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“There Is No Plan B”

# 2013-05-21 18:03:26, China Droll
I knew it was too soon to celebrate last year when the news came that there would be no rubbish incinerator on the island in the photo above. “They will never give up an opportunity to waste this much money” I nodded darkly to myself at the time, like some beach-dwelling Cassandra. Unfortunate...

Cover Story About Cantonese

# 2013-05-13 15:29:12, China Droll

Safety Last (SCMP column)

# 2013-05-06 06:50:34, China Droll

Are You Afraid of Dentists? (Dentophobia)

# 2013-05-03 12:08:23, China Droll
I know I am. Not afraid of the actual person per se; I find dentists as a rule mild-mannered and not very muscular. But there is something about going into that waiting room and being totally at someone else’s mercy, lying down in that chair showing myself at my most vulnerable and absolute worst...

Come a Keystone Kropper

# 2013-05-03 11:42:04, China Droll
Lantau Island is a magnet for mediocre to incompetent civil servants, notably members of the police force. I have written about them many times; their, shall we say interesting take on what their job description in particular, and yesterday morning (May 1st) I got yet another depressing (yet hilarious) story to add to the long list of La...

Hitchhiking in China – Very Doable

# 2013-04-07 16:10:05, China Droll

SCMP Column – This Time With Nudity

# 2013-03-26 02:49:37, China Droll
Thus endeth the Christmas in Guizhou series. Now I have to go into the mainland as soon as possible to gather more material.

Don’t Waste Valuable Beer Time On Sports – Drink While Running

# 2013-03-15 19:17:04, China Droll
Ahhrghh where did the months go? I’ve been ut of the writing business for so long! Hope you haven’t given up on this blog. Let me re-launch it with a short film from the rather excellent beer dash we had on Lantau last Saturday. Thank you, thank you, Melanie Potgieter for coming up with the ide...

Dog Eat Not Dog (SCMP Column)

# 2013-02-03 20:49:32, China Droll

Your Tax Dollars Hard at Work

# 2013-01-29 19:04:36, China Droll
In its relentless quest to cheer up and beautify ugly sleepy backwater Pui O, the government has come up with these sorely needed banners. Phew! I wonder what we did before them? They don’t mention what will now happen to non-pedal bicycles, but I suppose they will just have to take their chances. Years ago my friend told me these ban...

Good Lord, Is That The Time?

# 2013-01-23 23:27:03, China Droll
I mean, quarter past three weeks since I last posted a blog entry? Bloody hell. I can’t live like this. I think it all started when the Sony service centre blithely called and said I had lost two weeks’ worth of film documentary work. That was a media-related kick in the goolies. But can’t cry by a film grave forever, so I’ll kic...

Then It Was Christmas Eve – and Column!

# 2013-01-06 16:28:19, China Droll

One For The Team

# 2012-12-30 15:07:26, China Droll
This is how it started. We had dived into an upmarket restaurant because the temperature was dropping fast and it was raining; we just couldn’t bear the thought of another meal with our backs to an open door, huddled around a plastic cup of hot water. We soon got chatting to the geezers at the next table and as one of them was from Gua...

The Joys Of Guiyang, a Photo Safari

# 2012-12-27 16:36:57, China Droll
Is it only Guangdong province that has proper youth discos? Here in Guizhou it’s all boring KTV, i.e. sitting in a small rented room by yourself or with two friends, singing karaoke and being waited on by people like the above. I counted 20 of them lined up to say welcome when we walked in to ask...

Sub-Dickensian but Still Privileged

# 2012-12-26 00:28:45, China Droll
It’s officially cold. Not “I’m just going outside and may be some time” cold, but “have to wear hats, scarves and gloves in a restaurant” cold. And thermal underwear. Yesterday I went outside about 6.15AM to harden myself for what was to come, as the hotel room was unbelievably toasty ...