July 2025

The months of May and June were dominated by father/grandfather duty trips.

On the first of May Marion and I flew to Beijing to celebrate the birthday, on the following day, of our youngest grandson Dan who is now 11. At his request we played a game of snooker which I managed to win, but only by the dubious device of trapping the pink behind the black and securing a large number of penalty points. We joined the party for Dan’s friends held in a large park, which was also the venue for a club training session conducted by son Victor who turned 47 later in the month.

On 14 June it was off to Thailand, first to Chiang Mai then on to Bangkok. Despite my many months in the country in the 1970s it was my first ever visit to the northern city. What a revelation, no wonder so many expats go to live there after retirement including, I am told, many from Hong Kong despite – or perhaps because – it is not a seaside resort. I visited the world-famous village of “long neck women” who have golden rings around their necks from a young age. The Karen ethnic group are mostly from Myanmar but now relocated. I also got up close and personal with tigers, elephants and King Cobras. The photos made an exciting Facebook entry.

Two birthdays to celebrate in the capital. Liora had turned 12 on the eleventh, Alyssa turned 18 on the twenty-first. How is it possible for someone as young as me to have a granddaughter of 18 off to college in the autumn? It’s a mystery. Son Vincent and Liora flew back with me to Hong Kong on the 22nd, Emi, Alyssa and Joshua joining us here later in the week. They returned home shortly after sorting out several immigration related issues.