AS relative newcomers to Hong Kong, and determined to enter into the spirit of our first Chinese New Year in the territory, my husband and I purchased tickets for a ringside seat at the 'spectacular' firework display aboard a trusty Star Ferry vessel.
All went well initially.
We left on time, the boat was surprisingly not overcrowded and we sat back, confident of an evening's entertainment to remember.
Alas, our worthy captain was either under strict orders from head office to allow sufficient distance between us and the most errant of rockets, or he was an incurable pyrophobic, determined to keep us all 'safe' at the outer perimeter of the proceedings - indeed, I do believe we must have entered Chinese waters at one point and we were able, as we waited, to wave to the passengers aboard the planes on the runway at Kai Tak.
However, while feeling that he was a little over-zealous in his caution, I had to admire his concern for his passengers and resigned myself to a less-than-close-up view.
However, when, on the dot of eight, the fireworks erupted and our vessel remained at right-angles to the proceedings, despite repeated cries of 'Avast there, matey! 180 degrees to starboard, ye landlubber!' from the frustrated passengers, our patience began to wear thin and there were definite murmurs of mutiny. What to do? Trapped on the upper deck with no means of communication, we were forced to literally ride out the situation and make of it what we could.
