Here we go AGAIN (YVR to HKG)

I'm taking the bus to the airport again.  It's becoming routine. 

These pictures should indicate what Vancouver temperatures are like these days

NOT some kind of meat-eating plant.  This is frozen water !!!

I can't remember the last day that the cold or the rain have made me substantially uncomfortable. A cold draft along the waistline; knuckles complaining about imagined frostbite, etc etc.

Oh, hang on, there were these countries in Asia where I had a completely different problem, namely changing my shirt at least twice a day because I was sweating a lot.  The temptation proved too much.


The place I'm going to is served by 2 (TWO) airlines with direct flights departing within one hour of each other.  I booked a seat with the more expensive airline and NOT with Air Canada.

Why in the world would I do that?  Do I like wasting money?  NO. But as someone said in a rather famous play: There is method to the madness!

1)  The more expensive airline departs my destination city 4 hours after hotel check-out time compared to 7 hours for Air Canada.  3 hours less being stranded in Limbo with luggage.

2)  Since every sane person will book the cheaper flight and that cheaper flight is not fully booked yet, I have a good chance of flying in an empty plane. Once before, the Economy section of the Boeing 777 with a capacity of 300 was occupied by about 20 people and I am hoping for a similar miracle this time.   It was rather comical to see those few people wander the empty plane trying to decide on which 3 or 4-seater bench they should try to sleep.  You can imagine that this almost was the most relaxing flight ever and in my opinion the chance of a re-occurrence  is well worth spending a bit extra on ;-)

4 am view out of my window

When I am typing this wide awake at 3:10 am local time in Kong Kong, I have to admit that the plan backfired .  The plane was booked to the last seat. I didn't even get an emergency exit seat, which for some reason I have been lucky enough to get on more than 75% of all recent flights and which I have become used to.

On the bright side, I managed to not stuff myself every time I was bored at the airport or in the plane, and after 6 hours of sleep  in  Hong Kong my stomach has not acted up in the least.  

This encourages me sufficiently to book my flight to Vietnam.  Now WHAT madness is this?  A return flight costs $287 and a one-way flight costs $317 ????  I have no idea where I will be at the time of the return flight, but just in case I am in Hanoi, I'll get it for free ;-)  

HINT: always check several websites for the cheapest flight. It'll save you surprisingly large amounts of money !!!

At 4:30 am it's time to go for a walk towards the  harbour

In most cities I'd be uncomfortable entering a dark park at this hour

The worst thing that could  happen here is being hit by an elder person in the midst of waving their arms windmill-like as part of their morning Tai Chi exercise

Same moon as the  one you can see !

close to Victoria Harbour (waaay overexposed by 'helpful' camera automatic