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Published: June 28th 2017
Geo: 22.316, 114.045
Well, today emerged to be my most difficult and stressful day of travel to date. It all started... POORLY. We had hand washed our laundry the day before.. expected things to be crispy dry the next morning thanks to the reliable Hong Kong heat. Fail. This was not the case, and we spent the morning ironing and hairdrying in vain. The second fail, was breakfast, which we arrived for just in time to see it FINISHED for the day. Okay, things couldnt get worse right? Wrong. We arrived by taxi @ Kowloon station to catch the airport express and be on our way to Vietnam. This was our target destination for the commencement of our grand asian tour over the 12 days to follow. What could be wrong with that plan? Only that my travel agent had advised that a VISA was not necessary for transfers from Hong Kong to Vietnam. The lady at the train-airport transfer station was happy to advise us shockingly of this fact, and sent us into despair. Trip over? Stranded in Hong Kong? You will NOT be going to Vietnam and not be there for the start of your tour. We tried calling embasies
(closed on Saturdays), Travel Agents (Closed on Saturdays), Tour companies (Long wait/ no answer). Attempts to seek assistance; in person, and via phone were futile time and time again. Either noone spoke good enough English, cared enough, or was competent enough to help. The highlight of these efforts being an 8 minute phone call to a 'directory' service, which charged me $10HK and failed to give me a number that worked after 4 transfers. Delicious terror set in soon enough. Eventually, we were able to get ahold of the Flight Centre emergency after hours service thanks to the well appreciated efforts of our parents collectively. As we trapsed back in shame to our Hong Kong Hotel (Panorama), we were phoned several times by Flight Centre emergency service to advise we could fly out tomorrow afternoon to Phanomh Penh (Cambodia) to link up with our tour group on Day 2. VISA's can be APPARENTLY DEFINATLEY acquired at the borders of Cambodia... (we Shall see soon enough). For now, our destination was to be one final night in Hong Kong - Hotel Panorama. The only available room remaining was a suite, and given how awesome it is, I shouldnt waste too much
more time typing this. The staff at this hotel have been refreshingly willing to help and shown great assistance. Its been a mix-match with kindness of locals/ people of all kinds here.
So, with luck then, this SHOULD be my final entry from Hong Kong... unless we endure further unpleasant surprises tomorrow. Wish us luck that when next you hear from me, it will be in an alternate location and more pleasant of circumstances.
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Mum & Dad
non-member comment
Hope you got to breakfast this time. Hope the rest goes well and enjoy Cambodia. Did you get to the night markets in Hong Kong at all