Some chronology for John Joseph Ray


A most scenic drive near where I grew up -- the road from Cairns to Port Douglas



1980

Hong Kong and China

Another trip I took was to Hong Kong with a day-trip to Communist China and stopovers in Manila on the way there and back: A bit less than 2 weeks all told.

China under Communism was perhaps only slightly less squalid than India but much less varied. I got diarrhoea from the "banquet" I had there.

It is amazing that Indians and Chinese outside their own countries tend to do so well economically but do so poorly at home. It shows the importance of the political arrangements in place because both India and China are large and fertile places with many natural resources.

Hong Kong is a marvelous place. The income of the average Hong Konger is about 20 times that of the average Chinese so it is not a really poor place.

What it is is dynamic. It never seems to sleep and there is an amazing array of cheap goods to buy. You always go to Hong Kong with empty ports.

And Hong Kong shopkeepers really chase a sale. None of the indifferent service you get in Australia or the U.K.

I came back with a telephone answering machine, two suits, shoes and a whole lot of other clothing.

Joy bought a couple of cameras.

And Hong Kong is the only place outside America that you can get See's candy -- the ”only" candy. We brought back loads.

While I was there I took a ride on the Hong Kong Metro (subway, underground railway). It was offpeak and my wife and I were the only occidentals in the carriage. A little Chinese boy came trotting down the carriage and spotted this strange white individual (me).

Being a tease, I made “big eyes” at him. And of course in Chinese iconography, wide eyes are associated with demons etc. So the dear little boy ran screaming back to his parents. Again in their usual observant way, however, the Chinese in the carriage had observed what went on and saw the joke. They had a great (but of course restrained) laugh. There is nothing wrong with the Cantonese sense of humour!



The Philippines

The Philippines is interesting -- like a seedy version of America. We stayed at the Hilton

But never trust any Filipino as far as you can throw him or her. They are very nice people like the Indians but I doubt that there is a single honest bone in any Filipino body. It's their culture. Honesty is not seriously taught. They have to learn a far harder lesson: Survival.

I went through the slum suburb of Tondo in Manila with John Timbs, an Australian Roman Catholic priest who works there (a brother of Patrick Timbs). It was amazing to see people come out of their hovels immaculately clean. Most unlike India.

The three chief exports of the Philippines are notable: maids, nurses and wives. English is widely taught there. Even some TV programs are in English



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E.&O.E.

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