......Listening to Sarah McLahlan's Wintersong on this lovely Christmas eve...juz an inpromptu, sudden and unexplainable desire to revive my blog from almost a year languishing in the wilderness (thankful my blogger account is still active!! =p)...dunno why also...juz wanna blog abt my 8D7N trip to HK-Shenzhen-Macau...yet another memorable, enjoyable, rewarding and fruitful trip wif my beloved buddies frm MPNC...a super delayed ORD trip 3 years in the making (not counting our fateful ubin cycling trip of coz! haha)...but seriously juz an attempt to preserve some wonderful memories frm the trip...and perhaps the best way is to blog abt it...and of coz bro clem if u r reading this...this will be a fantastic way to publicize our self-produced...self-directed and self-acted HK travel series (too bad we have to end it prematurely at 17 episodes...haha)...who knows discovery travel channel might juz come calling aft i upload the episodes...haha...and of coz many thanks to the man of the series......*drum rolls*.......the one and only Mr Quek!!! heh...wifout his "active" participation...the series would not have been such a remarkable success...lol...so here it goes...Hong Kong-Shenzhen-Macau MPNC ORD Trip 2007......

HONG KONG-SHENZHEN-MACAU 2007

DAY 1

Finally aft 3 years in the making...almost 3 months of prior discussion...we are all set for departure to HK for our official ORD trip...i muz admit i did have some initial apprehensions abt the trip...since 1stly...i had been to HK wif donnie more than 3 yrs back (ironic that was straight aft i ord frm the army)...2ndly...i was quite worried that it might clash wif mine FYP schedule...taking up time away frm the lab...and true enough...was scheduled to meet Prof today juz as i m departing...cannot be suay enough lo...but manage to juz email him say go for holiday wif "family"...more convincing to say wif family i guess n not army buddies...heh...but decided to juz go ahead aft receiving the phone call from Mr Quek n Clem almost 3 mths back...juz heck it wif FYP la...seriously need a break from this torturing and punishing final yr in sch...throw in Shenzhen and Macau...and suddenly the trip became worth considering...haha...anyway...the whole point is goin wif Mr Quek n Clem...aftall we hav been talking abt this since our days sitting in the sofa in MPNC...hahaha

Mr Quek n his Dad were kind enuff to give me a lift to the airport...though our flight was scheduled to depart at 11.25am...we reached terminal 1 at ard 8am...with a few hrs to spare...decided to explore ard Terminal 3 and have a 1st hand check out to see wad all the fuss was all abt...lo n behold...i guess T3 is really worth all the hype aftall...i muz say it's really quite impressive wif the interior design...clever use of sunroofs to let in natural light...the extensive use of plastic plants n trees to further emphasize and reinstate our claim as a Garden City to visitors...very huge n large in all aspects...thats wad airport terminals shud be all abt actually...to give travellers a very open air and very spacious n welcoming feeling...can imagine how it will look like when it becomes fully operational in less than a mth's time...

Test shot on the new ixus75 bought frm Sitex last wk...Me n Mr Quek on the sky train to T3

a sneek preview of T3

the check-in counters

looks exactly like how it is in the newspapers renderings...lotsa of aluminium sunroof, greenery n large columns

proceeded nxt to the only functioning shop in the whole of T3 - yakun kopitiam for some light breakfast...followed by another of our trademark conversations wif mr quek...i alwaz luv havin conservations wif mr quek...coz he alwaz seem to haf so much knowledge abt almost any topic ranging frm Architecture to Zoology (minus entertainment, sports n gals =p)...i alwaz learn something new frm all these intellectual conversations wif mr quek...and at times i feel it's really brain stimulating (n draining) juz to haf discussions n conservations wif him...haha...since becoming a Christian more den a year back...our conversations have moved on more to the Bible n Gospels...and true enuff...grace was our morning topic of the day (anticipating more to come over the following days =p)...and somehow mr quek recommended this book by Rich Brott "All the Financial Scriptures" and the title itself caught my attention...aftall no doubt money really speaks into one's heart...hopefully can read up more on the book over the nxt wk...brought some copies of newsweek too to supplement my bedtime reading habit...

aft 2 hrs closer to check-in time...decided to take a slow walk to the check-in counter at T1...and guess wad...the biggest surprise in store for us of the day!!!

got upgraded to biz class tics when we actually book economy tics for free...hahaha

no doubt by the grace and favour of God...got upgraded to biz class tickets!!! hahaha...we even ask the lady to double confirm coz we really book econ tics but no mistake abt it...biz class she confirmed...waha...it feels good to see ur backpack pasted wif a priority baggage sticker...lol...no concidence abt this since we had a lengthy discusssion on grace juz b4 check-in...Heaven's Providence as mr quek likes to put it...cannot get off to a better start for our trip really...1st time in my life flying biz class...n get to go to some skyview lounge before boarding somemore...haha...Thank God for such a wonderful start to our trip!!

like a typical s'porean...quickly embark on our hunt for the all elusive biz class lounge...this time muz walk in wif some "seh"...muz act like not the 1st time travelling in biz class...heh...finally found it wif the help of the ubiquitous directory signs...oh man it feels good walking in to the lounge...n shud i know earlier i wun haf eaten breakfast at all la...free flow of sandwiches...xiao long baos...dumplings...croissants and pastries...fruits...wadever drinks u wan n even wine...wah kaoz!! so shiok ah the lounge...can really eat all u can...n juz eat ur 3 meals der b4 board in u already get back half ur biz class tics liao la...but wait a min...muz behave like a seasoned biz class traveller...muz have some poise and most importantly "seh"...heh

an unlikely combination...wine wif egg n ham sandwiches

free flow shanghainese dumplings which they called it

indulging heartily to all the perks of the biz class lounge

view of the runway from the lounge

Mr Quek updating himself with the lastest dose of financial news

feeling bored...decided to cam-whore a bit wif my new cam

aft lingering ard in the lounge for a gd hr or so...it's finally time to board the plane!! wheewheee...finally understand wad it means by to travel in style...or some wud call it high-end travelling...the cabin crew adressing u mr low...much more comfy seats and so much more leg room (totally erase any memory of tt 30-hr flight to US in tt small pathetic compartment)...a 6-course menu for lunch...unlimited n free flow of wine frm a selected wine list...no rowdy and crying kids or ah sohs shrieking...wheeee wheee...simply splendid...once u travel in biz class u never wud wanna go back to econ siah...the 3 1/2 hr flight juz flew by...watched stardust and parts of an arthouse film (cant remem the title) starring adrian brody n owen wilson...and thats abt it...arrived at the HK airport almost close to 6pm...same like the last time i came...had to wait for this coach to pick up the s'pore bunch and send them to the various hotels...

our hotel is at kowloon near jordan mtr...aft travelling wif so much style...finally brought back to earth checking into a 3-star hotel...haha...dun even know we reached the hotel coz parts of it are under scaffolding...apparently they revamping the hotel...even changed the name from mayfair garden to a more classy Hotel Largos...ha...but overall still not too bad la...the beds are soft...got warm shower...tv is working but no cable...but still satisfactory on the whole...

a toast of guava juice to my 1st n hopefully not last biz class travel

the menu and wine list

this's the appetizer and i actually tot it's the main course

the not-so appetizing main course tortinelli

some cheesecake wif coffee for dessert

arriving at HK airport all perked up aft the 1st class treatment

passing by Tsing Ma bridge on the way to our hotel...the world's 6th largest suspension bridge according to wikipedia

our hotel room...with most of my belongings scattered all over

finally checked into our hotel ard evening time...since we wud oni be meeting clem tmr as he was taking the later flight n staying wif his relatives...me and mr quek decided to spend the evening checking out the Mongkok area...sussing out places like Temple Street...Ladies market and so on...rested n washed up for a while b4 we set off on foot in search of Temple Street...

much of kowloon remained the same frm my last visit 3 yrs back...i simply luv this part of HK...the whole make-up that is very much HK in its fine classic essence...the heavy traffic...the neon lights hanging precariously in some cases frm old shophouses (mr quek wud argue that they r shabby n not juz old)...the bustling crowds jostling shoulders to shoulders n at times threatening to spill over the pavement...i juz dunno why...the whole energy n ambience n the people juz forms a very attractive picture in my mind (muz be the effect of those HK dramas n movies =p)...juz very charming in my opinion...this part of HK...but mr quek certainly dun agree so...n was saying it's certainly one of the most chaotic cities he ever visited...haha..or maybe coming and growing up from a not so heartland district back home also helps to explain why i alwaz never fail to fall in love wif kowloon...aft all i grew up running ard in the alleys of little india shophouses certainly similar to these alleys in kowloon...heh...but seriously i really luv juz walking along nathan road in kowloon...that all too familiar feeling no doubt gives me that xtra spring in my step...similar to how i feel when i was in NY...n of coz the cool winter weather and lotsa of bevies of hk babes certainly help matters too...lol...

explored ard temple street north n south...sai yeung street south...ladies market...had a hearty meal at one of the da pai dang in mongkok...ordering food in pan tong shui cantonese certainly does not help...one severe pitfall that wud put me off in working in HK in the future...my CMI canto...haha...even though been brushing up like crazy for the past few wks feeding on HK dramas...but still conversing smoothly is a prob...lucky this time rd there's clem...a pure bred hk zai...heh...

aft dinner ventured into one rather chio n relatively new shopping center rite on top of mongkok mtr...never see it b4 the last time i came...wah the architecture is reallyunique n special and it really got me n mr quek...the christmas decor also damn nice...one plus point abt visiting HK during december...all the christmas decor here gets u in the festive mood...will certainly put our orchard into hiding...really cannot match up deh...one shopping center enuff to qek the whole of orchard...

saw this at portland street...a notoriously gangster street...no wonder even missionaries here need to learn some martial arts

nice christmas decor in langham place at mongkok

cant resist not taking a shot wif such beautiful christmas decor

mr quek say i look like a small kid in this pic

one of the longest escalators i have seen in a shopping mall...spanning 4 levels

another nicely lit up stage at the top floor of the shopping center

my captures frm temple st...a pair of "limited edition" oakley...some solar powered key chains

aft langham place...decided to call it a day aft a short but eventful day...no doubt travelling in biz class remains the highlight...n it's oni the 1st day...haha...meeting clem tmr morning to venture ino tsim sha tsui area and Central district at hk island...that's all for Day 1 of the HK adventure...ci@o!!