My world has begun to crumble where I stand, the fabric of my reality ripping at their seams. This is the end. The three year adventure across the globe has come to it's peak, and I find myself surrounded by death, oblivion and torture. I am damned, truly.
On a happier note, I'm excited to report that I'm starting a new adventure. I've been pondering what to do with my life since Shanghai last year. What is the next version of my life? Well, I've finally formed a new plan for myself, although of course I haven't got the exact details figured out yet. Sure, it will be a year of visio/ms project rather than word or excel. And there will be more frequenting of exclusive clubs than first class continental travels. More hiking than sky-diving. More Italian food than Chinese or Thai food. But those are tangential hooks, rather than details. I don't know yet exactly how my new life will look, but at least now I have a firm vision- a dream to carry me there.
Another big change will be this blog. First of all, from now on I will only report negative events in my life. Second, I will announce well in advance any major changes in my life. Third, less cryptic writing, and instead posts that explain exactly what is going on in my life. Starting with this post.
Showing posts with label Transition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Transition. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Franciscan life
Yay! Today I moved into my new home! I am now officially living in San Francisco. I'm even sorted out with local phone numbers etc.
I'm strangely comfortable with the style of this studio, even though it's neither modern nor classy. It has got something to do with the house. It's an old hotel that has been redone into studios. The hallways and lift are extremely old, but it's all old in a really nice, unique kind of way. Not old ugly, but old dreamy. It feels like an alternate dimension, some fifty or hundred years ago. Not to mention the staff who are just so charming it almost freaks me out.
so- the dundee expat is happy and properly installed in the city of franciscus. all is well in the world
UPDATE: I'm getting SOOOOOOOOO tired of blogger. Now all the recent photos I've put up have disappeared. Why do I bother?
I'm strangely comfortable with the style of this studio, even though it's neither modern nor classy. It has got something to do with the house. It's an old hotel that has been redone into studios. The hallways and lift are extremely old, but it's all old in a really nice, unique kind of way. Not old ugly, but old dreamy. It feels like an alternate dimension, some fifty or hundred years ago. Not to mention the staff who are just so charming it almost freaks me out.
so- the dundee expat is happy and properly installed in the city of franciscus. all is well in the world
UPDATE: I'm getting SOOOOOOOOO tired of blogger. Now all the recent photos I've put up have disappeared. Why do I bother?
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Not planning didn't get me very far
I started the day with a really nice American breakfast (Steak and eggs $8) in an American themed restaurant. Having a breakfast steak is possibly the best thing about American and one of the leading reasons I am here.
I then moved into this nice little studio smack in the center, about 5 minutes from Union Square. While certainly not a five star hotel, it appeared to have everything a deep-undercover-spy needs to set himself up for a month or so.
I was quite excited about living in San Francisco. Much of the place looks a bit like this.
However, having installed myself, unpacked my life (now coming in a compact 20kg- yes!) and stretched out in the lack of space provided I realized that what I mean by Internet access and what Halcyon hotel means by Internet access are two different things. For me, the internet is either a DSL connection or a fast wireless connection in the room. Halcyon things this means a phone plug (they refer to this as a "dataport" because with a dial up modem you can send data down the phone line. imagine that...) and free wireless offered at a cafe a couple of minutes walk away.
So I decided to tell them to go screw themselves, took a taxi over to a proper hotel and then started doing some serious hunting. Amazingly, using Google i was able to identify a couple of options, and after spending a couple of hours looking at studios I sat down at Tully's Cafe to have a think.
Tully's offer some strange ancient herbal tea that is supposed to energize you in much the same way that coffee does, but in a much healthier and smoother way. I think it acts on a different circuitry in your brain. Naturally, I asked them to put a double espresso in there too. I'm not going to take any chances when my future home is at stake!
I then moved into this nice little studio smack in the center, about 5 minutes from Union Square. While certainly not a five star hotel, it appeared to have everything a deep-undercover-spy needs to set himself up for a month or so.
I was quite excited about living in San Francisco. Much of the place looks a bit like this.
However, having installed myself, unpacked my life (now coming in a compact 20kg- yes!) and stretched out in the lack of space provided I realized that what I mean by Internet access and what Halcyon hotel means by Internet access are two different things. For me, the internet is either a DSL connection or a fast wireless connection in the room. Halcyon things this means a phone plug (they refer to this as a "dataport" because with a dial up modem you can send data down the phone line. imagine that...) and free wireless offered at a cafe a couple of minutes walk away.
So I decided to tell them to go screw themselves, took a taxi over to a proper hotel and then started doing some serious hunting. Amazingly, using Google i was able to identify a couple of options, and after spending a couple of hours looking at studios I sat down at Tully's Cafe to have a think.
Tully's offer some strange ancient herbal tea that is supposed to energize you in much the same way that coffee does, but in a much healthier and smoother way. I think it acts on a different circuitry in your brain. Naturally, I asked them to put a double espresso in there too. I'm not going to take any chances when my future home is at stake!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Goodbye Stanley
It hurts me to say this, but I am going to have to say goodbye to you, Stanley.
It's not you. It's me. Your studio's always were stinky, dirty, cluttered and noisy places. And ridiculously overpriced. Nothing has changed. But you were always there for me, and that's what mattered. The thing is though, I don't need you as a crutch anymore. I can take care of myself now, and because of that I've come to realize that what we have is not love. I just feel that we've come to take each other for granted. There's no excitement left between us. I think it's time for you to move on too. For instance, why not provide your guests with clean bedsheets when they move in. Maybe have at least one bog-roll, just to take your guests through the first night. And not ask us to carry our 30kg suitcase up to the eighth floor.
I'm sad. This will be our last week together and then I'll erase you from my phone. Never call me again.
It's not you. It's me. Your studio's always were stinky, dirty, cluttered and noisy places. And ridiculously overpriced. Nothing has changed. But you were always there for me, and that's what mattered. The thing is though, I don't need you as a crutch anymore. I can take care of myself now, and because of that I've come to realize that what we have is not love. I just feel that we've come to take each other for granted. There's no excitement left between us. I think it's time for you to move on too. For instance, why not provide your guests with clean bedsheets when they move in. Maybe have at least one bog-roll, just to take your guests through the first night. And not ask us to carry our 30kg suitcase up to the eighth floor.
I'm sad. This will be our last week together and then I'll erase you from my phone. Never call me again.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Another stop in Hong Kong, pre-Christmas
Isn't it weird how I'm always back in Hong Kong? I'm only mentioning it because the stated objective of this blog is to keep you up to date of where I am.
I met up with Gabriel and Joyce. Gabriel gets very red when he drinks, so I decided to post this one black and white.
I met up with Gabriel and Joyce. Gabriel gets very red when he drinks, so I decided to post this one black and white.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Back in Beijing
Ah, back in Beijing. And it's feichang freezing! Between 0-4 celsius. Where do I complain?
I'm living in Chongwenmen again, same place as last time. This time they've given me a really cool unit with a mezzanine bedroom, so it's more of an apartment than a studio. And very interesting: instead of a heater unit, they've got heated floors. The whole apartment is nicely warm.
Also, it's quiet here during nighttime. I've been sleeping with earplugs in Shanghai for the last couple of weeks, not so much because of the traffic but mainly because there's some electricity equipment humming right outside my window. It's sooooooo nice so sleep in a warm, quiet apartment. If you need somewhere to stay in Beijing, check this place out: www.stayinbeijing.com
Ooh ooh ooh! And I've got a balcony overlooking a hutong courtyard. Sweet! This whole area was a massive hutong sprawl just two years ago, but they've bulldozed the whole thing to make way for residential blocks and shopping malls. They saved one cute little courtyard and it's right in front of my apartment.
Every morning there's a group of soliders doing some kind of exercise inside the courtyard, and it's a great way to start my day to bulk up in two jackets on top of two layers of clothes, and then drink my morning coffee watching them run around and being all alert.
It's good to be back
I'm living in Chongwenmen again, same place as last time. This time they've given me a really cool unit with a mezzanine bedroom, so it's more of an apartment than a studio. And very interesting: instead of a heater unit, they've got heated floors. The whole apartment is nicely warm.
Also, it's quiet here during nighttime. I've been sleeping with earplugs in Shanghai for the last couple of weeks, not so much because of the traffic but mainly because there's some electricity equipment humming right outside my window. It's sooooooo nice so sleep in a warm, quiet apartment. If you need somewhere to stay in Beijing, check this place out: www.stayinbeijing.com
Ooh ooh ooh! And I've got a balcony overlooking a hutong courtyard. Sweet! This whole area was a massive hutong sprawl just two years ago, but they've bulldozed the whole thing to make way for residential blocks and shopping malls. They saved one cute little courtyard and it's right in front of my apartment.
Every morning there's a group of soliders doing some kind of exercise inside the courtyard, and it's a great way to start my day to bulk up in two jackets on top of two layers of clothes, and then drink my morning coffee watching them run around and being all alert.
It's good to be back
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Shanghai- a meeting with destiny?
It feels as I've spent the last two years preparing for my return to this magnificent city. Nothing could be farther from the truth- it is merely a coincidence that I am ending one chapter in my life in the city that started it.
When I arrived here two years ago I started a blog about the experience. I spent a week here, and the ramblings I wrote then were along the lines of:
"No words can describe the energy and the buzz here. The contrast. I am overwhelmed by the mix of alien Chinese going-ons and familiar European architecture. The whole city feels like a construction site. Today I walked along a beautiful street, walking past laundry hanging out of windows out on the streets, endless groups of men doing strange stuff to pipes and bikes and wooden planks. TVs and Radios blaring out of windows that seem to look into houses from a hundred years ago. Next to this area there was a huge crater where they are going to build a new shimmering 21st century sky scraper. A woman was selling poultry meat next to the construction site, surrounded by construction workers busy laying pipes or lines or whatever into the site. It was such a baffling sight, such juxtaposition- the laundry hanging out to dry, the street market, the construction of another modern skyscraper and the selling of poultry in the middle of a construction project... I've decided to buy myself a digital camera."
I read through what I had written and realized that anyone writing the word "juxtaposition" in a blog probably is a little to overwhelmed to make any sense of what they are seeing. I gave up on the blogging idea after just this one post.
So, I'm here again. It's difficult to decide what is real and what is my mind indulging in romantic notions of fate. it's golden week, which means the entire city is quiet. It feels like I'm in a small village, not a 20m-head municipality.
When I arrived here two years ago I started a blog about the experience. I spent a week here, and the ramblings I wrote then were along the lines of:
"No words can describe the energy and the buzz here. The contrast. I am overwhelmed by the mix of alien Chinese going-ons and familiar European architecture. The whole city feels like a construction site. Today I walked along a beautiful street, walking past laundry hanging out of windows out on the streets, endless groups of men doing strange stuff to pipes and bikes and wooden planks. TVs and Radios blaring out of windows that seem to look into houses from a hundred years ago. Next to this area there was a huge crater where they are going to build a new shimmering 21st century sky scraper. A woman was selling poultry meat next to the construction site, surrounded by construction workers busy laying pipes or lines or whatever into the site. It was such a baffling sight, such juxtaposition- the laundry hanging out to dry, the street market, the construction of another modern skyscraper and the selling of poultry in the middle of a construction project... I've decided to buy myself a digital camera."
I read through what I had written and realized that anyone writing the word "juxtaposition" in a blog probably is a little to overwhelmed to make any sense of what they are seeing. I gave up on the blogging idea after just this one post.
So, I'm here again. It's difficult to decide what is real and what is my mind indulging in romantic notions of fate. it's golden week, which means the entire city is quiet. It feels like I'm in a small village, not a 20m-head municipality.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
An ode to Stanley
Stanley, are you a man or a concept?
A good friend of mine, an ex-spy who's moved on to a high-level Propaganda ministry job introduced me to Stanley about a year ago. Stanley manages a serviced appartment business, but with a twist. Rather than targeting rich expats, he supplies models, spies and other low-budget/low-profile travellers with highly affordable studios/rooms in prime locations. But possibly the greatest thing about him is that he is increadibly flexible (maybe because I've never negotiated the rent) and doesn't require a deposit. And he never asks me any questions about my changing appearance and multiple passports.
In fact, Stanley has helped me out so many times here in Hong Kong, that he has become a concept to me very much like Google is now synonymous with internet search. I've actually never met Stanley. When I call him, he always asks me to let him call me back in 5 minutes, but when I get the call (never have to wait longer than 5 minutes), it's not him, it's usually a woman (nowadays called Liz) who will help me arrange a few viewings. Once I thought I would actually meet the man, as we talked on the phone for a while and he offered to show me an appartment right now. But the man who showed up was some Mario guy.
I've always suspected there IS no Stanley. I've got this idea (enhanced during this weekends fever) that Stanely is a loosely connected organization of flatowners from the Philipines. Kind of like a rental agents version of Al Quada...
So strong is the concept of Stanley, that in my Operational Support Files I've classified all my rental contacts in Asia as instances of Stanley. Stanley Beijing - Cin, Stanley Chiangmai - Viangbua Mansions etc. It's my goal to ultimately have a Stanley in every port.
So, Stanley, hat's of to you! You are a red thread through my existence, up there with 7/11 and Western Union! Without you, I would actually need to sort myself out!
P.S. There's something wrong with the image uploading at the moment so I'm not able to post any pictures. As soon as this has been fixed I'll show you the splendid little hole Stanley has sorted out for me this time. I called him on saturday and two hours later I had a new home!
A good friend of mine, an ex-spy who's moved on to a high-level Propaganda ministry job introduced me to Stanley about a year ago. Stanley manages a serviced appartment business, but with a twist. Rather than targeting rich expats, he supplies models, spies and other low-budget/low-profile travellers with highly affordable studios/rooms in prime locations. But possibly the greatest thing about him is that he is increadibly flexible (maybe because I've never negotiated the rent) and doesn't require a deposit. And he never asks me any questions about my changing appearance and multiple passports.
In fact, Stanley has helped me out so many times here in Hong Kong, that he has become a concept to me very much like Google is now synonymous with internet search. I've actually never met Stanley. When I call him, he always asks me to let him call me back in 5 minutes, but when I get the call (never have to wait longer than 5 minutes), it's not him, it's usually a woman (nowadays called Liz) who will help me arrange a few viewings. Once I thought I would actually meet the man, as we talked on the phone for a while and he offered to show me an appartment right now. But the man who showed up was some Mario guy.
I've always suspected there IS no Stanley. I've got this idea (enhanced during this weekends fever) that Stanely is a loosely connected organization of flatowners from the Philipines. Kind of like a rental agents version of Al Quada...
So strong is the concept of Stanley, that in my Operational Support Files I've classified all my rental contacts in Asia as instances of Stanley. Stanley Beijing - Cin, Stanley Chiangmai - Viangbua Mansions etc. It's my goal to ultimately have a Stanley in every port.
So, Stanley, hat's of to you! You are a red thread through my existence, up there with 7/11 and Western Union! Without you, I would actually need to sort myself out!
P.S. There's something wrong with the image uploading at the moment so I'm not able to post any pictures. As soon as this has been fixed I'll show you the splendid little hole Stanley has sorted out for me this time. I called him on saturday and two hours later I had a new home!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sad... from Taipei to Hong Kong
Leaving Taiwan today.
Packing took me 45 minutes, a ridiculously long time even when considering the fact I was stalling, hoping something would go wrong. There's just far too many receipts and dongles too keep track of, I need to improve my system.
I’ve just been racing across town on a couple of (non-espionage-related) errands and realized I forgot my suit in my hotel. By the time I have picked up my suit, my flight will be leaving in 60 minutes. And the airport is about 60 minutes drive from the hotel. Now, most people would decide to give up, but I believe I am one of the good guys. As you know, the good guys always win. So I’m going to go for. Did Steve McQueen give up when faced with the impossible odds against him when making that great escape of yore? No, and neither will I.
The whole thing is made complicated by the fact that I really do not want to leave. I passionately do not want to leave right now. So what is a good ending? What is the Hollywood ending of my life? Do I miss my flight, take up residency in Taipei and give up my life of espionage in favour of English teaching or whatever it is foreigners do here in Taiwan? Or will a mysterious miracle keep the plane on the ground, remove all traffic on the roads and turn the ticketing attendant into an angel on a mission of mercy?
UPDATE: I don't know what kind of timewarp I passed through, but I actually made the flight. Now I'm in the Empire hotel in Hong Kong and I'm feeling a cold coming on, probably from the rafting on sunday. Please please please, please don't be ill in Hong Kong again...
Packing took me 45 minutes, a ridiculously long time even when considering the fact I was stalling, hoping something would go wrong. There's just far too many receipts and dongles too keep track of, I need to improve my system.
I’ve just been racing across town on a couple of (non-espionage-related) errands and realized I forgot my suit in my hotel. By the time I have picked up my suit, my flight will be leaving in 60 minutes. And the airport is about 60 minutes drive from the hotel. Now, most people would decide to give up, but I believe I am one of the good guys. As you know, the good guys always win. So I’m going to go for. Did Steve McQueen give up when faced with the impossible odds against him when making that great escape of yore? No, and neither will I.
The whole thing is made complicated by the fact that I really do not want to leave. I passionately do not want to leave right now. So what is a good ending? What is the Hollywood ending of my life? Do I miss my flight, take up residency in Taipei and give up my life of espionage in favour of English teaching or whatever it is foreigners do here in Taiwan? Or will a mysterious miracle keep the plane on the ground, remove all traffic on the roads and turn the ticketing attendant into an angel on a mission of mercy?
UPDATE: I don't know what kind of timewarp I passed through, but I actually made the flight. Now I'm in the Empire hotel in Hong Kong and I'm feeling a cold coming on, probably from the rafting on sunday. Please please please, please don't be ill in Hong Kong again...
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Shrewd negotiation tactics and free Chinese lessons
How embarrasing. I just spent 20 minutes downstairs trying to negotiate my hotel to increase my rent. I got the first digit wrong, they had offered me NT36k for a month, whereas my calculations showed me that their normal discounted rate would be NT42k- which I read as NT32k... I kept pointing at the calculation saying NT42k and saying "this is a more fair rate, don't you think?". Thankfully, the lady working in the reception didn't take advantage of me, but instead patiently explained that I was actually getting the hotel at a greater discount than the best advertised one. They are great at keeping face, the Chinese are, so even when she could see that I realized my mistake she was able to make it look like I'd actually negotiatied it down. Very kind of her.
This is not the first time I've made this kind of mistake. I've got some kind of numerical dyslexia or something. If somebody reads a set of numbers to me, my mind simply don't understand them. I have to have them read to me really slowly, one by one, and I have to take a second to actually visualize them in order to understand them. I suspect it's because I'm trilingual. Could that be?
Anyways. I have now sorted myself out for accomodation. It's not bad at all, sure it's much more expensive than Beijing for instance, but I do get daily cleaning and breakfast, as well as a minibar refilled everyday with complimentary juice and water. And I'm in the Old Town Center, which is as much of a city center Taipei can muster. there's a starbucks about 5 minutes walk away, which I intend to use as a home office and there's a restaurant/bar across the road that looks increadibly charming. Not to mention the overandunance of strange alleys everywhere leading god knows where. I think I'll do really well here.
And this is going to be great for my chinese. I've called around all morning to hunt for the best monthly hotel rate, and quite often the receptions haven't spoken any English. While I can nicely express myself, I'm rubbish at understanding what's spoken back to me. But I understand enough to understand whether they've got rooms and how much they are after long-stay discount.
It's been such good practice for me that I'm thinking i might just keep calling, even now that I've sorted my accomodation and paid for the whole month. Just to keep practicing, call all the hotels and book different combinations of nights and rooms, ask for group discounts etc. Maybe even make a proper reservation but then cancelling in the last minute. I think I'll take it even further. I can go into all the seven-elevens in the neighbourhood and ask for things I know they don't have, like paracetamol and pre-paid phone cards. They are amazingly friendly here, and their seven-eleven staff is particularly poor at english, so this way I'll get to practice taking directions. I think I could also go to travel agents and book flights and hotels to different parts of the world, again cancelling in the last minute. Property agents. Who needs to pay expensive fees for private tuition. Taipei is my teacher!
Below is a pic of my new home- inside and outside! Small, but at least the toilet is a separate room!
This is not the first time I've made this kind of mistake. I've got some kind of numerical dyslexia or something. If somebody reads a set of numbers to me, my mind simply don't understand them. I have to have them read to me really slowly, one by one, and I have to take a second to actually visualize them in order to understand them. I suspect it's because I'm trilingual. Could that be?
Anyways. I have now sorted myself out for accomodation. It's not bad at all, sure it's much more expensive than Beijing for instance, but I do get daily cleaning and breakfast, as well as a minibar refilled everyday with complimentary juice and water. And I'm in the Old Town Center, which is as much of a city center Taipei can muster. there's a starbucks about 5 minutes walk away, which I intend to use as a home office and there's a restaurant/bar across the road that looks increadibly charming. Not to mention the overandunance of strange alleys everywhere leading god knows where. I think I'll do really well here.
And this is going to be great for my chinese. I've called around all morning to hunt for the best monthly hotel rate, and quite often the receptions haven't spoken any English. While I can nicely express myself, I'm rubbish at understanding what's spoken back to me. But I understand enough to understand whether they've got rooms and how much they are after long-stay discount.
It's been such good practice for me that I'm thinking i might just keep calling, even now that I've sorted my accomodation and paid for the whole month. Just to keep practicing, call all the hotels and book different combinations of nights and rooms, ask for group discounts etc. Maybe even make a proper reservation but then cancelling in the last minute. I think I'll take it even further. I can go into all the seven-elevens in the neighbourhood and ask for things I know they don't have, like paracetamol and pre-paid phone cards. They are amazingly friendly here, and their seven-eleven staff is particularly poor at english, so this way I'll get to practice taking directions. I think I could also go to travel agents and book flights and hotels to different parts of the world, again cancelling in the last minute. Property agents. Who needs to pay expensive fees for private tuition. Taipei is my teacher!
Below is a pic of my new home- inside and outside! Small, but at least the toilet is a separate room!
Chewing
I think I've bit off a little more than I can chew... or swallow for that matter. Taiwan is blooming difficult. Already here for one day and I've still not been able to sort myself out for accomodation, and I've not been able to figure out how to get my suits dry cleaned, a local SIM card and other basic aspects of livingin in a new country. It's taken me ages to locate the foreigner forums (www.forumosa.com/taiwan/), now it's probably too late to try to find a flatshare...
Still, it's really exciting to be here, and I'm really liking the "feel" of the place. My expectations had been considerably lowered by most people I've spoken to. Most have pointed out that it's an inreadibly ugly city, with no city center. I understand what they mean, but I must say I quite like the narrow lanes penetrating all the blocks, which in turn provide access to even narrower alleyes that lead to god knows what.
While I couldn't locate a local SIM card, I did have the most beautiful experience of trying to buy one at a phone shop, completely in chinese. English is not well spoken here, and if you say "ni hao" the locals kind of expect you to speak good chinese. I had no clue whatsoever what the woman was explaining to me, but I managed to nod at reasonbly well timed intervals and managed to fool her that I did in fact understand.
BTW, pre-paid is YuFu in chinese. Need to remember that.
Right, back to hunting for accomodation.
Still, it's really exciting to be here, and I'm really liking the "feel" of the place. My expectations had been considerably lowered by most people I've spoken to. Most have pointed out that it's an inreadibly ugly city, with no city center. I understand what they mean, but I must say I quite like the narrow lanes penetrating all the blocks, which in turn provide access to even narrower alleyes that lead to god knows what.
While I couldn't locate a local SIM card, I did have the most beautiful experience of trying to buy one at a phone shop, completely in chinese. English is not well spoken here, and if you say "ni hao" the locals kind of expect you to speak good chinese. I had no clue whatsoever what the woman was explaining to me, but I managed to nod at reasonbly well timed intervals and managed to fool her that I did in fact understand.
BTW, pre-paid is YuFu in chinese. Need to remember that.
Right, back to hunting for accomodation.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Regrouping in Hong Kong
Finally made it back to Hong Kong. For some reason I couldn't sleep last night so was really tired when I got here. However, a friend I first met just as I had arrived in Hong Kong for the first time called me, catching me one random night I'm actually staying here. Of course we had to share a bottle of wine and reminiscence on days, holidays and parties past.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Absurd? Bizarre? Surreal? You tell me.
Right, I’m on my most absurd adventure ever…
Bit of background: I decided today I’d go back to Hong Kong. Having had so much foresight as to get a super flexible ticket, I was able to call in the morning and get a flight for 13.05. Nice, I'm really getting used to this kind of flexibility.
However, just as I logged out and started packing my stuff, an email arrived in my inbox. My flight had been changed to 12.55 (for reasons too complex to go into here, something to do with the weather). Unfortunately I had only memorized the time of the flight, not the flight name (CX9091).
So when I arrived at the airport, how was I to know that the reason there was no 13.10 flight to Hong Kong was because it was actually the 12.55 flight I was supposed to get on?
To make a meandering story short, I basically checked into the wrong flight. With the wrong airline. I’m just not intelligent enough to understand how on earth a company will let you check in with another company’s ticket. But they did, and took my original ticket, they did.
So, back to here and now: I’m writing this as I am waiting to board the flight, and by now I’ve realized the mistake. But this is so insane, I’ve decided to actually try to board it. Yes I know, its stupid, of course they are going to take me aside and explain to me that there’s been a mistake. But what if they don’t? I know I’m risking everything here, my health, my career, possibly all my earthly possessions. Worst case scenario- they will take my soul. But it’s worth it I think. What if they let me on? What if they let my fly with them by mistake? Surely that will the most ultimate of all amazing airline-messup stories. EVER! It will be the airline-messup story to end all airline-messup stories.
Chances of success are slim though. It will be very embarrassing if I hold up the whole flight because they have to unload my luggage. I’m getting cold feet.
Ok, update. This is turning into some kind of freaky absurdist novel. The flight has been cancelled. I’m still pretending to be unaware of the mix-up, and I’m now writing out of a coach taking us to a hotel. I hope it’s a nice hotel. It would make a good story, wouldn’t it, if they actually check me into a five star hotel because of all this. I can dream. But even a decent four star one would still do for a good story.
My chances of success are getting slimmer though. They’ve taken my boarding ticket (which by the looks of it they were actually going to let me use if the flight hadn’t been cancelled), and return my original ticket- which of course says Cathay, not Dragonair. They didn’t check my ticket when they put me on the coach, but surely during hotel check-in somebody’s going to ask me whether I’m actually supposed to be here.
The plot thickens.
Update from the hotel: I’ve just been checked into a five star resort, which is the funny happy crazy news. But it’s miles away from the city center, so I’m stuck here. I’m wondering whether I’m still having fun enough to try to see if they’ll give me food as well, or whether I’ll just give up on this and call my real airline and get a new flight.
Bizarre though isn’t it? Not one person has asked me whether I actually belong with the group. I wonder whether I could go to jail for this or if I can plead ignorance?
Update from the middle of the night... Yeah, the fun has really worn off now. I hate hotels. I'm trying to get hold of Cathay and see if I can somehow get out of here, anywhere. Don't necessarily need to go to Hong Kong. Singapore would be nice. Ko samui. Siem Reap. Bangkok. Just not this hotel.
Oh btw, yes they did give us food, a really nice five-star buffet.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Making a last stand against the forces of Dundee
I can not believe it... they have found me. They've persecuted me across the globe. They've been relentless- this is my eighth month on the run.
I will make a last desperate attempt to escape them tonight. Seven PM I will turn up at the Beijing train station disguised as a Japanese tourist. I will try to blend in with one of the japanese tour groups that tend to loiter around KFC. If all goes as planned, I will be able to use the group as a cover as I make a dash for the Mongolian border.
I have already invested in a Japanese phrase book, warm clothes and I have undergone the mental preparation that should allow me to survive a cuisine entirely based on mutton (that's mongolian food, not japanese btw). So I go prepared.
Pray for me.
The Dundee Expat
I will make a last desperate attempt to escape them tonight. Seven PM I will turn up at the Beijing train station disguised as a Japanese tourist. I will try to blend in with one of the japanese tour groups that tend to loiter around KFC. If all goes as planned, I will be able to use the group as a cover as I make a dash for the Mongolian border.
I have already invested in a Japanese phrase book, warm clothes and I have undergone the mental preparation that should allow me to survive a cuisine entirely based on mutton (that's mongolian food, not japanese btw). So I go prepared.
Pray for me.
The Dundee Expat
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Obsessing about Uwe Boll in Chiang Mai
I’m back in Chiang Mai, after another narrow escape from Hong Kong. Risking my life like this is starting to take its toll on me, I can tell. I’m finding it difficult to take life seriously. So, I'm developing an obsession with German director named Uwe Boll. He seems widely recognized as the worst director of our times. He also somehow keeps shoring up new funding. This is unbelieveable, as every movie he makes not only flops, but is also subject to some of the most passionate, hostile criticism I've ever read- by genre affictionados and critics alike. A man worthy of such strong emotions is a worthy man in my book.
The man gets really big names to star in his movies. After 3 disastrous move flops in the last five years, he's now busy with a two-part "Dungeon Siege" movie and a "Far Cry" movie. I've braved the thunderstorms here in Chiang Mai to nip out to 7/11 to buy a copy of "Bloodrayne" in my bag now- his latest disaster. Now, here's a list of actors you might recognize:
- Christian Slater
- Ben Kingsley
- Ray Liotta
- Ron Pearlman
- Michael Madsen
- Meat Loaf
Amazing isn't it!!
Update: Turns out it was dubbed in Thai. Tried to look for it undubbed, but an English version copy is impossible to find here in Thailand.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
I am a changed man
I left Hong Kong persecuted, haunted and beaten. I return a changed man. While I made my exit like a shamed dog, I’m now sitting in the SUPER class of the Macau-Hong Kong ferry. I’ve reduced my life to a couple of gadgets and chargers plus two days worth of party clothes, all packed into a small bag at my feet. I feel in control. Vindicated even.
My sense of value is all messed up. After a couple of days in Chiang Mai, I would walk an extra block to buy my beers for 27 Baht instead of the 30 they were charging down in the reception. 3 baht is a little less than 5p, but damned if I’m going to pay more than I need to. A really crazy night out might set you back 500 baht. So I was horrified when I arrived in Bangkok last night and jokingly asked Kym whether he thought 2000 Baht would be enough to take me through the night. Of course it wouldn’t. Argh! How dare they charge me 80 Baht for a beer? At Bed Supper Club, they charged 250 Baht! And there was absolutely not a drop of vodka with that cranberry. And now I’m on the Macau ferry to Hong Kong, where cheap places will charge 250 Baht for a beer, and some will want double that. Yuck! This is all happening too fast, just two days ago I was walking an extra block to save 3 Baht.
Wow, this really IS super class. They’re even serving us complimentary food.
I’m really starting to enjoy Bangkok now. That Bed Supper Club is possibly the most stylish club I’ve ever been to, and full of intriguing characters and beautiful people. I’ve learned of quite a few places that are open beyond the Thaksinn imposed 2am curfew. I was introduced to a hotel bar where you can sit outside, surrounded by a beautiful view of greenery and skyscrapers. Speaking of Thaksinn, now that he’s been kicked out of office you can already notice the slackening in the martial law. The underground club that you had to sneak into now keeps its doors open and even have a dude outside inviting people passing by to come in.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Chiang Mai
I've learned to trust my instincts. When I lived in Manchester, I was told that there was a north-south divide in the UK, and that the south was shit. My instincts immediately told me that I was a southerner... And when my friend Kym texted me a few months ago "you'd love Chiang Mai!", I knew deep in my heart that he was right. Well, now I'm here, and I'm all ready to love it. Of course, I've only just arrived and I haven't had time to explore even a square meter of this place. But somehow it all feels right.
Chiang Mai is a small city in northern Thailand. It's both a backpacker central for exploring the surrounding mountains, and also a university city that attracts Koreans and Japanese in addition to the Thai. This is the place to learn Thai cooking, meditation or maybe even dabble in the Thai language.
ADDED 4/22
I forgot my camera charger behind in Hong Kong when I made my sudden escape, so instead I've bought a new phone with an inbuilt camera. It's quite rubbish, but will have to do until I can locate a shop that sells the charger.
Here are pics of my new home. The first pic shows the view from my window, as you can see Chiang Mai 1) is very green and 2) apparantly there are mountains nearby. Second pic shows the interior of my new home. As you can see, it's a one-bedroom apartment. The bedroom is massive (quite unnecessarily so) and the bathroom is sweet. Ok, so it's no luxury condo, but compared to sleeping next to the toilet bowl as in my previous home, all this space this feels SOOOOOOO good. And it's got a kitchen! Excellent! I haven't got back into cooking yet, the most advanced creation so far has been fried rice with tuna and egg. Still, it's the thought that counts.
Chiang Mai is a small city in northern Thailand. It's both a backpacker central for exploring the surrounding mountains, and also a university city that attracts Koreans and Japanese in addition to the Thai. This is the place to learn Thai cooking, meditation or maybe even dabble in the Thai language.
ADDED 4/22
I forgot my camera charger behind in Hong Kong when I made my sudden escape, so instead I've bought a new phone with an inbuilt camera. It's quite rubbish, but will have to do until I can locate a shop that sells the charger.
Here are pics of my new home. The first pic shows the view from my window, as you can see Chiang Mai 1) is very green and 2) apparantly there are mountains nearby. Second pic shows the interior of my new home. As you can see, it's a one-bedroom apartment. The bedroom is massive (quite unnecessarily so) and the bathroom is sweet. Ok, so it's no luxury condo, but compared to sleeping next to the toilet bowl as in my previous home, all this space this feels SOOOOOOO good. And it's got a kitchen! Excellent! I haven't got back into cooking yet, the most advanced creation so far has been fried rice with tuna and egg. Still, it's the thought that counts.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Soaked
I made a dash for Bangkok last night. I was suprised to find that this weekend is the Thai new year, and I was even more suprised today when a middle aged woman and her two children each poured a bucket of water on me. I then had my face smeared with some white, rather nice-smelling paste. I found their behaviour odd to say the least but during my taxi ride through the city I realized that pouring water on each other is somehow the way they celebrate this day here. The streets are lined with Thais, armed with buckets, waterhoses and some really heavy duty water pistols. Very few people were dry, and after a while I noticed the dry people tended to be unshapely american tourists who obviously were too uncool to be included in the festivities.
I also learned that saying "No!" or "Please, stop!" does not in any way help you stay dry. I wonder whether it would if spoken in Thai?
As usual, I've messed something up... I forgot the charger to my camera, so I can't take any pictures of the insanity going on out in the streets. Not that readers of my blog expect pictures...
Oh, and since I travelled through Macau, I had enough travelling time yesterday to cross the ultimate goalpost: 800 chinese words. I'm intermediate, baby! By the way, I believe intermediary level in chinese is Zhongji.
I also learned that saying "No!" or "Please, stop!" does not in any way help you stay dry. I wonder whether it would if spoken in Thai?
As usual, I've messed something up... I forgot the charger to my camera, so I can't take any pictures of the insanity going on out in the streets. Not that readers of my blog expect pictures...
Oh, and since I travelled through Macau, I had enough travelling time yesterday to cross the ultimate goalpost: 800 chinese words. I'm intermediate, baby! By the way, I believe intermediary level in chinese is Zhongji.
Friday, April 14, 2006
45 minutes
In fact, it took me 45 minutes to pack my life into my suitcase.
ADDED 22 April 2006: This is a picture of my life, in all it's glory. It's not a massive suitcase, but I'm not so much constrained by size as by weight: AirAsia only allows a maximum of 15 kg in your check in luggage.
ADDED 22 April 2006: This is a picture of my life, in all it's glory. It's not a massive suitcase, but I'm not so much constrained by size as by weight: AirAsia only allows a maximum of 15 kg in your check in luggage.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Touristing in Hong Kong
My home!
Time to move on again... Bangkok was just a stop on the way, now I'm in Hong Kong and it looks like I'll stay here for quite a while. I've found a little studio/room which I can rent on a short-term basis for quite a reasoble price. It's amazing how small it is, but right now I don't feel I need much. Once you've been living out of a 7-bed dorm and trying to look presentable in the office, you develop a certain toughness when it comes to your accomodation... Because the room is so small, it's difficult to take a picture in it and so I can't fully communicate how small it is. But the photo above at least shows you that I'm sleeping about 1.5 meters away from the toilet bowl, and no wall in between... Uyy... Still, it's mine and I love it.
My street!
A Hong Kong shopping mall!
I decided to be a really good tourist on Saturday. But what do you do in Hong Kong? The peak? Checking out the skyline from Kowloon? Visit some temples or one of the gardens? Of course not, that wouldn't catch the spirit of the place. What you do, is you shop of course! That's the true essence of Hong Kong. In the name of touristing, I went on a big shopping spree, naturally documenting the whole experience for this blog. Now, I live in the busiest shopping strip on Hong Kong island (On Kowloon side there are some even more frantic places...), so the second picture shows the sight that greets me as soon as I step out of my building. You do feel alive. And you want to never shop again.
The third picture shows a more up-scale shopping mall, brimming with designer shops and with quite a relaxing nice atmosphere. Do you see that in the distance? That's a grand piano. Shopping malls sure don't come like that in Dundee... It's like walking inside a glossy magazine, and after a while your reality gets so distorted... "$10,000 for those shoes you say? That's a bargain!" My tourist trip didn't get much further than here, I felt strangely appealed to the whole idea of all this luxury. Maybe it's good to visit places like this now and then, you kind of get recharged to work hard and earn money...
Me, shopping!
I do need to earn a bit of money now, cuz as you can see from the fourth picture, I ended the day with several bags of schtuff (and I pay for brand names such as Armani to make up for a distinct lack of style). I wanted to take pictures to share with my blogging audience, but it was actually really embarrasing. In one shop the assistant thought I wanted to take pictures of her, and refused. It felt very strange to explain to her that the thought truly hadn't occured to me. Why on earth would I want a picture of her? Maybe shop assistants get hassled everyday with tourist wanting to take pictures of them :-o
Of course, when you've shopped, you've got to show off your new clothes to the world, right? So I proceeded to join a good friend for some knees-up in Wan Chai. All in all I felt good about my first day as a tourist in Hong Kong, and look forward to the next excursion.
But as you can see, from the pic below, it doesn't matter what brand you are wearing if it still looks shite... Eliciting the following response...
(PS: i didn't buy the $10,000 shoes although of course I pretended to the shop assistant that I might just do...)
Time to move on again... Bangkok was just a stop on the way, now I'm in Hong Kong and it looks like I'll stay here for quite a while. I've found a little studio/room which I can rent on a short-term basis for quite a reasoble price. It's amazing how small it is, but right now I don't feel I need much. Once you've been living out of a 7-bed dorm and trying to look presentable in the office, you develop a certain toughness when it comes to your accomodation... Because the room is so small, it's difficult to take a picture in it and so I can't fully communicate how small it is. But the photo above at least shows you that I'm sleeping about 1.5 meters away from the toilet bowl, and no wall in between... Uyy... Still, it's mine and I love it.
My street!
A Hong Kong shopping mall!
I decided to be a really good tourist on Saturday. But what do you do in Hong Kong? The peak? Checking out the skyline from Kowloon? Visit some temples or one of the gardens? Of course not, that wouldn't catch the spirit of the place. What you do, is you shop of course! That's the true essence of Hong Kong. In the name of touristing, I went on a big shopping spree, naturally documenting the whole experience for this blog. Now, I live in the busiest shopping strip on Hong Kong island (On Kowloon side there are some even more frantic places...), so the second picture shows the sight that greets me as soon as I step out of my building. You do feel alive. And you want to never shop again.
The third picture shows a more up-scale shopping mall, brimming with designer shops and with quite a relaxing nice atmosphere. Do you see that in the distance? That's a grand piano. Shopping malls sure don't come like that in Dundee... It's like walking inside a glossy magazine, and after a while your reality gets so distorted... "$10,000 for those shoes you say? That's a bargain!" My tourist trip didn't get much further than here, I felt strangely appealed to the whole idea of all this luxury. Maybe it's good to visit places like this now and then, you kind of get recharged to work hard and earn money...
Me, shopping!
I do need to earn a bit of money now, cuz as you can see from the fourth picture, I ended the day with several bags of schtuff (and I pay for brand names such as Armani to make up for a distinct lack of style). I wanted to take pictures to share with my blogging audience, but it was actually really embarrasing. In one shop the assistant thought I wanted to take pictures of her, and refused. It felt very strange to explain to her that the thought truly hadn't occured to me. Why on earth would I want a picture of her? Maybe shop assistants get hassled everyday with tourist wanting to take pictures of them :-o
Of course, when you've shopped, you've got to show off your new clothes to the world, right? So I proceeded to join a good friend for some knees-up in Wan Chai. All in all I felt good about my first day as a tourist in Hong Kong, and look forward to the next excursion.
But as you can see, from the pic below, it doesn't matter what brand you are wearing if it still looks shite... Eliciting the following response...
(PS: i didn't buy the $10,000 shoes although of course I pretended to the shop assistant that I might just do...)
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