Search Results

Having learnt to swim with Splash Foundation, Mary Cruz has found her voice and her second true calling as a volunteer coach. Elizabeth Kerr reports Manila native Mary Cruz claims that at one time not too long ago, she was a social klutz. That’s hard to believe given the fact that the fit, entirely engaging woman sitting in Coffee Academics in DB Plaza is chattering up a storm – about travelling, her son, swimming, Hyrox, Coldplay and the seven- and 10-year-olds in her charge as a domestic helper (or auntie, Mary’s much warmer word), who she clearly adores. The reference to her klutzy days comes when she recalls Splash Foundation asking if she’d be keen to coach other new swimmers as one of their volunteers. Initially she balked. “I didn’t think my social skills were strong enough,” she says with a little grin. “Before I started Splash I was a five-minute person, you know? ‘Hi.’ ‘How’s everything?’ ‘Are you liking this or that?’ That was it. I didn’t have anything more to say.” Those days are clearly over. The 2025 version of Mary is confident and outgoing, curious and a fun hang. And she looks about 26. At a push. A nursing student until she had her son at 19, Mary always had a touch of wanderlust to go with an eye for a better, more informed future. It’s what inspired her to relocate to Saudi Arabia for her first job. Naturally, everyone wondered why she’d didn’t head to Hong Kong, where she had family. “I wanted to do it on my own,” she says. That job was as personal assistant to a couple in the hospitality business, a role that segued into childcare when the family’s existing nanny left. The job also meant frequent trips to Europe and the Middle East as a bonus, but Saudi was “too much luxury, it was too lavish,” Mary says. “I wanted something that would show me the good stuff and the bad. Seeing other perspectives from around the world is valuable.” Mary spent three years in Saudi before coming to Hong Kong for a visit. That was 13 years ago. Fixed contracts and frequent repatriation meant she had four employers before finally landing on her current family nine years ago. “You learn from the first one, what you don’t like, what you’re really looking for and what you’re good at,” she says, crediting her current boss with much of her personal growth over the last decade and suppor ting her choices. Like learning to swim. Despite hailing from an island nation (hey, not all Canadians can skate) Mary never learnt to swim, sticking close to shore during beach holidays as a kid or dangling her feet off the side of the pool as a teen. “Then I read about Splash on Facebook.” Mary signed up for one of the free lessons Splash Foundation (www.splashfoundation.org) provides to migrant domestic workers, refugees and underprivileged children as soon as classes for MDWs opened in DB in 2017. “I remember the first thing they asked was ‘Do you know how to float?’ And I said I think so.” She did not, but she stuck with it and saw rapid progress. “I’m a person who will always give something I don’t know a try,” she says. “In my experience at first, it’s scary but in the end, you star t liking it.” “We have amazing senior coaches – Coach Jenn, Coach Estelle and Coach Linda – they’re all DB residents and they volunteer their time for free,” Mary adds. “They are very suppor tive and they guide us: I’ve learnt so much and I’m still learning more. I’m very happy with the way we all work together with so much unity. To be surrounded by people who bring out the best in you… this is what I truly enjoy.” No doubt, swimming is more than a sport or extracurricular activity. As Splash Foundation’s director of communications Victoria Ahn points out: “It’s a life skill and a vehicle for personal growth, resiliency and connection... Our MDW par ticipants feel less lonely and most are less stressed or anxious in their professional life after our programmes.” Mary indeed likes swimming (the cross-harbour swim is on her bucket list), which is why she volunteered as a swim captain on graduating from Splash in 2017. She started the next month as a coach and never looked back – except for those few minutes of hesitancy. As the years went by Mary also realised Splash had made her more confident. “When I talk to our coaches and the Splashers it helps me. I enjoy teaching other helpers learn how to swim – I love to see the progress they make and helping them see their potential. It also works both ways, they help me boost my social skills and self-esteem.” This past April, Mary completed her third Splash Dash Relay alongside the DB squad that meets every Sunday at Discovery Bay International School (as one of Splash’s Good Pool Par tners DBIS provides free use of its pool space). The DB Splashers took the prize for team spirit after winning for most laps last year. “But doesn’t really matter, because the point was to raise money to help more aunties, refugees and underprivileged kids learn to swim,” Mary says with a shrug. Splash, now in its 10th year, rustled up just shy of HK$550,000. Another bonus: rumoured avid swimmer Chris Mar tin was in town with Coldplay in April and went for a dip at Kellett School with a group of Splashers. Mary didn’t meet Mar tin. “But I went to the concer t,” she declares. The band donated tickets to Splash, and though she’s claustrophobic, her self-described impulsive side reared its head and she attended her first concert. Ever. “It was like a fear was unlocked,” she explains. “It was really nice and it wasn’t what I expected. I also didn’t know many of their songs. I have friends going to Blackpink in 2026 who asked if I wanted to go and I said no, but for some reason, with Coldplay, I thought ‘Why not?’ And I liked it. I liked the positive vibes.” Victoria says that kind of trickle down is common among Splash’s graduates. “Our par ticipants are more willing to try new things after Splash and many of our MDW par ticipants develop more career ambitions and wider personal interests,” she says. “Learning to swim as an adult is a transformative experience… we’ve designed a curriculum that empowers our par ticipants and helps them see what they’re capable of.” How much more Mary chooses to do is up to her. She’s not heading back to Manila this summer; she’s got too much to do here. In vowing to get fit by 40 a few years back (she’s 41 now) not only does Mary swim and coach, she does strength training with DBDB ahead of this month’s Hyrox, plus a little yoga. It’s fine with Mary, who’s spent all her 13 years in Hong Kong in DB – where she’s staying as long as it’ll have her. She likes the work, the comfor t and, yes, the profit. But she also likes the downtime when she gets it, be it painting, an afternoon in the Museum of Art, or some good sleep. “There are times I go to the beach and just enjoy the feeling of laying down on the sand and having a nap. I love sunset. That’s downtime for me, even if my brain is still going.”

Close to 2 million people have pledged to reduce their plastic footprint this month. If you’re planning to join them, Dana Winograd of Plastic Free Seas has some tips. Mervyn Black reports It’s something almost everyone is conscious of these days but something most of us still have trouble getting a complete handle on – significantly reducing our plastic footprint. In a busy place like Hong Kong, even the simplest of fixes – like packing a reusable water bottle – can go by the wayside as life gets in the way. There’s no doubting the intentions of many, but most still need constant reminders to avoid slipping into old habits. One such reminder comes this month in the form of Plastic Free July: the per fect time to fire up some old habits and create some new ones. Launched in 2011, Plastic Free July has grown from humble beginnings in Australia to become a global movement attracting millions of par ticipants: 174 million in 2024. The campaign provides resources and ideas to help reduce plastic waste, describing July as “the global month of action against plastic pollution”. When you sign up to take part, you pledge either to avoid single-use plastic packaging, target takeaway items (bags, bottles, straws and cups) or go completely ‘plastic free’. You pledge to do this for one day, one week, one month or from now on. While there are myriad suggestions on where to get started on the Plastic Free July website ( www.plasticfreejuly.org ), who better to consult than 27-year DB resident Dana Winograd, executive director and co-founder of Plastic Free Seas (PFS), a Hong Kong-based environmental charity focused on changing the way plastics are viewed and used, through education and action campaigns. “People get interested when they think they are part of a global movement like Plastic Free July,” opens Dana. “While some people don’t need that, for other people it’s really inspiring. That’s why we promote it.” Whether as an individual, as a family or as part of a larger group – with more people to hold you accountable – the concept of Plastic Free July is simple. “The goal is to choose a behaviour you’d like to change or an item you’d like to eliminate from your daily life and star t it in July and hopefully continue it on,” says Dana. “It’s great to do at work: if you know too many people buy bottled water in your office, push for a reduction of that. It could also be in your friendship group, at kids’ bir thday par ties or on trips to the beach.” Dana points to reducing one’s reliance on buying bottled water as the best star ting point for most people. And here she has a handy tip: “Check out Water For Free, an app for your phone that lists all the free water stations in Hong Kong. “New water fountains pop up in DB regularly,” she adds. “The one in Siena Park even measures the amount of single-use plastic bottles it has saved people from buying.” Over 17,000 at last count. “It’s just about making that little bit of effor t,” says Dana whose environmental crusade began in 2007 when DB Green, DB’s green community-led group, was conceived. She focused on getting recycling bins into every building in DB, while her co-founder at PFS, Tracey Read, started organising monthly beach clean-ups in DB which are still happening 18 years on. “Although everyone knows what they can do and it’s not rocket science, they don’t always do it. At PFS, we work hard to keep plastic pollution – and what individuals can do to combat it – at the forefront of everyone’s minds.” When it comes to cutting out single-use plastic packaging, Dana’s advice goes way beyond carrying reusable water bottles. “It’s about bringing your own bag to the grocery store, and not only your own shopping bag but your own produce bag. It’s about replacing zip-lock bags with reusable food containers and resealable silicon pouches – whether that’s for takeaways, or your kids’ school lunches, or storing food in the fridge. It’s about bringing your own coffee cups... “Even though it’s Plastic Free July and we’re focused on plastic, the bigger picture is reducing single-use waste. Whether it’s a paper bag, a paper straw, or a wooden fork, if you don’t need to take it, don’t. We want to be looking for the reusable option.” Dana also suggests using refillable personal care products and shampoo bars instead of bottled liquid if you want to take things that one step fur ther, as well as being selective about where you shop. “If you’re disappointed with the amount of packaging used on produce in the grocery stores in DB, Tung Chung market is just a bus ride away,” she advises. “If you do your grocery shopping in DB, look out for the ‘Share your bag’ spot at Fusion which encourages people to leave behind their used bags so others can reuse them – an initiative PFS helped implement some years ago.” In regards to other initiatives, Dana is full of praise for the way government support has enabled HKRCL make recycling a viable and convenient option for DB residents. “From every building you don’t have to go far to recycle not only paper, plastic and metal, but liquid cartons, glass and food waste. From that point of view, it’s really good,” she says. What’s key though is that we reduce the need for recycling in the first place. Dana points to the reusable food container and cup programmes offered in Taikoo Place and Airside as per fect for DB. The systems see customers ask for reusable containers or cups when ordering and then returning them to participating outlets once they are done. “DB is the perfect location for that because everything is so close together; ideally there would be some government incentives to entice restaurants to take part,” she says. But first, Plastic Free July – “the global month of action against plastic pollution”. It’s time to make an action plan of your own, and remember – every little bit helps. BEST WAYS TO RECYCLE IN DB Did you know you can only recycle plastic bottles #1 and #2 in your building’s communal plastic collection bin? The government-funded Green@Community collection point, open on Tuesdays from 10am to 1pm and 2.30pm to 5.30pm, at the Green Icon@DB near Parkridge is the place to dispose of most other plastic items like soft plastics (film), trays, containers and polyfoam, along with rechargeable batteries, fluorescent and energy-saving light bulbs, disposable coffee cups and fibre food containers. In addition to plastic bottles, paper, metal and food waste, you can also find liquid carton (Tetra Pak) collection bins at most buildings in DB. Disposing of recyclables at designated collection points like Green Icon@DB is easy, effective and, of course, free of charge. But it’s not the only option. You’ll also find a set of Smart recycling bins for plastic bottles, metal, and paper in Siena Two near the Graceful Mansions bus stop, and Smart textile collection bins are located around DB. Last but not least, in order to get your food waste sent to O PARK1 for recycling, remember to keep it separate and put it in one of the many purple food-waste bins you’ll find across DB. You can find the location of all types of collection bins across DB here . What’s key is that all recyclables are cleaned and properly sorted. In order to be recycled, all liquid cartons need to be cut open and washed with the plastic spout and lid removed, and they should be dried and flattened. Polyfoam items, including food trays, fruit nets and product packaging also need to be clean and dry, with no food residue, tape, stickers or any other contaminants. Beverage bottles must be empty of liquid, though you can leave the cap and label on.

Aloha Oahu YOUR GUIDEBOOK WILL TELL YOU that Hawaii has been a US state since 1959, and that it is the northernmost island group in Polynesia. A volcanic archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, it comprises hundreds of islands spread over 2,400 kilometres. But all that is just words – you really have to see Hawaii to believe it. OAHU, THE GATHERING PLACE , is where most visitors get their first taste of Hawaii. While its high-rise resorts don’t provide anything like a desert island experience, they can claim to supply the ultimate in RnR. You’re free to enjoy the best beach holiday ever, with a large helping of Hawaiian hospitality thrown in. FLY INTO HONOLULU and make a beeline for world-famous Waikiki Beach, renowned for its golden sands and iconic Diamond Head backdrop. Here, you can try your hand at surfing or simply soak up the sun before heading into the lush tropical hinterland. Take a hike to Manoa Falls, where a stunning 30-metre waterfall awaits. IF THE PERFECT WAVE EXISTS, YOU’LL FIND it on Oahu’s North Shore, where 10-metre waves draw the best surfers in the world. Stretching for more than 11 kilometres, the North Shore beaches host the world’s premier surfing competitions during the peak winter months, including the biggest of them all, the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. HANAUMA BAY NATURE RESERVE is a must for snorkelling and scuba-diving. A marine-life conservation district, it boasts crystal-clear waters teeming with glittering silver fish, parrotfish and the occasional sea turtle. From an overlook you can see the outline of the 7,000-yearold coral reef that stretches across the width of the bay. FOR LUSH RAINFORESTS, GIGANTIC LAVA-ROCK formations and gently rolling hills, make your way to Central Oahu, the fertile valley between the Waianae and Koolau mountain ranges. Here you can explore Wahiawa Botanical Garden and discover the island’s rich agricultural history at Hawaii’s Plantation Village. FOR TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN CUISINE , stop at one of Oahu’s legendary food trucks and create your own ‘plate lunch,’ piled with kalua (pulled pork), lomi lomi (salmon salad) and poi (sweet and sour tarot). Order a poke bowl on the side. Visit the lively farmers’ markets in Kailua or Haleiwa for a taste of local life and fresh tropical fruits.

The road to real estate market recovery could have an offramp through Discovery Bay. Elizabeth Kerr reports Hong Kong’s real estate markets are nothing if not volatile. In one of the world’s most dynamic markets, minor external factors can have an outsized impact in the SAR, and events that bring major centres such as London or Tokyo to a screeching halt can barely cause a ripple. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 2024 proved to be another unpredictable year, and the November election of Donald Trump to another presidency – and the ensuing chaos his administration has wrought – has caused investors to proceed with caution, if at all, and sent global monetary policy into damage control. So what does this mean for Discovery Bay? Hong Kong’s residential market overall started showing signs of post-pandemic recovery late in 2024. Then the 2025/26 budget increased the threshold for homes subject to the HK$100 stamp duty to HK$4 million – a boon for firsttime purchasers and a complement to last year’s elimination of cooling measures in place since 2012 – and increased the LTV ratio. With fur ther interest rate cuts anticipated, the forecast was for continued recovery and transactions rose, par ticularly in the primary market, where luxury residential flat rents crept up 0.8% and investment spiked 70% according to JLL. But data takes time to compile and by Q2/2025 global trade policy and relations caught fire, making a lot of people hit pause on major purchases – including in Hong Kong. “The ongoing trade war r isks stif ling economic growth and stock market decline, pressur ing residential proper ty values. We expect mass and luxur y residential capital values to drop by about 5% in 2025,” concluded JLL in its May APPD Market repor t. “However, luxur y rent s are projected to continue rising, dr iven by an inf lux of mainland Chinese families and some return of expatriates, par ticular ly those in the finance and investment sectors.” In DB prices are still as much as 20% below their peaks in 2021 as of Q2, with some proper ties transacting below bank valuation. Rents have stabilised but remain lower than comparable districts after tumbling nearly 40% between 2019 and 2024. “This makes DB relatively af fordable, especially for larger family units,” says Sdever Li, director of residential services at Savills Hong Kong. According to Savills, flats on The Peak and in Mid-Levels leased for well over HK$100,000 late in 2024, over HK$75,000 in Kowloon (Austin) and HK$54,000 in Sai Kung. By comparison, two houses in DB rented for HK$40,000 and HK$48,000. “DB is cur rently seen as a value buy in the Hong Kong market, especially for those seeking space, greener y and a community vibe,” Li adds. Christine King, director of DB-based Headland Homes, however, argues that recent price cor rections prompted many to take the oppor tunity to buy what was once unaf fordable and that window could be closing. “Recently there has been an inf lux of tenants and buyers, especially at the luxury end of the rental market. I can’t say if Hong Kong is doing better than us… but we’re popular with families and people who prefer community living.” DB certainly wasn’t immune to the turmoil of the past few years. It was subjected to cooling measures like all other districts, hot investment money and, of course, COVID-19. “DB was significantly af fected by the emigration wave during 2022-23,” states Li. “As many expatriates and local families lef t Hong Kong, DB – traditionally popular with expats due to it s resor tlike lifestyle and international school access – saw a sharp drop in demand. This led to falling prices and rising vacancies.” That said, Li notes signs of recover y thanks to expats returning from the UK and Singapore in par ticular, and increasing numbers of mainland buyers equally keen on DB’s schools and family-friendliness. Favourable policy shif ts like those reduced stamp duties, interest rate cuts and more feasible mor tgage rules have also improved buyer sentiment. “However, DB’s recover y is still sensitive to broader economic sentiment and buyer confidence,” cautions Li. DB isn’t officially listed among Hong Kong’s luxury districts, but in a market where the fundamental concept of ‘luxury’ has been redefined in recent years to include factors such as a neighbourhood feel, natural environments and wellbeing, it slots in nicely with emerging district s such as Sai Kung, Shek O and Stanley. As Li points out, prices and rents are still below peak, making DB a relative bargain and possibly an investment destination. “DB has always been positioned more as a lifestyle enclave than a traditional luxury district like The Peak or Repulse Bay,” notes Li, appealing for its beaches, greenery, international schools and low-traf fic streets. “As an investment, DB is less speculative and more yield-focused, especially in the rental market. Capital appreciation has been modest, but rental yields are improving as prices remain soft and demand returns.” King agrees, refer ring to DB as a mixed bag that has always had its share of luxur y – such as af fordable garden homes, a rarit y in Hong Kong – and always will. “There seems to be a larger amount of owner-occupiers now,” she says, adding, “Considering the location, the airpor t brings many airpor t staf f to live in DB, the Macau bridge is convenient for commuters to that region and an easy commute to Shenzhen, I think the investment potential is still there.” The rest of 2025 is poised to be a challenging one for many industries, from retail to tourism. In real estate, challenges include oversupply in some sectors and economic uncer tainty, and as Li sees it DB has unique hurdles that could negatively impact its market, among them: limited transpor t connectivity and reliance on volatile expatriate demand. Finishes Li, “That said, if Hong Kong’s broader recovery continues, DB could benefit from spillover demand from buyers priced out of more central areas.” LOCAL REALTORS - Centaline Property Agency , 2987 8484 - Century 21 Newcourt Realty , 2987 9729 - Headland Homes , 2987 2088 - Kingsland , 2987 2987 - Land Master Property , 2987 6238 - Midland Realty , 2987 2888 - Okay.com , 2102 0888 - Pacific Estate , 2987 2928

Ready to take phenomenal photos with your phone? Around DB photographer Andrew Spires, who uses his Huwei Pura70 Pro even for cover shoots, has the lowdown I had some friends in town so we took them out for dinner on D’Deck. As the sun was setting and we were entering ‘golden hour’ – where the sun creates that beautiful soft glow – we asked a passing waitress if they wouldn’t mind taking our photo. She looked terrified. The resulting photograph, on later inspection, was of the waitress’s face. Clearly panicked by taking strangers’ pictures, she’d inadvertently switched to the reverse camera and snapped her own beautiful profile. To avoid this fear and be a phenomenal phone photographer, follow my top tips to unlock your phone camera’s secret powers and build your confidence behind the lens. The first step is the easiest. Unless you’re after that 1970s snuff-movie look, clean your lens. A smudged lens can mean the difference between a hazy snapshot and a crisp, vibrant photo. Clean your lens before every shoot. A quick wipe with a microfibre cloth (I use my t-shirt) can make all the difference. Your phone’s flashlight should only ever be used to find your keys at night. Avoid using it to lighten your subject, as it will f latten your image and give it a creepy glare. You can switch it of f by clicking the flash icon. Click it of f and keep it of f. Instead, seek out ambient light sources: a desk lamp, s tring lights, or even the glow of another smar tphone screen can add moody and cinematic flair. The best way to combat blur is by keeping your phone completely still. Place your phone on a shelf or table propped up by a glass and use the phone’s timer function, available in the settings. That way you can click the shot and run into the picture. Most phones have a night mode which acts as a delayed shutter, allowing in more light, but again, you’ll need to balance your phone on a solid object to keep it still when using this function. If you’re still using wired headphones, you can press the volume button to activate the shutter. Finally, simply ask the people being photographed to stand or sit very still, and voila, crisp and clear shots, even in the corner of the pub! Grid it up. A well-composed photo doesn’t just capture a scene – it guides the viewer’s eye. One of the best lessons I was taught on photography is the ‘Rule of Thirds,’ a simple principle where you mentally divide your frame into a 3x3 grid. Luckily, your phone can do this for you. Click the settings icon and select the grid. Unlike the flash, you should always keep this on. Place your subject along these grid lines or at their intersections to create a more dynamic shot. Align your subject’s eyes with the top gridline, or a landscape where a solitary tree stands at the intersection of the right third of the grid lines. Avoid placing your subject right in the middle of the shot. Negative space is also worth considering. If you’re shooting a sky or sea, emphasise that expanse by placing another object, be it a boat or plane, right at the bottom or to the far edges of your frame – give your subject room to breathe. For high-contrast scenes like woods or clouds, you can enable HDR, or High Dynamic Range mode. Your phone will take multiple exposures to preserve detail in both highlights and shadows. You might want to turn this off after using it as the image files will be larger than usual and will take up valuable phone memory. If you’re shooting the kids playing with a ball or a black kite diving for its dinner, not only will you need great light, but you can maximise your chances of a great shot by using the burst mode, which will take a series of shots a second. You then simply go back through the images and delete any shots that don’t hit the mark. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of deleting poor images or someday you’ll go to take that once-in-a-lifetime selfie with Chris Martin and find your phone is out of memory. Get yourself, as well as your subject into position. Don’t shoot every picture standing up. Crouch down and shoot up at your subject. This works well when shooting reflections in puddles. You can also play around with reflections in windows, sunglasses, or even your subject’s eyeballs! Adding an object in the foreground of your shot can lead the viewer’s eye into the picture. The best technique for this is to use the phone’s autofocus function. Imagine you’re in a coffee shop and you want to capture your partner reading their book opposite you. As opposed to simply taking their picture, pop a coffee cup right up in the foreground, then place your phone upside down – the benefit of this being you’re putting the phone’s camera at its lowest point for a whole new exciting perspective. Now touch the screen so that the focus is only interested in your friend and blurs the coffee cup and foreground, then shoot. You now have a beautiful image and not a dull, listless picture of your mate. Share this on the socials and you’ll rack up the engagement. So you’ve taken some great shots. Now to the final stage, editing. Start with free apps like Lightroom Mobile for precision adjustments or Snapseed for healing away distractions like hanging cables or rubbish. Preset filters can add warmth or grit, but don’t overdo it. You’re not 10 – over-filtered photos look terrible. Be careful too with the vignette function. Less is more. When editing your snaps, follow this simple workflow: adjust exposure to balance light, tweak shadows and highlights to recover detail, nudge vibrancy (not saturation!) for natural colour pop, and finish with subtle sharpening. Remember, editing should enhance, not overpower. You’ll soon notice you develop your own signature look. Once you’ve mastered the basics, experiment wildly. Use apps like Slow Shutter Cam to blur rushing waterfalls or car headlights into streaks of colour. Have fun with it. Finally, it’s worth talking about which phone has the best camera. I use an Huwei Pura70 Pro. The camera is mind-bendingly good. The Samsung S25 Ultra also scores highly, along with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, although this is HK$4,000 more expensive than its competitors. Amazingly, the upcoming horror 28 Years Later was shot entirely on an iPhone 15, perhaps proving that we’re nearing the end of the DSLR! The convenience of having an almost professional quality camera in your pocket is something I don’t take for granted, although I still look back at photos I took on my iPhone 11 and realise it’s more about the quality of the composition and the thought that’s gone into the shot, than the tech used to capture it. 5 AFFORDABLE ACCESSORIES 1. Clip-on macro lenses: turn you into a close-up photo-taking machine, only useful if your phone’s zoom is any good. 2. Flexible mini tripod: steadies your phone for a crystal-clear shot, but a bit cumbersome to carry around. 3. Portable ring light: provides flattering light anywhere, but you’ll look like a loony. 4. Portable battery: handy if you’re out all day and not near a plug socket. Just remember to charge it and bring the correct cable. Not like me. 5. Lens cleaning pen: much better than your t-shirt.

Said to be man’s best friend, dogs can provide kids with a host of benefits even in very early childhood Have you noticed that almost every young family has a dog? Sometimes the baby comes first, sometimes it’s the pup. Either way, dog ownership is the way many of us measure our family’s ‘completeness’. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in DB (Dogs and Babies, right?), where every family seems to have at least one of each. The question is why. Why does the picture of an ‘ideal family’ contain a dog? For sure, photos of our children playing with their brand-new pedigree pup or endearing rescue mutt can up our following on Instagram but there’s so much more to it than that. Research shows that dog ownership can positively contribute to our children’s health, both mental and physical. Let’s take a look. Having a dog is a huge responsibility and, traditionally, that’s one of the main reasons we bring them into our kids’ lives. With a pet in the house, children learn what it means to take care of a dependant animal, one who relies on the family for pretty much everything from food and exercise to love and cuddles. Getting children involved in a dog’s care prepares them for responsibilities later in life, and by the same token it builds their self-esteem. Once children realise that their dog’s survival and happiness is dependent on their actions, they will feel good about themselves and their achievement. There are numerous ways to involve kids in the care of a dog and the tasks you assign should be age-appropriate, such as allowing a three-year-old, who is too young to walk a dog, to put the water bowl down instead. Older kids can of course take more responsibility, even sole responsibility for a dog. It’s important to ask yourself how much responsibility your children can handle. How much assistance will they need from you. In bringing a dog into our children’s lives, many of us want to repeat the past… We look back to our own childhood when we were inseparable from our four-legged companion, and we want our children to have the same experience. A dog can be the perfect playmate: a source of comfort, a trusted friend and a supplier of unconditional love. The bond that develops between kids and their dogs can be very strong, so much so that children often name their pet when asked who they would go to with a problem. Dogs can make children feel unconditionally accepted, whereas friends, siblings and sometimes even parents can judge and criticise. Research shows that dog ownership also makes children happier and less stressed. Petting a dog has been proven to lower cortisol levels in both the person and the pet. Playing with a dog raises levels of serotonin and dopamine, which means we feel calm and content. In choosing a four-legged playmate for your child, it can be difficult to decide which breed is the best fit. Golden Retrievers, Beagles and Irish Setters are all sound choices – known to be playful and protective. Pugs, Brussels Griffons and French Bulldogs love their families – particularly their laps. Breeds associated with aggressive behaviour – German Shepherds, Pit Bull Terriers, Doberman Pinschers – are seldom seen on ‘best family dog’ lists but there are always exceptions. Remember that while breed plays a part, each dog has its own unique personality. Multiple studies show that children who own dogs are more empathetic, and better able to understand and share the feelings of others than those who don’t. As children bond with their dog, they learn to read its behaviour and understand its needs – they learn to know when it’s hungry and needs food, when it’s happy and wants to play, when it’s sad or stressed and needs affection. It makes sense that this ability to empathise transfers to human interactions. Research shows that owning a pet can significantly lower the chances of children showing violent and/ or bullying behaviours. By the same token, their enhanced ability to empathise may lead them to stand up to bullies if they see their friends being badly treated. We want our children to be kind, considerate and compassionate. Just as importantly, they need to learn to set boundaries for themselves and respect those of others. And here again dog ownership can help. Think about what happens when a child pulls a dog’s tail, or stomps on its feet. Despite not speaking our language, dogs are expressive enough to make us understand when we’ve crossed the line. Discussing a dog’s reaction can open the way for a wider conversation with our children about their own personal boundaries and those of their friends. One of the most obvious benefits of dog ownership is that it keeps kids active. But it may surprise you to know just how active they are compared to children who don’t own dogs. According to a Child Heart and Health Study (CHASE), a St George’s project examining the health of 5,000 UK-based primary school students, children with dogs spent an average of 325 minutes (more than five hours) doing physical activity per day, 11 more minutes than those without dogs. Dog owners also spent 11 fewer minutes (562 minutes over the seven-day stint) in sedentary behaviour each day, and they were found to take 360 more steps than the other kids. Surprisingly enough, homes with dogs are also healthier for kids. Research has shown that babies in homes with dogs have fewer colds, fewer ear infections and need fewer antibiotics in their first year of life than those raised in pet-free homes. Children who grow up with a dog have fewer respiratory tract infections and get asthma much less often than other kids. It’s not clear why living with a dog makes such a difference. A time-honoured theory, the hygiene hypothesis, suggests that children’s immune systems mature best when infants are exposed to germs in just the right amount. Too many germs are unhealthy but so is a sterile, germ-free home. That theory is now giving way to the microbiome hypothesis. It’s no longer about getting exposed to the right number of microbes, but to good bacteria and viruses that alter the microbes in children’s intestines and protect against both allergies and infections. Of course, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. It would be a mistake to bring a dog into the house of a 12-year-old with asthma – exposure has to happen very early in life. And what of kids who are allergic to dogs? Are any dog breeds hypoallergenic? The short answer is no but there are less-allergenic breeds – dogs with a low-shedding coat – around whom allergy sufferers can sometimes be comfortable. Call your local animal shelter, they might just happen to have an almost hairless Chinese Crested who’s waiting patiently to complete your family.

Planning a getaway with the kids this month? Andrew Spires has some essential travel tips to get you started The stages of a family holiday closely mirror the stages of having a family. When your first child is born, terror keeps you rooted to within a mile of home, but then slowly, as you get used to each other, the fear subsides and the adventures begin. A wise woman once told me that “fear is simply inexperience” and that’s a great lesson to take on your family holiday. When the kids are lit tle… avoid aeroplanes. Saying this, flying with an immobile baby is leagues easier than f lying with a wriggling toddler who’s obsessed with walking the cabin aisles, but if you can avoid the obstacle course of airpor t security with a pram and all the accoutrement s that follow a small child, do so. Here’s a fun story. I took my kids (then aged 3 and 1) back to the UK single-handedly and it’s not an experience I want to repeat. I was so stressed getting off a packed train with the kids and their bags and prams that I left all our passpor ts and ID cards behind. These useful bits of paperwork were quickly destroyed by Her Majesty’s Government. Perfect! Back to air travel. With the three-year-old sleeping, I nipped back to change the baby. I didn’t realise there’s a folding changing table in a plane toilet, so I attempted the nappy change on my knees. My lit tle sweethear t had filled it and was proceeding to kick her legs violently whilst windmilling her hands, covering me in what looked like a mix of Hershey’s syrup and French’s mustard. The cabin crew were trying very hard not to laugh when I emerged covered head to toe in poop with a giggling baby. Hong Kong has loads of great spots that are far enough that it feels like you’re on holiday but close enough that you can max your time without losing it all to travelling. If it’s culture you’re after, I can’t recommend Cheung Chau highly enough. Take the slow ferry and sit up on Level 2, out the back. The breeze is heavenly and the view will keep the lit tle ones entertained. There are a few AirBnBs on the island that include a barbecue on the roof, so you can relax in the evening with the children close enough to hear their cries. If you’re in the mood for a lit tle adventure, Saiyuen Camping Adventure Park, on Cheung Chau’s southwestern tip, is an oasis and offers an array of pre-erected tents and star domes. But be warned: while Saiyuen makes camping easy and semi-luxurious (aircon!), you’ll pay more for a night there than you would at the W in West Kowloon. Just as easy to reach from DB, Gold Coast Hotel is class if you have lit tle ones. There is a mini watersplash park built into the grounds, an electric-car racetrack, a beach not a Frisbee throw away and a great parade of shops, restaurants and bars. The hotel also boasts a huge jungle gym and soft-play area that you can use to knacker out the lit tle ones. The fee is HK$80 per kid. Well worth it! From Gold Coast Hotel, it’s only a 10-minute taxi ride to Tuen Mun Park which is my favourite kidcentred park in Hong Kong. Make the most of its fantastic playground and water-splash area, then have a peek into the free-to-visit reptile house with giant tortoises and ball pythons. Once the kids are old enough to walk unaided through airpor t security, it’s time to venture fur ther afield. Vietnam has always been our go-to. The people are lovely, the food delicious; it’s a shor t flight and it’s beautiful and cheap once you get there. I’d avoid the two big cities until the kids are older, and instead venture to Hôi An or Phú Quôc. Hôi An is a beautifully preserved trading por t dating back to the 15th century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The flight from Hong Kong is only one hour 55 minutes, then it’s a half-hour taxi ride from Da Nang International Airpor t. The town is pret ty by day but comes alive at night. Take a boat trip down the Thu Bồn River and check out the floating flower candles that people send off as wishes. Grab a banh mi roll from a street vendor: a soft baguette filled with crunchy grated cabbage, carrot and onion; a thick spread of paté; sliced chicken and fish sauce. Pair your banh mi with a cold can of Saigon beer and you’ll be chasing that food dragon as long as you live. Most Hôi An hotels have bikes you can borrow or hire. Traf fic out in the fields to the west of the town is ver y light so cycling is safe and a great way to explore smaller villages. We did a cycle tour that included lunch, but we could quite easily have done this ourselves and avoided an obnoxious American chap banging on about the Vietnam War. Don’t be that guy. Although it’s not great, there is a beach 10 minutes out of Hôi An town. If it’s sea and sand you’re after, take a taxi back up to Da Nang, or book a hotel along the Da Nang seafront. Be sure to get a room with a balcony. Phú Quôc is a little fur ther from Hong Kong but wor th the three-hour flight. Nestled at the junction of Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, it’s a gem of an island that’s still very underdeveloped. Book accommodation close to the beach and night market. Although the market itself isn’t much to write home about, there are some great little cafés and restaurants in that area. Phú Quôc’s three main ‘attractions’ are a water park, a safari park and Star fish Beach. Take the cable car to the waterpark: it ‘takes off’ from a bizarre, fake-Roman town built in 2018 and then flies you over picturesque fishing villages to the south side of the island. The standout at traction for us was Star fish Beach. Anywhere else, this would be a chaotic tourist trap but there can’t have been more than 15 people when we visited in April. My kids and I rented a scooter and the hour ride from our beach shack to the star fish was an adventure in itself. They have Grab (like Uber) on the island which is cheap and reliable, but not as fun! Once at the main pier, you ditch wheels for a hulland- zoom speedboat ride over the water to a pristine beach festooned with star fish. There are rope swings over the water and the option to rent loungers. It was a magical experience and one I hope the kids don’t forget. What I’ve learned about holidays with kids is not to squeeze them into your old kid-free life, but to be water, and flow them into your new one. Shor t journey times are your friends. Snacks, plain paper and colouring pencils are your life raf t in a sea of boredom. The ABC game is indispensable for kids aged 5 and up: think of a topic – names, for example – then think of one for each letter of the alphabet. Keeps us busy for ages. I asked my two, aged 7 and 9, what their best bit of Phú Quôc was. Remember, we’ve had motorbike journeys into the forests and swings over star fish… Their answer “that blue-ice drink” and “King Kong Supermarket”. So I guess it doesn’t matter where you go, so long as you spend quality time together.

Whether you’re a running nut, an occasional pavement pounder or a complete novice, there are few better places to get moving on foot than Discovery Bay. Mervyn Black reports While the nearby trails are a hive of traffic, it ’s the roads of Discovery Bay that best cater to runners of all fitness levels and you don’t have to go far to find someone in the community ready to espouse the benefits of getting out there. Anita Schneider, founder of local running group The Running Cult, is one such person, with the former CrossFitter embracing road running since moving to DB. “I love spreading the joy of running and I would like everybody to run because it sets you free,” she opens. “You can do it whenever and wherever you want, however fast or slow.” For many road runners, the appeal is that they can almost run on auto-pilot, focused on nothing other than pace and energy expenditure. When you are road running, the chances of having to maneuver around an obstacle like a root or rock are slim. Paved surfaces are consistent and predictable, in DB at least, making it easy for runners to clock in the miles, while freeing their minds. “There’s a lot of personal growth that happens when you step outside your comfort zone, and running is so outside of your comfort zone,” Anita says. “People think that you just start running… and then stop running but there’s so much in the middle that happens. There are lots of wins along the way that people can really benefit from. The world is sometimes such a depressing and stressful place and I think running gives you an outlet.” Active for roughly three years, The Running Cult is a running group for women that focuses on being inclusive, and inspiring people to give running a crack. Operated through a WhatsApp chat (5629 8123), The Running Cult’s sessions normally involve a run of between 4-7km in small groups of four to five people and it is open to women of all ages and fitness levels. “At Running Cult, we’re non-judgmental and we don’t charge money. I always try to create a safe space so people can be included at whatever stage they are,” says Anita. “We don’t all run together because of school drop-offs and stuff, so there is normally a morning and evening group. I’m big on milestones, so we really focus on everyone getting their first kilometre. There are a lot of times where we start together and then people peel off. “I think, in general, people find running very intimidating because of distances and the time it takes. People have a big misconception about what running is and instead of learning more about it, they just don’t do it – they completely exclude it from their repertoire.” Hoping to do away with this misconception, Anita stresses that running is, in fact, easily accessible and something you do at your own pace. “People need to know that most runners run-walk. I’ve done six marathons in the past two-and-a-half years and I walked in every single one of them,” she says, adding, “you don’t need to have a coach or a sophisticated programme to get into running. All you really need is a good pair of shoes.” Like Anita, DB Runners’ founder Peter Morley is quick to extol the benefits of running. “It ’s just a very easy way of staying fit, managing your personal wellbeing and busting stress,” he says. “Running makes you feel good about yourself. “Running is the cheapest sport to access and it’s really easy to do in Hong Kong, particularly in DB because it’s very safe,” Peter adds. “You can start just by walking and then add a little bit of jogging in there and slowly build it up bit by bit. Don’t feel any pressure to do any more than feels comfortable.” With over 100 people in its WhatsApp group, DB Runners (dbrunners.com) sees between 10 and 20 people at most of its twice-weekly sessions. Around in various iterations over the years, the group in its current format recently celebrated its one-year anniversary with, you guessed it, a run. “We have been running for about a year now under the new name DB Runners and if you have a look at the website, it ’s based around the idea that it ’s a free-to-access group and we meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6am,” says Peter. “We mix it up in terms of the different activities that we do, but it’s always running on the roads in DB. Sometimes it’s going up and down hills, sometimes it’s doing loops and circuits – it’s a fun, sociable thing rather than being too competitive and everyone is welcome to join. “We normally have a routine where we start and finish in the same place and people can go as slow as they like depending on their level of fitness. It’s something that isn’t bound by people’s fitness,” adds Peter, a UTMB World Series marathoner. For those weighing up whether to run on their own or in a group, Peter has a very simple message: “I think if you’re part of a group you feel more motivated and you tend to put a bit extra in. If you get injured or you need any tips or support, there are lots of other people who have the experience to help. It’s the social aspect of it. You feel more motivated if there’s a bunch of other people getting up at the same time and meeting every week.” One challenge of running on DB’s roads is just how hilly they are. Peter is a big fan of hitting up Seabee Lane – “it ’s a nice quiet road and one whole loop to DB Road is a mile” – while Anita has you covered at both ends of DB. “The beach loop is the flattest 1km in DB – you go down the beach, around that little lip and up the little steep part onto the main road. Then you go past Seahorse Lane and just before the tennis courts, you go back down to the beach. People who run in DB North, run through the park around Discovery College – there’s another little loop there.” Funnily enough, Anita was one of the many that would avoid DB’s steepest hills, but now that she is training for Action Asia Events HK50 on the trails this October and the gruelling Comrades Marathon – a 90km road run in South Africa in 2026 – she has a different view on things. “If the hills and the heat are something that holds you back, why don’t you do it until it doesn’t suck anymore?” she says. “It’s about embracing the suck. All of a sudden DB is a lot more at tractive to me because it has all the hills, the heat and the humidity of the Comrades – so everything’s worked out perfectly.”

Just back from the 2025 Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne in Dublin, Sofia Brantingham, Molly Whitehead and Fiadh-Rose Howlin share their passion for Irish dance. Elizabeth Kerr reports For someone so young, dancer Molly Whitehead has an incredible knack for diplomacy. When confronted with the blazingly boneheaded comment of “Isn’t Irish dance, like, Michael Flatley?” she gracefully deflects, and notes that no… there’s much more to the form than Lord of the Dance, and traditional Irish dancing has a history that goes back to the 1700s, at least, and can include céilí dances, old-school sean-nós and stepdance, among others. “Competitive Irish dancing is quite different from per formative Irish dancing, which is essentially Michael Flatley – and he’s the peak of that,” she says with a laugh. “The competitive version is much more strict and physically demanding. The placement of your arms and your feet are similar but there are a lot of rules about which dance you do at which age and so on.” Molly, 16, is on a Zoom stream on this day, sitting in the sun in Discovery Bay Plaza. We’re chatting on Zoom because we also want to connect with two of Molly’s fellow students at the Hong Kong chapter of McGahan Lees Irish Dance Academy: Sofia Brantingham, 21, and Fiadh-Rose Howlin, who’s coming up 13. The trio are just back from Dublin, where they represented Hong Kong, Lantau specifically, at the 2025 Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne (ORnC) – the 53rd World Irish Dancing Championships. Soon enough everyone is at the ‘meeting’: Mui Wo-based Sofia from the ferry to Central and Fiadh-Rose from her home in DB. Hear ‘dance competition’ and most of us conjure images of Dancing with the Stars and assume Sofia, Molly and Fiadh-Rose took par t in some kind of genteel contest where they collected a lovely bouquet of flowers for finishing. Quite the contrary. Competing in Irish dance, as Molly explains it, demands muscular strength and robust cardio health to go with mental acuity. “During a dance, every single one of your muscles is working and your brain is in overdrive. You have to look like it’s effortless, always keeping a smile on your face, and wearing heavy dresses and wigs that make everything hurt.” At this point, Katherine Toong, the trio’s teacher at McGahan Lees Irish Dance Academy (Instagram @irishdance_hongkong), pipes up: “Sofia has danced with me for six years… I’ve helped Molly and Fiadh- Rose for the past two. Sofia assists me in every class, the dancers all love her and really look up to her, Molly and Fiadh-Rose’s love and dedication to Irish dance make my role both easy and inspiring. Competing at the highest level involves more than just dancing. It requires learning and perfecting new steps, mastering timing and rhythm, incorporating resistance training to become more powerful and prevent injuries, while also incorporating at-home stretching to maintain mobility and joint health.” For the uninitiated, the ORnC is a long, hard road. “It’s like a rugby or football tournament and the Worlds are kind of like the finals,” says Fiadh-Rose. “It’s more than just a mental thing because there are so many par ts to it and to do well you have to get everything right.” Getting to Dublin this year for the event running April 13 to 20 was clearly quite a feat. Age aside, the three young women couldn’t be less alike, refreshingly so. Sofia was born in Taiwan to a Canadian mom and American dad, and lived in Shanghai until she was nine when her father’s work brought the family to Hong Kong. In this, her fourth appearance at the Worlds, she placed 35th (out of 101 dancers) in the Ladies 20-21 age category – and won the prestigious Aisling Award for highest rank in her age group from Asia, Europe, Mexico, Nordic Europe, South Africa and South America. Molly was born in Ireland and moved to Hong Kong with her family in 2019 via the Philippines. This year marked her second appearance at the Worlds, and while she placed 118th (out of 158 dancers) in the Girls 16-17 age category, not as high as expected, she danced her heart out and is rightfully proud of her achievement. Plus: “My shoe didn’t fall off this time,” she says with a laugh. “Two years ago, the first time I qualified, when I went to do my second dance the heel of my right shoe came off. I tried to keep my nerves in check as I’ve been taught, and it was all good fun.” “I taped your shoe on this time,” chimes in Sofia with a chuckle. Fiadh-Rose was born in Hong Kong to Irish parents. She’s been dancing since she was about three: her mum teaches at McGahan Lees Irish Dance Academy and is a certified Irish dance adjudicator. In this, her second time competing in the Worlds, Fiadh-Rose finished a mind-blowing 10th (out of 159 dancers) in the Girls 12-13 age category. “When I was really young, I won a championship and it got me really, really excited. I kept on pushing, and I got a lot better, and then last year my results really shot up, and I really wanted to do better,” she says. Sofia, Molly and Fiadh-Rose are at very different stages in their Irish dance careers, but they are all on upward trajectories. They came to the form for different reasons but are equally committed. Sofia followed a friend and got hooked. Fiadh-Rose grew up around it and appreciates the strength, speed and balance it gives her. And for Molly, discovering Irish dance was a kind of homecoming. “I think, for me, it was definitely being able to connect more with being Irish,” she says. “I’ve lived in Asia more of my life than I’ve lived in Ireland, and you do eventually feel that strain from disconnection. Learning Irish dance really helped me connect with my roots, and also to meet people when I moved here.” The immediate future for the trio sees more school – Molly and Fiadh-Rose are both at Discovery Bay International School; Sofia begins studies in sports science at the University of South Australia in the autumn. Fiadh-Rose is preparing to compete at the 2025 North American Irish Dance Champions in Maryland, and there’s a ton of practice for everyone en route to the regional qualifier in Prague in December for the 2026 Worlds. Outside class, there’s long-distance running (for Fiadh-Rose), cross-training (for Sofia) and video gaming (for Molly). Fun stuff they can do at home on Lantau, which all three agree is, well, a lovable place to be based. “I love Mui Wo,” declares Sofia, the outlier. “I was at the beach an hour ago, and now I’m in the city going to dance class. It’s great.” Molly enjoys the DB bubble, seeing it as safe and freeing when compared to Manila. “Moving to DB was very, very much a culture shock. Seeing all these little kids going around by themselves, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness’. It’s nice that you can go anywhere, run errands or hang out with friends. It’s great in that sense.” Fiadh-Rose, the Hong Kong native, agrees: “I love DB. Everything’s so close together, one minute you can be down in the plaza with friends, the next at the beach. It’s so safe you can just kind of go your own way. Nothing really dangerous happens around DB or really Hong Kong.” Fiadh-Rose is in no position to be setting a career path at (almost) 13, but Sofia and Molly are relatively confident Irish dance will be in their futures on some level; they both enjoy teaching younger kids, and they’ll be dancing for as long as is physically possible. Molly is aiming at a career in performance and then, maybe, directing. Watch your back, Flatley.

Your entrée to Mauritius THE VIBRANT CAPITAL Port Louis provides a powerful entrée into the real Mauritius, two steps removed from all the picture-perfect, luxury beach resorts. Here on the island nation’s north-west coast, you find a spicy mix of beautiful landscapes, bustling city life and diverse cultures, as well as the option to sail out to near-perfect islets in the surrounding Indian Ocean. SOAK UP THE HISTORY of the island’s exploration, settlement and colonial period at the Blue Penny Museum. Explore galleries dedicated to Mauritius’ diverse population, indigenous flora and fauna and the pivotal role it played in Indian Ocean trade. Two of the world’s rarest stamps – the red one-penny and blue two-penny issued in 1847 – are central to the collection. COLONIAL LANDMARKS CROP UP throughout the city, notably Government House, Fort Adelaide, St James Cathedral and a statue of King Edward VII within the grounds of Champ de Mars Racecourse. There’s also Aapravasi Ghat, which served as an immigration depot for indentured labourers in the 19th century. HEAD TO THE CENTRAL MARKET come nightfall, where you can browse stalls selling everything from fresh produce to herbal medicines and aphrodisiacs. Take a seat and sample traditional Mauritian street food like dholl puri (split pea-stuffed flatbread), Gateau Piment (chilli cake) and alouda, a refreshing milky drink laced with agaragar and basil seeds. PORT LOUIS IS THE ONLY NATURAL HARBOUR in Mauritius and one of the deepest in the Indian Ocean. Take a leisurely stroll along Caudan Waterfront, the city’s main commercial and entertainment hub to shop for local crafts, or simply soak up the lively local vibe. The waterfront is home to many shops, restaurants and bars, as well as a casino and a cinema. VISIT THE OLDEST BOTANICAL GARDEN in the Southern Hemisphere, located a 15-minute drive from Port Louis. SSR Botanic Garden, commonly known as the Pamplemousses Botanic Garden, is must-visit for nature enthusiasts. Lose yourself amidst the lush greenery and vibrant blooms, and grab a photo of the famous giant water lilies. GLORIOUS TAMARIND BEACH has one of the most spectacular backdrops in the country. Just a 10-minute drive from Port Louis, it once offered wave hunters some of the best surfing on the planet. Today, it provides something of a Robinson Crusoe experience, as the currents have changed and the surfing diehards have moved down the coast to Le Morne.

Andrew Spires reveals the best and worst places to pitch a tent in Lantau The AFCD has 41 designated campsites dotted throughout Hong Kong’s country parks, interesting because they’re off the beaten track (some more than others) and you can stay at them for free. Many provide basic facilities such as barbecue pits, toilets and sports areas; some have showers. But that’s about it. Don’t expect fancy restaurants and onsite yurts; wild camping isn’t five-star, it’s in tents (geddit?!) and well worth experiencing. Without doubt, our nearest government-allotted free campsite – Ngong Ping, promisingly situated at the foot of Hong Kong’s second-highest mountain, Lantau Peak – has to be the roughest my family and I have stayed at. Partly our fault, I admit. In an attempt to pack light, we didn't bring a stove, pans, plates or cutlery. We didn't bring any towels (there are no showers), pillows, music, snacks or enough sleeping bags. TripAdvisor would have rated our set-up 1* with a health warning. The campsite is a 25-minute schlep from the cable car terminal. Rather aptly, you have to turn off before the Wisdom Trail. Although illegal, we saw groups choosing to camp in ‘non-designated’ flat wooded areas as opposed to the site to which we were headed, and in about five minutes, we were to find out why. Ngong Ping Campsite is small, aimed more at the thru-hiker than the weekend reveller. There are six to seven flattened out pitches fitted with a picnic bench and barbecue pit. The middle of the site, for reasons unfathomable, has been left rock-pitted and sloping – almost unusable. This, of course, was where we slept the night. The word 'slept ’ is carrying an awful lot of weight here. You need to show up very early, perhaps mid-week, if you’re to secure a spot at one of the flat pitches and don’t leave your tent for too long unattended or the lovely people at the AFCD will take it away. Pitching the tent was a struggle. Imagine assembling an IKEA wardrobe on the north face of Mount Eiger. We spent five minutes discussing whether it was better to align the door with the top of the hill, so that we wouldn’t slowly slide out of the tent in the night. This wasn't so much a campsite as a test of balance. Ngong Ping village is a strange place. It’s an entirely fake shopping street built over the remains of a once-vibrant and entirely real village. That community still exists, but only to run the retail outlets selling oversized incense sticks and badly translated fridge magnets. I deplore the retail choices Ngong Ping 360 has chosen to occupy this ‘Disney’ high street to enlightenment. Last time I checked, Buddhism was about the absence of stuff – the quest for inner meaning through the abandonment of self. Ngong Ping has a Subway, a Starbucks and a shop called The Wisdom Trail Souvenir Shop. The monks must find it hard to be at peace. Shopping at Ngong Ping revolves around the cable car times, with the final ride back to Tung Chung leaving at 6pm. If you’re not on it, you risk a two-and-a-half hour walk down the hill or a ride on the vomit comet, A.K.A. the number 11 bus. I’ve ridden a tiny ferry through the Irish Sea during a violent storm and not felt as queasy as I did on the number 11 bus. Be mindful if you're using these restaurants for food that they all close at 6pm. Everything closes at 6pm, even the enlightened one, the Big Buddha himself. After dinner, we headed back to the tent. The site was now nearing capacity and we had new neighbours. In the time it had taken us to eat our ramen, they had set up a festoon of fairy lights, a fully stocked kitchenette and a projector with full Dolby 5.1 surround sound. It was like pitching your tent next to a drive-in cinema. The Ngong Ping Campsite toilet is a three-minute walk from your tent. That’s fine in the daylight, but at night, in the rain, it feels like a very long way. I can’t have been alone in this conclusion, as there are mounds of tissue dotted about in the treeline surrounding the camp. I’d love to be left alone in a room with whoever decided to build the toilets at the end of a long, dark and snake-infested walk. Wearing everything we owned to stave off the chill in the air and having enjoyed half a box of value Cab Sav, (the wife and I, not the kids), the four of us nestled down under the three sleeping bags we had brought. Due to a technical error, we only had three between the four of us. Being the man of the family and incredibly brave, I insisted we share them and opened them up like duvets. Within half an hour, I was handed the leaking air bed and stripped of any covers. Cold and literally deflated, I donned my 20-year-old hoodie and lay down for an uncomfortable and bone-crippling night’s sleep, only to immediately need the toilet. I had broken the seal, and it had started to rain. In stark contrast to the unlevel chaos that is Ngong Ping Campsite, Pui O boasts a 54-berth beauty with even, well-spaced pitches, barbecue pits, showers, clean toilets and the most wonderful view. Pui O Campsite looks out over the Chai Ma Wan Peninsula and its beautiful beach. Apart from public holidays and a few other special dates in the year, booking is not allowed and it’s run on a first-come, first-served basis, which is great if they have space, and inconvenient if not, having dragged all your kit there. It’s recommended to call ahead to check availability. Of course, everything in life is about balance, and where Ngong Ping has rocks and a hill, Pui O Campsite has sand – direct access to a 260-meter-long beach. I recommend having a multi-layered towel system at the entrance to your tent or you’ll be exfoliating your skin into your sleeping bag. Errant sand is this site’s only drawback. In case you get peckish or can’t light the barbecue, there is a small but well-stocked convenience store that serves fish balls and noodles. There’s also (drumroll) Treasure Island Beach Club, open Friday night to Sunday. The restaurant provides a lovely chilled vibe and tasty food which can be enjoyed on the terrace looking at the sea or at your tent, as they do takeaways. There are always great nature finds on Pui O Beach, from little hermit crabs swapping cone shells to big hairy water buffalo rolling in the sand. More recently, pink dolphins have been repeatedly sighted frolicking in the bay. Pui O has some excellent clam beds that can be harvested in the summer. Simply dig your heel into the sand to about 4 inches and wiggle it about. Remember to leave any clams under 5cm where you found it to preserve the population, and be sure to soak the clams in water overnight to remove any grit and sand before smothering them in white wine and cream sauce. The party piece for Pui O Campsite is the sunset; one of my favourites in Hong Kong. There’s nothing better after a play at the beach than enjoying a cold glass of wine, sitting in a folding camping chair after a hot shower and watching the sun go down over another busy day.

Rayming Lan is making classical music cool again, one rockin’ piano performance at a time. Elizabeth Kerr reports For lack of a better descriptor, 18-year-old classical pianist Rayming Lan looks like a rock star. It’s a mild spring day in Discovery Bay, still not so humid as to be uncomfortable, definitely terrace weather… and Rayming is dressed entirely in black, medium-length wavy hair still bearing orange tips from a quick-fading dye job. He’s perplexed by the persistent notion that anyone into classical music should be neat and tidy, and sporting elbow patches on their tweed jacket. “What’s with the academic image?” begins the soft-spoken Rayming. “I mean, look at Beethoven. He drank too much, he was a mess, and just look at his hair. It looks like mine.” Fair point, and entirely accurate given classical composers were often the rock stars of their time. For now, Rayming is neither a rock star nor a working per former though he has played at various prestige venues, and taken part in numerous events and competitions both internationally and closer to home. He just finished Year 13 at Discovery College, which he attended on a full music scholarship, and is readying for final exams before he heads off to the Hong Kong Academy for Per forming Ar ts in September to study piano per formance on yet another scholarship. Rayming, born and bred in Hong Kong, relocated to DB from Island East with the family when he started school at DC three years ago; he’s got a younger brother at school in Western District. Besides flourishing at DC, Rayming has embraced DB, noting that the community vibe has bolstered his musicianship. “I like the overall atmosphere in DB,” he says. “Whenever I have a concert, my neighbours come out and support me but they’re truly there for the music, not just because they know me. They’re there because they love music. I think that’s great.” Mum Yuki Wong is parked quietly on a bench next to Rayming, and she agrees that the move to DB was a good one. “We’ve always been supportive of Rayming’s choices, and we’re thrilled he can do what he likes and be good at it,” she says. “I enjoy life here, and it’s wonderful that the neighbours are so supportive. When Rayming performs, they often mention hearing such-and-such by so-and-so from the apartment.” Rayming has been playing piano for “as long as can remember,” and his academic career started in 2015 when he joined HKAPA’s Junior Music Program, where he studied under Dr Amy Sze and later with Professor Gabriel Kwok. But it wasn’t until a few years ago he really found a passion for classical music. “The reason why I came to DB and DC is that I wanted to change my environment, and view the world differently,” Rayming explains. He’s less certain of a single moment that put him on his path as he is of the general broadening of his horizons that underpinned it. “I don’t listen to music. I just play. It wasn’t until I started to listen more, and learn more about classical music culture that I had an epiphany.” Here Rayming backtracks a bit, admitting he’s exaggerating about not listening to music. It’s more that he’s begun finding new composers and genres that have lit a fire under him. “Recently, I started to listen to a lot of composers I didn’t like, and eventually I found the beauty in their pieces. Sergei Prokofiev is one. He’s a 20th century Russian composer whose music sounds like noise at first. Just slamming the keyboard and stuff, but eventually you start looking closer and finding the meaning behind it, the beauty behind it. That’s not the case with most music.” Alongside Prokofiev, Rayming’s taken a shine to Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar and jazz, which he calls “the closest thing on, let’s say, the pop scale to classical for its complexity, technicality and also meaning.” Those may be pretty heady and wildly divergent influences, but Rayming cherishes the diversity, acknowledging the enormity of the musical pantheon – and that he knows only a fraction of it. “I think discovering more artists, not just classical ones, helps you in developing and maturing your craft,” he adds. In another bit of maverick thinking, Rayming likens watching a film and watching a YouTube reel about a film to classical music and four-chord pop music. “It’s a different process of enjoyment. One instantly gets you what you want. The other takes time.” Unsurprisingly, our conversation turns to the looming impact of AI, something Rayming’s not overly bothered about. For him, AI is a useful tool but as a creative instrument it’s missing a key ingredient – and will never learn it. “The connection between the composer and the audience,” he states flatly. “AI cannot replicate the emotion of an actual composer, which is why we listen to music.” He acknowledges that AI will continue developing, and perhaps one day it will be able to compose an emotionally rich piece, but in the end “that’s not the point of art”. Ask Rayming what he’ll be doing in five years and he shrugs, noting he has plenty in mind but that in reality it could take some time. He’s a fan of collaborating with other artists in other media – he’s already scored a few short films for friends – and he’s had a few moments in the spotlight. Standing out in his memory are one of his first solo recitals at K11’s Steinway & Sons Gallery, and most recently a performance as featured pianist in A Late Summer Night’s Dream at S’way in Tsim Sha Tsui, par t of its Young Artist Series. Rayming enjoyed S’Way’s chic studio feel and cosy vibe – and would love to see a classical club in Hong Kong alongside other “traditional” live music venues that cater to jazz, rock and pop. “I would love to have a place where people just go have a drink and hear some classical like they do for other types of music. It would be great to have that kind of lifestyle in Hong Kong,” says Rayming, and he’s sure it’s an attainable concept, citing today’s vintage-focused teens as future consumers of all things classic. “I think that’s what we’re lacking in classical music. In future, I hope to foster a stronger community of just enjoying music and supporting the local scene.” Rayming’s also confident he’ll be able to make a living doing what’s he’s destined to. “What is rich, what is successful?” he boggles. “You don’t need to be the richest man on Earth to be happy. I think you just need to find meaning in your life.” Ask Rayming if he finds that meaning in any other arts – prose, photography, filmmaking – he cracks a little smile and shakes his head. “I make music.” Can you drop a mic off a piano?