October
3 October
Today I went to Vibe, the bookshop I love in Mui Wo. I was standing in the children's section when I heard a gentle humming buzz. There was a little bee flying around the shelves. I wanted to take it outside and saw an empty water bottle. I took the lid and a book and tried to capture the bee.
It proved to be tricky because the bee wouldn’t land but suddenly it landed on my ring. So I turned carefully and started for the door. It took flight halfway there but soon settled on my other ring and I walked it outside and blew it off my hand and watched it fly away.
I have an affinity with bees. I love the different type of bees that live on Lantau.
6 October
It’s Chinese Golden week, a week of holiday in China. Thousands of
people travel to see family and to go to places on holiday. I wonder if the factories are not fully operational and maybe this has helped the air quality in Hong Kong because even though the wind has been blowing from the north-east for days, the air quality hasn’t been too bad.
This morning there is literally not a cloud in the sky and the sun is just the perfect warmth, the air is cool. I decided to go for a swim instead of a run since I have a race on the weekend and I want to rest my legs to be ready for it.
The water is murky but a beautiful temperature. As I begin my first lap I feel something on my toe. I think I must have kicked a stick but then there’s another nip, I turn over and watch the water. A small fish swims out of the murk and nips me on my hand. I yell out and start for the shore but then I stop to think, it’s beautiful in the water, the fish are not hurting me, no piranhas in sight, so I swallow my panic and turn to swim again.
The water is boiling with fish and they leap out of the water every now and then. I turn to start another lap, a flock of pure white egrets wheel in the air around me, lit by the sun, surrounded by the green hills and glinting water.
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7 October
This morning we were up early and down at the ferry pier on our way to the 2 Peaks race. The sea and sky were infused with gentle sparkling colours of pearl pink, silver and blue. The sun rose while we were on the bus, an incredible orange-red globe rising above the hills and islands.
8 October
The lemon tree restaurant is open for business again. Today I noticed some prickly caterpillars happily resting on the new leaves freshly grown after the snaky caterpillar had eaten them all. These are the same species, a Common Mormon, but a younger instar. They look like bird droppings on the leaves. I find it fascinating that caterpillars change their appearance as they grow. Today I enjoyed the different flowers in my garden, it’s a joy to spend the quiet time in the early morning on my green bench now that the air is cool and refreshing.The whole island is lying under the magic of autumn. The flowers are out and the hills are dry. There’s a thinning of light, it feels like the island is enjoying this time of warmth but is also starting to think about winter approaching.
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12 October
This morning I saw that the lemon tree has only half a leaf left. I can see the next phase of the caterpillars among the younger instars. The more mature ones are bright lime green with striking black stripes and dots.
One was knocked out of the bare lemon tree as tried to take a photo of it. It lay quite still but in a minute, I saw three small red ants hunting around it looking too interested, I quickly picked it up and re-homed it to the other small uneaten lemon tree on the other side of the path.
This afternoon it’s nice and cool with cloud cover, perfect conditions for a run around Chi Ma Wan. I was running along the path and stopped stock still, laughing with the joy of discovery. There, right next to the path was a beautiful Chinese Luna moth, Actias ningpoana.
Another of my wish list insects. I was totally thrilled to see it, I knew they were found in Hong Kong but I didn’t know that they could be found on Lantau. The moth is huge, pale mint green with a fuzzy white body. Its wings have a striking band of chocolate brown crossing from one wing tip to the other. Four bold eye spots mark each wing. Its antenna are fern green.
As I continued towards Shap Long, I passed a cuddle of water buffalo. About twenty buffalo were lying together as close as possible to each other with three furry calves lying snug and happily among the large bodies of the adults.
Further on I notice two small trees looking very bridal, covered in delicate clusters of flowers. I stop to take in the stillness, the peace and beauty of the silver sea, the rising mountains and the gilded clouds of sunset.
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19 October
Moontrekker night, nice and cool. We start at the sports ground in Mui Wo and countdown with a drum. 8:30 pm and we’re off on a wonderful night trail race. “Can you beat the sun?”
As we raced along the road, a cow suddenly appeared on my left, spooked by the sudden rush of runners, the cow joined the flow of runners, briefly colliding into me and then overtaking. I yelled out a warning to the other runners and they scattered to avoid her.
The world is shrunk to the globe of light from my headlamp, just me and my breath, my feet moving, my eyes alert to where to place my feet as I race along the trail.
The trail seems to be swallowed by suspended time with land marks appearing suddenly. As I ascend Lantau Peak the visibility diminishes and I reach the summit in cloud.
A strong wind unbalances me momentarily. Descending quickly, the temperature noticeable gets warmer. I can hear a barking deer somewhere in the darkness.
At the finish, I run along Cheung Sha beach and have to wade across an inlet which has become deep with the incoming tide. I finish to cheers and smiles, time to party, relax on bean bags, eat delicious food and enjoy a relaxing massage until the sky brightens with a gentle sunrise and it’s time to go home to bed.
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24 October
Today friends from Sydney came to visit us, we went for a walk to the waterfall. The water is still flowing though not strongly as it hasn’t rained for a while.
A Ceylon blue glassy tiger butterfly, Ideopsis similis, rested on a Black Jack daisy, extending it’s long, slender proboscis to sip the nectar.
It’s wings are just like stained glass with colours of the sky and it has a dapper little white and black polka dotted jacket.
I stop to look at a green wall, it is covered with a thriving green plant, each leaf is perfectly formed, nature's wild wallpaper.
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26 October
Today Corrina and I hiked up Tigers Head to the Stonehenge of Lantau. Large stone boulders overlook the valley leading down to the sea and a view of the new bridge that connects Hong Kong to Macau.
A Common Sailor butterfly, Neptis hylas, landed on a leaf shard and paused there in the sunshine. Its wings are the palest lemon yellow and black. When I looked at the photo of it later, I was astounded to see the most vibrant colours on its head and thorax. The colours of oil in water, shining turquoise, green, yellow and brown and on its head, a wonderful splash of a turquoise smile.
The pomelo tree is full of ever growing fruit. I was introduced to this fruit by Shannon. She showed me how to cut the thick skin on the equator of the large grapefruit-like fruit. The skin can be peeled off with a bit of effort because it is so thick but it peels to become two bowls, just perfect for collecting the thick pith that surrounds the firm, juicy, sweet fruit.
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29 October
Tara has been inspired by a trail runner from Australia called Lucy. She had come to run in the LT70 race. A challenging 70 km trail race which starts by ascending the two highest peaks on Lantau and then winding up and down through the many hills and valleys of the island.
Tara and I had spent the day, travelling from one check point to the next, to support Jono as he raced along, finishing the course in just under ten hours.
So, on Monday, Tara and I went on our first hike through the hills overlooking Mui Wo, the start of trail running for Tara.
It was a glorious morning with a clear blue sky and a shining sun. When were returned home, Tara thought our budgie was in the lounge, only to find it was a little finch which had flown in through the open window. It quickly flew out of the front door and away.
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30 October
Jemima invited us to tea on the beach but I didn’t read the text properly and went up to the waterfall. The late afternoon light had a clear warm glow to it, accentuating the greens of the leaves. I noticed an impressive tree with spreading branches. It was adorned with jungly creepers all the way up its trunk which had lusciously large leaves. The tree was a vertical garden with a variety of plants growing happily on it.
We took the path that wanders through fields overlooked by the hills down to Wang Tong Village and down to the beach. Again the light made me pause and appreciate the extremely large Giant Taro leaves, some taller than me. New shards grew, waiting to unfurl, the long graceful stems like dancers in a pose.
At the beach Jemima had the table set with a beautiful tablecloth with raspberry cake and a lemon cheesecake. The evening slowly settled on the bay, turning the sky peach and the water shone brightly.
One lone buffalo plodded onto the beach to lie down on the soft, sun-warmed sand and sat there cosily, chewing his cud.
31 October
This morning I was on the rooftop to watch the day dawn. The sky brightened until a vibrant globe of fire yellow filled the horizon over Butterfly Hill.
I was on the rooftop again at the end of the day to watch the sun dip behind Lin Fa Shan, again filling the sky with those beautiful bright colours, but different from the dawn, these colours are more peaceful, restful, a gentle farewell in the light of that day.
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