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Published: January 4th 2007
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Rory's Bike, err! and a big church?
Okay, we didn't cycle from HK to Macau, we had to take a ferry of course. Day 214, 31st December
Hong Kong
I slept till mid-afternoon then picked up my wages from the Jackie Chan work off Michael. This time it was HK$1000 due to last night’s filming till midnight. As I sat at the hostel table recounting stories to the others about the past week, another surprise happened - a package came from Kathryn. It was full of chocolate goodies, Christmas crackers, and Marmite…Yum!
I did a bit of shopping later, emailed again, then got ready for a night oot wi’t lads. We’d earlier made a contact with a guy from the hostel, ‘Azure’ was going to show us a good night out in HK. The name sounds like a prostitues name, but she was anything but. We drank, then went out with our party hats on to the the Star Ferry and went over to Wanchai. Azure took us to a few good discos with live bands on. She seemed to know everyone and got us in to all the places free! I danced a bit, then just before midnight there was the countdown to 2002….. HAPPY NEW YEAR…..
As another year begins, the future unfolds now. The reality will become
Macau Post
My collection of Macau stamps in my journal which the PO refused to frank! greater as I think about a future with a girl that I only met for a few hours but have since developed a great affection towards - Kathryn.
I lost the other guys and got bored and sober with the scene as I watched older guys who should know better chatting up young Phillipino girls. I left the disco and wandered the streets of Hong Kong for hours and hours until daylight came, then caught the MTR back, arriving at the hostel at 7am. I slept like a log…
Day 215, 1st January 2002.
Hong Kong
A day with nothing much to do. Didn’t sleep as long as I should have and went off exploring. The streets were still as busy as ever, nothing much exciting going on. Later on, I took my bike up to the Flying Ball bike shop to get some repairs done, new rear wheel, block, and chain; will have to pick it up tomorrow. I changed my HK$1000 into US$128, just for convenience really when we need to get cash in Vietnam and Laos. Even later on, Kathryn rang me up again and we spoke for ages, getting to know
Portuguese influence
Strange after cycling the length of China to see this strange little place, this colonial leftover... each other much better and asking ever so personal questions. Love is becoming a reality?
Day 216, 2nd January
Hong Kong
Today everyone was off to Macau except Stephane and I. We still had things to do. I had an errand to do for ‘John the Book’, an elderly guy with Parkinsons disease who has lived in the hostel for 20 years. I had to wheel him to the bank and then to the Salvation Army office so that he could pay his bills.
I picked up my fully repaired bike from ‘Bike Man Ian’ at Flying Ball which cost me HK$850, then rushed back down Nathan Road in the dark and got back to the hostel just in time to get another lengthy call from Kathryn. Seems we’re both going to have teriffic fun when we are together. She should be able to meet me in Singapore, then we’ll travel to Batam or Bintan to chill-out before going to LA via Taiwan. A bike trip in Taiwan seems to be on the cards now. I’m also looking forward to the experiences involving chocolate sauce she’s mentioned???
Day 217, 3rd January
Hong
Collection of Passport Stamps
The pages with passport stamps from Hong Kong, Macau, and China. Kong - Kowloon (ferry) - MACAU
Stephane spent all night fiddling about packing and unpacking his stuff, re-shuffling, and re-packing, over and over again? And he was still not ready to leave till around midday. He’s been ‘Tobified’! I went to the post office to post a small package to Kathryn, and surprise - I had two cards from her waiting for me! Checked my email to see if the guys had wrote from Macau….nothing!
So, at about midday, we were packed up and set out for the Kowloon ferry terminal along one-way streets and pavements. The terminal was new and catered for several ferry companies. We booked the cheapest that would take bikes. It was HK$113 per person and an extra 20 for the bike. Immigration was simple, but finding the ferry was a touch more difficult as we cycled around the berths looking for our boat. Finally, we found our catamaran - “First Ferry 2”. It had few people on board at set off at 2pm.
The journey took 75 minutes, passing islands with beautiful sandy beaches. As the ferry approached Macau, I became aware of the mass development since my last visit in 1993.
Hong Kong Post
My collection of Hong Kong stamps in my journal which the PO franked nicely. There was a new airport, new bridges, a skyline, and a new efficient ferry terminal. Unlike the old one which had queues for ages, we were soon through passport control and into the Macau SAR. It was way to late to meet the other guys at the Casino Lisboa as we had arranged a few days back, instead we decided to head straight for the Hostel San Va.
It was a pleasure cruising down the narrow streets on our loaded bikes, and finding the old colonial-style hostel with its slanty walls and beaten-up appearance. It was cheap at HK$50, or 50 Pataca, per night. So we booked in and went off to explore the town. What a pleasant change from busy and noisy Hong Kong, less traffic, quiet side streets, old colonial architecture, and many pedestrianised areas to explore. The little bakeries were a temptation for Stephane because of his Gallic love of bread and sweet things. It was also really strange seeing things written in Portuguese too. We visited the ruins of St Pauls, the famous façade on all the postcards, and then up to the fortress to witness a truly beautiful sunset over the hills of nearby
Colone Beach
At the southern tip of Macau, after cycling over the "NO BIKES ALLOWED" bridges. Nick, Tobes, Scott, and Rory free-camped here. mainland China. On the fortress I notices that the old colonial observatory that I saw in 1993 had now been turned into a museum.
The streets of Macau are confusing and fun, and can send you in a number of directions, getting lost was no problem at all. Later on we checke email and found out that the other guys were free-camping on the beach on Coaloane Island, apparently. I emailed Kathryn again, knowing that when I get back into China, the possibilities will be less. Feeling closer, I wonder how this story will end - there’s another three months to Singapore….
Total Miles: 9943.28 Todays Miles: 4.83 Average speed: 5.0 Time on bike: 0:57
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Jack
non-member comment
Macau
Are you telling us ancent history? The visas and stamps are dated 2001 and 2002.