I write this sitting in airconditioned comfort in a multimillion dollar apartment in an exclusive region of Hong Kong, using the high speed internet to post my first entry into this exceptionally nerdy blog just before I head to my double bed (empty of course as always) with 7 pillows for a good nights sleep. Yessiree, its been a tough old initiation these past few days into the world of dingy backpacking but I'm sure the worst is over....
Firstly, I would like to explain and excuse myself from indulging in such a nerdy activity as filling in a blog. I figure that in exchange for refraining from clogging up peoples inboxes with longwinded self-indulgent accounts of my travels, I can satisfy all those who really couldn't care less, AND my mum.
So anyways, i'm here in HK about to head to the airport after spending a very humid but hospitable 3 days in the aforementioned penthouse, provided by the generous as always but conspicuously absent Kerri and Ralph Gunthorpe. I guess the idea of a holiday in Phuket was slightly more appealing than flatting with five 23 year old males. Adam "Spup" Gunthorpe was nonetheless a more than capable host and managed to keep the various vagabonds that seemed to stream through his house satisfied.
Was quite surreal to return to my home of 3 months back in 2001, felt like I had been in the place only last week. Very familiar to be walking through the plaza of Discovery Bay on the path up to Gunthorpe's place and got a few shudders up my spine when getting on the ferry to HK island for the first time as I recalled my daily 2hr trip to my workplace of 2001. Ah, certainly feels good to not to have that damn Nokia alarm buzzing away to signal another day behind the computer at the office. I've acclimatised to the non-work thing pretty well actually.
Spent our first morning hiking up the mountains out the back of Discovery Bay. Immediately regretted that decision. Very hot, very humid and literally struggled to see the bay which was 500m away let alone HK island or the recently opened HK Disney (very underwelming from a distnace, not a single rollercoaster to be seen). Managed to fein some enjoyment from the walk but was very pleased to return to non tropical jungle climate of indoors. Pat and I then headed into Kowloon (attached to mainland China) for the afternoon to check out some of the sites and experience HK proper. Highlight was taking a dump in the Peninsula, the grandest hotel in HK. An advantage of being white, everyone automatically assumes you must be a guest, when in reality I couldn't even afford to buy a napkin from that place.
Crikey, I'm getting bored just writing this, let alone some poor sod attempting to read it. I'll sum up as quickly as I can before I start some half interesting stuff from Nepal and Tibet. Met up with Ashok and Rob (Jibrony), two guys from college who had arrived from London on their way back to Oz. We went up to the peak where I coincedentally met up with Toby, a Dutch mate from work who is heading back to Holland.
