It was but a challenging experience, indeed. Though I thought, I will be wasting my money, time and effort, I just felt like I need to do it: To stay to a place with nothing to do, alone, and no single soul I know.
Unlike my other trips, this one was not planned (the way I plan things). I bought my plane ticket two months before the flight. So to date, this is the most expensive plane fare I have ever booked. What was I thinking that moment when I booked the flight? Nothing. I felt so hallow and that I felt like my soul is in need of the trip, that my sole was too hungry to stay stagnant. Wanderlust.
More than the expenses, what I will be sharing are the experiences, the people I have met, and the feelings I have felt during those days.
It was Friday, and I have already filed a half day leave for it. It was so irresponsible of me not to have foreign currency on that day and so I needed to pick up the HKDs that I have ordered from BDO. The exchange rate was not good, thus I exceeded my budget due to forex.
I arrived at the airport at around 4 pm. My flight was 7:30 pm. After paying the travel tax, I sat down, and relaxed for a bit. Then, the first stranger approached me.
Ate (Big Sister): Papunta ka sa Macau? (Are you going to Macau)?
P (Me): Opo, kayo po ba, papunta din kayo doon? (Yes, are you going there too)?
A: Oo, pabalik lang. Nagbakasyon lang. Ikaw, dun ka rin nagtatrabaho? (Yes, I am about to go back after a vacation. Are you working there too?)
P: Ay hindi po. Magbabakasyon lang po. (No, just to travel)
A: Ah, ikaw lang mag-isa? Ang tapang mo naman. Bukas na ata yung counter. Tara. (Are you going alone? You're brave! Come on, the counter might be open by now)
Realization: Nothing. It is just that I can, indeed, talk to strangers. :)
After checking in, I went straight to pay the terminal fee and fill out the Immigration mandatory form. Time to face an Immigration Officer:
IO: Are you going alone?
P: Yes. I want to go solo.
IO: Are you sure? But you have gone to Macau. Why are you flying back?
P: There are places I want to see that I have not seen yet.
IO: Are you sure? Are you going alone? Or will you meet someone when you arrive?
P: I told you, I am going alone. And I am not meeting anyone.
IO: Where will you stay?
P: At Sheraton
[...]
We talked for about 15 minutes or so, then, I intentionally raised my voice at some point, and that was the only time he put an ink to my passport. I did not get his surname to be broadcast here. But surely I have remembered his face. He was the second stranger.
Realization: Fight for your right. Be aggressive if necessary, especially when you know that you are on the right side. Always remember Darwin's "Survival of the fittest" theory. As far as I know, for Filipinos to be permitted to go out of our "dear" country, we do need only a return ticket, a passport (at least 6 months before expiration), and nothing more. But for assurance, a company ID should be brought.
The flight was delayed by an hour due to bad weather. There was nothing I could do but wait and just post some selfie pics. :)
On my waiting, I was bothered by the noise of the woman (the third stranger) who sat beside me. She was very irate talking to somebody over the phone. After hanging up, I approached her and asked what happened. She told me that she was sent to the holding room for at least 2 hours. She has no idea on what to do, since that was the first time she's going to leave the country. She was being questioned why she does not have any hotel bookings and that they accused her of having plans to stay illegally in Macau. Moreover, she's scared that she might be held by Macau immigration as well.
To uplift her spirit, I told her, there is nothing to worry. All those immigration officers (from other countries I have gone to) do is to look at our passports, check our return tickets and give us the stamps. She smiled after that, and felt relieved.
Realization: We can always be a blessing-in-disguise, only if we are sensitive to our neighbors. And that moment when we see other people smile because of what we say, a priceless and genuine happiness.
Since it was almost 8:30 pm and I woke up very early that day, I felt tired and just slept during the flight.
Like what I have told to the third stranger, the immigration officer in Macau just looked at me and gave my passport the stamp.
I spent the night in Sheraton Hotel, and thanks to that fourth stranger who has booked the room for me. It costs me 500 HKD (around 2,500 pesos) to stay for a night. Good deal, I know! I also wondered how she did it, booking at a low rate (even lower than that of the 500 HKD), but I did not dare to ask. At first I thought, it was some kind of Mafia thing that she will framed me up for something, but then, I just trusted her. And thank God, she was genuine to her offer.
Realization: Stop being too paranoid about cheap deals. Sometimes, they do exist. :)
After trying my luck at the casino and proving that I am not lucky in gambling, I walked around the vicinity, went from Sheraton to City of Dreams and to other nearby hotels. Around 2 in the morning, I went back to Sheraton and enjoyed my room. The room's huge, huge enough to make me feel that I am alone. I started imagining that my family was there with me to enjoy what I was experiencing. It was a lonely night.
The following morning, I got up late. I planned to go swimming but it was freezing outside, probably due to rain showers. I just enjoyed the hot tub instead.
I left the hotel around 9 in the morning, depositing my luggage to the luggage counter near the concierge. I bought a ferry ticket to Hong Kong first, then I went to Wynn Hotel to see the Tree of Prosperity. It was my first time to see something that brilliant. I was amazed and it left me mouth-opened the entire show.
After the necessary visit to Lisboa and Wynn, I went to Leal Senado by bus (feeling like a resident). I did not go to the ruins again, since I have seen it before, and I am not a fan. I just bought some food to bring back to the Philippines, went back to the hotel to pick up my things and went to the ferry terminal.
When I arrived at Yesinn, I was having trouble in carrying my luggage up to the second floor. A white gentleman, the fifth stranger, found me and offered me help. I just gave him a sweet and gentle "thanks" after.
Realization: Chivalry is still alive. And European guys are not that choosy when it comes to helping. (Filipino guys, you exactly know what I am talking about)
I found my dorm room, livable enough. I shared it with mostly Asian girls, one is from Japan. I will never forget that sixth stranger, due to her genuine thoughtfulness. She lent her locker because mine was broken.
Realization: Other people can trust you, offer you something even you have not given anything to them yet.
I enjoyed the whole day shopping, walking, trying the century old tram, getting lost, and finding my way back. One of the things in my bucket list has been done without knowing it. Yehey!
During the trip, my favorite time of the day was when I sat to kill time in the hostel's lounge. There I had the chance to talk to other strangers. Listing down my realization:
To the Russian girls: you made me realize that Russians are really that H.O.T! To the french guys: playing "Set" card game (a mind game) is really fun especially when you need to drink whiskey when you lose. To that Canadian guy from Quebec: thanks for reminding me about my French Language class. It was fun to remember. And thanks for sharing your China trip and how you have talked about them enthusiastically. I'll take note of that. And to Meaw Naja, my new friend from Bangkok, I hope to see you in November when I visit Bangkok. Also, the more I hope you visit the Philippines. I can tour you around.
I expected that my trip will end the moment I arrive at the airport. But there were still few people I have met.
I intended to sleep in the airport that night. My phone was drying out of battery, so I decided to spent few hours in the charging station. There I have met my fellow Filipinos, stranded. They have overlooked their flight details. The not-so-good part was, they do not even have a credit card to book another flight back to the Philippines. Even worse, they couldn't contact their family since it was around midnight. The worst, they do not have anymore money to stay for another day. I could not help since I have already spent all my dollars as well.
Realization: Read your flight details very carefully, even hundred of times. I still think of how they have gotten back here though.
The last stranger I have met was a girl from Guangzhou. She was about to fly to New York to study Chemistry there for few months. And I was like, "You must be an intelligent student to be sent to New York!" We talked about few things (science mostly), of course, struggling due to language barrier. I found her very friendly and smart. She even gave me her email address, which I found unique since it is a numerical combination: Example: 887685@yahoo.com. Nice one!
Just to give my feedback, how good it was to sleep in HKIA: Good and comfortable. I slept at around 2 am and woke up at almost 6:30 am. My flight back to Manila was 7:30. Muntik na maiwan! :)
I never expected that this second travel to HK would be fun and memorable.
Sharing my itinerary with budget:
For Maps, here is the link
For more Pictures taken from Hong Kong, please see here.
For more Pictures taken from Macau, please see here
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