Goodbye to Macau - Sunday 1st March

Today is sad in some ways. We have had a great time in Macau. When we heard we were going to be spending a week in Macau, it meant very little to us because we knew nothing about Macau except that the 49th District Conference of Rotary District 3450 was going to be held there.

After a week and 2 days in Macau, we now have a very good idea. Macau is very different from Hong Kong. It is very laid-back as we have already said on this blog. The food is mostly different and Macau’s history is very well-preserved in the buildings, the road names – so much. The museums, the statues etc. It is also tiny with a population of only about 552,000 people as opposed to Hong Kong’s 7 million.

It is like a backwater of Hong Kong in the nicest possible way. The people are very friendly although we have found the people making up the Rotary family in District 3450 are the same. Really good, solid friends. We have made so many, we are privileged and blessed.

We met with our host families for a farewell lunch at a Chinese Restaurant in the Emperor Hotel, Macau Central.

Messy eaters - the chopstick trail to PP Jonathan's plate

It is a very popular restaurant judging by the hundreds of people having their lunch there. We met in a private Dining Room and during lunch we did a presentation as quite a number of our hosts and their families had not seen our presentation while we were there. It is a pity that our time is getting short now because the presentation is really getting quite slick as everybody becomes more comfortable and familiar with it. Brendan, who in the beginning was quite nervous, now handles his section like an old Dale Carnegie trainer and has everyone eating out of his hand.

Our Macau hosts and Rotarians

We finished it by singing the National Anthem which went down very well. Then it was goodbyes, group photos and promises to really look after any of our Macau Rotary friends if they ever make their way to South Africa. We are sure that at least 2 Rotary Friendship tours are going to come out of this GSE trip. When you consider that one of the objects of the Rotary GSE programme is to foster and develop international understanding we feel satisfied that this objective has been realised to a great extent on this trip. We encountered many misconceptions about South Africa and were happily able to share the truth about our beautiful country. It has also given us a sense of privilege and pride in our home. Viva South Africa, viva!!

PP Stella accompanied us on our ferry trip back to Hong Kong as she took the opportunity to visit her mother in HK. With all her business arranging the conference and that project keeping her very busy before we arrived, we realise how much she put into our trip. Far from taking a break after Conference (which most of us would have wanted to do) she leapt from the one challenge to the next. Thank you PP Stella, we grew to love you during our time in macau and we look forward to seeing you again on Friday when we meet for the last time in Hong Kong to say goodbye. Thank you for all your help with Siyanda’s return to SA and for your graciousness in arranging our trip and our home-hosting. My host, Catherine Choi, was fantastic, as were Joyce Choi and Anna Lam who hosted Nivashni, Nelson Wong who hosted Siyanda, Elvo Sou who hosted Santosh and Alberto Colane who hosted Brendan. Alberto and Elvo are both Rotoracters and it is great to see how they help the Rotarians.

As Santosh said, you guys rock!

Jonathan with his host Catherine and her son, Ivan


There was a bit of a panic on Jonathan's part at the ferry terminal. he couldn't find his passport and after unpacking his big bag onto the floor to the hilarity of the team, he found it in his small bag. Should've looked there first.

It’s nice to be back in Hong Kong, the buzz and vibe are still there. My Hong Kong home hosts were out when I got back so I took the chance of walking down to Lan Kwai Fong where I found a little pub called the Whiskey Priest (of all things) and settled a fantastic egg and cheese burger and a couple of cold ones.

After writing and posting this blog, it’s time for an early night. We have a lunchtime presentation tomorrow and it’s the home straight. Feeling a bit sick about the cricket seeing we have been bragging about being No. 1 in world cricket but I guess pride goes before a fall. At least the Sharks beat the Chiefs yesterday. GO SHARKS!!!!