How do you know when you've been here too long ?
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When you realise that you get ride-on mowers that go faster than DB golf carts (even on grass).
When you realise that you can get 8 brand new Ducati 999,or 3 brand new Rav4's,or 1 brand new Porsche 911,for the price of a DB GOLF CART
When you realise that you can get 8 brand new Ducati 999,or 3 brand new Rav4's,or 1 brand new Porsche 911,for the price of a DB GOLF CART
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When you sniff up and hock a big throat oyster mid sentence, while you sneer at the gwailos who blow their nose on to some sort of fabric and decide they will keep it in their pocket for later. 
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All,
It would seem there are some unhappy individuals in Cathey Pacific these days. Such comments as posted here would never have surfaced in days gone by when wresling with dragons was not part of the pleasure of living in Hongkong. One can't but wonder why the discontented don't simply write out their resignations and go back to the drab monotonous suburbia from whence they came. They dont do it because they know only too well what it is like back there.
828a.
It would seem there are some unhappy individuals in Cathey Pacific these days. Such comments as posted here would never have surfaced in days gone by when wresling with dragons was not part of the pleasure of living in Hongkong. One can't but wonder why the discontented don't simply write out their resignations and go back to the drab monotonous suburbia from whence they came. They dont do it because they know only too well what it is like back there.
828a.
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Originally Posted by 828a
All,
It would seem there are some unhappy individuals in Cathey Pacific these days. Such comments as posted here would never have surfaced in days gone by when wresling with dragons was not part of the pleasure of living in Hongkong. One can't but wonder why the discontented don't simply write out their resignations and go back to the drab monotonous suburbia from whence they came. They dont do it because they know only too well what it is like back there.
828a.
It would seem there are some unhappy individuals in Cathey Pacific these days. Such comments as posted here would never have surfaced in days gone by when wresling with dragons was not part of the pleasure of living in Hongkong. One can't but wonder why the discontented don't simply write out their resignations and go back to the drab monotonous suburbia from whence they came. They dont do it because they know only too well what it is like back there.
828a.
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Originally Posted by Elroy Jettson
When you sniff up and hock a big throat oyster mid sentence, while you sneer at the gwailos who blow their nose on to some sort of fabric and decide they will keep it in their pocket for later.
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Sorry 828a, this was all just a bit of fun for us, you know, just poking a bit of fun wot? No offence intended. 
To even the score, may I present....
You know you have been living in London too long when...
1. You don't even bother looking out of the window when you get up in
the morning to check what the day is like. You know it is overcast.
2. You believe that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday are all good nights for drinking. Sunday day is also entirely
reasonable.
3. You can't remember what 'customer service' means.
4. After a big night out you find yourself looking for a Curry house
and not a 24-hour McDonalds.
5. You start to accept queuing as a way of life.
6. More than three hours sunlight on summer days seems excessive.
7. You always call soccer 'football' ... and you have a team ... and
it's not Manchester United.
8. You don't think twice about buying a packaged sandwich.
9. A sunny lunchtime means searching for a patch of grass and
stripping off practically down to your underwear.
10. You expect men to actually cut, comb and style their hair (using
hair products). And to wear decent clothes. Jeans and a T-shirt are no
longer socially acceptable.
11. You think 40 quid for a haircut is quite reasonable.
12. You finish every sentence with 'Cheers' or "In'it", and start
every conversation with Hiya or Ya'right.
13. You only just realize you have lost your sunglasses - you left
them in Greece 2 summers ago.
14. You start thinking English cuisine isn't all that bad after all, I
mean, it's hard to beat a full English breakfast.
15. You are on to your 6th umbrella and your second overcoat.
16. You buy a disposable baby BBQ from Argos.
17. You realize your sunscreen is the stuff you originally brought
from home with you.
18. A day at the beach means wearing the warmest clothes you own while
standing on golf ball-size pebbles and the thought of swimming doesn't
even enter your head.
19. You actually say, "Sor'ed" or "its all gone a bit pear shaped".
20. Wearing a suit in a pub is relatively normal attire.
21. You have given up complaining about the Victorian-like banking
services offered in the UK.
22. You have given up explaining why you are half an hour late to work
as no-one notices or even cares. In fact - you may even join the
one-hour gossip session around the coffee machine before booting up your
computer.
23. Coming to work with a hangover is entirely accepted and indeed
expected at least once a week .
To even the score, may I present....
You know you have been living in London too long when...
1. You don't even bother looking out of the window when you get up in
the morning to check what the day is like. You know it is overcast.
2. You believe that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday are all good nights for drinking. Sunday day is also entirely
reasonable.
3. You can't remember what 'customer service' means.
4. After a big night out you find yourself looking for a Curry house
and not a 24-hour McDonalds.
5. You start to accept queuing as a way of life.
6. More than three hours sunlight on summer days seems excessive.
7. You always call soccer 'football' ... and you have a team ... and
it's not Manchester United.
8. You don't think twice about buying a packaged sandwich.
9. A sunny lunchtime means searching for a patch of grass and
stripping off practically down to your underwear.
10. You expect men to actually cut, comb and style their hair (using
hair products). And to wear decent clothes. Jeans and a T-shirt are no
longer socially acceptable.
11. You think 40 quid for a haircut is quite reasonable.
12. You finish every sentence with 'Cheers' or "In'it", and start
every conversation with Hiya or Ya'right.
13. You only just realize you have lost your sunglasses - you left
them in Greece 2 summers ago.
14. You start thinking English cuisine isn't all that bad after all, I
mean, it's hard to beat a full English breakfast.
15. You are on to your 6th umbrella and your second overcoat.
16. You buy a disposable baby BBQ from Argos.
17. You realize your sunscreen is the stuff you originally brought
from home with you.
18. A day at the beach means wearing the warmest clothes you own while
standing on golf ball-size pebbles and the thought of swimming doesn't
even enter your head.
19. You actually say, "Sor'ed" or "its all gone a bit pear shaped".
20. Wearing a suit in a pub is relatively normal attire.
21. You have given up complaining about the Victorian-like banking
services offered in the UK.
22. You have given up explaining why you are half an hour late to work
as no-one notices or even cares. In fact - you may even join the
one-hour gossip session around the coffee machine before booting up your
computer.
23. Coming to work with a hangover is entirely accepted and indeed
expected at least once a week .
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You know you've been too long in the Czech Republic when:
1) Doing 100mph in a parking lot is normal
2) It's always hot, no matter the season (no air conditioning and at the slightest hint of inclement weather, the thermostat gets cranked up to its maximum)
3) You derive sadistic pleasure in cutting in front of a babushka about to weigh her rotting veggies at the Tesco counter
4) You think it's normal to have a couple of slivovitz before heading off to work and then have a couple of beers with your lunch
5) You forget to shower for a week and nobody notices
6) You buy 'papuce'.....slippers for the house and force all visitors to wear them
7) You automatically bribe the policeman without noticing how much the fine was
8) You always say 'world famous' in front of any Czech manufactured product
9) You leave your trash in the common hallway to throw out the next day so your apartment looks clean
10) You go to the hospital that someone knows someone who knows someone who works there instead of to the best hospital for the given ailment
1) Doing 100mph in a parking lot is normal
2) It's always hot, no matter the season (no air conditioning and at the slightest hint of inclement weather, the thermostat gets cranked up to its maximum)
3) You derive sadistic pleasure in cutting in front of a babushka about to weigh her rotting veggies at the Tesco counter
4) You think it's normal to have a couple of slivovitz before heading off to work and then have a couple of beers with your lunch
5) You forget to shower for a week and nobody notices
6) You buy 'papuce'.....slippers for the house and force all visitors to wear them
7) You automatically bribe the policeman without noticing how much the fine was
8) You always say 'world famous' in front of any Czech manufactured product
9) You leave your trash in the common hallway to throw out the next day so your apartment looks clean
10) You go to the hospital that someone knows someone who knows someone who works there instead of to the best hospital for the given ailment
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Flaps 5;
All expatriates arrive in the East for the first time as Griffins. Some settle in and allow their lives to be enriched while others remain Griffins till the day they leave. Considering you pulled out early I suspect you are one of the latter which hardly qualifies you to make suggestions to others.
828a.
All expatriates arrive in the East for the first time as Griffins. Some settle in and allow their lives to be enriched while others remain Griffins till the day they leave. Considering you pulled out early I suspect you are one of the latter which hardly qualifies you to make suggestions to others.
828a.
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Now now, let's not get all hot and bothered 828. This forum is full of dull threads of people snickering at each other for no reason but to let off steam. A thread like this once in a while is quite nice. Nothing bad aboot a little fun.
You know you've been in HK too long when...
- Walking your dog means hiring a domestic helper.
- You try to get an elevator, you have to keep pressing the button until it arrives.
- Living on the 30th floor is deemed to be too low.
- The cab driver looks back at you and says, "you not go wan chai tonight?"
You know you've been in HK too long when...
- Walking your dog means hiring a domestic helper.
- You try to get an elevator, you have to keep pressing the button until it arrives.
- Living on the 30th floor is deemed to be too low.
- The cab driver looks back at you and says, "you not go wan chai tonight?"
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Flying Bagel;
At least your contribution is not person reflective and in any case my beef is not with you [absit invidia] it is with Flaps 5 so how about we let him speak up for himself.
828a.
At least your contribution is not person reflective and in any case my beef is not with you [absit invidia] it is with Flaps 5 so how about we let him speak up for himself.
828a.
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Moeesee 828a - may I suggest sticking to the thread sir, even contribute a witticism, or else forever risk castigation as a banana.
Or you could set up a new thread ?
Or you could set up a new thread ?
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kluge;
Please dont apologize, it is not necessary. I've been wondering when you would show up and now that you are here I'm looking forward with much anticipation to all that you will have to say.
828a.
Please dont apologize, it is not necessary. I've been wondering when you would show up and now that you are here I'm looking forward with much anticipation to all that you will have to say.
828a.
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Lighten up!
Geez! In an effort to lighten up the mood in here (again), and to even the ledger,
Sorry about the length! (Not something I have to apologise about too often!)
You know you have been in Australia too long when....
You understand the expression "the bigger the hat, the smaller the farm".
The shorter the nickname you give to someone, the more you like them.
You know it's not a genuine Australian saying unless it involves a paddock, a lizard, or a rat.
You think a flash sports car driven by a middle-aged man should not incite envy - as in America - but hilarity.
It's not a picnic without a bull-ant climbing up your arse.
You refer to your best friend as "a total bastard", while your worst enemy is "a bit of a bastard".
Whether it?s the opening of Parliament, or the launch of a new art gallery, there is no event which cannot be improved by the addition of a sausage sizzle or a barbecue.
You expect all hamburgers must contain beetroot.
You think it's better to be down on your luck than up yourself.
You interpret the phrase ?we?ve got a great lifestyle? as meaning everyone in the family drinks too much.
If the bloke next to you is swearing like a wharfie, he?s probably a media billionaire. Or possibly a wharfie.
You understand there isn't a single food which cannot be improved by the application of tomato sauce.
People with red hair should always be nicknamed ?Blue?, just as short people should be labelled ?Lofty?.
On the beach, you hide your keys and wallet by placing them inside their sandshoes. No thief has ever worked this out. Australia has some really stupid thieves, (or really stinky sandshoes).
Industrial design knows of no article more useful than the milk crate.
You can't work out why all the best heroes are losers.
You think the Alpha male in any group is he who takes the barbeque tongs from the hands of the host, and blithely begins turning the snags.
You don't think it's summer until the steering wheel is too hot to hold.
You like the beer served so cold it makes your ears hurt.
You think a thong is not a piece of scanty swimwear, as in America, but a fine example of footwear. Thus a group of sheilas wearing black rubber thongs is no longer as exciting as you might once have hoped.
A gum leaf, crushed in the hand, is the best smell ever.
Historians believe that the widespread use of the word ?mate? can be traced to the harsh conditions on the Australian frontier in the 1890s, and the development of a code of mutual aid, or ?mateship?. Alternatively, we may all be just really hopeless with names.
You hope to choose a partner who is attractive not only to yourself, but also to neighbourhood mosquitoes.
If it can?t be fixed using panty-hose and fencing wire, it?s not worth fixing.
All parties, in however grand and well-prepared a house, will be held, cramped and noisy, in the kitchen.
The most popular and widely praised family in the street is the one that just happens to have the swimming pool.
A swallowed fly, while disgusting, must be greeted with the plucky comment: "Um, protein".
We invented everything in the world worth inventing, but then sold the copyright to the Yanks.
You think that smearing toast with a spread that?s black and salty, and which has the appearance of axle-grease, is a good way to start the day.
You think that every older Australian has a bulldust theory involving ants, a Kookaburra laughing and the likelihood of rain, and every theory is the direct opposite of the last one you heard.
If invited to a party, you take cheap red wine, but then spend all night drinking the host?s beer. Don?t worry, he will have catered for it.
If there?s any sort of free event or party within a hundred kilometres, you?d think yourself an idiot not to go.
Every surname, brand-name and motor-car spare part must be shortened to the point of incomprehension, as in the phrase: "If I hadn't stuffed the diff I'd have taken Blacky to Maccas."
You realise the Aeroguard is far, far worse than the flies.
Despite the Geography you think of Australia as being somewhat out of place within the Asia-Pacific region; surrounded by unstable ex-colonial nations who regard you as racist, imperialist, and unfairly wealthy. You regard extreme anti-Australians such as Mahatir Mohammed very irritating.
You regard New Zealanders as basically our naive country cousins, who talk funny and for some bizarre reason, think that they invented pavlova. They are to be pitied and laughed at. They have no hope of gaining the upper hand in the endless sporting rivalry between our two nations.
You think Americans are loud and supremely ignorant of Australia (all they know about us they gained from Mick Dundee); British and Europeans in general are more quiet but pretentious and cowardly.
You've ever mimicked Alf Stewart from the TV show Home and Away's broad, Australian accent, eg. "push off, ya flamin' drongo!"
You've ever had an argument with a friend over whether Ford or Holden makes the better car!
You've done the "hot sand dance" at the beach while running from the ocean back to your towel.
You start using words like "reckon" and call people "mate".
You stop greeting people with "hello" and go straight to the "how ya doin' ?"
You've seriously considered running down to the shops in a pair of Ugg Boots.
You own a pair of ugg boots.
You've been to a day-nighter cricket match and screamed out incomprehensibly until your throat went raw.
You know the national anthem by heart, sing it at every opportunity (sporting events in particular) but don't know what "girt" means.
You have a story that somehow revolves around excess consumption of alcohol and a mate named "Davo" or "Bruce".
You've risked attending an outdoor music festival on the hottest day of the year.
You've tried to hang off a clothesline while pretending you can fly.
You've had a visit to the emergency room after hanging off the clothesline pretending you can fly.
You don't know what's in a meat pie, and you don't care.
You pronounce Australia as "Stralya".
You call soccer soccer, not football.You've ever sucked your coffee through a Tim Tam (for those who don't know, a variety of chocolate biscuit, one allegedly "better than sex").
You realise that lifeguards are the only people who can get away with wearing Speedos.
You pledge allegiance to Vegemite over Promite.
You understand the value of public holidays.Your weekends are spent barracking for your favourite sports team.
You have a toilet dolly.
Your Mum or Nan made it.
You've played beach cricket with a tennis ball and a bat fashioned out of a fence post.
You firmly believe that in the end, everything will be ok, and have told a mate in tough times that "She'll be right, mate".
You use the phrase, "no worries" at least once a day.
You constantly shorten words to "brekkie", "arvo" and "barbie", as well as all names...
You've adopted a local bar as yours.
You know the oath of mateship can never be limited by geographical distance.
You measure a journey in beer, not kilometres or time. (That's a 3 beer trip mate).
Sorry about the length! (Not something I have to apologise about too often!)
You know you have been in Australia too long when....
You understand the expression "the bigger the hat, the smaller the farm".
The shorter the nickname you give to someone, the more you like them.
You know it's not a genuine Australian saying unless it involves a paddock, a lizard, or a rat.
You think a flash sports car driven by a middle-aged man should not incite envy - as in America - but hilarity.
It's not a picnic without a bull-ant climbing up your arse.
You refer to your best friend as "a total bastard", while your worst enemy is "a bit of a bastard".
Whether it?s the opening of Parliament, or the launch of a new art gallery, there is no event which cannot be improved by the addition of a sausage sizzle or a barbecue.
You expect all hamburgers must contain beetroot.
You think it's better to be down on your luck than up yourself.
You interpret the phrase ?we?ve got a great lifestyle? as meaning everyone in the family drinks too much.
If the bloke next to you is swearing like a wharfie, he?s probably a media billionaire. Or possibly a wharfie.
You understand there isn't a single food which cannot be improved by the application of tomato sauce.
People with red hair should always be nicknamed ?Blue?, just as short people should be labelled ?Lofty?.
On the beach, you hide your keys and wallet by placing them inside their sandshoes. No thief has ever worked this out. Australia has some really stupid thieves, (or really stinky sandshoes).
Industrial design knows of no article more useful than the milk crate.
You can't work out why all the best heroes are losers.
You think the Alpha male in any group is he who takes the barbeque tongs from the hands of the host, and blithely begins turning the snags.
You don't think it's summer until the steering wheel is too hot to hold.
You like the beer served so cold it makes your ears hurt.
You think a thong is not a piece of scanty swimwear, as in America, but a fine example of footwear. Thus a group of sheilas wearing black rubber thongs is no longer as exciting as you might once have hoped.
A gum leaf, crushed in the hand, is the best smell ever.
Historians believe that the widespread use of the word ?mate? can be traced to the harsh conditions on the Australian frontier in the 1890s, and the development of a code of mutual aid, or ?mateship?. Alternatively, we may all be just really hopeless with names.
You hope to choose a partner who is attractive not only to yourself, but also to neighbourhood mosquitoes.
If it can?t be fixed using panty-hose and fencing wire, it?s not worth fixing.
All parties, in however grand and well-prepared a house, will be held, cramped and noisy, in the kitchen.
The most popular and widely praised family in the street is the one that just happens to have the swimming pool.
A swallowed fly, while disgusting, must be greeted with the plucky comment: "Um, protein".
We invented everything in the world worth inventing, but then sold the copyright to the Yanks.
You think that smearing toast with a spread that?s black and salty, and which has the appearance of axle-grease, is a good way to start the day.
You think that every older Australian has a bulldust theory involving ants, a Kookaburra laughing and the likelihood of rain, and every theory is the direct opposite of the last one you heard.
If invited to a party, you take cheap red wine, but then spend all night drinking the host?s beer. Don?t worry, he will have catered for it.
If there?s any sort of free event or party within a hundred kilometres, you?d think yourself an idiot not to go.
Every surname, brand-name and motor-car spare part must be shortened to the point of incomprehension, as in the phrase: "If I hadn't stuffed the diff I'd have taken Blacky to Maccas."
You realise the Aeroguard is far, far worse than the flies.
Despite the Geography you think of Australia as being somewhat out of place within the Asia-Pacific region; surrounded by unstable ex-colonial nations who regard you as racist, imperialist, and unfairly wealthy. You regard extreme anti-Australians such as Mahatir Mohammed very irritating.
You regard New Zealanders as basically our naive country cousins, who talk funny and for some bizarre reason, think that they invented pavlova. They are to be pitied and laughed at. They have no hope of gaining the upper hand in the endless sporting rivalry between our two nations.
You think Americans are loud and supremely ignorant of Australia (all they know about us they gained from Mick Dundee); British and Europeans in general are more quiet but pretentious and cowardly.
You've ever mimicked Alf Stewart from the TV show Home and Away's broad, Australian accent, eg. "push off, ya flamin' drongo!"
You've ever had an argument with a friend over whether Ford or Holden makes the better car!
You've done the "hot sand dance" at the beach while running from the ocean back to your towel.
You start using words like "reckon" and call people "mate".
You stop greeting people with "hello" and go straight to the "how ya doin' ?"
You've seriously considered running down to the shops in a pair of Ugg Boots.
You own a pair of ugg boots.
You've been to a day-nighter cricket match and screamed out incomprehensibly until your throat went raw.
You know the national anthem by heart, sing it at every opportunity (sporting events in particular) but don't know what "girt" means.
You have a story that somehow revolves around excess consumption of alcohol and a mate named "Davo" or "Bruce".
You've risked attending an outdoor music festival on the hottest day of the year.
You've tried to hang off a clothesline while pretending you can fly.
You've had a visit to the emergency room after hanging off the clothesline pretending you can fly.
You don't know what's in a meat pie, and you don't care.
You pronounce Australia as "Stralya".
You call soccer soccer, not football.You've ever sucked your coffee through a Tim Tam (for those who don't know, a variety of chocolate biscuit, one allegedly "better than sex").
You realise that lifeguards are the only people who can get away with wearing Speedos.
You pledge allegiance to Vegemite over Promite.
You understand the value of public holidays.Your weekends are spent barracking for your favourite sports team.
You have a toilet dolly.
Your Mum or Nan made it.
You've played beach cricket with a tennis ball and a bat fashioned out of a fence post.
You firmly believe that in the end, everything will be ok, and have told a mate in tough times that "She'll be right, mate".
You use the phrase, "no worries" at least once a day.
You constantly shorten words to "brekkie", "arvo" and "barbie", as well as all names...
You've adopted a local bar as yours.
You know the oath of mateship can never be limited by geographical distance.
You measure a journey in beer, not kilometres or time. (That's a 3 beer trip mate).
