For the first time in several days, I am wheeling my own bag.  Oh, how pedestrian.  No porters or bellhops are in our midst. Well, at least not until we arrive at the Futian Shangri-La in Shenzhen.  Actually I find it quite nice to sort of be on my own again. If you count on your own as being with 3 other writers and 2 public relations people. Okay, not so much.

We hop the clean and efficient train to the border and enter a very modern building.  We are stamped out of Hong Kong and ride across the river on escalators making our crossing onto the mainland.  With very little fuss, we are stamped in and are on our way. Welcome to the ‘real’ China, well, as real as ultra-modern and young Shenzhen can feel.  Since Hong Kong is still its own unique area (considered a SAR – Special Administrative Region), there is no need for a VISA. But crossing into Shenzhen, just about thirty minute train ride to the north, is the real deal.

This area became China’s first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Not long ago, Shenzhen was a small village.  In just a few decades, it grew at a stunning pace becoming a modern cityscape thanks to rapid foreign investment.  Shenzhen is now said to be one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.

During previous trips to Asia, I spent the majority of my time in the Southeast (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore).  And about a decade ago I spent some time in Tokyo.  But I’d yet to visit Mainland China – until now. Although I’m still not convinced the super-quick 2-day trip I’m having to Shenzhen really counts.

My first impressions of Shenzhen (at least the parts that I saw) – a very clean, modern, gleaming metropolis.  But I am sure I am only seeing a sliver of the ‘real city.’  My friend, and as far as we know, not family member, Matt Lubin lived in Shenzhen for a few years.

He says, “thankfully, Shenzhen is more than the overcrowded, knock-off-filled shopping centers of Luohu and Futian that are stuffed with excessively pushy salespeople I wanted throw through a window on multiple occasions. There are some beautiful parks and semi-quiet sanctuaries to escape the maddening city, which is necessary if you stay for more than a week. The amusement parks are always good for a few laughs with their cheesiness. Unfortunately, the best features of Shenzhen don’t last long–the city is ever-changing, thus the disappearance of favorite restaurants and shops is inevitable.”

A 2010 study conducted by Forbes magazine ranks Shenzhen’s population density as the 5th highest in the world.  Although, the population numbers of Shenzhen are hotly debated due to the massive amounts of immigrant workers from the countryside who come into Shenzhen just to work.  Our home base is the newish Shangri-La Hotel, which I actually like more than the Hong Kong Island Shangri-La because of its more modern, clean-lined furnishings and décor.

Plus I had my own personal escort (no, not that kind) who not only brought me to my room, she sat down and had tea with me and then showed me that wonderful ‘pillow menu’.  It was nice to have a new friend upon arrival, but I sort of had to shoo her out so I could take a moment to relax by myself (or at least jump on the bed with all my lovely pillows).

For an odd taste of China and Shenzhen we venture into Splendid China Folk Village, a sort of Epcot-like experience of China. This finely-manicured park, which is part of a larger theme park system known as Overseas Chinese Town, gives visitors the ability to ‘travel’ all over China by never leaving the city.

Over 100 major tourist attractions have been miniaturized and laid out according to the map of China. Most attractions have been reduced on a scale of 1:15.

There’s a miniature Great Wall, the Terracotta warriors of Xi’an and other famous Chinese sights all miniaturized in this Disney-esque playground. I imagine it is a fun day for Chinese families, but not how I necessarily want to spend my time – especially since I am actually in China. But I will say it is a bit of interesting kitsch to experience.

A neat spot to check out is the OCT Contemporary Art Terminal and Loft Area where some communist-era warehouses have been converted into artists’ studios, hip cafes (including the requisite Starbucks) and bars.

The OCAT used to be a block of factory buildings, which were built at the beginning of the 1980s and remained in operation until the late 1990s.  I enjoy walking around this funky rehabbed space of designers and a ‘new’ China.

Disclosure:  My trip to Hong Kong & Shenzhen was provided by the folks at Cathay Pacific & Shangri-La Hotels.  All views, writing, and photos are my own.

Eating and traveling. Traveling and Eating. The more I travel, the more I learn about food, the more I love to eat. I love everything about it – the background on where it came from, the smells, the preparations, and of course the flavors rolling around in my mouth.  It’s been an ongoing learning process for years now as my taste buds and waistline continue to battle it out.

When I’ve traveled on a budget I’ve had to let go of the idea of being able to try lots of ‘hip’ restaurants or pricey ‘in’ places and just enjoy cheap street food eats which, as I’ve mentioned are often even more tasty and authentic.

But this visit to Hong Kong was completely different. I was being treated to some of the best food around – even going on what was dubbed a “Culinary Journey” at the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong.  Or what I like to call the best restaurant crawl…ever.  We indulged in seven different courses at the hotel’s six different restaurants in one night – starting with flutes of Veuve Clicquot and an amuse bouche in the lobby bar and ending with dessert and live music at the Lobster Bar and Grill with amazing morsels of sushi, savory dim sum, succulent rack of lamb, and fresh seafood, in between.

Between the eating and drinking with every course, it was a decadent night to say the least. I loved every course – and by the end I was stuffed, sated, and sleepy.  I loved the fact that all I had to do is take the elevator up fifty floors or so to my plush room and climb into my thick king-sized bed and doze into a fat and happy slumber.

Renowned as the culinary capital of Asia, Hong Kong has more than 11,000 restaurants, according to the Tourism Board.  Many of these offer some of the best Cantonese and regional Chinese food in the world.  Local must-try dishes are dim sum (tasty Chinese ‘tapas’ or ‘snacks’ including dumplings served steamed in bamboo baskets) and amazingly fresh seafood.

Disclosure:  My trip to Hong Kong was provided by the folks at Cathay Pacific & Shangri-La Hotels.  All views, writing, and photos are my own.

I’ve now had the good fortune of visiting Hong Kong two different times and experiencing it two very different ways. The first was during my ‘round the world’ trip as a ‘flashpacker’ of sorts.  I was on a budget since I was traveling for a few years and not making much income.  I recently returned to the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ as a guest of Cathay Pacific Airlines and Shangri-La Hotels, and oh, was it quite a different experience.

So what’s better – traveling on a budget ‘lower’ to the ground or living the ‘high’ life of luxury?
Let me break it down for you here.

Arrival

Budget LL:  I arrived at Hong Kong International Airport and after schlepping my luggage through customs, I found the public, double-decker city bus into the city.  I was dropped off somewhere along busy, crowded Nathan Road in Kowloon.  Sweaty and tired, I walked around and found my tiny, somewhat inconspicuous hotel.

Lux LL:  I arrived at Hong Kong International, grabbed my bag off of the luggage carousel and was greeted by ‘happy men in red coats’ from the Shangri-La hotel with warm smiles and…a luggage cart.  The rest of my small group and I were whisked into plush, air-conditioned Mercedes cars and chauffeured to the Shangri-La Hotel on Hong Kong Island.  I don’t think I ever picked up my luggage again the entire time there.

Lodging

Budget LL:  My quasi-hotel, the Sealand House,  was on a side street just off of Nathan Road.  And I use the term ‘hotel’ loosely.  There was a sign out front, but it was just one of many businesses in a large cement building (no, it wasn’t in the Chunking Mansion – I would say it was, at least, a step up from there).  I took a small, dark, somewhat rickety 3-person elevator (3 thin people) up to my hotel’s floor.  Then I head into a door that was more like going into someone’s apartment.  Once inside, there was a small desk crammed into a corner and a young girl took my passport and gave me my room key.  There seemed to only be a handful of rooms.   My room itself was just big enough for my bed and my bag on the floor.  And the bathroom was so tiny that it was just one toilet/shower in one.  It was small, but very clean and did me just fine at the time for a mere $38/night…in Hong Kong!

Lux LL:  We were greeted at the plush and fabulous Island Shangri-La Hong Kong by more ‘red coats’ and a staff of no less than five including the manager of the hotel.  We were immediately whisked into a sparkly, glass elevator (in which the carpeting was changed every day because it had the day of the week embroidered on it literally, to remind weary business travelers what day it actually was).

We were escorted to the Horizon Club Lounge where we toasted with a glass of bubbly.  Then it was on to our deluxe rooms.  Ornate is a word that comes to mind. Plush is another. A chandelier hung over my huge king-sized bed.  Fresh fruit, hot tea, and chocolates were ready to be savored.  A plush bathrobe hung in the closet and white slippers were aligned bedside.  But none of that really mattered.  It was the view that stole the show.  I was on the 55^th floor with huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking much of Hong Kong Island and the harbor.  Wow.  But wait…there was also a pillow menu. Yes, that’s right, a menu for pillows.  Soft and flat for the stomach sleepers like me or thick and bouncy for a back sleeper – they’ve got your head-cushion needs covered.

Food

Budget LL:  Since I was on a budget, there were no fancy meals for me – just lots of snacks and tasty street food.  Hong Kong is an international city so I also was able to mix it up with a cheap Indian Thali dinner and some sushi.  To be honest, being a budget eater is often times the tastiest way to go about eating around the world.  I did indulge in an amazing plethora of dim sum with a local – the best way to go!

Lux LL:  I will go into this in greater detail in an upcoming post dedicated to food (natch).  Suffice it to say, we were treated like royalty and I think I gained a good five pounds on this trip.  Unlike my budget trips on which I tend to lose weight, not only from eating less and smaller meals, but from all the walking I do, this one consisted of back-to-back multi-course feasts – extremely hard for me to be ‘good’ or use moderation when such succulent morsels are placed in front of me (and my drooling chops).  We had some seriously epic meals at the Shangri-La itself, but I have to admit, too much of a good thing is…too much.   I missed some cheap-street-eats and rubbing elbows with the masses like when I was a budget traveler. My favorite meal was at a local dim sum spot in Stanley.

Sightseeing

Budget LL:  I tramped around Hong Kong for a week…dodging and weaving my way around all different markets, parks, escalators, shopping malls, and food stalls.  I was able to feel and see the grit of the city as real people flowed around me. And when I needed a ‘break’ from all this fast-paced ‘realness’ I even ducked into the Hotel Intercontinental for a half-hour civility break.

Lux LL:  Here is where I have to admit more enjoying being a budget solo traveler.  I was very glad I’d been to Hong Kong previously for a few reasons. On this trip, we simply did not have a whole lot of time to get to know the city. We dipped our toe in here and there – visiting Man Mo Temple, jumping into some dried fish shops, taking a quick stroll through a fish market, and taking a ride on the famous people mover escalators that climb the mid-levels area of the island.  We did have some free time when I could get out of our mini tour bus and dive underground into the subway and mass of humanity to get the feel of the real pulse of the city that I craved.  But, as I’ve often said, being a luxury traveler can isolate you from real life and the energy of the city.  Don’t get me wrong, staying in a fancy hotel chain is wonderful and comfortable and plush and I did thoroughly enjoy it.  But it also keeps you at a great distance from the locals around you – literally and figuratively.

Disclosure:  My trip to Hong Kong was provided by the folks at Cathay Pacific & Shangri-La Hotels.  All views, writing, and photos are my own.

Hong Kong fascinates me as a city of old a new. Soaring skyscrapers sit adjacent to centuries’ old temples and medicine shops. This coastal city offers a full-on assault of sounds, sights and smells. A simple stroll down busy Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui is invigorating and ends with the spectacular and unrivaled view across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island.

Disclosure:  My flight to Hong Kong and my stay were provided by the folks at Cathay Pacific & Shangri-La Hotels.  All views, writing, and photos are my own.

So I wasn’t able to get business class as expected on my flight from Vancouver to Hong Kong on my first ever flight on world-renowned airline, Cathay Pacific.   I got FIRST Class! Holy rice balls!

Wow, the life of Richie-rich – I was whisked through security in about 2 minutes thanks to the ‘fast track’ line for us ‘privileged’ flyers.  Then I took an elevator up to their fancy-schmancy business class lounge where all kinds of nibbles and beverages were on offer.  If I wanted some fresh squeezed juice, it was available. How about some dumplings and noodles? Check. Or a glass of wine to even out any pre-flight jitters? Cheers.  How could I ever hang out at the gate with the rest of the riff-raff? Oh please. How gauche.

Seriously, I felt a bit out of place. Will someone soon reveal my true identity?  Will they kick me out knowing I’m just a poser, a budget travel gal who rode here on the icky subway? Ew.  When will the jig be up?

First Class Comforts

So, I was one of the first people to board the plane on a special ramp just for us ‘special’ folk so we didn’t have to rub elbows with the ‘steerage’ at all – dirty, dirty peasants and their scruffy backpacks and sacks.  Oh, I hope nobody sees my backpack.   I must’ve left my Tumi case at home.

First class on this 747 is just nine seats. And by seats, I mean these lovely upholstered, semi-private pods.  I think I’ve stayed in some hostel rooms that were smaller than my seat on Cathay Pacific.

So, after shaking my hand, the flight attendant graciously accompanies me to my seat and offers me the prerequisite drink – champagne. But that’s not all.  Then I am handed a soft, cotton sack as the flight attendant says, “A small will work for you, yes?”

I feel stupid asking, but that’s not new.

“What is this, I inquire?”

“These are your pajamas.”

Ah, of course.

Inside the bag was a soft set of cotton, brown PJs with orange trim, plus slippers, and a face mask. But, wait, there’s more.  She hands me another little mesh baggie. I slip out a beautifully embroidered, cylindrical, black toiletry bag – which the stewardess (yeah, yeah so retro) informs me was designed by a woman in Vietnam.  Inside this cute case was a lovely assortment of creams, emollients, oils, a mini hairbrush, some earplugs, and a complete mouth care kit. Ahhhhh.

Okay, let me give you the grand tour. I’m in seat 4K.  My seat itself is more like a small love seat. I’m sure my boyfriend and I could get quite cozy here (but I don’t think they offer it for two) or I think a small Asian family would fit quite nicely next to me.   Across from me is another smaller seat, about the size of a normal economy seat, but this one is, oh, just for throwing your stuff on, or your baby, if you so happen to have one.  Once your ‘bed’ is all opened up…it’s for your feet.  Can’t wait to try that out.

The main seat itself has all manner of reclining positions, including flat. Excellent. I’ve never been a good ‘transport’ sleeper since I have trouble falling asleep sitting up or even reclining. I’m one of those stomach sleepers with a driving need to flip over to fall asleep.  The seat also has a massager built right in that I have not turned off since I sat down.  Seriously, how am I ever going to fly ‘normal’ economy again?  I am asking you.  Seriously. Damn you, Cathay Pacific. Thanks a lot.

What else…there’s a little closet for my coat or a cool hangout room for midgets (more non-PC behavior, sorry being in 1^st class is already making me all cheeky).  Not only do I have a window seat, it’s a three-window seat.  All I need now is a skylight above me. Hmmm…good idea, no? Okay, maybe not.

That’s Entertainment!

Let’s get to the entertainment. The last time I had such choices was when I flew Emirates Air from Dubai to Istanbul.  First, there is a neat, little compartment to my right in which some nice noise-canceling Bose-like headphones live.  Just above them is the handy dandy remote control that operates all the music, gaming, TV, and movie needs I’d probably have for the remainder of my life.  The TV screen is about 17 inches and on a swivel so you can adjust it to your liking.  From their entertainment magazine I learn that at my fingertips are:

• 100+ films
• 500+ television programs
• 888+ CDs

Sigh. I was happy that this was my office for the next 12 hours as I got a lot of writing, pitches, and photo organization done.  But then, I felt all this pressure to watch all these movies that I hadn’t seen yet.  So I put on the heart-wrenching, Oscar-nominated, Blue Valentine and dug into my caviar, oh yes my friends, ‘champagne wishes and caviar dreams.’

A couple hours later, I opted for some music while I did some writing.  I was able to build my very own playlist.  So I was jamming to Kid Rock, The Eagles, Billy Joel, The Killers, Duffy, Maroon 5, and Bon Jovi.  And don’t you even make fun of any of them…I’m the one in 1^st class.   I think I want to live here. The rent seems pretty high though.

Sustenance

Not long after we took off, my first class man and new friend, William, came ‘round with the wine list and the menu.  I was advised that I could order anything I wanted, whenever I wanted.  Hmmm…12-hour flight, I could do it all with a dish an hour!  First I enjoyed the Cathay Delight, a refreshing kiwi smoothie, if you will, with coconut juice and a sprig of fresh mint.  And it was…delightful.  I wanted to start out slow, but even Ruth, who took my order, encouraged me, asking twice if I wanted an appetizer.  Okay, you twisted my arm, I’ll have the smoked salmon and caviar.  It arrived along with a white tablecloth, shiny silverware, stemmed glassware, and a full basket of warm bread.  Then my next course arrived: smoked duck atop a salad of fresh greens. And this was just lunch. I had also already spied a cheese plate that I knew I couldn’t resist.   I’ll get that in a few hours…along with a fish course.

4-Star bathroom

I sneak off to the bathroom (so nice not having to slide my ass in the face of other customers in my row like in stinky economy!) to relieve myself (isn’t that what they say in 1^st class?  Yeah, I guess they don’t say ‘ass’ either).  When I open the door, I am amazed at the spacious commode before me.  So I do what any normal passenger does, I go back out and grab my camera.

If you ever dreamed of joining the mile high club, this is the place to do it. You could have a party in this bathroom. It’s light and airy with two windows allowing the sunlight of 40,000 feet to light the room up like an atrium.  There’s a fancy bowl sink and lotions and even cloth hand towels. No scratchy paper towels for us. It’s fancy and good for the environment too. Well, not sure which is better – disposable paper towels or these that require water, power, and detergent to wash and dry.  But who cares? We are all rich!  We can do whatever we want!  A bit later on, I go back to the bathroom, shut the door and smile. Now, I can’t recall that ever happening when I’ve ever entered an airplane bathroom in the past.  Yeah, it hasn’t.  I brought my little sack o’ fun and change into my brand new pajamas.  I might as well get into this whole thing and milk it for all its worth.  And even more happiness – the size small fits.  I guess it’s still sized for Westerners because after having spent some time in Asia before I know sizes run much smaller there.

I’m drowning in affluence. Wow, I wish this 12-hour flight was longer.

Bed Time

When I finally was stuffed full of food and a bit sleepy, it was time for some shut eye.  No problem.  The crack team of flight attendants were on the case making my bed up – punching the controls to position it to the full-out, flat position, covering it with fresh, white sheets, and my very own fluffy duvet and full-size pillow. Ahhh.

A few hours later, I awoke as we were approaching Hong Kong. I have to admit, this was the first time I’ve ever flown and actually wished the flight was longer – that’s messed up.  Well, there was always the ride home!

A wee bit of history: Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong and has its headquarters there.  The airline is frequently voted as one of the world’s best and services about 115 destinations in 36 countries worldwide.  And now we can add Chicago to that list. Starting September 1st (my birthday, by the way – airline miles are always a nice gift! Not very subtle),  Cathay (the ancient word for China) will begin daily non-stop flights from Chicago to Hong Kong.  Already flying out of New York, LA, and San Francisco, this is the airline’s first new American destination since 1998.

At the time of this writing, round-trip, economy seats are costing around $1000, but for the best ride of your life – live a little.  First Class seats are available starting at US$10,241 and Business Class roundtrip fares start at US$6,341.  No, this isn’t budget travel, but hey, it does include fees and taxes.

The Full Disclosure:  My flight to Hong Kong and my stay in Hong Kong were provided by the folks at Cathay Pacific & Shangri-La Hotels.  All views, writing, and photos are my own.

No, I’m not back in Hong Kong…not yet. But an article I wrote and my photographs were recently published on Smithsonian Online. Check it out, and don’t forget to click on the photo gallery to see my pics with captions!

Snapshot: HongKong

A forward-thinking city with ancient traditions
By Lisa Lubin

In a place where Cantonese and English are the official languages, Hong Kong’s seven million inhabitants thrive in this center for international finance and trade. Hong Kong is a vibrant city with an infectious rhythm. On the surface it’s a huge metropolis like any other, with mobile phone-carrying workers hurrying to meetings in a forest of steely skyscrapers, but look a little bit closer and you find an ancient land full of traditions and culture. Here East truly meets West.

Origins: The area now known as Hong Kong has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era. The region officially became part of Imperial China during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.) and later served as a trading post and naval base during the Tang (A.D. 618-907) and Song Dynasties (A.D. 960–1279). The first Europeans arrived in the 1500s when a Portuguese seaman claimed Hong Kong for Portugal.

Then and Now: This very animated city was just a collection of small fishing villages when the British claimed it in 1842 after the First Opium War. Hong Kong was returned to the Chinese in 1997 and is now known as a “Special Administrative Region,” along with nearby Macau, of the People’s Republic of China. Today, this former fishing colony is a huge international metropolis boasting one of the world’s most open and dynamic economies.

Appeal: Hong Kong is a bustling coastal city that offers a full-on assault of sounds, sights and smells. A simple stroll down Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui is invigorating. You hear constant calls from street corner vendors (‘handbag?’ ‘need a tailor?’), see stores jam-packed with shoppers, and breathe in the enticing smells of steamy noodle shops that remain open late every night. Standing on the tip of Kowloon Peninsula, visitors can gaze across Victoria Harbor to the full expanse of the Hong Kong Island skyline, with a total of 7,681 skyscrapers. And while other great cities like Paris, London and New York took several centuries to build, Hong Kong built almost everything here in the time since today’s young investment bankers were born. A seven minute ferry ride costing only about 30 cents brings travelers across the harbor to Hong Kong Island. This 30-square-mile financial center is the heart of Hong Kong. Here visitors experience the fusion of past and present by walking around a mix of modern skyscrapers and centuries-old markets.

Who goes here: Hong Kong is a forward-thinking city with ancient traditions. It welcomes visitors from all over the world, and since the handover of Hong Kong back to China, increasing numbers of migrants from mainland China have been coming to the city. The Hong Kong Tourism Board estimates the number of visitors in 2006 was 25.25 million. Ninety-five percent of the residents of Hong Kong are ethnic Chinese. But there is also a large community of foreigners with Filipinos, Indonesians and Americans being the largest immigrant groups. Expatriates from Europe and America have flocked here, working on the “Wall Street of Asia,” where steely skyscrapers hover over ancient temples and a few remaining rickshaws.

Famous sons and daughters:

Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born, Hong Kong-raised martial arts actor and is widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century.

Jackie Chan (born April 7, 1954) is a Chinese stuntman/actor/producer/director. He is one of the best-known names in kung fu and action films.

Maggie Cheung (born September 20, 1964) was born in Hong Kong and raised in England. She is an award-winning film star who’s appeared in more than 80 films. She is best known in the West for her roles in the movies In the Mood for Love, Hero and Clean.

Interesting Fact: Hong Kong is geographically compact and boasts one of the world’s most efficient, safe, and affordable public transportation systems. In fact, over 90 percent of daily travels are on public transport. Also helping Hong Kongers and visitors traverse the city is the world’s longest covered escalator. Because part of Hong Kong Island is built into the side of a steep hill, the Mid-Levels escalator— stretching 800 meters in length and consisting of 20 escalators and 3 moving pavements—moves more than 35,000 commuters each day (it operates downhill during morning rush hour and reverses direction for the remainder of the day).

(See more of my published articles here.)

During my trip around the world I’ve now logged 115 hours flight hours (not even including the many hours getting to and from airports plus doing the wonderful ‘arrive two hours ahead of time for international flights’ game) and feel that my time flying the friendly skies has given me enough research to compile this list of things that will inevitably happen to you on international flights:

1. There are always, at least, two screaming, crying children on board. And one of them will always be an average of 3.3 seats away from your ears.
2. The headphones they give you to watch a movie are always crap and so is the audio. Four out of five times, the used ‘toy’ headphones you remove from their specially ‘sealed’ plastic wrapping will only have sound in one ear forcing you to go back to 1940 when everything was in mono.
3. On some budget flights nowadays you have to pay (way too much) for your own food and drink, but the pungent body odor coming from the passenger next to you is always free.
4. Also on some budget flights (ie Air Asia, Ryanair) there are enforced weight restrictions for your checked baggage (15Kg/30lbs or less). I often had to shove my boots, toiletries, and other heavier items into a second carry-on bag. Unless, of course, they only allow you one stinkin’ carry on (including purse!) like the good folks at Ryannair, then I was stuffing all things imaginable into my one carry on back pack…its weight seeming to outpace even my checked bag. This makes no sense whatsoever considering it all goes on the same plane anyway.
5. More body odor.
6. The fattest and only American on the plane will sit next to you. She didn’t pay for two seats, but she certainly is using them.
7. Or…there are two Brits sitting next to you that do NOT shut up the whole time and there voices are the loudest on the plane. And not only that…they ‘talk’ with their hands in a very ‘herky-jerky’ way nearly slapping you with every damn punctuated sentence.

I flew to New York’s JFK International Airport on Air India. It was the cheapest flight available at $400. When I mentioned flying on Air India, a few raised their eyebrows. It was a standard 747 like all others, the flight was great, I had scored an exit row all to myself (I always ask for it, ya know, because I’m just so darn tall), and as I’d hoped the food was a tasty Indian curry. I even requested the vegetarian meal. Yum.

Inevitably, as soon as the plane touches down on terra firma and skids to a screeching halt at the last bit of runway, all passengers (especially in Asia) jump to their feet (yes, seat belt light is still on) so they can stand hunched over in a queue in the aisle for ten minutes as we taxi to the gate and wait for the plane’s doors to fly open and release its fidgety human contents. It is as if somehow standing will get them out of the plane faster. And now they can get to the baggage carousel that much faster so they can stand there for fifteen extra minutes and wait for their bag to come off…unless it’s lost, of course. By the way, in my thirty-five or so flights not once did my bag get ‘lost, stolen, or damaged.’ Sweet.

With the proliferation of the internet and WiFi, I have found myself sending a lot less postcards then on former trips. But when you’re on a ‘round the world’ tour like me, you will inevitably have to send some packages home from various countries. I’ve been fortunate to have a few friends visit me while I travel and not only of course is it great to see them, I also benefit by being able to shove some crap into their bag that I no longer need—like some memorabilia I’ve collected or the hiking boots I haven’t worn since the rainforests of South America or the magic walking stick from New Zealand or the conical Asian hat I got in Vietnam. This way they can cart it home for me and I save a ton on postage and mostly am saved from the stress I would suffer by worrying if my precious package would ever make it safely to the shores of ‘Amerika.’ When I could not pawn things off to friends, every few months I’d put a little care package together to send home. I’ve learned that the post offices around the world are as varied as the toilets. And some are just as stinky.

Monteverde, Costa Rica—This was a tiny post office up in the cloud forest with one window and one man. No muss no fuss. Signed, sealed, delivered.

Galapagos Islands—In the middle of an empty beach on an island only inhabited by animals three hours from mainland Ecuador is a ‘post office.’ Well, it’s actually just a wood barrel with a door cut out, but it may actually work better than some real postal systems that I have come across. Here’s the deal: You write a postcard to someone you know (or perhaps a stranger if you are feeling friendly) who lives anywhere in the world. You address it and sign it, but you DON’T put a stamp on it. You leave it there in the barrel. Then you look through the other postcards that have been left in there and take one that is supposed to be ‘sent’ to your country…or a country where you are headed. Once you get to that country you can either hand deliver it if you are near the address or just buy local postage and just send it off. It’s a postal system by the people, for the people. Sounds perfect, but, by the way, has anyone ever received my postcards from here??

Melbourne, Australia—Fairly similar to going to the post office in the US: fill out some forms, pay way too much money, stamp it with some official looking seals and away it goes—all the way around the world and up into another hemisphere. Too efficiently boring to give me anything interesting to write about.

Hong Kong—Here I remember playing ‘musical windows;’ the first window guy said to go to another window across the room. At the second window, they weighed my package and addressed it. Then I had to return to the first window with some kind of receipt which I gave window guy #1. Here I had to pay and he stamped it. Then I returned to finished package the second guy. Got it?

Hanoi, Vietnam—I think I could have sat in this tiny post office (similar to a small bar with some round stools at the windows) all day and never have been served. They certainly didn’t ask me if I needed help and when someone local came in she would literally just shove in front of me at the window and be helped before I was even acknowledged. Before I ‘went postal,’ I finally pushed my way in and was handed, I kid you not, about five different convoluted forms to fill out—each one just about the same as the last. My current address, the recipients address, the address of my second cousin once removed, several lists of what the contents of the box where, the value of each item in Vietnamese Dong, the total weight, etc. I was given two different total costs by two different people. I was not feeling confident about this one and thought I would never see my Vietnamese trinkets and souvenirs ever again…but alas it arrived weeks later intact and unharmed.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam—One of the prettiest post offices, it was in a grand old building and kind of looked like an old fashioned train terminal. I had been told ahead of time by fellow travelers that I did not need to scavenge for a box prior to my arrival here. The young man that helped me here was great—he found me a box behind the counter, we put everything in it exactly how I wanted it and he spent the next ten minutes taping it up so good—that the whole box was covered in blue tape and you could not see one speck of brown from the original box color. I filled out one form and paid in cash (only). I noticed that the ‘form process’ was much simpler than in Hanoi—kind of strange considering it is the same country, no? In the end, I made a possibly detrimental decision and chose to save money by sending it ‘sea mail’ as opposed to the modern method of ‘air mail.’ I pictured my sad little package all wet and moldy with crabs and seaweed clinging to it on the decks of some old pirate ship. Four months later it arrived in the US and apparently had no sea creatures in it. Amazing.

Istanbul, Turkey—This was a doozey. There were only five windows at this post office and yet none of them wanted my package. They actually ushered me through the ‘employees only’ door and behind the glass partition that usually must separate postal worker and postal user. I had brought my package unsealed to show its contents. Not only did they not care one iota of what was inside, they did not have me fill out one form at all. No, actually there was one form—it was practically the size of a postage stamp and had three lines on it—one for the sender’s name, one for the recipient’s name, and on the final line they scribbled the word ‘Amerika.’ Doesn’t seem like enough info for an important international parcel, does it? I already did not have a very confident feeling. After finding out my package was going to ‘Amerika’ the postman told me, like nearly every other foreigner I’ve met, ‘America? George Bush bad man.’ I agree, but it gets tiring after a while being a spokesperson for our entire nation and carrying the weight of the American government’s often bad decisions on my shoulders. Plus, at this point, I just wanted to mail my package, not be a diplomat. I actually forced the two Turkish postal workers that were helping me to just take a gander of what was inside my box, just out of habit. Then they haphazardly taped the box shut, took it away, and told me the price as if we were finished.

“What about the address??” I exclaimed.

“Oh yeah, address, address.” The two men said in unison. Then they proceeded to slap on some plain white stickers onto the top of the box where I was to write in the address.

No official stickers. No official cards. The postage meter machine apparently had a maximum of nine lire per sticker so now he had to slap about five different meter stickers all over the top of my box wherever they would fit. Lastly he licked an ‘airmail’ stamp and a “Turkey” sticker and slapped them on as well. By the end of this unofficial process I just about decided I would certainly never see this package or any of its contents again. When the nervous security-crazed U.S. Customs Department sees this crazy looking, hand scrawled box coming from 99% Muslim Turkey…they will probably just blow it up on site.

In actuality, all of my packages traveled half way around the world and have arrived safely. BUT ironically, the postcards I sent out from the most efficient, anal city in the world, Singapore, never made it. Makes you wonder. Maybe Turkey is on to something.

Here are some general tips for you if you decide to send packages from abroad:

1. Bring your passport.
2. Bring cash and lots of it. Many post offices in other parts of the world do not accept credit cards.
3. Bring your package unsealed. Oftentimes for Customs purposes, they will need to look inside (excluding Istanbul) to see what kind of contraband you are actually sending, so be prepared to explain your ‘apocalypse now’ shot glass from Vietnam or the ‘opium pipe’ you picked up for decorative purposes in Phnom Penh. Also be aware that many post offices can provide you with a box and tape it up for you.
4. Bring your patience, sense of humor, and comfortable shoes.
5. Before you go, make a list of what you are sending. This will make it easier to fill out all the forms and keep them all consistent rather than you repeatedly shuffling around the contents of your package (like most guys I know tend to do).
6. Of course, wrap everything breakable very carefully. And then you will inevitably unwrap it and wrap it again after you show it to the postal worker.
7. Don’t mail anything from Singapore.

Once again, my fabulous friends back home have hooked me up with some locals…or at least ‘temporary locals’ here in Hong Kong. Marc & Jenny moved here just 6 months ago to run Marc’s family’s toy company, Jaru. It was nice to be in a non-tourist setting even if it was in a big office building. I hadn’t really met anyone here in Hong Kong yet, so it was nice to just relax and chat awhile. We went out for a big traditional Chinese Dim Sum lunch at the East China Seafood Restaurant in Tsim Saa Tsui East.

Dim Sum literally translates to “touch the heart.” But with all this food I think it hit a little lower—and is more like “fill the stomach.” Dim sum are mostly small appetizer-sized portions of various different dumplings and other tasty morsels steamed in bamboo baskets. It’s definitely a communal meal in which everyone gets to try. One of Marc’s Chinese co-workers came along and did all the ordering for us–so we knew it would be good. This was so much fun. In the middle of the table was a lazy susan where the waiters continued to make room for more and more savory dishes:

• Fried Rice
• Noodles with Shrimp
• Barbecued Pork
• Duck
• Chinese Green Leafy Veg
• Pork Buns
• Vegetables with Garlic and Beef
• and many more I can’t remember!

According to my Lonely Planet Guide, the people here consume more protein per capita than any other group in the world. It was really fun to find out how expats liked Hong Kong. There are apparently a ton of Americans and others foreigners here mostly living in the area called the Mid-levels (just at the top of that crazy outdoor escalator). Their kids even attend Jewish day schools. Oh, and just so you know…there are never fortune cookies given out at the end of the meal—that is strictly a Western invention.

After the high prices in Australia where it was hard to find a sandwich under $10 (I’m not including McD’s, which is everywhere—like a bad infection), I love Hong Kong. Although, many said it was expensive, I’m finding it very affordable and for many things down right cheap! Hungry? Besides the ubiquitous Chinese eateries, there’s a pastry shop on every corner serving up mini croissants filled with all kinds of good things like ham and cheese, or mushrooms, or tuna, or chocolate. Each one is about HK$3 the equivalent of thirty-five US cents. And the regular size ones are still under a dollar. So, you can get a breakfast or a snack for mere change.

The public transportation here is also extremely cheap. The efficient work horse, the Star Ferry, takes passengers across the harbor every ten minutes or so and only costs about 20 cents. Underground I frequently used the MTR—Hong Kong’s super clean and super fast mass transit subway system. Each ride here was about a dollar.

For dinner I recently had sushi. I ordered some salmon nigiri (on rice), Samna nigiri (a type of mackerel), yellowtail sashimi, and one soft shell crab roll. Each dish only had 2-3 pieces, but this was just perfect for me since I was dining alone. My tasty dinner came to just under $10. This town is totally affordable!

Of course to offset this savings, I decided to decompress one afternoon in the lobby bar of the strategically located Intercontinental Hotel with an Iced Mocha. The views of the harbor and Hong Kong Island are amazingly stunning from here and the staff was lovely. I even used the concierge for some info. It was nice to feel part of the ‘upper echelon’ of society for a change. But, of course, this came at a cost. My coffee cost me $8—just about as much as my entire dinner from the night before.

There are also tailors everywhere and their annoying aforementioned hawkers stationed on every corner just waiting to spring onto the fair eyed tourist (that’s me). But these prices are also amazing. I had unfortunately spent too much money on a new pair of jeans (the ONE pair I’d brought with me on the trip were getting slightly threadbare) in Australia. But they were too long for my short frame. So I brought them into one of the tailors here on Nathan Road inside the Mirador Mansion. The infamous Mirador and Chunking Mansions (have any of you see the flick Chungking Express? Much of it was shot in these concrete blocks) are a couple tremendous ramshackle concrete block buildings filled with random hostels, guest houses, restaurants, tailors, and other jumbled businesses. They are not attractive in any way, shape or form. From the outside, they look like old communist crumbling towers with window air conditioning units adorning every other window and peeling, chipping paint. On the inside, they are not much better. It felt a bit like a housing project. I took the creaky elevator up to the fifth floor where I was told someone had a strong enough sewing machine to hem jeans. When the slow, tiny elevator opened on the fifth floor I walked out into the cold dim corridor. Hmmm, where to go now? The halls are open to the outdoors on what is kind of an inner courtyard formed in the middle of the building. But instead of a nice garden or sitting area, this courtyard had some chain link fencing and big dumpsters where tenants were supposed to throw their trash. I walked in a circle around the perimeter of the fifth floor passing a few stray cats looking for fish scraps from today’s Chinese lunch and some random tailor workshops, but none that looked inviting enough to enter. Back at the elevator I asked a little old wrinkly Chinese man who stepped out of one of the workshops about hemming jeans. He sent me to the fourth floor. Instead of waiting for the world’s slowest elevator, I took the stairs down and found a mannequin outside of one tiny shop and she was adorned in a jean jacket with embroidery—this must be the place. A man was just arriving and unlocking the gate to the shop. I asked if he could shorten my jeans. We stepped inside his tiny, messy shop which was lit by a single fluorescent light and had some shelves with random fabric scraps and magazine pictures tacked to the walls with people smiling in suits and wedding gowns. I had turned up cuffs on my jeans because I’d already worn them once and he was going to just use that as a guide. But I wanted it done right so I asked if he had a changing room so we could just be sure of the length. Looking around I could see the answer was no. So he walked into the hall closing the metal door behind him and left me in this tiny shop to try on my jeans. Okay, I thought, ‘this isn’t too weird, I guess.’

With one leg in one pant leg and the other balancing on my sandals so as not to touch the grubby floor, he started to come back in.

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” I exclaimed. I really didn’t need him to see my white American ass now did I?

When I was all zipped up, I called for him to come back in. He measured, pinned, and stepped back out into the hall. I changed back into my other pants and a new man appeared and scurried down the hall with my jeans. They would be done while I waited. I took the time to chat with George Kwok, the owner. He said this tailor business had made him rich (you’d never know looking around the place) because he was the “first to take tailoring” to other cities in China like Shenzhen and Shanghai. I’m not sure I understood him exactly or if he was really the “Chinese Father of Tailoring” since the Ming Dynasty, but he was nice. Two of his children lived in the US, one in San Diego and one in San Francisco.

It was interesting to think about how many things we buy in the US that have the “Made in China” label on them. After all the importing and random US price jacking—things aren’t cheap. But here in China (well, close to mainland China) at the source, things seemed to be priced much closer to their actual cost.

Just ten minutes later, the little man returned with my jeans all shortened and sewn. The tailor job only cost me roughly US $3.50, less than most Starbucks coffees. And they are perfect.