Where the livin' is easy

In The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, the protagonist, Jack, says: 'When one is in town, one amuses oneself. When one is in the country, one amuses other people. It is excessively boring.' That most Hongkongers live in town is a fact but, given the choice, what would make them move to rural areas or outlying islands?

Property owner Paul Dodds, a long-time resident of Hong Kong, has lived in both town and country, with flats in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) in the 1970s and 1980s, which he sold, and today, with flats in Mui Wo, Lantau, where he is happily settled.

'In the early days when I was working in town I wanted to be close to the job but also when I first came to Hong Kong I didn't know about the islands,' he says. 'Of course, the transport system was not what it is today, plus the [English-language] schools were in town.

'Living in town has convenience, for everything, and from where you live you can walk to an MTR station or bus stop and get to most places in a short time. Living in TST, the clubs were nearby - Kowloon Bowling Green Club on Austin Road and the cricket club. These had family facilities which were important then. They were very much expatriate frequented, especially by the newcomers to Hong Kong. Bit of a home from home, once introduced.'

Those clubs were more part of the expat social structure than they are today. Lifestyles have changed with a higher degree of integration among ethnic groups and social classes (the moneyed and the still trying), so those clubs are not such a hit today. People can live ordinary lives and feel connected simply as Hong Kong residents, whether new or old.

'Nowadays, I notice that either the English-speaking level of the non-native English speakers has changed or their friendliness has grown,' Mr Dodds says. 'Or is it me, and it's my attitude that's changed?'