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Marcoregano · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 872 Location: Hong Kong

The 'expat' thread somehow brings to mind a quaint hangover (!) from colonial times - the 'sundowner' (various definitions: Chiefly British, A drink taken at sundown). (NOT the Aussie variant, which means "hobo" or "Tramp"!)

Here in ex-colonial Hong Kong, sundowners (usually plural!) remain a favourite activity among TEFLers and expats (excepting teetotallers of course) of various nationalities, and the term persists despite its (British) colonial associations - especially in Asia. I wonder how many out there are familiar with, or use the term? Sundowners anyone?

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

I know the term well, and have had (too) many of them. I first heard the word from a South African though

Kitegirl · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Posts: 101 Location: Lugdunum Batavorum

I used to work in a nursing home and our "sundowners" were patients who would make it through the day fine, but come the end of the afternoon, they'd get distressed and disoriented because they felt they were in the wrong place, and should have been somewhere else, doing something useful and constructive.
Hope that doesn't sound too familiar...

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 3:35 pm Post subject:

I am also British and I never heard of a SD until I starting DAVEing. Maybe it's a regional thing <I'm from Wiltshire, oooohhh aarrrrr, in me Combyne 'arrrr 'vest' er!>

bayabule · Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 82 Location: East Java Indonesia

Marcoregano · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 872 Location: Hong Kong

In HK it tends to simply mean an 'early' drink, but there's no doubt it tastes better if you can see the sun sinking into the horizon. Of course it also depends on when the sun sets! I think the traditional "sundowner" colonies were mostly fairly close to the tropics, where the sun sets conveniently around 6pm all year round. Here in HK sunset varies from around 7.30 in high summer to about 6pm in winter. It's generally a Friday eve/weekend thing here, tho I gather that retirees have been known to develop a daily habit, which might not be too healthy. I'm told by a friend that the TEFLers of Brunei are very keen on their sundowners, parlt on account of the fact that school hours finish at lunch.

khmerhit · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 1:15 am Post subject:

In Cambodia this drink is known as a "Sun-upper." A fine drink too. One of many of the uppers and downers available.
Yours Narcoleptically
Khmerhit

Mark-O · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 6:53 pm Post subject:

'ere! Lanza, Oi be wes' cuntry an' awl!

Where your roots be?

Mark-O · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 6:55 pm Post subject:

Robo-cop has deleted moi weeerd "cun'try"! Swoine!