Guangdong Update Day 1: The arrival

I haven't had time to upload my journal entries for my recent trip to China on a daily basis. So I'm uploading them now as Guangdong Updates: the 2006 Winter double-call series.

GUANGDONG UPDATE DAY 1

I am now doing research for my company assignments tomorrow. My trip was relatively uneventful, except for one incident where I became momentarily absent-minded. I went through the usual security process in our airport and was already lined up for check-in (ako na next in line), when I felt that there seemed to be something missing in my luggage. My jacket!

I forgot to get it from the x-ray line. Since ako na sunod, I remained in the check-in queue but was worried that someone else might have picked up the jacket and I will have to endure the cold without one. So after checking-in, takbo na ako pabalik sa x-ray machine. Bago ko nilapitan yung mga guards dun, sumilip silip muna ako kung saan yung jacket. Hindi ko makita! So lumapit na ako. Nilagay pala nila sa taas nung machine, still in the blue plate.

Sabi nung isang guard "Mukhang malamig yata sa pupuntahan niyo, mam." Ang kapal kasi nung jacket, pwede akong magtago sa loob. Then pinasa nila to a group of police huddling at the end of the x-ray line for inspection. Naghintay pa ako, nagpapacute lang pala yung police na nag-iinspect. Yung tatak ang tinitingnan niya. Gusto kong sabihin "cheap lang yan no, NT$200 sa Taiwan night market" pero binalik na sa akin. Yun lang.

After that, my life as a traveler became relatively boring. I slept almost throughout the flight to HK, waking up only long enough to gobble a chicken sausage, 2 pcs of hash browns, mushroom omelet, a blanched tomato, and a finger-sized slice of watermelon (my finger size, Marco). After half a glass of orange juice, I'm back to slumber, not minding even my seatmate who snored for most of his sleeping time. Hindi lang snore, SNORE talaga. Feeling nasa sariling kama. Pati yung mga service crew, nagugulat.

Pero ako, dedma, tulog agad. Ganun pala pag isang oras lang tulog mo. As in 3am na ako natulog, at 4am dapat gising na ako dahil 5am dapat sa airport. Anyway, nagising nalang ako na parang may "thud". Lumanding na pala kami, di ko man lang namalayang bumaba plane.

Tama ka Lynnie, 2 options nga ang coach service. Yung diretsong coach, HK$200. Yung sasakay pa ng bus, HK$150. Siempre kinuha ko yung 150.

Grand Mercure Oriental Ginza (Swiss Belhotel) -- kapatid na niya ngayon ang Novotel, hindi ba under sa Accor management din ang Novotel brand -- is not so bad, Lynnie, at least pagdating ko. Hindi naman siya amoy ulam nung pumasok ako. Medyo type ko pa siya ngayon kasi ang theme ng xmas decors niya violet and gold. so heaven ako sa dami ng violet. may malaking xmas tree sa harap ng puno ng violet and gold balls. ganun din sa loob ng hotel.

Gusto ko nga sana tour yung hotel kanina pero talagang pasarado na ang mata ko. I still had to unpack and prepare my things after arriving. US$300 ang hiningi na deposit sa akin for my 4 days stay. For the first time, hindi ako nagdala ng extra cash para mapilitan ako magtipid, assuming na $100 lang ang deposit ko. So goodluck nalang sa akin in the next few days kung paano ako magsusurvive with my remaining per diem. hehe. Buti nalang may dala akong extra HK dollars and renminbi na tira sa past trips ko. Pag akyat namin, sira pa yung unang key card na binigay. Yung corridor ang hindi ko type dito, dahil may amoy yung carpet.

After unpacking and preparing stuff, I went to bed at almost 6pm and woke up at 11:30pm. Nagpa-alarm ako ng 8 pero pinatay ko lang pala. Hindi naman ako antok ano. Yun. so hindi na ako nag-dinner, kinain ko nalang yung mga ninenok ko na bread and cupcake sa plane, plus a cup of noodles. Maya-maya matutulog na uli ako.

Hindi na ako naka-reply uli sayo Mel. So far, hindi naman ganun kalamig nung bumaba kami ng bus at Long Chok Ma (HK border immigration), parang Baguio or Tagaytay lang. Di lang ako sure pag nagtagal ka sa labas kung gaano kalamig.

O sya, tuloy ko muna itong research ko tapos tulog na uli ako in about 20 mins. Goodnight everyone.