Bryan in Hong Kong

Back in Hong Kong after an incredible trip around the mainland with dad. Here’s a very brief overview: met in Shanghai on 13th and stayed for two nights. Took an overnight train to Beijing (10 hours). Stayed one night, Visited the Forbidden City and Great Wall. Took overnight train to Xi’an (10h). Stayed two nights, visited the Terra-cotta Warriors, city wall, lots of pagodas. Took train to Guangzhou (22h). Stayed one night, toured hospital. Then train back to Hong Kong.

Sad to see dad go, but had a really great time. Trip photos from Shanghai, Beijing, Xi’an, and Hong Kong are now online. Have my first class at 9am tomorrow morning. Looking forward to the semester.

Just got into Xi’an after a 12-hour overnight train from Beijing.  Walked the Great Wall for 3 hours yesterday. Will post lots of pictures after we get back to Hong Kong next week. Trip is going great so far!

Back in Hong Kong with my PADI Open Water Diver scuba certification in hand! (goodbye beach bungalow…) Spending 40 minutes 10 meters underwater is incredibly fun. Definitely going to look into the HK scuba scene. Just put up some pictures from Thailand, it was a great trip.

The overnight train from Chumphon to Bangkok last night was good, even though I arrived there at 5 am in the morning with little to do until my 12:20 flight. However, despite the 7 hours I had to get the airport I managed to cut it a little close by cheaping out and trying to take take the 20 cent train there (which left the main station at 7am) instead of getting a direct taxi. I ended up taking the train, but instead of waiting for the connecting bus, I took a taxi from the end of the line. So… spending 3 extra hours in transit saved about $4 US, oh wow ;) However, when I got back to Hong Kong I didn’t have it in me to take the slow bus back to campus, instead opting for the express train, thus probably wasting every dollar I had saved in Thailand. Everything in HK seems so expensive now. Going to get some rest tonight, as I’ve got to do laundry and repack for Saturday morning. Looking forward to another good trip!

Finished my last day of diving this afternoon.  Overall it was a really fun time, diving is amazing.  Sad it’s over, but now I can rest.  Saw some great fish and coral today, and weather was also excellent.  Will write more about the experience after I get back. Starting to head back to Bangkok tomorrow via boat/overnight train.  Then flying back to Hong Kong the 11th.

Left Bangkok last night around 10pm, after 7 hour bus ride and one-and-a-half hour boat I arrived at Koh Tao this morning.  Here for four days of scuba diving!  Today we just watched videos and did the basic introduction.  Tomorrow is the pool, then the day after two ocean dives, and the final day two open water dives.  Then I’ll be officially certified.  Unfortunately the weather today was bad, but hopefully it clears up soon (though apparently rain won’t influence the diving much).  I’m staying in a little wooden beach bungalow which is pretty awesome.  And of course eating tons of Pad Thai noodles.  Off to find some food!

The flight was very nice, maybe even the best airline food I’ve ever had.  Got off the plane, went to the convenient store and bought  a SIM card for the cell.  I saw the hotel booking booth at the airport and the temptation almost got to me, but I’m proud I passed it up.  Hopped on the A2 bus to downtown.  Got off at Khao San road a little before midnight.  Started calling guesthouses from the guidebook.  Everyone was full.  Finally find one that located off the main strip with an open room for around $5 US.  I grabbed a taxi.  He suggests 100B for the trip, I suggest he use the meter.  We both laugh.  Short ride later I’m at the hostel for 40B, a little more than $1 US.  Its down a very deserted dark alley.  I ring the bell but no one answers.  I ring again.  Suddenly a European guy wearing tons of eyeliner pops his head up over the wall and opens the gate.  He says the manager isn’t there.  I tell him I just talked to the manager on the phone.  I discover I’m at the wrong hostel and he’s very helpful and points me to the River Guest House that I called.  A nice older man opens the gate and shows me in to the courtyard.  There are lots of kittens running around everywhere. I sign the guestbook pay him 190B ($5.30 US) and he gives me the key to room 9.  The room has two twin beds pushed together to make one large double.  It’s pretty big (bigger than my room at HKUST) and it has a fan.  There’s just a push-button lock on the door.  The guy in the room next to me snores very loudly.  Luckily the weather in Thailand is not too hot right now.  Checked out this morning and had Pad Thai noodles for lunch.  Off to find some type of transportation to the island in the south.  Trip is great so far!

Yesterday’s trip to the visa office went surprisingly well, even after arriving 10 minutes before they opened to find over 40 people already lined-up on the sidewalk outside. The line moved quickly, and less than three hours later (courtesy of “rush” service) I had my six-month multiple entry visa in-hand (HK$1030). Hard to believe things went so smoothly. The office itself was very nice, they had a convenient instant photo-machine and copier in the hall, and even a Chinese antiques display. Overall it was an excellent experience, and the service was great. Not only am I now ready to fly to Shanghai next week, but next semester I’ll finally be able to go to Shenzhen with classmates whenever I want.

Ok, back to reading up on Thailand. I’m arriving in Bangkok at 10pm tomorrow and don’t have a place to stay yet, so this might be quite an adventure. Hopefully I can find a hostel or something. Next post will be from an internet cafe in Thailand…

Just finished a nice week in HK (pics) and Macau (pics). Very short recovery time before it’s time to hit the road again.

The breakdown: