Travel to HK

My travel story starts with me trying to catch a taxi. I’m at a friends place, and it is about 3:05pm. I go out to the street, with my friend (who will tell the taxi driver where I want to go) and wait for a taxi. 5… 10… 15… 20 minutes go by, and she says to me “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to wait 20 minutes for a taxi.” 25 minutes go by, and I’m starting to get a little antsy, I’ve got to still buy a ticket and get on the bus by 4 pm. It is now approaching 3:40 (35 minutes later) and my friend and I finally manage to hail an empty taxi. She tells him where I want to go, and says something else (in Chinese of course) and we are off.

It was the most insane taxi ride I’ve had yet. We’d be 700 feet from a light when it started to turn yellow, and he would floor it! If traffic would stop we’d simply get in the oncoming lane, or the bike lane. It worked because, I arrive at 3:50, bought a ticket, and boarded the bus.

Around 5pm, I arrive at the airport, and locate my flight. I’m looking at the big screen (still in Chinese) and locate my flight. I turn to ask two older gentlemen where I want to go next. It turns out they are on the same flight as me, and walk me through the whole process. (Check-inàSecurityàBoarding) Boarding bid us part, and I located my seat at 5:40.

I talk to this lady from HK that is sitting next to me about sights to see in HK, how Shanghai was much better 20 years ago (made me think of B) and economics of China, America, and HK.

After getting off the plane I managed to communicate with some people that I needed to change money, and that I wanted to take the ferry. At about 8:30 pm I manage to get it all done, and take a bus out to near where I am supposed to stay. Unbeknownst to me this bus will stop twice on our way…

The first stop is to depart China. I get in line, get the paper and fill it out in red ink (was the pen I had handy…). The guy then tells me that I need to redo it with his pen, and asks me if I have a visa to enter his country… Ohh, I didn’t mention that he didn’t speak English. I try and tell him in my broken Chinese that I’m here to get a visa, and the guy behind me asks if I would like some help. He explains, I wait about 5 minutes, and then he waves me through. Then I try and find my way through the mess of people to find my bus again, and manage to find it.

About 10pm we arrive in a city near where I am going to stay, and I get off the bus. I see two guys with McD’s bags and decide that I should treat myself…after all I did miss dinner. It was really nice to eat a hamburger again. Afterwards I hail a taxi, and show him where I want to go. We have a broken Chinese/English conversation on the way, and the meter reads 15 HKD. I hand him a 20, and he doesn’t hand me any change. The guy is trying to rip me off!

(This next exchange all took place in Chinese)

So I point to the meter and say 15, and that I want 5 back. He tells me that there is a 5$ charge for my luggage in the trunk, and I told him no there isn’t he didn’t tell me earlier. After about 5 minutes of arguing and pretending to ignore most of what he said (I didn’t really understand most of it anyways) he hands me three coins. I tell him that I want 5, not three. He tells me that the two coins with funny edges are worth two, and flips it over to show me. I did feel stupid after that, got my luggage, receipt and told him thank you.

I walk into the YMCA and they don’t have a room for me reserved, and it’s a full house, but there is a suite open for 2700 HK$. I call some friends, (had to ask for help on how to use the public phone—quite humbling) and talk to the front desk some more. They finally offer to let me stay in the 17^th floor, which is like a hostel for 330. I accept and at 11:30 I finally walk into my room. As my dear friend in Spain would say PTL!

All in all it was a good experience. Thanks everyone for talking to Father about me.