The long way home (Hong Kong to Vancouver)

I'm awake at 5 am.  My plane doesn't leave until 7 pm and then I'll be stuck in a tin can hurtling over the Northern Pacific for 13 hours, after which I get to use public transit from the airport to North Vancouver.

Truly not something to look forward to.

But hey, there are ways to make the best of it ;-)



Yesterday I was  trying to find the GAP  store  again where I bought my flowery shorts 10 days ago.  NO luck ;-(  But wandering along different routes, I discovered a store that sells headphones.  Since I had toyed with the idea of trying some noise-cancelling headphones I went in and left 5 minutes later with a set of headphones featuring active noise cancellation.



These should take out most of the annoying plane buzz noise during today's flight and in combination with my lack of sleep should let me miss most of that flight.  That's the plan at least ;-)


In the morning, I discover that the renovations in my hotel now have moved from the escalator area to the breakfast area and that there is no breakfast to be had in my hotel.

I've wanted to check out the Best Western Harborview hotel not far from here for a while, so I head there for breakfast. I am not disappointed. No thrills and no great expense summarizes it best.

In the elevator I noticed a plaque  in the elevator adverting a viewing platform on the 3-something floor.  I take the elevator up and what do I find? 

OMG!   My mind is made up. Next time I'm staying here, put on my orange swimming aids to paddle around this pool and then enjoy the view from one of the deck chairs.  WOW!

After breakfast I spend the remaining hours until check-out time in my room packing and translating.  My plane doesn't leave until  7 pm tonight, so I have tons of time to kill, but fortunately that is very easy in Hong Kong since there is always something new to discover:

The amount of weight moved  by middle aged workers on rickety cars is astonishing

The first homeless abode I've ever seen in Hong Kong

Wine in a sealed plastic glass.  One of those almost killed me at Hyde Park. Death by double-decker bus was only avoided by a friend's hand on my shoulder

misty 

He falsely assumed I was taking a picture of him (on the Star Ferry)

view from the Star Ferry

a junk heading towards me

Someone fishing at Pier 9 caught something

That junk seems to be coming straight towards me !

It is and the reason is that I put myself in its path ;-)

a different feel from the old Duk Ling

and a different clientele

it's an attention-grabbing ride I'm on

the weather is nothing to write home about

the windward plastic is lowered to keep the rain out

on dry land again

From Pier 9 it is not far to MTR's Central station, where I board the Airport Express.

And then it's time to head for cooler climes ;-(