repulse bay

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  1. #11

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    tung chung
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    118
    Quote Originally Posted by basse:
    hi, looking to relocate from UK to HK. with a budget of 50k, looking for a flat with view, 3 beds and facility children friendly, as we have a 3 year old boy. Is this possible in repulse bay? any alternatives in south side of the island?
    i live in tung last 6 month and i have 4 kids and there school in hk side but travlling is not much problem mtr is good and also ur husband work in ifc it is more good and the place i live it is quite good and open area and good clibhouse and alos sutlle bus and good view near discoverybay i love this place

  2. #12

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    Jul 2006
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    Pokfulam
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    Quote Originally Posted by basse:
    thanks alot for your info, back2hk. Transport is defiinitly an issue. How do you recon the pollusion issue?
    There are 2 components of pollution - Traffic & the Muck from China. The traffic pollution is non-existent, the muck from China depends on wind direction. In the evening, if the light from the ships in the harbour are shining brightly, then it is a clear day. On other days, they may look like a scene from a ghost movie

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    9

    thank you for all your input, some food for thought....


  4. #14

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    Mar 2006
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    Pokfulam
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    204

    Bel-Air and IFC

    Basse,

    I live in Bel-Air and work in IFC. To be honest, the commute can be short but it can also be not-so-short. I live in Phase 3. The shuttle bus goes from Phase 3 to Phase 1 & 2 before taking off to Shun Tak. Once the shuttle leaves Phase 1 & 2, it's just a 15-minute ride but going between Phase 3 and Phase 1 & 2 can add another 10 minutes. I also work on a floor in IFC where I need to switch elevators. Going from my desk at work to the lobby of IFC can easily take 10 minutes (not a joke!). If you then add in another 10- to 15-minute walk from Shun Tak to IFC, then it can easily add up to 45 minutes from leaving my apartment to getting seated at my desk at work. However, I've also taking a taxi in the morning and the ride itself to the door of IFC took only 12 minutes. You will never be able to do that from Repulse Bay. When I first moved to HK, I too thought about living in Repulse Bay or the South Side in general. In fact, that's where I wanted to live the most. However, after looking at a variety of apartments, I found that Bel-Air offered the most value for money and also the most flexibility. I don't take a taxi to work most days but I know that if I absolutely had to, it would take me less than 15 minutes.

    I can't really contribute to the kids discussion though since I don't have kids but I do see tons of young families around. There's a Woodland nursery in Repulse Bay which is only a 15-minute ride from Bel-Air and you'd be going against rush-hour traffic.

    Hope this helps.


  5. #15

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    Jul 2007
    Location
    tung chung
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    air pollution is choking me- take care of your kids!!!!!!

    I know i'm late for this thread but thot I would add on.

    i came to HK last year and my wife and I took a flat in Tung chung, against all warnings about high air pollution out here.

    Because we came in August, the fall weather was splendid and clear air.

    However, since the winter and spring winds came and blew the stuff down from China, there hasn't been a day that doesn't look like the ghost movie mentioned above.

    Worse, because I run twice a day, I have inhaled a lot of air here and have developed an upper respiratory blockage that hasn't subsided for three months despite two different doctors and lots of natural therapy.

    I am horrified to hear myself sound exactly like a lot of the locals who are constantly hacking and coughing.

    I am also worried cause I had asthma as a kid and am now experiencing similar symptoms and the constant tickle of phlegm in my throat.

    To any and all expats thinking of moving here with kids: THINK TWICE AND THRICE. ASTHMA HAS BEEN LINKED TO AIR QUALITY AND IF YOU WANT YOU're CHILDREN TO COUGH AND HACK LIKE A BUNCH OF LOCAL FISHERMEN, THIS MAY BE THE RIGHT PLACE FOR YOU.

    PLEASE KNOW THAT I was one of the expats who ignored all warnings but now have a chest condition and have taken to wearing a mask. If you think I'm paranoid, just take a train ride through HK and listen to how many locals have coughs and phlegm problems.

    It's a sad reality, but the air quality has declined in the past ten years and it's mostly China's fault.

    They won't stop and don't be surprised. After all, that's why they're called a repressive regime, right?


  6. #16

    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Southside
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    Gentlebob, I completely agree. Every day i feel enormous guilt for making my children breathe in the terrible air here. We have all developed the dreaded hk cough. It's really quite depressing.

    We won't be staying long because of it, so if people have options when it comes to expat postings I concur that you should think seriously about this aspect of life here.


  7. #17

    Join Date
    May 2006
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    on the road again
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    927
    Quote Originally Posted by aussiegal:
    We won't be staying long because of it, so if people have options when it comes to expat postings I concur that you should think seriously about this aspect of life here.
    Same. Our son's asthma, which he had outgrown a lot has come back super strong. Every time he's at a sports event Kowloon side or "in town" HK side, his asthma flares up again for weeks.
    It's terrifying as a parent to even think of the poison our kids are breathing here.

  8. #18

    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    tung chung
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    47

    thank you

    thank you aussiegal and on theroad for concurring. I don't want to sound like a crank, but I couldn't keep it to myself anymore!!! Everyone seems to take it for granted that they are giving up an important part of their life: their lungs!!

    I guess I don't take breathing for granted because as a kid there were terrifying moments when i could not. And, with asthma treatments the way they were, i couldn't do sports. When I finally outgrew it after years of shots, I celebrated by running the Boston Marathon.

    I can feel when I run now my breath capacity shrink. You know your body.

    Anyway, I am a typical expat spouse- staying cause me wife loves it here, and so do i for the most part. but thanks for making me feel like i'm not alone.


  9. #19

    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    180

    Gentlebob, i refuse to run here unless it's on a treadmill. Even if i go for a walk i can feel the pollution entering me so why make things worse by running? I don't get the people that do it, particularly on the side of a road. It kind of defeats the purpose.

    It's all rather tragic. HK is otherwise a beautiful place.


  10. #20

    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    tung chung
    Posts
    47

    indoor gym

    Yeah, I use the gym more and more.

    On the days when I really want to go outside (I live in Tung Chung, lots of open space and sea/mount views) I wear something around my neck and a mask. Looks weird but works to an extent.

    Cheers, SpecialK.