The Journey in Hong Kong

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Hong Kong

I have not been blogging because I am struggling to blog with my new toy, the Iphone.

I bought the iphone in a haste, i gotta admit. I placed an order online 3 days before I was scheduled to depart for HK. Yes, you can actually do that via Starhub website without being a VVIP with them.

I got it delivered to me at my office. The Starhub man came with a laptop (plus my new contract) and unlocked the iphone right before in my office meeting room (keke, i know i am abusing office facility but it only happens once in a long while lah)

I thought I was smart, I wanted to use a local SIM on my handset so that I can surf net as and when I want. It was a mistake. Only then I realised i need a filmsy key to unlock the SIM card tray before I can change SIM card.

After checking into the hotel, I went to the 7-Eleven and got myself a local SIM. I got a PCCW one since its a major player and I remember clearly asking the cashier whether I can 上网。She said can! That was mistake#2. PCCW prepaid cards only allow paid internet access at select hotspot. Very much like our wireless@sg, just that our wireless@sg is free! My hotel room is clearly not one of those hotspot!

It was only later that I found out from my HK friend that the situation is the same in Singapore, prepaid card does not guarantee 3G facilities.

So much for spending time, downloading apps for shopping in HK. I ended up in the usual hangouts, eating from the same old restaurants. Totally disappointing.

Then come mistake #3, there is no default camera zoom function in the iphone, i had to download a free application which I did not.

Enough of complains, I still took some photos, with my iphone of cos!

The view from the airport bus on Tsingma Bridge to the hotel.

The view from the bridge/bus.

My usual hotel room in Holiday Inn, TST, with my Bottega claiming a spot on the bed.

  

Yishun steamed egg at Causeway Bay, AGAIN! 

Fell asleep at 8pm, woke up at 10pm, refused to walk out onto the roads filled with Africans at this hour, called for hotel room service instead. Not cheap but at least it tasted decent!

Wanton mee from the Cha chan theng opposite Marco Polo hotel. I walked past this cafe a couple of times and there were always long queues. I walked past again on a Monday night and it empty. Decided to give it a try! I think the place is famous for its fishballs but I decided on wanton mee instead because none of the fishball dishes appealed to me.

   

Shirley brought me to this restaurant somewhere on Nathan Road, just a few junctions from my hotel in TST. Its highly recommended by a guidebook for the homecooked dishes. The yellow liquid is pork lard. We are suppose to mix the lard into the rice, Sounds disgusting right? But it was delicious lor. Who cares right? I shall jog some more after I return only mah!

Which reminds me its high time I get myself a good guidebook to great foods and good buys in HK!

The Hong Kong Photo Post

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Hong Kong

My new laptop is without a SD card reader, which is not very good. So here I am uploading all the pictures from the apartment in Fushun.

Wandering at the gate, the HK gate this time

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Hong Kong

I am at the gate HK, waiting to board the plane that will take me home. But this home trip is the shortest I ever had. In 30 hours time, you will find me sitting at the Singapore gate again, waiting to board the red eye flight to BJ.

Yes, my life is pathetic and my money is all real sweat and blood.

The last couple of days were a mad mad rush. I had so much to do but some people must be thinking I am enjoying myself. I am not so please stop telling me to do more and more and more. I will not entertain! I WILL NOT ENTERTAIN!

Anyway, I am sure you know better that complaining against me will not help the situation because nobody will take action.

On a lighter note, I changed laptop and there was no SD card reader. All photos can only come later, much later.

Boarding now… till 30 hours later =P

A plane-ful of complains

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Up in the air

The sugar has shrank, the salt has shrank, the pepper has shrank. The mini tray for the coffee cup is gone. And most importantly the air stewardesses has put on weight.

Once again, I am on my way home. I finally have time to slowly recap my life before leaving for HK, to blog about some more interesting happenings to date.

I met NT this trip. Xiong say I am saying the obvious because I flew in to meet him, did I not?

Yes, I did.

He couldn’t recognize me at the first instance we met at the life lobby. We went for lunch together at a Chinese restaurant. He handed me his name card with the most awkward look on his face. I couldn’t decipher what that look meant but took mine out to swop with him anyway. He asked, ‘Have we met before?”

Indeed we have. I told him I worked for him before.

Boy, everyone who knows him should have seen the way he scrutinized my name card immediately after I said that.

But because we already know each other, he was quite fast to arrow me. He was suppose to attend a meeting in Singapore together with his AM in 2 weeks time and he conveniently said I would bring his AM around (I bet he going to make use of those free time to la-kopi with his long time friend from EY days)

Anyway, I am returning home to my mailbox full of emails requiring my immediate attention, to a mounting credit card bill and to a readily full work desk, if not work room. A messy bed room which I have always wanted to clear before my HK trip but failed as usual, A long over due lunch date with Selina and another weekend drink tea la-kopi session with Xiong and Ms Tan since Ms Tan is starting a new job on Monday.

For the countless time, Hello Singapore, welcome me back in the scotching sun again please…

A weekend in Guangzhou

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Guangzhou, Hong Kong

Today is Saturday, I am done with my business in HK so I took a fast train from Hung Hom to Guangzhou East Station.

I thought I would be taking something as luxurious as the bullet train but I was wrong. I was put on a rather old and unsightly train from HK to GZ.

I wanted to get some serious work done on the train but sadly, there was no desk for me to put my laptop on. Hence, I got a great reason to dream my 2 hours journey away.

I have heard many horror stories about GZ train station but I am certain now they are, well, just horror stories.

I joined the queue for cab and took a cab from the station to where my grandma is staying. I was worried that the taxi driver may take me on a long meaningless ride but luckily he did not.

I arrived at my final destination in one piece =)

Last night in HK, for the time being

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Hong Kong

It was my last night in HK for the time being. I brought my laptop to my hotel room then took a walk down Star Walk.  To my surprise, I saw a Chinese Junk. I think there is a new program where you can board the junk to cross the straits. There will be liquor served on board. The junk was a pretty sight but I did not bother to try =P

I stayed around for the Symphony of Lights. I had lost count of the number of times I have watched it. I left before it was over and headed to xu liu shan for desserts.

I wanted to buy the mango mochi but the waitress told me it can only be kept for one day. I can’t get it since I will only be heading back to Singapore 2 days later (which means Pinky has been feeding us expired fresh mango mochi)

Then I walked. I walked around TST and ended my night where I started.

My room at Holiday Inn TST

Enjoying my drawer-full of beverages

Working out of the HK office

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Hong Kong

I took the MTR to office on my own today because my boss has moved on to other places. I forgot to take note which exit I was suppose take at Central and there were more than ten exits to chose from.

So, in future, when I am suppose to travel to the HK office again, I must take exit A at Central, walk in the direction of the traffic, the building is just 2 blocks away, on my left.

Anyway, my next trip is just next month.

I have been thinking of what category to file my HK trips. It doesn’t feel quite China so I was not keen to file it together with all the nonsense and rules breaking adventures. Initially, I was totally not creative and I thought I would only be travelling to HK 2 times this year, I wanted to categorize it as Hong Kong 2010.

After I arrived, I realized things were not so simple. I may end up with a third life after all. So I need a nicer name.

Today I had the opportunity to have the lunch time to myself. I took a walk around IFC aimlessly, not knowing what to eat, not knowing what to shop for. I literally walked one round around the IFC and finally decided on Pret sandwiches.

Ya, I had sandwiches for lunch, the first time since returning from UK. And I think I am in love with it again, British style.

This is my first trip to HK since I came back to UK. I never know HK to be so similar to London. The food, the accent, maybe the cold weather and the way the shops are laid out. (But I just have to remind myself that ta-pao is take-away, don’t be act smart say to-go!)

No doubt there are mega malls in HK, there were also a fair share of standalone shops. Imagine if it had been any colder, people will be walking into one shop, take off their jacket to shop around, decide that they are done shopping in there, put on their coat, walk out of the shop, walk into the shop next door, take off their coat, and the process repeats itself. It feels pretty British.

Ok, I know what you are thinking, this was a British colony.

And so, I decided, I will categorize my journey in HK under, Of Pret and Cha-chan-ting.