December 19, 2008

Not so Shiny-Happy

Well, the bloom is starting to come off the Hong Kong rose. Its charm is fading a bit.

Perhaps it is because I see the end or that I've been here just long enough to grow tired of the newness, but either way I'm looking forward to going home.

There are many really cool things about Hong Kong. It is vibrant and lively and visually amazing. The food is great, the people are cordial, the views are spectacular. But it lacks a few things, too (like all places, I imagine).

Tiny apartments and crowded streets and too-tall buildings are wearing on me. I really want to be able to cook something. To ride my bike along the beach. To sit outside without coming home with a dozen mosquito bites. To go out with friends. (To have friends).

Simply put, I've had enough. I came, I saw, I enjoyed. It's time to get back to my life in California.

The question becomes: Do I want to go home because I know I can (and will)? Would I be more interested in staying if I knew I were? I say the point is moot, because in a few weeks, we're both out of here.

What happens next? Nobody knows.