my son is heading off to hong kong and china... UPDATE

**carole** · 06-13-2008, 05:04 PM

I just had to share my exciting news, my son who works for a company in Auckland which sells projectors,whiteboards,etc etc, is the operations manager, a role he has just been given, i am very proud of him as he has worked his way up there, is heading off on his very first business trip for a week with his boss,he is very excited, i am too, but of course as a mother a bit scared about visiting these countries, i hope all goes well , he may well indeed suffer from some serious jet lag, but my main concern is his asthma, he is going to the capital, and i have heard the pollution is very serious over there,hopefully they have tried hard to clean it up a bit with the games being there in August.

On his return he only has two weeks to go and then he and his partner amber and my daughter melissa are off to the gold coast Australia, so that will be a much needed break for him after this trip for sure, apparently he is going to a work social event friday night, stocktaking saturday and off to hong kong on the sunday, phew better him than me, anyhow just wanted to share, thanks for listening.

**Karen** · 06-13-2008, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by carole

I just had to share my exciting news, my son who works for a company in Auckland which sells projectors,whiteboards,etc etc, is the operations manager, a role he has just been given, i am very proud of him as he has worked his way up there, is heading off on his very first business trip for a week with his boss,he is very excited, i am too, but of course as a mother a bit scared about visiting these countries, i hope all goes well , he may well indeed suffer from some serious jet lag, but my main concern is his asthma, he is going to the capital, and i have heard the pollution is very serious over there,hopefully they have tried hard to clean it up a bit with the games being there in August.

On his return he only has two weeks to go and then he and his partner amber and my daughter melissa are off to the gold coast Australia, so that will be a much needed break for him after this trip for sure, apparently he is going to a work social event friday night, stocktaking saturday and off to hong kong on the sunday, phew better him than me, anyhow just wanted to share, thanks for listening.

As an asthmatic who visited Beijing 7 years ago, I know they were already working on cleaning up the air then. As long as he brings his inhalers, he'll likely be fine. Worse than the external pollution for me was the fact that so many people smoke, and there's no such thing as a "smoke-free" section or room, or at least there wasn't then.

He'll be fine, mom - and what a grand adventure!

**davidpizzica** · 06-14-2008, 06:59 PM

Hi, Sis! I'm sending some Pittsburgh prayers to you and your son that his upcoming trip to Hong Kong and China be very sucessful and fun and that he has no trouble with his asthma.

**Lilith Cherry** · 06-15-2008, 04:51 AM

Hi there Carole!

I have lived in China for several years now and can tell you that it is really quite civilised here so don't worry about your son; he will have a wonderful time! The air pollution is a lot less than before as the government have been cleaning up ready for the olympics. I presently live in Zhuhai, Guangdong but have travelled around and enjoyed the country a lot! tell him to take lots of photos for you!

**carole** · 06-15-2008, 05:17 PM

Thank you all, and Karen and lilith Cherry for your re-assurance, oh i know China is very civilised lol, but i worry about the things like bird flue, typhoid etc, i don't think he has time to have any vaccinations, which are not compulsory but are advised, i am a typical mother,worry, worry, worry about everything and anything lol.

I am glad the pollution is not as bad as i thought and yes i did think they would be cleaning the city up for the olympics,so that is all good, as for the smoking, i hate to tell you this but my son is a smoker, i so wish he wasn't , so bad for his asthma, he came from a non-smoking home, but got addicted to it,he started with his peers at about 16 and we are hoping he will try and give it up once and for all, he talks about it, but so far no result,no-one apart from him in my family smokes.

Yes i am sure it will be a very tiring, but exciting trip for him,he probably will be flying out this sunday, if all goes according to plan, hopefully his visa will be through and away he goes.

**carole** · 06-18-2008, 09:56 PM

Well after telling you all the news, my son sends me a text saying the trip has been delayed, i think the boss just decided not to go right now, he told scott he woke up at 4am and made the decision,he say's they will go in a few weeks, but i am wondering if it will eventuate, boss sounds a bit indecisive to me.

However i have to say it is a blessing in disguise, my son came down rather sick on wednesday,he is at home off work with a nasty flue type virus that is going around at the moment, as he said there is no way he would want to be traveling anywhere feeling like he does, i would have been really worried if he had gone ,so i guess it is not mean't to be for now.,hopefully they will head off to china after his holiday to aussie, which would be much better all round really.