The China Diary (2 of 10)

Looking at the remainder of the entries in my diary, I'm now, years later, a little sad to see that I didn't keep up with my writing as assiduously as I should have.  I'll cut myself some slack since I was only 14 at the time, but it would be nice now to be able to read back to that time and capture some of the emotion I was feeling.

Oh well.  At least from here on in I'll be able to provide at least one picture with each post.  (Of questionable quality since each is just a digital picture of my paper photos.  Beggars can't be choosers.)

Any monetary values I express in the posts are in Hong Kong dollars.  It was interesting once we finally left that city since any and all proprietors were more than willing to accept Hong Kong dollars in inland China, but would always try to give return change in the older, local, currency.  I couldn't help but associate the bills with Monopoly money since they were of very similar size and made of much flimsier paper than the Canadian currency I was accustomed to.

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Sunday, 19th March 1989
Regal Riverside Hotel
Hong Kong

Today I got up and again had breakfast in the Boulevard Cafe.  I then got ready and we all took off in a comfortable bus this time on another tour of the city.  We stopped off in the countryside just outside of Hong Kong.  We walked up a very steep hill to a place where you could buy souvenirs and get some pretty good camera shots.  I found a nice set of coins there for Aaron, so I don't have to get him anything else.  After about 45 minutes there, we took off back to the city.  We were again dropped off before we reached the hotel.  We took the Star Ferry across the harbour.  Then we took a bus to the Stanley Market.  I looked for a walkman there but didn't find didly squat.  After a couple hours there, we left back across the harbour and wandered the streets.  John and I split from the group into a little mall and I finally got a Sony walkman for $720.00.  John and I went to a nearby arcade and played a few games.  We then left for the YMCA because a shuttle bus stopped there bound for the hotel.  I then came up here and started writing this.

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There were nine from my school that went on the trip, but in all of the group shots, John seemed to be mysteriously absent.  This is the only time in my life I have ever hugged a camel.  Rest assured that, regardless of what else may be inferred, I am ONLY hugging the camel.

The Canadian flag I sewed BY MYSELF on the back of my jean jacket was cause for many laudatory comments and frequent back-pats from total strangers.  Dontcha just love the memory of acid-wash jeans?  Aren't you glad it's just a memory?

Comments

[Mark]

I'm digging the journal. You definitely write more smoothly now.

Ah, acid-washed jeans. My hometown was at least five years behind the rest of the US (and probably Canada) in fashion, so we were wearing acid-wash and mullets long after we should have.

[Paul]

You had hair.