Sydney - May / June / July 2025

One Saturday morning I drove to Umina and inspected my house as it is vacant. Then went to my favourite local cafe for breakfast...

It would have been my father's 96th birthday on 8 May. Someone found an old picture of him in front of the house I grew up in...

On the Sunday after returning from my Hong Kong / Dubai trip, I went and had lunch at Haberfield Rowers with an old school mate, Jeff. Had to park miles away but it was a lovely day...

That afternoon I washed my car...

One day I drove up to Katoomba to pick up my Judy Cassab painting. I then headed to Leura (which was packed!) for breakfast...

That night I met friends for dinner at the Lucky Prawn in Marrickville, which is part of The Bob Hawke Beer and Leisure Centre...

It was a fun night and the food was great...

Deep Fried Vienetta...

I then headed up to Berkeley Vale for the weekend. One of the roses from my Mother's garden is doing well...

I made some progress with the grass out the back...

Sunday was a lovely still morning and I went for my usual ride. This is from The Entrance Bridge looking out to sea...

Early start Monday morning...

Had to go to Melbourne for a day to look at potential new premises. Flew in the night before and stayed at Voco. Went to an Italian place in Hardware Lane for dinner then back to the hotel.

Hong Kong - July 2025

Flew from Singapore on Friday on Cathay (Economy !).

Easy flight and straight thru passport control and onto the Airport Express. Headed to the Renaissance in Wan Chai as usual and checked in.

The HK Book Fair is on at the Convention Centre and the crowds are enormous.

It's Friday night so I went out and met some mates for Mexican in Wan Chai then headed back to the hotel to sleep.

Saturday I went to the pool for a swim and a relax. I know a typhoon is coming tomorrow.

I skipped lunch as I had eaten so much at the breakfast buffet. That night I went for Japanese hotpot in Causeway Bay.

The next morning I woke up to a T10 which aren't that common. I was expecting a T8...

So I was stuck in the hotel all day. It rained a lot...

The queue for breakfast was outrageously long, so I ordered room service which never came. When I went to see what happened, they apologised and comped me buffet lunch which in fact was much better!

In the afternoon I went to the gym. The signal was taken down just after 7pm so I walked to Wan Chai for dinner.

Monday I got up and went to gym. I'm trying to be disciplined which is harder when you travel a lot.

Had dinner at BarBar in Wan Chai which is a tapas place. Very good.

Tuesday again went to the gym then went to pick up my suit from the drycleaner. Had lunch at a Thai place in Wan Chai which was only average...

In the lift at Central Plaza...

Went into Central for dinner at The Monogamous Chinese. The tofu was great...

Wednesday I went to the gym again then had breakfast. Noodles today...

We had a team lunch at Dynasty in the Renaissance Hotel which is high-end Chinese. The food was great.

After work I met a mate for a drink at Cooshti in Wellington Street Central.

The rain has cleared up and the weather is lovely. This is the view from our office looking towards IFC...

And this is the view from my office looking the other way...

I got my shoes polished for HKD100 (she wanted HKD120). I think I used to pay HKD70...

Thursday I took a colleague for a farewell lunch at Kaetsu in the Grand Hyatt...

Green Tea ice-cream was great...

On Thursday night I met a contact for a drink at Thaiwan, which I had discovered years ago. Love the toilet door...

Haha...

Then had dinner at Asado. The steak was good but the chicken only average.

We over-ordered on side dishes and starters...

Friday night I went to Quinary for a pre-dinner drink. It's one of the world's top bars...

Then had Nepalese food in Stauntn Street.

After breakfast on Saturday, I had some pool time as it's a lovely day. This is the view from the pool deck...

Then headed to Honjo for lunch. Free flow sushi and oysters. One of my favourite places...

Saturday I took the 260 bus to Repulse Bay and had a swim. Went for a walk and watched the sunset...

Sunday I got late checkout so had another swim and then headed to the airport for my flight home...

I usually go to the Cathay Lounges but today went back to the Qantas Lounge...

I had a late lunch...

Boarded and had a Bloody Mary...

Coming into Sydney. We landed a bit early at 0630...

The airport was crazy busy and it took a while to get through. Then home in an Uber.