What a year we’ve had! With most Hongkongers having been confined to the city for the majority of 2020, high on many of our Christmas wish lists will surely be the freedom to roam the world again. With that in mind, Post Magazine asked prominent Hongkongers with particularly itchy feet a simple question: “If Covid-19 suddenly disappeared and all national borders reopened on January 1, where would you visit first and what would you do?” Here’s what they had to say: Wong How Man, head of the China Exploration and Research Society “January 1, sky opens. Wonderful. My right brain tells me, ‘Choose which of your project sites to head out to first: Tibet, Myanmar, Bhutan, Laos, Palawan, Ladakh. Any of those is wonderful and needs much attention.’ But my left brain argues, ‘Not yet, why be run by an invisible hand that dictates your anxiety and action. Stay in Hong Kong and attend to the projects you recently started in Lantau. Then take on the world leisurely at your own pace.’ “Finally, both left and right brains come to a consensus, and tell me I should visit my two ageing pilot friends in the United States. ‘Both of them are now 106, and their time is more precious than yours. After all, you are barely into your 70s’. “Moon Fun Chin, living in San Francisco, and Peter Goutiere, upstate New York, were both Hump pilots for [the China National Aviation Corporation] during the war, flying passengers and supplies between India and China. We spent 10 years finishing a documentary film about them.” Bonnae Gokson, entrepreneur and founder of the restaurant Sevva “I would like to go back to Sydney, where I have a home and the weather should be summertime perfect. I usually have a three-week detox programme with my naturopath doctor and life is just pretty easy there. “Otherwise, Bangkok, Thailand. I’ve nice friends there and it’s always fun and joyful to discover new happenings of the city. I may add in New York as, again, it’s about friends I’ve missed and would love to share good times with again, together.” Benny Chia Chun-heng, Fringe Club founder and director “It has to be Melbourne, Australia, where my family was locked down for 120 days straight, during which time they became expert bakers and pastry cooks, and probably have grown in sizes beyond recognition. “The first thing I’d like to do there, after taking an unhurried lunch in a sun-drenched vineyard, is to go for a drive in open-sky country or down the Great Ocean Road until the wind has blown away the clutter in my mind.” Christina Dean, founder of waste-reduction charity Redress and fashion brand The R Collective “Professionally, I’d rush off to Wenzhou, to visit our textile recycling partner facility. Covid-19’s impact on fashion consumption may be a victory for slow fashion – in that people have shopped less and worn more – but it has also unleashed more waste in the industry, which The R Collective responded to it by increasing partnerships with recyclers around Asia-Pacific. As fashion’s waste continues to spiral out of control, so too has my desperation to get ‘on the ground’ with our Wenzhou recycler to put waste back to work. “Personally, I would bolt off with my yoga mat on a meditation retreat – Koh Samui or the Philippines would do – to clear the backlog of emotions that I’ve tucked in all corners of my mind and body since Covid-19 came to town. Daily meditation has possibly saved my sanity over the past six months and I’d like to exchange the 15 minutes of home meditation, often grabbed whilst hiding in my bathroom, for a week of blissful and quiet contemplation.” Paul Niel, explorer and investor “My choices would probably be the following three: “China, Tibet; doing the Kora around Mount Kailash with the family, as we had planned this before the world closed down.” (The Kora is an ancient pilgrimage route, a strenuous three-day trek at between 4,500 and 5,600 metres above sea level.) “Japan; going for a ski and ice climbing in Nagano prefecture followed by the perfect meal in a ryokan. “And last but not least, the South Pacific. We have been making a trip there every year, and 2020 has been the big exception. We’d explore outdoor adventures on the outlying islands of French Polynesia, like the Marquesas or the Austral Islands.” Ceci Lee Sze-wing, cycling prodigy “I would like to stay in Hong Kong rather than travel to others places, but if I have to choose, I would go to Taiwan, as that was the first place I gained a medal in a senior class [in 2019]. “No matter for personal or cycling reasons, it is a good place for me. I love to eat and Taiwan has lots of food markets and it all tastes good. Also there are lots of nice roads to ride, like the one up Hehuan Wuling, the highest rideable hill in Taiwan, which attracts many riders from all around the world.” Suhanya Raffel, director of the M+ Museum for Visual Culture “The Benesse Art Site on Naoshima and Teshima, in Japan; to visit the various art and architecture projects across these islands, one of the most inspiring, nourishing and sustaining contemporary art environments in the world. “The natural beauty of the Seto Inland Sea provides a ravishing backdrop for the superb work of artists such as Lee Ufan, Tatsuo Miyajima, James Turrell, Yayoi Kusama and Rei Naito, together with the work of architects Tadao Ando, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa.” Eugene Pao, jazz musician “Assuming there’s no Covid-19, the first place I’d visit again would be Tokyo. I go there once every year but couldn’t this year. It’s usually my annual shopping spree; so many great shops, and the food is great, too!” Simon Westcott, owner and CEO, Luxe City Guides “We would make a beeline to the sweetest of 19th century cottages in a tiny Victorian Goldfields village called Fryerstown, 100km north of Melbourne. We bought it in late January 2020 and left thinking we would complete renovations over Easter. Instead, we refurbed remotely, put in tenants, and have yet to spend a night there. I can’t wait to look out of the kitchen window at the scrubby bush and flashes of granite rock particular to that part of the world. It’s built for self-isolation, even if that was no longer a thing. “If the world was Covid-19 free, I’d probably also want to binge-watch live performances in a cultural capital like London or New York, and spend languorous afternoons in galleries and museums – ideally maintaining social distancing, but only to allow for better appreciation of the work. “Otherwise, we’d pick up planning for the next ‘big trip’ to Mongolia. Being on horseback on the Steppes might also allow for some post-2020 catharsis.” Aron Harilela, chairman and CEO of the Harilela Group “If Covid-19 suddenly disappeared [on January 1], I would be on the first flight with my family to the Alps, to ski – and then a hop, skip and a jump to Argentina, to play a couple of weeks of polo. “I would have left at 49 years old and returned at 50.” Jeannie Cho Lee, wine critic, author and master of wine “The first place I would visit is Seoul, South Korea, where my father lives on his own. I have not seen him in almost a year and, although he is in relatively good health, he is in his mid-80s and anything can happen anytime. I would like to spend quality quiet time with him and make sure he knows he is loved and appreciated. “For work-related travel, I would choose France; normally I am in France at least three times a year and I miss tasting and talking about wine with my vigneron friends in Burgundy, Champagne and Bordeaux.” Matt Coulson, executive director, Viva children’s charity “For work, I’d head to Nepal. There is some amazing work that’s been going on to protect children from abuse, support families and help them with food relief during the pandemic; literally life-changing stuff. I’d be on a plane to check that out and encourage the staff on the ground. “In terms of holiday, I’d go back to Blighty [England], so I can see the parents. It’s been a while and as they are ageing a little (they won’t want me to say that too loudly), I’d like to spend some time with them. “In Asia, I’d like to go Vietnam on a holiday. It’s beautiful, filled with culture, a warmth in the people, fun haggling with the stores for better prices, excellent beaches and fishing … Ah, the joys of fishing where you don’t pick up the tiny fish you find in Hong Kong; the challenge of the catch, the struggle between man and nature! But catch and release; we need to keep our oceans sustainable.” Emily Lau Wai-hing, politician “The first country I would visit is the UK, because there are some good friends I would like to see, and I would like to meet British government officials and members of parliament to follow up on the BN(O) visa scheme.” Paul Hsu, executive director, Elite Concepts “I would head south to Ubud, Bali – which at the moment means flying into Jakarta first. “[Having reopened], the Ngurah Rai International Airport would not be so congested, and the drive up from Kuta would be much faster. We would stay at [Villa] Puri Tupai, which has been my ‘crash and burn’ retreat since 2000. “We would enjoy Ubud Town, Ibu Oka’s for babi guling, the art gallery and museum scene, the Campuhan Rice Trail walk at sunset and perhaps Naughty Nuri’s, for some ribs without the tourist mob. There, perhaps, we’d find some sanity from this madness.” Adrian Bottomley, founder of the Whistling Arrow trekking and adventure company “This year, I have missed the unscripted joy of embarking on an exploratory adventure, but I now realise that, on any such journey, it is the warm-hearted people that you encounter along the way that leave the most indelible memories. And so, I’d look to do something bold, to reconnect with the natural energy and simplicity of the wilds, and head straight for the wide open spaces of the Mongolian Altai Mountains. “There, I would join my old friend Shokhan and his nomadic family as they embark on their annual winter migration with their livestock, and journey on horseback across frozen rivers and snowy passes, to arrive at their spring pastures. A suitably epic trip to celebrate the return of travel, if a little bit on the chilly side!” Annabelle Bond, mountain climber and socialite “I would head straight down to New Zealand with my husband and daughter to our escape pad in Queenstown. “Queenstown is our sort of place; spectacularly beautiful, mountains for skiing in the winter, golf, climbing and a beautiful lake for water sports. It’s filled with adrenaline-inducing activities and it has amazing food and wine. New Zealand, being an island of 4 million people, is like stepping back in time, which in today’s world I see as a good thing.” Sally Lo, founder of the Hong Kong Cancer Fund “What keeps us going among other things is the thought of our villa in Phuket. Nestled in a coconut grove with a terraced lawn that slopes down to a deserted beach [pictured], it’s like a private island. The beach runs for miles and miles, we [Sally is married to Robert Lo Kai-leung, co-chairman of the HKCF] go for long walks and take in the sense of peace and quiet, and open space. It is always a delight to see fishermen casting their lines and nets from boats, and even from the beach, to catch the abundance of fish and to see our resident pair of egrets nesting. “We think of the wonderful time we spent with our family, the children and grandchildren, swimming, running, building sand castles, flying kites and shell seeking on the beach. Part of my coping has been to revisit those happy memories. “We think of the delicious Thai dishes our cook, Toong, prepares and serves; the salads, the seafood, particularly the fresh prawns, squid, lobsters. “If we are able to leave Hong Kong this January, that’s where we will go to refresh and recharge.” Andy Cornish, leader, WWF and TRAFFIC’s global shark and ray conservation programme “Firstly we’d book the first available tickets to London, to see my parents. The last time they saw our three-year-old he couldn’t talk, now he’s unstoppable. “Then I’d head off to Costa Rica and jump on a liveaboard boat to Cocos Island, to photograph schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks. They are protected in Cocos but critically endangered globally due to overfishing, and we need more iconic pictures for WWF conservation campaigns.” Natasha Clausen, yoga instructor, beekeeper, former Mrs Hong Kong “We would book a flight over to visit my parents and my husband’s parents in South Africa. It has been exactly a year since we have all been together. Even though we meet over Zoom from time to time, it would feel so good to give each of them a hug. To sit across a dinner table laughing and feasting over a favourite family meal – a braai; grandpa’s special lamb and gran’s focaccia with plenty of salads (my parents) or fish and chip parcels with a good splash of salt and vinegar (my in-laws) – would be absolutely wonderful. Our parents have various medical conditions, the eldest is 92, so time together is precious and very valuable to us. “I asked my kids where they would go and my 17-year-old daughter replied, ‘I would go look at universities to get an actual feel of each campus or eat sushi in Japan, or go ski. Maybe even go eat at Jay Fai’s street-food Michelin restaurant in Bangkok’.” Gordon Lee Chun-lok, world-class harmonicist “I would head straight to Vienna, the capital of classical music, for sure! “It’s been such a long while since I performed the harmonica live. Besides, I adore the distinctive customs of [Austria]; the people, the food, the landscapes, they’re all fantastic to me.” Girish Jhunjhnuwala, founder and CEO, the Ovolo Group “Professionally, the places that I’d like to go to are Bali and Melbourne, as we are opening new hotels there. This is the first time I have had to remotely develop and design properties, without getting to see or visit, and as someone who is very detail-oriented, it’s been a challenge. So I’m looking forward to not only seeing the hotels, but also the teams. “Personally, I would love to return to London and just relax in our place there, meet friends, eat and drink. London’s always a good choice.” Sharon Kwok Pong, model, actress and executive director of the AquaMeridian Conservation and Education Foundation “My first priority would be to visit elderly family members, to ensure that all was well in person. My godparents in Bangkok are unwell and my godsister, Carmen, recently passed away. We bid farewell to each other via Zoom. Then a visit to my mom and some close friends in California. Normally I visit mom at least twice a year. The last time l saw her, though, was in March 2019. “Bangkok I actually visit even more often […] but the last visit was prior to any political unrest – in either place [Hong Kong or the Thai capital].” Louis Shih, founder of sportswear apparel manufacturer Champion System “I would pack up my folding bike and go to Japan. I love city riding in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto. And being able to do that again would be a good first step back to normalcy for me. “Also, with the Tokyo Olympics coming in 2021, it would be nice to travel to Japan again.” Paul Hicks, founder of travel PR agency GHCAsia “I normally travel at least twice a month, so there’s a huge backlog of places piled up. But top of the list is Bangkok. It’s my ‘second city’ in Asia, after Hong Kong, and I usually head there for a few days several times a year. “I recently bought an old apartment that I have started renovating remotely, but can’t wait to see it for myself and start searching for local tiles and furniture from the markets and the fabulous interior design stores. “An add-on to that trip would have to be Koh Samui, where for the past 10 years I have been part owner of Suralai, a six-room luxury private villa which [normally] rents out for small gatherings and celebrations. Needless to say, business has been quiet lately. I love going there just to relax in a big comfortable house, splash around in the pool and enjoy the sea views and sunsets.” Andrea Oschetti, founder of the Blueflower travel company “I would go to Lake Baikal, in Siberia, Russia, which in winter is covered by large ice shards of a splendid turquoise gem-like ice colour. Temperatures average minus 30 degrees Celsius. “I live in a rural village on Lantau Island. This year without travel has brought me countless explorations in my backyard. I feared I would get bored, instead my eyes opened to the wealth of Hong Kong’s natural beauty. I used to take an aeroplane to find something which is already here. I am now determined to travel only to explore that which is radically different from home. “Personally, I would travel to see my parents in Milan, Italy. I have never spoken with them as much as I have this year, which has been daily. We all love this rich connectivity in a time of forced separation, but I miss the physical contact. My mother’s light and loving holding of my hand, my father’s vigorous hugs are what I crave.”