Hong Kong morning post

Good morning, dear readers.
I got up sooooper early this morning, about 5 am. I guess I am still not quite adjusted to the time diff yet. And you know, for a city that has a constant buzz like Hong Kong, you'd think there would be a coffee shop open at 5am. But where is it?

The streets are eerily quiet here at 5am (ok, probably in most cities). All I saw when I was walking the streets in search of that elusive coffee was the newspaper vendors. There were dozens of them on every street, all stuffing flyers into newspapers, and stacking them in piles.

Yesterday, I met up with my friend Woody. Woody and I spent the afternoon and evening doing what people do in HKG - eat and drink. Eating in small cafes in Hong Kong is always an interesting experience. You are usually seated with other people in the same booth, and you try to ignore them, even though they are sitting directly across from you a few feet away. And good luck getting your food to arrive at the same time - even if you order the same thing.

Dinner out in a nice restaurant is different, of course. Hong Kong has no shortage of great restaurants. The inside ambiance of most of the nice restaurants make you forget the chaos that is outside.

Almost there....

I am sitting in the Mabuhay Lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It's just after 6 in the morning here in Manila. I am waiting for my connecting flight to Hong Kong, in about one hour.

It's nice to be off the plane, of course. I like flying, particularly in Business Class. It's nice to stretch out and be able to sleep. The Philippines Air flight was not all that comfy, though. I had a bulkhead seat, so my legs were always up against a wall. But, I guess it was still better than Coach. And where were the handsome Filipino stewards I was expecting? All the crew were matronly women in their 50's. But they did take care of me. "Anything more you need, Mr. Knight?" "If that's not satisfactory, Mr. Knight, please let me know right away." etc.

The next leg of the journey is the short 2 hour flight to Hong Kong. It gets me in at about 10 am, and then I should be checked in to my hotel in Sheung Wan sometime about noon. It will be a day to relax, and acclimate myself to the time difference. The first few days will be spent reviewing flight options to Vietnam and Cambodia, and dealing with some banking and insurance requirements.

So, even though it's super early in the morning here, I still think I should have a drink. It's not morning for me, and this is a lounge.

It's about to start

So, readers...
Tomorrow, I will take the first step in my new journey. I fly to Hong Kong, and will be there by Thursday. I will spend the first few days getting time-adjusted, and doing some basic banking/logistical stuff.

My plans for the next few months will be to travel south through SE Asia, visiting Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. I don't really have a set agenda, so I am going to go where it feels right, for as long as it continues to feel right. I expect to be back in Hong Kong in the new year, and then head to China sometime in January or February.

This Blog will be the best place to keep up with my journey and travel adventures. I plan to update it as I go along, where Internet permits. Check back here when you think of it, and see where I am, and view some photos.