Sydney

Sydney's Harbour skyline, seen from the Opera House podium. Yes, that is a grey and rainy Sydney. Don't believe the propaganda!

For some reason I had a bad feeling waiting for my baggage to come off the belt; it turned out I was right, but not as bad as I’d feared. The luggage systems had swallowed my padlock, and this is apparently deemed OK by Qantas, so no replacement was offered. I then had to queue for half an hour for a taxi to my hotel, so it was about 10 o’clock by the time I got to my room.

What a lovely hotel. Close to the office, and a really nice Art Nouveau feel to the place. Really well appointed rooms, great location in the CBD and a pleasant skyline view from my room on the 17^th Floor. Massive bathroom and clever wardrobe, though the internet was really slow. Loved the breakfasts here too, they had a great selection and good quality served in a lovely room. It’s not hard to the basics right; so many places really screw this up, but not so here.

From my room on the 16th floor - I love city skyline views.

On my first night I ordered dinner and went to bed without heading out, as I had some meetings the following morning. I did, however, find time to book a Harbour Bridge Climb for the following afternoon!

A 5 minute walk to the office the next morning ended up taking me 20 minutes as I completely lost my bearings, but I still got there in good time for my conference call. Another great fit-out in the Sydney office. There’s a real skill to taking bog-standard office space and injecting personality and life into it, and it seems them Aussies have got it down to an art.

With the Sydney EB team - as friendly as they look!

I was set up in a quiet room for my call with Cairns. This was an interesting one because they’re just beginning to think about EB as an offering there, and are planning to target particular buildings based on ‘drive-by’ assessments. Keen to find out how that goes, as it’s a novel approach.

This was followed by a few hours (and lunch) in the company of Patrick Jeannerat, part of the dedicated EB team in Sydney, and a couple of chats with his colleagues. We discussed local projects and ways of approaching clients.

After this, It was a quick dash back to my room to get changed and grab my stuff before setting off for my harbour bridge climb! It was an amazing experience – not cheap but very well organised and something I’ll remember for a long time. The guide gave a fun and interesting commentary, there were plenty of stops to take in the view and to get overpriced photographs of us taken (you’re not allowed to take your own camera for ‘safety reasons’). Aside from reaching the top, my main highlight was emerging between two lanes of rushing traffic on the bridge as you climb a cat ladder – exhilarating. Afterwards I wandered around the harbour and the CBD before heading back to the hotel for some rest.

Been there, climbed that!

The next day I set off in the rain to find some replacement padlocks, and then wandered the CBD and took Sydney’s bizarre mini-monorail to see some of the other areas I didn’t have time to visit. It was a fund 10 minute diversion. Afterwards I stopped by a chocolate cafe (yeah, I know), before stopping by my room again to freshen up.

Next up was a walk down to the Sydney Opera House and the best part of an hour spent ogling it from all angles – walking around, in, and under and taking plenty of pictures. As an Arupian, this felt pretty special (sad, I know, but it’s true!). I tried to take the time to admire the detail and ingenuity that had gone into its construction, and I have to say I left feeling inspired and moved by the achievement this building represents.

Up close and personal with an Arup icon.

I then took a walk through the Botanic Gardens next door, before deciding to continue back up through the CBD, following a trail of fancily lit-up buildings that were taking part in the city’s winter festival. I found a nice fish restaurant for dinner from my guide book and caught public transport to get there (I love getting public transport in foreign cities, I think because it offers the opportunity to compare solutions to similar problems. That or I’m just a big geek). Dinner was lovely, and left me ready to head back to my room, pack and climb into bed... a little later than planned...

... leading to my first ‘unplanned lie-in’ of the trip. I had been planning to rise at 6.00am for a 10.15am flight, but woke at 7.45am instead. I was in a taxi by 8.00am, with little traffic which calmed me somewhat. Until we got close to the airport, when we got stuck in a massive tailback, and then I was met with a huge queue at check-in. Nevertheless, I was through security and in the lounge with an hour to spare before take-off (thanks to the Business Class priority lines at emigration and security!), offering a chance to grab some breakfast, freshen up and print some work stuff out before boarding for my mammoth 24 hour journey to New York. Phew.

Melbourne

The view from Arup's main office in Melbourne, on the 17th floor.

I had a reasonably smooth journey to Australia – immigration and customs were a total breeze. I flew overnight and arrived lunchtime the following day. I headed to my hotel first to freshen up, then went into the office to get settled in and prepare for the following day’s meetings. I was sat next to the friendly Facades team, so got to chat with them about their work and share a bit about what I was doing.

My accommodation here was a huge serviced apartment, and just minutes from the office. Nice view from the 20th floor. Getting to and from the airport by taxi was easy-peasy, and the city is easily navigable by foot for the most part. I did try the tram system as well, which was pretty regular and easy to use.

I met a friendly colleague who offered to take me out for dinner, which having travelled alone for a week was a very welcome offer. He did the same the following night too, which was kind and much appreciated. Great food, too – Melbourne is very diverse (the favoured landing point for immigrants in Australia), so you can pick from any number of cuisines to suit your mood. I went with Malay one night and Indian the next.

I crashed early from exhaustion the first night and worked late the second, followed by packing etc, which with days full of meetings left no time for sightseeing in Melbourne. However Melbourne is more a city to be experienced than seen, and to that extent I did get a walk around the CBD and a couple of meals out. It has a strange mixture of big-city feel (lots of big skyscrapers), and down-home village charm (thanks to its wide roads lined with parked cars, and small street-level retail strips). There’s a nice laid-back feeling to the place and a profusion of places to hang out at night.

In the middle of the CBD, but somehow it doesn't feel like it!

Arup is split across two buildings in Melbourne. Buildings is in its own building across the road from our main office, and has done a terrific job with its fit-out to create a really colourful, smart office to work in. The main office over the road has a much more ‘corporate’ feel about it. I gave a lunchtime talk to an audience of about 10 people (I was competing against another lunchtime talk on pensions!), which allowed me to meet more people and generate broader discussion about where we’re trying to go with existing buildings, which was great.

My schedule was chock-a-block with meetings, as Melbourne was the birthplace of our EB offerings and as such is packed with people whose insight is incredibly valuable to our current efforts. It’s strange feeling when people make time for you at short notice (especially when it’s only me), so I was very grateful to those I met with for taking the time to chat with me and share ideas. There’s a connection that comes from meeting in person that you can’t get from email, video conferencing or phone calls.

James and Tania - two of the brains behind Be-FIT, which started all this off - modelling the Australian EBSS guides. Top notch!

Before I knew it, it was time to leave – I didn’t do many extra-curricular activities, but will have plenty to write about for my minutes! Sydney next, and the opportunity to visit Arup’s most iconic project.

Tokyo

The Tokyo skyline, seen from my hotel window. The view was
panoramic; this is only a partial shot.

I only had two days here, having squeezed it in between planned stops in Hong Kong and Australia. I've always wanted to come here – as someone who loves cities, Tokyo has is a dream destination of mine – and it did not let me down. What an incredible place! The flight over was good, really enjoyed Cathay’s food and service on the four hour hop and we arrived bang on time. I got an ‘Airport Limousine’ (read: coach) to the hotel, as it drops you off directly there and takes the same amount of time as the train, but with less hassle. It took me 2 hours to get from exiting customs to my hotel room.

And what an amazing hotel it is. A 40-storey megalith overlooking the world-famous Shibuya junction, I had an utterly most jaw-dropping view over the whole of Tokyo from the 33rd floor. A true 5-star hotel with incredibly comfortable and well-appointed rooms, and great service to boot. Concierge was very knowledgeable and helpful. It’s also literally a 2 minute walk to the Arup office – the place even has its own 7-11!

Taken from the coach on the way in from the airport - gasp!

I had an ‘interesting’ experience at customs. I got to the green channel, handed my form over and was asked some questions about where I had come from, how long in Tokyo etc ("It's all there on my form" I was thinking...). I told him I was there on business, and he asked if it was my first time and I said yes. Anyway, expecting to be waved through, he then asked me to open my bag. I complied and he gave it a very quick search, having seen it was only clothes etc. When I was locking it up again he spotted the Cathay Pacific 'Business Class - Priority' tag and became very apologetic, saying "Ah Business, sorry, I didn't see". Gave me the impression he hadn't believed me when I said I was there on business – maybe I need to dress smarter for my flights in future! Tokyo has instantly become my absolute favourite city on Earth, and I say that even as someone who could barely find something to eat there (more on that later). The journey in on the coach was interesting of itself – the roads here are like roller coasters for cars, operating on up to four levels (yes levels, not lanes) at once; ducking, diving and twisting both around themselves and the surrounding buildings. And it’s dense – completely, consistently and unrelentingly dense. A few green lungs punctuate the concrete and train lines weave between, under, over and through buildings like veins carrying fresh oxygen all over this massive conurbation, but the urban rhythm remains unbroken as far as the eye can see, in all directions.

Shibuya crossing in action

Navigation is aided by bilingual signage in most places, but I still managed to spend most of my time walking around lost. This was OK as it’s another way to see more of the city. I was helped no end by incredibly polite Japanese who were always happy to offer directions using a combination of Japanese, English, sign language and patience. My main day of sightseeing was accompanied by a constant, unwavering downpour that somehow failed to ruin my fun, such was my delight at just being able to experience this enthralling place first-hand. Tokyo isn’t one city but an amalgamation of 14 that have spread into each other. It’s hard to say that many of them have their own distinct character. Shopping is the main pastime here, in what’s probably the most commercial city on Earth. It’s a great place to pick up little knick-knacks – pointless tat that is somehow made cool just by virtue of being Japanese. And I totally joined in – it was fun browsing the weird and wonderful stuff available, and made for easy souvenir shopping. The electronics shops here are something to behold – cacophonies of noise, lights and endless rows of products. I sampled two separate 3D TV products (and remain to be convinced), and saw loads of other cool gadgets and doo-dads that never made their way over to the UK.

A typical Tokyo electronics store - sensory overload
spread over 6 levels!

I was determined to try as much ‘Japanese’ stuff as I could – video game arcades, vending machines, shopping, food, travel, language etc. It was a lot of fun, because unlike many places in the world, ultra-commercial Tokyo surprisingly doesn’t feel like it’s been sterilised by global corporations and their bland brand standards. And whit still has the feel of a very different culture, and the people are so friendly it feels accessible to even a total outsider like me. Food was a challenge. I was determined to overcome my failure with chopsticks (and partially succeeded), and moreover to banish my mental block when it comes to eating proper sushi (i.e. raw fish). Again, I only partially succeeded here with some varieties proving just a bit too ‘squidgy’ for my brain to compute. Vegetarianism doesn’t really exist as a concept here (similarly to China) so it’s easy to find that an apparently 'safe' dish contains hidden animal fats. Added to my aversion to raw fish, this made life a little difficult. I was very fortunate one night to stumble across a halal Indian/Pakistani restaurant where the food was surprisingly delicious – a real treat in the middle of a long trip away from home.

Plastic food models are used outside restaurants in place of menus,
and they're scarily realistic.

Visiting the office was a real pleasure, and I was very glad Yoshi and Teppei were able to make time for me at such short notice. I was taken for a sushi lunch by Yoshi (must... stretch... boundaries...) where we had a chat about work, Japan and culture. There are about 70 people in Arup here, and we've been established for about 20 years. It always feels like visiting family when you’re in an Arup office abroad; there’s a reassuringly similar atmosphere.

Teppei, Yoshi and I in the Tokyo office.

OK, I’ve gone on enough about Tokyo. I feel like I’ve left loads of stuff out (techno-toilets, navigating the transport systems, the Turkish mosque that tricks you into thinking you're in the heart of Istanbul, youth culture, history...), there’s so much to say about this place. But onwards to Melbourne, and a return to a world I’m more familiar with.

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong skyline

I arrived on Tuesday afternoon having narrowly dodged both the ash cloud that morning and the BA strikes due to start the following day. So other than a worrisome Sunday night, I had a seamless and very pleasant journey.

Arup's Stonecutters Bridge (background) seen from the Airport Express train.

The first thing that hit me about Hong Kong was the topography – I hadn’t realised just how hilly it is here. The second thing that struck me was the incredible infrastructure that makes this city of 7 million people possible given the challenging terrain. It really is as good as people say – great transportation, effective drainage, reliable utilities, and pleasant public spaces that work well with the hills. 3G cellular connections work everywhere – even on the metro and cross-harbour tunnels. The metro has metal seats that still manage to be more comfortable than London’s.

I spent the rest of my first day in my hotel room preparing for the next two days’ meetings, finally venturing out after 10pm for a quick walk and my first glimpse of the Hong Kong skyline. Even at this time it was still warm and humid. The hotel itself, on the waterfront in Kowloon, was lovely. Huge room, great view and terrific staff.

The view from my room

Arup’s office in Hong Kong must be a strong contender for the ‘Most dramatic views from an Arup office’ award. The terrain slopes away at first before rising up to tall, tree-covered peaks. Stunning. I was warmly welcomed by our colleagues there and very well looked after throughout my stay. Met some great people. It’s fascinating learning about how our business works in different parts of the world, and the subtle differences that exist in local markets.

The Knowledge Centre/library in Hong Kong

The office adjoins a shopping centre, where I was generously taken for dim-sum lunches both days I was there. Being a ‘vegetarian’ in China/Hong Kong is challenging, to say the least! On the plus side, I’m now only slightly hopeless with chopsticks.

I had been wondering how I’d handle the jetlag – usually I cope quite well. I managed stay awake and to go to bed at Hong Kong time on my first night, and woke up on time too. However, as the day wore on it really hit me – particularly after lunch. I struggled through the day, and even managed to stay awake until Hong Kong bed time again. The next day was better, but in all I reckon it was a few days before I fully adjusted.

I managed to see some of the city on two evenings after work, and had the Friday off too. Did all the usually touristy things really, no shame in that. Most of it involved ogling the skyline from different angles (city person, see?). I also visited Kowloon mosque (this will be a recurring theme on my travels) for Friday prayers, and wandered around some of the different neighbourhoods pointed out by my trusty guidebook. I particularly enjoyed the two-and-a-bit mile walk around Victoria peak, which felt a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city just a kilometre or so beneath us.

Standing at 'The Peak', a hill overlooking a misty Hong Kong.
A kind stranger saw me looking very alone and offered to take my picture!

I like Hong Kong; it’s full of energy and is working hard to remain a competitive global business hub. It’s an easy place for a Brit to come thanks to the still noticeable colonial influences, and the fact that its fully bilingual. However, it does feel like it’s losing its ‘edge’ a little bit, with huge shopping/office complexes slowly swallowing up historic neighbourhoods and the cultural vitality they bring.

Introduction

I’m fortunate to have been asked to tour Arup’s global regions to share some recent work we’ve been doing in London on a new service offering for the emerging Existing Buildings market.

The trip will take me around the world in just under a month, as in addition to spending around two days in each office I visit I’ve also taken some annual leave to extend my trip and try to see and learn about each of my destinations. These extra days have also offered flexibility in scheduling local meetings.

So where am I going, and for how long?

17/5: Depart London
18/5 – 22/5: Hong Kong
22/5 – 24/5: Tokyo
25/5 – 27/5: Melbourne
27/5 – 30/5: Sydney
30/5 – 06/6: New York
06/6 – 08/6: LA & drive to San Francisco0
08/6 – 13/6: San Francisco
13/6: Depart San Francisco for London

Sitting at Heathrow Terminal 5B, ready to leave for Hong Kong.

It’s an amazing opportunity that I want to take full advantage of. I'm looking forward to finding out more about how Arup operates around the world, making distant colleagues not-so-distant, sharing and learning about existing buildings - and comparing the interior design of our workspaces!

I’ve never been to any of these cities before, and some have been very high up my list of places to go for a long time. I’m a city person. The countryside is nice and all, but I love the ingenuity that makes a city work, particularly how some solutions grow organically whilst others are carefully designed.

I’ll be compiling separate business notes from my meetings, so plan to keep this blog about my travels and overall impressions of each city - light reading, if you will. Hopefully you’ll find something interesting here.