Today has been totally insane. Ian and I woke up at 4:30 and went to the lobby and grabbed some bfast. We all left for the airport at 5:30 and Cathay Pacific was in Terminal 2 so by the time I got everything figured out half the group had already gone through passport control. So I said goodbye to half the group including Ian and made my way down to the totally american feeling terminal 2 as opposed to the totally asian feeling terminal 1. Checked in and emigrated no prob. The flight was wonderful, on a 777-300 with in seat flat screens, breakfast and a window seat. can there be anything better. It lasted about 2 hrs before we landed in HKG. The whole place was so american feeling. It was clean and efficient and people respect your space - amazing. It's really the cliche word of the day. Everything here is amazing.

Made it out to the terminal where I panicked for a moment, worrying that I wouldn't remember what Tom looked like amid the sea of hong kong faces. It shocked me how wonderfully everyone speaks english. Even the asian people that I totally expect to only speak chinese. wonderful. So we got into his Dad's lexus and drove on the freeway to the city. His home is a flat on the 21st floor overlooking a gorgeous canal that sweeps out to the harbor, with a race track directly across the canal amid the rest of the metropolis. Such an incredible view, and so many high rises! With 7 million people and only a few islands I suppose that's how everyone has to live. It's still incredible compared to Nepal or even Bangkok.

We've done so much today I feel like I've already been here like a week. The pace of life, quality of life and lifestyle are all faster better and richer than anywhere else I've been. It seems everyone has a mercedes, bmw or lexus, all new. All these high rises clump together around these malls that are constantly packed with people, especially now, shopping for christmas. It's so wonderful being in a place that celebrates christmas. All the lights tonight were really pretty. Everything is so clean, and new and beautiful. and superfluous. There is every western store here there is in chicago or new york. And the exchange rate proves it - only about 8 to the dollar. that means 400 is 50 bucks. so a 500 bill is worth a heck of a lot, and I want to collect 2. Tonight we went to Amaroni's, an incredible italian restaurant, well at least incredible after months of being in India and Nepal. There was an ice skating rink in the mall where a performance of peter pan was taking place. gigantic christmas trees with a bear in a miner's cart coasting down the track wrapped like tinsel on the tree. A car framed by a giant plastic bow hovering over it. Buses with flat screens. Things in chinese and english.

Hong Kong is actually a string of islands, all of them connected with suspension and cable stay bridges in a big network with high rises everywhere. The islands are also very hilly. I have a whole list now of stuff I want to do and eat and see. It's going to be an insane 5 days. I can't explain how wonderful it is to have someone who knows exactly where to take me what what to do, what restaurants are good, can speak every language here so our meaning is absolutely never lost, and is just a cool person in general. And that wonderfulness is Tom Lee. It's like being home even though the place is totally foreign, if only because people understand.