After 18 months away from Asia, I finally headed back. Back in the saddle!
Tag: Life
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Back in the Saddle
Blurry trip from the airport 
Up at the crack of dawn the next morning … I was so used to living on the ‘other’ side of the world and travelling East to reach Asia that I often felt quite disorientated with time. 
The Bund, Shanghai 
Morning boats 
Hiking Hong Kong 
High-rise living 
Tanja & Edgar! 
Reminders of the little nooks and crannies that Taiwanese people would take over … lovely to see the same thing in Hong Kong. 
Play time 
Good times … all rather different now with a car … and a walking talking addition to the family! 
Panorama 
Views out to the island 
Great to have access from their back door 
Urban vertical sprawl 
Down into Mongkok and Kowloon 
Ello Dad 
Out at Discovery Bay … kind of like Disneyland, but you live there. 
Water world 
Couldn’t believe I caught this one – a guy was carrying a dragon’s mask and some shopping as I was waiting for a taxi in Shenzhen 
View up the street in Shanghai 
Some random digging 
Young chefs -
Noe Night Vision
It’s odd, for the last few months in the USA I have not felt the urge to grab my SLR to take photos. But, last night I suddenly felt the urge to use a real camera, so on the way to dinner with a friend I grabbed my 5D and rattled off a few shots. More to come.
Looking through the door of the local laundromat – they always feel like such lonely places. 
The star of the local community – the corner shop. 
Piled high with great fruit, veg, and other delicate comestibles. -
Restart
View over the bay from Mt. Diablo. Isn’t it odd that one of the most exciting periods of my life (moving from Taiwan, to the USA) has gone virtually undocumented on this blog? Talking to Markus, I wondered if it was simply that it was not strange enough to warrant writing about at length. My Dad even wondered if this phase of the blog, or maybe even my life, was drawing to a close. I think instead that I just needed a little break from it, and to return with some new-found energy, and fresh focus.
I believe so. Hold that thought – normal programming will resume soon.
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Checking Out the Neighbourhood
The rental market in San Francisco is notoriously challenging. Estate agent advertising is virtually non-existent, and people rely on what should be a relic; Craigslist. It came as a bit of a shock, then, to be presented with a place almost perfectly matching our needs after a mere day and half of searching. It’s a modestly-sized, renovated Victorian apartment in the south of Noe Valley – the location balances access to the freeway, public transport downtown and while it is not quite as close to the beating heart of some of the areas like Potrero and Mission, that is probably not such a bad thing; we are but a walk away to Mexican food and more cosmopolitan entertainment. Noe Valley could be compared to Notting Hill … but with more Labradors and baby strollers.
A short walk to the more exciting areas of Mission – here you will find the fixie bikes, hipsters and yoga, but also Mexican murals and awesome food from down south 
I am really excited by the food options – local, independent butchers, fruit and veg on the corner, any number of delicatessens … oh and online delivery for Safeway. No excuses not to cook now! 
Superb cafes within a stone's throw 
Super access to public transport … downtown only 15 minutes away on the new J-Line that runs by at the bottom of our street 
Our street – soon to be called home! 
And our home … not perhaps the most beautiful example of Victorian style, but it still means we have a little slice of San Francisco living. -
First Mountain Bike Ride in San Francisco
Within about 72 hours of landing, I already had my first riding date arranged with Marc Walliser from the office … I have yet to receive my own bike, so he was kind enough to lend me a very nice Rocky Mountain for the task. Awesome!
Ewok Forest 
Nice riding – though lacking the killer technical sections of Taiwan so far! 
Looking happy with myself. [custom_field field=”First_Ride_SF” this_post=”1″ limit=”0″ between=”, ” /]
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California Dreaming
Today I landed in America. Months of theory are suddenly turned into practice, and amidst a haze of jet lag and general exhaustion from having gift-wrapped a previous chapter of my life, I am suddenly presented with such a wall of potential experience lying in wait that I can do little more at this point than shake my head and wonder how the hell it all happened to fast.
Relaxed rushing around in Taipei taking care of paperwork like ending cell phone contracts and ensuring bank accounts can be accessed, was matched with quite the most surreal experience of the year; watching a team of impossibly polite strangers pack your life into boxes and crates, with nothing but a ‘sorry sir’ and ‘excuse me sir’ to engage with. Luckily, a rather wonderful group of friends was there to scoop me up and treat me to my last bites of Taiwan, ending the culinary experience as it began; with a plate of Gongbiao Chicken in a loud and roudy restaurant, naturally washed down with some jars of Taiwan pijiu.
Hugs and rushed goodbyes complete, Yuyin and I made our way through the rain to the airport, ironically tracing the steps I made out to Hongshulin all those years ago (ie: along back roads, full of betelnut girls and dodgy furniture stores). A hop, skip (Tokyo Narita) and a jump, and before we knew it we had cleared customs and were blazing through the city on our way to our temporary accommodation. The day was full of ironies, but top amongst them is surely that our apartment friend Erick of Facebook fame can virtually see into our living room. Well, almost.
What a day to land. A photogenic city in the worst of light, today it was bathed in a clear, warm blanket of autumnal sunshine. Kicking off proceedings at Hog Island Oyster Company at the base of Market Street in the Ferry Building, crisp Napa white wine washed down oysters where zesty flavours whipped, cracked and fizzed in my mouth, the flavour experience extending beyond the tongue, into the roof of my mouth and somehow down into my belly. Suggested serving: under blue Californian autumnal skies.
A Blue Bottle coffee (the best cappuccino i have ever had?) and a banana tartlet later, and it was time to take in the Embarcadero, slowly approaching the sea. Yuyin and I were shaking our heads in disbelief all the way, but it was all we could do to stop ourselves turning back when we saw the silhouette of the Golden Gate Bridge set against a perfect graduation of oranges and reds, sliding into the Pacific Ocean. Stop this now. Leave some for later! It must be downhill from here. But keep me believing – you can see why people wrote songs about this place.
Tomorrow, the gluey bits start to come together; social security, initial apartment hunting, and meeting colleagues for the first time. But for now, I am happy to relive perfect autumnal oysters, set on the most perfectly fabulous plate I could imagine.
California Dreaming 
What's up dog? 
Too much, too soon! -
881 TW
Seven and a half years ago, almost to the day, I arrived in Taiwan with a rucksack, a pack of CDs, a job with a little-known computer company and not a clue about what the future might hold.
I came for a year of experience in Asia, to see if I could cut it as a proper designer, and with a vague notion of getting paid for an extended period of backpacking.
I could not have predicted the depth and breadth of the experience, the amount I learnt about both the world and myself, the formation of such lasting, granite-strong friendships, and that I would form such a strong bond with this little island in the Pacific Ocean.
It is all of this and more that has given me the opportunity to be where I am right now; somewhere above Okinawa, a beautiful girl by my side, a job offer from one of the most exciting organisations in the world, and the goal to make a new home in a place that I thought only existed in the movies. Every time I think about all of this, I shake my head in disbelief and let out a little English-sounding murmur. Beautiful madness.
I’ll miss you, Taiwan. The worn-in familiarity of an old pair of jeans, the warmth and openness of the people, the love for food that is woven into the culture, scenery to make you weep, and enough crazy little details to make me laugh every single day. My secret little gem; a speck in the Pacific Ocean I came to call ‘home’.
881 y'all! -
How to Pack Your Life into Boxes
How to pack your life into boxes, in 12 easy steps:
1. Identify the most important things in your life and loosely throw them into the living room 
2. Invite a team of highly-trained strangers into your life, with inappropriately large amounts of packing material. 
3. Stand there helpless as they start work. Nod and say yes to whatever questions they pose to you. 
4. Marvel at the amazing lengths they go to, to pack every single thing you own (since you have a huge 20ft container it doesn't what you take anyway) 
5. Go outside to get away from the insanity. Consider taking up smoking. 
6. Stare lovingly at your prized possessions, before the inevitable happens. 
7. Marvel (and shake your head repeatedly) at the volume of stuff you seem to have accumulated. 
8. Wander around as you pathetically fail help them do their job. 
9. Choose around now in the process to look for very important visa documentation, that has accidentally packed away. 
10. Stand outside looking at the truck, as would a small child watching a construction site. 
NOTE: The final things that should be packed, and the first to be shipped, should be your computing equipment. Stop your iTunes sync halfway through completion to make sure you have no complete albums for the trip ahead. 
11. Wave goodbye to your stuff, as it might be the last time you see it. 
12. Inform your friends it is now too late to return borrowed items. Voila!
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Hong Kong Electric
Invariably, Asian electricity companies have the best logos in the world. Hong Kong holds deep and special memories for me. It was the first place I landed in Asia, touching-down on the way to Taiwan for the first time, it was the first ‘foreign’ place I went to after arriving on the island, it was a weekend transit hub for many of my trips to China, and it ended up being a place that some of my best friends called home. It will forever be a just a little bit magical.
The plan was to stretch out our layover to London with a day running around (traditional, I might say!). We ended up meeting Sam at Bloomberg, accidentally got on TV (twice!), relaxed with afternoon beers on Lamma, and ended up with food at the hilarious American Restaurant. Poignant goodbyes, but I shall be back soon!
It shouldn't, but in a lot of ways Hong Kong reminds me of San Francisco; the steep hills, definitive skyline, and entertaining mix of transport modes and walkability. 
Messing about on the boat 
Sunset in Lamma 
Heading back to the city to meet Michael for dinner 
Sam looking moody on the tram. 
They keep on saying they are going to replace the old wooden trams; I say I believe it when I see it. They are fun though (when it's not rush hour at least). 
One day I need to get my name up there. 
Zai Jian! 
Looking back. 
Poking my camera out of the taxi one last time. What a city! -
Final Graveyard Ride
I have had some of the best days of my 20s up in the hills around Taipei – the days spent up there rooted in my memory. That’s why I was so delighted that, after six years of pestering, Ken finally decided to come up to Taipei for a round of mountain biking. Sadly, I managed to miss my alarm call leaving the rest of the guys stranded at Starbucks without us, but Ken and I managed none-the-less to string together a great day of riding and catching up before my departure.
Looking out from Starbucks at the rain 
Making some adjustments to the Heckler brakes 
A new office chair post will probably change the riding dynamic; ie: less chatting! 
Need to do more of this in future. 
The rock drop section is never a cake-walk, but heading into this cameras blazing, knowing it was going to be my last attempt in a long time, combined with fuzzy status of medical insurance, definitely sapped my fluidity. 
The addition of steps on the intermediate section is not my favourite modification to the trail 
'Honestly, this is the way!' I am itching to see what the trails are going to be like in San Francisco, and beyond …
[custom_field field=”Final_Graveyard” this_post=”1″ limit=”0″ between=”, ” /]
