LANTAU BATTERY, KILN AND FORT

BATTERY

After the clearing of dense undergrowth near Tung Chung ferry pier in 1980 a battery or so was believed was unearthed. Facing the sea with probable gun emplacements to defend the shipping or to defend the island. Records shown in the Guangdong Annals of 1817 that 2 batteries where in the location of Rocky Lion Hill (at Tung Chung Hou)

There are doubts that this particular find is one of those batteries. One thing for sure it must have been used as a military position for the defense of the island.

KILN

Archaeologists have found many relics within Lanatu island and on some surrounding islands. Periods like bronze, neolithic which have been found in areas like Tung Wan Tsai as well as Pa Tau Kwn, Fu Tei Wan. Many other relics have been found from the times of the Tang and Song dynasty as well as Han and six dynasty.

Lime kilns of the Tang dynasty where found in Fu Tei Wan (Cheo Lap Kok) in around the early 1960. samples taken of the ashes of the soot found in the kiln gives it a date of between 610-880ad. The airport construction meant that the kiln had to be moved to its present location in 1991.

The kiln you can see in a cage to keep it in tact for generation to come.

TUNG CHUNG FORT

Tung Chung fort is situated on the Tung Chung road south of Tung Chung and within walking distance from the town centre. Bus no3M from the Tung Chung bus terminal will take you right passed it.

The fort was built under the Qing government to stop the pirate attacks and to halt the trade in opium. The fort entrance houses an inscription with the date of 1832and was known as the Tung Chung SUOGHENG meaning Battalion city. The right battalion of Mirs Bay also had its headquarters there.

Six cannons facing north are situated on the battlements and have dates inscribed on them reading, 2 dated from 1805 and 1809, 2 dated from 1803 the two remaining cannons cannot be verified. These were used to safe guard shipping in the PEARL RIVER and of course to defend the islnd.

The British took over Hong Kong and the New Territories in 1898 the Qing authorities move out so Britain put the cannons there in 1918 when the fort was used as a police station, The British later moved out and in 1938-1940 the fort was taken over by Wan Yan collage. Later it was used by the rural committee office and then by Tung Chung primary school, offices are still used in the fort today.

The fort is a historical monument and now has a museum with insight as to its usages and also has relic of bygone years. The fort is open to the public and is well worth the visit, and it is free. Just a short walk to the fort so get out and indulge in some history.

Although this was an international exhibition, our relatives in jewelry business told us that it is a less crowded period and would be good for training visitors. Our relatives kindly allowed us to print our cards using their business name and address as the exhibitors needed us to submit our name cards with the registration form.

We noticed a school teacher in queue with more than 50 students from Korea. There were several visitors from India and countless from Asia and other parts of the western continents.

We waited at least one and a half hours for our turn. We noted there were traders from Hong Kong, China, India, Israel, Italy, Singapore, USA, etc. This was our first time attending a jewelry fair and we were a little concerned over our attire. We were asking each other and decided to be moderately dressed eventually. This proved to be right. Many are not particularly bothered in fact. Joyce added one or two of her jewelry items to look a little more professional and serious. Well, I only had my usual white gold necklace and a tiny blue sapphire stones pendant.

We did a fleeting walk all around. Saw that there was nothing in particular Joyce wished to acquire. We moved on to the next floor and the next. Joyce was not keen in diamonds as she loves natural semi-precious stones better. As such we decided to give the diamond hall a miss. We stopped at a dine-in kiosk for a fruit juice and sandwich to rest our legs for half an hour and carried on for another two hours and decided to come back the following day for some serious purchasing.

I love the MTR system in Hong Kong. Very easy to move around. We alighted at one of the shopping centres, had some popular noodles and pastries at one of their economical eating outlets. We did some window shopping and then returned to the hotel.

The following day, we were focused and went straight to the floor to look at the items Joyce wanted. We are Christians and before we set out, we usually pray for God’s protection and wisdom. To be honest, I do not have much knowledge of these precious or semi-precious stones or metals. I only move along and kept Joyce company. The LORD kept watch over us. I only knew to hear His guidance. I am saying this because we experienced amazing events.

I carried a backpack and usually walked behind Joyce. As we passed a particular kiosk, I suddenly felt strong tingling icy cold water literally being splashed onto my legs. Well, I was wearing socks and covered shoes and long tailored pants. When Joyce stopped by in eager interest at their products, I felt the urge to tell her to be cautious. After some 15 minutes, she decided to move on. I therefore didn’t tell her.

We next passed a kiosk that was marketing all the shells and pearls stocks. There were a lady and two men who sat around and talked to each other. Joyce decided to pick several strands and moved two feet away to select more from another lot. I stood with Joyce and suddenly had a nauseating reaction. God, are you indicating something to me? I didn’t tell Joyce and waited. While Joyce was still picking, one of the men stood up, picked up what Joyce had selected and put them back into the pile that Joyce picked. I pointed it out to her. Joyce became agitated and asked that we move on.

Subsequently, we passed another kiosk. This time around, I felt icy cold water being splashed over my head. The chill ran down my spine. I touched my head to warm and un-numb it. I felt that I needed to move my backpack in front of me and did so. When Joyce indicated interest in the multi-coloured strands of stones, I stopped her. I told her to move on. She was puzzled and we turned a corner to the next lane. I related the past three incidences and she was quite taken aback.

Joyce gently rebuked me and reminded that I must tell her. I told her that I would stop her from committing to the purchase if I had such indications. From then on, she was put on alert, too. As soon as we finished our conversation, I told her I smelled strong burning of incense. Joyce had me look to the right and we were surprised to see a row of 3 enclosed kiosks that had assortment of religious idols and ornaments on the shelves. We looked into the glass shelves and casing but didn’t see any incense burners or sticks. The queasy thing’s that we were standing on the glass-encased side.

We moved to the next lane and the next. This time around, Joyce stepped into a big square kiosk made up of at least four open units. Looked like a whole island of seashells and pearls. They had 2 female and 3 male on that island. I was more alert now. I told Joyce to move on as the men looked like some devouring animals, chunky and brutal looking. Joyce said something I thought laughable. She said maybe they are fishermen. I asked her to look at their complexion and said, “Have you seen fishermen without a tan? Isn’t it questionable?” We had a good laugh. That was another lesson of wisdom we were given by God. Honestly, I am not so smart!

Well, Joyce finally bought several kilos of seashells, pearls, etc. We also visited a hall that sold other accessories and gift boxes and such like.

Friends, if it is going to be your first time visiting the jewelry exhibition, we recommend that you go on the second day. We observed that the visitors need not queue for more than 15 minutes to do their registration.

Dress code: we also noted that we need not be elaborate. Be comfortable. Not many are keen to know the jewelry you put on, too. I must compliment Joyce for the effort as she looked good with her ornaments and the traders noticed her to wish to show her more of their unique designers’ collection. So, if you are shopping for special pieces, you may want to do some embellishing, please.

Be cautious, anyway. Be happy and shop profitably, friends!

Grace Yee Hoon Tan

Cha chaan teng is literally the phrase for a Chinese tea diner, but to Hong Kong locals and visitors from around the world, these three words mean so much more. Cha chaan tengs are popular in parts of China, Taiwan and Macau and have popped up in Chinatowns around the world. In HK they are known for providing inexpensive meals of the island’s varied cuisines including Hong Kong style Western dishes, like Hong Kong French toast, even more buttery and sweet than its occidental counterpart. Another cha chaan teng treat if you have a sweet tooth are pineapple buns with butter. Fast food and a la carte meals are both available. The cha chaan tengs are frequently compared to American-style 1950s and 1960s diners and became popular with Hong Kong’s booming industry and factory lifestyle. Their heritage is evident in the booth-style seating, wall-mount electric fans and menus that are usually under glass tabletops.

Not to be confused with a full-scale Cantonese tea service, these inexpensive eateries will give you pots of black Ceylon tea with milk, usually on the weak side, as soon as you sit down. Traditionally this brew would be strained through ladies’ silk stockings. This standard milk tea, or naai cha, is what you’ll get unless you request a different tea right away – such as strong lemon tea, leng cha, or an interesting mix of coffee and black tea, called yun yeung. Besides teas, the cha chaan tengs are guaranteed to serve up cheap, nostalgic HK comfort food. Rice dishes are traditionally not served in cha chaan tengs but newer restaurants may carry them at a higher price than the rest of the cheap dishes. Noodle dishes, including instant noodles, are quite popular, as are various sandwiches and anything you could want on toast. Egg sandwiches and eggs over spaghetti are best sellers, as is stewed beef brisket. There are economical set-price meals offered daily that usually include soup and tea. You’ll also get to listen to lots and lots of Canto-pop, another Hong Kong cultural staple.

There are thousands of these diner-style restaurants in HK and they are a unifying aspect of the island society, popular with all socio-economic backgrounds. Even today you’ll see them all over movies and television shows. Various restaurateurs are trying to capitalize on Hong Kong residents’ soft spot for these diner-style eateries and create more expensive versions with organic and locally sourced ingredients. A famous 24-hour version of the cha chaan teng is Tsui Wah on Wellington Street. A recent poll in Hong Kong found that seven out of ten people asked believed that the cha chaan tengs should make it onto UNESCO’s cultural heritage lists. Whether you go for the newer, healthier versions of cha chaan tengs or the traditional greasy spoon staples, these tea diners are another enjoyable stop on a tour of Hong Kong’s many culinary delights.

For anyone without a car, the cheapest and easiest way to travel from one place to another is a minibus, which speeds up and down the streets all year round. Minibuses can carry a maximum number of passengers with its 16-seated capacity. Due to its small size, it is considered as the fastest and most efficient transportation solution. In Asia, hundreds, even thousands of people travel through minibuses around different cities, everyday. The process is very simple: listen to where the minibus is going, get in, pay the ticket, and get out once you have reached your chosen destination.

In Asia, especially in Hong Kong, there are two kinds of minibuses, known as Green minibuses and Red minibuses. Both Green and Red minibuses have a cream-colored body with different Green and Red color external roof. In past, Toyota Coasters were used as minibuses, but now, in order to reduce air pollution caused by these Toyota coasters, Iveco Daily Green minibuses have also been introduced.

History:

In Hong Kong, minibus is commonly known as Public light bus. Public light buses were first introduced in 1969, with a view to regulate the illegal operations of minibuses at the time. In 1976, the total numbers of public light buses were 4,350 and at the end of 2009, this number has reduced to 4,349.

The first public light bus had black and white checkered strips, and was commonly referred to as the zebra car. These zebra cars had the capacity of carrying not more than nine passengers. In 1988, the zebra design was changed to the red striped minibuses, which had the capacity of carrying 14 passengers, but later, this number was increased to 16.

In 1972, government of Hong Kong introduced Green minibuses as against Red minibuses. These Red minibuses have no specific route and can adjust fares according to the demands; while on the other hand, the transport department controls the routes and fares of Green minibuses. These Green minibuses have 350 fixed routes with fixed timetabled services.

At the end of 2009, the total number of Red minibuses in Hong Kong was 1,372. These red buses, as compared to green buses, are not particularly visitor-friendly; therefore, people of Hong Kong usually prefer green buses to travel.

Above is a brief history of minibus of Asia, particularly of Hong Kong. Minibuses are typically the most easiest and effective way to travel from one destination to another. Minibuses, as compared to other ways of transportation, are affordable and easily accessible.

Hong Kong tax rules are not very complicated. However, many people are confused when preparing their tax returns because there are not many guidelines around. In this series of articles, we will explain some key concepts and rules for Hong Kong taxes. In this part, we will focus on the profits tax.

To understand Hong Kong’s profits tax, first you need to understand who are required to pay. Sole proprietorship businesses, whether they have business activities or not, are required to report their profits tax.

Partnerships of which you were a partner or sole proprietorship businesses which has changed to partnerships and vice versa during the year need not be reported in your tax return. Corporations of which you were a shareholder need not be reported in your tax return either.

You need to declare the profits / (losses) from the businesses, trades or professions for the basis period. “Basis period” means either the year ended 31 March during the relevant year of assessment or the annual accounts of the business made up to any date within the relevant year of assessment.

Below are some key concepts that you need to understand in profits tax.

Gross Income:

Gross income means all types of income, including ordinary business income, proceeds from sale of capital assets and other non-taxable receipts, whether or not derived from the principal activities.

Turnover:

Turnover includes amounts received / receivable from goods sold or services rendered.

Gross Profit / (Loss):

This is the amount of turnover after deducting cost of goods sold. For business not involving sales of goods, enter ‘0’ for this item in the tax return.

Assessable Profits / (Adjusted losses):

Assessable Profits / (Adjusted losses) must be computed in accordance with the Inland Revenue Ordinance of Hong Kong. Add non-deductible expenses charged in the accounts to the net profit per account or deduct from the net loss to arrive at the assessable profits / adjusted losses. Salaries paid to, benefits received by the proprietor and his/her spouse, proprietor’s domestic and private expenditure, capital expenditure and non-business expenses are not deductible.

For calculating profits tax, you can use the Performa Profits Tax Computation Form [IR957A(e)] provided by the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department.

Above are some key concepts and rules related to Hong Kong’s profits tax. If you are still confused, you can consult Hong Kong Government’s website, which has a lot of useful resources for tax. Also, you might want to consider hiring a professional to prepare your tax.

Over the past few years, Hong Kong has seen an ever more increase in the number of expatriates settling in this unique and inspiring city, mostly due to the increasing search for more outside talent from both local and international companies. Upon arrival, one of the most important tasks to tackle for these individuals’ involves renting an apartment. The procedures involved and tenancy laws related can be very different to other cities or countries. This article seeks to illustrate some basic real estate procedures and more importantly tenancy laws involved which I feel are important to know.

Real Estate Agent:

After the establishment of the ‘Estate Agents Authority’ in 1997, also commonly known as ‘EAA’, real estate agents require to be licenced in order to do real estate work. Most agents will provide you with a name card as soon as you meet them and their licence number should clearly be displayed on their name card. Licenced estate agents should also have in possession their official licence card.

The Estate Agency Form:

Prior to viewing properties, (sometimes after), agents require the client to sign a typical estate agency form which lists all the apartments to view or already viewed. If you have signed this form and for some personal reason you are not content with the agent’s service and decide to rent an apartment on the list with a different agent from a different company, you maybe required to pay the previous agent’s company full commission as well as your new one. If you do not pay, you may be liable to further penalty. Request to sign this form is standard practice set by the ‘Estate Agents Authority, (EAA)’.

Important Things To Check Inside The Apartment:

By Hong Kong law, landlords are required to provide appliances, fixtures and fittings in safe and good working condition. Although some agents will check this for you, it is best you check also as you are better to determine what is safe or good working for yourself.

During the viewing process, check for any very obvious pest problems. Having a pest problem during your stay which results in nuisance to neighbours, as a fault to your own bad hygiene may cause you to be kicked out of the apartment by the landlord. This is due to the fact that such negligence is a breach of some terms in Hong Kong’s tenancy law. Further to being kicked out of the property, you may find the landlord deducting amounts from your security deposit in order to fix the problem. However if the fault is not yours, the landlord should be the one to pay.

Check for any leakages. If these are evident, get the landlord to fix the problem before you move in and by law the landlord should pay in order to satisfy the term of providing a safer environment for occupancy. Some leakages can be very problematic, especially if they cause nuisance to the property right below yours. If you cause a big leakage and affect the neighbours, expect to pay for the damages. However in cases where leakages may occur due to result of bad weather conditions, the landlord should be involved to help out the costs for repair.

If the landlord provides a furnished apartment, the items should also be in safe and working order. Besides caring for your own acceptance of the furniture style and items provided, ensure to keep them in good condition as with any damages caused by you, the landlord has the right to request you to pay for the damages.

Some Tenancy Laws To Always Remember During Your Stay:

A standard tenancy law often found is that tenants’ should keep the apartment in good condition with ‘fair wear and tear excepted’. Therefore if you break anything, you fix it or pay for it. Appliances broken down and not to the fault of the tenant should be fixed and paid for by the landlord.

A strict but basic law which applies to all types of property involves noise control. Hong Kong is regarded as a small city and due to the nature of how residential buildings are built and the fact that most people live very close to one another; noise can travel easily to neighbouring apartments. For night time, noise volume should be reduced to a level which does not affect neighbours by 11pm. Disturbances after 11pm is a big no no and neighbours can call the building’s management office to deal with the case. In the event you proceed to ignore neighbours or management offices’ request to quieten down, you may find the police knocking on your door. Creating such nuisance is a breach of some tenancy law and the landlord can kick you out for such actions if made on a continuous basis.

Pay rent on time. The tenancy agreement will most definitely include a term which requests you to pay rent on time and the date to pay should clearly be shown. Usually a small period of time for lateness is allowed for postage time or time for transfers to be completed. This time period is usually also clearly shown on the tenancy agreement. By law the landlord can kick you out for not paying on time and you might lose your security deposit as a result.

An important note to remember is that if you violate any major terms within the tenancy agreement and result in the landlord to kick you out, the landlord may lawfully be able to keep your security deposit fully.

Pets:

A better and more cautious way to know if you can keep pets in the apartment is either yourself or the estate agents helps you to confirm with the management office if pets are allowed. It is not enough for the landlord to say pets are allowed as he or she is only expressing her own acceptance for his or her particular apartment. If the landlord allows but the management does not, the result of this is pets are not allowed. In a case where the landlord accepts and the management office does not but you keep a pet anyway, in the event of any nuisances caused by the pet, you could become solely responsible for breaking some terms within the ‘Occupation Permit’ and pay for the damages caused. A bad example would be request by the management office to get rid of the pet. Nevertheless, landlords’ acceptance is also important as not all like the idea of dogs scratching their floor boards etc.

Tenancy Agreement:

After both parties have signed the tenancy agreement, both parties also share the cost of stamp duty. By law you must pay for this stamp duty as it is compulsory tax, whether you hold a Hong Kong Identity card or overseas passport. It is useful to know also that in the event of any major problems and one party ends up suing the other, an un-stamped tenancy agreement maybe regarded as a void agreement when presented in front of a judge.

Early Termination:

A Tenancy Agreement will most definitely clearly illustrate the agreed terms of stay, such as a 2-year contract with 12 months fixed period. In this example there is usually a break clause where the tenant can terminate after 12-months by providing a 2-month written notice to the landlord to break lease. In this case, minimum lease is 14 months. If for whatever reason you decide you want to terminate the contract or leave the apartment before the fixed period is over, by law the tenant may have to pay rent for at least the rest of the fixed months remaining. In some cases, landlord may expect rent for remaining months up to the 24th month.

Such early termination is not recommendable and therefore you should carefully plan your stay and have put good thought into the lease term for the landlord to accept and then sign the contract. In some cases of early termination, you could avoid having to compensate the rent for remaining months left if you can find an alternative tenant, such as a friend or colleague to move-in as soon as you leave. The landlord would have to accept the new tenant and a new tenancy agreement then needs to be signed between the landlord and new tenant.

I hope the information provided has helped to give you a better understanding on how some of Hong Kong’s tenancy law works in relation to you as the tenant, the landlord of the actual property unit and renting property in Hong Kong. Judging by my experiences within this industry and city, I believe these information to be important.

From its fanfare opening in 1925 to its closure almost 45 years later on 6 July 1998, Kai Tak was the major Hong Kong airport that provided a spectacular aerial backdrop for passengers arriving at, or departing from, the former British colony.

However, with a runway that jutted out almost its entire length into Victoria Harbour, mountains to the north and surrounded on three sides by skyscrapers, landings at Hong Kong airport were always challenging for pilots. Frequent crosswinds and monsoon conditions often made for scary touchdowns for quite a few flights!

An airport with only one runway, conceived and constructed in an age of smaller propeller-driven aircraft it started to struggle from the jet age onwards, especially following the introduction of Boeing 747s, and when the Airbus first touted its double-decker A380 super airliner, the writing was on the wall for Kai Tak.

Following the handing back of Hong Kong back to China when the UK’s lease on the colony was up, the new masters of the dominion decided to construct a brand new airport further along the coastline on an artificially constructed island, but one with a far easier approach than Kai Tak.

It wasn’t the difficult approach for pilots that finally forced the relocation of Hong Kong airport, but rather the need to increase its capability and capacity to handle more traffic and larger jets. For, in addition to being the fifth busiest airport for passenger traffic, Hong Kong is also the world’s biggest cargo handling airport and is a prominent hub for entry into China. The old airport at Kai Tak simply couldn’t handle the level of anticipated traffic for a location situated in such a strategic site for South East Asia trade.

Now, all flights to Hong Kong International Airport arrive at Chep Lak Kok which, nine years after opening, added a second terminal building in 2007. With two runways the airport is capable of handling 50million passengers per year and 85 different airlines now use it flying to 150 world destinations.

Situated 18 miles to the west from its outdated predecessor, the new Hong Kong International Airport is a far superior facility conceived, designed and built for the 21st century, but the operators are not resting on their laurels. Plans for refurbishment and improvement have already begun and will see a change to the lay-out of the departures’ Immigration Hall, as well structural improvements to the runways and taxiways to cope with ever-increasing traffic. There is even talk of construction of a third runway as the airport firmly cements its place as the hub to southern China.

Double Haven; which locals know affectionately as “Little Guilin” and “Little Xihu”, is a serene, picturesque natural harbour of Hong Kong. Formed more than 12000 years ago when the lands became submerged in rising glacial waters, the Double Haven region is also home to one of the last well preserved traditional Hakka walled villages. The harbour earned its name from the Englishmen who controlled the city because of the calmness of its waters which did not change even in stormy weather. You will find it fairly easy to arrive at Double Haven by hiking trail or boat from the city.

This pleasant little niche in nature is easy to locate as you explore the National Geo- Park, which contains many other wonderful places and formations of undisturbed natural beauty and is a fascinating wonder in itself. Double Haven is ringed in by three medium sized islands that form a perfect little pocket of water to keep the waves of the sea from moving around rapidly into the harbour. The beautiful rock formations found around the haven is varied in shape, colour and age, and makes wonderful patterns all around the islands which makes for an unforgettable vista as the light and weather changes through the day.

As you enjoy the halcyon beauty of Double Haven, do not forget to pay a visit to the traditional Hakka villages nearby. These intriguing homesteads are occupied by the south Chinese Hakka people. Inside of these villages you will find their traditional houses all tightly huddled together and fortified by mighty walls. This architectural style was adapted by the Hakka for defence, and they proudly preserve it even today. Spending some time at one of these curious abodes will be a welcome break from your trek to the clam waters of Double Haven.

There is no difficulty in finding a place to stay from where you can take a bus or a boat to the National Geo Park and enjoy the scenic waters of Double Haven. Most of the hotels in the city are very close to the bus and metro stations; although it is not a small city, you can be off to enjoy the mystic wonders of Double Haven in no time.

So where CAN you get a Batman outfit in Hong Kong? You would be surprised at how many people actually look for fancy dress outfits and costumes for the various theme parties that we have in Hong Kong.

Well if you do, you have come to the right guide!  We have had Movie Stars, Pirates, Cavemen, DC Villains, Gangsters and Pimps, Hawaiian and Arabian night parties. Some of these parties have been on junk boat trips and some of them in normal bars and clubs. And the great thing about Hong Kong is that you can have these parties anywhere. The Local crowd loves to see people dress up, and do not be surprised if you spend a lot of your night taking photos with random people. Now besides organising these theme parties, people also need to find the right outfits and costumes. Now where can you do this? Here is our list of must visit places. 

You have two options: You can rent your outfits:

– House of Siren

Easily the best costumier in town, House of Siren rents handmade stock costumes and will also tailor them to your size.

– The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

HKAPA lends out costumes previously used in productions.

– Makswell Costume

Located in Chai Wan, Makswell#8217s has literally hundreds of costumes to choose from, and deliver for $50 to Hong Kong or Kowloon ($200 to New Territories), plus rental price. They also sell props and accessories.

If you want to buy outfits, you can check the following shops:

– Partyland Market

This shop is located on the corner of Wellington Street and Pottinger Street in Central. You can find a lot of costume shops on Pottinger street as well. Make sure to check them all out. They have a lot of choice and cheap outfits.

– Tai Yun Street Market

A Street Market in Wan Chai, where a bit of hunting can get you some cheap outfits as well.

– Ladies Market

This well know market in Mong Kok has some outfits as well, though to tend to be more on the “naughty” side.

– Night Market – Temple Street

This street market is located between jordan and Yau Ma Tei, has similar items to the Ladies Market

– Matteo Party

A shop located on Jaffe Road, Causeway bay

– Fortune Costume

A costume shop on Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

A visit to a couple of these places will get you almost everything you need to look cool and awesome on any theme party you organise!

Iluv.hk provides you with Hong Kong’s best Shopping guides out there!

A few months ago, I decided to move to Hong Kong from my lifelong residence of Cincinnati, Ohio. I had recently reconnected (on Facebook) with a cute girl from my high school homeroom whom I had not seen in person since 1985. Since I've never been married, have no kids and run my own internet company that allows me to work from anywhere in the world, I decided to make an initial visit to check it out. It only took me a few days to realize that I wanted to live in Hong Kong.

After extending my two week visit to four weeks, I returned back to the states to tie up a few loose ends. I sold or keep away most of my personal belongings and reduced my possessions to what would snugly fit into two suitcases. Being 43 years old and having your life reduced to what fits into two suitcases was a surreal and surprising liberating. A month later, I was off to Discovery Bay in Hong Kong for a new life experience. For anyone who is considering making such a move, I would like to share a few observations and recommendations.

Currency: The Hong Kong government uses "Honk Kong Dollars". If you're used to US currency, making the transition is actually quite easy. The current exchange rate is approximately 7.8%. In simple terms, this means that a pack of cigarettes that costs HK $ 39.00 translates to about $ 5.00 in the states. Since I'm not really sharp when it comes to math, I found an easy way to convert HK dollars to US dollars. Let's say you see a pizza on a menu that is HK $ 100.00. How much is this in US dollars? What I find to be an easy way to convert is to first determine what 10% of the price is. In this case, 10% of $ 100.00 is $ 10.00. Then, I add about 25% of the $ 10.00, which is $ 2.50. So, the pizza that costs HK $ 100.00 is about $ 12.50 in US dollars. If you want to buy flat screen television that is on sale for HK $ 8000.00, I take 10% of the 8k, which is $ 800.00. Then, I add 25% of the $ 800.00 which is $ 200.00. So, the HK $ 8000.00 flat screen television is about $ 1000.00 US dollars.

Another thing to remember about Hong Kong is that there is no sales tax. In addition, tipping in restaurants is rare. It seems strange at first not to tip or to just leave the change behind for the service, but servers and bartenders in Hong Kong are usually paid a nice salary or hourly wage – unlike in the states. Try leaving a $ 5.00 tip for a $ 200.00 dinner in a New York restaurant and see what happens!

Transportation: Many adults in Hong Kong have never driven a car. They simply do not need to. Hong Kong is wonderful because it is such an orderly and organized city. Mass transportation is safe, clean, convenient and very affordable. It is very easy to get a taxi, take the subway (known as the "MTR"), take a ferry or hop on a bus. Even though Hong Kong is part of China, it is overflowing with English-speaking ex-pats from all over the world. As a result, 99% of the signs are in English, which makes it extremely easy to get around. The not-so-obvious advantage of Hong Kong's mass transit system is that when you're not driving, you are able to do other things such as read, check email, nap, etc. This is a huge stress-reducer that most people do not consider. Imagine having an extra two hours to yourself each day!

Hiking: I currently live in Discovery Bay, which is a community on Lantau Island. I often compare DB to Hawaii and downtown Hong Kong to New York City. In other words, I get to experience the best of both worlds. The great thing about living here is that we can hike all over the island to different communities, many of which are very Chinese and reliably primitive. If you love the outdoors and love to be active, there are countless opportunities to get out of the city and experience Chinese culture on foot.

Proximity to other countries: I'm used to living in Ohio, which is pretty much land-locked. Hong Kong, on the other hand is very close to mainland China, Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. Many people that I have encountered in Hong Kong are very world-traveled. It's not uncommon to meet people who have visited 10, 15 or 20 countries. In just a few months here, I've made friends from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, South Africa and Baltimore. It really is a melting pot here and there is never a dull moment.

Residency: When you enter Hong Kong, immigration stamps your passport which allows you to visit the region for 90 days. If you plan on staying longer, there are several ways to become a resident. If your company in the states sends you here for business, you're good to go with a work visa. If you are here and are hired by a company, you will get a work visa as well. If you plan on starting a business, you will need to present your plan to immigration and obtain an "investment visa". Do not do this on your own. Contact or visit the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and they will introduce you to an accounting firm who specializes in presenting business plans for approval to immigration. If you meet a resident and you fall in love, then you can stay for good if you're married!

Living in Hong Kong is awesome. My only regret is that I waited 43 years to vent out of my comfort zone in Ohio. It's never too late to set off on a new life adventure. Life is short, so if you have always had the desire to explore this beautiful planet, consider checking out Hong Kong. It's different, but not so different that the culture shock will be too much to handle.