Before we delve into Stinky’s adventures in Asia thus far, we would like to wish all you fellow Australians a Happy Australia Day. And although we only have one day to celebrate why we live in such a wonderful country, I think most would agree that we are grateful each and every day. Australia is a land of diversity – a land that accepts and embraces each others differences. So we want to say thanks to the land that has provided so much for us and our families. Australia Day wouldn’t be what it is without a day off. It would almost be Unaustralian without one. However you choose to spend your long weekend – we hope you have a great one.

So let’s talk a little about Stinky’s travels so far. First stop was the western world’s gateway to Asia – Singapore. And we call it the gateway to Asia because if there were a book called ‘Asia for dummies’ then Singapore would be the place to visit first. Almost everyone in Singapore speaks English. Ok, I’m lying. They speak Singlish – it is English with a twist. But jokes aside, Singapore is a vibrant metropolis filled with people of all cultural backgrounds, food, shopping, food, shopping, food and more shopping. Wait… did I mention that there’s food?

But if you are looking for a place to unwind, then Singapore wouldn’t be the place for you. It is a small city-state that is densely populated. The hustle and bustle of city life quick engulfs you and you realise that you have to adapt or get trampled. Don’t get me wrong though, Singapore is a fantastic place to visit. Each time Stinky came out to play, everyone stopped and stared and wondered why he had to take so many photos. But they soon got used to him and was intrigued at his cute looks. It is true that wherever Stinky goes, people love him.

Next was Hong Kong and China. I might talk about China first given that I don’t have much to say about it. It was Stinky’s first time to the mainland and for a first experience it was very timid. The place we visited was called Shunde. Shunde is mostly famous for manufacturing whitegoods. So if you just stepped away from your laptop for a moment to look for something to eat inside your fridge, chances are it was made in Shunde. Apart from staying in the all luxurious Sheraton Hotel, there wasn’t much else to see. Stinky tried the locals favourite dessert. It is said that during peak hours, people would line up for ages just to have a bowl of milk pudding. So it was a pudding, made with milk and sugar. It was good, but likely an acquired taste. We look forward to a return trip to China soon though, because for such a vast land, we saw so little of it. Oh, there’s also the rumour that Stinky was born in China too, but who really is to know?

Ok Hong Kong. Hong Kong! Hong… Kong. It is a crazy place to say the least. If you think Singapore is crowded, Hong Kong must be the equivalent of living in a sardine tin. People are EVERYWHERE! Following on from before, if there were a book two for ‘Asia for dummies’ then it would tell you to visit Hong Kong. Almost everyone speaks English given its history with the British. You will see many expats roaming Hong Kong Island compared to Kowloon island. Being a super fast paced place, you need to move fast otherwise you will be on the end of a verbal firing line. Escalators are tuned to move at light speed and travelators help usher people to places with haste. And through it all, you come to realise that it is a system that works.

So why do people come to Hong Kong? Like the rest of Asia, it is a place filled with great food, funky beverages and an unending amount of shops to explore. Here you will notice lines outside the designers brands on Canton Road. We hardly see these lines in Sydney. People in Hong Kong are very fashion forward people who place a strong emphasis on branded goods. Stinky enjoyed being amongst the crowd. And just like in Singapore, people would stop and smile at him. So much love.

So that’s all for now. Next stop Taiwan!