A Long Way Back Home
It’s been nearly two years since we returned to our home in Hong Kong. Tin Lam wasn’t even two years old when we left the last time. The journey from our home in Cambridge to Hong Kong was lengthy, taking more than a day. But God is good, and He looked after us throughout the entire journey. On the coach to Heathrow, the driver suddenly felt unwell. As a result, we had to stop at Stansted Airport and wait for the next coach, which was an hour later. Yet, God is good, and He brought us safely to the airport.
Despite the long-haul flight, Tin Lam quite enjoyed herself, especially on the plane where she had her own personal television and a child’s meal. With her headphones on, she could watch Elsa in Frozen as many times as she liked. We also had a layover in Dubai before catching our connecting flight.
We were delighted to see my family waiting for us at the airport. My parents are both retired, and my brother even took a half day off to pick us up. Returning home, everything felt so familiar, and I could hardly notice any changes. The streets were still crowded, the pace of life had quickened, and there were queues for restaurants. It was a positive sign that Hong Kong was still the bustling city I remembered.
We stayed with Bell's parents and mine, spending quality time with them each week. Our parents lived in an estate with blocks of buildings that were forty stories tall. Nearby was a huge shopping mall where Tin Lam loved to spend hours browsing the toy shop and playing arcade games.
One day, we spent a wonderful time at Ocean Park, which Tin Lam enjoyed the most. God is good for creating such a variety of animals. She loved watching the penguins waddle, and the sharks and fish swim. She was fascinated, spending a lot of time observing the animals and expressing her excitement. We also took a cable car to the other side of the park. While we tried to see the pandas, we could only catch a glimpse of their backs. A week later, we learned from the news that one of the pandas was pregnant, which explained why they were less active.
Tin Lam also loved spending time with her two cousins, who were eight and five years old. They took care of her and visited almost every day. Together, they played joyfully, filling the house with laughter and noise. They also make the Peking Duck pancakes together.
When it came to food, we had many meals at Chinese tea houses. We would sit at round tables, order dim sum, and enjoy Chinese tea. It was more of a social gathering than just a meal, a popular activity in Hong Kong. On the day we were leaving, we had one last meal at a restaurant to celebrate. Our family gathered at the airport to see us off.
The trip was wonderful, and Bell wished we could have stayed longer. Upon returning, Tin Lam excitedly shared her experiences of the trip and her plane ride with her nursery teachers. It was a fantastic experience for all of us. Thank you for all your blessings and prayers for our trip.
Postscript:
I had a funny encounter I wanted to share. On the bus ride home with our four large suitcases, a woman sitting next to me realized she had missed her stop. After finding out where she needed to go, I got off the bus with her, took her to another stop, and explained the situation to the bus driver. She was incredibly grateful and invited me to her home. The next day, I visited her, and during our conversation, she revealed that Sir Matthew Nathan was her great uncle. Sir Nathan was the second governor of Hong Kong, and a major road in Hong Kong is named after him. She even showed me some books and paintings about her great uncle. It was a remarkable coincidence! God Bless!
