Last stop
Last place before home time…scary how things creep up on you. I was pretty much fine until getting on the bus to the airport this morning and since then have been feeling freaked out and shakey…..home…one place. Well actually I don’t have anywhere to live when I get back so it could be a couple more weeks of living out of my pack until I can afford to move to a flat. Anyway Hong Kong, a weird sort of middle country, not really ‘Asia’ but more intense commercialism than anywhere I’d been in the west. Tash had long ago booked us into a 5 star hotel, that’s right 5 star, flasher than any place I’d ever stayed in and it clearly showed as the staff didn’t seem super excited to see me when I stumbled in carrying my pack looking awful after a day in airports. I didn’t quite fit in with suits and suitcases with wheels. But once I’d actually showered and stopped dressing like a backpacking hippy I was treated the same, with extreame politeness and an almost scary attitude of helpfulness. It was great! After the whole year of staying in crusty guesthouses and dorm rooms it was amazing to have staff that wanted to help you. We even had the pool on our floor, a clean bathroom with hot water and cable TV. Of course we spent most of the 3 days sitting around in bed watching TV, which was awesome. Went for a few swims, went to a great market (with shoes!) and window shopped in high class designer shops. We met up with our friend Lisa and some girls with her who had been in the Philippines on a missions trip and we heading home, so cool to be able to see them in Hong Kong, even though we’ll catch up with them this weekend.
We were feeling nice and relaxed (and clean for once) and it was time to go to the airport one last time. One problem though….weight limit.
I’d always wondered how it was possible for people to take that much stuff that they’d actually go over the weight limit, but when looking at all my stuff I was a bit worried. I’d left a bag from India in Hong Kong and once I’d picked that up it was looking doubtful that it was going to happen. I managed to fit everything in my pack, as well as a massive carryon bag that while fit the dimensions, I knew would be over the limit but just hoped it would be OK. So my pack weight 25kgs and she didn’t say anything but then she asked to see my hand luggage…and weighed it. 15kgs. Too heavy she said, but incredibly she let me check it on with out paying any fees. So I checked in 40kgs of luggage, twice the normal limit. I just hope the extra bag survives as it’s a pretty shitty bag from India not made for being thrown around planes. The only problem now is getting on the flight from Auckland to home with all my stuff because we have to recheck our bags in. So on the plane now…will be in NZ in about 8 hours, very scary to think about but don’t think it will hit me until we land.
photos from Vietnam, Laos and Thailand are here:
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Tags: Hong Kong, Photos, Travel
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