This week I have given my up my HK pad back to the landlady. Mostly because it was horrendously expensive, and now that I don't have the Kind People in the Firm paying for it, there is no way I can afford it.
I've had good times in that flat:
- I arrived there with 2 suitcases and a handful of cardboard boxes from London (mostly full of shoes)
- I left with something that felt like 57 suitcases and 35 boxes (mostly full of shoes)
- For the first 10 months I had no curtains and every single night and every morning, when I took in the HK skyline, a little voice inside me said "Waouhhh"
- The flat saw some good parties: my housewarming when I moved in, C's wild birthday bash, and a few dinner parties (with culinary disasters that were saved thanks to the Chicken shop downstairs).
- My bed saw a small number of visitors (ok like two) but I will remember those experiences with a chuckle
- The only bad memory will be that one night of insomnia following me losing my job. It was one hard night but the next morning I woke up with a big smile on my face and a huge sense of relief and freedom.
I spent the past few days cleaning my flat like a maniac, waking up at dawn to scrub and everything. Maybe it's the trauma of renting places in Europe where the landlords turn up at the end of the lease and point at every single stain saying :"Ok that is minus x euros on your deposit", I really wanted the place to be spotless.
So today I met the landlady for the first time (the initial contract was handled by the agent) and the conversation went like this:
- Landlady: "Hello Evie, I am your landlady. Nice to meet you"
- Evie: "Oh hiiiiiiii [nervous laugh]. Please take a look around, the flat is all yours again, I've spent a loooot of time making it nice and clean for you"
- Landlady: "Oh WOW, I have never seen such a clean flat"
- E" You don't want to have a look around?
- L: "Oh nono, I am sure you took a very good care of it. Here is your deposit cheque"
- E: "Really? But have you seen these furniture stains here?" (D'oh, who says that to their landlady?"
- L: "yeah yeah whatver, it's still so clean!"
- E: "Oh. Um. Ok"
- L" Woooow, you look soooooo gorgeous*".
- E: "???"
* I don't think I have gorgeous looks by any stretch of the imagination, I think my landlady just had all other previous tenants that were trolls"
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10 comments:
Sooo glad that managed to get your deposit back, but you do sound like a nice girl ; )
Sounds like you have had a very happy time there, keep on posting hun.
Laters
Nicey
x
It's always good to get your deposit back.
Yeah, I hope you keep posting after you have left HK....
& whilst I think of it, Mappethorpe took some very good pictures. Did you have a look at the section on flowers? Very nice.
It's official that you're leaving?
Evie, don't stop blogging, your slice of HK life has given this Gwailo a much needed boost in between trips to your old home town. Good luck in your new country and lang may yir lum reek!
I think you might just have got lucky with a nice landlady. My penultimate HK landlord (a jumped up little nyaff who was the Chinese owner's 25 year old son) thought he was as hard as nails, and tried to insist I'd stained the floor when I'd done no such thing. After a few phone calls when he completely lost it and screamed down the phone at me, he caved in and gave me my deposit back when I threatened legal action...
I've had the same experience, although I left the place in less than perfect condition. Love your HNT :). Where are you moving to?
I hope ur UP for a new HNT in ur new digs! I'll bet we like ur legs a lot more than the masseuse (especially if U show us in-between.) What say -- a litle more Evie-lution? It feels like time to me, BabyDoll! U?
Nicey - Nice girl maybe but who left lots of marks on the wall..
Mouse - Still thinking about it, have not yet decided if it would make sense. (Not seen the flower pics will have a look)
Charles - Yes it is all happening, will give more info in the coming days
Gaz - Thanks for the encouragement! The thing is I am not sure my life will be as interesting away from HK, we will see.
Lottie - Woooh, incredibly unlucky! I have only heard one other landlord story, you really picked the short straw on that one.
Cosima - Weheiii nice to see you here! My new home will be London, which I love probably as much as HK, so not complaining..
Rich-in-shorts - Hmm need to build up some courage before doing another HNT pic, the first one will be quite hard to beat!!
Ah... moving out, eh? Well... my best wishes on this next part of your adventure.
BTW... thought your HNT was both stunning and creative.
Cheers!
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