Vehicles on the move
posted by Amanda at
1:02 AM
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Monday, June 27, 2005
Stopover in Hong Kong
For those of you who are waiting to hear news about my Beijing trip.. well here it is.
My first day on the trip was really spent in Hong Kong getting my visa to China ('cause I can't get a visa in Taiwan). Hong Kong was nice. I had bad luck with the weather, but it was still interesting.
I arrived at the airport in the morning on Monday June 6th applied for my visa at the airport (costing me 130 US dollars!) and took the bus to my hostel. I arrived at the area the hostel was located and had the joy of trying to find it!! I was at the right area (exactly) but there wasn't a sign so I just kinda stood there stupidly, 'til someone was walking out of the building and directed me where to go. (it usually works that way:)I got into my room put my stuff down and headed out.
I first went to Victoria's Peak. I thought I was going to take the bus a little ways and then take this tram, but somehow, I ended up taking the bus the entire way. Oh well, it was a very nice view from the top of the double decker bus anyway. :) I walked down one of the trails for awhile and enjoyed some of the scenery. (it was really foggy so I couldn't see the harbor very well)
After that I headed back to shore and took the Star Ferry across the harbor to Kowloon. I ate lunch (drooled over a telephoto lens for my camera at the mall) then headed to the Avenue of Stars to see Jackie Chan's hands and star. I found several Hong Kong actors/actresses I recognized. It was quite neat. Then I had to hang for a couple hours to see the Symphony of Lights. The Symphony of lights was really neat. While I sit in Kowloon, the Hong Kong island (directly accross from where I am) puts on a light show from the skyscrapers and other buildings with music on the Kowloon side. Take a look a the clip. Keep in mind though, that this was not a great part. I was too busy watching to film the finale! oops!
After the light show I headed back to the area of my hostel and took a tram a ways. I didn't have a destination. I just wanted to ride the tram.
If I had one more day, I would have really liked to go to Lantou Island hike around on the reserve trails and see the Giant Sitting Budda.
The next day I flew out of Hong Kong for Beijing..
Here are the links to the video clips:
Symphony of Lights
http://s93772208.onlinehome.us/Movies/HKLightshow371.MOV
Tram ride
http://s93772208.onlinehome.us/Movies/HKtram381.MOV
My first day on the trip was really spent in Hong Kong getting my visa to China ('cause I can't get a visa in Taiwan). Hong Kong was nice. I had bad luck with the weather, but it was still interesting.
I arrived at the airport in the morning on Monday June 6th applied for my visa at the airport (costing me 130 US dollars!) and took the bus to my hostel. I arrived at the area the hostel was located and had the joy of trying to find it!! I was at the right area (exactly) but there wasn't a sign so I just kinda stood there stupidly, 'til someone was walking out of the building and directed me where to go. (it usually works that way:)I got into my room put my stuff down and headed out.
I first went to Victoria's Peak. I thought I was going to take the bus a little ways and then take this tram, but somehow, I ended up taking the bus the entire way. Oh well, it was a very nice view from the top of the double decker bus anyway. :) I walked down one of the trails for awhile and enjoyed some of the scenery. (it was really foggy so I couldn't see the harbor very well)
After that I headed back to shore and took the Star Ferry across the harbor to Kowloon. I ate lunch (drooled over a telephoto lens for my camera at the mall) then headed to the Avenue of Stars to see Jackie Chan's hands and star. I found several Hong Kong actors/actresses I recognized. It was quite neat. Then I had to hang for a couple hours to see the Symphony of Lights. The Symphony of lights was really neat. While I sit in Kowloon, the Hong Kong island (directly accross from where I am) puts on a light show from the skyscrapers and other buildings with music on the Kowloon side. Take a look a the clip. Keep in mind though, that this was not a great part. I was too busy watching to film the finale! oops!
After the light show I headed back to the area of my hostel and took a tram a ways. I didn't have a destination. I just wanted to ride the tram.
If I had one more day, I would have really liked to go to Lantou Island hike around on the reserve trails and see the Giant Sitting Budda.
The next day I flew out of Hong Kong for Beijing..
Here are the links to the video clips:
Symphony of Lights
http://s93772208.onlinehome.us/Movies/HKLightshow371.MOV
Tram ride
http://s93772208.onlinehome.us/Movies/HKtram381.MOV
posted by Amanda at
12:02 AM
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Sunday, June 19, 2005
After the waterfall, we took a trip on a cart pulled by a local water buffalo to get to this beautiful water hole for lunch and a nice swim.
posted by Amanda at
5:55 AM
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Absolutely beautiful pic from our day tour to the waterfall.
posted by Amanda at
5:53 AM
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The Philippines
Well, everyone has been waiting for news from my trip to the Philippines. So here it is.
I was supposed to leave Sunday evening during Chinese New Year, but while I was waiting in the airport with a very nice Philippine lady our flight was cancelled due to fog. The real problem was there was no announcement. One time our flight was on the list and then next it was completely gone.
We booked it over to our gate and found a load of Filipino people standing there.. The lady I was with talked to the other people there and they told her our flight was cancelled 'till 10:00 the next day. Then everyone left. Even the airport crew at the gate.
The Filipino lady went to find someone to tell us what we're supposed to do (since she spoke more Chinese than myself) and I waited with this other Filipino guy who was also stuck and had no money. She finally came back with instructions to go to the Philippine airline office where we can stay the night. We trucked all over the airport and no one knew what were were talking about. We were getting absolutely no where... until I spoke up...
Unfortunately, the Filipino people are not treated very well in Taiwan and I was seeing it. I finally got pretty angry with the runaround we were getting, so I decided to speak up for everyone with me (since they weren't really very accommodating with the lady I was with).
Finally things got going and people were bending over backward to take us to where we needed to go and put us up for the night.
I finally got back to Taipei and called Justine (who is already in Manila) and found out that she had already bought the tickets to Sabu and was leaving the next morning. That made me have to meet Justine in Sabu instead of Manila.
We took off from Taipei around noon, with no other real adventures (except the delay) and I landed in Manila and called the hostel I was staying at to pick me up.
I got to the hostel and decided not to leave it (the neighborhood was a little scary). Justine had left me instructions on how to get to Sabang so I headed out the next day, took the boat and saw Justine waiting for me on the dock! What a relief! :)
In Sabang, I was much more relaxed. It was a beautiful area. We did a day on the beach in Sabang-where I snorkeled a little, took a tour of the island, hung out at a great little creek on the tour, and went to White beach before we left to go back to Manila (where Justine found a MUCH better hostel).
On our little day tour we went to see this great waterfall, took a water buffalo/cart ride to this great water hole where we had lunch, and visited a local village. On our way back with hit a chicken and the boys jumped out and grabbed it for dinner. Waste not want not.. :)
I took pics of my little snorkeling swim, but the camera is still sitting in my cabinet waiting to get developed. So everyone'll just have'ta wait for those.
I definitely would have preferred an extra day at the beach (like the one I missed with my flight cancelled) but at least I got there! :)
We headed back to Manila without a hitch and stayed at a MUCH better hostel in a MUCH better area. We went to the water front where there were hords of people waiting to see/participate in a Guinness World Record. A million kisses in something another time.. or something like that (it was going to be Valentine's Day).
I left for Taipei the next day and trudged back to work.. :(
I was supposed to leave Sunday evening during Chinese New Year, but while I was waiting in the airport with a very nice Philippine lady our flight was cancelled due to fog. The real problem was there was no announcement. One time our flight was on the list and then next it was completely gone.
We booked it over to our gate and found a load of Filipino people standing there.. The lady I was with talked to the other people there and they told her our flight was cancelled 'till 10:00 the next day. Then everyone left. Even the airport crew at the gate.
The Filipino lady went to find someone to tell us what we're supposed to do (since she spoke more Chinese than myself) and I waited with this other Filipino guy who was also stuck and had no money. She finally came back with instructions to go to the Philippine airline office where we can stay the night. We trucked all over the airport and no one knew what were were talking about. We were getting absolutely no where... until I spoke up...
Unfortunately, the Filipino people are not treated very well in Taiwan and I was seeing it. I finally got pretty angry with the runaround we were getting, so I decided to speak up for everyone with me (since they weren't really very accommodating with the lady I was with).
Finally things got going and people were bending over backward to take us to where we needed to go and put us up for the night.
I finally got back to Taipei and called Justine (who is already in Manila) and found out that she had already bought the tickets to Sabu and was leaving the next morning. That made me have to meet Justine in Sabu instead of Manila.
We took off from Taipei around noon, with no other real adventures (except the delay) and I landed in Manila and called the hostel I was staying at to pick me up.
I got to the hostel and decided not to leave it (the neighborhood was a little scary). Justine had left me instructions on how to get to Sabang so I headed out the next day, took the boat and saw Justine waiting for me on the dock! What a relief! :)
In Sabang, I was much more relaxed. It was a beautiful area. We did a day on the beach in Sabang-where I snorkeled a little, took a tour of the island, hung out at a great little creek on the tour, and went to White beach before we left to go back to Manila (where Justine found a MUCH better hostel).
On our little day tour we went to see this great waterfall, took a water buffalo/cart ride to this great water hole where we had lunch, and visited a local village. On our way back with hit a chicken and the boys jumped out and grabbed it for dinner. Waste not want not.. :)
I took pics of my little snorkeling swim, but the camera is still sitting in my cabinet waiting to get developed. So everyone'll just have'ta wait for those.
I definitely would have preferred an extra day at the beach (like the one I missed with my flight cancelled) but at least I got there! :)
We headed back to Manila without a hitch and stayed at a MUCH better hostel in a MUCH better area. We went to the water front where there were hords of people waiting to see/participate in a Guinness World Record. A million kisses in something another time.. or something like that (it was going to be Valentine's Day).
I left for Taipei the next day and trudged back to work.. :(
posted by Amanda at
4:51 AM
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