Contract = Commitment

I have a visitor. My friend Graham (Mr G) arrived in the middle of the night. What a lovely thing to see a friend in Hong Kong. We sat on the roof and then headed to bed. With another busy day ahead I needed to have enough energy for the final push this week.

We woke up and set off to check Mr G into his hostel in Causeway Bay before my busy afternoon of meetings began. The hostel is the same one I stayed in when I first visited Hong Kong back in May. I have a bit of a soft spot for this little, slightly unloved but perfectly adequate place to stay in the heart of Causeway Bay. It's where my HK journey began almost four months ago.

In and straight back out in order to squeeze in a spot of lunch, a coffee and begin my back-to-back afternoon of meetings. We headed to The Pawn as it is the perfect place to settle into Hong Kong when it's all new and you need time to absorb all the new sights, sounds and madness of the city. I left Mr G on the balcony watching the Wan Chai world go by and set off to join the Wan Chai world, my new world and sign away. I was on edge. I sometimes, as is very evident from this week, find dealing with change and commitment challenging. Three meetings, in three different locations, and signing two contracts were certainly enough to make me feel less than uneasy.

I signed two contracts. My new apartment and my work. Both are for an initial three months taking me up until the end of the year. I was late for both meetings. But as the signatures went down, I began to relax as things were being ticked off my list.

Meeting one done, apartment signed and off to my new office. I got hopelessly lost on the lunchtime lift systems and was late again. Being late is NOT my style, but I've been learning that although preferably avoided, some times it's just unavoidable. I always do my best to arrive on time, but occasionally, it's just not possible and that is just how it is. Lesson for Sarah: just because you are a few minutes late does not mean you have failed, you are useless or unprofessional. You are living your life as best and efficiently as possible and you are doing your best.

As so many people are coming and going around lunchtime they separate the lifts; one goes to 1-10, 11-19, 20-29 all the way to 35. I thought my meeting was on floor 11. I stood in line waiting to be called for my lift, headed up, 11th floor. Wrong floor. Back down to ground zero. I remembered floor 18 being mentioned, stand in line for lift 11-19. Arrive at 18, blank faces! Back down to the ground, stand in line 20-29, get called for your lift and finally the correct level. Catherine was lovely, warm and kind. I signed and signed! Big contracts lots of info!

Back to The Pawn to meet with Graham, drink another coffee. Final meeting of the week at the Aberdeen Boat Club. I left ample time, as my history with bus number 75 wasn't good. It turned up almost instantly and I arrived half an hour early for my meeting.

These quite moments in a busy schedule are a gift. Time to catch up on emails, read the latest business/financial news and look at your schedule. I sat on the waters edge, at one of the most exclusive members yacht clubs in Hong Kong, not a bad way to spend an hour.

The manager came to find me and we spoke, exchanged ideas for the big event coming up in a few weeks time, I negotiated some further contacts, dropped off the banners and shook his hand. I was done. My busy week was complete. I survived the madness, the mayhem, the confusion, the ups, the downs, the highs, and I'm very pleased to say, the lows.

Time to relax and enjoy my weekend. This is what the Aussie's would say, 'no worriesssssssss' and that is exactly how I felt. No worries for the weekend at least. No time schedules, no commitments, no time restrictions and no demands. This is what a good Friday feels like. A well deserved weight drops off as I sail across the water to meet Mr G at Top Deck, Aberdeen’s famous floating restaurant.

"One giant cocktail please"

I did it. I had reached the other side of a very challenging week. I had climbed another mountain and survived another wave.