By Nic Van Zwananberg, Head of Network Development Asia,

BBC World, Hong Kong, 23 November 2004

The radio alarm is tuned to BBC World Service – although it sounds more like a blizzard as retransmission is on AM here in Hong Kong.

'The World Today' should wake me at 6.30am but I am already awake as the sun shines through flimsy blinds in my bedroom.

The 6.30 ‘alarm’ is to signal my appointment in the South China Sea – at the end of the road – for my morning (and only) exercise.

Autumn often brings perfect weather – unlike the 32 degrees and 90 percent plus humidity of the summer.

After an invigorating swim in the bay, I take the bus to work.

In the summer, a car is the better transport to the office. The short walk to the bus in June, July and August brings out perspiration which slaloms down the back of even the hardiest ex-pat and creates the need for a fresh shirt before you start work.

The bus takes you past the legendary Repulse Bay (with the famous gap in the middle of the apartment block to allow dragons to return to the sea) and on to Deep Water Bay. Here the bus fills with elderly Chinese (average age must be nearly 70) all of whom are still wet from their morning swim.

Inspiring Ridley Scott

Once the bus emerges from the Aberdeen Tunnel, skyscrapers ‘grow’ from the rocks and stretch up the hills, almost to the peak. In the middle distance you can see the picture postcard view of Victoria Harbour.

The pace of central Hong Kong is a million miles from that of the south side. The office is on the 25th floor and below hundreds of workers, like drones, rush around the city on covered walkways one floor above the road level.

Hong Kong still reminds me of Blade Runner even though the district which inspired Ridley Scott has long since been demolished.

In the office the first task is to check the inbox and see if London has answered all the questions from the day or week before.

When the UK reverts back to GMT, we have to wait until at least 5.30pm before being able to speak to someone.

Most of my clients are in my time zone (plus or minus an hour) so the rest of the morning and afternoon can be spent resolving their issues or waiting for answers from London.

Breathing the high pollution

One of the great joys of Hong Kong is the food, and lunch is the best time for dim sum. Nowhere in the world gives you a better choice of dim sum (or ‘yum cha’, literally ‘drink tea’ as the locals call it).

It’s also a lot cheaper than a western style sandwich from the Starbucks which unfortunately dominate the business district.

When London wakes up, the intensity of the phone ringing goes up one gear and finance, legal and management questions usually take the working day well past 7pm.

Tuesdays and Thursdays I try to attend a yoga class (if I am not travelling) but, otherwise, it’s a decision whether to take the bus home and breathe in the high pollution in Central waiting at the bus stop or to ‘splash out’ on a taxi at approximately £10 to get home in time for the start of the HBO movie.

I’ll catch the news from BBC World (of course) as we have carriage on cable, DTH satellite and broadband, and maybe check the inbox online at home before turning in – just in case ‘London’ has replied to that urgent request!

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