HK by the way

At the Hong Kong airport last week, the first thing that came to mind was "I want to buy a [Canon] G11 camera." But, with a pending green card renewal that would set me back at least $800, plus, new expenses relating to my next NY move, a new gadget is definitely out of the question.

For those who know me, I'm not big on big-ticket items and fancy electronics. While my purchases seem to be done out of impulse—as in the case of my Nokia phone and Acer netbook—the splurges usually 'pay' for themselves in the form of the number of years I use them (very much like that famous fashion equation when justifying a purchase). I still have the same phone mentioned above bought back in 2007, and the only reason I bought a netbook was because a new battery for my seven-year-old iBook cost half of the price of my new computer. And, I needed something more portable for the new 'mobile' lifestyle I'd aimed for at the start of my freelance career.

Going back to the subject of cameras, I still have my trusty, sturdy, Sony Cybershot, now five years old! It fits the palm of my hand and still takes beautiful pictures (like the one above and most on this blog). It only occurred to me to upgrade when I saw how the newly-launched cameras featured ridiculously amazing and precise Auto settings, as seen in the G11, or my friends Frances and Vince's Olympus E-PL1. Oh well, for now, a new camera will have to wait.

Anyway, here are some thoughts on my recent layover in HK:

1) It's huge!

Other big airports are the way they are because they accommodate larger locales, but for a small country, this one had plenty of space. I flew out on a Monday and it felt like a VIP, as if the terminals were cleared for me to walk in peace! Anna Wintour alone on the elevator immediately came to mind.

One can do cartwheels in here.

2) So many stylish women!

I noticed a handful young ladies in heels, while the older women were in custom pantsuits and spring jackets in lovely prints. I spotted one in a black knit (or lace?) bolero paired with pearls. Good thing I've made it a personal policy to be dressed at the airport, ever since I started flying regularly almost a decade ago. (For the first two years, I always wore comfy sweatpants and trainers on long-haul flights. One time, I decided to experiment by wearing a tailored jacket and pointy kitten-heels—and I noticed everyone became nicer!)

3) It has a cute food court.

By 'cute' I mean it has substantial offerings in the form of hefty bowls of noodle soup, freshly-baked cookies and muffins, and the sort of things I like to eat and tote along when traveling. Anyhow, for more on food, visit my other blog, AllMySugar.com, where I've just written about finally making buttercream frosting. I'm in a baking frenzy! But more on that on my next blog post.