Off to Oz… And back again.! September 21-28, 2007

The ongoing project of moving travel stories to my blog continues...

Off to Oz… And back again.!

Well, the trip is coming together – slowly but surely. And I am starting to get excited. Currently fly Vancouver – San Francisco – Sydney – Hamilton Island – Airlie Beach. Once there, stay overnight then off on a 4 day, 3 night cruise… Pictures of the ship and link to the site below. Booked into the 4 share cabin – hope nobody snores too much (however, with the jetlag may not actually care – I leave Vancouver at 5pm on Sept 21st and don’t arrive in Airlie Beach until probably 7pm local time on the 23rd (= just before midnight on the 22nd in Vancouver – about 31 hrs in transit, ARGH!). This would be why starting off with a cruise (everyone said I should see the Whitsunday Islands, and I figured would be a good way to get over my jetlag).

http://whitsundaysailing.com/tallship_home.php?wp=14&nsm=57

September 21, 2007

Well, all that above was before I left on the trip… Here’s how it actually went. Once again, I got off to a somewhat frenetic and inauspicious start. No BC (cat) issues this time – he left the night before my departure to stay with Gordon (one of my new co-workers). But, I’ve borrowed Vicki’s luggage again, then given it back. The pile of stuff to take along with me has been growing, and at the eleventh hour, I have realized I need a bigger suitcase… VICKI! Dial, leave a message, continue packing… Vicki calls back, Brennan lets me in to get the suitcase, re-pack (for about the fourth time), and call a cab. It’s 2pm and I have a 5pm flight to the US, given new guidelines, starting to cut it a bit close. Cab arrives, and it is a good day to be leaving town – under 10 degrees and pouring rain. However, at W. 8th and Granville, things get a bit dicey – the windshield wiper snaps off my cab (have I mentioned it’s pouring?). So, the driver calls dispatch (who seem somewhat disinterested), and I stress. Eventually decide to get the driver to
drop me just the other side of Broadway to add the possibility of the 98B line as a travel option. Just as we are getting my baggage out of the trunk, my driver manages to flag down a SurDel taxi. Everyone is happy – me, the trip
is finally back on-track, the driver – he’s been deadheading back to the airport, so is happy for a fare. Traffic, well…

At the airport. Check in. Sit and wait. Hey, there are sparrows inside the terminal! Watch the birds, listen to music, read my magazine, and – wait. Board the plane, fly to San Francisco – time to change planes. Following signs to the International Terminal… Follow, follow, follow – no signs! Head in what seems to be the right direction – communication breakdown, not the right place. Traipse across the terminal – it’s not that late, but very few apparent staff around. Try a few service phones – no luck. Finally, find a man at an info booth at the other end of
the terminal… Who sends me back toward where I started (I love the mechanics of traveling! Grrrr). Stop at the Qantas counter, confirm my seat, clear through security, and again – wait! Being at a destination – great! Getting there… Not so much… Finally, the plane is ready to load.

I thought it might be a Canada vs. everywhere else thing, but a few people have said it might be a Qantas thing – load first class, load business class, and now it is a free-for-all (there are a few colourful modifiers running through my head on that one)! Thrilled. This is just nicely in keeping with the trip so far – and I am so looking forward to fifteen hours on a plane! Why do people in the first thirty or forty rows rush on to the plane?? All they succeed in doing is blocking the aisles – and I’m heading for row 73! Mood, improving by the minute (yeah, right). Arrive at my seat – electrical system for entertainment unit in my foot-well; this, is not in the info on the seating charts! – or I would have sat in the other seat … I’m back here for two reasons: I can’t sleep on planes, so at least this way I can
stand for part of the flight without disturbing too many people; and, according to the seating charts – the seat beside me is one of the last ones they fill on the plane – great theory! Oh, yeah, and, all the overhead bins anywhere near my seat are full. Plan B?

I realize that the guy standing behind me in the aisle, is waiting patiently for the seat beside me. ARGH! Move out of the way. Continue my little princess fit of trying to figure out what I might want in the next fifteen hours, before I stow my carry-on. At this point, I’m sure I resemble an oversized squirrel (and one who is suffering from a bit of a princess complex at that)… If it weren’t for the fact that my new seatmate is almost as unimpressed with the situation as I am – I think he’s a bit amused (except for the preference for business class vs. back row of
cattle-class with a crazy lady…). Unpacked. Sit down. Recover from snit. Best to introduce myself – try to prove not a crazy lady, and well… We’re stuck together for the next fifteen hours – whether we like it or not.

Introductions over, proposal is put forth that perhaps we should just drink… I’m in! Although, in the end, one drink each with dinner. Much chatting – art (showing of collection which I keep with me on my daytimer), renovations (the photos were originally mixed in – picked the wrong folder to start), work, insurance (once a geek, always a geek – regardless of situation, apparently), travel… By the end of the flight – I have definitely made a new friend – who, I promptly lose in customs! I’m out, and done with quarantine, and… No Chris, no Henry. Off to get change and make some calls. Only reach Chris’s voicemail – leave a message. Let’s try Henry. He is ten feet away. Meet up, head to car, off to Henry & Raelene’s for a few hours before my next flight. Coffee, bath, laundry – they’re my heroes!

Oh yeah, it’s September 23, 2007… (gotta love that date line!)

E-mail to parents, and such. Back to the airport. Check in. Pick up a message from Chris at the counter – Henry is highly amused. Clear security (Henry can come with me, which is very cool!), stop for a beer, then off to flight number three – Sydney to Hamilton Island. Even adjusted for the time difference, door to door I am finally going to be at about 34 hours, four airplanes (and the two cabs at the start) in transit!

September 24, 2007

Up, shower, breakfast, pack, leave some luggage at hotel, check out. Taxi in to Airlie Beach (http://www.sailingwhitsundays.
com/WhitsundaysPlaces.php?id=9 and see the photos above). Check in with boat company, drop bag, wander around. Go for a walk, play on the swings (when there are swings, they must be played on!), buy a big sunhat(crushable, and with a good tie so is pretty windproof – which will be tested in the next few days!), settle down to
read under a palm tree overlooking the harbour and the boats – take a couple photos. Wander a bit more, get some water shoes, have lunch, check e-mail (this is a recurrent theme). Back to the boat office, read my magazine, wait for time to catch the bus. On the bus, at the boat – and we’re on board! I have two roommates –
Georgina and Maude. No one snores, so, we’re okay. This trip is definitely looking up… Admittedly, it’s had its good moments thus far already.

September 25, 26, 27

The next three days and nights are great scenery, company, food, and lots of cool sights! We motor, sail, snorkel, swim, sunbathe, explore, and bushwalk. From out of the water we see sea turtles, cockatiels, local flora, prehistoric caves. From in the water – corals, giant clams, angel fish, parrot fish, and Nemo! Here’s the itinerary taken from the chart on board… The crew was friendly, the food was fabulous, and the boat, as you can see was beautiful! This was truly the perfect way to start my Australian adventure…

Here are links to the places described above… (and links to my other photos on Flickr – Whitsunday Islands http://www.flickr.com/photos/36013650@N00/sets/72157603001327765 A selection of photos from the set – but there are more than what made it into this missive…

Stonehaven http://www.ccy.com.au/s/stonehaven/ - We anchored overnight here the first night. Luncheon Bay http://www.sailing-whitsundays.com/WhitsundaysPlaces.php?id=23 and parrot fish (who make clicking sounds under water), and a giant clam, and corals, and angel fish, and… Didn’t dive, just snorkeled, but was lots of fun. Blue Pearl Bay http://www.sailing-whitsundays.com/WhitsundaysPlaces.php?id=56 More snorkeling, more of the above fish, no Nemo…

Nara Inlet http://www.ccy.com.au/area/narainlet/ (cave paintings) - This is where we did the bushwalk to the prehistoric caves and paintings. Also, from the vantage point up here is where the photos of the ship were taken. See the pictures below for more.

As you can see, the palm tree above grows about in a circle… Ah, the unique flora and fauna of Australia. The food on board is fabulous, the weather is perfect… This was a good plan (I may have mentioned this once or twice… It really is quite delightfully enjoyable and relaxing). Whitehaven Beach was crystal blue water, white silica sand (weird, it doesn’t get hot) and a bit too much sun for that day. By the time the boats came to take us back to the ship, I wanted a cold shower and a nap (just a touch of sunstroke).

Whitehaven Beach http://www.sailing-whitsundays.com/WhitsundaysPlaces.php?id=7 http://www.whitsundaytourism.com/things_to_see/water-based/whitehaven-beach.cfm
http://www.sailing-whitsundays.com/WhitsundaysPlaces.php?id=30

Hill Inlet http://www.sailing-whitsundays.com/WhitsundaysPlaces.php?id=23 - this is where we are overlooking in these photos!
Below… The sand is Whitehaven Beach. Without a nice big chart in front of me, I am piecing this together from the
summary and the links.

All in all though – very relaxing and pleasant. Sail back to Airlie Beach (although, we are going to a slightly different spot than when we embarked) Back to the hotel, check back in, have a swim, a bit of a relax, and out to dinner with Georgina (nice little Thai place). One more sleep and the adventure begins again!

September 28, 2007

Up, finish packing, breakfast, cab to the airport – flight number five, back to Hamilton Island. Followed by six – to Brisbane, and seven – to Adelaide. It’s cool, raining, and windy in Adelaide – kinda like Vancouver. And there is a rainbow over the city as the plane is landing. Takes a couple tries to get sorted out and off to my hotel. Check in,get organized, check e-mail nearby, head to a little place (Penang http://my247.com.au/adelaide/map/Penang-Malaysian-Chinese-
Restaurant.14431 ) for Malaysian/Chinese food near the hotel (on a recommendation from Jason, my travel agent) – yummy. Not to mention that I even managed to find it on the little back street, when I was hungry, cranky, and
tired... Back to the e-mail, then off to go to bed – have to get up at 5am for a 620am bus tour. I am staying at the Mercure Grovesnor (http://www.mercuregrosvenorhotel.com.au/location.html ), and would certainly recommend it for the price. Nice room – no view, opens onto an air passage, but I’m not there for long and mostly I want a shower and sleep!

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 15-18

So, now we go back in time... Some photos have been removed from this one, as they weren't mine (and later ones of mine have been added), no longer certain how well the various hyperlinks work...

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 15-18

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Once everyone is up, get dressed, I pack – not planning on heading back up the hill after our next adventures...We head back down the hill to the Bookworm Café for breakfast (hummus wrap for me), then off to the beach at Hung Shing Yeh (also on the wikipedia site). We get Christie & Noah settled, then Ian and I head back to the ferry – off to catch a nap before dinner guests arrive.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294217-d951211-r17800785-Bookworm_Cafe-Hong_Kong_Hong_Kong_Region.html

We just made it to the ferry on time!! Good thing we both walk fast!!!! En route home, we stop to explore the wine section of the nice grocery store in IFC (and to buy the best french bread in HK)… Then stop at another wine store. A fun stop – lots of stuff not availble in Canada. Home, nap, Christie & Noah get home (took a bit longer than anticipated, ‘cause poor old Noah cut his tootsies in the water), dinner guests arrive - Noel and Elly and Nicholas from, respectively, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Mauritius – even members of the same family have an international flavour here. We had a very enjoyable dinner – good company, good food, and some fabulous St. Emilion courtesy of the dinner guests.

Off to bed…

Monday October 16, 2006

Wake up… Wend my way back to Shenzhen (found it all by myself – eventually). Try on clothes, get some additional alterations, hit the King Elephant for lunch, try to track down some jewelery for Christie (should have done this before – almost didn’t find the stall I was looking for). Next, hide out for a while in the fabric area (the only place where people aren’t following me to sell me stuff!) Buy lengths of silk for three scarves (which end up being about Cdn$6 each – really, can’t beat it) all appear to have been good choices, as have garnered lots of compliments since I returned (and I wear one almost every day – unless am wearing my trusty Russian one from 1990!).

After a while, decide to go hide at the Shangri-La again – it is a busy day with the tailors, some other Canadians, some Australians, and I think a couple South Africans… Have a beer and some lovely walnuts in the lounge (I now understand why Vicki likes walnuts; if they aren’t rancid, they are very nice – and these are very fresh).

Pick up all the stuff… And head back to Hong Kong. I was anticipating a quiet night – yeah, right! Christie has other plans, there are things I haven’t seen. So, the plan is to go to Felix; the Philippe Starck (the designer of my space age war of the worlds looking juicer) designed bar at the top of the Peninsula Hotel. http://hongkong.peninsula.com/phk/restaurants_02.html

Photo from the bar - taken at a later date

and the view from the ladies' room...

I dress accordingly – time to pull out one of the new cocktail dresses! However, first it appears we are going to the Temple Street night market (I’m a bit over dressed, but what the hell!). We started at the Yau Ma Tei end of the market and worked our way all the way to the Mongkok end of it. http://www.hong-kong-travel.org/YauMaTei.asp Nice to have a ‘local’ in tow to help negotiate! Got a few final souvenirs – a laser pointer to play with the cat, a laser etched crystal of the giant Buddha, an evening bag... Part way through, spot some people drinking TsingTao – hmmm, that looks good, maybe we should stop. On the other hand, legal to drink on the streets here – so we buy a giant bottle to share, and continue through the market (nothing but class, you know! – I’m sure you can picture this in a purple and blue silk cocktail dress...).

Feet are getting sore, so we hop a cab, hit Felix, have a drink (scotch for me), watch the view, then stroll over to Aqua for one last stop (Aquatini once we get a seat)... http://www.aqua.com.hk/ . Cool looking bar – appears to be at the top of an office building! Great view of the harbour – who knew, the lights in the harbour start to get turned off after midnight! Finish our drinks and head home – it’s my final sleep!

Tuesday October 17, 2006

It’s going to be a quiet morning – have breakfast, and say good-bye to everyone. Pack the last of my things – and buy a last minute suitcase from the drug store (for a whopping Cdn$15) – this is easier than overstuffing my back pack, and I can take one carry-on bag. It is barely full, but easier to tote around. Have a bath, hope that Ami makes it home before I leave (so can find the right train back to the airport). Sure enough, Ami arrives back from her class and brings me a luggage cart (this system is slick!).

Have lunch, and time to leave! I’ve used on-line check in again, so that goes smoothly. Browse about - buy some miniatures of chairs which are in the permanent collection for design at MoMA (these ones are all plastic, rather than scale replicas in original materials, but they’ll do – the dollhouse now has better furniture than I do!). Get some snacks and water for the plane, and off back home (where I will arrive three hours before I left – gotta love that date line).

Allison picks me back up, drops me off, go grab a couple groceries, then hang out at home – BC is pretty vocal about his displeasure at being alone overnight (Sue stayed for the evening, then headed home). Time to unpack a bit, settle back in – it’s back to work on

Wednesday October 18, 2006

(including a meeting at IIBC – I’m fading fast). Book Thursday off – have Salute – Insurance Person of the Year to attend Thursday night, and think my day is best spent resting (and a chiropractor appointment to help offset the hours on the plane!). The day in the office on Wednesday proved there were no major fires to put out, and I’ll be back in on Friday.

Next year – Sydney …

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 12-14

So, now we go back in time... Some photos have been removed from this one, as they weren't mine (and later ones of mine have been added), no longer certain how well the various hyperlinks work...

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 12-14

Thursday October 12, 2006

I’ve almost been here a week! Christie is not happy about going to work – mostly just exhausted. I have a quiet morning, since my only plans are to meet Ian (from the plane) for lunch. We are meeting up in the lobby at the Peninsula Hotel in Kowloon http://hongkong.peninsula.com/phk/photos.html http://hongkong.peninsula.com/phk/photos_restaurants_07.html - this is not where we stay for lunch. Head down the street to a place which has been recommended. Food is ok, but not stellar, and we spend much of lunch being ignored by the staff – and not having our orders arrive. Oh well… On vacation, not too upset. After lunch stroll around a bit, then Ian has to go meet up with another friend. So, back across on the Star Ferry and decide to make a pit stop on the way home - 3 guesses, 1st 2 don’t count as to where I am headed! If reflexology was $11 a shot in Vancouver, I’d go every day here too!

Head home afterward, and if I recall correctly, in bed pretty early… We’re off back to China tomorrow to pick up all the goodies.

Friday October 13, 2006

New surprise, I am on my own to go to Shenzhen – Christie has some errands to run, and will meet me there. Hmm, this ought to be interesting – let’s find out how much attention I was paying in my prior jetlagged stupor! I have a bit of a head start, as Christie makes sure I get on the right bus (after I run back and pick up my suitcases which I just left at Starbucks) – and I ride it to the end. She has assured me that everything will look familiar when I get off the bus – here’s hoping!

Sure enough, arrive at the station, manage to get on the right train, find the visa office, get my visa, go through customs… So, I can get to Shenzhen, finding the tailor is proving a bit more difficult (much wandering around on the wrong floors – to a chorus of ‘missy, missy… DVD? Handbag? Manicure?’). Luckily the tailors have a watch out for me, and while I am advised that I’m late, I do make it.

Try on everything – this is where I really start to think I ordered too much! Even with the AC on in the mall, changing in a corner behind a curtain is getting hot and sticky… However, about 85% of the stuff seems to fit perfectly on the first try. The rest get pinned and pinched and will be altered while we wait in Shenzhen. Part way through the process, Christie arrives.

Next, off for lunch at King Elephant again (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!). At the end, we have more time to kill and I need the facilities; I’m not thrilled with the options in the mall, so we head across the street to the Shangri-la Hotel http://www.shangri-la.com/shenzhen/shangri-la/en/. Here we have an overpriced (by local standards) coffee, and kill some time.

When we come back, we have more time to wait, so off we go for the massage, foot massage, pedicure, manicure routine – starts off very cheap, but price increases as we go along. Ends up being about ½ the price of home.

In the end, the whole day was much easier than we had anticipated… However, Christie’s alterations got held up by mine, and I have ordered two more skirts and two more dresses. After discussion regarding having these items mailed to Christie, we negotiate that they can be ready for Monday, so, I’ll be back!

Even though the day has progressed pretty smoothly, we head home for a fairly quiet night – tomorrow is a new adventure.

Saturday October 14, 2006

We are heading to Lamma Island (one of the many outlying islands in the area). There is a birthday party which Noah is attending (well, really, we all attend), and Ron is lending us his apartment for the night so that I can visit Lamma. We head into Hong Kong, then walk through the IFC towers to access the ferry piers. http://www.12hk.com/sgt_lmma.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamma_Island http://www.hkoutdoors.com/outlying-islands/lamma-island.html Catch a hydrofoil across to Lamma – where there are no cars (well, virtually – see wikipedia link, they spell it all out better). http://www.asiacard.co.uk/ecard301.html http://www.asiacard.co.uk/ecard305.html http://www.asiacard.co.uk/ecard308.html We land in Yung Shue Wan (Banyan Bay), wander down the main drag (we see an ambulance, and a fire truck while on the island – picture 4ft high tonka toys!), pick up a few grocery items and then hike up to Ron’s place (it’s not that it’s far, or that it’s particularly onerous – but DAMN it’s hot – at least, by Vancouver standards!). Part way up I decide that once up and once down will be ample for this trip… I think it’s been about 29C and 90-95% humidity most of my visit – feels a couple degrees warmer on Lamma.

After a quick tour (I think Ron’s apartment might fit nicely into my livingroom), we head up to the roof and have some lunch. Apres lunch, it’s next door (pretty much) to the house where the birthday party is being held… Meet a bunch more people, have a drink, eat a bit, then Ron is off for the night. I proceed to watch the children & parents games, then after chatting a bit more Ian & I both head back to the apartment for naps… By the time I wake up, it is almost dark, and Christie has headed down to town to pick-up dinner. We have a pleasant quiet night of dinner and videos, then proceed to the battle of the airconditioner! Ian and Noah are sleeping in the bedroom, so they get to forgo aforementioned battle. I’m on the sofa, and Christie is on a cot (which I kept knocking the end off – hence why I’m not in it). I think in the end I lost the battle of the AC – was on when I went to sleep, woke up to it off and pouring sweat, turned it back on – which woke up Christie, who turned it off again… I think it is a good thing this is only for one night!

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 10 & 11

So, now we go back in time... Some photos have been removed from this one, as they weren't mine (and later ones of mine have been added), no longer certain how well the various hyperlinks work...

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 10 & 11

Tuesday October 10, 2006

Pretty quiet day… Up for breakfast with everyone, then have a bath and putter around getting ready. Head into Hong Kong in search of the tea shop I saw yesterday (found it on the first try). There are several choices for jasmine tea (and since it is still at my house as I type this, still not certain I got the right one!).

Next, get directions for where the reflexology place I saw advertised is… I know I’m close, but with the neon turned off during the day, can’t quite place it. Get directions to under the Bunni sign and off I go… Up a couple flights of stairs, knock on the door – dim and air-conditioned. Have a choice of reflexology or full massage – my feet need it most! There aren’t a lot of gwai-lo around in Wan Chai during the day… Took a couple tries to figure out we were all on the same page (I’m the only gwai-lo in the joint, the owner speaks a tiny bit of english, and the other women all work here). Hurt like hell for the first while, but at the end my feet were much happier.

Tempting to head home when done, but go back into Central, have a coffee, and wend my way over to the Peak. It’s a train tram (almost like a funicular, but the floor is not sloped into platforms) up the mountain. Here’s the official website http://www.thepeak.com.hk/full/en/index.php there’s a good video clip in here.
These (below) are all various links within one other site – so if you surf around, just open the 1st one… http://www.12hk.com/PkTramInStatn.html http://www.12hk.com/PeakViewDown.html http://www.12hk.com/PkTram.html http://www.12hk.com/PeakTramStanDeck.html

more pics from later trip

From the Peak, took the bus back down (a bit of an adventure!), the drivers drive like bats out of hell, and by the time we got down, was a bit queasy. Around mid mountain there were kites (the birds) circling around and playing in the air currents. http://www.pbase.com/andrew57/black_kites&page=all (photos below from this site)

Next stop, home for dinner, then off to the electronics night market (started in the street market, ended up in the shopping arcade) http://www.12hk.com/area/ShamShuiPo/ApLiuStreet.html http://www.12hk.com/GoldenShoppingArcade.html – I had been fueled by hopes of possible bargain cameras, but in the end the prices aren’t a whole lot cheaper than Vancouver, and then I would be restricted to one which took standard batteries. With the whole, halfway around the world thing, pass on the camera idea (many thanks to Ian for bearing with me on this adventure!). Did end up with a new memory card for my MP3 player, and a card reader.

Taxi home, and off to bed!

Wednesday October 11, 2006

Today Shawn has a day off and has kindly agreed to be my tour guide. So… Up early (a weird thing when on vacation – since never up until the last minute at home!). Breakfast, check e-mail, get organized, call Shawn (have waited until almost 10 – I know how much I love being woken up on day off!). Agree to meet up in Wan Chai around 11:30 at the reflexology place. Off to the train to head into HK…

Part way there, realize, not a hope in hell will be done on time – move the meet-up to noonish (works well for both of us, slow moving day apparently). Arrive at the reflexology place – not open yet, but one of the girls indicates they will be soon, so I should stay. Five minutes later, seated, have my water, feet being squished! This is a bargain – HKD75 for 45 minutes! Finish up and head downstairs to meet Shawn – this takes a couple phone calls to establish where exactly I am… I’ve been standing in front of a restaurant, so this seems like a pretty good place for lunch (it was, the veggie dumplings were excellent!).

Back into Central, grab a Starbucks (I’ve been to this one a few times now too), and off to catch a bus to Stanley. http://www.12hk.com/sgt_stan.html We get a seat at the front, and have a good view all the way – we don’t actually stop in Repulse Bay, but we do see it from the bus. http://www.12hk.com/sgt_rpls.html. We arrive and hit the market – this is THE place for souvenirs – although, the choices rapidly become a bit overwhelming. So, a break for another snack… Then back to the stalls. Pick up some limited edition prints (like I need more artwork!) http://www.luimingstudio.com/ from a stall run by the artist’s son.

http://www.luimingstudio.com/Pictures/shop_hk1.JPG

Stock up on most of the kitsch I will collect this trip, and head back into town after several hours. Shawn grabs a bit of a nap on the bus back, and we head home for dinner…

After dinner, change, and off to go meet Ian (he’s been working late) to go to the Lobster Bar at the Island Shangri-La http://www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/island/en/index.aspx http://www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/island/restaurants/en/index.aspx?ID=1395 (there is a virtual tour on that link). We are here with a purpose – the niece (Gillian Margot from Toronto) of a co-worker is singing jazz here for a couple months. Ian has dinner, we have snacks and some wine, listen to some nice jazz, have a bit of a chat, then on to the next adventure.

Christie has decided that since we are downtown already, I need to see Lan Kwai Fong http://www.lankwaifong.com/index.php?page=home – it wasn’t nearly as busy as in the pictures on this site!

This is bar-hopping central! First stop, Balalaika – where you get a faux fur coat, and go into a giant walk-in freezer with windows and a bar at one end, order a vodka shot (Arctic Chili Chocolate – yummy!), and head on (especially since Christie is shivering pretty much uncontrollably after a few minutes – picture the little girl in Frosty the Snowman). http://www.lankwaifong.com/index.php?page=show_search_detail&attach_id=NXDX2T1-QNMLTA6-ZGF7O73-BOPJA1I

Next we stroll through the area, past Baby Buddha (apparently a nice place to hang out, but too quiet – if I don’t keep moving, sleep will win!). After scoping out the area, we decide that Stormies has the best music for now (as it turns out, there is a Vancouver connection here with the ownership – who also owned the restaurant I had lunch in Stanley – The Boathouse).
http://www.lankwaifong.com/index.php?page=show_search_detail&attach_id=E86RHRQ-XCQDEM8-GONHRPB-WQYOJ9H

After a drink at Stormies, Christie gets a glint in her eye and we are off to Feather Boa – an ex-pat bar pretty much without an address… Up the stairs, down the street, onto the SoHo escalators, down another street… Pretty certain we have the right door. Looks closed – who knows on Wednesday night! Try the door – very much open (and CROWDED!)… Squeeze through the very friendly crowd (complete with drink tastes), and pass Christie $$ to get our drinks – large strawberry daiquiris in glasses with cocoa powder rims (this is a very good idea!).

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2006/the.scene/mobile/week22/city_guide.html http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/hong-kong/feather-boa-hong-kong.htm Find ourselves a spot against the wall, end up chatting with some Australians (from Sydney and from Singapore) who are in for meetings tomorrow in Shenzhen, stay for a chocolate martini (with frozen malteasers floating in it – also yummy!) – then lose our new friends to an early morning. Finish our drinks and head back to Lan Kwai Fong. Stop number three - The Cavern http://www.lankwaifong.com/index.php?page=show_search_detail&attach_id=C73YORT-R4T6NYU-I0WBVXD-1LXGXXJ where we dance a bit to the band, and head off to (from what I can figure out from the LKF website) Al’s Diner – the de rigueur stop here – dancing on the table with the bar around the ceiling… So, up we go (I didn’t buy Christie’s ‘you go first’ routine – I’ve met the girl before!).
http://www.lankwaifong.com/index.php?page=show_search_detail&attach_id=94LJUQX-5RY3RNV-13NYCNV-9ZTXCSY

It’s about 2am – home to bed!

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 9

So, now we go back in time... Some photos have been removed from this one, as they weren't mine (and later ones of mine have been added), no longer certain how well the various hyperlinks work...

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 9

Monday October 9, 2006

Today I venture into Hong Kong all on my lonesome… Christie seems a bit concerned about how I might fair, although I have pointed out that I managed just fine in Moscow in 1990 having taken the Jane Harris 30 minute course on how to use the Moscow Metro (if I can manage where no one spoke english, and the signs were in cyrillic, I think I should be ok in HK – most people seem to speak some english, and all the signs are in english).

So, off I traipse around 930 – I’ve had breakfast, packed some snacks (and the guidebooks), brought the cell phone (into which Christie has loaded all the pertinent numbers). The hard part seems to be deciding which train to take – when in doubt, ask! On to the platform, train arrives in 3 minutes, 12 minutes later getting off in Hong Kong Station (idiot proof – it’s the last stop). Select an exit, scan my octopus card, and we’re off…

Down the street, onto an upper walkway (these are cool – every city should have them!) and off to bang around. End up going out toward the Macau Ferries, poke around this mall, hit Starbucks, read a local entertainment mag I find there. Next stroll along another walkway, into the IFC towers (well, actually the mall below them and the walkways connecting the Four Seasons) http://www.ifc.com.hk/english/mall.aspx http://www.ifc.com.hk/english/location.aspx (this is a cute link). Doubt that you can get into the actual towers – but they’re interesting to read about http://www.ifc.com.hk/english/onetwo.aspx http://www.skyscraperpicture.com/2ifc.htm. These are nice clean bathrooms here – good place to stop. Next Dymocks (bookstore) to source out some postcards … Everything is easy to find, because the signage here is fabulous!

Pics of IFC towers from subsequent trip:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamedog/299152317/in/pool-abouthongkong/

Off out of the building, past the General Post Office find the Star Ferry Terminals (there are some cool features on these sites) http://www.starferry.com.hk/new/en/index.asp http://www.hongkongvoyage.com/starferry1.shtml http://www.12hk.com/StarFry.html (looks like they’ve now moved the ferries to new piers which were under construction!). http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlepillow/285032806/in/pool-abouthongkong/. End up on the first class deck (a whopping HKD2.20 – about Cdn$0.33) and off to Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon).

Off the ferry, past the Hong Kong Cultural Centre http://www.12hk.com/sgt_spce.html then wander along the Avenue of Stars http://www.avenueofstars.com.hk/eng/home.asp and on to the Hong Kong Museum of Art http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/intro/eintro.html

Hungry now! A stroll through the mall near the ferries turns up nothing of interest, so back to Central (trying second class this time – HKD1.70 – it’s the bottom deck).

Off to high tea in the Clipper Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental (which has just recently reopened after renovations) http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/514000005.asp. Nice facilities here too (much needed after several pots of yummy ginger tea!)… Explore the building a bit – running on a sugar rush right now. Wend my way (I think) toward the trains, but find myself at the escalators – might as well go with it! Everyone who I have talked to about going to HK has talked about these… They run downhill until 10am and then uphill for the balance of the day http://www.12hk.com/area/Central/MidLevelEscalators.html

More pics from later dates (views of and from the escalators):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central-Mid-Levels_escalator
Call Christie just to give her an update, and it is suggested that I should stick around for the harbour light show (8pm daily) – okee dokee. But first, hop a minibus (it was there, and really, how lost can I get on a steep hill – figure eventually most buses go through Central) back down the hill – by this point, my feet and legs are sore from walking around constantly for the past few days. Turns out, good guess. End up getting off in front of the Aon building on Pedder Street. Stop into Marks & Sparks, then off to ride the trolley buses http://www.12hk.com/tram.html http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldaustin/15778232/ http://www.trainweb.org/oerhs/roster/hongkong_12.htm

More pics from later trips:

and Wan Chai http://www.flickr.com/photos/drewford/255075851/ http://www.12hk.com/area/WanChai/WanChai.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlepillow/285106009/in/pool-abouthongkong/

An amazing amount of signage, and neon here – lots to look at and people are everywhere! Stores tend to stay open quite late, and everyone is up and about (a little cooler at night). Scope out a tea shop (promised to pick up some jasmine tea for Allison) and see lots of signs for reflexology (hmmmmmmmm, that sounds appealing right about now!).

Back into Central, onto the Star Ferry, and over to Kowloon to find somewhere to watch the light show. Found a restaurant with a pretty good view, and decent food. You really should check out these websites – you can get a much better feel for the event from them – there are movies in them. The technology is pretty cool too!
http://www.tourism.gov.hk/symphony/ http://www.hometoys.com/htinews/jun06/articles/abcom/hongkonglights.htm http://www.laservision.com.au/page.asp?lid=1&sec=Multimedia&subsec=Web+Movies&subsubsec=Symphony+of+Light

more later pics:

Once the show is over, finish my dinner, pay the bill, and head home – I’ve been down here for pushing twelve hours and sleep is seeming pretty appealing.

Train back, make it back to the apartment in one piece. Ran into James & Margarita & Tomas on my way back into the building – right, Christie was babysitting tonight while James and Margarita went to Lamaze class… Timing is everything.

Chat, visit, sleep!

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 7-8

So, now we go back in time... Some photos have been removed from this one, as they weren't mine (and later ones of mine have been added), no longer certain how well the various hyperlinks work...

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 7-8

Saturday October 7, 2006

Our project today is tailors! Despite the ongoing discussion via e-mail with Christie (which I thought I had won, turns out she had simply stopped engaging), regarding seeking a tailor and dress maker in Hong Kong, we are going to Shenzhen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenzhen
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g297415-s405/Shenzhen:China:Shopping.html
I have no visa. From here I was told I would need 6 months clear to expiry on my passport – I have 5 and a bit, and that a multi-entry visa – seems prudent for tailoring would cost about Cdn$250; really didn’t seem worth it. Christie has assured me that ‘in the real world’ if I show up at the border with a valid passport, and wish to enter China to spend money, they’ll give me the visa (as it turns out – HKD160, so about Cdn$25). As usual, she’s right! Getting there is a snap (well, sort of – mostly I am just blindly following along behind Christie as we enter the train, go a few stops, cross a platform, get on another line, go a few stops… Finally we end up at the KCR http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KCR and go one stop http://urbanrail.net/as/shen/shenzhen.htm to Luohu –our destination is .

We’ve made pretty good time, the tailors are not ready to deal with us yet. So, off to the King Elephant restaurant for a chinese/thai inspired meal – pretty good, and very cheap! As it turns out, it’s a good thing we ate! We were subsequently with the tailors (who Christie had used before, and whose names keep getting passed on – they specialize in western style clothing and have two staff members who speak english) from noon until 930pm! Christie gets kudos for not abandoning me in China – I hit the wall around 815 (jetlag – only been ‘on the ground’ two days; hot; sore feet), and we didn’t hit home until almost 11pm.

But, we accomplished A LOT; 16 things are now being altered, we’ve gone through the fabric I dragged along (cleared out the stuff which I’ve been meaning to make into things for the last fifteen or so years – along with the appropriate patterNs), and we’ve bought or ordered (to be delivered to the tailors tomorrow) probably a 150m of fabric (maybe more). I manage to follow (some) instructions, so I have also hauled along a few things to be copied – top, skirt, long coat, dress which has been several sizes to small for years (and has actually been living with Christie for some of those years - in anticipation of this trip, apparently). At the end of the day, I’ve been measured every which way, and tons of notes have been made for the order. We’ve got 2 strapless ballgowns coming (one I had fabric for, the other is an embroidered thai silk which ends up needing straps to keep it up); 2 coats; 2 chinese silk brocade cocktail dresses – even the token black one has other colours on it; 4 linen shirts (the shirt which Ian has kindly allowed me to expropriate for the duration of my trip – right, warm climate, and airconditioning, need something to coverup that isn’t too hot! – as inspiration – adding a second pocket & darts to make it a ladies shirt) w/ matching skirts; and assorted other pants, skirts, dresses, tops, wraps! Only a handful of things are black – there’s a lot of red, and green, and khaki, with a smattering of fuschia, and purple. All of this – including some 25m of silk, is going to set me back a whopping Cdn$1000.00-$1100.00 (seriously, the decimal is not in the wrong place – Christie was right! Mais oui, bien sur…)

Out of the (closing) mall, back through the border – depart China, through no-mans’ land, hit the duty free for some wine (although, decision making is not a prime hobby at this time), back into Hong Kong, onto the train, one stop – we’re taking the bus home (about the same amount of time, but no transfers – and this is the critical concern at this point).

Bed!

Sunday October 8, 2006

Today we had a pretty lax morning - up, hang out, check e-mail, breakfast, bath, get dressed. We are going up the airtram at Ngong Ping to visit the giant Buddha on Lantau Island. Christie figured out, while looking up the times, that you could buy reserved space at specific times. Boy is it nice to have an organized tour guide! (and to walk past the 2.5hr line up…). The airtram is new, and has only been operating a couple weeks (September 18, 2006) – apparently it was plagued by mechanical problems which delayed the opening. However, it is very interesting to read about – they used mules imported from Canada to help mediate the environmental impact of the construction (go figure!). Lots of interesting tidbits and photos here (part of why I don’t own a camera, this way, it’s all interactive!). http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/front/index.html
http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/about/np360_overview.html?play=on1&continue1=yes&soundpos=129567
We are heading up to poke around – when we arrive, I’m told that the ‘village’ http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/np360_exp/village_index.html?play=on1&continue1=yes&soundpos=41796 we arrive into is pretty much new. Look around a bit – given the dragonfly & butterfly motifs in the silk brocade my dresses are being made out of I am delighted to see multicoloured versions of both around in great profusion! We don’t see these colours here - http://www.pbase.com/andrew57/hk_natural_history&page=all

Grab a bite to eat, watch some dancers in the square – Noah participates at one point, and traipse off to our real destination – Tian Tan Buddha.

Photo from a subsequent trip

http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/visitor/buddha.html?play=off&continue1=yes&soundpos=0
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/touring/hkiidistricts/ta_dist_isla1.jhtml
After the trip up and around Buddha, we proceed on to the monastery (Google ‘images’ Po Lin Monastery for some fabulous photos of the flowers, and incense and gold!).

Here are a few from a later visit (once I owned a camera)

On our attempt to come back down the mountain, we developed a better appreciation of the aforementioned mechanical problems – after about 15 minutes in line, everything stopped (we were about 50 people from the front of the line by this point)… A series of ‘5 more minutes’, and we decided that it might be prudent to be the first people to the buses rather than the last. The guys with tool boxes who were scratching their heads were not engendering any warm fuzzies for us… So, Ian, Noah, and I stayed in line while Christie scooted over to the bus loop. As hoped, no traffic there, so she called us and off we hustled (oh my, the line outside the building is now about 2 blocks long – timing is everything!). Got on a bus just as they were starting to set up stanchions to keep everyone in an orderly line… The road down has some great views – but boy is it windy (and in several spots – single lane with signals indicating who can go up and who can go down – good thing, there were buses flying up the mountain to deal with the crowds!). When we got back down the mountain 30 or so minutes later, it looked as though the tram which was running (the lower part) was empty – we were never able to figure out how long it didn’t run for!

Anyway, back on the MTR, home, dinner, bed (see a common theme here??)….

Borrowing an idea...

So, now we go back in time... Some photos have been removed from this one, as they weren't mine (and later ones of mine have been added), no longer certain how well the various hyperlinks work...

Trip to Hong Kong... Trip one - 2006, Oct 4-6

Wednesday October 4th, 2006

You'd think 3pm flight would lead to a laid back morning, but, not so much... At least, got to sleep in a bit, but the cat is agitated and I'm trying to remember if I packed everything I needed (have to remember to bring clothes to wear, not just to get altered!). Think I got it all. Liquids are packed to conform to current aviation regulations - figures, I wait ‘til it gets to be a pain in the ass to start back on the international travel circuit!

Allison arrives to haul me and the two very heavy bags; gee, I hope these are within the weight limits per bag - they've been repacked at least twice - helmets & skates not in same bag as maple syrup... Huh? Off to visit Christie & Ian & Noah, and since Ian plays hockey in Hong Kong, Noah wants to too - so, the chick with no kids has been off buying hockey gear for a five year old. Many thanks to Cynthia's son Donald, who helped me out with this project! As for the maple syrup, anyone who knows both Christie and I knows that in our 21 years (has it really been that long?!) years of friendship, one of my jobs is to ship/cart stuff to her when she decides to go live in a foreign country. Japan - was a shipping relationship; Hong Kong - think may stay as more of a carting one; next stop... Probably continue to cart periodically to wherever the Breakingbury/Melhado household is set up (need to earn my keep after all). Okay, okay... Almost ready to get out the door. Think have left everything ready for Sue to stay with BC.

All the renos and building at the airport are fantastic - but really, there needs to be a way to tell if there is any parking available when you are selecting lots! Around, and around, and around... Allison kindly drops me off near the elevators, and heads off in search of parking. Time to see how well the online check-in worked... Bags are within weight limits (although, not a lot of leeway left). Checked in, no way to upgrade seat, Alli's parked - let's go have lunch (gotta love the street-level pricing requirments at YVR - this is why we've arrived early for me to check in). Oops, got a bit too carried away with the 'available time', gotta scoot through security. Damn! Looked like no line up - the line is behind the glass. Time is getting a bit close, but other people in line seem to have boarding passes for the same flight - fingers crossed, toes tapping, stuff ready to scan (c'mon, c'mon...) - yeah, folks, what part of no liquids was unclear??

Okay, through that, now... Where's the gate?? Of course, at the end. Get in line, realize you can take liquids purchased after security on, get out of line, buy some water, back in line... Guess no point rushing, as I am in the very last row, and might as well wait until the people in the middle are settled before trying to get through. As it turns out, going to have someone to talk to on the plane (acquaintance from when I made the trip back on the high speed catamaran from Nanaimo at Christmas 2005 - before they canceled the run). It's a funny small world - we work on the same block, but I have only run into Ian once in a restaurant in Vancouver; various modes of transportation - there seems to be the overlap! Nice to see someone who knows 'the drill' for this trip - I have not been looking forward to the length of time on a plane!

Lessons learned on 13.5hr flight - do not sit in the middle section of seats unless there are no other aisle seats available - this is the 'family row' and frighteningly few parents control the movements of their kids - seat cranked back, then bounced up and down in and out all night. Also, when the chart says limited recline, it means, limited recline - no legroom left at all with the front seat back. Getting a tad grumpy, and tired of standing in the back! Also, due to a glitch with the entertainment system, what is playing is not what is scheduled - and the pickings are slim.

At least I have Ian to talk to, and my discman (and even cheesy movies give you something to do)…

Thursday October 5, 2006

Yeah! We are in Hong Kong – well, at Chek Lap Kok Aiport http://www.asiatravel.com/hkair.html (click on the links on the site) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_International_Airport.

Having crossed the international date line, it is about 7:30 in the evening of the following day, but we're landing. Almost last off the plane - no point pushing from the very back. Hop on the train which connects the international arrival and departure gates to the main terminal - pretty slick. Wend our way through immigration and customs - smooth and pretty painless. Locate baggage carousel. Mentally bless Vicki for lending me her bright blue luggage, very easy to find, and we're out of here!

Through another door, and there are Christie & Noah waiting for me. Do the introductions, and determine that I don't need to go buy an Octopus card http://www.octopuscards.com/consumer/en/index.jsp, Christie (as her usual organized self) has one for me. So, off we head to the train (MTR) http://www.12hk.com/hk_xprt.html#mtr. Christie & Ian (very much by design, as this is their second residence in 4 years in HK), live in a complex on 2 train lines, and a bus loop. They are one of 3 stops on the Airport Express line.

HKD60 (exchange was somewhere between HKD6.5-7=Cdn$1) gets us almost home. But, from here, it gets cooler - we pick up an airport style luggage cart, and off we go home to tower 12 (where we leave the cart at the front door of the apartment, and someone picks it up - talk about hassle free!). Not sure how well the links below will work, but if you Google tierra verde hong kong (2,680,000 sq ft of residential in the complex) then you can get all sorts of details about the complex. It's pretty impressive (not to mention slick) http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/cx/?id=100561

This picture was taken on a subsequent trip... But shows the complex where they lived

Hand out stuff I hauled, have a visit & some wine, off to bed…

Friday October 6, 2006

Up early (actually, up repeatedly through the night, but a sleeping pill around 3am facilitated sleeping until about 7am when everyone else got up), if briefly – breakfast, say good-bye to everyone, and go crawl back into bed in Christie & Ian’s room (more out of Ame’s way – since she is so kindly sharing her room with me for the duration of my visit!). Slept until about 2ish, up, dressed, ate – Christie’s home!

On the whirlwind tour, the next stop is a cab to the Flower Market (Google Hong Kong flower market – for details, and under images for fantastic pictures…) http://www.anniebees.com/China/China_52.htm (bought so many flowers, we had to use the bathroom garbage can as a vase – carnations, variegated roses, red roses (a gift to me from Noah), jasmine, and pompom chrysanthemums); a brief sojourn through the Song Bird Market; and a quick hustle over to the Gold Fish Market(Google hong kong goldfish market – images) (we got three new gold fish – from tanks, then into the bags, but they really do have them pre-packaged in bags – only one lived more than two days – but he was really healthy!). Was starting to get dark as we left – and the neon was coming on…

pictures of other goldfish in HK on other trips to HK, and of neon in other neighbourhoods

Back into a cab, and head home – there is company coming for dinner at 6pm (officially, Noah’s ‘adult’ 5th birthday party – auntie’s & uncles vs. the 32 children from 11 countries at the one the prior weekend – think those numbers are right)! We make it through the doors moments before people start to arrive: Lisa Gyokery (Canada, HK for 4 yrs)/ Shawn Lyons (US, HK for 4 yrs)/ Ron Anderson (Canada, HK for 4 yrs)/ Jason Woods (Australia, HK for 6 yrs)/ Doug Walters (Canada, HK for 3 months)/ James Stephenson (Canada, HK for 4 yrs)/ Margarita Hoyos, (Colombia, James' wife and Tomas' mother, HK for 4 yrs)/ Tomas Stephenson, age 3.

Started at Christie & Ian’s place – with great French (and other) wine (thanks for sharing, Ian!). Lots of good cheese and bread and soup and stuff! Then moved upstairs (several floors) to Jason’s place – that way Noah could go to bed. More wine, neat toys to connect computer to stereo system for out-put, lots of music, bed around 0130.