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NEWSLETTER 55: November 2020

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Farewell to Hong Kong…

After five memorable years, we’ve left Hong Kong and are now in the Algarve in the south of Portugal. We’ve really enjoyed our time in Asia – we previously spent a year in Beijing. We’ll miss the ease of whizzing around on Hong Kong’s world-class public transport system, that iconic skyline, hiking in the many country parks and the sheer buzz and verve of the place. Sadly, our fond memories are mixed with concern for Hong Kong’s future after last year’s violent clashes between anti-government protesters and police. But it remains a wonderful city, and we know we’re going to miss it.

…And Hello to the Algarve

Portugal was this week named the leading destination in the Europe section of the World Travel Awards, and the Algarve was voted the leading beach destination. But that’s not why we chose to come here as we make our way home to the UK. When, at the start of the year, we began thinking about our departure from Hong Kong we had a very different plan in mind. We were going to travel around Australia before enjoying a relaxing few months somewhere warm such as Bali or Phuket. Then, as the coronavirus spread and countries closed their borders, we had to change tack. We were looking for somewhere that would feel reasonably safe, and Portugal caught our eye. The Covid death rate was lower than in many other European countries, and around a fifth of the US figure. Furthermore, the Algarve was affected less than other parts of the country.

We’ve always liked Portugal and admired the way it maintained its distinct identity even though it’s one of Europe’s smaller countries. The appeal of winter sunshine and the Algarve’s world-class beaches made up our mind. So here we are, and we look forward to exploring – and blogging about – the region in the months ahead. However, the Covid situation has worsened since we arrived. On Wednesday, Portugal introduced tougher restrictions in 121 boroughs to combat the spread of the virus. Only one of them, São Brás de Alportel, is in the Algarve. This shows yet again how difficult it is to make travel decisions in these uncertain and scary times.

Flying During Covid

Our latest post describes our experiences flying during the pandemic. We travelled both long-haul, from Hong Kong to London Heathrow, and short-haul, from Heathrow to Faro. We found the whole business had changed dramatically. There were vast empty spaces in airports, passengers in hazmat suits, crisps for in-flight lunch, row after row of empty seats on planes (that’s our Faro flight, above)… and even the duty-free shop was shut. READ MORE

World’s Stupidest Hotel Entrance?

While we were looking for somewhere to rent we had an underwhelming stay at the Hotel Faro, a supposedly four-star property overlooking the small marina at Faro, the Algarve’s capital. We should have known what we were in for when we turned up with our heavy suitcases and found ourselves facing a steep flight of stairs up to the entrance. Who designs a hotel without a ramp? Furthermore, there was no porter, and when we asked if we could use the wheelchair lift we were told it was broken. If it was broken, why was there not an engineer hard at work fixing it? The following week was marked by repeated disappointments. We were left reflecting on the differences between hotel rankings and standards in different countries. Sue will be writing about this place in a post about how hotels are dealing with Covid.

Art Brightens Daily Commute

When you leave somewhere that’s been your home it’s not just the big things you miss. We lived for three years in the Sai Ying Pun district of Hong Kong Island, and our trips on the metro line were always enlivened by the artwork on display at the local station. The delightful and witty pieces by British artist Louise Soloway Chan depict scenes from everyday life in the surrounding streets. They brightened up the daily commute of countless office workers. READ MORE

Egos Will Save Corporate Travel

Business travel, the status symbol that every employee longs for, is on its knees. Amazon, for example, has admitted it has saved $1billion on travel expenses so far during the pandemic, according to travel media outlet Skift. Twitter’s global travel boss reckons corporate travel will never be the same again, and one major hotel group is forecast to lose $12 billion in corporate room fees as the crisis continues. I’m not convinced. As things return to the old normal, jobs offering travel will still win over many employees. And egos won’t put up with Zoom meetings for ever – nothing says “I’m valuable” more than ready-packed cabin luggage parked next to your desk. – SB

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