Typhoon warnings in Hong Kong

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To get my money’s worth out of my 24 hours of internet usage I get up at a decent hour, pack my bags, and run downstairs to get to Starbucks. At this point I was made aware that Hong Kong is under a level 1 typhoon warning. Of course it would be…I hustle out the door, dismissing the many offers for ‘this’ and ‘that’ and get to my sweet haven, Starbuck’s. My drink order starts out as an iced chai to combat the wicked heat outside. Although the clouds are hanging dangerously low and are a menacing shade of gray, the overwhelming heat is the only thing on my mind. I sit long enough to order a second drink—a hot chai tea, because the air conditioning is too much for me, and watch the bay become covered in clouds. The rain showers were fierce, I laugh a little at the people running around outside with their umbrellas, horrified to be captured in the rain. But they only lasted for about 20 minutes before the clouds rolled away and the sun would shine for a good 20 minutes before the process reset.

I had to pick to pick up my passport today—and timing was crucial. I had to get to the passport agency without getting drenched by the rains. When I thought it was safe I made a quick dash for the ferry terminal. I was able to pick up my passport (with my precious China multiple entry visa inside) AND make it to Subway to pick up the sub of the day and save $9 HK dollars without having a drop of rain hit me.

I get my bags from the hotel and maneuver to the nearby metro station. $35 HK dollars is what it takes to get me to Shenzhen. From there I walk off the metro and right into customs. That was a mess. Their signs were less than informative and the rush to cross the border was nearly comical. I fumble around for a while—they expect you to swipe the tiny ticket you bought at the beginning of the metro trip?! Who keeps those handy (well, I do, NOW)! I pass the customs for Hong Kong—which does include having your temperature taken AND filling out several forms. Then get through the immigration lines for China—again, they take my temperature and make me fill out a slough of forms. From there I’m able to find the train station pretty easily and get a ticket for Guangzhou. From there my plan is to take the train/bus to Nanning (overnight) and from Nanning go to Vietnam (something I decided earlier while using Starbuck’s internet).

The train ride was nice and relaxing, its moments like these while on the road in which I love traveling. However, arriving at the Guangzhou train station unexpectantly tackled me back into reality. First of all, all the signs for the ‘long distance train terminal,’ pointed in the wrong direction. So after spending a good 20 minutes walking in circles, some nice people took pity on me and asked me if I needed help. Between the 4 of them they were able to decode my foreign tongue and point me in the right direction (the opposite direction of all the damn arrows). I arrive in the long distance terminal and am met with hundreds of surprised looks. I try to get a ticket from one window but am quickly waved away. Dejected, I leave the terminal and try an “enquirery” window. She tells me to return to the long distance terminal…So, I return—but with the determination of Raider’s fan! (does that make sense?)

I ask several people about tickets to Nanning, even show them in my book the Chinese letters for it, and all of the jerks just waved me off. I then stand in a line for 30 minutes while sweat is trickling down my legs. FINALLY, I get to the point where there is only one guy in front of me…and the agent in the window packs up her stuff and leaves. Apparently, its break time. I almost lost it. I’ve now been in the terminal for over an hour. I wait about 25 minutes before letting out a disgusted moan and clumsily work my way out of the line and out of the terminal. I know there is another train terminal as well as a bus terminal a small ways away, so I study the metro map on the walls (the station that I’m in does local trains, long distance trains, and metro) for a good 10 minutes before bothering the automated machines for a ticket. When I do I’m issued a small blue token, so I attempt to present my token at the turnstyles, only to find there is no token slot. I walk around for 5 damn minutes trying to figure out how to get downstairs to the metro! Finally I present my token to some lady, half in uniform, with a pathetic look on my face. She walks up to my slowly, takes my taken, and simply places it on a blue pad. THE TOKEN IS MAGNATIZED! Dammit China…did NOT see that coming. The metro ride was excruciating—but I did it. I arrive at the second train station only to find it to be the most dilapidated of stations. People are strewn about everywhere. I decide its too crowded to attempt inquiring about a ticket to Nanning. In addition to the fact that its already 7pm and I feel as if most night trains will have departed by now.

Giving up, I turn to the doors to seek out the hostel that “should” be across road, when I see that it is in fact raining outside—and not just a small rain. It is a certified downpour, like those that I was scoffing at while tucked inside my overly-air-conditioned Starbuck’s, indulging in my soy chai delight. Fed up with everything that has happened thus far—and seeing that I have NO room to stay in the crowded lobby, I put one determined foot in front of the other and exit the train station. I’m immediately met with people trying to sell me umbrellas and ponchos, but I’m not having it, I trudge on. It DOES however make me stop and ponder why the hell I didn’t dig my rain jacket out OR put my rain cover on my backpack?

This plan gets worse and worse by the second. I find that there is no way to cross the heavily trafficked—and barricaded road and can do nothing else but trudge on down the sidewalk. If people stared before, they are shamelessly gawking at me now. Admittedly, I must have looked crazy with my large backpacks and no rain gear. After walking a good 7-8 minutes in the pouring rain and finding no means to cross the road I take haven in a large building, that to my surprise, turned out to be the bus station. Feeling a bit serendipitous, I take a look at the ticket counters, sure enough, there’s one labeled, “English Passengers.” Looking as pathetic as a wet cat, I lumber up to the window and say, “Nanning?” This woman must have been sent from God. In less that a minute she had me on the next sleeper bus (only an hour wait) and my change was in hand.

Feeling feisty, I proudly stomp into the waiting area and take a load off. I try to dry myself off as best I can, take out my remaining half of my Subway sandwich, and devour it in front of many puzzled admirers. I even took some time to journal about the experience, until I feel someone peering over my shoulder! I turn and some guy is trying to read what I’m writing over my shoulder!! After shaming him worse than I shamed my dog for eating my couch, I pack up and move to another part of the terminal to wait for the bus.

The overnight ride itself was ok. I did mange to find out I DO NOT fit in a sleeper bed. I’m about 9 inches too tall. But I was so exhausted I made it work. I sleep on and off only to wake up with the bus lurching to a stop outside a toll booth at 7am. And that’s where we stayed, because the bus was broken. Knowing I can do nothing about the situation I fall back asleep only to be kicked awake some time later and I find the bus empty. They put us on another bus, where I had to sit in the stairwell, but only for 5 minutes until we arrived at the bus station in Nanning.

I wondered around the bus station for a few minutes until I found a help desk that told me to get to where I wanted to go (a hostel by the name of Lotusland) I’d have to hop a bus and take it to the train station—but from there I could walk. I did as the nice lady told me, and sure enough, bus dropped me off right in front of the train station. I walked a few blocks—got properly sweaty. But managed to find a great little hostel where after a shower and change of clothes, I felt human again. Life was good once again. From here I’ll get my Vietnam visa—which has to wait till Monday (it was Friday), so I have a weekend to relax…and then I met the Fins.

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Photos

My boat
saw this on my last crossing of the bay

final crossing
I didn't capture the insanity of the clouds at this point. It was a gloomy day--and a typhoon warning to boot.