Doctor how?

I hate the doctors. I had to go yesterday. Been off work for the last three days with aches, fever and sore throat, nice. Decided it wasn't a cold and that I should get a third opinion, other than my own and the NHS direct line website "You are probably dying, phone 999 immediately".

So, when I'd remembered where my doctor actually was, I made an appointment and went along.

I chose to ignore the tfl instructions and managed to arrive 30 mins early, the lovely but rather coughey / clearly ill receptionist let me in despite the surgery not being open for afternoon "trade" yet. She was hacking up good and proper. That's the thing about doctors surgeries, it's warm, ideal temperature for breeding germs and people are there because they're sick...God knows what you come out with, probably an upgraded version of what you went in with, enter with a cold, exit with bird flu..ta-dah!

So, sat there I read "Bird watchers monthly", a magazine about Brownies and "Dorset Living"...twice...overhear the receptionist answer the phone..." that's right Mrs.Harris, your doctor is on annual leave on Monday...he's back on the 3rd January!?!?" Erm...what type of doctor takes off over a month during the peak flu period? A lazy one my friends. In fact if my office is reading in, I'm thinking of taking the next buying season off!?

Old people love doctors surgeries don't they!? I don't know whether its the fact it gives them somewhere to go, someone to talk to but they love it. You can always tell when someone walks into the doctors and the receptionist knows them by first name...never a good sign is it?! An old Irish woman came in yesterday to cancel an appointment, she was there for about 25 minutes talking absolute crap. She was moaning about the doctor who she had had a yelling match with in the surgery the week before and also moaning about the "eastern european" receptionist who was very rude. The ill receptionist was chipping in between coughing fits.

I'm clearly the first person for the later session, they still made me wait, 25 minutes, bastards, in walked the doctor casually, I get a waft of tobacco, you know the old stuff you put in pipes...healthy!

He had the worst toupee I have ever seen, wrong colour and clearly shifted in the wind.

First question he asked me was whether I smoked, I said no, he told me I was a good lad...the doctor on the other hand clearly did, he was wheezing and out of breathe. Medical advice from this man, really?!

He diagnosed me as having tonsillitis...which as I'm sure you can imagine I'm really over the moon about, I'm on antibiotics and plenty of fluids.

I've been in the flat for 3 whole days now and I have cabin fever real bad, my bedside table is looking like a drugs cabinet and all I want to do is go out and enjoy the weekend, not going to happen. Now excuse me, I'm off to crank up the heating, pour myself a bath and dose myself up.



- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Video WOW of the Week!

A very early good morning ladies and gentlemen. You may have noticed there hasn't been a Video WOW for quite some time now! Truth is, that for amazing as this iPad is (and it really is) I can't find a way to post Videos through YouTube? Anyway I've had a tinker around with the HTML..oh yeah, check me out, mr website programmer extraordinaire...think I might have worked it out.

This video, if it works, is a forthcoming Glee episode, already shown in the states, its due for release here in the new year, I can't frickin' wait! I always thought Gwyneth was a bit of a moody cow, but I take it all back, love this, love her, can't wait for the new series.

I want!!!

Just been in to the Burberry store on Regents Street to pick up my poorly bag. Well, it's not poorly anymore, it's been sunning it's self for the last 6 weeks in Italy, in some repair factory somewhere.

It's back and it's as good as new! Hurrah!

Whilst in the store I went for a nonchalant wander round the departments, pretending I could afford anything in there, sometimes even turning my nose up at the collection, just for fun. Then it happened. I fell in love with the most beautiful IPad case, It's so perdy!




I want!!!

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Heavenly

I am currently sat in the hotel's "Contemplation Room"...it's on the 41st floor and has one of the most amazing views I've ever seen. Sat on a sofa I can see the whole city, the sea, the port, probably even my house...there's some chinese relaxation music playing, free herbal tea and the sound of running water, God, I need to pee. With risk of sounding like a big old homo, it's almost "heavenly".

Whilst in this contemplation room, I thought I'd do just that...I'm just about half way through my trip, just 5 more days to go.

Last week was fun, very busy but fun. I was very lucky to get out and see the city yesterday. An old family friend many years ago told me to drop him an email if I was ever over this side of the world...I must admit I never thought I would be, but here I am, I dropped him an email and he organised one of his employees in his Hong Kong office, Sue, to take me on a tour. Such a lovely lovely lady! Poor her having to take 'ol muggins here round on her Saturday.

We started off in Tsim Tsa Tsui for breakfast, then got a taxi to The Peak tram over in the "Central" district.

The tram has been there for many years, back when the British owned the island. Never really understood why we did own this place. I guess in some ways its kinda cool because it's a melting pot of loads of traditions and cultures. British plugs, Chinese road signs with the British translation underneath...Hong Kong takes the bits it likes from England and China and merges them into it's own culture, inclusive of the National Holidays...very clever!

So,the tram takes you right up to The Peak, I believe its the highest point in the city. the views are fantastic! At the top there is also Madame Tussauds...so funny, again a mix, David Beckham stood next to Chinese pop stars.

After The Peak, we went to Stanley Market, which is a little bit more like an ex-pat area...very British. We had lunch here then went for a wander round the beach area on the rocks...very pretty.

In contrast to this scerene area we then headed back to the area round my hotel called Mong Kok. VERY VERY busy! We went to the even busier technology stores and Ladies Market, I've never seen so many people in my life. I bought myself some headphones and an IPad case. Kinda embrassing when I presented a $10HKD note rather than a $100HKD to pay, £1 instead of £10.

STP PRESS : WHAT!?!? Two ladies and a guy have just destroyed my tranquil setting, my inner sanctum, my personal space (they've entered the room)...how dare they! Now a loud British accent...that's it...they've woken me from my relaxed bloggin' slumber.

I should really go anyway, going to check out the shopping centre next door, my Director, Designer and Assistant arrive about 5 o'clock, so going to make the most of the free time before I have to go back into work mode.

I will try and upload a picture of this view soon...it really is amazing.

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Starbucks Review No.12 : Langham Place, Hong Kong.

Another "Starbucks review abroad", this time in Hong Kong.

Just next to my hotel, behind the Hello Kitty arena (she's celebrating her 35th Birthday don'tcha know!?) More hello Catty if you ask me! haha see what I did there? Get it? Get it? Anyway...there's a mahussive shopping centre called Langham Place. Here I sit.

I've ordered my usual, Vanilla Latte. This time I've shaken it up a bit by also ordering a rather suspect looking blueberry muffin, which actually, suprisingly tastes OK.

Call me a geek, (you all did, didnt you?) but I quite like to see how the coffee company I love differs from country to country...it doesn't dissapoint. When choosing my muffin I couldn't help but notice the offering of Chicken and mushroom pocket and Spinach and ricotta pie. There was also another claiming to be Christmas in a pie...all the elements of a christmas dinner in one snack...amazing.

The staff are very much like the rest of the people in Hong Kong, very warm and welcoming. Very smiley, very accomodating and friendly - thumbs up from me.

When ordering I'm asked if I want my vanilla latte cold or hot and the same with my blueberry muffin...Do I want it warmed? Brilliant.

The atmosphere is again, very Hong Kong like. Loys of hub-bub going on, catchy chinese music playing, lots and lots of people...lack of seats evident by the fact that I'm currently sharing a table with a Chinese woman wearing a rather suspect sweater but in general the place is pretty impressive with big floor to ceilling windows overlooking the busy streets below.

My drink is OK, thing is when you order Starbucks abroad, the milk tastes different in different countries...tastes a bit soya like here, it might even be just that, who knows.

There are lots of children wondering round, but not in an annoying chavvy, screaming English way but a cute Chinese kinda way...all playing with their ipads very quietly...yes I said playing with their own Ipads.

Now I've enjoyed the experience, but how much? Down to the serious job of scoring. Hong Kong Starbucks, it could be a case of supply and demand (not paid a visit all week) but I salute you and reward you 8 mochas out of 10.

See you again this afternoon!

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Where the hell am I and what can I eat?

This is Paul reporting from the skies. Well not from the skies as such, that's very dangerous and very illegal. Just imagine if I accidentally connected to a wifi network and started flying the plane from seat 43a, I can't drive a car let alone a plane.

This will be uploaded at the first available wifi connection, however at this very moment I am typing this whilst sat on a rather bumpy flight somewhere between Hong Kong and Hangzhou in China.

Foods come round, lovely Bob at our travel agents hasn't booked me a vegetarian meal, to be fair it wouldn't have made much difference, the Chinese don't get us "veggies". In fact I went out for lunch today with my jersey supplier but unfortunately upon checking with my designer (who tested all the food before I tucked in for fear of rogue piece of pork, beef or monkey) there was very little I could eat - no bother, the company was nice and the Chinese tea kept flowing, it has however, left me quite hungry.

Thinking about it, a lot of places that I go to don't get my "fussy eating habits". In Turkey, when I explain I don't eat meat or fish the chain of events goes something like this...1) look of disgust, 2) look of confusion, 3) a rather loud, almost scolding question..."WHY?", followed by them ordering me minced chicken as it isn't a meat? (circa 4th work trip to Turkey, followed by week off sick...nice). Even closer to home, In Paris, you can order a lovely bottle of wine with your Big Mac but ask for a Bean burger? Death stare.

So here I am eating two bread rolls heading to the big C. I've never been to China before, I'm rather excited. We're staying in a lovely hotel near the West Lake, which is supposedly very beautiful. I've been told by at least two people that we must go out on a boat...yeah right, as if we'll have time to do that, hopefully I can at least see it from my hotel room, will post a pic if I can.

I'm imagining China to be very similar to Hong Kong, just prettier? I guess that's a bit of a generalisation, China is massive after all and I'm told that different regions are very very different from each other. I guess it's the same anywhere Kent, London, Liverpool, Hull, Grimsby.

I must admit I don't actually know what part Hangzhou is actually in? In fact I hardly ever know where I am. My friends always joke that my geography knowledge (or lack of) is ridiculous. I must agree. I bought my self a blow up globe from Muji (a japanese brand, the capital of Japan being Tokyo) and have just downloaded the iPad google earth app so hoping to educate myself. I blame the education system, as interesting as volcanoes are, it would be more useful, and less embarrassing to know where places are in the world.

So as I finish my roll and round up this here blog entry I ask myself the question...Hangzhou, a Kent or a Grimsby?

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Location:The sky.

Day 2 on the Far East mammoth trip...

...Paul is waking up after an OK-ish nights sleep.

Good Morning Hong Kong! My home for the next two weeks. I've already seen you this morning twice infact, once at 2.30am (cranberry juice) and once again at 5.30 (orange juice and Timtam bar)...damn jet-lag! Now, however, I can see you properly.




Anyone who follows my Twitter or who has had the misfortune to actually see me in real life in the last few weeks would have heard my countdown to this trip, all be it in a slightly "the end is nigh" way. It's a big trip the Far East one. The new season, our first and pretty much only chance to meet with our Chinese factories and get them sampling our new collections for AW11 (in stores From May/ June next year). An exciting but also really important trip...at 2 weeks, my longest to date. It comes just as London is turning all Christmassy and cold...(my favourite time of the year) I know, I know, I'll shut up up and get over it...I'm also missing my Dad's 60th...that really is it! Subject closed.

Anyway, I'm here now and already starting to relax, helped by the gorgeous view over the bay from the Intercontinental bar last night. Every night at 8pm the buildings around the bay are all involved in a light and laser show. The buildings all start flashing different colours in sequence and the larger of the sky-scrapers have lasers that dart around the sky - it's beautiful, that and the cocktail I was sipping - lovely first evening!

Today, I have a packed day. Starting with Breakfast, then a day with one of my key jersey suppliers. My Director and I are then flying over to mainland China tonight to see an outerwear factory in the morning. I'll be flying back to Hong Kong Wednesday early morning straight into a knitwear meeting. Thats pretty much how these trips go. Darting around the city in taxis from meeting to meeting. I'm here every 6 months, so it's always nice to see our suppliers, see how they all are and what they've been working on. One of the toughest but also most rewarding trips.

The Chinese people are so friendly and hospitable (obviously this is a generalisation - I've not met every Chinese person) they are always so welcoming and even more importantly they know when to pop up with a can of Coke when Jet-lag kicks in and I start to flag at about 2pm - a very skilled nation indeed.

It's now, just gone 6.30, going to try and cram 1 more hours sleep in then time to start the day - I'll try and blog from China tonight. Happy Monday everyone!

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Location:Hong Kong