RUMOURS of a wave of top Aussie bands visiting the territory in the coming months have been further fuelled. A source, friendly with the Australian Consulate General, has heard of plans of a tour of Asia by Aussie chart toppers, possibly next month. The government-assisted tour, to promote Australian music in Asia, is said to include stops in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore similar to the Australian version of American music festival Lollapalooza, The Great Day Out. At the moment, bands rumoured to perform include The Cruel Sea, Chocolate Starfish and teenage sensations Silverchair. Sources say promoters are presently hacking through Urban Council red-tape in attempts to find a suitable venue to put on the show late next month. SARAH Toms, one of the latest recruits to the English language newsroom at ATV, appears to have discovered a new dimension to the recent incursion by a Chinese gunboat into Hong Kong waters. In a report on developments in the ensuing diplomatic row, she described how the Chinese security forces raised 'submarine' guns at Hong Kong Marine Police. Clearly, Chinese gunboats are more sophisticated than we realised. HERE'S a warning for anyone tempted to buy dried flowers in Thailand. A well-known local personality did just that and was walking through Kai Tak customs with them held aloft when he was suddenly pulled aside. To his horror, the Customs Officer explained that the flowers were opium poppies. Happily he was allowed to leave after protesting his ignorance. The flowers, however, were not allowed to leave with him. Good job it didn't happen at Singapore airport. TODAY is Good Friday so what better excuse to see how the hotels and restaurants are competing for trade? Over at the Ritz-Carlton, the foyer is decorated with a chocolate sculpture of four Legco members caricaturised as rabbits. At Harry Ramsden's, children will be entertained with clowns and face-painters. The Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza claims to have the biggest Easter egg, flown in from Italy and measuring 1.76 metres in height (it also contains a but-gusting 105,000 calories). Challenging that at the Kowloon Shangri-La is a 2.5-metre tall bunny made of 95 kilos of chocolate and five kilos of marzipan, created by pastry chef Karl Beil. Personally, we plan to opt for the Conrad, which is now boasting Hong Kong's longest happy hour. In the Lobby Lounge you can now get two drinks for the price of one between 5pm and 9pm, an extension of 90 minutes.
