Oh jeez that was awesome...I worked in HKG off and on for just over 20 years and you both described it to a T. I got used to it and did nt bother me.

What did get me though was when I would come back after being gone awhile was the smell of the city. That too faded after a couple hours but you could cover my eyes even today and drop me in TST and I could tell you where I was.