June 21 – O’ Canada…. Sign O canada.

So nothing I could do today. Turns out I couldn’t do the earthquake simulator since every third wednesda of the month they apparently don’t have the place open. Whatever no biggy. I’ve been treating this whole trip like I was on tour. Wake up break neck early, walk almost 70% of the time and visit as many places in Tokyo that I could think of. If it wasn’t more traveling for myself, it was a relaxing last day that I needed. Spent the morning, or whatever was left of it having a nice chat with Masumi and eating morning leftovers. Score 3 for 3 or 100 percent on how many home cooked meals I ate here – absolutely delicious. Talked about culture differences using an interesting iceberg analogy, clever one Maximus.

Did some quick packing and headed out. My flight was set for  515 pm – I had to leave the Kawasaki area at 1200pm to make the 3pm check in time.
Didn’t get to formally say goodbye to the Hirasawa family, felt a little weird since there were so courteous and polite to me.

 Took the Narita express train to the airport. Not much happened during this whole time, just thinking about leaving and my return back to home. Masumi would always stop me when I had these moments; I guess she knows how it feels. Gladly, at least she is returning back to her old habits and finally is accepting life back in Japan. Hopefully I will recover just as fast and well. Ate at Mcdonalds which I must mention has NO sweet and sour sauce and great McNuggets. Got some last minute souvenirs and by the time I knew it, I gave Masumi a farewell hug and I was on the plan.

Here I am now, its 1226am whatever local time zone I’m in and its been 7 hours since I’ve left Japan. I am seating next to two fucking kids who are aged at a time where talking, shifting around and breathing EXECESSIVELY loud and consistently in small intervals apparently doesn’t seem to matter when people around you are sleeping. The kid right now is sleeping on my shoulder because now its his god damn bed time. I feel like kicking him and pretending nothing happened just to bother him. I didn’t do anything pushing him off my shoulder so I feel kind of weird doing it now. Not that I like it if that’s what you are thinking you asshole.

Anyway, it still hasn’t hit me that I am now officially done my exchange experience. I expect to fall into shambles the moment I step into my room. Time is flying by pretty quick though and I don’t feel congested on this plane. I tend to forget im returning to Canada. This means that I wont be surrounded completely by Asians, people who are generally skinny with funky fashions, language barriers, small living spaces, a clean downtown and subway and the like. Now I’m going to be back in a world where there seems to be enough space for your car to park on a driveway, or be spoiled enough to drive to my neighbor who lives on the same street. Weird really, I’m coming back home. I don’t even remember how it feels to drive, how the inside of my house specifically looks like, what my friends are up to (Same with the family), what’s on the news, what’s now on the TV, how the weather is, what chicken steak tastes like… all I know is that when I left, I was, generally speaking, leaving things that I loved. And coming back I could say I am returning to things I don’t like any more, but that I feel are things that I just have to readjust myself to. Turn back to things in my life before that I’ve always lived with, endured, and even appreciated to an extent. Sure Hong Kong has been great, but so has Toronto. I’ve been living a good life back at home, I have great friends, family, a place to live and places to go and now I’m returning to them. All of this, all that I have experienced and written down has shown me another life, but it hasn’t removed me from my old one. One thing is for sure, and one thing that I believe all of us should really take from this experience, beyond the what I missed on my exchange is that there is new to be found in the old. That is one thing I’ve been looking forward to for a while, and who knows how long that feeling will last; maybe by the end of today, maybe until next year. The point is I just ended yet another great chapter in my life, and I’m going to continue on making sure I have more memorable things to share, keep and hey if I manage to keep doing it, write down and blog. How this for a delusional reappraisal on leaving?

June 17 – So, Japan… let’s do this!

Breakfast, finally since how long with the Hirasawa family. Similar fish dish I have with my family, when and if I ever wake up that early.

Yokohama in the morning did some typical tourist sighseeing.  Met up with one of Masumi’s fiend Molly who lives in the area. She looks to be more of the more modernized japanese traditional girl compared to Masumi. Maximus is certainly an oddball of the many.

 Visiting Ajisai garden, and Megeitsuin Temple. Very touristy, an okay start for my Japan experience, but hey i really appreciate the fact that Molly went out of her way to take me somewhere she, and even masumi, thought would be good for me. Had a lot of nice flowers for the season, scenery and walkways filled with aesthetically pleasing nature. But WAY too much walking my god haha. Well nothing my HK legs couldn't keep up with.
Ate at a delightful Japanese restaurant, got a true taste of friend tempura and then some.
Visited a temple...in construction. Saw a wedding, more pigeons la la la at the temple.

Split up after and headed back to Kawasaki. Took a bus home from the station.
Rested up since I was so fucking tired. Took our sweet, and I mean sweet time getting ready to head out to Roppongi. 

Had a quick dinner which actually tasted really bad. Wasn’t a local Japanese store though, so I get to bash the food. Got it from some Turkish fast food store at really cheap prices, explains the lack of quality. Shit reminded me of that time I hurled in Beijing, fuck I can feel it just typing it. Ah, disgusting.

Headed to Bar Matrix. Black guy led us who can speak japanese, weird to see, especially that Turkish guy. Thought this bar, as the pamphlet said was from the matrix movie, but really I think its from a BAR MATRIX movie. Wtf, talk abut misleading.
Headed to Velafore club after, trance and dance. Different and exciting.

Left early, but got home late. I don't know if i mentioned this, but travelling from point a to b is like point a to r in HK. But that's the lifestyle here, and 1.5 hr travelling is considered usual on the JR. How insane is that! Really takes out the time from doing things, i mean imagine what you could be doing with that time instead of travelling back in forth like that.
Chilled again in the bathtub - my god do i love it. Such a nice setup for showering and then resting. Something like that should be invented after eating food...aside from a couch.

Ate another late night meal ate breakfast food
Wrote out some emails.
Falling asleep.
Rabble rabble rabble the end of day 1.

 June 18 – Nippon, Hey hey, hey hey hey hey!

 Bright and early day, as usual in the Hirasawa house – still struggling gounds for me. Had a nice hearty breakfast – mostly yesterday’s foods with the added chicken and zucchini. Good stuff honestly. I am always apprehensive of the food now after my experience from Beijing rolling over onto other countries such as this. Should get out of htat mindset because everything Japanese related has been exceptionoal. Funny watching the football analysis on today’s game, japan versus croatia.. First it went to bobble head demonstrations and tips on beating croatia followed by a simulation game sequence between the two teams on the PS2 to see what could possibly happen tonight! hahaha

 Met up with Molly and another good friend of Masumi’s Ayako at the Kawasaki station.
Masumi couldn’t come as she had to do attend to family related matters.

Went off first to Harajuku, got to know each others backgrounds a little bit more who they are really. Curious people, with an endeavouring ear to decipher some of my English. Conservative people, possibly passive – don’t know how to put my finger on it – still not the same as Masumi – I don’t think any japaense is!

Went to Shinjuku after. Had a great tasting and size meal at Ootaya – one of the favorite places of the two girls. Did shopping only in this one huge department store, didn’t get anything – doh well.

Shared more on culture differences from family children relationships, to eating, drinking and even talking on the subway – you wouldn’t believe the subtle differences between Western and Eastern cultures…well Japan versus Canada I mean.

Parted with the two and tagged in with Masumi to head off and line up for the game.

It was great to see everything with one thing on their mind. Everyone spoke as one voice, one concern all bundled together with this hope that Japan will trample Croatia. Line up was a bitch since entrance was at 9 yet we were there at 6. Was fun though after we got past our exhaustion stage – ate at some nearby burger/middle end coffee joint, got dressed up and took some funny pics and sat down to watch the game.

It was off the hook. The cheers were awesome. It was so fun getting carried away in the crowd as we all awe’d, boo’d and yelled at every kick off, penalty, switched possession, zoomed in look at a Japanese football player – almost anything you can think of throughout 90+ minutes of intense football play. Too bad it was a tie. Still, this is a moment I cannot redo in my life anytime soon, it’s the worldcup baby!

Man all I drink is tea here. Nothing in the household but tea, more tea and a jug of water. That’s it literally.

 June 19 – Recovery… or ing

Woke up late since there was no family in today. Really got to enjoy the soft bed hard rock pillow combination. I swear Masumi’s room is really sweet, it got a cool lighting system, a nice bed and a great outlook from the back where you can just sit out and relax or just look out at japan’s serenity.

 Had a beefy breakfast – headed out by noon to Asakusa blindly since we lost our trusty pamphlet since day one that Satomi just randomly picked up which however has managed to carry out such a great trip for the Hirasawa’s and I. Anyway, managed to get another one at the travel agency in Asakusa. Toured around a small market, got some things for friends and visited another temple. Was eventually back at square one and took a rickshaw tour around a small part of the place, even the area that we already did. Went with an interesting runner named Marco, our age – said he does it for a work out.
Saw some nice scenery, old people playing as if they were a band, missed the cherry blossoms although a nice route nonetheless and learned a bit more about asakusa history.
Nice enough to get us ice cream, makes sense given the high price we had to pay for the fucking service.

 Wandered around for a bit and ate near the Asahi beer building. I think it was called 0023. Had European curry – meh it was alright, but sitting out was great. Headed to the Asahi building, but didn’t get to try any beer rather wandered many floors and took so many mol iu pictures.

Got out, passed over a bridge and bought tickets for a canal trip down the Simadae River. I was so tired at this point. Also wanting to try some Asahi beer since we coudnt at the Asahi building.

After 30 minutes or so, we headed to Shibuya to do some more hardcore shopping. This time did 2 departments stores and a large GAP store, flooring 3 levels. Ate at an interesting sit out restaurant called Kamadoya. Hard to describe, but fuck the food here was probably the best I had up until now. Finished up our shopping shortly, tried to get a glimpse of the most busiest crosswalk in Tokyo from a Starbucks but no luck, you had to queue to just get a seat here.

Got back to Kawasaki station, met up with Satomi who was slightly drunk by the way and then set off back home. Msg’d a few ppl back in Canada and HK. Still missing HK a lot, wish I had a chance to visit back before I go!

 Shit have to wake up dirt early tomorrow. Fuck cant find my shaver. Here I am drinking tea. Masumi looks DEAD tired. Signing off

 June 20 – Ni Hong Go Wakari Ma San

Woke up dirt early, and I mean dirt early to see the fish market auction at Tsukiji.
Unfortunately woke up lakte (630am) and was about 20 mintutes late for the closing auction (8am). Did I mention that traveling on the JR takes a really long time to get from point a to b? Anyway, not all was lost as we had a good, and mean fresh good breakfast – shashimi straight from the market baby…well at least that what the price means!

 After we walked around abit back and forth to see the local shops, souvenirs and fish market items suited to the tastes of both the locals and foreigners alike. Got on the JR, eventually after our minds were distant while traveling (it was early and that is like us) and headed to Ginza. Didn’t know what to expect there but its Japan, and there’s always something to do in every district of Tokyo. Got some coffee and walked through the streets of Ginza, with so many international retail and high end local shops lining each side as far as the eye could see. Of course most of htem were just opening once we arrived. Fuck we were so tired. First we visited a Yamaha music store and the Nissan gallery building. After we intended to go to the Sony Building, but we landed at the Apple one first. First we listened to music, on this 5 floor musical haven and found ourselves in a lecture hall where they teach how to use apple multimedia. So we took advantage of this opportunity and used both the chairs and the boring lecture to fall fast asleep. Haha I fell asleep so fast and snored loud enough that Masumi had to shut me up!

Sony building wasn’t that great, but the girls that worked here were kawaii. Ate at some Japanese restaurant and talked on hours with Masumi. Mentioned most about being exhausted from the trip, our work experiences, Japanese culture, school systems and exchange… as expected. Anyway, after Ginza we went back to Shinjuku to do some final hardcore shopping. Course I wasn’t tired since I wasn’t able to do this ever again, however I know Masumi was dying on me. Did a couple of department stores, more so than last time that is for sure. Got myself a few things, didn’t buy enough clothes as I wanted, but the styles available are just not me! I guess im too accustomed to NA apparel.

After a couple of hours, got our asses back home and ate with the family. Probably the best meal I had with the Hirasawa family. Was watching a show of a white women living in japan and some appraisal show, totally different from how they do it back in Canada. Anyway, this gave me time to just sway from the group and do some final arrangements for my departure tomorrow.

Looks like I wont be able to do the earthquake simulator tomorrow! Fuck I wanted to do that the most here haha. Doh well, can I say next time maybe?

June 16 – Take is ease HK, I’ll catch you later.

Had a very shitty morning waking up. First off, because it was around 915am. Secondyt, it was rough because I had to go to the Heng Senk back in City U to exchange my money at such an early time. I just wanted to stay iny room and wake up slow. On top of that, I knew that  I only had hours left before I would say goodbye to City U res life, my friends, Hong Kong and Steph. Woke up feeling like a wreck but I managed to snap out of it eventually. Took pictures en route from res to the school. Tried to take some poses of early pictures here at City U and some stupid ones as well, which did not turn out well haha. Tried to exchange my stuff but no Yen was available at this bank. Went to taste to get some breakfast  drinks, Mcdonalds for some pancakes and then OSIM to watch my favorite employees do jack on the “ju-ba” thing while they get paid.

Came back and eventually got everything out of residence. Aaron, Minh, Bobo and Christy and Steph helped me pack up and go to the bus. I left a few things for eveveryone, mostly shit from my room. Said my well wishes to everyone at the bus stop, with the exception of Shirley who didn’t manage to make it up from work in time and before it hit me, I was off in a taxi that gave us a 30% discount on my cab fare.

As I drove off, I seemed to be a little out of it. I’ve been up too early on a rough sleep and I’m watching myself slowly depart everything that has become my home. I’m leaving so many things; familiarity, sentiments, memories, things, people, places, a new life – so much meaningful things that it doesn’t hit you that its slipping out of your fingers until you find yourself through that first gate checking off towards yet a another trip before my final stop in Canada. I would have been greatly disappointed if I didn’t feel as sad as I did after I passed the  passport check-in spot. HK has been beautiful, I don’t know how many times I’ve mentioned that in my journals.

This is obviously, and greatly and understatement but hey, I’m going to miss Hong Kong. Actually, a better way to put it is that I’m going to miss the HK experience. By my return home, I will have lived 6 months of my life away from Toronto. I left the place with a slight fear of uncertainty, 2 luggage bags, my trusty brown hat and chain, my nigga Minh and no expectation in the world of what was going to happen. Now I’m heading on my way to Japan alone to hang out with my Japanese friend, after seeing 8 different parts of the world with friends, foreigners and locals alike. I will have studied in a school that is high on school spirit, low on academic performance but worth attending almost every class, participating and reading whatever work the actually gave. I made new friends, very close ones and people that I promise myself to see in the future. I have lived alone, finally learned how to do my laundry, never ironed any of my clothing and managed to keep my room consistently clean. I became completely exhausted from all the partying, drinking and socializing at LKF, Wan Chai, TST, outside student residence, inside the common rooms, my room, festival walk, the MTR, club 7/11…you name it. I’ve puked my brains out. I’ve seen almost fifteen people puke their brains out at the same time. I’ve slept my ass in. Stayed up all night. Made love to instant noodles, kraft dinner, Pocky, Pocari sweat, and Nestea breeze when I wasn’t spending almost all my days eating out at whatever station line the MTR has… or even a simple walk down to Nam Sam Chuen of Festival walk in Kowloon Tong. Ordered food at the Canteen in Cantonese while having the orders sent to me wrong or with the workers laughing at feeble efforts. Wandered aimlessly in Hong Kong. Got several job calls and interviews that didn’t want me, really needed me or I simply could not do. I skated amongst the talented kids and eldery locals that put Canadian winter lovers like me to shame. Got a big soccer ball and Pepe.  I’ve sweated on a winterless January – I slept without the AC running when it was 26C outside – and managed to sleep when it felt like 10C inside. Had fireworks explode in front of my face. Ate snake and chicken balls or penis… whatever it was it tasted wrong. I had the most sating Peking duck meal ever that I could have died, making that the third moment in my life that I have said that. Learned Wing Tsun, and some card magic that I can never do from locals . Studied only 7-8 hours for two final exams. I can now speak cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean…and by speak I mean barely say a few things to get me by. Visited the Sha Tin travel agency several times with only few days before our intended travel leave. Had weekly desert nights with my flatmates, and the girls from floor 10 since… almost all the guys from my floor loved them. Overspent my taste coupons on all the snacks, alcohol and salmon rolls I could endure and use my PageOne coupon only to have a metal bookmark and Paul Coelho book in my school bag. Got into a fight with two locals, one only enduring serious drama. Had people visit from Toronto to share in the HK fun. I became more culturally accepted, understanding, receptive and curious. Hall five’d the security guard, and had someone answer me with those two words from “how’s it going.” Had several scare sessions. Bargained ridiculous numbers at Ladies market and even brand name stores. Balled with the locals, Arron and nobody. Worked out to speed racer music, karaoke beats and other unrelated work out mixes. Walked up and down 170 steps almost every day to attend school. Drove in two cars not driven by licensed taxi drivers and very expensive n high end. Got a chance to sit on a double decker bus, and experience a drive on the red mini-bus, who have drivers that always speed beyond the limit. Saw all of the harbour front from Hong Kong from one of its highest points. Put my stomach to the test with so much lactore and grease like no ones business. Enjoyed stalker channel on the res TV (Hall 1 video cameras). Biked a long ass trail for over 5 hours to see another side of HK. Refined my piano playing. Worsened my working habits.  Stole food on several floors to enjoy an awesome steak dinner. Had Indian food cooked by Indian people in the halls. Lost money on the lotto and the raceways. Poker’d ONCE in memory of home. Sold my Nokia cell phone, kept my SIM card which only has a few of the more recent text messages I’ve saved. Bought several decks of cards and only kept my 7/11 one. Kareok’d only twice. Answered the same question about myself millions of times. Bragged about my exchange experience a billion times. In need of a 40 gig external hard drive just for my exchange picture folder. Watched so many movies on this laptop and in the pre-chosen seats of the AMC theatres in FW and MK. Picked up girls, dated, failed succeeded. Disconnected my residence phone the first week to find out the last month how to connect it properly. Familirized and befriend the morning security guard and detested the night guard. Got home from Wan Chai in under 15 minutes from the taxi driver from hell. Sat out with fellow Schulichers on exchange in the smoker’s pit that captured a beautiful view of the sea side. Said many final good byes and several I’ll see you soons. Got stapled and attached. Purple, people, paper, white tee's, green teas, in the bank, gang..you name it. Never, with the exception of day one experienced homesickness. Always, following that day did I have something EVERYDAY where I could say I had just made my experience amazing.  

Scratching just the surface of my experience, one thing I can say for sure that has made this journey for me one of the best ones of my life is that I managed to share this experience with the people around me that I wanted to be with – good enough that we  can be called flower boys. That may sound strange or even gay if you read that, but I can say our flower experiences have encompassed how great this experience can be enjoyed individually yet as a collective at the same time. All I can say is that thanks boys, you motherfuckers made it a good one – and certainly it is true that this is just another end for another beginning. There is more for us, whether it be together or not, in the future that we are going to experience and hopefully get to share with each other as we did for the past time. Well I’m peacing this place and throwing hong kong in everyone’s face.

Anyway, back to today....
....Arrived in Japan, legs are a little worn out just from sitting. Motherfucker they had street fighter two and super punchout as games – damn ANA airlines has it all. Good food, great take off and landing. Seriously, probably the best one I’ve had. How unimportant is that for you guys to read! Haha.

So much luggage to carry, my shit was confiscated on my final gate out into Japan. Don’t mind it, made sense since I brought so much into the airport anyway. Saw Masumi after a couple of head turns around the small airport. She looks the same as usual and was quite happy to see me. It was a relief to see her as well honestly, because like me to her as she is to me, we are remnants of Hong Kong helping ease the blow of change. It is comforting to know that I have a great friend to cope with and share our nostalgia, and experience yet again another plateau of culture, Japanese style.

Shared a lot of her GungZhou experience, and a little about mine. This time it was her turn to talk away – she’s been gone for much longer and I just got the feeling that she needed to share what was bottled up in her more than I did. We have lots of time to talk, so there will be much to be exchanged between us.

Travel time in Japan is something else. Its almost like Toronto style traveling, except a little more elongated. It took us 1.5 hours to get to the airline terminal bus stop in Yokohama, and 30 minutes from there drive, compliments of Masumi’s parents, who I must say are very jovial, back to Kawasaki.

Had a 7/11 moment with the family. Ate convenience food stuff we got at lawson’e or family mart, I forgot and ate a late dinner with the family. Even drank with Masumi’s Dad and Satomi. Rested up in the bathroom heated tub. Very traditional, but contemporary look of the tub. Washroom is really nice and convenient, imagine showering yourself sitting down, man that’s right up my alley. Toilets in the house btw, are awesome.

June 12 – The Fan Five

Tried to make changes to my flight but no good news as of now. Errr, two major things need to be approved before I can change my flight! I’m so crunched on time, I can only hope things work out the way I want.

Napped in the afternoon.

Did some packing. My mind was stressed since all these thoughts about HK and not wanting to leave are getting stronger. I thought May 25th, then 27^th, then June 7^th and then 14^th was my time to leave. But I feel just a couple more days (2+) is all I need to wrap up my exchange trip. Just a few more days to say, okay I have done all I could with this reality, I’m at the apex and for now, ill put it on hold while I go back settle in again for the time being and find what I really want to do in the future with myself.

Had dinner with Minh, Bobs and Steph in TST, we’ve been hitting up this area a lot but it has a lot of good places to eat! Revisited this Vietnamese restaurant and devised a plan of how to get steph to not sign into my room. Btw, fried chicken was not as good as I expected. Anyway, to save some reading time, it included five people, serious deliberation on the planning and only one attempt to make it all work. The plan did go astray the moment we tried it out, so some quick changes were made and ultimately it worked out. Hah such a good execution I love it. Thanks to Minh and Bobo, for their exceptional acting, although you should have actually emptied the toilet roll just in case Lam did check! Thanks Julia for being the post, and Stephanie for running up the 13 flights of stairs to avoid the cameras. Oh and thanks Anthony for talking to me throughout the whole time, which was nice to catch up, but took me out of the picture while all this happened.  

June 13 – Mixed morning, decent afternoon, good night

Made arrangements early in the day. Overcame both obstacles and now, I get to extend my stay just a little bit longer. You don’t know how relieved, satisfied and optimistism I was feeling about the next few days. After such a long duration of the series of calls I made in the morning, I decided to play some FEAR before I went lights out again.

Matrix movie delayed. We will finish it…hopefully!
Left to eat at MK at a nice Taiwanese restaurant and did some cell phone shopping.
Came back and napped. Did some piano playing, its most been…actually only me who has been using this baby for the past while. Not so many people on residence, it has really died at the picnic tables, however my floor seems to be more live than every.

Headed to Jordan to eat some congee. It was filling but I knew I was going to be hungry shortly afterwards. Walked around, checked out temple street mainly and redirected ourselves to the seaside at TST. Saw Australia versus Japan on the way inside that unkown mall that has the echoing circle.

Got some well wishes as Steph and I hung out, but I’m not leaving yet haha. Stayed there until it was time to catch the last MTR trains home.

 June 14 – And it rang, hit the dirt

Today we met up very early to get our day going.
Had an early lunch around 1130 ish at some local soup place down in Mong Kok.

With an inexplicable gift of money from my brother, I was able to purchase this LG phone that really caught my attention. I wasn’t too aware of the functions, which I never was in the first place or even interested in for that matter, but it had a sleek design that had the essentials – except my most needed function – SNOOZE. My old Nokia cellphone was made just right with its ascending alarm tone and 10 minute adjustable snooze button – but its so dirt in comparison to every other function with my new phone.

Due to a few complications, my Peninsula tea time plans got delayed for tomorrow. So I spent most of the remaining day just chilling with Stephanie. Split up for a bit but we met up later at night and stayed in watching movies while I was getting things ready for Japan and eventually my return trip home.

Best part of the night would be our Donerhouse fest. We just ate like fucking cannibals… or Filipinos haha. Ate so much I felt sick and slightly turned green. It was retarded, I haven’t binged like this for a while now. Anyway, when I got myself together I did a little more packing but time just passed way too fast. It feels like I’m getting for another trip. Well I am really, but this time I ain’t coming back to this home. Time is ticking, and its killing me. Won’t let it stop me from squeezing what time I have left here.

My parents up until this point have been frustrated with me because I keep delaying my return. They feel I don’t have anything ready set up for home and all I’m doing is indulging myself too much in a world that I eventually will have to snap out of. Frustrating to here when they say it, and satisfying to shut them up when they find out I do have plans for the summer back at home. Man the effort and time I put into thinking I should stay here in HK. Such a hard decision to make. But right now, I feel that leaving is probably the best for me in general. It is certainly not the best for me now, but its coming to a point where I feel like I have to go.

June 15 -  High Tea Moment

Started things a little late in the day. Crunched on time so we had our meals from Taste to go and munched down on them. Finished packing my luggage for Japan and got some other things completed. No time for nap or work out today – I felt those would be wasteful at this point in time.

Met up with Steph and had High Tea at the Peninsula. We looked good, all dressed up in the middle of the afternoon traveling along the MTR. How sweet haha. Well one thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t mind using the MTR for my prom, this subway is the shit. Took a while walking and getting to the place, and thought we would be short on time basking in this luxury, six star hotel. Anyway, it turned out to be a nice, relaxing, formally fun time together. Of course we still managed to be mo liu, I guess it doesn’t matter where we are. We perused the first two floors of the place for a while, walked outside for a bit and called down a taxi.

Managed to get Steph in again without signing in. The morning security guard, also known as the ‘horny’ one, just casually let us in again. She knows we’re not coming down anytime soon during her shift, but she’s relaxed like that. Too bad Lam had to be such a hard ass by the end of my stay, it ruined a simple, yet good relationship between him and I.

Anyway, this night we didn’t watch a movie. I went down to festival walk to get some cock…ies and some food with Minh and Lily. Last time I’ll be seeing festival walk…hopefully only for a while. Said goodbye to the long walk up to residence, felt like I was already leaving so much behind. Ahh, it really makes this leaving process difficult when I attach ‘well this is going to be the last time….” to everything I routinely do.

Did some final laundry and packing. Didn’t really want to do anything grand or hardcore.
All that I wanted to do in HK has been done, and now I’m just left to spending it with people that matter most. It doesn’t matter if its nothing, or we did nothing, because its anything is always something good for me in HK.

June 5 –  Empty to full

Expo in the morning, I’d say 12ish with Stephanie. Did some walk around I’m sure after, its practically routine with this girl =). Split up as she went to go to her MS interview while I laid back home playing FEAR throughout the evening. Was suppose to play some ball with Arron but the courts fill up quick around 4-5pm’ish. So…more FEAR.

Got dizzy and tired dribbling in this glutton form of entertainment and had a 17 minute nap. Don’t know why I like to time these kinds of things.

Got ready and headed to festival walk, this time not for eating. It was Bobo’s birthday today and so, we went slapped on some skates finally and enjoyed an hour and a half of skating with kids better than us and adult professionals. Of course that didn’t matter, but you can’t help commenting on the sheer skill some of this kids have in a place where it doesn’t even snow. Was rough at first but got better. I still can’t power stop for some fucking reason!

After throwing in the towel, we all waited as Lily came down from residence. During this time I got yet another job interview, which happened on the spot, on my cell phone and then a potential job offer at yet another place I don’t know of. I couldn’t hear the woman on the phone so as Nebula, I just asked them to email me their company info and a summary of today’s talk.

Dinner with lily at TST. Wondered around, couldn’t make up our minds. Traveled along the outside of TST, went into the heart of brown town – never new a place like this existed. Lily said this was a place, similar in setup and atmosphere you would see in India.
Skipped out on the Indian food and found a Japanese place, newly open. Ran into one of my EI classmates – the guy who dresses really good, and is probably gay.

Ordered huge portions of food and my favorite, fried tempura on the side. Endless conversations we shared. It’s nice to know that you have someone that can say a pointless, ‘what’s up’ and ‘how are you’ and actually make something of it.

Chilled out on res with minh and bobo while they waited for the security guards to switch up. Scheduled lots of to do things here in HK. Came back and found my flatmate is cleaning all the kitchen ware meticulously. Man he’s messed up.

June 6 – Cream puffs

Had lunch at Steph’s place. This time I had to navigate to her place without her help. I felt stupid because I couldn’t find the stop at Yau Ma Tei, although it was right THERE, wish you could see me pointing. Anyway, we had Filipino dishes, the stuff that I would have in the morning with my family… or actually what my family would have while I eat what’s for lunch. We complemented the time with a bit of travel and life on TV, good thing Nigella Bites wasn’t on, or else it would have a lunch for one.

So today was an errant day, had a lot of things to cover. Was suppose to visit three related places for Steph’s exchange to Singapore – however we only got to do the immigration department. Britain’s consulate was closed early, 3pm on weekdays – how fuck’d is that. Saw oil being washed onto the streets – never saw that before. Saw a little, cheap I would say, Hong Kong attraction that was both a bird viewing zone and a conservatory, which I checked in the dictionary is an aesthetically pleasing greenhouse haha. Walked around and shopped at Pacific Place. Actually come to think of it, we didn’t shop but did plant our faces against many windows. Revsiited the washroom that had the amazing hand dryer that we don’t have in Canada and got some Starbucks (T/S/CH). Unexpectedly got a call from Masumi and another call for an interview at another unknown place. Hooray for JIJIS. Ate at Triple O’s, which and finally for god sakes had beef that tasted Canadian!

Chilled back at my place early in the evening. Watched Zoolander, did laundry, talked and walked Steph down to the MTR while I grabbed some late night dinners. Ran into Matt, Un and Tomas as well, they just came back from their GungZhou trip. Doesn’t seem like it went well.

I notice while I’m sleeping that my roommate is again letting the faucet run feverously as something is being cleaned! He’s doing so much it scares me.

June 7th – Reticent

Updated blog in the morning. So much to jot down – its so shitty how much specifics you can lose if you don’t update within the same day. In spite of that, I managed to have lots to say. Ate in the morning with Arron and helped him translate my blog. Didn’t mind doing so since it was my work and he has taken quite an interest in my English usage, even if its slang that no one uses. Minh dropped in on the party and so we headed out to the gym to build on the sexy.

Went into the IFC building, met up with Steph at this area since she just had her interview. Did some window shopping – that is as far as you would go in this place especially Lane Crawford – this girl is serious business. Clothes were very high end, and I mean this was probably marketable to only the rich and the very rich who needlessly spend. Prices were too high for its own good, reaching even over 10K CDN for some dresses! Insane! Had some nice paintings, musical ambience, home décor but bad guy clothes by the way. Everyone there is so posh and business like; nice to see the things but I don’t know if I would get myself in such a trend if I even had the money. Here I am spending stupid amounts of money on clothes that are probably worth ¼ of the effort time and materials put into it. Its just such a mismatch!

Later walked along central towards the Star Ferry. Took it across to TST. Going along this route always encompasses the feelings I have when I have experienced so much of Hong Kong. Ate Shanghaineses food in TST. Another local restaurant. I expected a lot of mainland chiense here for some reason but yah, I was wrong.. Let me tell you, in local restaurants, you would look at a full restaurant and think it’s full, but never do you have to wait more than 5 minutes – well based on my turns. Very efficient service. Another point for HK.

Walked into another mall that I was unaware of haha that connected to the harbour front of TST. Night time hung out at the waterfront of TST.  I definitely want to come here again before I go.  

June 8^th – So one year eh…. Damn!

Full day going around it is just so much to mention. Here’s a list of what we did =
Light snack for Lunch, complements of Stephanie and some Baker’s company.
A heavier lunch, although tea time quantities at some old folk mall territory.
Visited the Wa Tai Shin temple. Prayed, made wishes, saw some funny turtles, got a great fortune telling.
Took the Peak tram up. Leaned at a 45 degree angle. Perused the mall up at the peak and took some pictures with a great view of the fog that eclipsed Hong Kong.

Split up, went home. Probably played FEAR.

June 9^th – Suitcase Action

Day was short, but the few things I did today were really stretched out.
Got up at 1230 – got to steph’s area around 2. Got lunch, Mcd’s for me, Delifrance for her. Went to check out photo place to print, decided to filter and revise some of the photos first.

Went back and went a little feminine, watched that last for episodes of sex and the city. What? I was curious. Too girly, but does have some good real life relationship problems that I frankly don’t like watching.  

Saved my manhood a bit and worked on the computer later into the rest of the shows and edited a bunch of photos. Got 368 photos, which I ended up printing 315 btw. I had to selectively remove them from my cruzer disk….twice. Took so long steph managed to some early shopping for tonight’s dinner

Ate at Lily’s common room. It was an Indian themed meals! Cooked by both Lily and her sister Leena, who I finally got to meet after such a return so early in May. Great food you two, there was nothing to worry about! Watched Unfaithful while we chowed down on ice cream waffles. Fun to talk, funny to listen and blab la bal.

 Lam is being a serious bitch for the past two days. Such a hardass, its such bad timing to be by the book. Tried finding all these alternatives to get passed the guy but no really good ideas as of yet.. Looks like Plan A-G for us for the next few days. Tried to do the fire alarm door plan today (suggest by my autistic-clean freak Manho – who is a really nice guy when you get passed the meticulous habit), as well as some circus shit which was too jokes! Anyway, looks like its going to be hard but I think we can fool the fucker. He used to be such a good guy to me!

June 10 - Horse track racing!

Did not wake so early in the morning and did not leave the house as early as intended.

Went to the race tracks today. Wanted to go to Happy Valley, but the Sha Tin racing tracks sufficed. Although it was in Sha Tin, it was a 25 minute walk from this station, so we got off at University on the KCR and got there in no time. Saw some HK local get told by his girlfriend. Man he just took it in the butt.

Anyway, the place was not so filled, but you could still feel the spirit of gambling filling the air. We got ourselves caught in the feel as we placed some serious money down on two races! Doh well, last place isn’t too bad? haha

Walked from the race track back to the Sha Tin station. By the time we were halfway along the route, I realized that this was the walk I was trying to avoid on the way here. We were well underway by this time, so we fuck’d it and trooped on home.
Signed in dirt early.

June 11 – An early farewell

Hung out early in the morning
Ate at food fest
Did a walk around with Stephanie in MK, window shopping – considering getting a cell phone here. Nothing too much catching my interests although I know its much better to buy a phone here.
Walk around in the pouring rain in MK to find some shit for friends.
Quick workout down at the Annex. Saw the same workout dude who always gives Minh or I looks as if he were competing with us. Funny to see when this man is the only one into it…whatever motivates him let it be.

Dinner at causeway bay again at Times Square fast food section downstairs – very classy and food was great.  Nice little setup, like an outside garden cafeteria…except not outside.
Saw a huge crowd following a world cup match, I forgot the teams playing.
Went to Barn II at night for my farewell party. Glad the many that are still here made it. Drank and played a lot of games as if it were any other night. Said by to the groups of people that left time by time, if we still keep in touch well then we keep in touch. If not, it was good and thanks.