Day 19 - Tropical thunderstorms!

I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango, Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me!!!!

Got up this morning, it looked a bit cloudy but hey ho. It was dry.  Now I realised you're probably getting a bit bored with my lack of adventures and hearing about Repulse Bay and my tanning exploits so after pouring over my laptop I settled on a nice little day trip to Sheung Chau Island, described as a quaint little fishing village with seafood restaurants and a beach. Yhey, that ticked all my boxes!

All it involved was a 5 min ride on the MTR to Central, short walk to the ferry pier and then a 55 min ferry ride to the island. Ooooh a proper adventure! Put my suntan lotion on, as have been struggling to do my back on the beach, threw my little summer dress on, packed my bag and I was good to go!

Waited an age for the lift as one of them was being serviced, but met a man in there. He asked if I knew it was going to rain today. I replied "It always says that!"  He asked if I was heading to the beach and I told him how I'd planned my little trip to Sheung Chau Island and he said it was a bit risky, but maybe the rain would hold off till the night.

With that the lift doors opened and it was absolutely bucketing it down, like a monsoon!! Well that put paid to my plans so it was a stroll, OK a hurried power walk to McDonald's for a Sausage and Egg McMuffin meal.  Yes, I know I had one yesterday but I was gutted and needed comfort food lol.  Food cures everything!!

Well I ended up confined to barracks all day except for a trek to Starbucks for a lovely cuppa and a piece of Blueberry cheesecake. Hmmmmm delicious!

Well I'm afraid there is absolutely nothing else to report other than the thunder and lightening. A total non-eventful day!  I hope the sun comes back soon, I've got the beach party on Wednesday and I've planned my outfit!!

Take care,

Hayley xxxxxxxxxxxx

Day 18 - Party in the park!

Well I know I said my tan is cooking quite nicely but it is Sunday and the day of rest. Even Beach Bums need a day off lol.

Started my Sunday with my traditional Sunday breakfast, Sausage and Egg McMuffin and chips - it's the closest I can get to a full English out here lol.

Still can't get my head around why a Big Mac meal costs about £2 and a Sausage & Egg McMuffin meal comes in at £2.40! I enjoyed it anyway!!!

Went for a stroll round the park today.  There was a 'concert', hardly take that but the crowds were loving it!!

Put your hands up in the air!!!

They've started putting up the decorations for the Mid-Autumn Festival;

And the Outfit of the Day award goes to;

 with 2nd place;

Well back to beach bumming tomorrow with my factor 4 lol.

Night all, sweet dreams xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Day 17 - Beach bumming it... again!!!

Beach again today yhey!!  35 degrees again.  Ran out of suntan cream so there were two options available in the chemist. Factor 75(!!!!) or factor 4.  Normally I would never dream of factor 4 but I thought if I just used it more often, it would be OK.

Well a wise choice.  I can now report, my milk bottles are finally on the turn and are changing from milky coffee to borderline medium roast!!!  Few more days on the factor 4 and I think I will finally have cracked it!!!  It's hard work this tanning malarkey I tell you!!!

Got 'Perv Papped' on the beach today!!! I'm happily lying on the beach when I hear the sound of flip flops approaching, followed by the click of a camera shutter.  I opened my one eye to see this bloke standing there, bold as brass, taking a picture of me! It was pointless giving him an earful as I just don't think he'd have understood!

Observations of the day;

1. Whats with the hideous 'Crocs'? There are Croc shops everywhere and everyone wears them. You can even buy little cartoon characters to customise them. Vile!!!
2. They say this is the city that never sleeps. There are plenty of 24hr shops here and the clothes shops in Causeway Bay are open till 10 at night. I know why now. Everyone snoozes at every available opportunity. Take the girl on the bus of doom today. Snoring her little head off

and this fella...

Right I think you've got the jist of the fact that there is some serious strange headgear going on so now I'm progressing to Outfit of the day!

A bin liner skirt!!!

Well I think that's enough for today lol xxxxxxx

Day 16 - I'm getting forgetful in my old age!

It comes to something when you realise you haven't got a clue what day of the week it is and you have to dig your phone out to check!

Well, I know this could be boring but today I re-visited My Paradise.  I just don't know what it is, but I just love Repulse Bay!  This is now my 3rd visit!

I think maybe this song has something to do with it;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_vEJpgRhZQ 

Now I know you probably thinking I'm addicted to the beach, but I do take precautions, slavering on my faithful Australian Gold as I'm determined I'm not going to end up like this madam;

This is a walking (just about) warning for sun protection!!

Went to the shop on route and captured a right beauty of a pic for you today;

Security guards, you've gotta love them!  If only I could send this to his boss lol.

Well ham and cheese pancakes on the beach today but nothing really much to report except from the usual tanning and I've got the dodgy head gear snaps for you as usual.  I think Friday must be their general maintenance day as there were people pruning trees, working on the building being built on site, sweeping etc.

Actually, I said you'd find it boring but I think I might have seen Simon Cowell on his way down to the beach;

I was loving his rolled over pants lol.


Well the Internet connection went down here yesterday and I just couldn't get online grrrrr.  Went downstairs to reception to try and find out what the problem was and met a lovely man who was also having problems.  While we tried to explain the Internet problem to Sam on reception who speaks basic Chinglish, we got chatting.  He was from London and his wife was originally from Wolverhampton.  They were on their final leg of travelling for the last 6 months.

He'd booked tickets online to visit the Terracotta Warriors. How exciting! Hmmm I think I'll have to look that one up!  We couldn't get a connection sorted so I took my laptop down on the street, hid up the alleyway and tried to connect to the bar who very kindly let me use their wi-fi connection when I first got to Causeway Bay.  I can't believe I was sending an email to my Dad, crouched on the floor, in some dodgy, dark alley!

Got back to my room, the connection still wasn't working but with a bit of imagination and my laptop perched on the windowsill, I now have connection by tapping off someone else's Internet.  Thank you 'Starline' who ever you are lol.

Oooooh and guess who I met?

No, I didn't really, but it certainly would have been exciting wouldn't it lol!!!!

Observations for the day;

1. People have no shame in rummaging through bins.  The 'Simon Cowell' got quite excited at finding a carrier bag in a bin on the beach!  The other day I saw a woman fish a magazine out the bin at the MTR station!  They'll be selling the Big Issue next lol
2. My legs refuse to tan at the same rate as the rest of my body no matter how hard I try!

Well that's all folks for now. Enjoy your day xxxxxxxxxx

Day 15 - My paradise

Well after working myself up into a right little tizz last night and wanting to come home, I have to say I felt much better today.

Before I came out here, I was put in touch with a girl from England who moved out here 2 yrs ago.  Last night she invited me over to the beach next Wednesday night for the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Harvest Festival.  How exciting.  They celebrate by lighting lanterns and eating moon cakes oh and of course there will be alcohol lol.

Well today, armed with my book and my sun tan cream, off I went on the bus of death to Repulse Bay.  I know I've been there before but I love it!

It got up to 35 degrees today.  I'm positive I'm sweating calories.  My stomach is like an ironing board and my legs are like bean poles!!  Not that I'm complaining!!

When I took a stroll to the little shop on the beach front to get the umpteenth bottle of water today, I spotted this guided tour strolling round the back of the building.  Intrigued, I followed...

As you can see, the tan is coming along quite nicely.  They've forecast rain and scattered showers over the next few days so have to get my tanning in!!  I have to say, I really do love Repulse Bay!!

Now it wouldn't be the same without a sneaky strange headgear pic...

Observations of the day;

1. People don't care where they fall asleep. Whether it's on the bus, on a bench or at work.  I saw a security guard asleep the other day and just as I went to get my camera out, his head fell forward and he woke up!!
2. No matter what time you go out, Hong Kong is full of people
3. 'Zebra crossings' have so many people rushing over them, it resembles a buffalo stampede!!

Well, I've been having trouble with my Internet connection, so I've had to take to writing this the following morning at the moment.  I hope my connection sorts itself out soon as it's buggering up my Facebook Chat!

Thanks for all the messages from home guys.  It really does mean a lot to me :0) xxxxxxxxxxx

Day 14 - Shey O or Shet Ole?

Woke up this morning, the sun was shining in through my window, weather report said the usual 27 degrees.  What to do today. Maybe the beach for a change???

Todays beach was Shey O.  Caught the MTR to Shau Kei Wan where I was to catch a death bus to Shey O.  When I left the MTR station, a Chinese man who must of been about 45ish walks along side me. "Whyyyyyyy-eeeeee".  I ignore him and carry on walking. "hellooooooooooo".  Again I carry on walking but he doesn't give up that easily.  I've weaving in and out of the bus terminal with the weirdo hot on my trail.  He finally gives up the chase.  How do I manage to attract these freaks??

Board the minibus I'd found that said it went to Shey O.  I swear this minibus could have been used in The Darling Buds of May.  You can imagine me on this Charabang!!!

Right onto the beach!

The online description of Shey O;

Shek O is a fantastic seaside village, with a wide selection of quaint shops and restaurants that offer great al fresco seating. Changing rooms, lifeguards and shark nets are all also in place.

Personally, I would have renamed it Shet Ole and my description would have been very different;

If you fancy Shanty Town Chic, Shet Ole is your place.  A cross between Grimsby Fish Docks and Royston Vasey, Shet Ole is certainly an eye opener.  Expect to be harassed by the locals desperate to make a living in this primitive village.

 One of the 'quaint' restaurants!!!

The beach;

Spot the Brit abroad... yes the one who has a pink glow!!

The dodgy photo shoot which later led to me witnessing this man, with his meat and two veg hanging out, but still wearing his dressing gown and knee deep in the sea! Bizarre!!

 Observations of the day;

1. Not all Chinese women shave their arm pits.  I have seen many a full grown tuft blowing in the wind here.
2. When bus drivers drive, you would think their lives depended on getting to their destination as fast as possible.  Trying to get them to drive in the first place, is a different matter.  They will happily sit there for half an hour, engine running, eating and chatting on their phone!
3. People are similar to the 'Terminator'.  They can scan crowds and spot foreigners regardless of crowd size and location.

Got back tonight and I won't lie.  I felt incredibly homesick.  All I wanted to do was come home.  I'd had enough of the here.  I spent the evening in tears, trying to look to move my return flight.  I've had a disaster with my bank accounts as I can't access my online bank accounts and therefore can not transfer money from one account to my credit card, to enable me to pay any online charges required.

I think having had no work had finally made me crack.  I felt soooo fed up, I couldn't even update my blog last night!

Feeling much better this morning, maybe it's the sunshine! Oh well, lets see what today's adventure brings! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Day 13 - Markets, Rain, Sea, sand and thank fully sunshine!

OMG I couldn't sleep last night!  I kept thinking about that email from the Facebook weirdo. Was he the Gok wannabe and he had followed me back and somehow, mysteriously found me on Facebook?!?  You can tell my mind goes into overdrive!!

Woke up this morning to find I had a typical Brit look.  My face was so red, I looked like I'd just completed the London Marathon twice!!

Hmmm note to self, must constantly re-apply suntan lotion! Luckily, that has bronzed off just nicely through the day!!

Well there was glorious sunshine, clear blue skies and the weather forecast said 27c and 96% chance of rain.  I'll let you into a little secret, it says that every morning but by about 3pm you do get an accurate report once the weather station has monitored the day.

After yesterdays struggle ensuring I'd totally covered myself in the old sun cream, I decided to smear it on before I went out!

Loaded up my beach/shopper bag with my newly purchased straw beach mat (20HKD -£2), that I picked up yesterday, my book, camera, suncream and all my other odds and sods I take with me.

Jumped on the MTR to Central and then on route to the bus station, stopped off for a cheese, ham and tomato croissant (delicious!) and a cup of tea from Pret-a-Manger. The woman put that much milk in it, I might as well just asked for a cup of milk with a dash of water and a dip of teabag!

Put my life in danger again on the brush with death bus.  I do wonder if these people have licences to drive??  I think my 14yr old niece could drive better and I'm being serious!!

There was a young American couple also going to Stanley on the death bus.  We passed Deep Water Bay, Repulse Bay and then it appeared everyone was getting off.  The girl asked if we were in Stanley and I said, I usually just judge by how many people get off!

We went down stairs and I asked the driver and in his broken Chinglish, I got the impression we needed to stay on till the next stop.  Started walking down the slope to Stanley market when the heavens opened.  For once the weather report was right!!

I have to say, I wasn't overly impressed with the market, although I had read it was a tourist attraction and these days it was rare to find a bargain. Spot on, although I did find a nice range of 'Buy one, get one free' designer fake handbags!  Before you ask, I didn't buy one.  I've saving that for when I go back to Guuuuciiiiiii, Praaaaaaaaaadaaaaaaa land!

Took a stroll down Stanley Main Street. Really don't know why it's called Main Street ,as all that's there is the promenade and about 6 restaurants/bars!

Finally ended up at the beach.  Not as nice as yesterdays....

Observations of the day...

1.  Chinese people answer the phone and say Why e. It's like Why I, if you were from Newcastle but there is no pause for breath and the the 'e' is drawn out. Whyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
2. If you speak to someone who doesn't understand English, they will carry on talking at you, regardless of whether you understand or not.

Right, jim jam time.  Paddington is a very tired bear indead!  Sleep tight.

xxxxxxxx