, on my first ever blog... wish me good journey.

For those that have received emails of scribblings from me before, you'll probably continue to get them - I can't just broadcast my life without some kind of personal touch - but if your boss or email monitor man/woman nastily says my attachments have blown your mailbox limit, well you now have an alternative.

It's still bloody hot in Hong Kong. Typhoon brewing in Taiwan = Baking Hong Kong. I am quite serious when I use the word "bake" - the temperature is similar to what it feels like in front of a pizzeria oven. This past Sunday, I was foolhardy enough to attempt to tramp in the hills of Sai Kung, in the New Territories. Given that I underestimated how long it will take to get there, and I had a 12.30 pm yum-cha appointment 30 min away, the couple of hours spent in Sai Kung was not much of a workout. However it was a good introduction to some other options I'll have in the area, so I'm more psyched about the next visit than I am about this last one. General information about Sai Kung, please go here: http://parks.afcd.gov.hk/newparks/eng/country/cps/cp_sk.htm

I met up with Katrina, a new friend I made in Hong Kong. Katrina is Australian, she teaches English in a public school in the area. We braved the heat, boldy trekked up steep paths past people's houses and overgrown tropical foliage. We passed pickling urns, an old graveyard, classic mountain villas, banana trees, sweet potato shoots, and some awesome views of the bay on one side, with the mountains on the other.

View of Sai Kung East Bay

Beyond these hills lie the great land of China - nontheless from our limited vantage point it is still surprising how big Hong Kong really is, and how much more there is to the region than just tall buildings and flashy night life.

Undulating Hills

There were a few harrowing moments when evil-looking dogs with no leashes or muzzles dart out from a bend ahead and glare at us, flanks quivering, drooling, growling, haunches at the ready. Steady, I thought to myself. Walk in a steady pace but do not rush nor hesitate... A couple of these and I was starting to question the intelligence of doing this little trek without a walking stick or dog treats.

Luckily there were only two scary dogs that got in our way, which were in sharp contrast to the finely coiffed and pampered pet dogs that lots of folks brought out to the Sai Kung central promenade. For some reason these dogs almost invariably travelled in pairs, usually with matching leashes and water bowls. Some were beautifully groomed proud pedigree dogs, others were yapping little annoying creatures tucked away in a handbag that I wanted to drop-kick (just kidding, animal-lovers, just kidding..) Some of these pets were on parade, just as their owners were in designer sunglasses and gucci bikinis. Others were average dogs, talking a walk with their average owners, flip flops and baseball caps and all.

Basically all were having a good time. Katrina and I watched the boating fishmongers sell their wares by dock-side, and had some iced teas before admitting defeat to the heat and called it a day.

I'll be publishing some of my older scribblings over the next few months, and learning how to post pictures here using Hello/Bloggerbot (I feel positively all-thumbs compared to you old hands at this) ... so unfortunately pics are still sitting on Yahoo in the meantime. I'm still new at this stuff so bear with me.

Cheers.