Found a local cafe for breakfast, and eggs and bacon is eggs and bacon even on the other side of the world! The bread known as ‘Turkish bread’ is particularly scrummy though.

Idiot of the year award goes to the shopkeeper in the shop with “WE SELL BUS TICKETS” in foot high letters in the window. I went in.

“Can I buy a 7-day bus ticket please?”

“No, we don’t sell those.”

“Oh. Well can you tell me where I can get one?”

“What is it you wanted again?”

“A 7-day bus ticket.”

“We sell weekly tickets, will that be any good?”

I was starting to realise just how bad the blisters were on my feet. I had been doing a lot of walking for the last few days, and I now had blisters on both feet - on the soles. Every step was getting to be agony - but I was buggered if I was going to give up. I was on holiday!

I walked away from the city along the main road, until I got to the end of the shops. Then I crossed the road, and caught the bus into the city centre.

Saw the Harbour Bridge…

… and the Opera House…

In real life the Opera House was disappointingly dingy. I had that aged, yellowing look of a pub ceiling that was painted white about 3 years ago.

Also, check out the sky. It had been pissing down when I left SE’s in the morning, so hadn’t put any sunscreen on. And I had forgotten to take any with me. But, given that the day was dingy all day, I didn’t worry too much.

Until I got back to SE’s, and realised I had burnt my nose and back of my neck. And my arms weren’t too far off either. I never set foot outside again without my factor 50.

Then I went for a walk around the Royal Botanical Gardens, getting a picture of the two main icons of Sydney…

While walking in the gardens, I got *very* excited when I saw a cockatoo, flying wild in the garden.

Then I saw another, and that got me even more excited.

However, by the time I saw the third I was starting to realise that maybe this wasn’t so exciting after all…..

Left the gardens, and walked back along the main shopping street, but didn’t buy anything. Caught the bus back to SE’s, where I did some washing, then fell asleep on the sofa. Was awoken to the sound of my phone beeping - SE asking me to meet him halfway at 6pm.

We went to a German bar that had been recommended to him by someone at work. It was rubbish. Then headed back to close to his apartment, and met up with one of his friends from work, R, and his girlfriend E. They were with two other friends T and V. R and T were British. They were all very drunk, having spent all day in the pub watching the Melbourne Cup.

Headed back to SE’s, and once again sat up for hours talking. It’s funny, but he can look at his watch and it’s 11.30, we sit and talk for a bit, and next thing we know it’s 1.30. I don’t know where all those hours were going, but it was a lot of fun!

Was in an airport with a group of people one of whom was X (but again, although he was X in the dream, when I was awake he bore no resemblance to the real X). Me and X left via a back door to go and buy some crisps and drinks. We bought some normal crisps, then noticed they had some baked crisps, so bought half a dozen packets of these too. We went back to the airport, and got in through the back door, same way we had left.

Then it jumped to a work ‘do’, where people I work with were all sitting on stadium seating. Then P took me somewhere in her car (to show me a house she was thinking of buying?), and my mobile rang. I didn’t answer it, as I couldn’t see who it was - number was withheld - and I thought it might be ONB from work. We got back to the stadium seating, and I asked ONB if he had rung me. He said no, and suggested it was probably LELI. I looked across, and could see that LELI’s seat was empty, so I tried to ring him. He didn’t answer, so I left him a message.

Then it jumped back to me and the pretend X. We were in a market and it was very busy. I think we may have been working a stall there, maybe. Lots of people kept coming up to us, asking us how our honeymoon went. We said that we hadn’t had one, as we had had no chance for time alone.

Then it jumped again, and I was in a bedroom, only I had to make up the bed myself. It was a very strange bed, wide, but very short. Pretend X came past, saw what I was doing, I got annoyed because I had wanted it to be a surprise. Then we both headed off into the bedroom together, only we realised everyone had seen us go in, and knew what we going in there for. We left after 5 minutes, too intimidated to actually do anything. We were outside, and pretend X sat on a wal to put his trainers on. He was bending over, and some guy walked past and tripped over him. Pretend X apologised, but this guy started shouting and kicking at him. Too late I realised he had knives sticking out of the front of his shoes, and had ripped pretend X’s calves to shreds. I was ringing 999 on my phone, but couldn’t get through to the police - instead I got some bloke trying to sell me insurance. Then I noticed that my phone was flashing a message - “for emergency services, dial 8100″.

Then I woke up.

Very vivid dreams - must be the jetlag and/or the heat.

Was in a type of sports club with a policeman from ‘The Bill’ (in my dream he was anyway, but now I am awake I have no idea who he was, called him Burnside in my dream, but it wasn’t him at all). We were in the squash club part, waiting for his opponent to get changed. We knew a bomb was going to go off, but as he was undercover there was nothing he could do about it. Another policeman was on the way to the club, and we were discussing whether he would get here before the bomb went off, and hoped he wouldn’t. I shut the door to the room we were in, saying it might protect us a bit.

Then we heard the opening strains to “The Ace of Spades” (in real life the ring tone for my text messages), and we knew this was how the bomb was activated. I jumped on top of the policeman to protect him, and kept shouting, “I love you, I love you,” as there was a huge explosion, and we could hear people screaming, and bricks falling.
I woke up as silence descended.

SE had made a special effort for me visiting, and had tidied up for me.

After SE left, didn’t do an awful lot. Had a shower, lay down to sleep, sat up again, mind racing and far too busy. Also listening to all the birds calling was weird - I didn’t recognise any of the calls, all was strange.

He has a great apartment, with some great views of the city.

I eventually fell asleep around 12.30, and woke up at 4.15. Got dressed, and walked into the city to meet SE from work.

Do I have “I know where I’m going,” stamped on my forehead? It happens to me where ever I go in the world.

“Excuse me, can yow ‘elp us?”

“I can try, but I have only been here for about 8 hours….”

Couple of Brummies, lost in Sydney, single me out to help them. And help them I did, with the aid of the map provided to me by SE.

SE leaves work, and we head off towards Darling Harbour.

We have dinner at a restaurant on the water - by this time I was ravenous, having had nothing to eat since the plane ride that morning (SE not having the planning to buy in food, not even bread and cheese!). And discovered how well my new camera works in the dark too.

Had a few Aussie beers - some nicer than others - then headed back to SE’s. On arriving at his place, he asks me, “Do you want a finger?” Ever the polite woman, I replied, “Of course, can I have two?” and he opened the packet of Cadbury’s fingers I had bought him.

We sat chatting for hours, I did feel a bit sorry for SE as he had to get up for work the next morning. But it was so nice - I haven’t seen him for months - and in reality I haven’t spent a whole lot of time with him since I left America 2 years ago - and we got on so well.

Oh, and almost forgot - spoke to Rosa on the phone, trying to sort out when to meet. She sounded *really* nice (as if she could be anything else), and I can’t wait to meet her!

Met with J and B at 11, to give me time to check out (and to have some sleep!). We went to a Chinese temple, which was very interesting. Lots of incense sticks,

people kneeling and shaking tins of sticks until one falls out (something to do with honouring the dead), lots of food offerings (whole baby pigs, whole chickens, whole fish, fruit with incense sticks stuck in them) which all got taken home after the ‘offering’ to be eaten by the family!

I particularly liked the woman who, following this ancient ritual, was kneeling on a Disneyland plastic bag to protect her knees….

The temple also had some lovely quiet gardens, with big turtles swimming in the ponds, beautiful red dragonflies, and some amazing looking trees.

Back to Hong Kong Island for a spot of lunch (a real Chinese cafe - again the food was good, again ordered by B), the owner laughing at J’s attempts at Cantonese, and laughing even harder at me trying to say “Thank you” in Cantonese.

Then we headed off to yet another market - this time on Hong Kong Island, but I didn’t buy anything this time.

Did see lots lof live birds for sale - both of the ‘food’ type, and ‘ornamelntal’ (budgies and such). They all had bird flu warnings.

Particularly liked seeing the Indian restaurant, especially as it was the ‘best in town’.

Then back to hotel to pick up bags, and then off to the airport.

Uneventful flight, was a bit late getting in, poor SE had a meeting he had to rush off to, met me in the street, helped me take bags upstairs, gave me keys, then off he went to work.

Shower and sleep for me.

I had forgotten my camera, but I wasn’t too worried. After all, I was in Hong Kong, isn’t this supposed to be the place for cheap electrical goods?

Met up with J and B, and off we went to the waterfront. It was very hot, and still very humid - the towel was a godsend! The view across the harbour wasn’t too good, since the humidity made it difficult to clearly see the tall buildings.

J took some pictures as we walked along the ‘Avenue of Stars’.

Then we went to a shopping Mall, where I (sadly) got excited to see Marks and Spencers.

I also bought myself a nice camera (and it is very nice, probably far too good for me, I have yet to read the instructions properly).

Went for lunch in a Dim Sum restaurant - the food was great, although I have no idea what I ate, since B ordered it all for us.

Then off to the ‘Ladies Market’, where I bought some ‘Gucci’ sunglasses, and a ‘Prada’ handbag. Having B with me was a godsend, she bargained down on the price for both (HK$340 for the two together), getting me the local price as opposed to the tourist price. B asked me if I wanted a coconut drink, which I said yes to as I was so thirsty. However, I wasn’t expecting to have a coconut with a straw in the top!

Then we met with a friend of B’s, and headed off to Hong Kong island proper. We caught the tram to the top of The Peak - it was very steep, 45 degrees all the way. Some great views from the top, shame we were a bit late and missed the sunset.

Then off for dinner, to have ‘firepot’. This again was very yummy, where they bring a big pot full of stock and a few veggies to your table, where you have your own gas burner. Then you order lots of goodies (well, B and her friend ordered, since J and I had no idea what anything was), which you cook in the stock. It was all very yummy, but again, not fully sure what I was eating (definitely no chickens feet though, that I would have noticed).

Then we headed to the ‘European’ centre. I wasn’t particularly keen, but I get the impression J doesn’t have an excuse to go there very often, and having a European friend visiting was excuse enough. However, when we got there the place was heaving, for Halloween. Lots of people dressed up. However, by this time I am very tired, and getting very pissed off with people just hanging around and getting in my way. We eventually left, and took the bus back to my hotel, where we had a couple of drinks in the bar. J refused to leave until we got kicked out at 2 (there was football on the telly, and to be fair, it was fun to watch Middlesborough stuff ManUre). Once again I was knackered.

Well, Thursday was the beginning of my holiday. Fairly uneventful journey to the airport - just long and tiresome, having to get a taxi into town, then wait for the coach, then walk for miles underground at Heathrow when I am sure it was seconds walk really.

Posted birthday card to Pob, since he had stood me up. Again.

The flight was full, but just before take off the couple in front of me moved to an exit seat, leaving their two seats free. As soon as the seat belt light was off, I was up and out of my seat, and into theirs, giving me and the girl off home to Taiwan a double seat to ourselves.

A film, some episodes of The Office, and an uncomfortable nap later, I finally get to Hong Kong. Where I realise I haven’t got the detailed instructions my mad German friend had sent me, telling me where to meet him. And he is so, well, German that I know he will not be best pleased. I text him, and he texts me back the instructions of where to go.

Through immigration, through customs, and there is J, waving madly at me. Bless him, while we wait for the bus he hands over the two things he knows a fellow European will need. Firstly, a face cloth, “To deal with the sweat from the humid air,” he explains, to my dripping face. Very welcome. Then he hands me a bottle of liquid. “To help with the dehydration.” I fall on this bottle, drink half of it in 3 gulps. “Yuk, that is disgusting, what is it?” “It is green tea, I like it, don’t you?” “Not much,” I say, as I finish off the bottle in 3 more gulps.

We make it to the hotel, which is actually quite posh, and I have two double beds to myself. I have a shower while J waits downstairs, then we head off to his apartment, where he informs me a special dinner has been cooked in my honour. I didn’t realise at this point it was cooked by their Philipino maid.

I drank loads more of the green tea drink - strangely addictive, even though I didn’t really like it. Also, I was so damn dehydrated, I needed it. Never peed once the whole time I was there.

And boy was I there a long time.

There was me hoping for a nice dinner, then a relatively early night to help me deal with the jet-lag. This was not to be, when, after dinner was finished, the wedding photos came out, followed by the scrapbook his mother had made for him when he left Germany. His wife kept trying to hurry him along, but he insisted on going through all the pictures.

I left there at 1.30 in the morning. Urk.

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