7 Quick Takes: The First 24 Hours

We have lived our first 24 hours in Hong Kong. Below is a quick snap shot of what has gone down.

1/ One step back. Before landing in Hong Kong we had to take off from Cape Town. We left having had two weeks of very special family time. From a week of pure relaxation, far too much food, beach walks and many competitive board games with the Murphy family, to three days of fun ‘country life’ in Constantia with my sis and her kiddie winks, followed by a weekend with my folks in our most favourite relax place, Hermanus. 

It all ended with a Murphy-Pollock final meal, once again too much food, some laughs and some tears and then an airport send off. Yes, we were those people tearing all over the airport Mugg and Bean table and doing the goodbye wave ten too many times as we made our way through the x-ray machines and around the corner, out of sight. It was so hard, but I loved the time we had together before we left and my heart is so full of love and gratitude for the Murphy and Pollock clans that we get to call family, no matter how many 1000's of km’s we are apart.

Airport goodbyes and last hugs

2/ The flight was the last thing on my mind. The one and only other international flight we had previously done with the girls was a different story. For that one I had prepped weeks in advance. I made amazing kids age appropriate activity packs and enough snack packs to just about take care of the entire plane of passengers. I was THAT mom. I didn’t plan at all for this flight. I had tissues. Thanks to Uncle Rossie and Aunty Nats the girls were well looked after with their mini Hatchimals. Shiloh did drop the jolly thing on the floor about ten times (no jokes) and I had to crawl under seats and feet to find it on every one of those ten occasions. 

The other thing I really did not prep for was the turbulence landing in Joburg. I was most grateful for those cute white paper packets they have in the pouch in front of each seat. As much as I pretended to just be having a little look in the bag, it was a little less easy to hide when all three of us Murphy girls had our heads in the bags. The girls were somewhat less discreet about the whole thing and all three of us felt very sorry for ourselves. I think everyone else on the plane felt sorry for Kev.

3/ We landed in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning laden with our 158kg of luggage and felt so warmly welcomed by a bunch of the Watermark Church Staff who were there waiting to receive us. It was quite strange to get our heads around the fact that we weren’t just landing for a few weeks holiday. This time, for the first time in my life, it was to settle in, dig down and make our new home and new ‘home away from home family’.

I thought this tree just outside Shiloh's school was quite symbolic of putting down roots wherever you are

4/ After a few hours of settling into the apartment we are staying in for the next few weeks (thank you Franklin and Theresa for generously making your home available to us), we headed out for a little browse around a mall in all its Christmas wonder and then for some dinner. The girls had been amazing so far and handled the goodbyes, the flight and the afternoon really well. Exhaustion got the better of them about half way through dinner. Maybe a Chinese dinner with chopsticks for their first meal was pushing it.

Christmas decor for days

5/ Jet lag was a real thing on our first night. The girls were up from 11pm-2am. And therefore, so were we! It all started with Shiloh waking up at 11pm asking for a square of chocolate that Kev had promised her and her being less than satisfied with the fact that it wasn’t the time for chocolate (I mean, a midnight chocolate feast, why not?). She then tried her luck asking (more realistically) for a cup of tea, and by that time, Sierra was awake too. And the 3 hour party began.

6/ On Thursday morning, despite little sleep, we had to be on top form and leave the house by 8.15am to find our way to Shiloh's potential new school, for an interview. I left the navigating of public transport to Kev and despite good planning and his crazy good navigating skills we had a number of hiccups and delays (mixing up bus vs mini bus/ not having drawn any cash yet / then drawing cash, but notes too big for cab driver to give change) but we managed to walk through the school entrance at 9.29. Go us! The girls soaked up the new sights, the different means of transport, the super long escalators, LOTS of walking and asked lots of questions along the way. As for the interview, Shiley hardly said a peep and instead she sucked her thumb. Um, since when does she suck her thumb??? None the less, they loved her and she has a spot for Jan. Yay!

Shiley's new school

7/ Following the interview, we found ourselves at Hong Kong park which allowed the girls to play and explore a bit. I have to say that they have been totally amazing! Everything is new, they have hardly slept, we have walked more than ever before and they haven't complained once. It may be that everything is just new and exciting for now, but we are so super proud of them. After a much needed chilled afternoon, dinner was delivered to us by the lovely Eric and Justine (Eric is on staff at Watermark). What a treat to not have to think about meals and shopping just yet. 

Fun in Hong Kong Park

We have honestly felt so warmly welcomed - whether it be messages, offers of help, recommendations, tips or dinner. Thank you so much! Community is amazing. You can hardly know anyone, yet feel such a sense of belonging.

And thank you for all the love and thoughtful messages from South Africa.

Now for some solid sleep.

(Edit: an excellent sleep followed this post, with the girls only waking up at 9am the next morning! Woo hooo!)