Ni Hoa Friends!!! I made it! 28 hours later I am in Hong Kong- Currently watching some cooking show on TLC in my apartment. Happy Friday :)
Now the details on how I got from little ole Cville to the big city with millions of people...
Last Friday my mom made a trip to Charlottesville to help me pack which was so sweet of her because I don't know if it would have been done as nicely as she did it if she didn't come! She made the 4 hour drive for 4 hours of packing and then returned home the same day. She's such an allstar. Loved having momma here and entertaining her while she packed up my things! We used the plastic air tight bags which were amazing and kept everything in place and saved a ton of room in the 2 suitcases. I even fit another bag inside the suitcase to bring home presents. I was very impressed with her packing style and so glad she made a visit!
After she was finished and headed south again I had to get ready to a trip to Richmond for the first ever Randolph Macon football game under the lights (big time, I know! Not only are the lights awesome but the field is legit. Wish I was there to use it!) and attend Rob and Austin's wedding! It was so great to get back to Macon one last time and see friends and staff I haven't seen in a long time. AND then to fill Saturday with my close friends from college and celebrate two wonderful people- couldn't have been any better!
I returned to cville on Sunday and it was probably the coldest day we have had this fall- made me a little excited to know I was heading for warmer weather in a few days! Spent the day watching football and catching up with friends.
Monday came and I was so lucky to have my two lunch buddies to meet at our favorite Monday spot, Riverside. Tracy and Susan were on their way to Vegas for IMEX and I was so sad I wasn't getting in the car to head west with them. They know how to make a good time out of any situation and I can only imagine how much fun they would have in Vegas! I was so sad to have to say bye to them! To lift my spirits my wonderful roomie, Meghan, came home and wanted to go to dinner where ever I wanted to go- she's the best too! We decided Mono Loco would be best since I was 100% sure I wouldn't get mexican in Asia. Had a great dinner and a bangoritia (thanks, Chris for getting me hooked on those!) All in all- Monday was full of great friends and food...wish every day was like that!
Tuesday. WOW. The day flew by. I wasn't as stressed as I was on Monday but I was ready to just get to HNK. I went to lunch with Caroline (my manager) and Tiffany (coworker) which was so sweet of them to take me out. After packing up my desk and mailing it out I headed out the door too. I had to go get a new pair of running shoes, a Lonely planet Hong Kong book, and a camera (so used to using a cell phone now totally forgot I would need a real camera!). After collecting everything, cleaning my room, and zipping the suitcases I was ready for my last meal. Boylan was the choice and Meg and I were both rockin our sweatpants (so stylish, I know). A good ole burger in a bowl (actually it was chicken), curly fries, and American beers (Fat Tire and Blue Moon)...the meal was prettty amazing! Chris came to meet us and we had some laughs then headed home to get some sleep before that 4am driver was going to show up....
AND HE DID. He was there right on the dot at 4AM. Thank goodness I gave myself enough time to get up, shower, and get ready before I looked out the window to see his car. I was thinking I could get a few more hours of sleep in the car but that wasn't the case. Mr.Driver was ready to talk! We talked the whole time. It was actually pretty interesting because he grew up in India and I will be traveling there but at the same time..I was really tired. I got to the airport around 6am and my flight wasn't until 9:15. Thankgoodness for Starbucks!
With my Business class status I got to use all the fast lines at the airport- the check in line, the line to board the plane, etc. I felt pretty important. The chair on that first flight was leather and was huge and I could probably stretch my legs out straight. Drinks were unlimited and they even gave us this warm muffin that was amazing! And that was a short flight...made me excited about the longer flight that was one airport away.
Got to Chicago and decided I needed to walk around most of the 3 hours I had between flights since I would be sitting so long. I can't tell you how many time I walked up and down the airport..people were definitely staring after about the 5th time I passed. I made some last calls, got a Chicago style pizza and went to wait in line (which was short because of the business status) to board.
Charlie, my new friend who got to sit next to me on the plane, was older and from Ohio. He had his crushed velvet navy blue track outfit on and had been to China at least once a year. His passport book had 47 pages in it so he is very well traveled. He laughed at my jokes and amazement of how much food they served us during the 5 course meal and then I passed out (I mean I put my chair in the bed position where I had tons of room and went to sleep with a pillow and blanket that was provided- baaaalller status!!!). The flight was over before I knew it and I had only walked to the restroom 1 time!
The airport was huge and I just followed everyone to try to find where to go. They do have "Temperature Checks" where people in mask take your temperature (take, I mean pull you out of the pack of people walking and stick a thing in your ear). Got through customs but then had trouble finding 1 of my bags (last time I will travel with a gray or black suitcase- hardest thing to find when it's on the belt! now my blue suitcase is so easy to spot!). After packing up a little cart of my belongings I went to find my driver, loaded his car and headed towards the city!
My apartment is located on a side road where there are a lot of shops, restaurants, and just stuff. It is a little entrance that says "Yin Service Apartments" and a door. The driver took my bags out and left me there. No one was inside to answer the door and I wasn't sure what to do. Thank goodness someone finally came to the door to let me in.
I'm on the 18th floor and the apartment is small but good for one person! I'm sitting on the little loveseat and can see the kitchen, table, bathroom, and bed is behind me. They don't let space go to waste :)
Hope all is well back in the States! Miss you all and promise to add pictures to the next blog once I get some!
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