Oceans and Friends

My postcard is going to a very dear friend who I don't contact nearly enough. Anne-France Tardiveau Almdal, such a great name isn't it. We met back in 2000, fresh off the boat in New York City, young aspiring actresses from Sydney and Montreux (Switzerland). We were 23. Anne-France and I quickly became friends, she had a wicked sense of humor and was already an accomplished actor. She handled New York with far more grace than I, but that didn't stop us tackling the city by roller blades or bars.

This pic was taken in October 2000, when we made a short film in Montreux, which is undeniably one of the most picturesque places I have ever visited. Yes I was blonde once....

Since then we visited each other or met up where we could; Montreux, Paris, LA, Sydney. Our lives have often felt on parallel. We were at each others weddings and along the way have many great memories over bottles of wine - Talking about theatre, husbands, families, and now kids. The last time I saw Anne-France was three years ago now in Paris, where she was in a comedy play and I was lucky enough to meet her beautiful baby girl, Charlie. Since then there has been Hugo (me), Cameron (AF), and the tiniest Nikki (AF) and I guess my bump will be a babe before we meet again. Mmmmm three and a half years and 4 kids later. Anyway I often think about Anne-France and her life in the heartbreakingly beautiful Swiss countryside and the balances we both now experience with family and creativity and the glorious blend when it meets.

We hope to meet next year, and Mauritius has been mentioned. There are lots of places in between Hong Kong and Switzerland. And I hope hope we can manage it, amongst the billions of reasons not to.

The postcard I am sending is one of my favourite Hong Kong images. It is the old airport (as recent as 1996). A world away from Hong Kong's illustrious airport today. But this picture sums up so much about order and chaos that is perfectly mastered in this city.