Travel

[Yw-slayer]

I’m not sure what’s so funny. In US, right wing news outlets for sure are the ones spreading the ‘most’ fake news. However, left leaning medias are capable of spreading fake news too. They all have their agendas.

It doesn't really matter who (if anyone) is spreading "more". The thing to be concerned about is its reach and impact, including who reads and/or believes it.

Just wondering what your opinion is regarding the 2 sides currently fighting in HK. Which side is more wrong... or which side would you like to see prevailing...

I have nothing to say.

It’s still a fair way off but apart from obvious stuff like not speaking mandarin while in HK is there any need for us to do anything in preparation or start organising alternate plans for new year trip? Obviously if a protest is kicking off where we are well fuck off well quick but we don’t want to come over and have curfews etc in place as the reason we’re heading to HK is the eating and drinking and that’s mostly at night.

It's hard to say, but generally if there are things that kick-off, they do so from around 2pm onwards on the weekends and on public holidays or the eve of one. The rest of the time it is generally safe as long as you don't do one of the first scenes from Die Hard with a Vengeance. Frankly I doubt things will be resolved by New Year's Eve, but at the same time I doubt a curfew will be imposed by then or thereabouts.

And as a serious question YW, at what point do you say ‘fuck this’ and move? Certainly a lot of the companies we’re talking to are moving key staff to Singapore now.

Well, I'd need to requalify in another jurisdiction to practice there, which would be a real pain. I've also got kids here and they enjoy their school. So it really would have to take a lot, and certainly more than this.

[IMOA]

We had long weekend this weekend so girlfriend organised trip up to hunter valley (wine district north of sydney) for the weekend. Stayed in an awesome villa with outdoor spa and fireplace and she organised dinner at Muse (best restaurant in the area) then Sunday we did wine tasting by helicopter and lunch at Bistro Molines. While turning up to a restaurant in the GT4 is kinda cool arriving in a helicopter is definitely next level and up there with ‘shower on a plane’ for rockstar things that everyone needs to do at least once in their life.

[Yw-slayer]

So, not too far off "Go to Ibiza" then!

[Phil_SS]

My wife and I traveled to Oregon a couple weekends ago for a wedding. Flew into Portland and rented a car (*Fusion Hybrid) and then drove down to Bend via Mt. Hood. Just a gorgeous drive, from snow covered mountain peaks to the high plains.

The wedding was out in the country near Sisters Oregon. Great event with awesome views. Did the Bend Ale Tour the next day, thanks again to our DD. Hit 10 breweries up in one day. We had a good plan between the three of us who were trying the beers, we just got a sampler and ordered an appetizer at each place. Thus we made it through the day unscathed and without getting bombed, I didn't even really feel affected at all.

Next day my wife and I headed out on our own, I knew kinda where we wanted to go but we had no plans to see anything specific and no set plans as to where we would stay the next few nights. We headed out of Bend around 9AM via the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway. Just this section of the drive was worth the trip unto itself. The byway takes you up past Mt Bachelor and The Three Sisters and along the top of the mountain range. Along the drive you can stop at the high mountain lakes that dot the landscape. It is just so majestic. Just a beautiful beautiful drive.

At the end of the Byway, we headed west out of the Mountains with a stop in Eugene at a restaurant for lunch and hit the Oregon coast at Florence. Then headed North up the coast via 101. Again, more crazy awesome views along the way. My wife was starting to get hungry and I stated to just pick a town and a place and we could stop for the day. She picked Newport, Oregon and we got a great rate through an internet app recommended by a friend, "Hotel Tonight". Got a great rate at a nice place, nothing fancy but highly rated with an ocean view.

My wife asked me to find a place for dinner and I pulled up my apple maps app and just started looking at the map and I noticed that a Rogue brewery is near by. I didn't realize that Newport, Oregon is the where the World Headquarters is based for Rogue Brewing. Easy decision for us. So we went to Rogue Brewery for dinner. My favorite beer of the whole trip was at Rogue, Wombatsquatch IPA.

Got up the next day with a knowledge that we wanted to be near Portland by the end of the day, as our flight left the next day at noon. So we headed north up the 101. Stopped at Pigs N Pancake for breakfast, fantastic pancakes and the dungeness crab eggs benedict was fantastic.

Continued north as we wanted to stop at Haystack Rock during the trip. The morning did start out a little dreary but as the day wore on the clouds blew inland and the sun came out. Around 1PM we hit the Haystack Rock area, Cannon Beach Oregon. Parked at the beach and started the walk to Haystack. Great walk of about one mile along a huge beach with the sun pouring down, was just a great day. Got to see Haystack and just stand there for awhile and enjoy the beauty. We couldn't find One-Eyed Willy, so we left.

Up the 101 we drove until we hit Astoria for dinner, walked around downtown Astoria after dinner and then hit the road again. My wife booked a hotel near Portland while we drove along the Columbia River, crossing over into Washington and then back to Oregon again. Got up the next day, dropped off the car and flew home.

Both my wife and I agreed that of all the places we have been in the US, that Oregon is the place we could definitely move to in the future. Especially around the Bend area. It is so damn majestic.

*The rental car. The Fusion Hybrid did a fantastic job of ushering us around Oregon. Though next time I may pay a bit more and get a Mustang or something fun. We got a great deal through Costco, I think it was like $260 for the 6 days we had the car. Which is like $100 cheaper than any of the online sites. The gas mileage was very good, we averaged around 43 MPG for the trip. But the trunk is woefully insufficient. The battery pack for the car basically takes up half of the trunk. We *just* fit our two checked bags in the trunk, and that was about it. If we had a 3rd person with luggage it wouldn't have fit. Just ridiculous.

[dodint]

Fun read, that sounds awesome. Kind of makes me want to plan something similar around a Portland track weekend. Glad you got to experience that.

^{(Don't leave me alone in Pittsburgh)}

[George]

I have nothing to say.

And if you do, no soup for you.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/07/b...rey/index.html

[Crazed_Insanity]

Wow. That GM's tweets managed to piss off people on both sides. Yes, it is wise to just saying nothing in the 1st place...

Naturally it's only the poor and the students without much at stake are at it with HK's very own 'brexit' movement..., unfortunately the chinese union is not going to allow it with or without any deals.

Nevertheless, HK people have really been quite remarkable on both sides. In any other cultures, during such toxic situations, there would've been a LOT more casualties...

Anyway, back to travel. I heard HK Disneyland is the place to be! You can pretty much have the park all to yourself!!!

[Dicknose]

One of my volleyball mates just found out that his competition in HK has been cancelled.
So it’s serious enough that major events are being pulled.

[Yw-slayer]

Yes, tons of events have been cancelled. Cyclothon, HK Squash Open, WTA Open, Wine & Dine Festival, the 2020 E-Prix, several children's shows/eventas (inc. Matilda), and several concerts inc. Carly Rae Jepsen and some K-Pop Bands. Not to mention several legal events.

[Dicknose]

Asia Pacific Deaf Games.
Australia was sending about 70 athletes, mostly for football, but also beach volleyball!

Not the biggest event, but that must still be a fairly decent size event with over 20 countries.
And supposedly the whole event is cancelled (their website is still counting down to the games), this is not just a team pulling out.