Remarkably, local cable network Fox classics have been running a marathon of James Bond films and as silly as it seems I seem to resemble a tiny part of this fictional character’s lifestyle. tbaoo is James Bond and genuinely kidding myself you’d understand.
I was unbelievably fortunate to have a few days in Hong Kong in 1977 and stayed in the extremely luxurious, top notch, James Bond location, with Rolls Royce courtesy cars, Peninsular Hotel. Here’s a little tale, I was waiting at the airport’s “hotel courtesy car pick up point” and a lovely new Mercedes arrived to collect some hotel guests ( not the Peninsular ) and I thought wow – that’d be great, a ride about Hong Kong in a new Mercedes.
Well, I kept waiting and bingo a brand new Rolls Royce comes through the car feeder section and pulls up right at my feet. Shit, it was bloody amazing. I sat in the front while my parents luxuriated in the rear, I remember that I couldn’t hear a thing of Hong Kong, all I heard was an incredibly low air conditioning fan flow. Luxury surprise and all at the right temperature.
Interesting side note, I was in Hong Kong while being a poor butcher’s apprentice ( I was poor, not the butcher ) and miraculously met my Multi Millionaire boss, while walking through the famous high tea at the Peninsular Hotel, we didn’t know we’d each be there and he was horrified to discover that I was staying there, as he was not.
So what’s this got to do with the man with the golden gun, well if you’ve seen this tremendous bond film you’d know (or if not will find out? ) that the Rolls Royce courtesy cars have a role, as does the hotel of course. The other thing I did that mirrors James Bond’s lifestyle, was to have a few drinks in the “Bottoms Up” bar while in Hong Kong. James Bond nearly got shot there, I was ok, just a little gob smacked but lived to tell another tale.
