Bee-you-tee-full

02.05.2014

After all of crazy Hong Kong, I needed a break, so I headed out to the islands. There are amazing islands just 30 minutes from the main ferry terminal in Hong Kong, can you believe it?! It's like literally transporting yourself into the Caribbean for a while.

In the morning, I said goodbye to Nick and Ranald and hopped aboard a ferry to Lamma Island. It's the biggest and most popular of the islands, and it's paradise! The smaller islands must be even better. Wow, can't imagine that.

Anyway, there is a little trail that goes from one side of the island to the other and most people do that and go home. So, that's what I did, and of course I added some seafood to the end.

I couldn't even believe how good this fish was! Living for a year next to the ocean in Korea had nothing on this place. It was un-freaking-believable. There were a LOT of restaurants to choose from, so basically I just went to one that was only slightly busy. I sat down and the waitress said, "You want this." and it was a set menu of all different kinds of sea creatures. My kind of waitress.

"Why yes I do, thank you." and I had a delicious feast on the harbourside. Not sure what I was eating all the time but that's beside the point.

On the ferry back I chatted with some more random people, so much fun when everyone around you can speak moderate English. That would be my favourite thing about Hong Kong I believe. You can just assume people understand you, and 80% of the time it works.

After lunch, I went and found Stuart my friend from Korea at his swanky hotel. We decided I would stay there one night to relax but it wasn't to be. Ranald emailed me and told me he and Nick had a terrible time getting back home. All the trains from Shenzhen were sold out, so I decided I should go back immediately, instead of tomorrow. So, Stuart and I went to try and find the travel agent. We did, but it was closed. We had dinner and then went up the escalator that takes you to the top of this big hill full of expats and bars. We remarked that it was kind of like those popular exhibits at the zoo, where you stand on a conveyor belt so that you all don't crowd around the penguins. Except for us, we were at the drunk foreigner exhibit of the Hong Kong zoo. Very strange experience. From there, we walked back down and I hurried off to make it back to Guangzhou.

I did and finally found a hotel at 2 a.m. Pretty cheap for 80 yuan, but chock full of annoying mosquitoes. I barely slept at all and woke up with a swollen face and arm.Gah! I left around 6 a.m. for the train station. The train I wanted was leaving from the main station, but I was at the east one. So, after forcing myself around like a zombie through three transfers on the spaghetti-like subway system, I luckily managed to get a sleeper car on the train at the main station and happily dozed all the way home. I even ate in the dining car at lunch. I had some perfectly cooked fish and crazy amazing bananas that I bought at the train station. Wish I brought my camera, but my car was way too far away to justify going back to get my camera. You will just have to imagine.

One last thing: you don't even want to know how much this trip cost me. I think it was about half a month's wages. Not kidding, do not go to Hong Kong with an empty wallet.

Ferry to Lamma Island