走得快，好世界

Travel advisories 旅遊忠告

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issues travel advisories for all countries in the world, and the list is nothing short of exhaustive. Obviously Hong Kong’s perpetual air pollution gets a mention (and it touched the nerves of the local media), as well as the haze that descends upon Singapore between July and October. But Australian major cities are not totally spotless in regard to air pollution. Last Saturday I was quite surprised by the reduced visibility on the roads when driving under the broad daylight of noon. Since it was not supposed to be a foggy day, the only possibility was a haze or smog of some kind. I never thought that it could occur on a day with lighter traffic like the weekend. The lab where I am working now is located on the 8th floor of a hospital building adjoining the main building of the research institute, and we have to go through an outdoor stairway whenever we want to enter or exit the main building. The stairway offers an unhindered vi...

When autumn settles 秋高氣爽

Finally the weather has stopped being temperamental in October, and is giving us as many fine days as we ask for. The increasing chilliness in the morning air, however, is a reminder that beautiful autumn days like these don't necessarily last long! The weather was still rather warm for the first few days of the month. On 1st October, my colleagues and I took an early finish at work and went for the Oktoberfest. While it was not as jam-packed and crazy as the opening day , it was still not easy to find a table. We sat outside during the day time and switched indoors in the beer tent after dark. The atmosphere inside was simply infectious. We all entered a state of exhilaration in no time, as we saw a sea of people standing on the benches, dancing and chanting to the music of the band. It finally dawned on me how people could spend a whole day at the Oktoberfest. Beer, it seems, is the best form ecstasy for many people in Western societies! The cooler weather in the following weeken...

Start the Summer … 姍姍來遲的春天，和未有影蹤的夏天

A carry bag from a fashion chain store caught my eye on the underground train last Saturday. The big words on the bag said, ‘Start the Summer!’ Of course the store wants to promote its latest line of summer products. Maybe the locals think that summer isn’t that far away. But to me, summer is still a distant future away and spring has barely started. Proper spring, I mean – or the kind of spring I am more used to … Yes, the weather has generally stopped being uncomfortably cold since the start of April, but winter appeared to be lingering until maybe a week or so ago and was constantly contriving a come-back. Even now, the mornings are still a little chilly and wasn’t too unlike the sunny winter days of Melbourne. But on Saturday I’ve reassured myself finally that winter weather is well and truly gone, and I could safely put away my clothes for the coldest of the days. On the same day, quite a few locals were already donning T-shirts and shorts in the streets. Makes me jealous … Up to ...

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