Arrived safely in HK yesterday. Had to have a bit of a moan up about my "gimp' windowless room which I dont think the chinese were used to but helpfully they moved me to another room with a window and a nice view of a 50 million storey towerblock. That said I cant complain as I am in Causeway Bay which is quite central in HK and the accomodation is cheap (ish).
There were loads of ozzies and kiwis around town as the Bledisloe Cup (bit like the Calcutta Cup I think) was being held here (first time abroad). The Cheapest tickets were going for around 800 HK dollars so I parked myself on a wall as the swarms of rugby fans ambled past on the way to the HK stadium with a sign written on a blank page of my Guide book saying 'genuine fan looking for ticket - Max 400HK dollars' and sure enough a couple of ozzie lads who turned out to be a great craic found me and sold me their spare. The match itself was a bit lacklustre and the Kiwis only just beat the Ozzies who were in fact leading at half time. I wasnt sure who to support but given I was in Ozzie company I thought I had better cheer the team we (england) beat in Marseille last year;-)
Was hoping to hook up with an ozzie couple I had met in China but alas it wasnt possible as I didnt have access to a pc to sort out arrangments/have their numbers - goodness knows what people did before computers and mobiles?
Ended up in an Ozzie Steak house having one or two. At the ouset of my trip I had planned not to drink at all during my world tour (safety issues and all that) - I soon kicked that idea into touch of course on rugby day!
Had my first trip to the golden arches (McDonalds) last night - a chicken burger..tasted almost the same as in England except a little spicer...yum yum.
Have managed to lose an inch around the waist since I started my trip (horrah!!)so that'll be the last burger for a while - bring it on Ashwaria Rai!
Thank you all so very much for your comments. I really do love hearing from you and the fact that you like reading the blog. I am only sorry that I am not able to reply on an individual basis. I think I have had more comments about "constipated in china" than any of my other stories - funny tho!
R - have a great time in Goa and take some ear plugs!
LH - you know you love it really. Enjoy the porcelain? lucky you! thankfully HK has mostly western style loos so I am a happy bunny
Morag - no there was no door! completely open - mon dieu mon dieu!
right off to find me a camera
Just before I got I thought I had better comment on the title of my blog 'Chal Basanti Chal' as a few of you have asked and I am not sure I have mentioned it before. One of my favourite Indian movies is an old movie called Sholay which is essentially about friendship. In it the female lead actress is Hemma Malani - a curvacious beautiful voluptuous woman whom, when younger, I thought didnt look to dissimilar to myself (jokingly I hasten to add and until my family put me in my place of course!) Anyway she plays a no nonsense fiery fiesty Ricksaw (I think its called a Ricksaw with a horse) driver and her horse is called Basanti. As she spurns the attention of one of the lead male actors attentions (Daminder) she whips (gently) Basanti and tells her to "chal basanti chal" which translates : 'go basanti go' - and thus my title.
xxx
