- You never clear your own table - even at McDonald's or Starbucks. There are the same trash cans that they have in America, yet you should not use them. If you do use them or attempt to clear your own table, they will make fun of you (but it is in Cantonese...so you don't necessarily know that they are laughing directly at you).
- To get service at any restaurant, you must wave your arms in the air to get their attention; they do not come by and ask if everything is okay.
- Once you flag down a waiter to take your order, make sure that everyone is ready and that no one says "um...", because the second you stop ordering they will assume that you were finished and walk away!
- When you just want to order pizza, remember to request tomato sauce (otherwise your chances of getting Thousand Island instead of tomato is pretty good - yuck!). BTW, pepperoni pizza is not common here either, but prawn pizza...that's easy to come by!
- As a general rule, online shopping is not available.
- Stores (even groceries) open late. Ten AM at the earliest, but many stores don’t open until 11 or 11:30am.
- Even if a store’s doors are open that doesn’t mean that they are actually open; even if it is after 11am...sometimes they are just cleaning the windows!
- Public transportation is amazingly efficient, yet people really think that they can squeeze themselves on the ridiculously overcrowded train even thought the next one will be there in one minute. It is normal to see faces pressed against the glass as the overcrowded train blows by you.
- There are lines on the ground in every MTR hallway for blind and elderly customers; it is also a good tool to help your toddler walk straight.
- This town is not disability friendly in the slightest. There are very few elevators, yet loads of stairs, ramps, and escalators.
- Everything here is more expensive and mostly unavailable unless you buy it on the black market.
- The average lifespan of a Hong Kong mobile phone is six months.
- Headphones are my lifesaver! If I don't have Makena with me, I ALWAYS have on my headphones (so does Charlie)!
- Everyone wears headphones...yet there is absolutely no expression on anyone's face - no smiles, no lip synching, no tapping to music. I always wonder to what people are listening?
- Texting while walking is dangerous! If you are not careful, you'll get run over again and again by TWW people!
- Square footage is measured from the outside of the building and includes the lift lobby; the actual square footage is about 60% of the advertised number.
- After a while, your flat doesn't seem so small ... until ... you have a sick kid and can't leave, at which time it is ridiculously tiny!
Now, we have been very blessed with relatively good health since we moved here. Our first trip to the hospital was last week. It was for something minor, but we had to go to the hospital because it was the weekend. It took all of 20 minutes to get in, see a doctor, get the prescriptions, and check out. I carried Makena to the hospital, had the visit, and walked home in less than an hour! Keep in mind that it is operated like an urgent care at the hospital - it shows you the difference that cash only makes! No line :).
