The Travel Post (that was almost 2 years in the making) 1 of 5
In exactly five days I'll be off to an overseas trip that would fulfill one of the items on my "Things-to-do in 2013" list. I've spent a lot of weeks researching, stressing out, and starving myself saving for this, and it made me realize that I can manage to not panic even if there's only five days left and I haven't secured rooms to stay in in two out of the three countries that I'm going to visit. Drumroll, cue in panic. Now. LOL.
Now, this "planning" also made me realize that apart from the L'Arc~en~Ciel Concert feels post I wrote, I haven't really posted about the other four days I spent in Hong Kong last year. I wanted to go back there at the latter part of 2012, but it didn't materialize, and, well I guess I just didn't want or I just forgot to write about my trip.
But now it's throwback Thursday (LOL) and armed with my rusty memory, I've got nothing better to do. Yeah, nothing better than look for and book the above-mentioned rooms and straighten out my still-crooked itinerary no? I jest, because I procrastinate. Or maybe I feel like I don't have to pressure myself so much this time because I'm not travelling completely solo?
29 February 2012
A few hours before I was set to leave, I dropped by a nearby mall to buy myself a camera. I didn't know which among the available models to get (that's what normally happens when I compare so much in order to end up w/ the best for my bucks) so up until the last minute, I still haven't bought one. I got home with my brand new "Onodera," a black Canon S100 that ended up as my choice, left the box, grabbed my backpack, kissed my Mom, and then I sent myself to the airport.
IMG_0016. Waiting for the flight out. The saleslady offered to set the time for my camera: apparently she didn't realize it was already the 29th.
Lousy time stamp, I didn't realize it was wrong until around 2 days after. And even when I changed it as soon as i realized it, it was still wrong. xD
The plane left Manila at around 5 in the afternoon. It was my first ever flight overseas. I completely didn't know what to do and what to expect. I must have thought the plane was just like an EDSA bus, that I tried to squeeze my way past this Indian (I think) man while he was standing on the aisle and putting his bag in the compartment. Sinita ako, bakit daw di ako maghintay makaupo siya bago ako dumaan. Which I understand, because I was at fault. As I said, I'm more used to the siksikan with the public transport bus. Grabe lang, di pa umaalis ang plane, sablay na ako.
I almost always end up near the wings whenever I do the online check-in.
We arrived in Hong Kong around 7 PM. I brought USD with me because I didn't realize local changers needed to be informed in advance if I wanted to buy foreign currency that's not the almighty USD. Luckily there was a changer (but with horrible rates, if I may say) at the airport. With HK currency in hand, I marched over to the arrival area. The airport was so big, clean, and so nice! Also, I can't believe how fast it was through the airport! Then again, I didn't have checked baggage so I guess that made things faster than if I needed to wait for my luggage? The immigration guy looked at me twice with what I perceived as a face of disbelief (I don't know why) but he stamped my passport and let me pass. In hindsight, maybe he thought I wasn't who I am because I don't look like the typical Chua, LOL!
I got out, bought my Octopus Card, and then boarded the Cityflyer A21 bus to my hostel. It was a good 1-hour travel. There were a lot of construction going on near the airport, I guess it's really a mark of development. I was initially lost and I got off at the wrong stop (pati ba naman sa Hong Kong, lumalampas ako sa babaan! XD) but it was a good thing the hostel was just some walking distance from several bus stops, including the one I ended up reaching. I was totally impressed with their transport system, (love at first sight! charot.) I wanted to take it home with me, LOL.
I checked in at the Golden Crown Guesthouse, w/c I chose based on favorable reviews from the great Google. The person who checked me in was really nice, and the room was nice, too! (I am not picky with places I can sleep in) I tried to turn the TV on, but it didn't work. I didn't mind, b/c I certainly didn't go to HK to watch TV! I paid HKD 300 per night for a 5-night stay. That's around PhP 1700 per night. Looking back, I can't believe I spent that much on accommodation alone! LOL halatang first timer. :)
I didn't really do much sleeping here. I didn't sleep much at all: I was out all the time! xD
I haven't had dinner yet at the time, so I got out of the hostel and walked around Tsim Sha Tsui. I also texted my Mom, who lent me her HK sim card so I didn't have to use the roaming service from my provider (tsaka syempre, libre ni Inay, hehe.) It was amazing seeing HK at night, really. There's so much to see! Plus it also felt really safe. I went to the Tom Lee Music outlet at Cameron Lane to see if I can claim my concert tickets, but they were already closed. I was under the impression that HK stores kept longer operating hours, I guess I was wrong. I quickly grew tired b/c I have been up really early and had to go to a mall first before the airport. I was trying to take everything in, and walking the side streets looking for a place to eat was really making me more disoriented. I had so many choices on where to eat that I couldn't decide, so I ended up buying some mango juice, biscuits, and bread from Wellcome. Then I went to sleep the first night in HK.
Would you believe these guys lasted the whole five days!? O_o
I'll cut it here, b/c I didn't realize it's gonna be this long (rusty memory, remember?) Tomorrow: Day 2, Disneyland and the Avenue of Stars. Maybe Ocean Park, too. :)
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