Typhoons and Terror

Ok, so the plan was to take the bus back to HK Airport along the longest bridge-tunnel in the world. (just opened last year) Apparently they have these things called Typhoons here and it is ‘Typhoon Season’. Macau is an island in the South China Sea. When they hoisted level 1 Typhoon, no worries then they hoisted level 3. Now everything starts to get a little hectic. People are worried they will be stuck on the island; and they will be. At level 8, all transportation is ceased. Already at T3 there are people with no hydro and flights have all been canceled from Macau airport. No worries right? I have a flight from HK Airport to Hanoi. We had breakfasts (sic)  I had a fruit breakfast on my own before my friend joined me for a full traditional English Breakfast. We both ate that; breaky #2 for me. Then he ordered us each a dim sum Chinese style breakfast. Now, he is a little man and could not eat any of the food and so I ate both our Chinese breakfasts to be polite; those are #3 &#4! Did I mention we were rushed to be sure and catch the bus? It was almost sacrilegous to whoof down delicious dim sum like that. When we reported to the ticket office, they announced a T8 is being hoisted soon and so no more buses. What happened to 4,5,6 &7? Yikes! 

Maybe we could still catch a ferry? Off we go to the docks. Frantic turns into panic here as only 1company is still running. It is 12:10 and the last sailing is at 12:30. We have no tickets. 12 people in front of us. Magic/Fortune/Miracle/Dumb luck, you choose,  I get the last ticket. People are running and it reminded me of that scene in the original Godzilla when all the people are running in terror of Godzilla, except in this case, they are running to get away from the Typhoon,

Despite all my traveling,I still do not have my sea legs. Ok, that was an understatement, I puke at the thought of swinging in a swing. Popped two extra strength gravol and boarded. I don’t know how many of you have been on the last ferry having purchased the very last seat crossing the South China Sea with a T8 Typhoon blowing but there are no words that come close to describing how this felt. Terror times a trillion comes close. It was like the end-of-days meets the sinking-of-the-Titanic. It was surreal. I actually calculated the distance (62K) and figured out if I swim my normal pace I could make it to shore in 31 hours, if we went down. Only 31 times further than my furthest consecutive swim. As absurd as this mental exsecise was, it calmed me a bit. Then I closed my eyes and meditated, imagining i was in my kayak on the shores of Lake Huron and some heavy winds were causing the kayak to go up and down, up and down. I will spare you the description of the sounds and smells emanating from that boat. Obviously, we all made it across alive a little shaken from the experience.

Once back in HK, I took the express train to the airport ( bus would have been cheaper) but getting there before they suspend flights was important. I managed my way there, through all the security screening and checks, no issues until the boarding gate.  They hadn’t started boarding yet so, no worries. I did the ‘double check’ thing and showed them my boarding pass and passport. They also asked for my visa for Vietnam, I didn’t yet have the visa but I had the invitation letter required to get the visa and I will get my visa once we land. No problem. I proudly took it out. I was thinking to myself: ‘Good thing you have every thing in order’ when several Cathay Pacific employees started to scrutinize my letter; it was in Vietnamese. “You can’t fly until tomorrow according to the dates on the letter.” What? “ I narrowly escaped a Typhoon to make this flight. I am meeting my daughter. She has broken her toe ( true story ) We are taking a tour that starts early tomorrow. I must get to Hanoi tonight.”  Nope. Didn’t matter what I said, it was not happening. Further issue if I didn’t take my regional flight my ticket home would not be usable. Oh that is not good!

Only solution was to take the next available flight, within the dates of my visa letter, and that will be August 2, missing our tour departure. And so , I was escorted out, like a criminal. ‘Not being allowed to board’ is not good. The customs guy really wanted to know why I didn’t board my flight. I swallowed a lot of humble pie and tried to explain. Being patient and keeping my mouth shut kept me from more trouble with customs. HK is technically China and they already have two Canadians in detention. I did not want to be the third! Cathay Pacific staff were good and accompanied me but only to the ‘army of Chinese military personnel’ waiting; no, thank God, not for me. Their presence is just a reminder to everyone that China is here. So two more days in HK and lots of last minute scrambling to book hotels and transportation. Some money lost but it is only money. 

The minimalist and thrifty take aways here? Don’t check your bags ever! Mine would be in Hanoi or destroyed as a potential explosive device. Check your visa letter dates and get the actual visa ahead, if it is an option. It may cost more but it is worth it to be sure you will get in to your desired county. 

Oh what a day!

Opulence in Macau

I am not sure that freeloading from a friend who gets “free” rooms and such qualifies as thrift butI can tell you it qualifies as minimalist. Everything is provided here. Not being much of a ‘resort traveler’ this ‘all inclusiveness’ is a difficult but pleasant experience. The fanciness and opulence here at The Parisian is incredible. There are some 30+ hotel-casinos in Macau each with 2000-4000 rooms and all the luxury you can enjoy. My friend’s willingness to share his spoils with me is fantastic and makes for a very cheap few days. 

There are free shuttles most everywhere and the main square is much like being in Portugal. The highlight being the iconic Ruinsof St Paul’s. The island originally being developed by the Portuguese more than a hundred years ago. As always people watching is free and so long as you are not staring rudely people don’t mind. In Macau, as in the rest of Hong Kong, I am a real minority. I am usually the only white person wherever I go. Even as a minority my priveledge follows me. Everyone is kind and helpful. So blessed. Now days, the island is ‘owned’ by American, Japanese, Chinese and Hong Kong tycoons. The overall feel is pretty surreal. If ever you get the opportunity, visit Macau! 

Protests and Pigeons

Although not directly related to minimalism or thriftiness, I have experienced, first hand, the protests of the young Hong Kongers and feel I should share their message. 

For nearly 8 weeks now there have been protests. At first it was about the extradition bill but now I see it is really about much more. From what I understand they want freedom from China. They want to be a truely independent state. The day I arrived they had taken over the airport. Such a protest has never happened in the history of Hong Kong. Each day a different area of the city is where the protests are staged. They are primarily peaceful but the HK police have allegedly hired gangs (triads) to strong arm the protesters. This did not intimidate the youth. It actually is what has made things more aggressive. 

Last night in Lan Kwai Fong (a popular bar area) the police shot tear gas at the protester. That stuff burns the eyes. We took refuge inside the bar. (This is another reason to always tip your server) The issue is threefold: 1) the youth want voice and change in the form of more independence from China, 2) the police are using tactics to escalate the situation and 3) the media is not covering it because China controls the internet message. I urge you to listen to and support the youth of HK in their plight for freedom, independence and democracy.

On a lighter note, I was in a square relaxing in the sun and was visited by a pigeon, a pretty common thing really, but this time the vibe was different. I thought about it for a while and then realized in my quest to eat less and less red meat I found myself experimenting with some new foods.I had  eaten pigeon the night before ( head and all) and I figure this is why it felt weird with the pigeon in the park. We see things differently once we have eaten them. The pigeon was delicious, tasted much like quale. 

Hello Hong Kong

If you happen to know someone in your arrival city you can really reduce some of the stress of travel. They can meet you at the airport ( always such a nice feeling) and they know how to get you to your hotel. They likely have transportation andlocal currency. Enjoy this international hospitality.

My friend even brought me a local cell phone to use. One of the tech perks in HK is that there is free wifi everywhere. No need to pay for roaming fees or get a local SIM card. Just seek out the free wifi.

Subway Savings

Most cities with a subway will offer a ‘tourist pass’. For once it is good to identify as a tourist. This pass (usually for 24 hours) has a few rules and is available only to tourists. It will give you unlimited ‘rides’ within the regular lines. For about $12CND I have taken about 8 trips that would easilyhave cost $40 or more. Many subway stations are set up with ‘things to see in the area’ posters. Also a blessing ona rainy day. Subway is clean, safe and air conditioned.

If you find a bar during ‘happy hour’ you can drink for half price. Just saying. 

Walking is Economical

So after clocking nearly 30K in about 12 hours I can tell you that you can save a lot of money walking places. We combined subways, ferries, trams, busses and cable cars and still managed to walk that much.

By avoiding the convenience of 7-11 on every corner and seeking out an actual grocery store, the fruits and water were way better price. 

Currency exchange is tricky. Most banks won’t deal with you if not a member and you have foreign currency in hand. Rates vary wildly from exchange place to exchange place. The plus of bringing some US dollars is you avoid the ATM and possible bank fee per transaction. Shopping around for a good rate paid off. 

1 Month SEA

Packing for 1 month and not wanting to check your luggage on the plane presents some challenges. The maximum weight allowance is 7 Kilos and the minimum dimensions are 23 x 36 x 56 ( 115 cm ). And let’s not forget that there are limitations as to what you can carry with you in your carry on. The obvious stuff was  omitted easily- only regret is that I can't bring favorite pocket knife. The 100ml limit containers of liquids, gels and aerosols are also a pain. What follows are some labelled pics of gear. Comments and questions welcome.

A tour of a few countries of Mainland South East Asia is my next trip. This trip has been roughly a year in the making. I will share a few posts relating to the planning of the trip. The trip is both a solo venture and a shared trip. The first week ( Hong Kong and Macau ) is solo. The next 3 weeks ( Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand ) are shared with my daughter. I was given her blessing to do all the planning.

For those who are frugal, thrift, cautious or just plain cheap, here is the blog for you. On this blog, if things go as planned, you will find tips and tricks to travel very economically.