Greetings from the Pearl of the Orient!
Well I am happy to report that Mark (my brother in law), my Dad and myself have all arrived safely in Hong Kong, the city where I was born.
Mark and I arrived fairly late on Sunday evening (made even later by the three hour time difference), and after staggering around the airport for a few minutes like slack-jawed yokels, we found our way to the Express train to Hong Kong station. Dad arrived later as he had flown business class on Virgin, although after going on about having his own private sleeper chair etc, he didn't even like it, as it left him feeling all boxed in. Looking at a photo of them, I'm not convinced I would like them either (please excuse me if the photos go all over the shop, I'm using dads iBook and Safari does not like the blogger website!)
So, we hit the hotel after a train and taxi ride (public transport rocks in HK, it leaves Sydney in the dust) and set out for something to eat. Determined to avoid the ever-present McDonalds, we roamed the Tin Hau streets without much luck, working on the principle that if they don't have english anywhere on the outside of their shop, they probably aren't going to have any inside either. Eventually we settled for what is basically HK Maccas, a Cafe de Coral. Even that was kind of bewildering, we ordered and were given tickets. Mine had a number, Marks didn't. He just had to go out and hand over his ticket for his meal, while I was waiting for them to call out a number... in cantonese. Luckily, a woman took pity on us (or were we just in the way?) and pointed out where we could find the english numbers up on a board. Thankfully, the food was very good, although to be fair that could have been proportionate to the fact
that we were very hungry!

The next morning, we set out to get phones and breakfast, and generally have a look around. We went to a Pret a Manger, which is essentially an english starbucks as far as I can tell. We grabbed some cheap pre-paid phone cards for keeping in touch and also calling home, and Dad point out a few places to go. He went off for lunch with some friends, and Mark and I headed out for (what we thought) would be a big day of man-shopping. We tried Pacific Place and Times Square (the former being a place I used to go as a kid for the cinema etc, the latter being something thats appeared in the last 13 years since I left). But unfortunately, no stuff was to be found! I was out to buy some new shirts etc, Mark wasn't looking for anything specifically but basically also needs clothes. Not surprisingly, most of the shops were for women, and those that were for men were a) in australia anyway and b) full of clothes which presumably are targetted at men of a different sexual persuasion than us. If you catch my drift.
We figured we would try and salvage the day, and head over to the dodgey computer place that Dad had mentioned, to pick up some new toys. So over we go to 555 Hennessy Road... which turns out to be a big department store, and not at all a seedy den of software sellers... we roamed around for a bit, but the general consensus was that Dad muffed the address! Turns out it was 298 that we needed (oh, so close its easy to understand why they were confused!)
So Monday was a bit of a bust, shopping wise, and in the evening we went out for dinner at the Hong Kong Football club with some old family friends, the Proberts.

Yesterday worked out much better. We went out with Dad again in the morning for breakfast, this time going down to Central for a roam about. Then Mark and I headed down to Stanley Markets (dwelling place of the fat american tourists, and clothing/knick-knack sellers) to try our hand at this "shopping" thing again. Much more successful this time around, although it was still difficult to find anything for myself! I ended up with a few tshirts, and some stuff to take home for Suzy. On our way back, we stopped off at central and went to the big Marks and Spencers, and I picked up a few new shirts, and we went to HMV and grabbed some CDs. The CDs ranged from about HK$80 to HK$170, with a 1:6 exchange rate to australian dollars, we both picked up a few CDs for around HK$100, so around half price to normal CDs, and not even illegal or nuffin!
Footsore and hungry, we headed back to the hotel and picked up some snacks. I had a packet of delicious and suspiciously familiar "Fonzies", and had to pick up another packet of Bumerangs for that taste from home... mmmm.... bum-tastic!


Yesterday evening, we had to get all dressed up to go to the Hong Kong Club Rugby Dinner. I'm just not sure what to say about the Hong Kong Club... I know that it means a lot to my dad, and all of his croneys are members, but I just can't bring myself to sum up a whole lot of enthusiasm for it. I honestly cannot ever see myself with the inclination to join this kind of club, but at least in its favor they allow women in there now! Something which it is embarassing to say wasn't really true of the place 13 years ago when I went a few times with the parents. Back then, it was only at certain times or events where the whole family was allowed in, the rest of the time it was men only.

Anyway, dinner was nice, the speakers were absolutely terrible (a BBC rugby commentator who just got up and told old jokes at the expense of the English, never actually gave a speech at all, and an ex-wallabies coach who started well but just kind of dissolved into fractured rambling about the technical side of the sport). Mark and I basically just kept to ourselves, as we just didn't have much common ground to talk to the others there, and after dinner we headed back to bed leaving Dad to hang out with his mates.
OK, I think that is more than enough for today! Mark and I are off to Ocean Park (think seaworld/dreamworld combo) since we decided that Disneyland looked too kiddy and I know Ocean Park will be good.
I'll take my camera along, and post some pics of the place when I get a chance!
1 Comments:
you look extremely handsome babe. Much nicer than that hideous red shirt that Mark's wearing!
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