The view from the hotel is awesome! Like stuti has described, clouds and hills and buildings and harbour. This is just like a wall paper!
A sudden decision and by the time we realized..we are already in HongKong.
30 years of life on earth and my family presents me a holiday in HongKong. Thanks to all.
Our family friend Arun was also traveling with us as as Raveen and Arun had half a days work in HK. Not as friendly a staff as Emrites but a decent flight I must say. I was immobile through the flight as Stuti slept on my lap. She had no seat belt and that kept me almost awake. We had the refrigerator and the UPS break down because of high voltage problems few days before we left. Sleep less nights for me and for Raveen because of work and work related travel.
I think we did awesome in terms of packing! Clothes, food(we are going to HK where no one understands vegetarian!) was our check-in luggage and it was just 32kgs!!! A stroller, a back pack for Stuti's necessities and a passport bag. The food suitcase will be empty for the return. Not sure if Raveen realized what that means!!! HAHA SHOPPING!
The view from the room is awesome. The harbor, the waters, the man made(buildings) and the God made(mountains, clouds covering the mountains..).
While Raveen went to meet Arun he dropped us at a mall called the hotspot plaza. That's a very funny mall with tonnes of elevators and escalators. I asked one guy if there is a "toy shop" for the baby. He said go to the 7th floor. I went there and asked again for the "toyshop". A lady in uniform took some key and asked me to follow her. I was scared for a second but she was in a uniform! I was so impressed that they take care of the toy places so much that they lock and keep it? Confidently I followed her. We reached the "toy shop" But to my surprise, the board outside the room said something else. Any guesses? "Toilets" ! Toy shop sounded like toilet to her. She took me to the restrooms. As she waited out side I spent some time in the rest rooms and came out. Toilet in Chinese is called Cèsuǒ.
I had one hour and there's nothing to look around for so long unless I find a place. This time I directed myself to a the baby care room. While I was in the lift I saw the board that said baby play area and found our entertainment for atleast next half hour.
At this point we figured that there is free wifi access for 15 min on the roads. Big hotels or the big internet companies give free public access of their internet but ofcourse with time limits.
Day2
We decided to be early raisers on this holiday. Never in our life have we been early raisers! [Raveen and Stuti are still sleeping!]
The great view makes you feel good early in the morning. Food from home and alittle shopping form the market place is what we survived on till now. Oats and bread for break fast. Not sure what's in the store fir today with Stuti. It was another sleepless night with her last night. :-|
Work day today for Raveen. Admirality (pronounced as - Ad mol ty) is where we went.
After I met Raveen, we decided to take the ferry to Kowloon. We walked and walked and walked for about 40 min and reached the ferry. All we ate the whole day was bread.
15 minutes to Kowloon in the Ferry. 1 hour by the metro. We reached some local places and did some street shopping too.
Met Arun for dinner and then back to the hotel. Disney Day the next day.
Day3
Our early morning started at 10 when we left the Hotel for Disney Land. Stuti was cranky. She probably was feeling uncomfortable in her stomach. Luckily the MTR station is only 2min away from the hotel.
The best thing was two days after coming to Hong Kong, she askes Raveen to take her to Hong Kong!
The Disney express was fun! Every thing was mickey theme. I felt like we were on the Hogwards Express!
Our adventures start here! While Raveen was standing in the queue for the tickets, Stuti and me went to buy sun glasses for Stuti. I was looking at the glasses for her and a bunch of people came in between her and me. She then started walking in the other direction looking for me. All this happened in a span of 30seconds. I thought she got lost. my heart missed a few beats and tears almost rolled down my eyes when I heard her call out for me...I ran in the direction and found her standing there. I think God told us in his way that it is very crowded and take care of her. We were very careful with her through the day.
In the mean time Raveen came back with the tickets. We were in the entry line and he suddenly realized that he forgot to redeem the discount voucher that we had. We ran back and asked them for help. They were very helpful to cancel the current tickets and give us the discounted ones. There you go! The Walt Disney studios! This was no different from the one in Paris. The first few things we ate was a muffin, donut and a swizz roll.
It was great fun unlike in the Paris Disney, we did a lot this time. We spent 8 hours were tired!
Stuti was very excited to see a live mickey mouse at the golden mickey show. The kind of shows they put up are amazing!
We were overwhelmed to see her happy. Its so funny that small things make you so happy! Both of us were so proud of ourselves that we finally did something that made her happy. Tears of joy almost rolled Down our eyes. We exchanged a few moist eyed happy glances and looked at our happy daughter again...satisfied! we couldn't see anything clearly and realized that we have to wipe our tears. It seemed so silly! but we were happy. :)
Live mickey and Minnie were all over Disney land. Stuti wanted to touch them and see what they are about. But when ever we went and stood in the line for the pictures they were done taking pictures. At one point she refused to come with out touching them. It started raining and people around said they will not come. We patiently waited and waited till they came. Mickey and Minnie finally walked out of they house and there we were standing to welcome them. Stuti was over whelmed! They guards saw us wait for so long and let us go first and stay longer. She was happy, we were happy.
Every thing went well except for an hour in between all of us started fighting! We were all hungry. we ate and the fighting automatically settled down. ;)
Day 4
Stuti woke me up as she wants me to get up. I thought Raveen was still sleeping but to my wonder he was up much before all of us. It's my birthday today and I knew he was upto something but wasn't sure what! While we were walking on the roads the other day, we saw some lovely bunch of flowers. I really wished if I had one of the bunches. They were really pretty and I thought Raveen will get some flowers as he always does for my birthday. He heard us get up and wished me as he walked into the room. He didn't have a bunch of flowers but had a bunch of papers in his hand. He gave those papers to me and said this is your gift!
Surprised! I could see that it was a really thought through gift. Will describe the gift at the end of the post ;)(creating some suspense ;0)
All the ready to eat food that we got was successfully over and we were ready to leave for Macau. Quarry bay(where we stayed) - Shan wan(pronounced as sha-wa) and then to the ferry.
Most of the MTR's stations are attached to the Malls. The malls have multiple levels. Each level will have a exit and the exit is either on the road or water or sky or a swimming pool or a golf course.
We went 7 levels up on some steep escalators in the Shan-wa station mall and the exit was to the ferry. It was amazing. Another few levels up was open to sky where Helicoptors take off.
The super class ferry was fun! I think Stuti and I were sea sick and we slept off.
The Venetian:
Venetian, What a Place!!! It was my first time to a Casino resort. I thought the film makers exgerate when they show casino's etc in the movies. But it was not exaggeration.
The hotel rooms are so big. 10 poor families from India could stay comfortably in one room. The view from the hotel is just buildings but out of the world. The way these buildings are lit up at night is !!!
Site seeing at Venetian itself will take 2 days. We went around the place, played some golf and just hung around. Kids were not allowed into the casino. Raveen went into the casino and he said it was mind blowing. I just walked around just to see how the place looks. We took turns to go around the casino and the huge Venetian. It was really really nice.
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| The Gondala Ride place. |
Inside the Venetian as we were walking we found an Indian restaurant called the 'Golden Peacock'. Its just like one of the restaurants at Taj or Leela. These people understand what vegetarian means! We were over whelmed! We had a heart full and a satisfactory Indian dinner. We ate well after 4 days. we felt home and started eating like we were at home. I started eating with my hand, roti and rice. I was licking my hands when I realized that we were not at home but in a restaurant and in the Chinese land. There were some Chinese who sat next to us and started looking at us. They were exchanging smiles with us and giggling amongst themselves. We were wondering why! Thought 'cozy we have a cute baby and that's why they are smiling. I almost finished eating and then realized they are surprised to see me eat with hand. I felt a little embarrassed but I guess it was ok. We are Indians in an Indian restaurant! Don't we try to eat with chop sticks when we go to a Chinese restaurant? Hmm...they didn't have a finger bowl to wash but gave wet tissues.
The hotel arranged for a birthday cake as it was my birthday. Every thing was perfect and well enjoyed except that we wished if some one could take care of Stuti just for half an hour when we wanted to do the gandola ride.
It took one full day for Stuti to wish me happy birthday! She said "happy birthday amma".
May be she relates a birthday with a cake.
No chance of going to the casino with the kid. There were baby sitters but I don't think we could even dare do that!
We are going back when our kid is grown up.
Macau...await us! We will be back to win the gamble with you.
Day5
We checked out from the room but hung around in the Venetian. We saw the walking dinosaur. It was quite nice watching the dinosaur suddenly jump on people. We again took the super class ferry from Macau and came back to Hong Kong. The fare difference for the economy class and the super class is less than HK$10. But the difference in the customer service is amazing. Free food, drinks and wifi for super class passengers. These passengers have a special waiting lounge and are allowed to board first. The seats are likening first/business class seats in the plane. The economy class have no facilities . At the destination, their exit is blocked till all super class passengers have disembarked.
We checked into Harbor plaza once again, this time on the 23rd floor. We spent the rest of the day exploring the places around the hotel..
2 more days to finish the trip! Stuti was done with Hong Kong and she wanted her toys in her room. She wanted to sleep on her bed! We were up late talking and talking. Once the routine starts we are again running around.
Day6
We went to Ocean park and spent the whole day there. There were two parts in the ocean park, one you see as you enter and the other one you can go using the sky way. The sky was so high up in the sky.
Stuti enjoyed herself and we all had loads of fun. We spent all day and returned home after they almost closed the ocean park.
Day7
The day to leave. Good part about any of our holidays is that we are very sad to leave for home! we enjoyed all our holidays till date. It amazing how people figure out conveniences. There was something called the in-city check-in. This check-in place is in the MTR station from where you have to take the train to the airport. Its around an hours journey from Hong Kong. You check-in your luggage here and then you can go around, shop, have fun and sit on the flight and you will receive your luggage at your destination. It was such convenience. Else it would have been so difficult with Stuti and the luggage.
In the MTR's there is an announcement always going on which says that all the railings are sanitized every 4 hourly and so please hold the railing when you are on the escalator. We thought it was very good.
The best thing that happened in the whole trip was Raveen's gift.
This is what the gift says:
Gift starts here:
Redeem these gifts in the next 12 months
No terms and conditions apply
Actual Gifts:
1. Holiday Abroad (summer or winter)
2. Baby sit for 1 day (can be used 6 times in next 1 year)
3. Do gardening with you (only redeem once)
4. Holiday with in India (6 times in a year)
5. End an argument (6 times in a year)
6. Come home by 5 PM (6 times in a year)
7. Massage anywhere in bangalore(2 times)
8. New bag
9. New shoes
10. Go out shopping with you (2 times atleast 3 months apart :) )
11. Blank - fill it with anything (time frame not mentioned ;))
I had to delay this blog to update on the gifts. Here is the update from 24th July 2013 to 24th March 2014:
full filled till now:
2 - used 2 times
4 - 3 destinations
5 - used 1 time
6 - used 1 time
7 - used 1 time
8 - he got be a new pink bag
10 - used 1 time
11 - He knows what is being filled in the blank :)
Its too shot a time for him to fullfill the rest. He can choose to extend the above for a life time ;)
Lets see what he has to say.
It feels proud to Vote!
It feels proud to be an Indian!
