Hong Kong

Ok, so we didn't exactly have the same luck we did as when we were heading for Shanghai.  The journey was just as long, but this time we did end up having to pay the regular fare, for yet again another SOLD-OUT train. 

Yep, yet again!!  So obviously that meant no seats for us on an over-crowded Chinese train!!!  And that’d be for another 24 hours!!!  Guess that would mean another sleepless night for us again!

Oh well, being that we were now up against the clock, we really had no choice!  We had less than 2 days to get out of China, enter Hong Kong, and avoid overstaying our Chinese visa or worse yet, getting fined.  So, if we had to stand and eat instant noodles for another 24 hours straight, that’s what it would be!! 

By this point, though, I think we had become a bit used to Chinese train rides, instant noodles, the crowds, and even complete boredom at times.

Hong Kong - Mr. T chinois

  So, in all honesty, our final train ride in China wasn’t so bad.

We had some really interesting talks with other fellow travelers that we met along the way, and let me not forget to mention that Arnaud was sure to get in some card-playing, for sure, during the ride, as well.

Unlike other train rides, though, we did manage to get some shut-eye during this journey!!  As Arnaud had done in our previous 2 train rides through China, we simply inflated our single mattresses and laid them out up along the aisles!!  You should’ve seen us!!  A pretty funny sight, really.

Well, we were sure not to block the complete aisle, as folks did have to get by at certain points.  So we just set them up, pretty much underneath a few seats, if you can picture it at all.

Hong Kong - Bright lights, big City . . . Greetings from Hong Kong!!

 

The awesome thing about it all was that the other passengers were really cool about it.  They weren’t jerks about us taking up their leg room, either.  Cool people, indeed!! 

Even better yet, these same folks also went out of their way to share their snacks and goodies with us.  So, in return, we let a few of them try out our mattresses, if they wanted to.  A funny and unforgettable experience, for sure. 

Definitely one of our more memorable train rides in China.  Ah, over, at last?!!  Not quite!

Our adventure in China would continue for a bit longer.  You see, we weren’t really sure where exactly we needed to go, in order to cross into Hong Kong.

 

We had been told that once we reached Schenzhen, we could simply walk over.  But, it was a little more complicated than that. 

See, from Shanghai, we decided to go to Guangzhou first, which is just an hour away from Hong Kong.  And then, from there we figured it would be a piece of cake to get to Hong Kong . . . Not exactly!!

Anyway, we reached Guangzhou pretty smoothly, and that’s where things got frustrating.  We thought the previous 24 hours were a bit nerve-racking; but actually that was nothing next to the pain we went through to catch a train to Schenzhen!!

Patience and a perfect travel partner came in handy once again.

  What more could I ask for!!?

We eventually made it to Hong Kong, and unfortunately were unable to visit Guangzhou, the town which is all-too famous in China for its food specialty . . . DOG!!!  Darn?!  Not really!!  I, personally, didn’t need to see any more roasted dogs, not then, not ever!  Got my fair share in Vietnam, thank you very much!

So, indeed there was a happy ending to our adventure in China.  Two weeks was a bit short, but we had an extraordinary time and I hope to return some day, for sure.

Now although Hong Kong is technically part of China, still gotta say farewell to China and hello to this new amazing place!!! 

What a feeling of relief we felt as we left China, and crossed into Hong Kong!  We made it!! We didn’t overstay our visa or get into any trouble while in China!!  Yeah!!

And what an incredible feeling it was to enter a new land, even though it still felt pretty much like we were in China!!

Don’t get me wrong, Hong Kong is an amazing city, and if I had to choose, I’d definitely choose to live in Hong Kong over China, any day!!

Bright Lights, Big City, almost felt like home for me!! 

We were thrilled to be in this technologically advanced atmosphere, no doubt; with all its skyscrapers and luminous billboards all over the place.

 

Still our arrival didn’t go as smoothly as I would have imagined.  Actually, I ended up getting into a heated argument with this crazy woman, as I waited for our host.  Silly really, but I guess that's how folks are welcomed here in Hong Kong!  The ridiculous thing is that I got yelled at by this lady for sitting on the steps just outside the metro station. 

Apparently, I was blocking the way, and she insisted, and I mean, really insisted on me getting up immediately and standing to the side!  A first time for me!  Just imagine getting harassed for something as silly as that?!!  Gosh, still hard to believe I got chewed out for something so stupid!!  Loca!!

Anyway, after that bit of excitement, we eventually met up with our host, and pitched our tent right on his rooftop, as planned!!  How cool is that?!!  Yep, believe it or not, we set up our tent on the roof of one of the many high-rise apartment buildings in downtown Hong Kong!!

It was an amazing and unforgettable experience.

  Just imagine waking up to be surrounded by these huge buildings . . . that was us!!

In addition to this unique experience, Marcel, our host for the evening, also had another treat in store for us.  He took us up to the 50^th floor of some building nearby, to catch a breathtaking view of the city by night. 

Wow!!!  I just took it all in, while going up in the exterior glass elevator.  Poor Arnaud, on the other hand, was a bit scared.  And that’s when he had his first fear of heights.  Another first . . . for him!!  Me, I was just loving it!  Not scared one bit!!!

The next couple days, however, would be spent with our second host, Sid, another AMAZING individual. 

He introduced us to the world of vegetarianism.  Not only was he an extremely interesting and kind person, he was also down to earth and genuine. 

We experienced our very first vegetarian BBQ with him and the CS community in Hong Kong.

  Additionally, Arnaud also had the pleasure of getting a few underwater pointers, as far as electronics are concerned.  Wanna know more, read up on the French version, which follows below!!

As far as Hong Kong's concerned, it was great.  Arnaud and I set out one day to do some sightseeing.  Got a few shots with Jackie Chan, the wax-version, of course, and just strolled around the city a bit. 

I also made sure not to miss out on seeing Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan’s star along Hong Kong's Avenue of Stars.  Pretty neat, for me!

And voilà, that’s how we spent our time in Hong Kong.  A bit short, maybe, but just long for us. 

Only one disappointment, for me.  Where were all the cheap electronics people are always raving about?  We had come to Hong Kong thinking that we would find super inexpensive deals, but unfortunately left empty-handed!! 

Oh well, I guess, it was for the best, though!!  Maybe things will appear as a deal when and if I come back here .

. .  with more money though!!

With that said, So Long Hong Kong, So Long China!!  Nepal, get ready for us, ‘cause here we come!!!

Bon, meme scenario pour aller a Hong Kong, une gare, 2 tickets d acces au quai, 24 heures de train, soupe, poker, matela par terre pour la nuit et blablabla...

On avait pas reussi a prendre un train direct, il fallait que l on passe par Guangzhou, c etait le plus economique, ensuite il fallait en prendre un autre de 2 ou 3 heures puis marcher jusqu a la frontiere.

Apres une journee de dur labeur, on arriva a Hong Kong en debut de soiree, Marcel nous attendait avec une petite surprise.

Il n avait plus de place chez lui, par contre son toit etait disponible. Ni une ni deux, j etais en train de monter la tente en plein coeur de Hong Kong au milieu des grattes-ciel.

Les gens ont du se dire qu ils etaient fous ces Romains!! Marcel nous amena pendant la soiree dans un des grattes-ciel, on monta dans un de ces ascenseurs exterieurs vitres, il nous amena au dernier etage, une nouvelle sensation me traversa le corps, le vertige, quelle horrible pulsion specialement en de telles circonstences, je restais immobile le plus proche de la porte, mon dernier vol en avion m avait rendu un nerveux par rapport a l altitude.

Le lendemain, c etait journee visite, le probleme dans des villes commes cela, tres cosmopolites, tu ne sais pas vraiment par quoi commencer. Surtout que personne n etait la pour nous accompagner ou nous conseiller. Malheureusement on s est contente des sites touristiques, faire un bisou a Jackie, le reste pour moi n etait que grattes-ciel et resto. Aucun contact avec la population.

Heureusement, Sid etait notre sauveur, un couchsurfeur avec lequel on allait Juanita et moi passer le reste de notre sejour a Hong Kong.

C etait un indien vegetarien qui allait nous faire decouvrir la culture et de la nourriture saine.

Quel bonheur, pour commencer ce petit resto qui ne payait pas de mine et qui allait changer notre vision sur les vegetariens.

Une multitude de gout et de couleur etait proposee, notre surprise venait de la carte qui ressemblait etrangement a celle d un resto normal, steack, poulet porc, mais pour un resto vegetarien, j ai commence a douter de l authenticite de mon nouvel ami.

C etait tout simplement genial, la carte n etait qu un aspect commercial, tout etait vegetarien, pratiquement sous la meme forme, meme texture et souvent meme couleur, ce fut succulent.

Sid me fit aussi l honneur d aller nager avec lui, rien de bien exceptionnel me diriez-vous, sauf que Sid est un personnage friand de nouvelle technologie et il venait d acquerir des ecouteurs etanches, nager en musique me semblait etre une experience assez sympa.

On se changait le mp3 tout les 100 metres enfin d en profiter autant que l autre. On va dire qu il faut mettre le niveau sonore au maximun pour pouvoir entendre un minimum. C etait cool quand meme.

De toute facon avec ce Sid, il fallait s attendre toujours a quelle chose de nouveau: apres le resto vegetarien, des longueurs en musique, il allait nous proposer un samedi soir barbecue, c est a dire appeler tous ces potes, jusqu a la tout va bien, sauf que tous etaient vegetariens, donc un barbec avec des legumes, du tofu, des legumes et du tofu, tout cela pour nous aller etre nouveau. Quand j ai appris la nouvelle, je dois dire que j ai fronce un peu les sourcils...

Sid avait reserve la terrasse d un bar, n ayant beaucoup de place chez ou du moins pas assez, on installa les grilles, les tables, je m autoproclamais chef de la soiree, etant le seul francais, il ne fallait pas deroger a notre reputation, c est pas des petits legumes qui allaient m impressionner!

Les gens arrivaient petit a petit avec leurs petits quelque chose de vegetariens, de tout les horizons, de tout genre et de tout les pays.

On passa tous un super moment autour de ce special barbecue vegetarien.