My HK Trip

*********Warning: Photo Intensive*********

On the 2nd of Dec I left for HK.
A trip that I had been looking forward to for a long time.
I felt a certain burden lifting as I board the plane.
Of course, one reason for this was that he confirmed that he was there waiting for me.
Despite his busy schedule, he made time to be there.
But he was there for work, which actually is a blessing in disguise.

I arrived in the evening so I lugged my luggage to dinner...

I took the airport express which is really fast and looks great.
I wanted to take pictures on the express
but I felt a little embarrassed so no pictures!!

Got to Causeway Bay and loitered till I found this Red Ant restaurant.

My first meal in HK. Not too bad really. :)

Times Square
It takes a 7 min walk from here to our hotel.

Getting snacks on the way back to hotel.

The hotel.
It just opened in September so it's really new.
We managed to get it at really good rates.
Fantastic place!

Quality furnishings and a spacious room really left us pampered.
The reception staff were really fluent in English and Mandarin
and were absolutely polite.
Anyway you can check out my review on Traveladvisor here.

Chatted quite a bit that night while he worked.
Then I got hungry.
What's new right?
Singaporeans after all. LOL
So off to Lucky Dessert!

Couldn't resist ordering durian rolls.

Some glutinous rice with mango thingy.

KOed when I got back to the hotel.

Much later, I got up and got dressed.
I obviously made use of the chance to
WEAR MY BOOTS!
whahah

I walked past this really nice cafe.
They served breakfast! :)
So in I went.

I seriously had no idea what I ordered...
But what came
was scrambled eggs with bacon
and macaroni in tomato soup.
Amazingly, the egg which seemed normal tasted a lot worse
than the macaroni.
Yummy macaroni!

The waiter at the cafe also took time to teach
me how to differentiate the coins! haha :)

Then I went down to the townish area (Central) to run an errand
and to shop, of course.

I was looking for a particular place along Wyndham St
and i walked up (literally) and down (the hill) looking for it...
It took me an hour before I found the place...
By then, my feet were aching.

After shopping in that area, I decided to check out Western Market.
According to online resources and the pamphlet I got at the hotel,
it's worth a trip... so off I went.

By this time, 2 and a half hours after I left the hotel,
my feet were killing me.
You see... my boots were 3-inch high.
*haha*

Western Market.
LIES LIES LIES
All I saw was... 2 stories of textiles!

Can you imagine my agony limping to a place...
with NOTHING??
I spent less than 10 minutes there
which is less than the time I took to walk there!

Then... I got to Mongkok, Ladies Market!!!
Woohoo!

I love markets like these!
Where there are lots of things!
Of different variety!

There was only one problem.
I could hardly walk by the time I got here.
I was limping.
Every step was agonising.

People were looking at me strangely
Others tsked me as they overtook.

I tried sitting down for a while
but the moment I got up
the torture resumed.

I contemplated buying shoes...
but as I wriggled my toes, I realised that it was wet inside...
The blisters probably burst and it'd unhygenic to try on any shoes.

It become intolerable.
I decided I had to go back to the hotel.

I dug through my bag...
OMG.
I didn't bring the hotel card along!
I didn't know how to tell cab drivers where I lived in Mandarin or Cantonese!
And I didn't have the hotel number.
OMG.

I limped back to the MTR.
By this time, 80 yr old ladies were overtaking me.

I held on to the railing as I walked.
I walked close to the wall where I could.
My knees buckled even when I just standing still.
My ankles shook.

It took me more than an hour to get back to Causeway from Mongkok.
At times, I wondered if I would make it.
I broke out in sweat even when all I had on was a sweater.

I couldn't stand upright anymore as I entered the hotel.
I didn't hear what the doorman said to me.
I didn't care even when my face was like a kwali and my mascara ran (I think)
I fumbled as I looked for the hotel keycard.

I sat down on the chair.

Relief took over.

I made it.

But there was one nagging thought as I took off my boots.

It ate at me.

I thought about it as I pulled off my socks.

...
...
...
...
Did the nail polish on my toenails chip????

Thankfully they survived the ordeal.
My feet didn't though.
They were SWOLLEN the moment the boots came off.
There were tons of mini blisters on the soles of my feet.
My ankles and knees were weak.
My thighs and calves ached.
(in fact as of now... almost 2 weeks later, my feet are still painful.)

I rested for 2 hours till he got back.
And off to dinner it was.
We went out to one of those teahouses where the Uncles
would bang the utensils and crockery around.
I winced every time it happened.
SO COOL!

WHAT??! We put up with all this, travelled so far...
so that you could eat MAGGI MEE???


Went walking about after dinner.
Whee!

Dessert as usual.
To end off the night.

The next morning, we made it to breakfast.
This is the blur me (makeup-less).

So unglam.

On the way back to the hotel to continue sleeping...
I saw this.
有骨气海鲜酒家

After my nap, I went out shopping again.
This time in my glittery pumps.
(haha Why would aching thighs, calves, painful soles prevent me from shopping?)

I was so excited shopping, I forgot to take photos.
But this I did.
A full set of gel nails with 3D art cost HKD 300+ only!
Aren't they pretty???

I really wanted to get them done but the shops opened
really late.
And I had to be back by evening. URGHHHH
(nvm, I'll get them done in SG. WAHHAA)

At the Ave of Stars.

After some sightseeing, I went back to Jardine's Crescent.
I LOVED IT.

It's this tiny alley.
They have lots of basics and little knick knacks there!
NICE!!

That night, decided to try out this Jap Restaurant near the hotel.
But after just two pieces of sushi and a good dose of bad service, I just had to leave.
HORRIBLE.

So hopped down the street to Spagetti House.

YUMS!
*can't rem what I had though*

trot off to Temple St after dinner....

Obviously, another dessert shop!!

then it was lights out for the day.
The next day, I ran some errands before going to the airport.
He and I were on different flights so I sent him off first.
Then I realised...
I was 5 hours early for my flight.
whahahahahha

YAY There's a God!! :)
They have a cinema!

So I caught A Christmas Carol in 4D!

It's not very clear but there were bubbles!! :)

It was very easy getting around HK... pretty much like SG.

But I did something rather mean.
But I felt forced.
I spoke English all the time and pretended I didn't know Chinese.
I noticed on the first few occasions, when I spoke in Mandarin,
I was treated badly.
So I was adamant in speaking English and only resorted to Chinese
when we were getting nowhere.

That made things better. really.