Rough Groove

Back from HK

I arrived back home last night very much tired from the day’s travel. Just imagine lugging around a heavy knapsack and camera gear, usually standing in the KCR (Kowloon - Canton Rail) and MTR and walking the length of Chek Lap Kok (Hongkong International Airport) to reach gate 40. My feet were killing me and my shoulders were aching from the load.

After arriving in Mongkok (check my previous blog entry) rain just poured heavily without letup that I was, so to speak, trapped in the MTR system. Last minute shopping/check was almost impossible due to this that I didn’t have any choice but to proceed to the airport. When I arrived in Central, the transit point for the MTR for the airport, the rains stopped for a while and just enough for me to take some shots of Statue Square wherein during Sundays, thousands of Filipino and Indonesian domestic helpers congregate and keep up with each other’s stories during their only day off.

It was already around 4pm and initially, my plan was to get to Tsing Yi MTR station and take a bus from there to conserve my dwindling Hongkong dollars. Unfortunately, upon reaching it, I was told that the bus station was too far. Without any choice, I took the Airport Express, a first class MTR coach with plush seats and TV monitors at each back but, god, the cost is HK$60! Luckily, I still had around HK$250 that I was preparing for my departure tax and other expenses.

After checking in, the route to gate 40 was just too far but have to contend with it. By 1920H, boarded the Cebu Pacific flight that took me to Manila. Rain was pouring when I left and when I landed in, it was still raining. But its just good to be back home and meet my lalabs

Note: Cebu Pacific’s MLA-HK-MLA is really on the cheap side. What they provide is just C2 Tea drink, a highly sugared beverage and water upon request for the more or less 2 hour flight. A small instant cup noodle is sold for PHP50 or US$1 or HK$10 (actual grocery price in the Philippines is less than PHP15) and nothing else! They defend this by saying that they’re providing cheap fares. C’mon, is that cup noodle too expensive to add? Also, as I was seated at an exit row, the stewardess who gave the instructions re what to do in case of an emergency had just bad diction. And to think that she’s on an international flight!

Relive my posts on Hongkong:

Out of the country
Last night in HK
HK: I’m impressed
1st SEA Lepidoptera Conservation Symposium
HK: Chek Lap Kok
HK: A beautiful city
HK: Transport
HK: Central
HK: People watching
Series 39: Hongkong
HK: Wong Kar Wai movies
Series 40: Hongkong International Airport