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Published: September 25th 2010
We're now half way around the world, not bad for a couple of days traveling. Firstly we took a 14hr flight from Santiago to LA, we were on the back row next to the loos and the hangout area for the stewards - not the best combination for getting any sleep. Arriving with our nerves shattered and exhausted our day of sightseeing in LA was put off for a brighter day, so we checked in to a backpackers motel. It was exactly what we needed; free food, free champagne, washing machines and a big comfy bed. After a 19 hr stopover we hopped on to another plane for another 14.5hrs and flew to Hong Kong. A much better flight altogether which was lucky seeing as we arrived at 5am and couldn't check in to our hostel until 1pm. It was our first experience of being heat scanned when entering a country too, seeing if we have a fever (an indication of bird flu).
Being a bit spaced we still managed to figure out public transport to our hostel, drop off our bags and did some sightseeing. We took the underground to Lantau Island and went up and over a couple
Free free free free
Our LA backpackers motel. Free Champagne party EVERY day! Such a shame we only stayed for 10 hours (we made it for one glass though!).of hills in a glass bottomed cable car to see a very big Buddha. It was a fun trip and as part of it we got to try our first noodles and dim sum. YUM!
As it happened our long journey was the wrong way around the world and we've lost a complete day. We set off on the Monday and landed on the Wednesday. Poor old Tuesday, lost somewhere over the pacific. Well because of all this time travel we were exhausted by 4pm and promptly fell asleep until the early hours. Gah! Missed the Symphony of Lights and all the yummy food we were going to find in the night markets. Never mind, luckily our little hostel (on the 5th floor of Chungking Mansion - sounds far grander than it actually is) is central to most things including the local 7eleven which is open at 2(?) and sells big lovely pots of noodles.
Thursday we crossed over to Hong Kong Island using the famous Star Ferry, walked around taking in the size and quantity of the huge sky scrapers and grabbing the funicular tram up to the also famous viewpoint at Victoria Peak. The views were
quite awesome, even though there was a certain amount of foggy cloud around.
During the evening we made it out to see the Symphony of Lights, a light and music show that uses the buildings either side of the harbour every night, a really enjoyable display. After, we walked over to the night market on Temple Street and had a meal. Not the best, but the setting was lovely; drinking a San Miguel (brewed in HK) sitting at the side of the road watching the world go by. People watching - one of our favourite pastimes.
Hong Kong has a lovely feel about it. There is a certain amount of people vying for your business (you need a tailor? massage?) and there’s the annoying drips of water that seem to plague the streets. On closer inspection it’s just people’s clothes hanging out of their windows drying. Most people live in the sky in HK because there’s so little space for the population. However, drips and sales people aside it has a lovely, friendly, relaxed atmosphere. We are Lai King* Hong Kong a lot.
We’ve now made it to Bangkok in Thailand. It’s hotter here, the airport staff
aren’t nearly as friendly, the bugs are bigger BUT the curries are magnificent. One taste of the chicken penang and we knew we had arrived.
Oooodles of noooodly love
S&S
XxXxX
*Lai King is a stop on the underground. The joke is Steve’s responsibility ;o)
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Vic
non-member comment
there are very random offerings.... smoked mozzerella too- i'm sure this would be lovly with the yakult and a drizzle of olive oil to make it michellin star!