I have been living in Hong Kong for just four months, but by talking to residents and from reading the South China Morning Post letters page I have become aware of a 'complaining culture'.
Hong Kong does have its problems - like any other major city - but as a whole I think it must be one of the world's best cities to live. The public transport system is fantastic, all forms of transport are cheap, efficient and reliable and make the SAR easily accessible. It seems that the biggest 'problem' is whether or not there should be televisions on buses. If this is the worst thing that people can think of to complain about, the transport companies should take this as a huge compliment about the way they run their systems.
The city itself is very vibrant, has great nightlife and cuisine that is both varied and of high quality. The place is generally clean and considering its size it is very safe. Where else can you be in the hub of the city and within 30 minutes be on a beach or testing your hiking skills walking up one of Hong Kong's great trails?
I am not saying that Hong Kong is some sort of Utopia and I do recognise that it has some problems, but in general I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better city to live.
It would be nice if the residents of Hong Kong were a little more positive about the place and to think about the problems they would face if they were living in many other cities.
JOHN THOMPSON
