Simple question. What makes a trip worth going? Is it expensive food, extreme adventure, or posh resorts? Possibly. Is that what you need to qualify a good trip? Maybe if you're into that. What makes a good trip is up to anyone, just depends on what you're expecting vs. what you REALLY want.
To me however, it comes down to the simplest of things...good food, good friends, good conversation, some adventure, some excitement, toss in a little romance and shake til done! I've really experienced it all these last few weeeks - $0.75 noodles on a street in bangkok that was absolutely heavenly, kick-boxing fights from the 5th row, scamming people slightly for the greater good (see previous - story on United Premier lounge), fine dining, random- long-philisophical-hypothetical conversations with friends on the subway, seeing new places and new faces. If possible, add in a sprig of fleeting romance here or there and you've got yourself a WICKED vacation.
I highly recommend these kind of things to all my friends. I just wish they would take my advice more often.
Alas, it is 5:30 am and I have to leave in 1.5 hrs to get on the subway to the train to the airport. It is time to nap.
I will epilogue later, I promise.
Til then, chow.
-TC
Apparently, a common item for about half the males out here in HK is a man-purse, aka European Carry-all. I'm not talking messenger bags or fanny packs, I'm talking straight up man-purses. What could a guy possible need so badly that he needs to accessorize? I may do some photo reseach to compare the different types - sporty, utilitarian, mod, brandname, etc. - that seem to be favored. We'll see.
As for the "lotsa water", apparently I'm slightly dehydrated out here. I guess sweating constantly and taking in less fluids is a recipe for som hurtin' down the road. I started feeling a bit off on Sunday. By Monday, I was full on knocked on my arse.
Unfortunately, this may eventually lead to a curtailing of my normal gastric adventures since I'm still not digesting food too easily.
We shall see. Off to Thailand tomorrow AM!
Chow,
-TC
GEEEZZZusssss...it is a bit moist over here! Hot and humid would be a massive understatement. I didn't know my hair could sweat until I came here. It is great to be here though, jetlag and all. Food. Sights. Massive crowds. What's not to love?
Heading out tonite with my B-school friend Kenji (pictured in previous posts), who is doing his internship training here in HK.
Thursday I leave for Thailand where things should be slightly more hot and possibly slightly less humid. Translation: 4 showers per day instead of 5.
All for now...more later.
Chow,
TC
EPILOGUE
After 28 hrs of total travel time from ROC to Chicago, over the polar cap, just south of Siberia, I finally made it HK and into my sister's apartment. The real joy of it all was the 15 hrs spent crammed in the coach section of the plane. Not only were there tons of babies and kids on board, they were all able to scream for 15 hrs straight! Oh joy, oh rapture.
Alas, I am here....good times to come!
Chow,
-TC
For anyone who knows me, waking up at the dark-thirty A.M. to get to the airport is not among my favorite things to do. Alas, living in the remote corner of the world known as CRochester, there are no direct flights to anywhere except maybe Buffalo...which is an hour away by car. The result, is that I have to typically take 6am flights to make connections in Chicago.
To exacerbate things, my flights have been delayed here at ORD 2 out of 3 times. My current delay is a 4 hr. one, right before I have to hop onto a plane for 19 or so hours to HK. Go#@%$mother%@#@#!
I was on the verge of taking the train into Chi-town, but instead, I've decided to wonder the Terminal a-la Viktor Navorski. To make things easier on myself, I've managed to talk my way into the 1st Class/Business Lounge for United Airlines. I don't know whether it was my negotiating skills or the tired, haggard look upon my face (probably the latter) that got me in, but nevertheless, I am in!
Not all that big a deal in here actually. However, there are comfy couches, plenty of plugs, and wireless.
Anyways...I'll post again later.
Chow.
-TC
A few more days of 19 hour study days and I get to hop onto a 19 hr plane ride!!! WHooohoooo!
I'm dead in the middle of Spring Quarter Finals week(end). Yes you heard right, grad school has no notion of weekend or weekday when it comes to finals. Consequently, I have Finals this week on Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon! YESSSS (Tiger Woods fist pumping). On a positive note, the super long study sessions allow me to illeagally download movies, audio books and music on a highspeed internet connection, uninterupted for days on end! Perfect for my trip on Wed!
NOTE: Keep checking back over the next few weeks as I update this site with a travel log and pics!
Monday 12pm, my last final for the quarter will be over. Monday 1:15, I will be teeing off with a bunch of friends at the nearest golf course possible.
Come Wednesday, I get to hop onto a plane from ROC to Chicago. From there, I board a NINETEEN HOUR flight from Chi to Hong Kong!!! Yowza. I'm not sure what to do with 19 hours on a plane besides watch 5 crappy movies and eat 4 meals. Last time I went to HK, it was from LA direct to HK. I was SUPER lucky to be seated next to a cute, interesting malaysian-chinese girl. It was straight out of a movie! We hit it off immediately, we talked for the WHOLE time, we laughed, we cried (at the movies), we ate together, we had drinks...I kid you not, 11 hours never went by so quick. Unfortunately, the flight had 3 hours left, but at the 11th hour, she casually mentioned her fiance!!! Great. Some things in life are too good to be true.
Based on that relatively painless flight to HK lastime, my guess is that the Coach-Gods will strike me down with a family of giants who let their kids run rampant, kicking and screaming as my fury builds within.
Nineteen Hours. Well, I have Anthony Bourdaine's book Kitchen Confidential to entertain me for awhile. Nothing like reading a pompous New Yorkers views on the seedy underbelly of high end french bistros. Hey...it's a book I'm bringing for my sister. Aside from that, I have several Audio books downloaded, including: The DiVinci Code, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Steven Hawking's: A Brief History of Time (insert Stephen Hawking reading joke). Aside from that, I can write travel related stories for my upcoming novel: "25D - Seat of Ass".
Yep...I should have plenty to do....provided my batteries last. Dear god. Please last for the love of all that is right with this world.
OH! We had a little impromptu BBQ last weekend. Good times. Here's a pic!
Show of the month: Deadwood (season 2), HBO
Food Craving of the Moment (tie): Paco's Taco's Tortillas, Fu-Rai-Bo TebaSaki Wings.
Song of the Moment: "Let Go" Frou Frou, Garden State Soundtrack
Urge of the Moment: Get in the sun and play some golf...it's really been a long time, damnit.
Alright, all for now....
Chow,
-TC