"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go.
I travel for travel's sake.
The great affair is to move."
-- Robert Louis Stevenson
Part of my 2010 goals is to travel! Well, part of any of my years' goals is travel and thankfully i am able to keep that goal happening even now that i am in the so called "real" world.
I didn't really think that i was going to travel as early as february this year. But with true persistence and dedication to travel, i was focused on this journey that has been due for almost 2 decades of friendship. Jemma's probably one of my treasured friends that dates back to 1995.. Who would have thought that we will be stepping on the same pavements of Hong Kong and Macau after criss-crossing paths from 1995 to 2009!
"When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money.
Then take half the clothes and twice the money." -- Susan Heller
We've been both travelers on our own. But this time, being the "organized" people that we know since elementary years, we took it to a much higher level-- by having a full budget excel file of the expenses we ought to make! now that one is truly for a record! I dont think any travel agency would even have such templates!
The anticipation and count down to this travel was well done... in between badminton session and lunch dates, Ym msgs, emails and texting-- we were able to decide what we actually wanted to see and do in HK (yes, besides the shopping!!)
Packing took most of our "before-sleeping"hours and a whole morning.. and of course repacking was done 6 hours before the flight! We found ourselves at the PAL terminal early morning of February 24 ready to conquer the roads of Hong Kong!
"If you reject the food, ignore the customs,
fear the religion and avoid the people,
you might better stay at home." -- James Michener
One thing we both learned in our personal travels was to be open to anything and everything that the city opens up to us. We got to our hotel so tired, sleepy and hungry just to learn that our room was not yet ready. We headed out the streets after endorsing our luggage for that true hong kong style noodles. Trying to be so amazingly organized, we checked if our budgets were right with the food we wanted.. We obviously over budgeted--- at least that beef and noodle soup was able to satisfy both our pockets and our stomachs!
We opted for a cultural day when we get to hk. Being advised by acky that museums were free during wednesdays, we made sure we are able to see the museums that seemed interesting. We headed to Museum of Art which showcased chinese paintings and the canton collection-- which presented a unique curating of pieces. After much photo sessions, we headed to meet the rest of the ferreria siblings in HK! Habour City Ocean Terminal for more chinese food and delectable hong kong style desserts! black sesame seed soup for the win!
We retired early from "basic" shopping-- like shoes, food and octopus card refills. We had a day ahead for a trip to macau and back the next day!
"Most of my treasured memories of travel
are recollections of sitting." –- Robert Thomas Allen
Macau was surely another monumental day. After being "sea sick", we reached macau ferry terminal with an ounce of dizziness. Having "nothing" planned on a time table we just followed where our instincts brought us-- FREE transfers! We took the bus to the most celebrated venetian hotel! Truly a pictorial treat for our fazyon outfits while ogling in amazement of the "made in china" venice.
Lunch time was ahead and our tummies were calling out for that chinese-portuguese meal! So we inched our way to the Senado square for that authentic macau experience! We had our fill at macau recipes then those portuguese egg tarts and macau "polvoron" like cookies!
Pacing our way to the Ruins of St. Paul, we took photographs that only mental notes could describe. We took artful shots here and there and experienced that touristic feel of continuing our cam-whoring. Jemma, in tradition, sent her postcards back home to remember what it was like in the dream-like travel we were at.
We eventually took off to Macau's highest point-- Macau tower. We spent most of the afternoon gazing into the horizon that was breath taking. We rested our feet which were tired from all the walking and movement 58 floors above ground level! We mesmerized the 360 degrees scenes, while we realized that we wanted to jump and not live on the edge. Wide-eyed we said goodbye to the peak of macau and headed back to Hong Kong Island.
From macau's peak, we took a peek at Hong Kong's Victoria Peak! We met acky and headed to the foggy victoria. Having our fill of pizza, we chatted the night of the plans we will have for the days still yet ahead!
not yet "sick of the sea" when we got back to Central, we experienced a ferry commute from hong kong island to Kowloon as we face palm head on to the next day's shopping spree day!
Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football.
Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds,
the danger of being trampled to death,
and the ecstasy of the purchase. ~Erma Bombeck
What more can a girl ask for if bargain was all written all over the place? scared of the acid throwing incidents in Mongkok's Ladies' market, we took acky's hongkee advice to go to Prince Edward's Fu jian street for those local bargain! Ready with freshly change USDs, we were ready to fill the baggage allowance balance for the trip back home!
We forgot what time it was when we suddenly felt hunger pangs. We both decided to answer our IKEA meatballs cravings by going to Causeway Bay. (But we passed by TST before heading there to drop off our shopping sprees, and lessen our weights for the long walking still ahead. Hey, it was only noon time!). We imagined our future houses inside Ikea and ramped our way inside island beverly. We proceeded to wan chai for our "digital/itouch tour". We quickly decided to go to Central to shop more as we lost ourselves in H&M.( as in Heaven & More :) haha!)
We met up with acky for dimsum and dumpling dinner.. and had a walking tour of SoHo for yogurt time and more shopping!:) (oh i am not forgetting my "big" thing bought this trip in landmark mall:) )
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star as dreamers do
Out saturday was youth day! Starting of from Charlie Brown Cafe to have our breakfast fill. We headed to the happiest place on earth for that whole new world feeling! We felt like kids as we rode dumbo, teacups, space mountain (talk about stress release!), buzz light gear ride, 3D movie of donald duck (i so forget the title) and of course, small world! we appreciated the shows we watched-- Lion King and The Golden Mickeys! PLus the ever so dazzling fireworks that made it oh so magical... Truly it was the day that "no one could tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only day dreaming!"
"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles." – Tim Cahill
Like any travel, it has to end. This trip made me realize the difference between tourists and travelers. Tourists are just those who take the place as it is... yet do not know where they've been. But Travelers, are those who do not know where they are going but know where they are. Truly, my trip with Jemma was not just about stepping on Hong Kong's pavements but it was another journey of our friendship-- where we created new memories together.
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