Last Stop: Hong Kong

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Hi Everyone!
During these last few days of my trip I have tried to take the utmost advantage of being in big city. I visited the Hong Kong Art Museum, History Museum, Science Museum, Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Lo Pin Monastery with the Giant seated Buddha, I took a cable car ride up the mountain, and lets not forget Disney World. I found Disney world a disappointment after Ocean Park, but what can compare with Pandas? I am glad that I got to see what it was like. I found the Hong Kong History museum quite informative. Britain and other European countries began trading with China and other East Asian countries hundreds of years ago. Then around the nineteenth century Britain began importing Opium to Hong Kong. And like most addictive mind altering substances it was profitable and bad for everyone except the people selling it. The local government banned trade in opium and destroyed shiploads of it. This sparked military reprisals by the British. China was unable to resist their military strength and China was forced to concede Hong Kong Island as a free trade port after the First Opium war and then Kowloon Peninsula was added after the second opium war. The agreement ended in 1997 and China was happy to get Hong Kong back under their jurisdiction. I was favorably impressed with the impartiality of the exhibits. They completely refrained from calling the British names.
Today Hong Kong is still able to be visited visa free for 30 days by Americans. Although I haven't taken advantage of it, there are many agents here offering help getting Chinese visas.
I did as much shopping as possible here as it is my last stop. I am happy to report that it was not necessary for me to buy more luggage to fit all my souvenirs. I did throw some things away however. For those interested here is what remains of my original possessions that I started out with. Everything else has been discarded or replaced.
Long khaki pants
Long sleeve purple sweater
Teal short sleeve knit shirt
Gray yoga pants
Black kyo t-shirt
Black jacket
underwear
Laptop
mp3 player + av cords
digital camera + memory cards + charger
international adapter/converter
Sleeping bag
First aid kit
Sunglasses
Extra contacts
Travel alarm + batteries
Flashlight
Padlock
Craft Kit:
Embroidery chart & accessories, needles, circular knitting needles, glue stick safety pins
Address/notebook
Journal/scrapbook

Before I left on this trip I had equal amounts of people congratulate me on the great opportunity, and warn me of the possible dire fates awaiting me in the world. I have never seen this trip as an opportunity. Opportunities find you. They are favorable circumstances, offers, discoveries, and possibilities. No one offered me this trip, or even suggested it to me. I didn't find it somewhere. I got the idea from a book and decided that I would do it. I saved meticulously for years. I planned and executed every detail by myself. I listened to my Mom complain about it everyday for months. I sacrificed a lot by being gone from home for 6 months, not least of which was my job as fabric department manager. I really enjoyed that job, but I was lucky that I was able to take a leave of absence from my job. Many of the travelers I have met had to quit their jobs to travel, but some things are worth sacrificing for.
If I could travel for 6 months by saving my wages from Wal-mart anyone can do it. I stopped keeping meticulous track of my spending around August, but I tried to spend as little as possible every day. For 6 months of travel, 3 months of which was in Europe, cost me about 12,000 USD including all my flights, food, accommodation, insurance, tours, train trips, visas, and souvenirs.
Lots of people asked me if I get lonely traveling by myself. I guess I am lucky in my introverted personality. I am perfectly happy to spend time with myself. They only time I miss company is at restaurants or when I check my email and my friends haven't answered the emails that I sent them weeks ago.
The concept of time is very different when you are traveling. When I am home working 5 out of 7 days it feels like I am only living 2 out of 7 days. When you travel everyday belongs to you. You can go and do whatever you please. You can experience more in one day than in a whole month at home. Here are some fun facts about my trip.
Countries visited: 16
Plane rides: 13
Train trips: 8 in Europe, 6 in India
Ferry trips: 8
Pictures taken: 6681
Illnesses: 2
Stamps in my passport: 15 so far
Things stolen: 2 cord adapters
Things lost: one shirt, one hat, 6 elastic hairbands, one door stop, a watch band, my Florence t-shirt, 2 bras
money spent: ~12,000 USD
people met: many
most days spent in one place 13 Rome
least days in one place: 2 Santorini
camel rides: 1
elephant rides: 1
Roller coaster rides: 6
Worst rip off purchase: 29 Euro for olives
Best deal: 200 rupees for a 7 hour train trip
Favorite City: Rome, Italy
Least Favorite: Aurangabad, India

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Photos

Beautiful Skyscrapers
I love cities. They remind me how connected we are to each other, and that it is possible to run out for food at 3am in slippers.

Tiger
From the Hong Kong History Museum

Bat skeleton
At the Science museum

Top 10 poulation countries
1. China, 2. India 3. USA 4. Indonesia 4. Brazil

Bruce Lee Statue on the Avenue of Stars
This walkway looks out toward Hong Kong Island. Everynight the buildings put on a lightshow for the tourists.

Look Left
Just like in London, only bilingual.

Big Buddha
Apparently it is the largest outdoor seated Buddha made of bronze in the world.

Comments

[doug mckeen]

Its over already!
Jennifer, I really enjoyed your travel blog. I was always looking foward to your next entry. A couple of times you didnt post for a while i would get worried, but soon enough you would pop back up, and I would be relieved. I especially enjoyed your blog's on egypt and india. Have a safe trip home.

[Aunt Nancy]

Wow
Jenny, I am just amazed by your travels. What a wonderful experience you have had. I think that you did very well in managing your finances. You look so happy in your pictures!! I, too, enjoyed following your trip through your blog and got worried when you didn't post. I would emailed your dad to check on you. You had so many people following you and praying for your safe return. Enjoy the last few days. Have a safe trip home, and take care,

[jawilso]

Thank you!
I am so glad that you enjoyed my blog. I am sorry that I didn't post more. I didn't mean to worry anyone! Someday I will travel more so I will let you know. I still need to see China, Russia, Southeast Asia, Australia, South America...! :)

[bill]

most inspiring.
hi jennifer, having just finished reading all 45 entries, i've to say this is one of the very best travel blogs i've ever read. it was especially moving hearing the struggle you had to go through to achieve this dream. you're a true inspiration. i wish it didn't had to end in hong kong after 6 months. just wondering why you cut it short as you said it was to be a 10 months trip? i think you've really inspired alot of budding travellers outhere, myself included. thank you so much.

[jawilso]

Short trip
Thanks for your message! There were multiple reasons that I cut my trip short. My original plan was to spend 10 weeks in India, 1 in Hong Kong, 10 weeks in China and then be in Japan for the cherry blossoms in March. Unfortunately when I applied for my India visa in Rome they only gave me a three month visa instead of a 6 month one, and by the time I actually got to India I only had 5 weeks left. I had to miss out on most of southern India and it completely messed up my time table. I could have changed the itinerary and traveled somewhere else or left India and reapplied for another visa, but this way I can spend the holidays with my family and I have a head start saving money for my next trip. I certainly have plans to travel again. :) I think on my next trip I will visit Australia, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Russia.

[bill]

thank you for writing back jennifer! i've subscribed to your blog and hope to read about your second trip real soon! you're a true inspiration. thanks again.

[Mohit]

Wow
Nice to hear an american perspective on India. I have been to states a few times. Some of the places i visited in states were Chicago, Cincinnati, New York etc. Waiting to read blogs of your next trip.