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Wednesday 7 October
The great plans we have don't seem so great when it feels like I got no sleep. We don't want to carry our bags around with us all day, so we pack and do first things first. The Hollywood stars avenue is close and we don't have to be checked out until 12. It's along the harbour and am impressive view of the city skyline across the harbour. The very very dark clouds is a contrast with the partially blue sky above us. We see jackie chan's star and hand print. We walk through a park heading back to the hotel and check out some shops for breakfast and in looking for a replacement hair oil. My previous one spilled from the sir pressure flying and I underestimate my future need for it so I threw it out. A lot of shops are still shut. I guess when you stay open so late opening early isn't reasonable. We buy some drinks and a sandwich from a 7/11 and sit outside to enjoy them. Before checking out another mall and walking around the streets. When we get back to the accommodation we have some time left before check out. We figure where to next. The hotel isn't really a hotel at all. It's a tall shabby building, and inside a small apartment someone has made 5 tiny ensuited rooms. In ours there is room for a double bed and ensuite with a shower hose in between the sink and toilet. No window. It's a very popular idea! There are so many little accommodation establishments in this building alone! Good investment I'd think - we didn't even see someone till we checked out. It's all arranged online and there were notes on the main door when we arrived with instructions and a further note our door later!
We head off to the metro station and rain has finally caught up with us. Our first stops are the ladies market, the fish, flower and bird markets! I find a shop with hair oil on the way. The ladies market is similar to the night market, but more underwear and house things. There are fascinating fish hanging in clear plastic bags. There are few other pets in there too. Cute puppies and small hamsters. I love the fresh flowers. Their perfection and fresh sweet smell! They should bottle it! Just off the flower market is the bird market. All sorts of birds in cages. As well as worms and crickets and the like to feed them. My favourite is the ones with the long tails. Back at the train we head out to the mountain cable car where the hilltop village, big Buddha and monastery lie. It's a very long cable car. At least 25-30 min over the harbour and up the hill. It's raining and cloudy. We don't have heaps of time. We grab some lunch at subway and take a short break then head past statue soldiers to the monastery. There is a sign saying no alcohol and only vegetarian food to be had in the garden. It's a nice well kept monastery and the hall of a thousand Buddhas is vibrant with gold and light. We try and see the big Buddha up on it's massive platform, but it's so cloudy. Amazing we wait awhile and the cloud clears and we get our pictures and a beautiful trip down on the cable car. There is free wifi and we figure we don't have to go all the way back on the metro as we are actually very close to the airport here. We just have to catch a short bus trip. Soon we are at the airport and getting our stuff sorted. I get changed and freshened up and we check in and exchange our money. Security is easy and fast flowing. After exit immigration Malcolm gets asked to do a tourism survey and then we go to our gate. There is a little toddler following her father, but when he turns his back she turns and runs off toward the walking escalator. When the father turns and she is out of site he looks worried. Thankfully a lady grabbed her. You can't let them out of sight!
The board early and it seems like we sit on the plans awhile. I'm looking forward to dinner! But they tell us they have run out of the vegetarian option, but thankfully they are able to dig two up for us! Now for the rest of the flight. How quick will 7 hours pass? Then we have layover and another flight.
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