Day 2 (1/2):
Finding the ACK in the Lost 15 Years.
“The 15-Year Transfer / Refactoring”
Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Itinerary

Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Rain 28°
Kowloon Bay

07:30 Procuring Breakfast

I went back to the same 7-Eleven where I bought water and alcohol last night.
The tiny shop—no larger than four kiosks combined—is packed with commuters.
Trying to stay out of the way, I browse the onigiri selection.
With the “1 USD = 100 JPY” formula still burned into my brain, even in HKD, everything feels about 1.5 times more expensive than in Japan.

Due to the exchange rate, Japanese-packaged goods occupy the most affordable price bracket.
I notice the local office workers picking them up without hesitation.
Onigiri, in particular, sells at an accelerated pace from early morning.
It’s likely one of the most beloved fast foods in the world.
For people like us, who never have enough time for everything we want to do, it is the ultimate luxury meal.

08:00 Preparing for Online Participation

It’s about time to head to the summit, but since I checked in past midnight and checkout isn’t until 12:00, I decide to avoid the morning rush hour of the metropolis.
I’ll attend the morning keynotes online from my room, much like working from home, and join the summit in person from the afternoon.

11:40 Homework Complete. Ready to Head Out.

In the end, I lost track of how to access the online session halfway through.
Realizing I wouldn’t make it to the keynote in person anyway, I pivoted and spent the time finishing my English school homework due tomorrow.
I had told my teacher I was going to Hong Kong, and receiving their enthusiastic feedback in real-time felt encouraging.
Since my brain has been fully switched to “English mode” since last night, I finished the assignment in half the time it usually takes me in Japan.
Time to move.

11:50 Transit to the Summit

The summit venue, Kerry Hotel, is located near the Victoria Harbour waterfront, between Central and Causeway Bay.
It’s right across the water from Fortress Hill, where I stayed 15 years ago.
Since there are no MTR stations within a 10-minute walk, I opt for one of the double-decker buses constantly roaming the area.
Google Maps calculates the route in real-time. I check the line number and walk to the optimal stop.
The UX is identical to Tokyo.
Some bus numbers look like smaller community shuttles, but for the most part, they are operated by the authorities, just like the MTR.

Despite the ruined appearance of the surroundings, the system implementation prioritizes the user.
Both the MTR and buses accept VISA contactless payments.
The traditional Octopus card is, of course, still an option.
Since it’s a pre-pay system, when you board a bus from the front, your vision is overwhelmed by various scanners—as if an “Asura” of catchers were reaching out for your payment.
Beyond the dizzying array of tech, there’s still a cash box, which I find admirable.

I almost boarded a minibus that didn’t look like a standard double-decker.
I stood with one foot on the step and asked the driver, “Does this bus take VISA touch?”
The other passengers realized I was a foreigner before the driver did.
“No! This bus doesn’t take it!” they shouted back—not in the local tongue, but in clear English.
“Do-ze, do-ze (Thank you, thank you),” I replied, quickly retreating so as not to delay them.
A quick re-check of Google Maps showed a better line at a stop just around the corner.

That line turned out to be a lucky find; its terminus was right under the venue hotel.
The bus weaves through the bustling districts of Kowloon.
Looking out the window…
No flowers are in bloom, but there’s a dilapidated building calling itself the “Beautiful Flower Industrial Centre.”
I’m starting to get used to being surrounded by these high-rise ruins, where the outdoor AC units look like they might fall in unison at any moment.

Reflecting on this morning’s communication…
Even if the dialogue is blunt, the people here are brimming with vitality.
If you speak to them, a conversation starts instantly, and they strive to convey their thoughts in English.
There’s a warmth here—a high “body temperature.”
It might be rough around the edges, but their high sensitivity makes it feel right.
A mysterious world where it’s hard to tell if things are evolving or regressing.
And yet…

As the bus squeezed between apartment towers with peeling walls, I wondered:
“How does a city become a ruin naturally, without a single bomb falling?”
I feel like Kowloon is a city showing us our own future—far beyond where humanity has drifted into decay.

12:50 Arrival at the Venue, Lunch

The hotel is in a prime location, offering a private view of Central across the Victoria harbor.
When choosing a pronoun sticker at registration, I found “No Pronouns. Just my name.” alongside “he/him.”
I’ve never seen that in Japan. It felt like a perfect example of modern expression, so I immediately stuck it onto the lid of my ThinkPad.

Inside, the air is filled with an incredible aroma.
Luckily, lunch was in full swing, so I joined in to satisfy my hunger.
The meal was a luxurious salmon steak bento.
The seasoning was delicate, highlighting the quality of the ingredients and the skill of the preparation.
Perhaps it was meant to be eaten with a sauce, but for me, it was perfect as is.
I truly love the Hong Kong palate that treasures simplicity.
Of course, separate bentos were provided for vegetarians.

Despite this being an international event for cutting-edge serverless tech and open source,
no matter where I look or wander, I don’t see any other Japanese participants.
In fact, I seem to be the only one.
…How convenient.
My teacher isn’t here, but this is the ultimate place for an English lesson.

13:30 Lounge after Lunch

Fearing censorship and mindful of my company’s warning about being detained, I approached a staff member who looked slightly younger than me.
“Is it alright to take photos of this magnificent view of the Victoria harbor over there?” I asked.
She looked at me with an expression of pure shock, like a character from an AI-generated anime.
In that instant, I felt a wave of nostalgia for the Hong Kong I knew, and I began to tell her how I had visited the opposite shore 15 years ago.

“There’s a secret location with an even better view in the evening,” she told me, sharing her favorite photo spot.
“I’ll check it out,” I replied. Our conversation flowed as gently as clouds drifting between us.

About 20 minutes passed.
After finishing my photos, I was about to head down the stairs to leave the area for a moment.

She ran all the way over to me.
Slightly out of breath, but with a firm, clear voice, she gave me a message:
“I am glad I met you.”

It was so sudden.
All I could do was offer the same words back:
“I was thinking the same thing. I am glad I met you, too.”
If my English teacher had been there, they probably would have critiqued my lack of originality.
But that message was more than I deserved.
In that moment, I felt as if every fragment I had lost over those 15 stagnant years had finally been found.

• Day 1
• Index
• Day 2 (2/2)