HK and back

Hong Kong is an absolutely amazing city! I didn't know much about it, have too many expectations, just knew it was a big world hub that I should see. The second Emily and I stepped off the plane we could tell we were somewhere special. Fistly, you walk out of the airport to the tram which brings you, in only 30 minutes, directly downtown to Central. How easy is that!? We had no plans of a hotel; figured we would look around and see what area we wanted to stay in, so we dropped our bags at the Mandarin Oriental hotel (we'll stay there next time!!!) and went out. Just walking around the streets you get the feeling you're in a Western city. It felt like a small Manhattan. I want to move to Hong Kong! It's the first city I have visited in Asia where I really feel like i could live there; apparently there's anything any Westerner misses, although I wasn't there long enough to test this.

Anyway, we head out and stumbled upon Lan Kwai Fong. We had read (although we left the tour book on the plane, ha oops) that this is the fun going out area. Seeing as it was now after 4, it must be happy hour somewhere. Wait. It's happy hour everywhere!!! Ohhhh how I missed happy hour!! In Korea people don't go out until 11 pm. Anyway, we had some real beers and headed to the Bulldog, which in my opinion is the Wolfhound of HK. We were there no longer than 10 minutes when the old man next to me starts chatting me up telling me about the rules of rugby, which was on TV. Doesn't take long before he starts introducing us to all of the guys watching rugby; all in their 30s,most married, and ALL Aussies!!! Emily and I didn't meet one American or Canadian the entire trip. Only Aussies and Brits. Awesome.

We keep trying to leave after the next beer to go sightsee, but somehow everytime our beers are empty someone's offering to fill it back up. Who's going to turn that down? We ended up going out with this guy Grant and his buddies and when they catch wind that we're "backpacking" and don't have a place to stay, the offers come! They also insisted that we join them on the following day's Junk Tour.

After going out all night, we wake up at Grant's and get ready for the Junk Tour. From 10am-5:30pm you are on a Junk boat catered by Jasper's (a local restaurant). We step on the boat and are immediately offered a selection of beers. There are chips on the table, with get this, guacamole! Then they start walking around offering up quesadillas, curry chicken skewers, and greek lamb meatballs! We may not have eaten any Chine food, but we definitely had a global snack. We cruised for about an hour until we docked outside of this lovely beach. I don't picture Hong Kong and see beaches, but this place was beautiful. A lot like how I would picture Hawaii. We all strip fown to our bathingsuits and jump off the top deck of the boat. Immediately after you hit the water one of the Jasper crew memebers tosses you a waterbottle filled with Seabreeze. Asa!

After an afternoon of swimming, laughing, being pulled out to sea by the strong current, they serve a delicious lunch followed by dessert. Then when we head back in, I guess in an attempt to sober you up, they serve pizza. We had the perfect afternoon, and best of all walked away with great tans!

Upon leaving Emily and I were both really sad so we decided we would come bck in July...and then maybe move here!!! We realized we had spent an entire weekend drama free, so we only have good things to expect when we become roommies....

Flashforward 24 hours. I finish work on Monday and move into my new place!!!! This is apartment 3 in 8 months, nice-uh! But it's literally the floor below where i live now, with Emily and Dave who are super chill, and best yet, are my friends. I have 2 rooms here; one is a walk-in closet/storage space and directly across is my room. It'sbigger than my old room, just has very little furniture. If it ever stops raining I will go out and find a dresser! But the best part is that for the first time since I've been in Korea I have a queen sized bed!!!!! Finally! It's actually Susan's old bed, so it used to be my weekend bed before I moved to the hood. That seems so long ago now!

This Friday is Buddha's Birthay so no one has work. I was going to stay in Seoul, relax and unpack a bit, but Krissy bought me a KTX (speed train) ticket to Busan on Friday. They were about to sell out so she picked one up, how sweet! Busan is Korea's second largest city and sits on the South coast...yep that's right, another weekend at the beach. I could get used to this. After the beach, it's back to Seoul for a week and then my parents arrive!!! I can't wait. I have so many things planned for us to do, I just need to figure out where we should all go for the middle weekend they're here. I have time.

This is turning into a novel. Next time; peace.