Transcription
We've got so much to like about Hong Kong. You can never find so many things to like in one city than you can find here in Hong Kong.
>> Meet Leo Murray, an American who came to Hong Kong in 1964. Here he married a Hong Kong wife, flew as a volunteer pilot with the Hong Kong police, and climbed all the steep mountains across the city. Leon shared why Hong Kong still feels full of energy, the biggest advantage of city life there, and how owning less can make life feel richer. I'm Max Chernov, your insider to expert life. Angla, so you've been here for more than 60 years. What are the changes do you see in Hong Kong?
>> I would hardly notice the changes because I'm experiencing it day by day by day. So whatever changes that there are are so gradual, >> but it but it has the same electricity that it had from the beginning. >> That's never gone away. >> Yeah.
>> My brother came to Hong Kong the first time in 1983, so 40 years ago. And I always remember asking my brother at the end of his first day in Hong Kong. At that point, I've been here 20 years. I said, "Carl, what what do you think of Hong Kong?" His reply was immediate. He said, "I have the feeling that if I slowed down, I'd be trampled to death."
>> So, that's the energy of Hong Kong. That's that's why it's fun. It's a safe city. People can a woman can go anywhere at any time of the day or night and be safe. It's efficient. It's convenient. It's got seasons. There's just nothing to to dislike about Hong Kong as far as I'm concerned. Public transport must be the best public transport in the world. We've got so much to like about Hong Kong. You could never you could never find so many things to like >> in one city than you can find here in Hong Kong. >> Yeah.
>> People would not believe it's Hong Kong. >> I know that's true. Actually, this is the Now, this is 1968. This is this is me. But I I this is when I was working as a photographer. >> This is you. >> Yeah. >> Oh. But I I sold this picture to the to the newspaper >> and I remember when the editor was typing the u caption and I said that that's not and he says son is my business.
>> Any like challenges that you see for Hong Kong? >> My sense is that people here kind of get on with the job. They don't at least my feeling is I don't I don't feel people moaning around me. People are are kind of positive about getting on with things and I like that can do spirit. Yeah. And also people quite entrepreneurial here. Yeah. That's what I noticed.
>> They are. I'll give you an example why I find the people so so nice here. I was in a taxi two days ago coming back from a hike actually and I ended up this fellow probably was in his 50s and we ended up talking about grammar, English grammar. >> Okay. >> We talked about the difference between a gerand and a participle. I think you could talk to 99 out of a 100red Americans and they couldn't tell you the difference. But this taxi driver knew. So I think there are surprises around every corner in Hong Kong and I find them surprising surprises. >> Yeah. >> Positive surprises.
>> You've been to New York City back then? >> I have been to New York City. Yes. >> Was it like similar vibe, similar atmosphere with New York City? >> Hong Kong I think was more overwhelming. >> More overwhelming. Yeah. I remember very clearly when I first arrived in Hong Kong because we have four years of university in America and I had spent my third year in West Africa >> at university in Nigeria and during that year anything that I did wherever I went I was always surrounded by people watching what I was doing. >> Yeah. But when I came to Hong Kong in those early days, I I still remember walking down from where I was where we were teaching and I stood there on Matawi Road, not far from the old airport, Kiteak airport, and it was like I was invisible. Nobody noticed me at all. >> I was so surprised. So Hong Kong was a very very different experience >> from from any other experience I'd had. It's like because they didn't care that it's a because you look different. So you're a white person like taller than like typical Hong Konger but they just wouldn't care. Uh >> they just carried on with their lives. >> Yeah. So it was like a a lot of energy like cool place to be >> a lot of energy and in fact that's a definite attraction of Hong Kong the high energy level. >> Yeah. I've known of people who left Hong Kong and returned because they missed the energy. >> Ah, yeah. >> Yeah. So, that's the >> So, it's an exciting place. That's that's one of the reasons it's fun to be here.
>> What is Hong Kong for you? >> I tell you what, I don't think I would have stayed this long in Hong Kong if it wasn't for the fact that we can escape the city so easily. I can go down I do go downstairs in this building >> jump in a taxi and in 10 minutes I'd be walking on a trail a dirt trail in the trees >> with no pe seeing no people at all maybe some monkeys >> maybe a wild boar once I saw a deer that's 10 minutes from here from where we are right now >> so Hong Kong I'm sure is the only city in the world where you can escape so easily. As you probably know or have been told, 40% of Hong Kong is national park. It's just there waiting to be embraced. >> Yeah. >> And I have taken full advantage of that right from the beginning.
>> And it's also quite quite big. It's huge. The land is huge. >> People don't realize that Hong Kong is actually big in terms of space. I still find trails that I haven't been on >> even after so many years. And going back to the trails that I have been on, I never get tired of them because I feel different. The weather is different, the conditions change. >> So, it's even just before you came in, I fixed to go hiking uh on on Monday on on Landau Island. >> So, >> yeah. >> So, that that's a real attraction for Hong Kong. Hong Kong for me.
At some point you you were involved into flying like being a pilot, right? >> That was kind of strange too. A fellow I was teaching with an American I was teaching with at New Asia College was going to go across to Arsenal Street, Hong Kong side, to join the Marine Police as a volunteer. >> Okay. >> He he'd heard about this through British friends that he played rugby with for for played for Hong Kong. So hearing that, I decided I I'll go with him and sign up too. And when I got there, this is 1965. When I got there, I found that there's another unit of the police. And this other unit was called the Air Observer Squadron. I said, "Do you mean I can get into the air?" >> Mhm. >> Yes. Oh, I think I would like to join this unit and not the Marine Police. So that that was back in 1965. And ultimately that led to almost three decades of involvement with the then called the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. >> First as a crewman observer and then then as a pilot. >> Uhhuh. >> So that was all all my training was done by the Hong Kong government.
>> So what kind of planes did you fly? fixed wing uh aircraft uh initially a musketeer fixed wing aircraft and then a twin engine islander aircraft and then three different types of helicopters. >> What's the biggest airplane that you >> The biggest one is Skorski F76. This is the f Well, those are that was my last flight. >> This one? >> Yeah. >> March 31st, 1993.
>> What did you do? You did some training. So what what was the job? Well, we did search and rescue work, picking up um injured hikers or women about to give birth in the middle of the night, kind of thing. People bitten by snakes. >> Oh >> Taking VIPs uh different places in Hong Kong. >> Yeah. >> Firefighting. All kinds of things. So in those early days when I joined we were all volunteers except one fixed wing instructor from the Royal Air Force, one rotary instructor from the Royal Air Force and one crewman. Now it's all professional >> full-time at the government flying service. So it's very different today. But in those early days, we were all volunteers.
>> So it was really nice. So we we would get called out sometimes two or three times a week. I would be in bed and get called by the police to go out to Kiteac airport. >> Oh wow. >> To get in the helicopter and go to Chung Xiao Island to collect somebody. >> Wow. >> Sometime then go back home. I could get into bed for an hour or two hours. I might be called again, go back out to the airport, >> fly off another place to pick somebody up. >> Wow. So yeah, so we did standby duty in rotation and then on weekends we had training. That plus the the mountaineering and the outdoors of Hong Kong. Those two things really kept me very involved for many decades.
>> Was it fulfilling like >> very fulfilling >> because you saved saved real lives, right? >> Had a real job to do. That's correct. >> Real job. Yeah. >> Yeah. Not not Yes. It was a kind of recreation you can say because it was pleasurable but it was it was serious work that we were assigned to do.
>> Can you recall any like what's your like the I don't know the biggest memory like when you saved someone or like some some incident maybe happened? Well, I can can think of moments when there might have been an accident or or or I recall picking up a woman before we even moments after landing at the hospital. She gave birth right there in the aircraft.
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>> Was it scary at some point? At some sometimes when >> sometime scary in a sense that sometimes the the the conditions you know the weather could be very uncertain or at night when called out because of perhaps weather conditions that made the night flying particularly uncertain. That's a special concern when flying.
>> So you said you did like firefighting like saved people like VIPs also. You said >> also taking VIPs. I often tell the story, I was not the pilot at the time, but I like to tell the story of an occasion when Elaine and I were in Cape Town recently in Cape Town or the first time we were in Cape Town 30 years ago when I recognized I didn't know who I was looking at at a table short distance from where we were sitting, waiting for the weather to improve so we could climb Table Mountain. And no one seemed to know who that person was. And then I then I remember who it was and I got up even though I was dressed in my hiking gear in this rather fancy hotel we decided to camp out in. And I went over and I introduced myself to this individual and I said, "I'm been I've currently fly with the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force." And before I could say anything more, he said, "I know the story you're going to tell." Before I said anything else, he introduced me to his wife. And then he introduced me to the other person at the table who was Robert McNamara. He was the defense secretary in America during the Vietnam War. >> And this person I was talking with was a was the former British prime minister, James Callahan. I was not the pilot, but he came to Hong Kong and was flown by by our unit. >> And he was out near the airport, Kiteac airport, being flown by another pilot and got caught in a downdraft >> and had to fly under a bridge. >> Oh wow. But that but I was as I say I was not the pilot and also our unit we flew the pope again I was not the pilot but the unit flew the flew the pope. So yes lots of >> important people because in the in those days >> there was no other way except with the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force VIPs to be moving around.
>> Yeah. I remember one time I flew the president of Dupant Chemical and in those days I learned that company required two pilots and two engines on the aircraft. At that point the aircraft I was flying >> Yeah. for safety >> did have two engines and I had another pilot with me. >> Yeah. >> But the Pope when he flew in Hong Kong only had one pilot and the aircraft only had one engine. >> But it was the Pope.
>> What's the best thing for you about him? Best thing. >> Best thing. Yeah, >> he's a free soul. Free soul. >> Yes, he he likes to go out. He likes to uh he likes his friends so much. And then he he's very good to his family and his friends too, of course. To me. >> And then yeah, he he what I like about him is he never stay at home and sit still. He always go out doing something. I'm the same. >> You know what I have to tell you? >> Yeah. This is the painting. We we hire someone to to paint. Yeah. >> And then I told her the painter for this. >> Yeah. >> I'm the monkey hanging up on the tree. He's a wild horse. >> Monkey and the horse. So >> that that's that's us. We are free. We are. So what we like the freedom ourself. >> Yeah. >> Which is he's very generous. He's he's never take advantage of anybody. So that's good. >> And and your soul your soulmates. Yeah, >> I guess. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> He's a hyperactive >> now is 83. I call him hyperactive elderly >> because I've been a social worker my whole working life. >> And I always tell my colleagues and my boss, I said, you know, the toughest case to me is at home. So, >> so well they all know that he he likes to go out and hiking. >> Yeah. >> And then doing things. So wherever we live in Chim Sacho for so for so long the whole life in Hong Kong is in Chim Sacho. And then whatever happened in Chim Sachoy he will know. >> Yeah. So my my my family call him the mayor of Chim Sacho because he can tell everything like oh Christmas >> he know what's going on here. Yeah, >> yeah, >> yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Nice. Yeah, >> yeah.
>> And and you look super happy like together. You're like look happy. I don't know. >> We are very happy. >> Yeah. I mean, it's awesome. >> You know, I I we only met we met on the beach. >> Uh-huh. >> We met on the beach in Sho. >> We met Wow. We met 40 years ago. >> So, we we married for 30 years. I was his girlfriend for 10 years. >> 10 years. Wow. never proposed for 10 years. >> Yeah. He's almost heartless >> because he wanted to be free, right? Yeah. >> Postpone this moment. >> And no, I told him we never get we never married before. You you think you need your freedom. I need my freedom too. So don't don't think don't think we tied up at home. No.
>> What's the secret to be happy after 40 years together? What's the what's the secret? I think you have to give space to each other. >> The space is very important. >> Yeah. >> And you have to and the acceptance. Sometimes we we do not agree on things. But it's okay. We just don't talk for half a day or something and then end our day either of us will say, "Are we still friends?" or something. So, so we will say, "Oh, no. I'm not your friend. I'm your wife." Oh, I'm not your your husband. I'm not your boyfriend. I'm your husband. So, we need you need space >> actually. So, even though we we disagree on something, we never fight. We never >> we yell and then >> nothing just >> I think to to be calm and I think it's is the magic >> of being together happily. >> Yeah.
Elaine is a Hong Konger. She she >> is from Hong Kong. Yeah. >> Yeah. She's from here. Do you have any like cultural differences when you start dating? >> She doesn't like hot dogs as much as I do. >> She doesn't like hamburgers as much as I do. >> Yeah. >> She's a very good cook. >> When we go out to eat because of where we live, we're surrounded by all these restaurants. We We hardly ever eat Western food. So, we're we're very compatible. >> Yeah. >> In in that sense. This is Elaine's family here. This is my mother at 90 years old with Mount Baker. >> Wow. 90. Wow. Oh my god. That's so >> So you have a good jeans, right? >> Yeah.
These are pictures, you know. This is where I went on my bicycle route. >> Oh, three times. Yeah. >> Yeah. The three roots that >> Okay. First one red. >> The first one was a red one. >> The second one was the blue one. Elaine was studying in Alabama then, so I went down to see her. And then the last one across the north. >> Okay. So two and a half months roughly >> each one took about two and a half months. Yeah. About 8,000 kilometers each time. >> Wow. >> So this is this is the sort of gear I would take. >> Oh. Okay. That's you. Nice.
How does it feel to be 83? >> Honestly, I don't feel any different. I'm still curious about what's going on around me. I don't physically I don't feel uh constrained in in any major way. I can hike up the steepest uh hills without any real problem. Yeah, I'm pretty lucky. Very lucky, I would say.
>> Looking back at your life, what's the biggest life lessons that you learned? >> Don't hesitate. Always say yes. >> Always say yes. Wow. If you would give an advice someone who is in their 30s or 40s right now and maybe not that happy with their life, what what advice would you would you give from the 83 year old? Um, >> go out and walk in the hills. >> Yeah, >> go for a walk. That'll put you right.
I don't want to own things. >> I don't like to be attached. I happen to be attached to a very fine woman. That's for sure. That was my best ever decision to marry Elaine. But but uh apart from that attachment, others have little appeal to me.
>> Are you like afraid of of death at all? No, I I No, I wouldn't like it to be painful. Put it that way. But I don't mind that there's an end. >> You don't mind? >> No, I've done I I have I'm very happy with the life that I led. I have no no complaints. I don't have regrets.
>> What's the meaning of life for you? >> I think um I like the idea of being truthful. I like the idea of um being good to other people. I like the idea of being concerned about others values like that if I can. I've always been able to live my life like that. So that maybe that I'm not disappointed in myself. I have some respect for myself actually. So I'm pretty pretty happy that I can look myself in the mirror and think, you know, you did pretty well. I don't mean in a material sense at all. uh that's the least interest to me. But I think in terms of of leading a an upright uh life, being concerned uh to live an honest way, that's that's important. And I did leave I have lived that way. So I'm I feel happy about that >> that I didn't let myself down.