Hong Kong

Edith Wharton once said that if we all stop trying to be happy, we could have a pretty good time, and I guess that applies to our trip to Hong Kong. The first thought that probably came to my mind when I arrived was that Hong Kong was somehow a real city, founded firmly on the strength of capitalism and the principle of laissez faire, the buildings arrayed and aligned according to the will of the invisible hand rather than governmental edict. After the somewhat regimental nature of the past two years, Hong Kong provided a stark contrast with its unfettered lifestyle and freewheeling rollercoasters, though the unrelenting push of market forces did seem to take its toll on pedestrian walking speeds and general stress levels amongst the population. Still the food was good, Ocean Park was great, Macau amazingly glitzy and the company awesome, so the trip overall turned out splendid :)

On the other hand, I think the rollercoasters in Hong Kong prepared me well for the reeling and lurching of my first few driving lessons.