Having decided to completely nerd it out yesterday, I took The Big Bus Tour of Stanley Market and sat on the upper deck where I almost fell into a state of hypothermia, making a new friend named Baden.

Baden is an 85 year old Australian, residing in the Phillipines for the last 22 years. When we exchanged names, he said to mine “…like Maharena”, and so I became Maharena for the duration of the two hour ride. Role playing with an 85 year old Australian man in Hong Kong; who knew?

My favourite part of the ride was when Baden yelled “MOON!” and pointed at the sky. He was truly lovely, and when he yawned, he finished with a flourish of “OH OHH AWWWOOOHHH”s.

Must recommend that for anyone coming to Hong Kong, they really spend as much time as possible out at Repulse Bay. The water is a beautiful shade of azure, and it sits quietly at the bottom of these massive mountains / rocks / cliffs / islands. (This photo I did not take.)

A particularly interesting site yesterday was of the terraced slopes of the Aberdeen cemetery. I love cemeteries and am fascinated by how different worlds enshrine their dead, so this was an incredible site. Although I couldn’t manage a proper photo, the one to which I here link does not do the cemetery justice because it must be seen in full, and from atop so that one takes in the thousands and thousands of grave stones dropping down along the cliff. (Again, not my photo.)

Today is my last day in Hong Kong and I managed to hop on the Star Ferry to cross over to work (landing at the Consulate at 8 am, a full hour before my expected arrival…and that of anyone else’s, hence my ability to deliver this entry before beginning work). While boarding the ferry, I giggled and photographed the warning about safewalking across the gangplank, which to me sounded dirty and left me wondering is this like the time they asked me to recycle my “cum”? (Chill. I have a photo of the recycle box on which it was written “litter, cum, plastic, paper” and am not here mocking anyone’s enunciation. I often default into a language all my own, and so would not trespass that line of rude.)

As I am neither pirate nor sailor, I didn’t know that a gangplank is, according to Google, a board or ramp used as a removable footway between a ship and a pier. Something I know now, but not at 7.30 this morning when I was standing dangerously close to the gangplank, on the wrong side of the gangplank, attempting to take a picture of my pretty coloured ferry while the gangplank nearly made off with my toes.

The official who was ushering us on to the ferry came over and said “危险！移动!”, which I – judging by his expression and gesticulating – am pretty sure translates to Are you kidding me? We have twenty seven warnings in English for dumbasses like you and STILL? STILL! You ignore the damn signs and stand all over the place in danger of being hurt by THE GANGPLANK! MOVE!

Needless to say, I made it to work safely and without further incident, and will be heading back to the hotel at noon in order to wrap up, have lunch and get ready for the airport as it is a nine hour flight to Sydney.

Inshallah, I will one day return to Hong Kong (in either May or June) to visit the following, missed this time:
– Ocean Park, where there are Pandas. PANDAS!
– Big Buddha.
– The Peak, for the view.
– Lamma Island, where the preferred means of transportation is foot or bicycle.

Note 1: I have been eating myself into a state of coma. Daily, I ingest enough soya and linseed bread, teeny tiny roasted peanuts, dragon fruit, and apple / cucumber / mint drink to nourish a small colony of ogres.

Note 2: Whenever I look up into the sky, there are several massive birds circling, with very long wing-spans. I don’t know what these are, but suspect they may be dragons.

Note 3: Dear Hong Kong: Thank you for your warm welcome and your incredible food. You are Janey’s favourite City outside of Halifax. As such, you are by extension a favourite of mine. xox m

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