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Repulse Bay
The modern buildings sit on the edge of the bay, with the cloud setting in behind(problems with memory cards and crappy internet places so photos will be uploaded in Thailand)
Arriving in hot and humid Hong Kong with no sleep for however many goddamn hours - not knowing what day of the week was, let alone the time - was a real shock to the system. I was already drenched in sweat and the size and closeness of the skyscrapers seemed to bear down on me from above; but hey! I had a new stamp in my passport and I was ready to see a brand spanking new country! As I struggled uselessly with my bus map trying to find out where the hell I was meant to get off in the middle of HK island, a kind little Chinese lady with broken English tried her best to help me and told me that she would let me know when to get off - little pint sized angel. As we rode the bus through the jammed city streets she pointed out buildings ans told me what they were - or at least I think that was what she was doing, couldn't understand a word, so she got alot of "Ummm yes, interesting" and "right, yes,
I see" - I didn't. I eventually asked her why all those bloody people were hanging around the streets in their red tops (had they heard i'd arrived?) She told me that the olympic touch was coming through Hong Kong today. Now what was it that my mother told me in that last worried phone call in Joburg - Oh yes - "stay away from anything to do with the Olympics!" And here I was arriving on a bus in HK in the middle of the sodding procession!
My hostel was located in what looked like a block of flats, but once you entered through the dingy beginnings Yes Inn as actually a breath of fresh air, compact but clean and friendly, they'd better bloody be for 14 pounds a night. (had to stay there coz all cheap places in the city were booked up for the holiday and olympics torch thingy - bad day to arrive apparently!) When I woke up from my much needed granny nap; i was faced with, guess what? More bloody Brits! Ended up having a brilliant night out in HK's famous bar district, spending WAY too much money (Jesus Hk is rip!) and getting
into bed at 4.30am - not too bad for my first night!
The next morning I had to move to the dreaded "mansions" on Nathan road, unfortunately missing a day on the beach with the brit boys and getting myself acquainted with the horror that is New kowloon hotel and Mirador Mansions. I minute I got off the subway I was met with a barrage of men shouting "Tailor!" "Copy Watch/Copy Handbag!" "HOstel Hostel!". I rushed past them and flung my bag in a few faces which seems to work and thanked God I only have my little 50Litre with me so I can (relatively!) easily slip through a crowd. The mansions are it seems a bit of an institution in HK - Cheap accommodation for those who don't mind roughing it. Well rough it I did. Reception is a little school desk in the hallway, about five hostels share the same rooms, my dorm was located next to the 'reception' had a curtain for a door, no lockers at all, a shower head that hung limply above the toilet which was inside the room (within walls luckily!) and acted as a corridor for the ladies who ran a
laundry service on our balcony. I pulled out my trusty sleeping bag liner (for the 1st time) and went to sleep, whilst obviously making sure none of my skin touched anything!
That day I also did something on my own for the first time - I've been traveling 2 months and still never been alone. It was actually quite liberating and HK has a fantastic transport system which meant I easily navigated my way to Stanley Market and Repulse Bay. Not much to report it was just another market with more market toot. Different toot to Africa but toot all the same! The beach was lovely, a low cloud was hugging the mountainous backdrop and the contrast between the stunning landscape and highrise buildings was fascinating. It was something that struck me immediately about Hong Kong, it looks just like a deserted, Asian island would look in your minds eye with it's forest covered mountains meeting the ocean; but then some bright spark plonked a great big city on the tiny bit of flat land at the water's edge. (then when that land wasn't enough decided to reclaim land from the sea! crazy!) I do love the contrast between
contrasts
repulse bay the buildings though; some so old and thin housing hundreds of tiny flats, the others huge and imposing with brand new, shiny facades. It definitely took me a while to get my head around it, especially since I was still in South Africa mode. (same exchange rate but in one a cuppa cost 9 Rand in the other it cost $22!)
Spent some time in walking along the water's edge at the avenue of stars (famous chinese people apparently!) which calmed me and strolling through Kowloon park; where hundreds of HK'ers sat in the shade (bar a few westerners slowly crisping themselves in the sun) and had picnics or sat chatting. I even got there in time for the Kung Fu demo which happens in the park every Sunday at two. That evening I also did an incredibly Chinese/HK thing and went back to the waterfront for the evenings light show! Oh my god, who the hell thought of this?! Every evening at 8pm on the dot the whole of HK island lights up to music, all the buildings - Richard Rogers HSBC building even decipherable in the crowd. It was spectacularly tacky but so chinese and we're really
glad we went because quite frankly you can't come to HK and not see it! By this point I had met another English guy called Alex from my dorm and we went out for a little dimsum - ended up in a really fancy restaurant, by accident, in our scummy backpacker outfits but had some good dim sum and decided to 'do' the Big Buddha on lantau Island the next morning, after I had put in my passport to get my visa for China.
Computer says Naaaoooo!
Got to the CITS outlet near my hostel, filled out the application form, forked out the money for passport photos, handed over my flight schedule print out and was assured I didn't need my full accommodation address. Great. Then the woman calls me over and hands everything back, "can't to it here, you din't have a flight out of China, you must talk to the embassy." Excuse me, I have five flights after taking me all the way back to england, why isn't that enough? "show me the flight leaving China" Well i'm over landing between here and Singapore, my next flight is from Singapore. "rules changed, you must show
a booking out of China, I can't take that." I tried to explain that I couldn't book it coz I didn't know yet how I was leaving but I would obviously make it before my visa ran out. "Embassy. NEXT!"
And so began the visa ordeal. Apparently when I left the UK HK was the best place to get a visa for China but in the 2 months I was in Africa the Tibetan riots occured and the threats on the Olympic torch so all the rules for getting a visa had changed. Only single entry 30 day visas were available and you needed booked accommodation and flights out. Slight problem for a backpacker who wanted to spend 7 weeks in the country! We figured we would take a quick look at the embassy and see how long it would take before heading to Mr Buddha man. The queue was about a mile long and it was only 10.30, asked a man how long it would take and he said they weren't taking any more people that day, so these people were just waiting in the hope they might let a few more in! Screw that! Just hoped I would
eb able to get it all sorted the next day and get out of HK asap (I needed countryside and cheap stuff!)
The Big Buddha on Lantau Island is a tourist trap but I still really enjoyed my day. Got the cable car up to the top and you get the most incredible view as you come up on the mountain, Boy! the Buddha really is big! We even got to see some Thai monks on their holiday, posing for photos with their posh cameras in front of the Buddha! It was ridiculously hot and walking up to the buddha was a struggle but it really is a crazy sight. As we walked around the monastery and 'wisdom path' the low lying cloud set in again and lent an interesting mystical atmosphere to the whole thing. The Wisdom Path is a replica but still impressive; tall wood pillars stand vertically, with the words of a famous mantra carved in chinese on their flat surface, their bases placed so that when followed around the path forms the infinity symbol. There looks like there are some stunning hiking trails all around the area and we would've loved to explore them if
we had given ourselves more time, but something to definitely go back for. For dinner we tried some HK street food, an experience to say the least! Looking around for a dive to slum it in all we could find were chinese menus and when we found ones with english translations we were offically put off the 'point and hope for the best' option. Noodles and pigs organs anyone? Beef stomach? Fish head soup? No, I'm good thanks! Ended up getting some really yummy fish balls after seeing them made right in fornt of our eyes. (the guy had them on a flat griddle and made the balls by molding them with needles as the mixture cooked!)
Computer says Naaoooo! .... again
Alex left for Yangshuo (coz he cleverly got his visa before arriving!) so I was left to deal with the bureaucracy on my own - pretty sure he's really glad about that considering what happened! I went to the Embassy nice and early, an hour and a half before it opened, and was still 30th in the queue. Got my ticket, talked to a few people in the queue and got an idea of how
bad it had all gotten. I was worried, I did't want to have to fuss with buying a ticket and getting a refund and wasting time in HK, I just wanted out at this point! When I got up to the counter the woman was less then cordial and when I began to explain my predicament (having lots of non refundable flights I was obviously going to take and having a hostel booking but no printer to show the confirmation) She listened and said I need a booking out of China. Hurrumph! I am overlanding through china and south east asia to singapore, I'm a backpacker that's how it works, where am I meant to get a bus ticket out of China, in Hong Kong?! I don't understand what you need from me! Why isn't this flight good enough, I'm obviously not staying in China! She started looking at my itinerary. "You are going to these places in China?" yes. (nothing out of the common way, all touristy places, no tibet) "I need all bus and train bookings in China." WHAT! I'm sorry, what now?! My voice started to crack as I thought of the logistics of getting all my
transport booked before I even got my visa and staying in HK and that bloody dorm room till it was done. I had already had to think of an alternate plan for the three weeks I was able to spend in China coz I could only get 30days. I was not in a great position, I could feel the desperation and frustration edging up my throat and into my tear ducts, to try and explain that backpackers simply cant work like that, I didn't know every single movement timed to the minute for the next month! I told her that millions of people had traveled through China this way, that my friends had got visas with none of this information. Am I the first backpacker to enter China! The tears started rolling down my face as I tried to clarify that she needed every train journey within China. Her face didn't soften or offer any explanation as I said "don't make me stay here! you really need everything?!" She just shook her head and said she wouldn't even consider my application.
I was by this point angry; I ripped my forms back from her and turned around to see the
whole of the Embassy staring at me. Crying hysterically, I couldn't stop it, I made my way through the crowd and to the bathroom to try and control my breathing before hitting the street. What the hell was I going to do? Deep down I knew it would work its self out somehow but I was on my own and so frustrated with the whole system (and that stupid woman sporting an ugly bowl cut and face like a slapped arse.) I was not on top form, lets say, when I made my way back to Kowloon; people could see my red eyes and when I decided to got to another internet cafe and get my accommodation print out and see if I could get a refundable flight I was lifted slightly by the sight of a fancy looking internet cafe right by the ferry station. I asked the guy if I could print out - "Not today" Are.You.Kidding.Me?! Walking up Nathan ROad I was accosted by the zillions of "Tailor!" "Copy Watch/Copy Handbag!" men and I just looked at them and they all fell away like swatted gnats - It seems I had just found the perfect death stare
to get rid of even the most ambitious hawker! I then remembered the address of an agency that a guy in the first hostel had given me, he said they sorted out his and were really good. Went back to my scabby hostel room (started crying all over again as I found a little envelope that had fallen out of my pocket, inside was a South African beaded flag my Aunty had given me before I left, Jesus I missed Africa!)
Got the address and headed straight over there, was a bit worried it might not be kosher but it was all cool and was told it would be ready at 5pm the next day! Yess Yes Yes! I needed a bit of a breather to ended up in Starbucks of all places. There is one right on the water front and they had English tea and comfy chairs where I could sit and write my journal for a while, perfect!
That afternoon I met a couple more English guys and we went to the peak which wasn't that great because the mist had descended over the city so the view was pretty crap, at least the guys were
good fun! The next day I picked up my visa at five with all my bags and headed straight for the train station, I plumped for the super expensive express train straight to Guangzhou, so that I could spend the night there and get to Yangshuo the next day. If I had thought about it arriving in a new city/country in the middle of the night prob wasn't the best idea but hay ho! at least I was on my way!
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Gem
non-member comment
aww....
awww.....poor Al... although that did have me laughing quite a lot! Glad you got it all sorted xx