The rain stopped today so we caught the ferry over to Lamma Island, the Hong Kongers' favorite commuter haven and an important fishing hub. Gigantic boats carrying all sorts of freight including building materials across the choppy dark blue waters made for an impressive view across the harbour. I never thought I could get this excited about boats and skyscrapers!
The island itself was a welcome change of scene what with its small beaches and numerous sea-view restaurants, including an absolutely fantastic veggie place (which is also a second hand bookshop). We didn't much like the trancy Bob Marley cover CD being played there though. I'll never quite understand why vegetarianism is taken to connote an eco-warrior, make-love-not war kind of ethos too. As is so often the case, the restaurant was adorned with all sorts of (Ric's words) 'hippy propaganda shit'. Ah well, the food was ace. The best hummus and falafel I've eaten in ages.
We planned to go up to the Victoria Peak as well today but the sea air and soporific movement of the boat ride back to Central made us very sleepy. Another time perhaps. I can certainly picture myself coming here again.
We are both getting lots of headaches at the moment. Perhaps it's the humidity or traffic pollution here. There are a lot of cars although it's not nearly as grimy looking or smelly as Bangkok, Manila or Kuala Lumpur. Can't wait to see how Beijing and Shanghai compare!
Tomorrow we really are out of here. We'll get the train to the business town of Shenzhen where an old MA friend of mine lives, and then fly on on Shanghai to meet up with some old friends from London and Durham.
I've nearly filled the Moleskin notebook my brother gave me as a going away present. That's a lot of scribbles. It might make interesting reading in a few years!
Monday, 30 June 2008
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Far from Repulsive Bay
Today we braved the rain and caught a bus to Repulse Bay on the south of Hong Kong Island.
At the Central bus terminal we had to fight our way through literally hundreds of Filipinas who had gathered to eat, play card games and socialise on their day off. No men to be seen any where!
Once used by pirates before being 'repulsed' and developed in to a holiday retreat by the Brits (or so the story goes) the Repulse Bay area is now one of the priciest in Hong Kong. It is pretty despite what its rather unfortunate name suggests and I wouldn't mind living in any one of the numerous grand, if faded, houses nestled in the rocks over-looking the sea.
Funny to think my mother lived here as a baby. I wonder how much it has changed.
Squealing expat teenage girls were flirting with the life-guards and mucking about in the water while the rain trickled down. Meanwhile, another crowd was watching a group being baptised in the waters near the Tin Hau and Kwun Yum statues. It was too wet to stay long.
Elsewhere in town the sales shoppers were out in their masses and queues stretched right out along the streets at some of the most popular clothes stores. I've done enough shopping though, for at least a week.
We are a bit nervous about what awaits us in China but realising that we can't stay here for ever, we attempted to buy a sleeper train ticket all the way to Shanghai but they've sold out of soft cabins until next week. So now we think we'll have to fly. But with who and from where? It could cost quite a bit - it's a long way! Maybe we'll spend just one more day here..
At the Central bus terminal we had to fight our way through literally hundreds of Filipinas who had gathered to eat, play card games and socialise on their day off. No men to be seen any where!
Once used by pirates before being 'repulsed' and developed in to a holiday retreat by the Brits (or so the story goes) the Repulse Bay area is now one of the priciest in Hong Kong. It is pretty despite what its rather unfortunate name suggests and I wouldn't mind living in any one of the numerous grand, if faded, houses nestled in the rocks over-looking the sea.
Funny to think my mother lived here as a baby. I wonder how much it has changed.
Squealing expat teenage girls were flirting with the life-guards and mucking about in the water while the rain trickled down. Meanwhile, another crowd was watching a group being baptised in the waters near the Tin Hau and Kwun Yum statues. It was too wet to stay long.
Elsewhere in town the sales shoppers were out in their masses and queues stretched right out along the streets at some of the most popular clothes stores. I've done enough shopping though, for at least a week.
We are a bit nervous about what awaits us in China but realising that we can't stay here for ever, we attempted to buy a sleeper train ticket all the way to Shanghai but they've sold out of soft cabins until next week. So now we think we'll have to fly. But with who and from where? It could cost quite a bit - it's a long way! Maybe we'll spend just one more day here..
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Heavy Rain in Shopping Heaven, Hong Kong
Hello from wet, windy and multicoloured Hong Kong (Typhoon Grade 3 in fact!) where we've spent the past three days traipsing around looking for computers. These Asus Eee 901s to be precise.
It's almost impossible to find Internet cafes here which is ironical considering how techno crazy the place is but now that we've each got our very own baby Asus we no longer need them!
Hurrah! No more greasy mice, slow downloads and virus riddled desktops.
We must have been to at least 6 major computer centres and even Ric has had enough of them now. We have done other things too of course but the weather has been so erratic that we've yet to venture south of the island or do any of the sky train tours but we have visited the major business, retail and tourist areas including the expat hub of Soho, Victoria Harbour, shopping mecca Nathan Road, Avenue of the Stars and the Museum of Art. The scores of boats moving their way up the river against a backdrop of skyscrapers and mountains covered with mist was something I wont forget in a hurry. Magnificent.
In order to get my daily exercise fix and endorphin boost I've also been running around Victoria Park where they have even built a cute little running track!
All in all we love this place and feel very much at home here, perhaps because in many ways it feels just like London what with its dense population, urban landscape (although the skyscrapers here are far more impressive), anything goes, fast and furious chaotic vibe and of course the noticeable English legacy. It's also easier to blend in. You can even buy chocolate digestives!
Ric is always amazed at how long I can spend poring over the goodies on offer in foreign supermarkets. It's a girl thing(??!!)
I love observing what people wear in different places. The fashions here are smarter, sexier and more original than in Japan or other parts of Asia that I've seen. People clearly have a lot of spending money as I've never seen so many well dressed men and women, and clothes shops!
The girls love their shoes and other accessories. High heeled wellies are abundant and they even put booties on their dogs! There are a lot of beggars with deformities, missing limbs and burns too which is rather upsetting and shocking to see when you step out of the underground.
It's almost impossible to find Internet cafes here which is ironical considering how techno crazy the place is but now that we've each got our very own baby Asus we no longer need them!
Hurrah! No more greasy mice, slow downloads and virus riddled desktops.
We must have been to at least 6 major computer centres and even Ric has had enough of them now. We have done other things too of course but the weather has been so erratic that we've yet to venture south of the island or do any of the sky train tours but we have visited the major business, retail and tourist areas including the expat hub of Soho, Victoria Harbour, shopping mecca Nathan Road, Avenue of the Stars and the Museum of Art. The scores of boats moving their way up the river against a backdrop of skyscrapers and mountains covered with mist was something I wont forget in a hurry. Magnificent.
In order to get my daily exercise fix and endorphin boost I've also been running around Victoria Park where they have even built a cute little running track!
All in all we love this place and feel very much at home here, perhaps because in many ways it feels just like London what with its dense population, urban landscape (although the skyscrapers here are far more impressive), anything goes, fast and furious chaotic vibe and of course the noticeable English legacy. It's also easier to blend in. You can even buy chocolate digestives!
Ric is always amazed at how long I can spend poring over the goodies on offer in foreign supermarkets. It's a girl thing(??!!)
I love observing what people wear in different places. The fashions here are smarter, sexier and more original than in Japan or other parts of Asia that I've seen. People clearly have a lot of spending money as I've never seen so many well dressed men and women, and clothes shops!
The girls love their shoes and other accessories. High heeled wellies are abundant and they even put booties on their dogs! There are a lot of beggars with deformities, missing limbs and burns too which is rather upsetting and shocking to see when you step out of the underground.
We're staying in a hostel right in the heart of Hong Kong Island's Causeway Bay area and literally next door to the MTR (metro). Perfect for getting around. Our tiny room is hidden within a warren of apartments, offices, lifts and meandering corridors. It's basic but all we need. I've been spoilt with swimming pools and beaches in previous weeks.
There's Beijing Olympics merchandise on sale everywhere and without doubt a sense of fun and excitement in the air. Perhaps this has nothing to do with the Olympics at all and it's always like this. I'm looking forward to experiencing the anticipation in Beijing itself!
Ric and I are talking about writing something together now. We have so many ideas for each other so should be able to come up with something good. Ha! - should. We both need routine though and dicipline and objectives. We are also concerned that the desire and indeed need to work will hit us as soon as we arrive in Oz. Not long now!
So, another day here tomorrow and then on to China proper where I have friends scattered all over the main cities.
I'm determined, rain or shine, to visit Repulse Bay where my mother lived as a baby and go for a walk around the car-less Lamma Island!
There's Beijing Olympics merchandise on sale everywhere and without doubt a sense of fun and excitement in the air. Perhaps this has nothing to do with the Olympics at all and it's always like this. I'm looking forward to experiencing the anticipation in Beijing itself!
Ric and I are talking about writing something together now. We have so many ideas for each other so should be able to come up with something good. Ha! - should. We both need routine though and dicipline and objectives. We are also concerned that the desire and indeed need to work will hit us as soon as we arrive in Oz. Not long now!
So, another day here tomorrow and then on to China proper where I have friends scattered all over the main cities.
I'm determined, rain or shine, to visit Repulse Bay where my mother lived as a baby and go for a walk around the car-less Lamma Island!
Monday, 23 June 2008
Crazy Buddhas and Pontification
The Buddha Park was marvellous, if a little odd. It's quite a small park, well field, 25km south of Vientiane by the Mekong river, just full of the most unusual statues we've seen in Asia! Plenty of scope for Ric's novelty brand of camera poses. (I've now manged to upload them. Hurrah!)
We didn't stay there long. It's just so incredibly hot here and this isn't even the hot season!
Ric sat on his sunglasses earlier and popped a lens out but has managed (after 4 hours) to fix them. One less expense. While doing this however, he caught a glimpse of the top of his head in the mirror which he can now see thanks to his short hair cut, and after careful inspection and some debate we've concluded that his hair is definitely thinning on top. He's mortified! Another three years maybe before he goes really bald.
We've also had to send another package off to Oz after our shopping frenzy in Luang Prabang. You wouldn't believe how expensive a couple of rugs (erm...plus a few other things) are to post! I checked out the Australian Government's rules on what you can send and bring in to the country...not an awful lot it seems! I hope my wooden elephants don't get destroyed.
As our arrival in Australia beckons, we have been talking about the future. Where will we live? What will our set up be? Should we try a house-share so we speed up the making new friends process? Should we even have a mini-break from each other after this fairly intense time together? Should we travel around first and then settle or get straight back in to work of some sort? And then of course there's the question of what exactly we'll do career wise. I don't think we can decide anything until we get there.
I'm a bit frustrated that I'm still clinging to so many the habits and hang ups I had in London. I never expected them to evaporate but I hoped they'd dissipate a bit. If anything I have clung to them in order to implant routine in to a hectic schedule of moving around constantly. That's been a bit of a shock especially since I thought I knew my strengths and weaknesses so well before.
In some ways though I think we've both grown a lot calmer and we're not phased by what's thrown at us or what we've got ourselves in to! Neither of us can believe how many little things we've lost or forgotten along the way. Travelling forces one to be patient that's for sure and not just with your companion.
I certainly never thought I could sit on a bus in sweltering heat for 14 hours and haven't once panicked about losing or missing something. I've even been eating things with meat in them, all be it reluctantly.
It has been obvious how calm Asians are in general. It's rare to hear raised voices or see confrontation. When we have on occasion expressed our exasperation to somebody, we've received only stoney faces or simply disinterest in response. I admire that in a way although I miss a bit of passion at times!
We'll be out of here tomorrow and have a long day ahead including two flights and a long wait in between. What to do in Kuala Lumpur for 8 hours apart from browsing a mall?!
Fortunately, a kindly Irish girl we met yesterday (who's a trainee solicitor in Singapore) has offered us a bed to crash in when we get there late tomorrow. We really didn't fancy an airport hotel or its prices!
We didn't stay there long. It's just so incredibly hot here and this isn't even the hot season!
Ric sat on his sunglasses earlier and popped a lens out but has managed (after 4 hours) to fix them. One less expense. While doing this however, he caught a glimpse of the top of his head in the mirror which he can now see thanks to his short hair cut, and after careful inspection and some debate we've concluded that his hair is definitely thinning on top. He's mortified! Another three years maybe before he goes really bald.
We've also had to send another package off to Oz after our shopping frenzy in Luang Prabang. You wouldn't believe how expensive a couple of rugs (erm...plus a few other things) are to post! I checked out the Australian Government's rules on what you can send and bring in to the country...not an awful lot it seems! I hope my wooden elephants don't get destroyed.
As our arrival in Australia beckons, we have been talking about the future. Where will we live? What will our set up be? Should we try a house-share so we speed up the making new friends process? Should we even have a mini-break from each other after this fairly intense time together? Should we travel around first and then settle or get straight back in to work of some sort? And then of course there's the question of what exactly we'll do career wise. I don't think we can decide anything until we get there.
I'm a bit frustrated that I'm still clinging to so many the habits and hang ups I had in London. I never expected them to evaporate but I hoped they'd dissipate a bit. If anything I have clung to them in order to implant routine in to a hectic schedule of moving around constantly. That's been a bit of a shock especially since I thought I knew my strengths and weaknesses so well before.
In some ways though I think we've both grown a lot calmer and we're not phased by what's thrown at us or what we've got ourselves in to! Neither of us can believe how many little things we've lost or forgotten along the way. Travelling forces one to be patient that's for sure and not just with your companion.
I certainly never thought I could sit on a bus in sweltering heat for 14 hours and haven't once panicked about losing or missing something. I've even been eating things with meat in them, all be it reluctantly.
It has been obvious how calm Asians are in general. It's rare to hear raised voices or see confrontation. When we have on occasion expressed our exasperation to somebody, we've received only stoney faces or simply disinterest in response. I admire that in a way although I miss a bit of passion at times!
We'll be out of here tomorrow and have a long day ahead including two flights and a long wait in between. What to do in Kuala Lumpur for 8 hours apart from browsing a mall?!
Fortunately, a kindly Irish girl we met yesterday (who's a trainee solicitor in Singapore) has offered us a bed to crash in when we get there late tomorrow. We really didn't fancy an airport hotel or its prices!
Sunday, 22 June 2008
It's oh so quiet...in Vientiane
'Never again!' we said after the last long sleepless coach journey but we've done it again and have arrived bleary-eyed in to baking Vientiane, our last destination in South East Asia. It's by far the quietest city we've been to on the trip, let alone capital. It seems almost empty! Here's the view across the Mekong river to Thailand...
Poor Ric was unlucky enough to have some one leaning heavily on him for most of the journey as they didn't have enough seats for the tickets issued. The poor passenger in question was perched on a foot stool for almost 10 hours! Ric was livid. I swapped seats with him in the end.
Hoping for at least a cheesy blockbuster (we've watched Speed and The Day After Tomorrow at least 3 times so far) with English subtitles, instead the driver stuck on the most atrocious selection of DVDs, comprising it seems of the very worst of Asian entertainment.
The first was a violent but absurdist Thai cowboy/martial art flick with Laos subtitles. An interesting blend of genres you might think. Yes in theory but in reality, a two hour torture. Strangely though I found it an interesting backdrop to Steely Dan and Ben Folds which I cranked up to the max in order to block out the movie's din.
Then someone put on a very strange and equally dire cabaret/pantomime show, which had been filmed live in a stadium somewhere here in Laos. Think Dame Edna Everage come Charlie Chaplin come Pat Butcher, on a stage, shrieking at each other, all wearing garish face paint and shocking pink clothes and you get the idea. Who can seriously enjoy this rubbish? Baffling.
Then as if that wasn't enough (usually the lights go out at midnight) the best was yet to come at 3am when they stirred us from our groggy half-sleep with a ridiculously loud karaoke video! Arghhhhhh!
Ironically the locals on the bus, ie. the vast majority, showed little interest in the television and seemed able to pass out almost immediately thus sleeping right through it all, except that is for the mandatory vommitters at the back. Well the roads did twist and turn rather relentlessly.
Aside from the above and the fact the the 'Air Con' was actually just a partially opened roof window which they had to shut when it started to rain, I was content as I always am when I have biscuits, Diet Coke and have the opportunity to listen continuously to my favorite music (mixed in with some new stuff including MGMT, Magic Bullets, Vampire Weekend who are all pretty good. Perhaps I'm not out of the new music scene just yet).
I am thinking about the future in a more rational, logical manner as well now. Mercifully, the madness of Thailand seems to have passed. It's hard to get stressed in easy going Laos.
We're horrified to read news of the typhoon that's hit The Philippines. To think we were there just a few weeks ago. I hope our friends in Manila and Coron are ok.
It's a pity it was too dark and misty to see the impressive rolling landscape we passed through last night. I caught glimpses of it when the lightening struck though and watched clouds swirling spookily around the nearly full moon. We went through dozens of tiny villages made entirely of bamboo. I even saw a few people, hill workers I imagine, curled up asleep on the road side. What a way to live.
So today, aided by the coffee and French baguettes which they do so well here, we've enjoyed wandering around this capital in a bit of a fug. It's not nearly as charming as Luang Prabang on the surface but there is a great range of food here, it's quiet and thus perfect for cycling and the Mekong river is spectacular! There were, as we've seen in many places, children laughing hysterically as they bathed and splashed around in it earlier.
Ric's had his hair shaved off revealing a plethora of mosquito bites on his head. I resisted the temptation to get a manicure while I waited.
Tonight we're going French as Ric has demanded steak. To be honest, we're both in need of a break from the usual stir fries and curries. I can't look at another spring roll. Plus we need to get our energy levels back up for our visit to the intriguing looking Buddha Park tomorrow.
Thanks to my lovely sis who's been saying nice things to her friends about my blog.
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Elephants and Kayaking in Laos
The clock ticks on and soon we must leave this delightful town. I don't feel nearly ready enough to go!
Today we did the tourist thang and went to a local elephant camp where we were able to trek in to the jungle on them for a couple of hours. I'd never appreciated how big they are in the flesh, not to mention tall!
I think they were well looked after there (well they seemed happy) and we stopped plenty of times for water on the ride but I didn't like the look of the spiked prodder the guide was using on our elephant's head. They don't seem to talk much to each other these creatures. Not like horses. They are fascinating to watch.
Then we went kayaking for three hours and passed some spectacular landscape. Ric and I lost the other groups as we went ahead and didn't realise everyone else was waiting for the two older French women who really didn't have a clue. In the end the poor guide had to paddle for them and pull their kayak behind his! I think they felt a bit stupid. Ric was fuming!
I've just finished wandering around the night market here in town, again. Well you see I'd seen a few bits and pieces which I couldn't resist, including a fabulous bed throw, a purse and yet more jewellery! I've got to stop this frivolous spending, especially since our flight back to Singapore to catch the one to Hong Kong is costing a bomb. STA Travel says we can't reschedule our itinerary unfortunately.
So another day here tomorrow before we catch a long night bus to Laos' capital Vientiane which gets us there at 5am. Can't wait!
Although I didn't enjoy the mud at Glastonbury last year, I am rather jealous of friends back home who are getting excited about going next week. I miss my live music!
Today we did the tourist thang and went to a local elephant camp where we were able to trek in to the jungle on them for a couple of hours. I'd never appreciated how big they are in the flesh, not to mention tall!
I think they were well looked after there (well they seemed happy) and we stopped plenty of times for water on the ride but I didn't like the look of the spiked prodder the guide was using on our elephant's head. They don't seem to talk much to each other these creatures. Not like horses. They are fascinating to watch.
Then we went kayaking for three hours and passed some spectacular landscape. Ric and I lost the other groups as we went ahead and didn't realise everyone else was waiting for the two older French women who really didn't have a clue. In the end the poor guide had to paddle for them and pull their kayak behind his! I think they felt a bit stupid. Ric was fuming!
I've just finished wandering around the night market here in town, again. Well you see I'd seen a few bits and pieces which I couldn't resist, including a fabulous bed throw, a purse and yet more jewellery! I've got to stop this frivolous spending, especially since our flight back to Singapore to catch the one to Hong Kong is costing a bomb. STA Travel says we can't reschedule our itinerary unfortunately.
So another day here tomorrow before we catch a long night bus to Laos' capital Vientiane which gets us there at 5am. Can't wait!
Although I didn't enjoy the mud at Glastonbury last year, I am rather jealous of friends back home who are getting excited about going next week. I miss my live music!
Friday, 20 June 2008
Blood, sweat and sore bums in Laos
Well we've been busy today. We cycled over 60km across bumpy beautiful Laos countryside. It was fantastic! Our bottoms and unprotected hands are paying for it now though.
There were just the three of us including our guide who enjoyed listening to randomly selected tunes on my mp3 player. In fact, so much so, that as soon as we got back in to town I burnt off a DVD of my entire collection for him. He was ecstatic. He'd never heard of Led Zep and The Rolling Stones let alone The Guillemots and Arcade Fire!
We got caught in the rain, roasted by the sun, covered (and in Ric's case stuck) in thick red mud and laughed at by kindly villagers along the way, well we were pretty funny looking.
We even had a quick dip in a river once we were all covered in thick mud and couldn't keep our shoes on the pedals. Bliss!
Things I'll never forget aside from the magnificent rolling landscape:
tiny children riding motorbikes,
black butterflies as big as babies' fists
a massive snake I nearly squished,
oh and some dogs in a van on the way to market!
Such a nice guy our guide. While breaking for drinks, we chatted for ages about this and that; him and Lao mainly. He comes from one of the hill tribes in Northern Laos and used to be a Buddhist monk. He has never even left this province. He tried to go to university and did for a while but it's shockingly expensive for them here and the fees increase every year that they study. He now earns a measly US$60 per month working as a guide and yet typically for the people of this part of the world he seems very content with life and in fact told us how fortunate he was.
Again I feel so lucky to have what I have, education included, and I'm humbled by the grace and generosity of spirit shown by someone with so much less material wealth than me.
Thinking that I was safe from hard sellers here in Luang Prabang, I was ambushed by a group of wee children as I ate my dinner earlier. I'd felt so mean for not buying anything off them in Angkor that I relented. I ended up buying a little something from all four off them! See picture...
Tomorrow we will be kayaking and riding around on elephants at the sanctuary, if we can move in the morning.
I really think I could live here.
There were just the three of us including our guide who enjoyed listening to randomly selected tunes on my mp3 player. In fact, so much so, that as soon as we got back in to town I burnt off a DVD of my entire collection for him. He was ecstatic. He'd never heard of Led Zep and The Rolling Stones let alone The Guillemots and Arcade Fire!
We got caught in the rain, roasted by the sun, covered (and in Ric's case stuck) in thick red mud and laughed at by kindly villagers along the way, well we were pretty funny looking.
We even had a quick dip in a river once we were all covered in thick mud and couldn't keep our shoes on the pedals. Bliss!
Things I'll never forget aside from the magnificent rolling landscape:
tiny children riding motorbikes,
black butterflies as big as babies' fists
a massive snake I nearly squished,
oh and some dogs in a van on the way to market!
Such a nice guy our guide. While breaking for drinks, we chatted for ages about this and that; him and Lao mainly. He comes from one of the hill tribes in Northern Laos and used to be a Buddhist monk. He has never even left this province. He tried to go to university and did for a while but it's shockingly expensive for them here and the fees increase every year that they study. He now earns a measly US$60 per month working as a guide and yet typically for the people of this part of the world he seems very content with life and in fact told us how fortunate he was.
Again I feel so lucky to have what I have, education included, and I'm humbled by the grace and generosity of spirit shown by someone with so much less material wealth than me.
Thinking that I was safe from hard sellers here in Luang Prabang, I was ambushed by a group of wee children as I ate my dinner earlier. I'd felt so mean for not buying anything off them in Angkor that I relented. I ended up buying a little something from all four off them! See picture...
Tomorrow we will be kayaking and riding around on elephants at the sanctuary, if we can move in the morning.
I really think I could live here.
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