Make Hong Kong Liveable!

FADE IN:

INT. HOTEL IBIS, MELBOURNE - NIGHT

A superior room. PETER surfs the web with his smart phone.

PETER (V.O.)

Having tried Melbourne's

SkyBus with the electronic

ticket, I'm in Melbourne's

city centre. I think I need

to buy a Myki card. My

Sydney Opal card can't be

used here.

FLASHBACK

EXT. ROAD, SYDNEY - NIGHT (Feb, 2018)

Peter, his WIFE and ZENO are at a bus stop.

PETER

We shouldn't use Uber

service all the time. Let's

learn how to take public

transport.

A bus with a prepaid sign approaches.

PETER

It's likely that it doesn't

accept cash.

Peter's wife enquires with the driver who gestures her just to get in. She sees Peter and Zeno staying put. Peter shakes his head sideways.

PETER

Let's find out how to

prepay.

Walking towards some lights, they see a convenience store with a big sign: We sell Opal cards.

PETER

Perhaps, this's it.

INT. CONVENIENCE STORE, SYDNEY - NIGHT

Dimly lit. Just CASHIER#1 (40s).

PETER

We want to take public

transport. How can we

prepay?

CASHIER#1

You buy Opal cards...

Happily, Peter pays cash for three Opal cards.

PETER

Now, we can use Sydney's

public transport!

END FLASHBACK

INT. CONVENIENCE STORE, MELBOURNE - NIGHT

Brightly lit. Just CASHIER#2 (20s).

PETER

I want to buy a Myki card.

I'll stay in Melbourne for

4 days.

CASHIER#2

AUD51...

Peter pays with two AUD50 notes.

CASHIER#2 (Cont'd)

This's a value-for-money

7-day pass...

Peter doesn't get it.

PETER

7-day pass?

CASHIER#2

I'll explain...

Cashier#2 scribbles some calculations on a waste paper.

CASHIER#2

It doesn't make sense to

pay after every two hours...

PETER

Thank you.

PETER (V.O.)

The local knows... With

the Myki card, I can take

whatever public transport!

EXT. TRAM STATION, CENTRAL MELBOURNE - NIGHT

Peter and OTHERS wait.

PETER (V.O.)

I've nowhere to go. Just

get my first Melbourne

tram ride, for a stop or two.

An old tram approaches. Passengers hop off and on.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

Well, they just hop off and

on without using any pass.

I just follow what the locals

do.

Inside the crowded cabin, Peter's eyes become wide open.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

I'm actually residing within

a Free Tram Zone. That's

why nobody is paying, and

the tram is so crowded.

INT. IBIS SUPERIOR ROOM - NIGHT

Relaxing in a big bed, Peter ponders with his smart phone in hand.

PETER (V.O.)

Let me check the top things

to do and see in Melbourne.

Peter looks unaroused.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd) There's nothing I particularly

want to do and see here.

My 7-day pass is good for

for Zones 1 & 2 only, and

not faraway places. How

can I get value for money?

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

My first day in Melbourne

ends without the need to use my Myki pass. I've

wrongly applied my Sydney

experience in Melbourne.

Although AUD51 isn't

much, it's the waste that

I can't bear.

Switching off the lights, Peter tries to sleep but rolls over from time to time.

INT. HOTEL SUPERIOR ROOM, MELBOURNE - DAY

Peter gets up with tired eyes.

PETER (V.O.)

The top thing I'll do here is to see if I can apply for

a refund of my Myki card!

Peter researches with his smart phone.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

That's easy for locals.

But the electronic system

isn't meant for tourists.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

So the top place I'll see

in person is the Public

Transport Victoria (PTV)

Hub at Southern Cross

Station - where I got off

from the SkyBus last

night.

INT. SOUTHERN CROSS STATION PTV HUB - DAY

CASHIER#3 (40s) refunds AUD46 to Peter.

PETER (V.O.)

Good. I needn't go

somewhere for the sake

of going. I can simply live

like a local for a few days

to get a feel as to how

liveable is Melbourne!

MONTAGE OF PETER'S FREE-TRAM-ZONE EXPERIENCE

A/ Peter hops on an old tram from Flinders Street and gets off at Burke Street.

B/ Peter crosses the tramway to the opposite platform, hops on an art tram from Burke Street and gets off at Flinders Street.

C/ Later, Peter hops on a new tram running along Collins Street, hopping off near Southern Cross Station.

D/ Having surveyed the Station restaurants, Peter hops on a tram from the Station again and gets off near Flinders Street.

END MONTAGE

INT. IMAGINE MARCO, MELBOURNE - DAY

Looking from a balcony of a 31/F suite, Peter enjoys a 180-degree view of Melbourne's suburbs.

PETER (V.O.)

If the Free Tram Zone is

extended to the South

Bank area, Melbourne is

more liveable.

Pausing.

PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)

Is the Free Tram Zone

concept viable in Hong

Kong? In the current anti-

establishment mood, the

Government has to

justify its existence. Little

things free for all should

make Hong Kong liveable!

FADE OUT. The End