Wednesday 27 October 1976 | Travel | Hong Kong to New York
John Lennon returned to New York from Hong Kong on 27 October 1976, bringing a private journey through Asia to a close. He had travelled to Hong Kong on 19 October and spent time in Macau and Singapore before returning to his American home.
The final Asian leg was the flight from Singapore to Hong Kong on 26 October. The following day’s return completed a trip that Lennon would later remember for its personal significance and its connection with the feelings behind I’m Losing You.
| Date | Wednesday 27 October 1976 |
|---|---|
| Traveller | John Lennon |
| Departure city | Hong Kong |
| Destination | New York |
| Journey began | Travel to Hong Kong on 19 October 1976 |
| Other places visited | Macau and Singapore |
| Previous day | Singapore to Hong Kong, 26 October |
| Later song connection | I’m Losing You, released on Double Fantasy in 1980 |
| Published recollection | Newsweek, 29 September 1980 |
The end of the Asian journey
Lennon’s return from Hong Kong followed a sequence of movements through the region. His first Hong Kong visit began on 19 October, followed by time in Macau and then Singapore. He arrived back in Hong Kong on the 26th before continuing home to New York.
The dated entries connect the outward journey, the regional visits and the return, placing this anniversary at the end of the trip:
| Date | Journey |
|---|---|
| 19 October 1976 | New York to Hong Kong |
| 21 October 1976 | Hong Kong to Macau |
| 22 October 1976 | Hong Kong to Singapore |
| 26 October 1976 | Singapore to Hong Kong |
| 27 October 1976 | Return to New York from Hong Kong |
Travelling outside the familiar routine
When Lennon looked back on the journey in 1980, he described the unfamiliar experience of travelling on his own and rediscovering a sense of independence. His recollection centred on a moment in a Hong Kong hotel room, looking out over the bay.
He remembered feeling disconnected at first, then recognising a part of himself that existed outside the demands of celebrity. In his account, the trip became an opportunity to recover confidence in ordinary life and in his own identity.
“The actual moment of awareness when I remembered who I was came in a room in Hong Kong...”
The contrast gives the journey its emotional shape: the discomfort of separation was followed by a more reassuring recognition of himself.
The telephone call to Yoko
One night during the trip, Lennon could not get through to Yoko Ono on the telephone. He recalled feeling completely cut off, describing an overwhelming sense of loss.
He also remembered the change in mood that came with his Hong Kong realisation. Looking over the bay, he recognised a familiar, more relaxed version of himself, someone whose identity did not depend on applause or another hit record.
He then called Yoko with a greeting that captured that feeling of rediscovery:
“Guess who. It’s me!”
The connection with I’m Losing You
The experience of separation helped inspire the feelings behind I’m Losing You, part of Lennon’s 1980 return to recording. His later explanation brought together the failed telephone contact, a powerful fear of loss and the more positive Hong Kong moment of self-recognition.
The journey therefore has a place in his songwriting story as well as his travel chronology. A private experience in 1976 returned in his reflections on the music he was making four years later.
Follow that later chapter in our article on the 12 August 1980 session for I’m Losing You, I’m Moving On and Beautiful Boy.
Explore John Lennon merchandise
For an artist-focused piece, browse the John Lennon Self Portrait Full Colour T-shirt.
You can also explore the John Lennon People for Peace T-shirt.
Hong Kong: geographical context for Lennon’s October 1976 visit
Hong Kong was both the first Asian destination in the dated sequence and the final stop before Lennon’s return to New York. It also became the setting for the personal memory he described in 1980.
The map provides geographical context for the journey. It does not identify Lennon’s hotel, departure airport or precise flight route.
Explore Hong Kong in Google Maps.
Frequently asked questions
When did John Lennon return from Hong Kong to New York?
He returned on 27 October 1976.
When had the Asian journey begun?
He travelled from New York to Hong Kong on 19 October 1976.
Which other places did he visit?
He spent time in Macau and Singapore during the journey.
Where was Lennon the previous day?
On 26 October, he flew from Singapore back to Hong Kong before returning to New York.
Which song was connected with the trip?
Lennon later connected the experience of separation and failed telephone contact with Yoko to the feelings behind I’m Losing You, released in 1980.
Where did Lennon describe his Hong Kong realisation?
His recollection appeared in an interview published in Newsweek on 29 September 1980.
27 October in Beatles history: the complete timeline · The preceding day: Singapore to Hong Kong · I’m Losing You recording session, 12 August 1980 · More On This Day in Beatles History
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