Vertical Horizon

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So I learned two things about myself today:

1. I’m invincible.

2. Actually, turns out I’m not invincible.

I consider myself pretty travel-savvy, appropriately independent and dang street-smart (well, notwithstanding that time I apprehended two taggers on an LA side street and forced them to give me their markers… oops). I love the feeling of going somewhere alone and figuring out how to get around, I love exploring, whatever that means in terms of wherever I happen to be, and though I’m cautiously aware, I think I am also confident about my inherent safety to a fault.

In other words, I think I’m pretty hot stuff. And I gained a healthy respect for the Unknown out there when I traveled alone in India for a few days before my first tour of duty, last summer. It was tough, it was unnerving, I broke down in tears a couple of times, BUT—I did it! And India (after another minor setback, at Christmas) is now a breeze. And if I can conquer that? –chuh, I can handle anything.

Then today I found out just what a travel pansy I am.

Hong Kong—this year’s Unknown. I had a 17-hour layover on my way to India, so of COURSE I wanted to go into the city or onto the main island or whatever. And a couple of weeks ago I realized I should probably book a tour, even though I’m generally anti-tour, for that layover. That it probably wasn’t a good idea to just go out and find something to do and figure how to get around an unknown city armed with just my wit, a smile and a pop-up map, because of crucial time constraints (probably shouldn’t miss my plane to India because I didn’t realize how far it was to Macau and back) and also because I’ve seen the movie Taken (in the right lighting, I’m pretty sure I could be mistaken for a hot naïve 17-year-old).

So again—pretty hot stuff, this time for figuring out the best plan of attack. Researched and booked a tour, researched and booked an airport transfer to the hotel meeting point.

Then… the airport transfer fell through. Too early, they couldn’t take me.

Then… in the midst of my FANTASTIC business-class Cathay Pacific experience, my PowerBook suddenly died. Wouldn’t wake up from sleep. DNR. That started the downhill.

Then… I hiked back uphill when I started counting my blessings (if it was going to die, better now than in India—at least I could go to an Apple Store in Hong Kong and get repair or whatever)

Then… I found out there was no Apple Store in Hong Kong. What??

Then... I lost it. Sort of.

I arrived at 5:25am, went straight to the lounge to get me some internet, opened up my backup laptop since the PowerBook was still in a coma, found that that battery was almost dead, and that even though I’d Oh So Wisely brought along a Hong Kong plug adaptor in my carryon, it didn’t have a grounded slot for the laptop’s power cord. Argh.

Long story short, I was able to use the backup to video-call my dad and tiredly freak out to him about what had happened, and eventually we were able to get the Mac up and running after multiple bouts of troubleshooting. But THEN, after… I only had a few minutes to spare to make the trip to Kowloon for my tour. And I still had no idea how to get there. I mean, I figured there were taxis and shuttles and all that, but how? How?

I was suddenly rendered useless and incapable of doing anything for myself. A Cathay representative had to come and escort me through Immigration. (Well, that was policy—not because I didn’t know where to go). I was in tears by the time she arrived at the lounge to get me, because I had been waiting 20 minutes and was stressing. She fortunately walked as quickly as I do, and when we got to the immigration area, batted her eyes at an official so I could cut the huuuuuuge line that would have been the ultimate downfall, so THAT was good. She didn’t come through too—during our power-walk I had been pressing her with ridiculous questions like “but I don’t have any Hong Kong dollars-- how do I pay for a taxi or shuttle?” (seriously—it’s like I lost my brain completely), so I think she was not sad to pass me off at that point. I was suddenly alone and scared again.

But on her gentle advice, once I was through immigration, I went to a Thomas Cook desk to exchange money (Ah! so THAT’S what you do…), and the clerk sensed my frantic nervousness when he enquired about my transportation plans to Kowloon, and told me not take a shuttle or taxi, but to take the Airport EXPRESS. I balked. “But that just takes me to Kowloon—how will I get to the YMCA from there??”.   And—.  Really, Jennie? Never heard of a taxi? I’m pretty sure that’s what was going through his head, but probably with an unflattering idiom in place of my name.

All went well from there—made it to the train, and then by cab (who knew??) to the Salisbury Y with a few minutes to spare, and the rest is history. Well, to be told in the rest of this blogpost (via photos).

BUT—I felt like the biggest IDIOT. I know it looks like small beans, but what happened to me back there?? I totally choked. I became That Traveler, the one that looks around with constant confusion and talks too loudly and can’t read signs and stands too close to the conveyor belt when waiting for checked baggage so no one else can see theirs coming ‘round the carousel. (Ahem.) I would like to blame my temporary lapse on fatigue, but I’d had a nice 6 hours’ sleep or so in my private lay-flat bed on the plane. (Pause for pleasant longing memories.)  I think, though, I can more realistically blame it on the fact, that, once we flew over the International Dateline en route to HK, I was simultaneously going both back and FORWARD, in time. Think about it. It was a day later than my life back in LA, and yet as we flew westward, we were at the same time going BACK in that day. TRIPPY. No wonder I was messed up. It was like I was in a LOST episode, jumping back and forth, lost in time—and for those people on the Island, that kind of movement caused their brains to hemorrhage. Hmm. Maybe I should be glad all I did was make an idiot of myself to airport staff and crew.

And, I must say, the rest of the day was JUST FINE. I was in my normal form once I got on the express train, and I quickly learned that Hong Kong IS a place I can get around alone (which I will, on my similar layover during my come-home in August). But I also learned this--while it’s a great feeling, getting around by yourself—empowering!—I have to add a disclaimer. Which is, I don’t WANT to be going around alone. I would much rather have someone who is there to take me to the airport, or travel with me, figure out where we’re going, etc. Wouldn’t that be nice. (Unless they annoy me or don’t like eating local food, in which case I will escape and wander off on my own J.)

So this is a really long post, and probably more info that anyone wanted, you just wanted pictures anyway. So here’s a TON of them—welcome to my trip so far!

Business class. Yes. Oh, yes. (if you know me, you'll know that I am extra-incredibly happy in this picture because that blanket I'm holding on my lap is a DUVET... sigh. Perfection.)

Dinner: Seared ahi tuna salad, beef-something with some kind of onion marmalade and string mushrooms, mini rock s&p shakers, mini goblets to drink out of, and a 15-inch flip-out screen to watch How To Train Your Dragon while eating... 

view of the cabin and lie-flat beds

After a sleep (it was a 14-hour plane ride, after all), I watched Invictus-- LOVED it. Shed more than a few tears. Had to keep pausing it to take notes. Oh, and Matt Damon is hot.

Morning over Hong Kong (somewhere under those clouds)

On the Airport Express to Kowloon

Taxi to the YMCA. The taxis have auto-doors. Auto-doors! In other words, you can't get out until they want you to. Tricky if you're trying to commandeer a vehicle illegally.

My tour guide for the day, on The Land Between Tour (out to the New Territories, etc)

First stop on the tour: Yuen Yuen Institute. Home to three religions, or some'in. I don't know, I tired of listening to the narrative right quick and spent my 45 minutes of freedom wandering and taking photos.

Like of this dude-- we definitely need to bring this style to the States

And of the fish in the waterfall pond-- love the Koi, they look like they're constantly saying "duuuuude-"

Check out the catfish ready to attack in the upper corner. Unsuspecting turtles...

hee hee, turtles kill me. All stuck up n' stuff.

Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue poses. In turtle world. At least, that's what it looked like to me. Remember: time travel. I can't be blamed.

ohhh, turtles.  I have many more shots if you'd like to see them. :)

moi in front of the koi pond. Can't even tell I'm in China. Oh well. 

Really? OX?? Bummer. Tiger would be soooo much more cool. Better than pig, I guess.

Is it wrong to take a photo of someone worshipping? Just looked so cool...

Next stop: a Lookout point for the whole area, down into the HK harbor etc. But it was hazy so there was nothing to see. Except this cool sign letting us know that handicaps are welcome. Y'know, I've often thought that campfire sites were soooo anti-disability...

shooting from the hip as a monk?  worships. Oops this one's out of order, goes with the Yuen Yuen above...

Fourth stop: Bride's Pool Falls. Definitely my fave, except we only had ten minutes so I and a Swedish kid booked it as far as we could along the hiking trail/steps and back within that time while everyone else looked at them from the park entrance. Wish I could have explored all day (and wasn't wearing a skirt)

best self-portrait I could do in 30 seconds once I reached the river/lower falls

Sixth stop: fishing village. Not really. Disappointment.

Back in Hong Kong... I went here. Not to eat, but because McDonald's is the best place when traveling... to find clean 'public' restrooms (and that's maybe my best travel tip). I always feel so typically American when I walk in, though...

I WAS tempted to get the Taro Pie, though... what's not appetizing about a Grimace-colored fried dessert?

Looking at Hong Kong Island from Kowloon side. Those skyscrapers really are huuuuge

Why I left HK at about 4pm to go back to the airport, even though my flight didn't leave until 10:45-- (those bags combined weigh about 35 pounds, maybe more)

The other reason to go back early-- SHOWERS! 

And because I really wanted to spend as many hours as possible in the posh Cathay Business Class Lounge. Very, very happy there. Next time I'm bringing blankets and making a fort so I can claim land.

And so the adventures begin...