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Hi All,
So the jet lag got me tonight so here I sit typing at 4:00 am. Shauna is sleeping but I am wide awake and raring to go......we'll see how that goes at supper time...
So to fill ya'll in we got to Hong Kong ok as stated before. Now if you haven't heard there is a wee bit of an issue going on these days with pigs and flu, if you haven't heard...you are dead...quit checking your email. I lost count of the "have fun in quarantine" jokes from all the folks back home...but we all felt safe cause on the plane they gave us a form, the "Swine Flu" form...basically it asked "Do you feel sick?", "Got a fever, cough etc?", and the classic "Seen anybody from Mexico lately?" It was well understood by everybody on the plane that the first person to answer yes to any of the above was to get their fingers broken flight crew included...they were the first ones to promote the "No" checkboxes as the answer of choice...so everybody said no to the above...we got off the plane just as a Kenya Airways jet happened to be deplaning.
As we were strolling to customs we noticed all the facemasks...if they could have used tongs to handle us they would have. Even got the thermal cameras running...made it thru that gauntlet then get to the customs line......same time as the Kenya Airlines flight.
Now this is when both Shauna looks at me with some look of disgust that I let one rip in line or something......cause ohhhhh man did a massive wave of stink hit us...the folks nearest us stink bad...like no bath ever...since birth bad. Their plane really could have used an air freshner. Our attempts to not gag must have been noticed as one gentleman in front of us in the zig zag lines leans over to us and says "see this is why you should spend time in the perfume section of the duty free shop before getting to the customs line with these folks!" I tried to hold my breath but the more I tried the more I needed to breath etc etc....so we suffered for a long time.....
Anyhoo got our stuff ok and Dave and Darla met us at the exit and off to catch a bus...(that is how it works here, you are always waiting for a bus or ferry no matter where you want to go). Weather is a nice 29 and not too humid.
We got to the flat some time after 8:00 I think no worries...time to catch up have a few drinks......well this is where the trip hits me...my head is bobbing like Monica Lewinski's after her last visit with Bill. I think I fell asleep in mid sentence not sure...so time to go to bed...Shauna seemed fine...but she won't admit it but she slept on the plane longer than me. I'm not sure all the graval was outta me system either. So Shauna made me take a sleeping pill also. Not sure if she had ulterior motives but maybe. The trick is to get the first night of sleep in ok...well it seemed to work for me...don't even remember hitting the pillow and woke up to one hell of a drool puddle......but felt ok. So did Shauna.
Woke up to an awesome Hong Kong morning. Dave had to test somebody on the sim so we all took their ham bone of a mutt for a long walk. For those who haven't met him he is a card. Long story how Dave and Darla got him but to sum it up they rescued him from some locals who though nothing of tying a dog to a tree for a few years and only feeding it bananas...hope hell has a special place for folks like that.
Discovery Bay is a pretty unique place...no cars only golf carts and busses. All the flats are built to have some form of a view of the bay and it for the most part seems to have worked out. Dave and Darla have a wicked nice flat with an amazing view. It's mostly expats who live here from every corner of the world to the point that you don't see many Chinese here. Hear a lot of different languages.....and almost everybody has a maid. All the hired helpers seem to meet in big groups to gossip about their bosses. A lot like Payton Place, not many secrets....
There are trails into the mountains all over the place and it's really nice to just walk about specially in this weather...compared to home.
So Dave wrapped up his check ride...and met us and then off we went to Central with the goal to get to Stanley market. So Discovery Bay (DB) is on an island same as the airport. You need to take a ferry to get to Central...that is what you all see on the movies...big sky scrapers etc. Then from there we take a cool double decker bus ride on a really twisty road to Stanley. It was a small fishing village...now it's a place to shop and tourists go to take pictures.
On a side note Hong Kong kicks ass...cause they got the Octopus card...you load up this card with money (electronically at any 7-11 or small store) and you can buy just about anything with a swipe of the card. You don't even have to take it out of your wallet or purse. So Darla being the planner that she is had a couple of cards for us and off we went we loaded them up with a bit o cash. You don't have to worry about change or having small bills it's awesome. Unfortunately for us north americans...this is like a sign of the end of times or something so we won't see it for a while.
We grabbed some grub at the local wrap place...was good...then headed for the ferry...oh a 7-11 and it has beer...oh its 6.95 hk...like a dollar...Grab one and swipe the card...too easy...and off to the ferry.
Now Stanley is for shopping...last time I looked I have guy parts...so Dave who I think has guy parts also like I was along for the ride. Shauna was vibrating...her goal to get some Terracotta Soldiers. I again am along for the ride...So we get there and Darla knows a place...boom we got Terracotta soldiers...and a statue of a fat Chinese chick...very elegant I might add. I also got some life's lesson from the owner of the shop....the dude looked like Confucious (I am not kidding) so he must know what he is talking about. Course now we are outta cash so off to find a bank machine and reload.
Right about here Me and Dave have enough with the shopping and just happen to be near a few bars. So we plunk it in a bar that has evey inch of the walls covered with currecny bills from every country of the world signed by visitors...kinda cool. The gals go their own way to shop...they got Meyers dark rum here....sweet a few doubles of that and the girls joined us for another and it was time to go. I was feeling pretty good about shopping now....
So now we had to weave back to the ship with the statues to lug them back to the taxi stand, a bit of a walk thru tight alleys full of folks who walk the speed of snail and manage to plug the whole aisle doing it. So the statues are a wee bit heavy and a whole lot ackward...so I lugged em back and was panting a bit by the time we got to the taxi...better choice for the ride back with this booty. Got to the ferry station and lo and behold...you can buy a rum and coke and get on...heh heh...I am again happy.
Back to the Blommes for a wicked spaghetti dinner a wicked Blomme's Smokin Hot Ceasar (patent pending).
That takes y'all to about here as I again could not stay awake and we went to bed early and I woke up around 2:30......going to mainland China to a place called Shenzhen...you guessed it shopping mecca.....Dave bailed on me and has opted to fly people to Singapore instead of this....so I and the missus are going to do some looking about....I am sure there is a bar somewhere there...
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