My belongings were strewn all over the place when the maid knocked. I'm normally out of the room by 8:30, and the other guest on my floor was a late riser, so the household staff had my room at the top of their schedule. Smiling, I told her I was running late and that I’d be out by 10:30. After closing the door, I continued to debate what I should put where.
I only had on a t-shirt under my coat, so I requested one of the collared shirts that they had made for me.
INFO: For a correct fitting, you need to be wearing the correct foundation garments (shirt, tie, undershirt, shorts, etc.). Remember, the suit is being made to fit you, not the other way around.
I put on the shirt and tie, then tried on the jacket. Thank the gods, it fit. The sales staff seemed more than relieved, and complimented me on my new professional appearance. As they began to package up my purchases, I counted out my traveler’s checks. I have had these AmEx checks for at least four or five years, so I had decided it was time to use them up, anywhere that would take them. At the door, I turned and grabbed a couple of shots of the owner and shop.
INFO: Most merchants, outside of the major hotels, are reluctant or else refuse to take anything but cash. If you claim to only have plastic, they will just point down the street to an ATM and ask you to go get cash. Some merchants, if their backs are up against the wall, will except a MasterCard/Visa card but boost the price by 2-3%. The few merchants that would even consider an American Express card wanted an extra 7% for handling. So remember, "cash is king."
INFO: There is no sales tax (as of now) in Hong Kong.
My suit and shirts came in a black cloth garment bag that was too flimsy to survive an 11-hour passage in the baggage compartment. On my way back to the hotel, I came upon a luggage store and presented my problem to the owner. He showed me a large two-suit suitcase, but after seeing my horror at its size, he recommended what he called a high-tech garment bag. It was constructed to negotiate the altitude and freezing temperatures of the plane's hull without a build-up of condensation. He assured me that my suit would arrive in perfect condition. I smiled, knowing that he knew that if his guarantee proved to be faulty he'd be over 7,000 miles away, laughing with my HKD 200 in his pocket.
I returned to my room and left my new suit and bag on the bed. I wanted to get back out on the streets for a last look at the city. Before leaving, I wedged my Powerbook, camera, data cards, and lens into the room safe. I wanted to walk around and take in the city, without having to frame it up through the view finder. The world is much more flawed when not seen through the camera. Just the act of framing up a shot seems to dilute a lot of visual chaos. It gives the scene a reference that somehow ties into man's need for order.
I rode the Star Ferry back to Honk Kong Island, then walked over to Connaught Road and caught a trolley heading east. I rode for about 20 minutes, then reversed the process and headed back west. Back at Central, I took the subway to Kowloon.
Back at the hotel, I stopped by the desk to settle my bill. I would just need to take care of my miscellaneous expenses (room service, laundry, etc.), since the room was already paid for by Priceline.
I needed to get a little rest tonight. I had to be up at 2 a.m. and off to the airport at 4. I called room service and ordered dinner (saying that I needed to pay cash). While I waited, I laid out what I was going to wear on the plane, transferred my suit and shirts to the new "high-tech" garment bag, and finished packing. My spaghetti arrived, and I enjoyed a leisurely dinner in bed watching some Chinese game show.
I put the dishes out in the hall and switched off everything. It seemed like I had just dozed off when the alarm went off. It was 2 a.m. I dragged my ass out of the warm covers and opened the refrigerator. I drank down some cold caffeine in Coke form and gobbled down some cold, slightly damp pastry.
By 3, I was dressed and packed. I searched the room thoroughly to make sure I wasn't leaving anything behind, then locked my bags and sat on the bed. I double-checked that I had my ticket, passport, and enough Hong Kong currency to pay for the taxi ride to the airport and a little tipping on the way out. I was set to go with 25 minutes to spare.
At five minutes before 4, I made one final sweep of the room, then opened the door. I rolled my bags out into and down the hall to the elevator landing. The lobby was empty except for one of the hotel staff behind the concierge desk. As I rolled up with my bags, he picked up the phone and before you could say Jack Sprat, someone appeared behind the reception desk. I handed over my room card key and said I'd settled the bill last night. She smiled and asked if I'd like anything from the mini-bar. I said no, and she printed out my final receipt and wished me a safe trip.
A taxi pulled up as I exited through the double doors into the cool of the morning. After the last passenger got his receipt, I loaded my bags and got in. The roads were empty except for the fog that obscured my view. The ride took just under 30 minutes and cost HKD 220 plus a HKD 30 surcharge for crossing a toll bridge. (HKD 250 = $32.13 US.)
The terminal looked deserted, and it pretty much was. Just past the entry ramp, there was a small seating area crammed with over-nighting passengers. I looked, but there wasn't an empty seat to be found. I looked around a bit till I found the departure board and waited till it cycled though to English. After looking through all the Delta departures, I couldn't find one for Los Angeles. It took several cycles for me to realize that I should be looking for Tokyo, not L.A.
The waiting area was nice, with free wi-fi, several eating establishments, including McDonalds, and a cornucopia of different nationalities vying for service. I had an Egg McMuffin and a large Diet Coke. After my repast, I took the long walk down to Gate 27.
It was a half-hour wait until Delta announced they would begin to board at 7:10. Because I was in Zone 4, I wouldn't see 31H for a while. When I finally got to my seat, I was lucky enough to find overhead bin space to secure my two carry-ons. Relieved, I flopped down in my aisle seat and waited for the plane to rumble down the runway.
The skies were overcast and rainy when we landed in L.A. It looked very similar to my first day in Hong Kong. It was a real pisser; I'd brought the bad weather home with me. I felt like crawling into bed and staying there until it got warm again or I came up with an idea for my next trip.
