Advice to a couple potentially moving to Hong Kong in July...

[Mat]

It all depends on what's most important. Out of peak hour a commute to NT would be pretty quick. 962N runs all night - 45mins to Gold coast, just as an example.

Personally probably better to be looking at Pok Fu Lam or Kennedy Town but even that's going to be 20 mins or so.

Need to come and check it out. particularly re the asthma

You need to wait for the bus also...the buses are less regular at night (yes I know you can time it but it is a bit tiring to tiem everyday...) - so to be fair the 45mn will be on average a 1h door to door commute.

agree with the rest.

[Dankleness]

only i live in the best place and my commute is always a breeze... bla bla these where to live threads are getting so lame, shame on me for reading this one all the way through ;-)

[HowardCoombs]

....shame on me for reading this one all the way through ;-)

I say, good chap, do you by chance know where the Airport is?

[Dankleness]

I don't get it.... so because I am tired of these 'where should i live threads' and the arguing between everyone on commute times etc... I cant stay in HK any longer? I do know where it is, thanks. I do look forward to the day i will be leaving, doesn't mean I'm not enjoying my time here...

[HowardCoombs]

I don't get it....

Clearly

so because I am tired of these 'where should i live threads' and the arguing between everyone on commute times etc

Yes, yes, repetitive information in multiple threads......

I cant stay in HK any longer?

It was a joke. You complained about an often repeated thread and I replied to you with an often repeated line....Get it?

I do know where it is, thanks. I do look forward to the day i will be leaving, doesn't mean I'm not enjoying my time here...

I'm glad we cleared that up.

Do you by chance have any frozen chapatis ?

[Elegiaque]

My experience in looking at flats at the end of last year was that Kennedy Town, Sai Ying Pun are becoming pretty expensive. Bit hard to get a decent 2 bedroom for 20k. Still, it could be a good location for the OP, so worth looking into. Why not areas on the east side of the island? Quarry Bay onwards to Wan Chai.
@TheBrit, two of the three apartments I lived in in London were over 100 years old. They were not built or maintained to a high standard at all (freeholder who didn't give a crap about it). Often could clearly hear neighbors having sex, hear the exact words of normal conversations or footsteps. With the one modern building we lived in, we also had issues, but were maybe just unlucky with our neighbors (boot-wearing upstairs, 2-year-old downstairs). With proper concrete floors in a tall towers in HK, we've not had any of these issues. Some tall buildings are built with each apartment as a separate "wing", so you don't share walls with neighbors either. Considering how ultra-dense Hong Kong is, I think the buildings do a pretty good job at managing it. I, too, though have had issues once or twice with noise coming across the common area, but that's down to the doors not blocking out the sound. Bigger problem I've had is cigarette smoke floating in our windows from neighbors.

[Dankleness]

i see i see.... regarding the chapatis nope but do have some frozen burrito wraps that have been in the bottom freezer drawer for ages now.

[Mat]

My experience in looking at flats at the end of last year was that Kennedy Town, Sai Ying Pun are becoming pretty expensive. Bit hard to get a decent 2 bedroom for 20k. Still, it could be a good location for the OP, so worth looking into. Why not areas on the east side of the island? Quarry Bay onwards to Wan Chai.
@TheBrit, two of the three apartments I lived in in London were over 100 years old. They were not built or maintained to a high standard at all (freeholder who didn't give a crap about it). Often could clearly hear neighbors having sex, hear the exact words of normal conversations or footsteps. With the one modern building we lived in, we also had issues, but were maybe just unlucky with our neighbors (boot-wearing upstairs, 2-year-old downstairs). With proper concrete floors in a tall towers in HK, we've not had any of these issues. Some tall buildings are built with each apartment as a separate "wing", so you don't share walls with neighbors either. Considering how ultra-dense Hong Kong is, I think the buildings do a pretty good job at managing it. I, too, though have had issues once or twice with noise coming across the common area, but that's down to the doors not blocking out the sound. Bigger problem I've had is cigarette smoke floating in our windows from neighbors.

I have lived in a total of 5 flats (4 rented, one own) in HK and while the quality of the fixtures (ie cabinet etc) has always been average (or less tna) , never once did we have a noise issue (ie neighbors) - and they were not 2000sqf flats, they all ranged between 650 and 900 sqf and all in 20+ floors tower.

Agree the management overall is pretty good in those estates if you consider the sheer number of people liviing there.

On the otherhand, HK is a very noisy city

[Japsara]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks again for all your replies!

I think we are going to be coming over early June for 5 days to give us a feel for the place so that will be good.

With regards to my asthma, I’ve had it since I was 5 so it’s very well controlled and ironically it was when I went to live in Devon that it got worse (attributed to the pollen), and I was just recently in Paris when their pollution was at an all-time high and didn’t really experience any negative breathing issues so fingers crossed I will be fine – anyway, I can always wear one of those rather attractive face masks when it gets really bad, even if it will make me look like someone from Star Wars!

Weather – I think we’ll be good. We go to Orlando a lot and have been at many different times and I heard that the humidity is similar to that in Hong Kong (forgive me if that’s not true…). My asthma actually gets bad in the winter here due to the cold and always improves over there. I really hate the cold so am quite looking forward to some heat!

We like being so close to the city centre here, we can be in Leicester Square in 20 mins by tube. My husband gets the bus to work as it’s much cheaper but this results in it taking 1 ½ hr each way (sometimes 2 during rush hour!), more than anything we want to cut this down. Particularly because he currently works either 5am – 5 pm or 7am to 7pm but he will be working later over there so we would want to be able to spend some time together, even if it will be quite late!

He’s nervous about pushing the company for too much money as he wants to have a good working relationship with them once he gets over there. I think he’s concerned that the wage they are offering him is quite good for the restaurant industry. Over here he is already on a very good wage, more so because of who he works for and it already works out a better wage in Hong Kong as he won’t have to pay the 40% tax he pays here. But at the same time we realise that we don’t want to get into financial difficulties because we didn’t have the right package…

We won’t want a car as we really like the convenience of public transport, we like to go out and be close to amenities and things to do but certainly wouldn’t want to live around loads of drunk people, so I’m thinking places like Kennedy Town or some of the places mentioned in Kowloon might be a good fit. I want to have about 6 areas to look at when we pop over to get an idea what feels right.

I did like the look online at properties in Discovery Bay but just feel that transport is limited and a boat ride plus MTR will just be too long.

As I’m new to this whole posting thing… if I have some questions about teaching do I start a new thread? I’ve looked on other forums before and seen people told off for either not starting a new thread or posting in the same thread when they shouldn’t… I’m not too clued up on forum etiquette!

Thanks again for all your help; it’s going to make a huge difference to us when we get over there

[Japsara]

"I’ve looked on other forums before and seen people told off for either not starting a new thread or posting in the same thread when they shouldn’t… I’m not too clued up on forum etiquette!"

Just realised that I've basically said the same thing here, doh! Guess I just don't want to get told off for doing the wrong thing - so, is it new question, new thread?

Thanks!