Day Two - Hong Kong - Admiral and Causeway Bay

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Day 2 in Hong Kong,


After awaking at 06:55 - put that down to time difference not keeness! - I had a great cup of coffee, attempted to go back to bed but dad started talking to me, d'oh! I faffed around a bit for a few hours then decided to get into gear and start to work on getting visas for places down the line. I headed for the Philippean consulate in Admiral.

I packed my satchel/man bag - oh which reminds me, in "The Hangover", my favorite part is when Alan gets abuse for a manpurse, and he tells them its a satchel, having myself described any kind of bag as a satchel for the last 26 years, it seems rather amusing... anyway.... so, I packed my satchel with essential things, like two copies of the visa appliaction form, a camera, pen, pencil and so on, then headed to the Metro. The Metro is the underground system here, it is exactly the same as the London Underground except, its fast, reliable, air conditioned and even has celluar phone signal. I headed from Tung Chung - Tung Chung line - to Tai King - Central Line and departed at Admiral. Luckily the Metro station is litterally outside the building I wanted. The doorman could clearly see that I wasn't native, perhaps my height or eye shape gave it away, perhaps it was the puzzled look as I tried to work out how to get to the 14th floor. Of course how silly of me, take this elevatpr to the 2nd floor, then change to get to thr 14th floor. Easy when you know how.

As both the only male, and only person above 5" I was getting a few strange looks, especially when I got off for the Philippean consulate. The room that houses the Consulate is a buzzing office with lots of strange words and tongue sounds. A mass of people are zipping around like wasps, or standing in spiraling queues waiting to shout through soundproof glass. Fortunatell, the Visa section only has a very small queue. But small doesn't mean quick! It was at this stage I thought I would speed up my own process and fill out the application. shortly after I was called forward to the window, I gave the guy my appliaciton, two photos and my passport. After a combination of trying to maintain eye contact, but also get low enough to hear through the distorted microphone as to what he was saying, he told me they would require bank statements and addresses in Hong Kong and the Philippines...

"I'm backpacking!",
"Financial statements"

This back and forth continued for longer then you think it could! But the deadlock broke! I can't remember exactly how, but, eventual he realised I wanted to stay longer then the 21 days entry you are allowed, but not as long to make bank records necessary.

"OH! when you arrive in Manila, tell them you want to stay longer then 21 days. And py them there."
"Thats all I have to do?"
"Yes"

Carlsberg don't do visa offices, but if they did, it certainly wouldnt be that one.

So, being the glutten for punishment I am, I thought I would go for a double on the day, and proceeded to head to Causeway Bay, and find the Indonesian consulate. But before I headed back underground with the other commuters, I stopped on a walk way bridge to take some photos. Two days in Hong Kong with no pictures won't do I thought.


The Metro is just two stops from Admiral to Causeway Bay, then my uncanny directional sense, and use of iPhone to take a picture of a map, got me to the Indonesian consulate in no time. Althought, I found the wrong office, and had to head around the corner to the other one, litterally next door so no laughing. The security guard looked at me with a familar "he's not indonesian" look, then I said visas floor 3, and he smiled and said "Yes! third floor" and away I went. Another familar sight met me at the third floor, a cramped room, filled with activity and women franticly writing paper and froms in duplicate and getting back in line. And, fortunately the Visa window was nice and empty. So much so the man behind it seemed shocked I wanted to talk to him. I stated my aim first this time to help avoid confusion. I want to go back packing through Indonesia. He handed me a form, and said it would be for a 30 day visa. Trouble strikes, If I want to stay for longer, I have to write a letter;

"Dear Indonesia,

I'd like to stay for longer then 30 days please, in return I will spend lots of money in your country."

I'm not sure if thats the final draft, but it's definately the backbone I'll work off.


I left the consulate and began to stroll aimlessly around Causeway bay. Its a hive of activity with people, cars, taxis, buses and trams all fighting for the right of way of eachother. The roads are dark when the buildings block the sunlight, which means that the vast array of neon and LED signs and advetising screens are in full effect. Each road or street has its own corner of business, for example one street was full of phone shops, another was a row of banks, each with an airmed guard at the front. Many of the shops are very small too, they are squeezed together and often only wide enough for a single customer at a time, that is untill, you hit one of the massive shops, department stores or a McDonalds. I was very good today, I walked past a couple of McDonalds as well as a Burger King and KFC, and I was hungry from being awake for 5 hours without eating and walking so far! Instead I held out for a "Cafe Corral". My dad echoed my opinion of the place instantly when he also described it as the "Hong Kong equivalent of McDonalds". Its not burgers mind, its traditional Chinese food, but you order as quickly as you can from a cash desk, then head to a bar/grill desk where they litterally throw your food and drink on your tray or slam it so the soup spills out!

After eating I headed back to my dads place. My missions accomplished (kinda) and my belly full(ish) it was time to head back for a nap, and to replan my trip according to my new knowledge of visas. Sadly the nap took priorty, and I slept for about 3 or 4 hours!

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