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Hi All I'm on my way. The flight to Honkers was OK. Cathay fed us twice. Dinner just after take off and breakie just before we land. I usually try to be one of the last to get on the plane so I can look for empty seats down the back so I can stretch out and sleep. Unfortunately most seemed to be taken so I had to go to My seat. You wouldnt believe it no one else in the row of 4 so I had 4 seats to stretch out on after dinner. Bonus. Hong kong airport is pretty slack. I had no idea where I was going so I walked around like I owned the place and no one challenged me. I ended up on a train but finally found where I was looking for. Imigration was a joke the form was name, address and passport No pretty much then custons waved me past so I'm in Hong Kong. It took me a while but I eventually found a concession doing tours and booked a tour. While I was waiting to book the tour I met Julie. She is from Mandurah and was on the same flight up as me although I didnt see her, and she is going to Kathmandu on the same flight as me so we teamed up for a bit of support. The tour was ok. We went from Lantau across the longest suspension bridge of its kind in the world to New teritories then to Kowloon, walked down Hong Kong walk of fame and caught a ferry to Hong kong Island. The ferry terminal is easy to find cos it is near the 4th tallest building it the world. The tour then went around Hong kong and we went to the oldest temple in Hong kong the Man Mo. Inside was like an opium den with all the incense burning it was making my eyes water. During the tour our guide, Willie, afunny old bloke, said we are now going to go through a tunnel so nothing to see I will sing 'Love me tender' and did........all the way through the tunnel. Thankfully he wasnt too bad. Hong Kong was very hazy so we couldnt see a lot so after the tour Julie and I decided to walk around for a while and check the place out. I was bartering for a couple of good luck charms for the kids and the old lady wouldnt come down to my price so we walked off. Julie reminded me we were fighting over 30 cents!!!! I went back and paid her price. Lunch cost us $25HK each or about $4AUS. We had enough so we headed to the airport on the train,the ticket was included in the price of the tour, and waited for our flight to Kathmandu. At the airport there are a couple of places where you can use free internet so I messaged the kids to let them know I was safe and Julie sent a couple of emails. Flight to Kathmandu was half empty so as we started to move Julie and I grabbed a couple of empty seats so we could stretch out again and sleep after dinner. Kathmandu airport is very basic. This surprised me for a country that derives most of its income from tourism. No sky bridge, you walk down the steps on to the tarmac, the terminal is tile floor, rows of fold up chairs in the departure lounge, the scanners look old and second hand and only a few shops. Very basic. I had to get my visa on arrival and this was by far the shortest line so that was a bonus. Visa cost $30US but you can pay in different currencies so I paid in Aussie dollars and this was my first ripoff. I got $2US change. My pick up from hotel was waiting as arranged but Julie's was not here so I waited for her. She could not get anyone on the number she had been given so we decided she should come back to my hotel and try to sort it in the morning. My ride took us to the hotel, after waiting for another flight and a group of Chinese girls. The roads are really a collection of potholes joined together by more potholes and a bit of tarmac. The place is very dusty but the hotel is OK. They have toilet paper and even supply a dirty towel in the room. Im staying at Hotel Ganesh Himal again tonight then maybe going down to Sauraha and Chitwan for a couple of days.
- comments
pilbarachick hello Hi Uncle John, Found yourself a chicky babe have yah, good on yah. Sounds like you are having a great time and seeing heaps already. When do we all get to see a picture of this Julie. Lub Kerri
ngaere Hello Good to hear from you. Will check again in a couple of days. Take care
suzieq44 allo Hi John, Sue n Frank here, great to see you worked out the photo thingy. Looking forward to hearing about the closing border ceremony, make sure you get some photos! Great to hear you had a companion. Hows your stomach? Where have you been eating? Good luck, keep us posted, and keep safe, we wait in anticipation to hear more!!
michael the photo of the opium den is cool-but where is it in hk?