MY LIFE Part 6: RETIREMENT YEARS (2000+)
At the end of July 2000, I retired from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. I then moved to a serviced suite apartment in the Harbour Plaza Resort City Hotel (HPRC) in Tin Shui Wai, where I stayed, very comfortably, for the next 12 years. The hotel then decided to double the monthly rent of long-term residents, in order to cash in on the increase in tourist numbers from China. The result was that all the long-term residents moved out when their leases expired. I rented a flat for a year in the Central Park Towers estate, which is adjacent to the hotel, and then bought a flat, where I now reside.
Although these years are called 'retirement', in reality they have been far from that, with the writing of textbooks for Singapore and the region keeping me fully occupied.
When I retired, Leonie and Gavin were already in the USA, Leonie at university in San Diego and Gavin in the Marines. Nadine finished Year 10 (Form 4) at Shatin College in Hong Kong then moved to a high school in San Diego.
The twin towers of the Harbour Plaza Resort City Hotel viewed from the Tin Shui Wai park. The serviced suite apartments are on the left while the regular hotel is on the right.
The Retirement Years: Life History Files
Here are accounts of the retirement years up to 2012. On clicking the first link,the file will open in a new tab. Alternatively, you may like the file to open in the frame at the bottom of the page. If so, click on the second link.
A view of the HPRC swimming pool
Life history files:
The retirement years - overview View in file viewer (at bottom of page)
Retirement years - year by year View in file viewer (at bottom of page)
Some retirement exercise:
After retiring, I still kept up some exercise. This was of three main types: 1. Swimming (in summer). 2. Saturday morning runs/hikes (only in the cooler season - too hot in summer). 3. Gym workouts. The links below include a few photos of me in a gym competition at the HPRC gym and two videos of me swimming in the Central Park pool.
Photos plus video Same photos plus video (viewer)
Exercise in nearby park (uploaded in 2020):
With the spread of Covid-19, starting in 2020, gyms and swimming pools have often been closed. Because of this, I started to do exercise in the nearby park. It is well-suited for this as it has a series of exercise stations that can be used. The pictures in the links below show me using many of these exercise stations as well as some pictures of the park itself.
Photos of exercise and park Same photos (viewer) Internet view
Leonie
Graduation from Harvard Medical School
Harvard graduation:
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Los Angeles apartments (Pacific Regency Club) 2003-2004, when Gavin was recuperating:
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Navajo Reservation 2003:
Gavin
Gavin (second from right) waiting to receive a promotion
Helicopter accident 2003 - photos, newspaper reports and a (YouTube) video:
Photos Same photos, reports, video (in file viewer)
At the Pacific Regency Club (PRC) 2004 (overlaps with the similar site under 'Leonie' above):
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Harbor-UCLA Hospital, LA Veterans Hospital, Downey McDonald's:
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Marines (pictures not captioned):
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Unsorted:
Nadine
Graduation from Northeastern University
Airport transit at HK, January 2002:
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Christmas HPRC and airport, 2002-2003:
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Graduation, Northeastern University, 2008:
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Adventures in New Zealand (2007?):
Sky diving: Video Same video (viewer)
Bungy jumping: Video Same video (viewer)
Note: The videos may not open in the video viewer. If so, click in the viewer to open the video in a new tab/window.
My Travels
The 'fairy chimneys' formed from erosion of rocks, in Gorome, Cappadocia in Turkey
The pictures here cover just five of the overseas trip I have made: Britain (2000), Turkey (2001), Honolulu and Tokyo (2002, Spain (2003) and Egypt (2005).
Trip to Britain (2000)
Map of route taken File viewer (at bottom of page)
Account of the trip File viewer
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Trip to Turkey (2001)
Map of route taken File viewer
Account of the trip File viewer frame
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Trip to Honolulu and Tokyo (2002)
Account of the trip File viewer
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Trip to Spain (2003)
Map of route taken File viewer
Account of the trip (incomplete) File viewer
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Video of the trip to Spain
The videos can also be viewed in a separate page. For this, click the icon at the top right of the video frame.
(a) Embedded: A password may be required. It is: Spain
YouTube
(b) In the video viewer:
The YouTube video can also be viewed in the 'video viewer' near the bottom of the page.
Trip to Egypt (2005)
Map of route taken File viewer
Account of the trip File viewer frame
Photos Same photos (in file viewer)
Video of the trip to Egypt
The videos can also be viewed in a separate page. For this, click the icon at the top right of the video frame.
(a) Embedded. A password my be required. It is: Egypt
YouTube
(b) In the video viewer:
The YouTube video can also be viewed in the video viewer:
Video viewer
File and photo viewer
For photos, click a photo to enlarge it (and also to see the complete caption).