FAMILY AFFAIRS
Look out for Cameron Henderson in the South Stand in a decade or so. With his father, Russel, as a role model, there's no telling what the rugby-mad kid will come up with to stand out among the bikinis, superheroes and assorted riffraff.
Henderson, a loss adjuster by trade and Scottish born 13-year resident of Hong Kong, was guiding his son through the masses under the East Stand in a feathery chicken suit, drawing crowds and cheers and plenty of requests for photos.
'It's sensible on Friday and Sunday, and costumes on the Saturday,' he said, snapping a pose with yet another passerby.
Henderson's wife had left for the day, so he'd vacated the South Stand to care for Cameron. He said all he remembered about most of the costumes was the heat beneath them.
'But I seem to hold up OK - from what I remember.' The chicken suit has special resonance this year, as it was made by a friend who is not well.
Cameron said with a slight smile that his father 'looks funny' in the costume but he's more interested in the rugby. He came one year as Zorro, but this year has his rugby shirt on.
'I just love rugby,' he said.
Rugby was the furthest thing on the minds of Glenn MacDermott, from Queensland, Australia, compatriot Ben Cook, and Hong Konger Archie Herries, who were at the very back of the line for the South Stand. At 2pm they were facing a four-hour wait for entry into the mosh pit, and were dealing with the ordeal with beer and Pimms and vodka and plenty of not-so-gentle ribbing of each other.
They weren't mates before the line, but they were after an hour.
'All my mates are in there. I wasn't feeling so good last night after the festivities so I took it a bit easy this morning. Obviously, too easy,' Herries, a seven-time Sevens veteran said, wiping the sweat from under his clown's wig.
MacDermott arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday, and as of yesterday, had slept for a total of eight hours.
'I've lost my voice, I don't know where I am, but I've got to get in the South Stand. How can I go home having not gone there? It's famous.'
Even the Coca-Cola promotion girls in their PVC mini-skirts and pink wigs were enjoying themselves. However, the promotion seemed to be more about the girls than the drink. 'There are so many people from different countries. They always want to take our photos, steal our wigs,' Debbie Lo said. 'They are also always asking for our phone numbers.'
Only in Hong Kong. And there's a day to go.
