Who would have thought...

that we would be in Hong Kong without internet!?! :) So, no posts for you!

So, conference. Wasn't too into it this time around. Not that it wasn't good to see everyone again and some for perhaps the last time. Our VIA pow-wow was out in the New Territories area of Hong Kong. It was really quite beautiful out there, quite removed from the high rises, crowds and cars.

So, what did we do at conference. Well, we talked and talked and well, talked. About um, China (duh). Here is the over-simplified re-cap(not in any particular order):

Vols arriving to conference late - BOO!

M & M being "uncharacteristically" late - a little to worried to boo right away, but eventually - boo!

Post reports - yea!/2 Nanjing boos!

Brainstorming about stuff - yea! Putting it (hopefully) in action - YEA! (hopefully)

VIA home office updates - Yea! Hopefully will put PD in a better "yea" position in the coming years.

Lesson idea exchange - Mu's lesson - YEA! Fellow vols as students - boo! Also, special mention of Naree's - boo-hoo (inside joke, yes. Will explain, no.)

BBQ - Yea! Baijiu soaked marshmallows - a big, bad, BOO!

The last supper - Yea - good food! Boo - 'cuz it's the last supper.

So, I missed some stuff, but that's at least how the recap pretty much played out in my mind.

After we said our goodbye we all split off to head out on our post-conference travels. Matt and I got a chance to hang out with the new(er) vols in Kowloon for the night before we split off for different SE Asian travels.

Hong Kong is different from "China" - I mean, no jay walking, none. Just patiently waiting for the light to turn - no pushing to get that 4 inches of better curb position for when it is clear enough to Frogger across the street. I did not see a snot rocket. A lot less phlegm clearing. I wonder if they have nicknames for the crass mainlanders? I liked the way the city moved, crowded, but smooth. Someone stepped on my foot and genuinely apologized. Immediately. I didn't even have to shoot a dirty look!

So, sorry I don't have much of a commentary on the city. I didn't have too much time to explore, but was happy to see a little bit of a place that I wasn't planning on going. Hong Kong was expensive. But good to see. I'm glad that we were able to go (even if it did through a wrench in the SE Asia travel).

I'll go see the inspiration crib for my fav designer, Vivienne Tam, another time.