Long Live Hong Kong Grannies!

Whilst on a 6am run this morning (no genuinely, I am NOT lying, there I was with my trainers on, pounding the pavement and sweating like a fat kid in a cake shop- at such an ungodly hour for a Sunday too) I had a moment of clarity whilst being over-taken by the ladies and gents of HK that were double, if not triple my age. The OAPs of Hong Kong, are one healthy-ass bunch. 

Let me throw you some statistics (everyone loves statistics!) to back this up. Hongkies have a life expectancy of 85.1 years (girls) and 79.4 years (fellas) respectively, and consistently rank in the top 10 countries with the highest life expectancy, placing 2nd in 2010 (losing out to Japan..I think all that sushi and yummy tonkatsu ramen makes them immortal) and 8th in 2011. Compare this to our 'parent' country, People's Republic of China who placed 63rd (average life exp. of 74.8 years) and the country that placed last at 194th, Mozambique (39.2 years), the pensioners of HK are obviously doing something very, very right. 

This is something that I have noticed though. When I'm leaving for work at ridiculous o'clock on the weekdays, I always see a bunch of middle-aged old ladies walking back from their morning stroll. Whilst hiking this afternoon (HIKING! I know!), I walked past a whole gaggle of over-60s. Even if you are going past a park, there will definitely be a bunch of the older generation doing their daily exercises. People here are infinitely more proactive, even regardless of age.

I can actually put myself forward as an example. The maximum amount of activity I did whilst back in the UK involved walking from my front door, to my car. Then from my car, to the shops, or work, etc. I occasionally worked out my arms by lifting a pint from the table to my mouth. Sometimes, I even pushed the boat out and ate a salad (highly uncommon situation). If I had to compare myself to a Pokemon, it would be Snorlax.

But even now I've been sucked into a more healthy lifestyle. Not even counting that I've signed myself up for a 10km charity run (hence the 6am runs, sigh) and my newly discovered penchant for climbing up mountains, I have to do high levels of walking on a day-to-day basis (which explains why I can't wear heels so much over here, because a) I'm scared of PK-ing and b) there's just so much damn walking to be done!). 

So regardless of the outrageously large levels of pollution, the weather that makes my knees click and all the MSG-laden food, I'm hopeful that I'm going to live and long prosperous life filled with tea, dim sum and hiking.

And I wanted to dedicate this blog to my big-knockered acquaintance, thank you for following my blog :) and letting me know too!