As my ship made its way slowly out of Hong Kong for the 18 hours haul up the coast to Xiamen, I sat on the deck and watched Hong Kong Island and Kowloon glide past.

• 当我们的船渐渐驶离香港，开始18小时北上厦门的船程时，我坐在甲板上看着香港、九龙向后退去。