Scramblin' to get out of HK

Despite my general uneasiness in cities, I found myself liking the city--it had rolly lush terrain and HUMIDITY and a ferry system that was so much fun that I didn't ever want to get off. On our last night at 10:30 PM after a very long day (we had been to a tea shop, a tea museum, an aviary, up the world's longest escalator, through a conservatory and eaten dimp sem), Emily and I contemplated how we could become stow aways on the Star Ferry. The light show from advertising and buildings was amazing and we just wanted to rest our weary feet while feeling the ocean breeze on our face. We lamented that we didn't know why the ferry went so fast (only 10 minutes between Central and Kowloon). Exclaiming mournfully, "What's the rush?" Unfortunately the ferry afforded few places to hide besides under the sitting benches or hanging over the edge. Giggling with tiredness we brainstormed up the possibilities for a stow away adventure. Regretfully they all would have costs more energy than we would have gained in the renewal from another ferry trip. The ferry trip was only 1.7 HK.

The HK lights were amazing. Whole advertisements were done on skyscrapers. The ads had motion and went in circles--script in English, then Chinese and then pictures would circle twinkle around the outside of a building. Leaving Central, we were sad. Central had a blue collar streak, hills like SF and not as many people trying to sell you suits, food, etc. Central had the world's longest escalator and a tea museum. Back on Kowloon, the night life was awake. We managed to push our weary selves through all the masses and the people trying to lure us into their store to buy various items till we reached the Mirador Mansion. Our room was on the 13 floor. We both realized that our elevator shut down at 10PM. With no other choice, we started the 13 flight climb to our room, joking that it was a good thing we had already been doing stairs up temples in China. We were tuckered, so even though the next day we had lots of time sitting on the airplane and the exercise was probably good, neither of us shed any tears to be on our floor.

6:00 AM We had our bags, our deposit and knew where the bus stop that would take us to the airport. The double decker bus arrived and another wave of relief washed over me as now we had not overslept and were on our airport bound bus. At the next stop, the driver motioned for us to come pay. I handed him my 100HK bill (the tickets were 33HK each), expecting change. He told me that he could not give me change and to go and ask others on the bus if they had change. Well of course they all looked at me like I was nuts because no one carries that much change. We didn't have any small bills either. Additionally, we had bought from every vendor on the street the night before, given to the poor and used our change for the ferry trying to get rid of all of our coins or artillery. At the next stop, the bus driver apologetically informed us that we would need to get off the bus. Emily and I quickly concurred that we didn't need the change (a little more than 2US dollars each). I asked the driver if we could just give him our money and the HK bus could keep the change. To our chagrin he said no and kicked us off. I realized it was China after all. The day before I couldn't find a place open before 8 so at 6:30 I didn't think we were going to find change.

My always energetic eagle-eyed travel partner Emily spied a 7-11 and made a run for it--she really ran, while I watched our bags, prayed it was open and tried to come up with a plan B. We hadn't wanted to exchange more money so I didn't think we had enough HK dollars for a taxi ride. I didn't think the exchange counters were open. Emily returned with the exact change but in paper not coins. Apparently there was some confusion over the teller not being able to open a drawer with coins??

We didn't know if we needed coins or if paper money worked. We thought surely they could not expect us to have 33HK in change but then again it was China. Fortunately the bus came every 15 minutes so we waited for the next bus to try our luck. It arrived and I stuck the money in wondering if the bus driver was wondering what I was doing or if he was wondering why I was trying to gauge his reaction. It worked! Another huge wave of relief washed over me. We got rid of our bags on the luggage racked and went to the top of the double decker bus to enjoy our last ride through HK.