Hong Kong. Day 1. 2014

First night here, guess what the date is, September 27th. I changed my booking for that day because I didn't realize I would be here on this night, lesson learned. Don't book when half asleep or you will end up haggling for a hotel room that only needs bars to be considered a replica of the Alcatraz prison cells.

I got here. We found the MTR and Octopus Cards, 200 HDK later (won't last me this trip, I have hotels all over Hong Kong), Kyle and I split ways, I found Nathan Road...I might as well have gone looking for a needle in a hay stack, the hotels are crammed onto floors of "Mansions" which is a fancy word for huge apartment building changed into dormitories.

On the way there, it seemed it was not hard to get a free beer, or three. It wasn't hard to make friends either, a lot of brown people from Canada, met a tailor who suited up Russell Peters as well! Ya small world!

So, needless to say, I made friends with some guys who were pretty nice, wanted me to hit up the party area with them, we had very indepth conversations regarding "life". Beers make a first night in a new place, much, much more comfortable.

It was funny because the first man that approached me as I got out of the big fancy mall (I-Square) that I walked out of, scared the crap out of me. He wanted to show me the store and wanted to have his buddy go with me. The elevator ride there, he told me he and his buddy, had good deals on everything apparently I thought for sure I was going to get my rear-end kicked and robbed, turns out they are just trying to sell you things. I totally could have beat them up though if it came down to it. I was not worried for a minute, but then I realized that in China, there is no honour in fearing thieves, everything is fair game and in fights. There is never just you and the person, it's a pack of dogs and lunch.

I pretended that my phone was ringing and that I needed to go, I left unharmed but nerved and then got stopped by every street vendor and their cousin-actually though.

There were complete suit sets and accessories going at decent prices for Hong Kong at decent quality. 2950 HKD is what I was looking at for a three piece suit, two button, decent fabric, and a tie, please mind that hdk is also less valuable than RMB/CNY in china.

After getting the Octopus Card life will be easier here I feel. I'm heading to Quarry Bay on the MTR (Mass Transit Rail) and meeting up with travel buddy Kyle and his friends. Then, a visit "Club Seven" and see where the night goes. Really I just need to get out of this hellish guesthouse that I spent 275 HDK on. You get what you pay for, don't stay in the Chungking Mansions.

But make friends with anyone you can!

-CB

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