Wednesday, April 27, 2005
This Is The End
While I didn't see hardly a bit of Hong Kong, 'twas a proper town full of Argonauts with which to end the story of One Sandal.
My original plan was to get into Hong Kong, partake in a spell of its famous shopping, then head off to an all-night district until sun up, with a return to the airport in time for my 1130 plane to Newark's Liberty airport. However, I misread my ticket, and instead of arriving in China's "Special Administrative Region" at 6 pm, I left Bangkok at that time, which meant an arrival in HK circa 21:00. By the time I cleared customs and immigration, and dropped off my luggage, even the Asian Tiger's night markets had closed for the evening. What to do? Find a train to the city, head to a bar, and find out whether HK is truly 24-hours.
It did not disappoint.
What I soon discovered - and with the benefit of hindsight, I was a fool not to think of this beforehand - is that 24 hour bars don't pick up until the rest of the bars in the city close. (Visiting the city with only a 10 year old version of "Rough Guide: Hong Kong" was certain to result in a handful of strategic errors.) As a result I ended up spending a few hours of bar hopping in Wan Chai district solo, without much chance of meeting anyone. Alas, I eventally met up with an English resident of the former colony, and soon found myslef stumbling around Asia's City That Never Sleeps. Ended up out with some Filipino lasses until sun up around 7 ayem, at which point we headed to breakfast at one of Hong Kong's famous dim sum restaurants. These places are delightful - and all look like an elite country club from the inside - but was cheap, tasty and quick, and left me ample time to get on a bus back to the airport. Unfortunately, the bus ride back to the airport was the only actual sighsteeing I did in Hong Kong. There's always next time.
And as I begin the process (and inevitable depression) of dealing with the adjustment to my life without a Backpack, I'm in general taking solace in that notion. There's always next time. I haven't formulated some grand plan, I've not become some world changing radical, and I don't really know what life will have in store for me for the long term. But I do know this - I'm not done with the beauty, chaos, rewards, trials and adventures of living my life out of a rucksack. If anything, my travel skills (and motorbike riding prowess) need to be honed more in my lifetime, because travel just gets better when you know what you are doing. I've returned Stateside, faithful bloggers, and it's good to be home. But keep your eyes on the internet, because while the maiden voyage of One Sandal has come to its conclusion, there's always next time.
And thanks for checking in - I hope this blog has been fractionally as fun for you as it's been for me.
My original plan was to get into Hong Kong, partake in a spell of its famous shopping, then head off to an all-night district until sun up, with a return to the airport in time for my 1130 plane to Newark's Liberty airport. However, I misread my ticket, and instead of arriving in China's "Special Administrative Region" at 6 pm, I left Bangkok at that time, which meant an arrival in HK circa 21:00. By the time I cleared customs and immigration, and dropped off my luggage, even the Asian Tiger's night markets had closed for the evening. What to do? Find a train to the city, head to a bar, and find out whether HK is truly 24-hours.
It did not disappoint.
What I soon discovered - and with the benefit of hindsight, I was a fool not to think of this beforehand - is that 24 hour bars don't pick up until the rest of the bars in the city close. (Visiting the city with only a 10 year old version of "Rough Guide: Hong Kong" was certain to result in a handful of strategic errors.) As a result I ended up spending a few hours of bar hopping in Wan Chai district solo, without much chance of meeting anyone. Alas, I eventally met up with an English resident of the former colony, and soon found myslef stumbling around Asia's City That Never Sleeps. Ended up out with some Filipino lasses until sun up around 7 ayem, at which point we headed to breakfast at one of Hong Kong's famous dim sum restaurants. These places are delightful - and all look like an elite country club from the inside - but was cheap, tasty and quick, and left me ample time to get on a bus back to the airport. Unfortunately, the bus ride back to the airport was the only actual sighsteeing I did in Hong Kong. There's always next time.
And as I begin the process (and inevitable depression) of dealing with the adjustment to my life without a Backpack, I'm in general taking solace in that notion. There's always next time. I haven't formulated some grand plan, I've not become some world changing radical, and I don't really know what life will have in store for me for the long term. But I do know this - I'm not done with the beauty, chaos, rewards, trials and adventures of living my life out of a rucksack. If anything, my travel skills (and motorbike riding prowess) need to be honed more in my lifetime, because travel just gets better when you know what you are doing. I've returned Stateside, faithful bloggers, and it's good to be home. But keep your eyes on the internet, because while the maiden voyage of One Sandal has come to its conclusion, there's always next time.
And thanks for checking in - I hope this blog has been fractionally as fun for you as it's been for me.
Comments:
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Actually, the best part is when you start saying "When I was in SE Asia..." we can cut you off and say. "I read your blog and heard the story. Thanks."
# posted by 
: 10:49 AM
: 10:49 AM
Welcome back, freak. Hope you can make Natalie's party in May or June to regale us with tales of your adventures.
Yes, we'll call it the Regale Party. But, since my brother Matt didn't have a blog,we will have to listen to "When I was in Europe..." We've already made enough fun of him that's he's cut back on it though.
Jason, thanks for keeping the blog so updated. I didn't comment much, but it gave me comfort knowing you were OK in Asia. I can't believe all the stuff you did and still had Internet access. Brilliant.
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Jason, thanks for keeping the blog so updated. I didn't comment much, but it gave me comfort knowing you were OK in Asia. I can't believe all the stuff you did and still had Internet access. Brilliant.
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