[NorthStar]

Cedric,
RTW = Round the World. In the late 70s, '80s and early '90s my employers would give me a biz ticket to Scotland every couple of years and three months to use it in. Jet lag's not so bad if you make a regal progress in one direction. I would take in a week at the Royal Cliff, Pattaya and dally with aome banking friends at their beqach houses in Dubai. Tokyo and Seoul were destinations of choice on the way back though sometimes I got some skiing in near Christchurch or Papeete (not the same kind of skiing).

Clearly you are meeting different Japanese from me. The Koreans are a hearty lot and many worth knowing.

Nowadays, I spend more time in Thailand as the Thai are less ageist than most Asians and certainly more "ham sup".

[Cedric]

"Ham sup" =good looking? Three months is a long holiday Nrthstar, more like a sabbatical. You know what its like, Xmas Easter and Summer holidays are all fixed, these involve family, long distance travel mostly, but now I get more flexi time as I am a certain age. So I can branch out that means I can go and see more places.

Next week I am off to Sydney ,I hope the weather is still warm there, I think its Autumn already. Not sure why I am going to Sydney, I suppose you just must have been at least once, but I would prefer to be scratching around the weekend market in Bangkok on a Wednesday finding some treasures for the garden I am creating.

Strange isn't it thrillbill, Pattaya a place for retired Western men ? Quite unique in this isn't it ?

[lonelywombat]

"
Next week I am off to Sydney ,I hope the weather is still warm there, I think its Autumn already. Not sure why I am going to Sydney, ?

Surely you are aware that next weekend is the Mardi Gras parade and party, biggest gay weekend in Sydney for 12 months

http://www.mardigras.org.au/

[NorthStar]

I suggest you ask a Cantonese speaking friend the meaning of "ham sup". Clearly my notion that you are domiciled in HK is incorrect.

Nope. Never landed in Sydney. One met quite enough Mrs Ydney behave alikes near my villa in Clear Water Bay Road, without visiting their hive.

[Cedric]

Oh no Lonelywombat I didn't know about the Mardi Gras and party happening in Sydney! Today is Monday so is it this weekend? This might mean fun. I have never been to a Mardi Gras, what luck. I better take some decent cloths. Just lately I have been a bit grunge. All the garden designing. Just planted violet blue and claret red water Lillie's I thought the colours might go well? I might be wrong,give it a few months any-way.

Clear-water bay road Northstar, hm yes I know it well, on the way to Sai-Kung and Kalok my manic but cute supplier. Yes many Australians out that way, odd this, they just arrive and set up shop. I thought "ham sup" means twelve, at least that's what I have been paying for parking per hour at the tennis court. Could it be she is saying something different to me? I never get any change.

[NorthStar]

Twelve would be "sup yee". In my day there was no tunnel into Hang Hau, so you didn't go to Sai Kung via Ching Soi Wan Doh.

I'm sure your best friend will tell you the meaning of "Ham Sup, Gweilo".

[manfarang]

I believe "ham sup" is the Cantonese equivalent of the Japanese word "hentai"

[Cedric]

I dont use the tunnel, I use the old Clear Water bay rd past Jatts incline to get to Sai-Kung. I still dont get Clear Water bay, zillions of badly maintained duplex about as charming as concrete bunkers, half empty even now,what a waist of coast line. Thanks manfarang.

[NorthStar]

I guess the good days have passed.

BTW the nearest translation to "ham sup lo" is usually given as "dirty old man". So "ham sup" would approximate to "lecherous". I'm not sure whether "hentai" implies something more distubingly "abnormal".

[Cedric]

Yes better than an appartment any day. We live in luxury man, a free standing, well, completely free standing villa in the middle of the country park with a couple of hectares garden with pool no neighbours. All just 10min from central. Some tv celebs home, they live in Australia.

The only "ham sup" types we get are wild dogs after one of our our female dogs. Good days passed ? They are just begining