An ideal weekend...

The perfect Hong Kong weekend should contain several things. It needs at least one long boozy brunch/lunch somewhere fabulous. It needs at least one long boozy evening with friends. It needs an utterly random activity and some time for a nice snooze. Some would say it needs hiking or a junk trip. Neither of those are really my bag. I do not hike. I amble. And as for junk trips, well it is nice to be on a boat all day but I'm a pretty weak swimmer, have no desire to get on a wakeboard or a banana boat and can no longer hack the drinking. If I'm gonna be surrounded by pissheads all day I'd rather do it on dry land. That way I can fuck off and go shopping when my sobriety gets too frustrating.

If we apply my own definition to this weekend then there's no denying it's been a great one. Yesterday I had the random thing (Stephen Fry, Stephen Fry, Stephen Fry!!!!) and the leisurely drinks with friends on the Fringe rooftop. I also had a great lunch. Today, I had the boozier version though. My darling friend Nimmi, who is letting me stay in her beautiful apartment when I'm back here in September took me to Zuma in the Manderin Landmark for brunch. It's posh, uber-posh. I don't really go anywhere posh. I feel intimidated by classy restaurants and designer shops, like I'm going to get to the door and bounce out like an uninvited vampire, unable to pass over the threshold while the immaculately groomed staff blast me with their withering disdain. (Incidentally, I also get like this in sports shops. The last time I bought trainers, my discomfort led me to grab a cute addidas pair with silver flowers on within ten seconds rather than face the air-pump-max-nike-running-power-surge-shock-absorber-gel-breathable-mesh gauntlet. Also I always fear the staff will look at me and snort 'You don't do sport' and snigger openly till I leave their lithe, atheletically-dressed presence.)

Anyway, Zuma is on the 6th floor of the Landmark and we were sat on the outside terrace. It was a warm day, but thankfully not so hot that eating and moving were unbearable. The tall buildings all around provided a nice bit of shade and even though we were right on Queen's Road we were high up enough that the honking horns, beeping road crossings and the general noisy surge were all softened by distance and drowned out by the chill-out music coming through the speakers. Unfortunatly, being a posh venue there were the usual Brit expats braying into their champagne, the girls on their iphones tossing their artfully styled highlights, the guys in deck shorts, leaning back in their chairs guffawing, replete with the all the confidence and obnoxiousness too much money can bring. All the guys uniformly had Edward Cullen/Jedward hair. I'm mildly alarmed. Is this look on trend now? Will I get home to find all the previously hot men have coaxed their hair upwards to look like electricution victims? How do you have sex with someone whose gel-hardened hair is apt to poke you in the eye when you change positions? People of Britain, please tell me this is only a fashion among the posh boys? If the sparks, chippies and brickies are at it when I get back I'll be weeping.

As ever, I digress: Despite the fact Nim is only over in Mid-levels and has been here since October we've probably seen each other in the flesh under 10 times. She works for Standard Chartered and they keep her nose the the grindstone and what with teaching and burlesque and writing... well, life gets in the way. So when I do get to sit down and see her it's like my everyday life is on pause. For a few hours I don't have to do anything, just catch up, laugh and gossip. There can be few nicer feelings than sitting with one of your oldest friends, sipping a cool Bellini with the warm air on your skin.

After too many Bellinis and a lot of sushi I came home and napped. And snoozed. And dreamt. For about 5 hours until my flatmate Becca woke me up as I'd promised to print off some documents for her. She is now staying in HK with our company and, weirdly, my old flatmate Clare is coming back to HK to work with our old company. And the way the flat-sharing works, they'll probably be living together. The randomess of life. I'm looking forward to coming to visit them in Metro Harbour when I return in September.

September... ah, it seems like a long awaited holiday. But first there is all the hard work of Jakarta. Fly out Wednesday evening. Not even 3 days to tie up all my loose ends and attempt not to sob as I take off. Wish me luck.

Today I like: Wonderful Nimmi, veggie sushi, Bellinis, snoozing.