Tuesday 17 April 2012

Here I go...


After my wallet was stolen on Sunday night I was left wondering what else is in store for me on this trip, having all your bank cards and licenses stolen 12 hrs before flying out to Europe is not the most ideal of situations and although it upset me greatly I had an angel by my side to calm me down and regain a level head on the situation and therefore meant that total crises was averted. Then in a twist of good fate, the taxi driver who we flagged down to take us into the city for us to then catch the bus to the airport, gave us a wicked deal for cash and we got there early and cheaply, so I’m hoping in light of this that my wallet being taken was the last of my bad luck.

I’m not even going to go into the airport goodbye, gut wrenchingly awful, enough said.

So Cathay Pacific flight CX108 is currently carrying me to Hong Kong, and after watching Brokeback Mountain (yes Brokeback Mountain) for the first time ever I’m really feeling on my own for the first time in ages. Always wanted to watch that movie, but whenever I’ve wanted to there has always been someone there, usually male, who flatly would refuse and so I found it quite fitting that as I begin my travels on my own that I finally get to watch a movie I want to watch and there isn’t anyone around to stop me. Stoked to get 2 seats to myself, so best of both worlds for aisle and window, and also meant a decent sleep along the way. 

Now Hong Kong airport taught me a great lesson, have a look at the directory board first when trying to locate places to eat or have a coffee instead of just following the first knife and fork sign you see. After killing nearly 3 hours down one end of the airport, thinking to myself ‘Gee there’s not much here, thought Hong Kong would be busy as with shops everywhere and heaps of places to eat etc, but this is dead quiet, and only 2 asian cafĂ© places!’. I had to settle for an awful tandoori chicken wrap thing that cost me a small fortune, then I went to go to my gate cause it was boarding and as I got closer the horror set in, the lights and music etc sunk into my brain that there was this whole other huge part of the airport, right next to my gate with everything you could ever imagine to eat and drink! With now only HK$11 in my pocket, which can buy you all of about half a chocolate bar, I sulked to my gate thinking of what could have been.

My hopes for a spare seat next to me on the second leg where quickly squashed when I myself was squashed between two Asian guys who seemed to have this unreal ability to sleep the whole way! Most disappointing when thought I was getting an aisle seat, can’t handle sitting down for longer than an hour at a time. So out came my gymnastic skills of climbing up and leaping over the guy next to me to get out each time. Didn’t get much sleep, so frustrating when you wake up from falling asleep thinking ‘Yes! I must have just killed a couple of hours there’  to then look at your watch and scream inside “DOH!!” cause in fact it has only been 20 minutes and yes you still have 8 hours and 57 minutes left to go – Onto another movie then…

Arrived at Heathrow, lovely to see they take their airport customs so seriously. No arrival forms, just hand them your passport, they don’t even look at you, collect your bags and walk out the door, green door or red door, no x-ray or dogs no matter what door you pick. 

Missioned into the city to see Sam, loved the quote of the day at Oval Tube Station – “Strangers are just friends we haven’t met yet”, thought that was pretty fitting for what I have just embarked on. Missioned back out of the city to Sam’s place, dropped my bags, shoes and socks off, bra off, cup of tea in hand and am now sprawled on the couch enjoying being horizontal for the first time in 2 days.

1 comment:

  1. GOOD ON YA SAM, SORRY I MISSED YOU BEFOR YOU LEFT. THING ABOUT ADVENTURES IS YOU DONT KNOW WHATS GOIN TO HAPPEN NEXT. ENJOY HAVE A GREAT TIME. RED X

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