Moi back...

After almost 2 mths of absence, I am back! To say that it's a busy period is an UNDERstatement, let's go through the list man:

1. FInd a new place to move.. intensive 1 mth
For record, Pat viewed at least 30 units while I shld hv viewed half of that no (since he screened and selected those promising ones). Then there's the bargaining time of rental amt lah, what's in and what's out. It's too bad that our first choice's landlord is nt willing to reduce the rental amt but we are still happy with our second choice- which reminds us a little of our precious baby in Sg.

2. Waiting to sign tenancy agreement and collect keys- 2wks of heart attack
IT is a heart attack experience renting in HK, be it gd times or bad. When we first arrived in HK 1 yr ago, it's was gd time for the landlord. Tenants like us have to carry cheque book with us all the time and immed place deposit once we think the place is ok. No time to go back/think abt it or nego for better terms. We or our friends had experiences going to meet the agent to hand the cheq n sign temp agreement only to discover that we lost out by min to someone who is willing to pay $1k more and pay deposit immed.
Now, it's gd time for tenants as the property mkt soften. We hv the luxury to select and bargain, but the HK landlord is smart too. While on one hand they agree the amt, the online adv continues to be advertised with the hope of getting a better paying tenants. My experience is the adv keeps on refreshing daily till 2 days before we collect keys! One friend's experience is that she was already in the apt, inspecting and ready to pay the deposit $26K, the landlord decided to try his luck and lied that he has another offer at $29K and be nice and give my friend "first priority". My friend pissed and back out her offer, today that apt is still unrented and now asking $23K only! Serve him right!

3. Hols in Jap and Sg - 2wks
Oh.. this is GREAT! Onsen all the way in hokkaido. Did i ever mention that Hokkaido is my dream place since i was a little gal, like 7? I think it was heavily influenced by this super old Jap drama 阿信, i only remembered the cold cold winter that poor 阿信 had to go through during her childhood. Well.. Simply love to see the snow in my eyes which we were so lucky to have 2 days of heavy snow.
This trip is also gd as it was my first leisure trip with my brother. I hope we will have another one soon.
Sg trip? well.. i was working that wk so it wasn't exactly leisure, just a diff place to work that's all. But it sure is gd to see all my sg cols and be able to catch up with family and friends, esp we are not going to be back during xmas nor CNY.

4. Moving house.. -on-going now
Dec is fully planned and packed. We returned fr hols end Nov and will shift mid Dec. Our new place will rec'd 1st guest on 18 Dec, Abuzi and family on 21 Dec and Pat's extended family on 27 Dec!! So this mean the move must be on time, smooth. Gd thing that the new place come full furnished, only need to purchase TV. Oh.. MIC TV is so cheap! 32" is only HKD3380 or just under S$700. Our current TV is also MIC which has served us well for 1yr.. so we see no harm buying 1. Anyway China is world's factory, even if we pay $K more for a branded TV, it just mean more QC only. Since nt knowing how long we will be in HK, no pt spending so much money.

And of cos, qtr-end is coming. In such time n such economy, one has to work hard, be smart and hope to have some dose of luck to keep rice bowl. So.. get to packing/work!