settling in
Home! Finally, we are out of Hotel/AirBnB and in our own apartment. The two of us and our flatmate (also a Pilot) are all moved in. Move in day was a Friday, I had work so we met super early to sign the papers and do the handover then the boys took it from there. By the time I got home from work, they had worked miracles. Converting the built-in single bed in our flatties room into a double bed, and extending our built-in double to a queen size. The extensions are reasonably simple constructions of wood and nails but they do the job brilliantly. The more impressive thing is actually getting that done here, finding a store that sells wood, a place the cuts it, communicating what size you want it cut to, and then on top of that actually making it all in one day. Hats off to ya lads. They also bought a piece of steel piping and increased the height of the shower so that people taller than 5ft can now also shower in it. Successful first day in the house. Our mattresses all arrived as planned that day so we had a place to sleep, the rest of the house was rather empty though, we were lucky it came with two bar stools so we could take turns having somewhere to sit in the living room. The second night in our house we had the opportunity to experience the famous Hong Kong crazy-work-hours first hand when our internet was installed at midnight on a Saturday!
I was really excited about being able to cook for ourselves now that we have a place of our own. I thought this would start instantly but it turns out moving house and starting a new job all at once is kind of intense, let alone trying to figure out what you can cook with only a stove top and minimal kitchen gadgets, or where to buy the right ingredients. So luckily we now have access to a massive range of food spots in Kennedy Town and we are working our way through them night by night! We have been closely following the various buy and sell furniture facebook groups, hoping to scoop a bargain when, our flattie hit the jackpot. A near new condition L shaped sofa (not from Ikea) for $100 NZ. Sold! So now we can all sit simultaneously for the first time, starting to feel more homely…
The apartment block we are in is up on a hill and we can get 2 lifts up to it from town. Stepping out of the second lift it’s like being transported from hustle and bustle to quite a serene place. With mountain peeps and a more open spacious feeling, I really like it. When I head to work in the morning I walk along a large open area shared by all 3 blocks in our building, there are seats and plants along the edges, and it is full of oldish people exercising. Whether it is Tai Chi looking moves, those who are dancing to their own beat, power walking up and down or jogging loops - they haven’t yet failed to make me smile.
Home sweet home is starting to feel good.
Friday night workers tea shout (from what I could tell). Came across it while walking between the two elevators to get home.
