daily living: My Hongkong Trip

My breakfast at Nanjing airport

On 29th May, I left for Nanjing airport to take up a flight to Hongkong. Nanjing airport is quite small and you have a separate route to enter to the international counter. Realized this after going through the queues of China Eastern airlines. All of the Chinese airports don't flaunt electricity, rather the AC usage is minimal, which I liked very much. The counters leading to international entry was swift, so went to the gate quickly,.managed to have some fruit breakfast at the gate. I was scheduled to have a presentation at CUHK, so worked little bit on my slides at the airport while waiting.

The flight to Hongkong was un-eventful, just 2 hours. Hongkong airport is flanked by mountains and oceans - makes a very pretty view. The immigration was also amazingly easy, just passed like breeze. One thing to note here is, for most of the residents of many different countries; if you are stopping at Hongkong for less than 15 days, then no Visa will be required. I hope India does something similar to boost tourism!

D's apartment complex.

At the airport, one of the students of my good friend D was waiting. In conversation, I came to know that he had come all the way 3 hours back. I felt bad because I could have managed to go by myself. But nevertheless, it was great and enjoyable ride. Reached at the CUHK campus withing 45 minutes. The stay was arranged at the University guest house. My room just overlooked the ocean and mountain. Began to wait for my friend D to arrive. She came at 12.30 PM after completing some of her meetings. It was ecstatic, meeting her after 7 long years!! I have had so many fond memories with her while we were in Blacksburg together, including our cooking sessions, nature walk, writing grants and papers together and facing failure:(. It was a big part of learning experience and growing up together. She was almost like a sister to me. She left for Hongkong, got married, had a job had a family and all was well for her. I was really very happy about it. We hanged around the campus like old times and giggled a bit. But at the same time it was really sad that her father was seriously ill, and she had to leave the next day. D was very effective in hiding her feelings and was in complete control of the situation. We took some pictures in the campus and finally the time came to meet her daughter. She is an adorable 4 and half year old, very cherubic lively kid. Loved her company. Met D's in-laws, they are every bit the Asian parents are. Hanged around and went to the Indian eatery. It was not very pleasant dealing with the agents that drives(read force you) to their crappy small eating joints. Food was OK. We went back home tired by 9 PM. I used to get up at 1 AM every night during my China and Hongkong stay. Listen to Cookoo at 3 Am and enjoy day light at 4 AM onwards. D came to pick me up to her department at 9.30 AM. She is every bit her as I knew 7 years ago. Her office can testify that. Amazingly calm(despite her fathers health), she took me around and we had the scheduled talk at the right time and she had to leave. I can't stop but admire her for her calmness and steadfastness during the difficult hours. She did not forget to fetch lunch for me with nice Indian tea. To top it all, she also arranged for me return trip to airport. It was really very touching. I wished her father could come out of Coma, but that was just a wish. Came to know that he passed away after few days.....

Photos of Hongkong from my taxi


D and I: Don't look at me, I am dead tired after 5 nights of 0 sleep!

I ventured into the city all by myself on 30th afternoon. Took the subway, and got down at Shatin station. That is a big shopping joint in Hongkong. They have a very big Ikea store there with rooms decorated with delightful furnitures. I went to the other side of the train station and there was another equally bigger mall with a variety of stuff. Browsed along, shopped little bit. It was all nice. On may way back, I had really tough time locating the guest house. I went round and round and had no cell phone. It was difficult to walk because it was getting dark, and there were plenty of mosquitoes biting me around and the terrain was hilly. I was sweating profusely. But somehow managed to reach the guest house and it was end of a memorable trip. Hoping to get there again sometimes soon...