No air conditioning. In Hong Kong. In August. Nothing could be worse.
Our air conditioning went out yesterday. The building has central air and heating, so it is not as simple as changing an air filter or replacing a unit. When it goes out, someone has to figure out where the problem is. It could be one of the big machines on the roof or one of the big machines in the basement. It could be one of the connections between one of those machines and our apartment. It could be a million different things.
Fortunately, we never use the heater. It has never been cold enough here.
The day without air conditioning was a nightmare. Opening some windows is not an option. Just one open window would bring in every mosquito in the country. They lie in wait, ready to pounce in an instant. Just opening the door to the balcony is tempting fate.
Fans exist, but we only have a tiny little fan that is more of a joke than anything else. We don't really need any fans because we have central air.
I would have left the apartment for the day, but I had things to do indoors. You can't always spend the day at the mall.
While sitting in my own private sauna, I was fully aware that millions of people in the world deal with genuine hardships every single day. I have shelter, plenty of food and more than enough clean water. But it was still terrible.
When the air conditioning came back on, it was the greatest thing in the world. Maybe it's sad that I'm so dependent on such a modern convenience, but that cool air feels much better than the oppressive humidity.
Lived in HK for three years. Worst days when the ac broke in the middle of summer, especially trying to sleep
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