Asia 2008 – Day Seventeen
November 17th, 2008 - 10:52pm - No Comments »
Day Seventeen – 17th Nov 2008
Hong Kong
22:52 – Salisbury YMCA, room 1439
As today was yet another “travel day”, we slept in and generally wasted away the morning.
We prepared to say our goodbyes to mainland China; I hailed a taxi to take us to the airport and luckily the first agreed—a few days earlier one had refused our destination—although I’m not sure he relished the idea. The large electronic clock which played a tune and chimed hourly, all throughout the night, will not be missed.
Although we have experienced many crazy drivers here in Asia, our taxi driver appears to be the sum total, or perhaps exponentially so, of all these drivers. Lanes meant little to him, to say nothing of speed limits. Blind corners? Personal challenges! Trucks? Minor obstacles! Justine mentioned it was like watching someone play “Need for Speed”, but given the proximity of foot traffic, I’d say “Grand Theft Auto”. As the car approached surely what must have been it’s terminal velocity—120km/h—it began to shudder so violently, with such force that the seats shoot from side to side, the doors nearly working themselves loose. Toll booths seemed to sooth this savage beast. We arrived unscathed.
The airport and flight were as airports and flights are: Long, boring, tedious, and full of lining up and waiting.
A long train ride and short metro ride later and we were at our hotel. Though we’d booked a double room they gave us a twin. It took the two of us complaining as a team—twice—to get it fixed. We got what we wanted, four floors higher (14th floor) and a great view of Hong Kong.
Since we’d never done it, we ordered room service for dinner. Vegetarian curry and fish and chips. Ahh, to eat real food again!
Photos taken today: 91
Photos taken to date: 4420
