Day Four - Hong Kong - Drinking, Dancing and 2hours walking, running, jumping, taxi-ing and bussing across the city.

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Last night was my first solo night out of my travels, and maybe ever actually. It is a strange thing going out alone, I'm not sure if I have done it before, in England or anywhere. But last night I did. After speak to my dad, he suggested I start in Wan Chai, find some bars there and see what happens. So, I shaved, showerd and put on my going out clobber. Upon arrival at Wan Chai MTR station I had it in my head I needed exit F - probably confusing it with Causeway Bay exit for the Indonesian Consulate - so I walked up an escaltor, and then down, and looked around like a lost tourist before checking a sign. There is no exit F.

So, Exit C was the one I wanted, and I lef the station. My face was then visually slapped by a blast of neon signs, before they were shocked by the number of girls and girly bars. I headed along the road looking for the first non-girly bar, I think they're just called bars, and found my way into Cotyoe, a sort of mexican themed bar?, but use the term themed loosely. I headed straight for the bar and ordered a Captain Morgan and Coke, then just took it all in. Shortly after a guy next to me said hello, but nothing more and I continued to drink. Then the fun began, and I'll warn you now, what follows my offend some readers... I asked the guy if he could watch my drink while I go to the toilet which he happily did, and off I went. Now, if you've seen Dumb and Dumber you might know what to expect next. As I sat down and began my business I looked around the cubical as one does, however, it was only at this point that I sported the sign;

"NO FLUSH WATER! Sorry for inconvenience due to bldg repairs MANAGEMENT"

Horror. But that was quickly followed by humour and I happily laughed it off. I think you have to in a situation like that. As I returned to my beverage the guy - an American - offered me a walm welcome and asked what I'd been doing for so long. Whilst perhaps more graphic then most ice breakers, it did the job nonetheless. I started talking to him and his buddy, but I couldn't tell you for the life of me what their names are/were. I am simply awful at remembering names. Eventually they suggested I might be better off trying Lang Kwui Fong and seeing what was happening down there; "getta cab, its down the road, it'll cost you 'twenny bucks'", so off I went.

The taxi pulled around the bend and revealed a steep narrow one way street; this is Lang Kwui Fong. The street itself is literally bar next to bar next to bar, people are spilling out of the bars into the street and moving inbetween each like a little drinking stock exchange. Music is being played in each one, and the effect is a wash of different tracks malgimating into a dense sound. The taxis cue back up to the top of the road so I tell him here is fine, and jump out. HK$21, under 2pounds for what would cost in England maybe 10quid. As I walk down the slanted road, I look to my left and I don't like the look of the first couple of bars, similar story to the right, and fianlly stroll into a place on the corner, not sure of the name. I walk past a few tables and found myself infront of a very lively bar. "Allo mate, what can I get you" is shouted at me in locals best cockney accient. His attempt to welcome me is good enough, and once I clock a bottle of Captain Morgan Spiced Gold, I am more then happy. So he grabs a glass, throws some ice in and poors Captain and coke into the glass till it is full. No need for 35ml messures here. HK$65 5pound, aint too bad. I stand, drink and look at football highlights on a TV showing ESPN. Moments later a voice tells me "I'm deffinately English"

I turn around to a drunk English girl, of course. We started talking a mixture of attempted clever lines and quick comebacks, as is English tradition. I'm not sure what her name was either, again, I am shocking with names. We stayed there for a few drinks and I asked her about Hong Kong, the drinking areas, how she likes it and so on, and she tells me thursday ngiht is Ladies night. Now, I've never heard about this before, but, Ladies night here means Ladies don't pay for drinks! Genious. Of course, this could not work in England cause every pisshead slag would be falling on the street inside 10 minutes, while their respective male counterparts would be on their first drink still. In anycase, it works here, I don't detect a drink till your drunk vibe, or people 'racing' to get smashed. From there we crossed the road to another bar, Zinc, which had a combination of guys talking to hookers, and a few groups of suits. We got a drink and shared a standing table with a couple of suits. A guy quickly said hello and asked me what I as doing in HK, and I explained about travelling and backpacking. When I told him my next planned stop was to the Philippines, his face exploded with excitment.

He starts telling me about an island someway off the east coast of the Philippines called Palau, but apparently its THE best place to dive in the world. Now, this is the kind of situation where someone litterally says something, then repeats it again and again. Then after a few repititions, grabs someone to back him up and reinforces the statement, and tells you again. However, Jamie (I remember him) was a thoroughly nice guy, and we did have a good talk. After about 45 minutes of hearing about Palau Jamie, with his Mrs, and Mother in Law had to leave. The girl I was with also decided to leave so I was flying solo again. My previous feelings of anxiety of being alone were gone now though, and I headed to the bar for a Cap n Coke, another Cap in Coke... At the bar was also a group of young English girls, and I began talking to them.

The girls tell me they are here on a study exchange program!! Serious. I managed to get a year studying abroad in Germany which I wound incredible, so they must be living the dream!! Anyway, we're drinking and talking and so on. Katy, a good old fashioned northern girl tells me they're staying for a few drinks then maybe going clubbing, but they're only going to Ladies Night bars, I explain that I don't mind, I'm happy for the company, and as the MTR's closed (01:00) then its a long journey for me home, so I'm out for a few hours yet; Too early to go home, too late to go home!

Things get a bit blury here, as I upped the drinks and the previous ones were taking a stronger hold. We headed to one club, but let, then into another one. Upon entry, the girls get a glass of Champange, and I ask if they get one for free, can I have two cause I'm paying. YES I DID. Oh Snap! Play on player with two glasses of cheap Champange, strolling across the dance floor like nobodys business!! ha. We stayed there for a couple of hours before the girls decided to leave, and head for a Kebab house! I can't remember if/what I ate, but I probably had something. The girls jumped into a taxi and I decided to try to make my way across town.

I left Lang Kwui Fong and got into a taxi, I think at this point I asked to be taken to a E11 bus stop, but upon arrival, the timetable told me it would be 120 mins before the bus, (04:00 - 05:20) so I got back in a/the taxi and asked how much it would cost to get to LanTau Island and Tung Chung, I remember the driver being a good laugh and wrote the amount on a napkin, HK$188 (14 pounds 60ish) which now seems amazing, and I should have deffinately done that, idiot, but instead I told him it was too much, and to take me to a bus station in Wan Chai. When I got to the bus station, not sure how much that cost, I asked someone where the E11 stop was, they told me up the stairs, round there and then over there... after running around and exploring and stuff, talking to other random 04:20 people I was back where I started!! - well the bus station bit, not home. So, this time I decided to speak to the bus driver people!! ha. I asked them about the E11, and they told me I needed the N11 - obviously! so, one driver talks to another, and he says, If I get on his bus, he goes to a N11 stop and I can get on for free, and wait there. On I jump, but before I did I think I bought a bottle of water from the machine and maybe bought them one each too, I decided to sit on the bus, but not where normal people do, I sat on the bagage wrack that sits over the front left wheel. After a journey of about 5/10 minutes he pulls over to a bus stop infront of a 7eleven and I depart, many thanks drive. I have to wait just 10 minutes, although bear in mind due to my tomfoolery, its now 04:30. I go into 7Eleven for another bottle of water. The bus arrives, I jump on, and must have fallen straight to sleep. I awoke to a semi familiar looking place, and leaped off like a crazy person, well, the crazy person I was at that stage. I started running in the direction I thought my dads house was, but quickly got confused cause the tower blocks were on the wrong side. I manged to stop a couple of kids on bikes - 05:20 kids on bikes? - and they told me the direction of the MTR so I could get my bearings. Then I was back on form, running across the road, iPhone blaring, and behaving like a madman again. Although I still wasn't quiet sure where I was, I knew roughly - Tung Chung - but not what road or path.

After running down a path, under a subway, around a corner, I found familiarity again. So, I continued to run along, jumping off things and probably singing outloud to my music like a crazy drunk english free runner, and just as bad!! It was about 06:00 when I finally got home, and decided it was time I just collapsed in bed.

Woke up at 09:00. d'oh!

I have flashes of me running around Hong Kong Central and Wan Chai districts talking to people, climbing and jumping off stuff and acting like a general clown, laugh

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Comments

[anonymous]

This sounds like a classic Graham night out