I want to start this article by saying that I don’t like Hong Kong as a travel destination. You don’t feel relaxed as a tourist – it’s a city where only money and status will get you that premium. I got ignored when asking a supermarket staff for help, got yelled at by a random uncle on the streets, got shoved by people everywhere, got my queue cut and just generally received horrible service. Rude people make me rude in return, so I hated myself there.
But… I’m glad I still travelled there. It contextualises the news I get from that part of the world. Now I understand better about the housing crisis, and what people do to cope with the high cost of living. From conversations, locals confirmed that it’s common for retirees to move to other countries, like China, Australia and Canada. Their retirement money stretches further there, plus they get a better quality of life. This is not surprising – Hong Kong was described as a concrete jungle, and that is so true. I imagine the lush outdoors and privacy are things that retired Hongkees crave for, after a lifetime in the city.
