Farewell Hong Kong

I'm writing from the Airport in Hong Kong, waiting at my gate.  My Dahon has been checked uneventfully.  I have done everything I wanted to do regarding bicycling in Hong Kong.  Everyone that I had contacted before arriving here on February 27th has not only been willing to meet with me, but they hosted me during my stay.  They watched after me, ate with me, drank with me, and in general treated me like a lifelong friend.  I appreciate all of you: Lim Soo, Chu Kin Sam, Martin, Jonny, Brian, and Eric.  

Another new friend who I met on the bike, but not necessarily because of the bike, is John.  He was another gweilo on the cycle track when I took my first ride, and still being very unfamiliar I needed reassurance I was going the right direction.  He reassured me, then caught up with me later and struck up a conversation.  We ended up having lunch, and then he joined me and Sam and all the other Hong Kong Vintage Cycling people for our epic journey through the New Territories.  Not only that, he has helped make my stay in Hong Kong feel more like a home away from home, meeting me for dinner and good conversation.  He reminded me of my own friends and family and there is a brother quality there.  

To all of you, thanks for your willingness to talk to a complete stranger, and to open up so much that I am now leaving having had an extremely satisfying stay.  This is what life is about.  We are all connected.  I could easily have left my bike at home due to uncertainty of what it is really like to ride in Hong Kong.  I could easily have decided not to try and contact any of you thinking that you wouldn't respond anyway to a weirdo from halfway across the world.  I had those thoughts, but that is not what I wanted.  I wanted to bring my bike because it is now just a way of life for me, and I wanted to hold onto my way of life as much as possible for the month away from home and family.  But I needed help to do that.  I couldn't have done it on my own, and I didn't have to.  So again, I can't thank you all enough.  You have all given me memories and experiences that I will never forget, and who knows, maybe we'll still get opportunities to create more together someday.