My nerdy sensibilities satisfied,
I decided to explore the rest of Tsim Sha Tsui in a totally random manner with
the boardwalk as my endgame. By this time it was already around 4pm, which
meant I had approximately two hours to kill before heading back to the airport
in time. My phone was also about to die so I had to shut it down eventually to
conserve battery after taking exactly ten photos around the boardwalk (I
literally counted them just now; didn't know they numbered ten back then).
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| The soy milk was so yummy I bought another one with a different flavour in a 7-11. |
Right behind the Vitasoy Go! van is
an ice cream truck called Mobile Softee that sells soft-serve ice cream,
drumsticks, ice cream cups and jumbo orange. I got a cone of the soft-serve ice
cream to enjoy along with my half-drunk soy milk. What? It was such a hot day,
don't judge.
Those super sosi malls and high-end boutiques which I passed by on my way to
the boardwalk didn't catch my attention that much, pretty as they are. But almost
everything that I passed by along the boardwalk caught my attention that I
wanted to see them all at once. So many people all around, locals and tourists
alike enjoying the sights and sounds. Photographers who will take your photo
with the Hong Kong side as backdrop. People boarding and alighting from the
ferry. Junk boats gliding along Victoria Harbour. Stalls that sell fun souvenirs.
A local band playing in the amphitheatre which I enjoyed watching. Hong Kong
Island glimmering in the afternoon sun. It looked like it was glaring at me as
if it knew I wouldn't have enough time to spare in exploring it. And oh wait, I
found Jackie Chan's star along the Avenue of Stars (NOT Comic Stars haha)!
Recalling all of these brings
such a silly smile. Normally I would shy away from crowds and ultra-touristy
places, but I can really and truly say that I've enjoyed every bit of this last
phase of my Hong Kong trip that I practically wrapped myself up in all of its
touristy glory like a sushi.
 |
| Clock Tower. |
 |
| Junk boat |
To have gone on a solo trip
abroad for a day is by far the craziest
thing I have ever done as a traveller. Bloopers came out of the woodwork: I was
mistaken for a local a couple of times (thanks to my generic features), shyness
and nervousness got to me in the best of times that I nearly forgot how to
speak; and the funniest thing of all, I almost had no idea what my next
destination would be until I decided on the spot where I wanted to go... and
then I would have to just begin the process of figuring out how to get there.
Talk about inconveniencing
oneself, huh. But what the hey, I kinda find it funny. Even see it as an
adventure. Something to tell my grandkids in the future. That is, if I ever get
married and have kids first.
Here's a confession, though.
Since I blended in so beautifully with the locals, I did not even have to try
hard to pretend to be one as long as no talking was involved. And then there's
also this little thing called running monologue going on and on in my head time
and again. Am I walking in the right direction? Where's my map? Don't look too
obvious! Look straight ahead! No eye contact! Oh wow, that's a nice view! Lemme
call my friend... oops, cannot be. Time and place, there's a time and place for
that. Just enjoy the freaking view!
Something to that extent.
When all is said and done, going on this crazy Hong Kong day tour also happened
to be the most fun trip abroad I've had in a long time. It was very much unlike
the times I've travelled alone before. There were no family or friends to stay or
hang out with this time. I was all by myself in a strange place where I had to
rely on the kindness of strangers and even on my meager knowledge of the city. And
while Hong Kong was a British Colony, not everyone spoke English, so there's
the matter of language. Lastly, the decisions on where to go, how to get there
and what to do when I arrive, they were all my own doing.
And it's all so new.
Fun.
Scary.
Exciting.
Discombobulating.
Ha.
Simply fantastic.
Given the chance, I'd gladly do
it again. Just not on a day tour anymore, though. Maybe a minimum of three days
would be sufficient.
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| Very last photo I took in HKG before I shut off my phone. |
Fin
Or maybe not. Nyahaha.
Get lost with me on my HKG adventures! :)
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