Friday, February 24, 2012

cabin fever

This weeks P52 theme is on cabin fever.  This was a bit tricky for me and I couldn't think of what to capture for a while.  To me, cabin fever is something you normally experience when you are stuck at home and itching to get outside.  I don't have this problem.  I really enjoy staying home and wouldn't mind being stuck indoors for multiple days if it were possible.

However, I have currently begun to experience cabin fever when I think about our life in Hong Kong.  Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy living in Hong Kong and will be happy to stay here for as long as we have jobs, but there is something inside me that is just itching for something new and different.  I don't know if this is the wanderlust in me or whether it is age and the desire to settle down, but it is something I'm feeling right now.

Hong Kong has begun to feel a bit claustrophobic in that it is a huge city with people everywhere.  I like people, honest.  It is just that I also enjoy walking along the sidewalk without being jostled.  I like eating at my own table at the food court without feeling pressured to hurry so that the person standing over me can have my table next.  I like getting into an elevator and not having to suck in my gut so that more people than listed on the elevator can fit inside.  I like being able to have personal space without feeling selfish about it.

These photos were taken on a Friday night in Mongkok, which is the most densely populated place in the world.  There are roughly 130,000 people in one square kilometer.  That's a lot.  Trust me.

Bombarded


Crowds.  Everywhere.



 
Inside the Mongkok MTR Station


 
Gonna make it no matter what.

Getting cozy

24 comments:

  1. My husband was recently in Tokyo and he commented on the wall of people that were always around him. The closest I have felt to that is Disney World on New Years Eve. I like your interpretation of the theme, your pics are beautiful.

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    1. Thank you! You have the feeling down right when comparing it to Disney World. :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. Great photos. I love the red handles on the train. I have been to Hong Kong and I lived in Japan for 5 years and I TOTALLY get where you're coming from. I'd never thought of it before, but Media Goddess described it perfectly...Disney World or Disneyland (here in the USA) is where you will get the exact same feeling.

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    1. Thanks a bunch! Glad to know that I'm not alone in my feelings. :) I agree, the Disneyland connection is perfect...the noise, the people, the lines...oh my! HA!

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  3. And I thought there was a lot of people in Brazil! hahaha
    Nice shots! Thanks for stopping by my blog :)

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    1. Thanks! It is pretty crazy here that's for sure. :)

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  4. Wow - that looks crazy. I'm glad I don't live in such a big and busy city! Great photos.

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    1. Thanks! It is pretty intense, but the upside is that when I miss something from America, I can usually find it here! :)

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  5. I feel ya--personal space is something that Asian societies don't seem to recognize. We don't eat in many food courts, but we definitely get that feeling when stopping for a hot dog at Costco...and the elevators! They drive me crazy! I'm impressed with all of your street photography. How did you get that shot on the subway?! I always wimp out and decide not to do it! :)

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    1. Glad I'm not the only one who feels the need to have a bubble around me sometimes! :) You have a costco in Korea?? Nice! Glad you are impressed...my husband just walks away when I whip out the camera in public. Ha! Honestly, I just do it and try not to pay attention to all of the weird looks I get. For the subway shot, I lifted my camera above me and adjusted the screen so I could see what I was taking a picture of and snapped away. Just do it! :)

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  6. Great pictures. Life is so different. I enjoyed catching a glimpse of it through your lens.

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    1. Thank you so much Donna! I'm glad to be able to share my life with you! :)

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  7. Wow...you aren't kidding when you say it's densely populated. I couldn't even begin to imagine navigating my way through the crowds of people there. I can see why you said that you have cabin fever in Hong Kong. That would be rather overwhelming. Perhaps coming back to your home and the peacefulness there provides some respite and contrast to your days in the city.

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    1. You are so right about home being a place that provides respite. Since moving here, I've definitely become more of a homebody and enjoy the little space we have to call our own. It was so overwhelming when we first moved here, but thankfully I'm getting used to it and can even appreciate it....sometimes. :)

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  8. fantastic pictures and great perspective!

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  9. That is incredible - so many people! I love the photo of all the signs too. Do people really stand over you waiting for you to finish eating? Aagh!

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    1. Thanks Kris! :) Yes...people really do stand over you and sometimes even share your table! Can you imagine that happening in the US?!? It is insane, but I've learned to adapt and sadly now do the same. I'm like a hawk! HA!

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  10. une superbe collection de photos de rue, j'aime beaucoup tous ces neons, toute cette lumiere de la ville

    Merci d'avoir participer au challenge "Walk In The Street Photography"

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    1. Merci! :) I'm glad you enjoyed the shots and I'm so happy to have shared it with you over on "Walk in the street photography!" I'm looking forward to joining you more often.

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  11. Great stuff! How about we trade places for a week or two or ten. I'm out here in the country in southern Indiana wanting the opportunity to mix and mingle with people - I am able to go 100-200 miles to get to Indy, Louisville, Cincinnati and St. Louis but that's really not the same - that's an excursion. Love the street photos. How about at different times of the day for less people? Like maybe in the middle of the night?

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    1. Thanks Michael! Trading spaces sounds good....I could use with fresh air, quiet, and some beautiful blue skies. :) Great idea about different times for photos. Things stay pretty busy all.the.time., but that would be an interesting contrast to photograph. I shared some photos on a post titled Year of the Dragon that does something similar. It showed the craziness leading up to Chinese New Year and the absolute quiet on the day of. It was pretty insane. Here's the link to it. Glad you stopped by! :) http://melodys-mindless-musings.blogspot.com/2012/01/year-of-dragon.html

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  12. Excellent photographs.

    Regards and best wishes

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Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my post! I absolutely LOVE getting comments and appreciate all the feedback and responses. :D xo