Hong Kong Day Fourteen

So I woke up late again this morning, but it was Sunday so I suppose that's ok. I ventured over to my favorite bookstore and picked up the next book by Dave Berry, "The Templar Legacy," I've really been enjoying his action packed historical based novels on my trip. I also grabbed a quick lunch at a local noodle house and sat for a cup of coffee and some blogging at my home base Starbucks. A lazy relaxing day. Totally what I needed.

Late in the afternoon I heard from Adam (the Microsoft exec that I met at Happy Foot a week earlier) called me (we'd been texting all week) and suggested that we meet for another Happy Foot massage around 6. Of course, how could I refuse, I'm quickly becoming addicted to that place and it's $20 massages. :) We enjoyed a perfect one hour massage and chatted about my stay in HK. Then we ventured downstairs for some more coffee and decided we should grab a bite to eat together before calling it a night. Collin (his friend who I had met last week) even joined us for a delicious seshwan meal.

As we were walking over we discussed how convenient living in HK really is. From the compact nature of the city, to the easy and cheap transportation.. but the thing that really made me thing twice about moving here is this - The Amahs. They are maids from Singapore or The Philippines. His comes 3 times a week. Cleans the whole house. Does any cooking or errands he might need including all laundry and dishes. She even does all his shopping. All this.. for $300US a month!!! CRAZY! and for the price he pays, maybe a little bit more, she could be a living-in Amah and basically do everything, everyday. NUTS. I'm moving here. :P

Dinner was great and the conversation even better. I really like Adam, he's a great guy who's accomplished a lot and traveled all over the world for being so young. Very inspiring. After dinner we said goodbye and I headed back to the hotel to read my book and watch stupid movies on my hotel TV with another friend who came over to the hotel and kept me company till around 3 when we finally passed out.

Posted by Josh Gray-Emmer on Saturday, March 22, 2008

Hong Kong Day Three

Once again the hard bed got me up early. I've been reviewing hotels and it seems that rock hard beds are common in Hong Kong, so be ware to anyone thinkn of traveling here. I watched some news and waited for the boys to wake up since we were supposed to go out on Danny's boat today. When no one answered my texts, I decided to stuff my bag with the essentials and head out for the day anyway.

I've been hemorrhaging cash (everything in HK is freekn expensive!) so I ate at a local chinese fast food place. It was much more the traditional joint I had been looking for over the last several days. All sorts of noodle dishes and meats with sauces over rice. The place was PACKED. So I grabbed something off the menu and clamored for a seat at a table with a bunch of Thai women. The meal was hot, delicious, fresh and only a few bucks. Perfect.

Then I headed over to my favorite Starbucks in Lan Kwai Fong for a little afternoon coffee and internet. There I learned that the boys were all just getting up and WAAY to hung over for boating today. No problem, I wanted to explore the Wan Chai district anyway. So I booked my hotel for the next 9 days (after walking over and checking out the rooms of course), and hopped on the Hong Kong MTR (subway). WOW, I wish LA had something like this. It's like a small underground city. Complete with shops, and bustling crowds making their way all over town. Cheap, (my round trip cost me $1.50) clean and efficient it was amazing.

Now to my destination. Electronics heaven. 289 Hennessy St. WOW. If it has buttons and circuits, it's here. I wandered the maze of small shops each peddling a slew of cameras, flash drives, phones and ipods. I had to keep getting out my phone to convert the prices and was sadly disappointed that once again, though things looked amazingly cool, they were certainly NOT cheap. Maybe I'll have better luck on Mainland China.

Afterwards I consulted my trusty Lonley Planet Guidebook (thanks Rosenthal) and headed a few blocks away to the Chinese Arts and Crafts store. There I found everything one could ever want at prices starting at $500 and going up from there. My favorite had to be the pair of hard carved 7 foot long solid Mammoth tusks priced at very reasonable 1.5M. Back to the guidebook for a spa. I was definitely massage time.

Danny had suggested this place called Happy Feet, but it wasn't listed in the book. So I got out my map, got back on the MTR and worked my way towards the address of Ellis Day Spa. It just happened to be above my favorite Starbucks and looked very very nice, and of course.. $120 for a one hour massage.. damn it. I thanked the woman and hopped back in the elevator. Then I noticed, Happy Feet... floor 19.. why not? It was perfect.. just what i was looking for. 50 minute foot massage.. $20 bucks.. jackpot. :)

While I was there I met Adam, Collin and Jay, all locals. We had a wonderful conversation and they invited me to join them at Lux after for a drink. We spent hours talking before we finally said goodbye and I headed over to Rat Alley (it's a term of endearment, there are NO rats lol) for some Thai food. The curry was perfect. I sat and read for a bit before heading back to my hotel. The earliest night yet... 10:30pm... but who knows.. maybe I'll go out later! :P

Posted by Josh Gray-Emmer on Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Posted 9th March 2008 by Josh Gray-Emmer