7 days
9/12/06 evening
Pack, pack and pack. Actually... I woke up at 4pm and realized I better run to the grocery store and buy some chocolates before I meet up with the guys for dinner. Made it to dinner 5 minutes late, M'sian cuisine, how nice - just before I head home, have it more authentic and pay 1/5 of the price. After dinner it was hugs and take cares. Then packed, cleaned, slept for 30 minutes.
10/12/06
Flying at 10pm, meant getting to the airport at 8pm, meant waking up at 6.30am to get to the bus station at 7am to take the shuttle bus. No other time than this to be reminded of the benefits of having a guy roomate: luggage duty. Breakfast at airport, then it's sleep, sleep, sleep on the plane, transit at Vancouver, sleep, sleep and sleep again.
11/12/06
15 hours flight is the reason why I don't sleep the night before. That and bad time management skill.
Got to HK at about 6pm... Called bro upon collecting my luggage. Was given rather specific instructions on how to take the train to the nearby MRT station. Was supposed to give him a call at the transfer station... but cell phone died. Tips if you were to travel to HK: information centre at HK metro stations do not provide (power) plug in services, and they look at you weird if you asked. I figured he's smart enough to know when I'll be there. I was right, thank Buddha. Haven't seen him in 2.5 years? For some reason I thought he'd be slimmer since he's working in this crazy city and dating one of the locals.. nope. Gained weight, chubbier. Dinner was a bowl of beef flank soup noodle. Because I insisted on having 'water' as my drink, I got a small coffee cup filled with luke warm water, and 3 big slices of lemon. Simplicity must not be well tolerated in this city.
12/12/06
Jet lagged. Woke up almost at 8am. Since it's primarily against my principle to wake up before 8 unless it's absolutely necessary, like a fire, I lied on the couch till 10am. Bro was out to work, I took a shower and then spent the next 1/2 hour trying to get out of his apartment. This is embarrassing to admit, you know how the apartments have a wooden door and a metal/fence type door (what's the name for that?)? Didn't realize there's a little knob hiding somewhere under that horizontal bar. Almost dismantled that thing by pulling on every knob and unlocking everything visible. Finally had to call my brother at work. Anyways, had good porridge breakfast and went walk around Women street at Mong Kok and Yap Liu Street. Don't ask me why I went to the latter, my guide book recommended it. Negotiating with the street hawkers was fun though, they got mad when I told them "maybe next time" after negotiating for 10 minutes and agreeing on a price. Met up with bro at 6pm and walked around Tsim Sa Tsui harbour. Stayed long enough for the laser show (it was rainning btw), then it's dinner time. Since he's on a mission to spoil me he took me to Japanese food. Nice. After dinner there's dessert at this place called "Tang's Dynasty". That place was packed. Got home at 11pm and I was spent, don't know how brother can still manage to watch 3 hours of tv (including Sun Ng Hong and some casino show)... I passed out on the couch before he went to bed. Oh, by the way, I insisted on the couch when he offered me his bed, because I love my brother, and because I saw two toothbrushes in the washroom...
13/12/06
Brother got sick from the rain yesterday so he went to work at 11am. I was err.. jet lagged so I woke up at 12pm. Porridge as lunch. Was rainning all day so upon getting downtown I sneaked into the library at IMF tower and went online. Wrote emails, then brother called to say his girlfriend will be meeting up with us to go to the peak. Went out of the building and it was pouring.... so went back in and waited till 6pm to meet take the train and meet up with them. Finally, the legendary Jessica. It was a pleasant night, despite the fog blurring the night view at the peak. At least it wasn't raining. Dinner at the peak, however, was extremely pricy. I was glad that I walked in with slippers, rolled up pants (still wet from the rain), and white turned gray sweater and a backpack. The price on the menu made me felt like I needed a drink (I picked the restaurant... ). Jessica and I bonded over dinner, with the conversation focused on my brother's annoying behaviours. Walked around Lan Guai Fong after dinner, then took the 'electric car' for a while just for kicks, and headed home. I must be getting old. There were still tonnes of ppl on the street and I felt like it was way over bedtime while it's just 12am.
14/12/06
Day to visit the great Buddha. No porridge for breakfast because I had to meet up with Jessica's dad at 9am, just so happened that he's bringing some friends there. Bro decided that meant I had to wake up at 7.30am. I wasn't kidding when I said it wasn't just about the toothbrushes. Anyways, rainny weather still, cold and windy. Didn't really get to enjoy the view when we're on the cable car coz it was all foggy. Buddha was big and impressive... it was worth the cold. Making small talks obviously wasn't our strong points so when Jessica's dad offered to buy us seafood lunch at Tai O I ate lots to show my appreciation. I'm serious, it was gonna go to waste. Peeing prawns were good. Crabs and some sea snail type things too.
Lepak around the mall at the MRT station for 1/2 hour before it was time to meet up with a high school pal. She worked at the airport and lived in Dai Yu San as well so it'd be easier for me to just wait for her to get off work. Meeting old friends is always nice, even if it's an old friend that you're not really that close with. It's funny how time can take care of that. Maybe it's just me. I'm almost certain that we never had such a long conversation over our 6 years in high school together. Anyways, caught up with each other's life, and brother called to check up on me. I thought that was sweet. Yes, SWEET. You have no idea how long it had been since someone asked me when am I going home. Not in the 'please leave and go home' sense. So I went home, bought him some soy milk and watched Nip/Tuck with my good old bro.
15/12/06
Almost last day, brother told me one of his coworkers wanted to invite me for dimsun for lunch. Since Liu Shi never says no to free food, I went not knowing why I was invited. Got to his office at 12pm, and was introduced to all his coworkers. That was an interesting experience, don't think we've done this before. This is not his first job... yet it doesn't feel that out of place. From what I heard he's quite popular among the ladies in the office. I heard as in Jessica told me, not without a hint of jealousy. As I was making my rounds one lady was black listed by me coz she said I looked like my brother. It's debatable on a good day but that day my bro didn't bother to shave. Anyways, the lady who was buying lunch was the lady who told my brother about the position, live around his neighbourhood and helped him lots when he first got to HK. Has a very cute 3 year old boy as well which I later visited and brought chocolates for in the evening after dinner. Had to listen to their travelling stories over lunch, since it's a regional office and everyone travels a lot. One of them looks kinda gay, I would have told my gay post doc about him if he's not such a mean guy (my bro told me so). The food was alright.
Walked around the city after lunch again, this time around the narrow streets (Bai Fa Gai)packed with hawkers, SOHO and so on. Got lost and walked some more. Then it's time to meet up with bro again and I made him go eat porridge with me for dinner. I needed my porridge fix, while I can get them cheap and tasty. Visited the lady with a bottle of white wine and chocolates I bought from tax free in Vancouver. Her boy has the loudest voice ever, but very cute and obedient. He's at the stage where he coudln't quite differentiate between 'me'/'I' and 'you', kept saying, "You want to eat chocolate... " Cute.
16/12/06
Bro woke up at 9am and cooked me breakfast. Sausage and eggs. Nice, I like being a guest, though he had 2 eggs and I only had one. We walked around the garden next to his apartment building, it was a nice one, lots of ppl jogging, had a pond and all that. We even went to walk on one of those foot massage stone paths, both laughing all the way because it was really painful. Good fun. I'm so glad that he's a happier person working in HK. I told him not very subtly that he should jog in the garden more often. Heh.
Packed it all up and went to the airport. I was encouraging my brother not to go with me because he has an afternoon class to attend. Unfortunately when he called his gf at the train station she was already on the way to the airport to 'surprise' us, so he had to go anyways. Nice to spend a little bit of time with both of them before they got too mushy and I was glad to hop on the plane. It only dawned to me later during boarding that it'll be a while till I see him again and I missed him already. I hate it how brothers always make you teary. 3 hours and it's home sweet home.
Pack, pack and pack. Actually... I woke up at 4pm and realized I better run to the grocery store and buy some chocolates before I meet up with the guys for dinner. Made it to dinner 5 minutes late, M'sian cuisine, how nice - just before I head home, have it more authentic and pay 1/5 of the price. After dinner it was hugs and take cares. Then packed, cleaned, slept for 30 minutes.
10/12/06
Flying at 10pm, meant getting to the airport at 8pm, meant waking up at 6.30am to get to the bus station at 7am to take the shuttle bus. No other time than this to be reminded of the benefits of having a guy roomate: luggage duty. Breakfast at airport, then it's sleep, sleep, sleep on the plane, transit at Vancouver, sleep, sleep and sleep again.
11/12/06
15 hours flight is the reason why I don't sleep the night before. That and bad time management skill.
Got to HK at about 6pm... Called bro upon collecting my luggage. Was given rather specific instructions on how to take the train to the nearby MRT station. Was supposed to give him a call at the transfer station... but cell phone died. Tips if you were to travel to HK: information centre at HK metro stations do not provide (power) plug in services, and they look at you weird if you asked. I figured he's smart enough to know when I'll be there. I was right, thank Buddha. Haven't seen him in 2.5 years? For some reason I thought he'd be slimmer since he's working in this crazy city and dating one of the locals.. nope. Gained weight, chubbier. Dinner was a bowl of beef flank soup noodle. Because I insisted on having 'water' as my drink, I got a small coffee cup filled with luke warm water, and 3 big slices of lemon. Simplicity must not be well tolerated in this city.
12/12/06
Jet lagged. Woke up almost at 8am. Since it's primarily against my principle to wake up before 8 unless it's absolutely necessary, like a fire, I lied on the couch till 10am. Bro was out to work, I took a shower and then spent the next 1/2 hour trying to get out of his apartment. This is embarrassing to admit, you know how the apartments have a wooden door and a metal/fence type door (what's the name for that?)? Didn't realize there's a little knob hiding somewhere under that horizontal bar. Almost dismantled that thing by pulling on every knob and unlocking everything visible. Finally had to call my brother at work. Anyways, had good porridge breakfast and went walk around Women street at Mong Kok and Yap Liu Street. Don't ask me why I went to the latter, my guide book recommended it. Negotiating with the street hawkers was fun though, they got mad when I told them "maybe next time" after negotiating for 10 minutes and agreeing on a price. Met up with bro at 6pm and walked around Tsim Sa Tsui harbour. Stayed long enough for the laser show (it was rainning btw), then it's dinner time. Since he's on a mission to spoil me he took me to Japanese food. Nice. After dinner there's dessert at this place called "Tang's Dynasty". That place was packed. Got home at 11pm and I was spent, don't know how brother can still manage to watch 3 hours of tv (including Sun Ng Hong and some casino show)... I passed out on the couch before he went to bed. Oh, by the way, I insisted on the couch when he offered me his bed, because I love my brother, and because I saw two toothbrushes in the washroom...
13/12/06
Brother got sick from the rain yesterday so he went to work at 11am. I was err.. jet lagged so I woke up at 12pm. Porridge as lunch. Was rainning all day so upon getting downtown I sneaked into the library at IMF tower and went online. Wrote emails, then brother called to say his girlfriend will be meeting up with us to go to the peak. Went out of the building and it was pouring.... so went back in and waited till 6pm to meet take the train and meet up with them. Finally, the legendary Jessica. It was a pleasant night, despite the fog blurring the night view at the peak. At least it wasn't raining. Dinner at the peak, however, was extremely pricy. I was glad that I walked in with slippers, rolled up pants (still wet from the rain), and white turned gray sweater and a backpack. The price on the menu made me felt like I needed a drink (I picked the restaurant... ). Jessica and I bonded over dinner, with the conversation focused on my brother's annoying behaviours. Walked around Lan Guai Fong after dinner, then took the 'electric car' for a while just for kicks, and headed home. I must be getting old. There were still tonnes of ppl on the street and I felt like it was way over bedtime while it's just 12am.
14/12/06
Day to visit the great Buddha. No porridge for breakfast because I had to meet up with Jessica's dad at 9am, just so happened that he's bringing some friends there. Bro decided that meant I had to wake up at 7.30am. I wasn't kidding when I said it wasn't just about the toothbrushes. Anyways, rainny weather still, cold and windy. Didn't really get to enjoy the view when we're on the cable car coz it was all foggy. Buddha was big and impressive... it was worth the cold. Making small talks obviously wasn't our strong points so when Jessica's dad offered to buy us seafood lunch at Tai O I ate lots to show my appreciation. I'm serious, it was gonna go to waste. Peeing prawns were good. Crabs and some sea snail type things too.
Lepak around the mall at the MRT station for 1/2 hour before it was time to meet up with a high school pal. She worked at the airport and lived in Dai Yu San as well so it'd be easier for me to just wait for her to get off work. Meeting old friends is always nice, even if it's an old friend that you're not really that close with. It's funny how time can take care of that. Maybe it's just me. I'm almost certain that we never had such a long conversation over our 6 years in high school together. Anyways, caught up with each other's life, and brother called to check up on me. I thought that was sweet. Yes, SWEET. You have no idea how long it had been since someone asked me when am I going home. Not in the 'please leave and go home' sense. So I went home, bought him some soy milk and watched Nip/Tuck with my good old bro.
15/12/06
Almost last day, brother told me one of his coworkers wanted to invite me for dimsun for lunch. Since Liu Shi never says no to free food, I went not knowing why I was invited. Got to his office at 12pm, and was introduced to all his coworkers. That was an interesting experience, don't think we've done this before. This is not his first job... yet it doesn't feel that out of place. From what I heard he's quite popular among the ladies in the office. I heard as in Jessica told me, not without a hint of jealousy. As I was making my rounds one lady was black listed by me coz she said I looked like my brother. It's debatable on a good day but that day my bro didn't bother to shave. Anyways, the lady who was buying lunch was the lady who told my brother about the position, live around his neighbourhood and helped him lots when he first got to HK. Has a very cute 3 year old boy as well which I later visited and brought chocolates for in the evening after dinner. Had to listen to their travelling stories over lunch, since it's a regional office and everyone travels a lot. One of them looks kinda gay, I would have told my gay post doc about him if he's not such a mean guy (my bro told me so). The food was alright.
Walked around the city after lunch again, this time around the narrow streets (Bai Fa Gai)packed with hawkers, SOHO and so on. Got lost and walked some more. Then it's time to meet up with bro again and I made him go eat porridge with me for dinner. I needed my porridge fix, while I can get them cheap and tasty. Visited the lady with a bottle of white wine and chocolates I bought from tax free in Vancouver. Her boy has the loudest voice ever, but very cute and obedient. He's at the stage where he coudln't quite differentiate between 'me'/'I' and 'you', kept saying, "You want to eat chocolate... " Cute.
16/12/06
Bro woke up at 9am and cooked me breakfast. Sausage and eggs. Nice, I like being a guest, though he had 2 eggs and I only had one. We walked around the garden next to his apartment building, it was a nice one, lots of ppl jogging, had a pond and all that. We even went to walk on one of those foot massage stone paths, both laughing all the way because it was really painful. Good fun. I'm so glad that he's a happier person working in HK. I told him not very subtly that he should jog in the garden more often. Heh.
Packed it all up and went to the airport. I was encouraging my brother not to go with me because he has an afternoon class to attend. Unfortunately when he called his gf at the train station she was already on the way to the airport to 'surprise' us, so he had to go anyways. Nice to spend a little bit of time with both of them before they got too mushy and I was glad to hop on the plane. It only dawned to me later during boarding that it'll be a while till I see him again and I missed him already. I hate it how brothers always make you teary. 3 hours and it's home sweet home.
Comments