Otto's first bath

Dear Valentine...

The sand is always whiter on the other side

I am going to admit something utterly shocking and unAustralian.

I was never much of a fan of the beach when I lived in Sydney. In fact (be real, Natalie) you could say I loathed it.

It was all a bit too hard... too sandy, too hot or too cold, too far, too windy, too many waves, too many sharks, too little parking, too much risk of boredom.

Can you say 'spoiled much'??

Now that I live in Asia I (insert surprise) find myself missing the white sandy beaches of Australia all the time... Shortly before moving to Hong Kong I took this photo at Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay, which claims to have the whitest sand in Australia.

B and I 'popped down there' one weekend to do a spot of whale watching, as you do when you live on the coast of Oz.

Whale watching and the whitest sand in Australia. In ONE weekend. Again with the spoiled.

Of course Hong Kong is an island, so technically there are beaches. And they are much prettier than some of the black sand or pebbled beaches you see in Europe. But with their small-size, overcrowding and pollution - not a pinch on what you see in Australia. Do I sound like a beach snob? Well that's because I am. It's only natural when you grow up surrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Even if I didn't appreciate them at the time, my much smarter subconscious did.

So from today I vow to completely immerse myself in the unique pleasures of Hong Kong, and not take any part of them for granted. Because I will leave here too one day. And when you leave a place, you leave behind all that belongs to it. None of it is loyal to you and your memories, only to the Earth that holds it close. So for Hong Kong, that means: ribbons of rugged green mountains, sprinkles of untouched islands with quirky personalities, proximity to so many wonderful places just across the sea (hello Vietnam, I hear you calling) and some of the most incredible ancient Chinese architecture in the world.

There's such beauty everywhere. I vow to not let it pass me by.

Anyone for chicken?

Gotta love the Hong Kong signage.

Hong Kong living

I took this photo through the window in my spare bedroom.

This is considered a small apartment building.

The large ones are too big to photograph, my camera couldn't even frame them. Perhaps it was just too frightened to.

Apartment buildings in Hong Kong are mostly sporting a serious dose of steroids - gigantic, impersonal and kinda cranky looking.

I will never be able to look at one without gasping (with a faint aftertaste of horrified).

This is how 90 per cent of people here live, or more. Whole families in shoe-box size living spaces. Sometimes several generations, plus the Saint Bernard dog.

But it's not all bad - there are definitely actual houses in Hong Kong somewhere... no really, I've heard of them.

p.s. For the record - I (mercifully) have a wonderful view from my main bedroom, check it out:

Now that's better...

My favourite dress

I bought this dress for a dear friend's wedding last year.

I've had many people ask me if it's vintage or designer

- it's neither. I bought it off the rack for less than $100. Love that.

Dresses like these don't get wardrobe passes very often anymore, Hong Kong is (surprisingly) not the sort of place people frock up, unless you are a member of the Hong Kong Club and spend your evenings discussing Chinese stock prices whilst switching between a poached salmon canape and a chilled flute of Krug.

So not there yet.

I must say I miss getting zsushed up for fabulous parties. For now I live vicariously through my photos and musty wardrobe.

Pretty Lanterns

Location: Elgin Street, Hong Kong