Earlier today I went out on one of my solitary day (or, more like a few hours) off, which is just another way of saying me letting myself relax and wander around the city. It doesn't sound very exciting but it is a really nice and eye opening (and also quite possibly therapeutic) experience every time I do it. The last time I did was years ago, but I'm glad I returned to it. Here we go.
So I got off school (it's a Friday, so there's no pressure of waking up ridiculously early tomorrow), and headed to the train to TST, which as everyone who lives here probably knows is one of the busiest and most vibrant parts of Hong Kong. So many of my favourite stores and places are there too. Anyways, I had been looking forward to my little introspective afternoon/evening for a few days and I was pretty excited and relieved to finally have given myself some time to relax and unwind. First destination was food, which, as usual, I ate at this fast food place (noodles, chicken wing, ice tea) while watching an episode of a show I like on my iPod. (It's funny and so great and I was laughing to myself but hey, I was also enjoying it so if anyone was casting me strange stares I didn't see them) Then I headed to the HMV nearby, which is one of the biggest in Hong Kong and not surprisingly one of my favourite places to be. I spent probably an hour (actually maybe more) there browsing and bought myself a Bruce Springsteen shirt and a Wolf Alice CD. I've been meaning to listen to the band for a while so this was a great find. Actually that was the end of what I had wanted and aimed to do really but it was still pretty early and I decided to make the most out of this evening and keep exploring. Why not?
So next I headed to Harbour City. I spontaneously searched up and was planning to visit the Page One bookstore there but as I was walking around in the mall looking for it I came across, completely by accident by the way, Hong Kong Records. I'm such a sucker for record stores so there was no way I was walking past it. I browsed for a while and got myself the great Night Terrors of 1927's album. I was just about to leave- literally a minute from going to pay, when one of the people working there passed me on her way to restock some CDs. And holy. Shit. She was holding Halsey's new album Badlands. I had been looking for it actually and been waiting for its release for ages already (it's released TODAY and I didn't expect to even find it in Hong Kong until next week), and here it was practically handed to me on a silver platter. I got the deluxe edition and left before I gave in and bought even more music. Yes, I was letting myself indulge today, and yes I really do rarely buy so much stuff in one day, but I didn't have limitless spending money so I stopped and walked out with as much self control as I could muster.
I left the store and headed into Page One to browse. It's a great, beautiful bookstore but I didn't buy anything this time (most of my book buying is reserved for the summer book fair, when books are everywhere and on sale, and I buy a LOT. There was one year I went three times, and it's super far from my home.) Now I was really planning to leave the mall and actually go home, I live pretty far from TST and it was getting late.
But then I got a call from my dad to wait for him so I wandered around the mall looking for a place to sit, and what do you know. Third serendipitous find of the afternoon, I came across a small art gallery- the same art gallery a very excited 14/15 year old me had visited a long time ago, also on one of my "day offs." (Once again, it was probably only 3 or 4 hours) I went in, and the exhibit this time was called Signal 8. I saw some beautiful artworks made of materials such as light boxes, glass, newspaper, acrylic, and bronze. Some real unique styles. It is a super small gallery so I finished taking a look and headed outside- happily there was an outdoors terrace next to the gallery that overlooked Victoria Harbour. The sun was starting to set around this time and I went to sit on one of the benches.
Fresh air, a great view of the harbour and cruise ship docked there, it was a real great way to end the evening. I sat there and rested contentedly for around half an hour waiting, either listening to some of my favourite bands on my iPod or just enjoying the sound of the harbour. I also watched a super quick episode of one of my favourite shows. I also really fulfilled and embodied the indie movie cliche and just sat there thinking and being ridiculously introspective. Seriously. You could have played the world's cheesiest, most melodramatic song at that time and it would have probably fit. The sun set and I witnessed and took in the lights and the night view, this city that I have now lived in for more than five years, but still have yet to fully explore and appreciate to the full. Sitting there I felt lighter and better than I had in ages.
Three albums, a t shirt, and an art brochure (I got it from the gallery)
Honestly this afternoon was real simple. I definitely didn't do anything fancy or actually spend that much. I just let myself wander and relax and appreciate things which is sometimes so hard to do in the middle of, well, everything. I really, really love writing and making and playing music, and they're great, but it is still so incredibly necessary and healthy to be able to clear your head and let yourself go free in a different kind of way once in a while too. This afternoon has been real fulfilling and positive in a subtle, gentle way that didn't feel super forced or anything. I'd definitely recommend everyone to occasionally (there is a balance to be struck) go on their own mini vacation no matter how much work you have. In fact, it'll probably increase your productivity later so don't feel bad about spending time unwinding by heading out and doing something you like or wanted to do for a while- like maybe see that exhibition close to home, or visit the beach or something. It isn't wasted time- even just going to watch a movie in the cinema by yourself and treating yourself to some dessert afterwards can be great. Obviously when you have the energy to and it's safe to do so- it isn't always as easy as simply getting up and purusing an entire city in a day. Socializing is great. Working can either be great or just a necessity you have to do, or both. Staying at home and just napping for several hours in a row (I've done that so, so many times) feels amazing. But things like this and like today are great and needed too- but of course, to each their own.
I actually remember when I used to do these little solitary adventures a lot, more than I do now. A few years ago I was really very upset about a lot of things and there was a lot of shit going on, I'm not going to go into detail, but back then I did try and push myself to do things like this to be better and feel better. I remember searching up local art galleries to go to after school when I was in my GCSEs, or even younger actually. I explored the city and went to places- safely- I normally wouldn't have bothered to. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone several times. There was also once I accidentally took the wrong minibus after school and found myself on the Peak instead of where I was originally intending to go. But I decided not to stay on the bus and when I got to the Peak, I bought myself some ice cream, and sat there overlooking the entirety of one of Hong Kong's most famous views while doing some work and listening to music. I explored the terraces and gardens there and sat down on a bench to rest while writing some lyrics (also who knew that one day I'd actually be able to put music to those lyrics. If you told me that back then I would've never believed it). It was a happy accident and a great afternoon, and it would never have happened if I hadn't stumbled on the wrong bus.
Anyways, nothing was and is a magical solution to everything. However, these little solitary afternoons once in a while helped and do help, they're nice and if nothing else, allow me to experience and see new things I wouldn't have before.