Our Brunei - Hong Kong - China - Macau - Brisbane - Melbourne Trip - Draft
Dec 8
posted by Mark Christie in
Family, Joe Christie, Hong Kong Trip
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8 December 2007
Arrived at Bandar Seri Begawan airport.
Some men played on the drums. It was very loud.
A bus driver from the Brunei Hotel picked us up.
We went to the Brunei hotel.
It was kind of cosy and very lovely.
We checked in and took our bags to our room. Our room was number 106.
We then went for a big walk. We saw many fast boats ferrying people at high speed between the two sides of the river.
We saw a sculpture that look like a neon fountain with globes in the water that change colour every few seconds.
We also saw a large beautiful mosque and a large stone or Marble boat. Both the mosque and the boat were bathed in a green light.
9 December 2007
In the morning we woke up, had a shower and visited the wet markets across the road from the Brunei hotel.
We had to cross a bridge. Tortoises and various types of seafood can be found along with vegetables at the market.
We saw blue swimmer crabs and we took two photographs of me on the bridge. Then dad and I went back to the hotel to meet mum for breakfast.
After breakfast, we walked along a very very long bridge. The bridge was a walkway joining houses on stilts along the riverbank. The bridge was made out of wooden planks and was quite dangerous. Mom was quite scared because she could see the water and the mud below. We took some pictures of the large mosque and the riverbank before returning to the hotel to check out. We hopped back in the little bus again, and headed back out to the airport. We were on our way to Hong Kong.
Before we left for the airport. We had breakfast in the hotel. Joe 80s first and second baked bean ever in Brunei. We also have some French toast.
Daddy discovered that he had left his camera battery charger in Darwin, and seeing as we were going on a double-decker bus for my birthday were going to have an adventure trying to find a battery charger before my birthday.
We got to the Brunei airport quite early, and pass through customs and immigration quite quickly. We then had a long wait in the airport. The flight was quite nice. It took two hours and 40 minutes and we arrived at 3:15 p.m., immigration and customs in Hong Kong was like the Hong Kong of old with English efficiency. After we had collected our luggage, We went looking for a battery charger in the large shopping centre that is at the Hong Kong airport. The shopping centre is called sky Plaza, and it is located between the two terminals. We noted that you can get a visa to China from here were not able to find a battery charger, but we got thousand dollars Hong Kong cash in to $500 notes from an ATM, which is next to the Disneyland shop. We had to keep Joe away from the shop. So he had no idea that there was a Disneyland in Hong Kong. After we worked out that it was best to buy the battery charger. In Tsim Shau Shui, we went looking for bus number a 35.
Of course this bus which travels south across the mountain top of Lantau island was in an obscure location. It took is quite a while to find it. The tickets for the 45 minute ride across the mountain top cost 57 Hong Kong dollars for the three of us, which is less than $10 Australian per bus ride was like going up the mountain to timber the poorer, which was like a goat track, and it was being reconstructed. It was an exhilarating almost 1-hour ride we arrived in the small fishing village of Mui Wo.
Mui Wo is a small, beautiful fishing village located on the eastern side of Lantau Island.
The three of us took a short walk past seafood restaurants to our hotel. There was a very relaxed atmosphere about this place and we noticed there were a lot of expatriate people living in the area. The hotel, we were staying in was called the silver mine Beach hotel, and not surprisingly, it was located right on the beachfront.
We checked in at 5:30 p.m., and we found out that an Internet booking is by far the cheapest deal. A very nice guy perception gave us very good tips on how to travel around. For example, take the M3 bus to the train station.
We took our bags up to our room, noted that the room is very good and headed out of the hotel at 6 p.m.. This is after quickly unpacking changing and heading down to catch the fast ferry to central the fast ferries a half an hour trip. So we arrived in central at 630 we got off the ferry walk to the next appear. And then took the cheap seats on the lower deck of the Star Ferry, which costs 1.70 Hong Kong per person, compared with 2.20 Hong Kong per person, across to the Kowloon side of Hong Kong.
When we get off the ferry were greeted by a big Nikon sign which indicates that we have a shop right in front of is where I can get the battery charger. The Christmas lights are amazing. We buy the charger, and a big memory card.
I couldn't be bothered haggling about the price but eBay is definitely cheaper than for a war through Harbourview, where the Christmas lights remains in. It is a large shopping more clean bright white chrome Marble. These are some of the words that describe what we saw. Even though I hadn't been to Hong Kong for over 10 years some places began to look familiar. We went to McDonald's so Joe could have the meal and then took a further walk and talk arrived back on the upper deck of the ferry to central. We had to run to catch a ferry back to Lantau island. So we left central at 9 p.m., and as this very was a slow one. We arrived in Mui Wo at 9:57 p.m.. Joe is asleep.
10th of December 2007
Joe's birthday
We went downstairs and had breakfast and we were down and caught the bus number M3 to the train station at Tong Chung the bus ride cost us $25 Hong Kong and the train ride from Tong Chung to Sunny Bay cost us $31 for the three of us.
Joe only realised we were going to Disneyland and the train announcement informed us that we could change at the next Asian for Disneyland.
The train had Windows shaped like Mickey Mouse and was well appointed. There were blue velvet seats and statues in the corner of each of the carriages of characters from Disneyland.
Disneyland Hong Kong compared to Disneyland Paris is smaller, but we did more things. This is because when we went to Disneyland Paris. Joe was only 2 1/2 years old, are now having turned six he was able to go on more rides.
Here are some of the things that we went on.
Train good for an overview.
Cars and treehouse via the log boat.
Jungle river cruise (good).
Lion King show
Orbitron
Lunch (not memorable-cha siew bun)
Buzz light year, shooting Times 2 (good fun).
Photo withBuzz.
Space Mountain,
Lilo and stitch
Parade ends.
Teacup,
Dumbo
Mickey's hat.
Celebrity pictures.
Parade with a snow.
Back home,
here are some tips for going to Disneyland.
1 go on a weekday.
2 get through the gates
3 catch trained fantasyland station
Hop off and get pictures with celebrities.
Go on fantasyland rides such as Dumbo or teacup
go to adventure land and take in the Lion King show.
Go to tomorrow land and take on space Mountain.
Well, after we sat down and ranked the various rides. We found that the most popular was Buzz followed by space Mountain Lilo and stitch. The parade, the jungle river cruise and Mickey hat.
By the time we got home, it was very dark.
11th of December 2007
We woke up late at morning, Joe and I went downstairs and we had a big breakfast. Mum had noodles. Joe played on the beach and we made a sand castle.
We then walk to the bus, and after one-hour wait we met two ladies from PENG Chau we went to McDonald's and waited. We caught bus number two to Ngong Ping.
The bus travel on the eastern coast, and we went past the maximum security prison in Hong Kong. The name of which escapes me at the moment, the final part of our trip was heading up the mountain that would lead us to the largest or rather one of the largest Buddhas in the world.
When we got off the bus were discovered that it was a very hot day so we had to go over and buy hats for ourselves as we left them back in the hotel. After choosing our hats, we walked over to the stairs. That would lead us up to the Buddha you pay an entry fee to see the Buddha, and you have an option of paying a little more to enjoy a vegetarian meal. Along with the visit, we decided to do that. We climbed up the many stairs leading to the Buddha, and after walking around the outside of the Buddha went inside to view the museum a history that was located on two floors within this large Buddha. What I found interesting was that part of Buddha's bone is housed within this Buddha.
After descending from the Buddha, we went to the vegetarian restaurant after looking at the temple. The meal we have in the vegetarian restaurant was sensational.
We then caught the bus back to Mui Wo. We had dinner at a seafood restaurant, which was on our way back to the hotel.
12 of December 2007
Ocean Park
13 December 2007
After breakfast we walked to Mui wo market and looked at the shops in the small village.
What we found interesting was that we saw a lot of young students and many of those were Eurasian children. There was a small path that led uphill through a rule, farming setting. We saw many vegetable gardens with all with the traditional Chinese vegetables that you would expect to see in small market gardens.
We arrived at the silver mine waterfall, which unfortunately was underwhelming. Joe sang away in a Manger, which we recorded.
Then we went to the silver mine Cave this cave was actually a silver mine. There was a very large wooden door sealing the end of the cave so we couldn’t explore. By this stage our path had led us into the hills.
We met another tourist from Kowloon, who was walking along a path as well. Many houses along were guarded by dogs. After an hour or so we decided to walk back down the hill. We talk a different path, which lead us along the river with fish in it. We met a man who is acting strangely, he said the creek was mouldy, and it appeared to us that he was having some kind of break down. He was an expatriate guy who was living in a ramshackle house by the river. We continued on our walk, heading back to the hotel. We dropped off our cameras and went for lunch at a small local restaurant. We had passed at the beginning of our walk.
We ordered a kind of chicken fried rice, beef and crispy noodles and a plate of choy sum. This was washed down with Chinese tea. The serves were so large, we couldn't finish them.
I couldn't get over how green the vegetables were. We went back to the playground, and the beach for some time with Joe, a group of children finishing school came to the playground with their maids. Joe played with them. Actually Joe played with the children not the maids. We went and bought an icecream before calling it a night.
14 December 200
Joe and I got up early to photographs sunrise and we were greeted on the beach by 15 or so locals who were sitting on stools in the low tide with hoes digging the small shellfish from the muddy mouth of the creek just near the silver mine hotel.
Joe built a sand castle is and we had a great session on the beach.
We packed our bags and left out peaceful island of Lantau for a week of living in a mad rush that it is Hong Kong. We were heading for an area called Mong KOK. This area is one of the most busy areas in Hong Kong.
When we arrived at the ferry terminal we bought octopus cards, which help when you are fumbling for the right changes the ferry is about to depart. It is a charge card you top up and use on transport, and a few other things. You pay a deposit of 50 Hong Kong dollars and if you hand in your card within three months as most tourists do you pay a seven dollar handling fee.
We arrived at Central and made our way to Central Mtr the walked through the subway bus to being close to a kilometer. It felt like it anyway. We caught the train to Mong Kok which is famous for clothes shopping and computer shopping and from market that has lots of goldfish.
Then after some difficulty, we located the hostel, and it was modest, but clean. Even Helen was taken a back and picked by the compact nature of the room to give you an idea. Three people are in the room, but also has an ensuite and TV which is smaller than our downstairs laundry.
Our impressions of the streetscape? 7-11 stores on every corner, newsstands, take-away satay’s of every kind. We had octopus satay to start with.
Before I forget-always locate a toilet before, you need it. Many places offer food and drink, but not that many for a place to go to the toilet.
We went walkabout and as the sun set offices emptied, and it seemed that all humanity descended on Mong Kok. It was such a contrast to Mui Wo and a great comparative experience for Joe.
The cramps and small living conditions we have a common for most Hong Kong people in the city. So we can understand why people stay out as late as possible before going home to collapse. I found the computer store and bought a 15 foot FireWire cable for $98 Hong Kong.
We had some dumplings for dinner and after working out how sleeping arrangements. Joe got the top bunk, we looked out the window from the 10th floor upon the ladies market.
Some good commonsense items, we noticed were:
The fire service and ambulance combined, so they share the same facilities.
The overhead walkways are created at a lesser cost leaving vehicles to travel on the roadways below.
15th of December 2007
This was the day that we went on the Peak Tram ride and went to Madam Toussades
We started the day with breakfast at McDonald's.
We took the train to Central and end of the long walk to Chater garden. We saw some people practising tai chi with swords, without is interesting that all trees were numbered and named.
From the garden, we walked about 200 m up the hill towards the Peak Tram at the station with opted to purchase the full wax museum and sky terrace package. This cost and 45 Hong Kong for adults, with the tram trip return included in that cost and Joe cost $88 Hong Kong.
The tram ride was very steep. It was 45° and places there were two tram station is on the way up. The Peak is not really the Peak. There are houses much higher up the mountain.
We went straight into Madam decides which had a definite Chinese flavour followed the pictures speak for themselves with little help from Google of course.
Can entertaining our we excepted to enjoy the continuing the misty or was it polluted views of Hong Kong. Despite the mist the viewing was worth it.
We found yet another playground for some Joe time.
Back down on the tram into the midst of Saturday weddings, we stumbled onto Hong Kong Park for a free park. It is outstanding, beautiful views, a great Avery, a conservator am and use another playground.
We caught a series of escalators down to the low land area where we caught a double-decker tram is sitting up on the top of course to Causeway Bay, and we ate a late lunch in a noodle shop.
We walked back to WAN Chye along Lockhart Road and noticed a number of really nice looking and recently priced restaurants under the bridge.
We were tired and decided to postpone the symphony of light until the next night. We headed back to our very small room on Mong Kok and had a brief nap before Joan I went for an evening walk to track down the laundry shop and the China travel service so we could obtain our visas to China. I couldn't find the laundry shop, but found the travel service.
Despite a hostel room being very small. It is walking distance to place as the shopping getting these is the train to Kowloon and the number of tourist locations. No wonder, it seems as if all the 6.9 million Hong Kong residents descend upon Mong Kok of an evening.
Back home and we watched a special on Chimelong which is like Disneyland, but in Guangzhou were excited about going there and we slept early.
16 December 2007
Although it was Sunday morning. We went down to the China travel service or able to lodge a visa application and in a separate exercise dropped off our laundry, which cost us $30 Hong Kong for anything up to seven pounds. Obtaining the Visa to China was actually a pleasant experience and all we needed work to passport photographs each along with our application.
We had breakfast atMeixin restaurant, which is a kind of chain restaurant that serves Asian meals.
After breakfast, we took the train to TST. We went into the space Museum, where they were showing a dinosaur IMAX movie, although it was great. I would probably rates the space Museum, as the least best of the museums that we visited.
We then took a walk along the Avenue of stars, which is really a promenade that goes along the harbour, and like Hollywood they have the stars and hands and feet of movie stars in the sidewalk. Walking along the Avenue of stars, headed us in the direction of the science busy, where we only spent two hours but could have spent much more time this was really good value.
It was dark by the time we left and we made our way back to the Harbourside to watch the symphony of lights. This amazing spectacle occurs every night at 8 p.m., and synchronise laser lights and neon lights on buildings on both sides of the harbour flash blinked glow move shine all in time to a variety of music from classical to Chinese to modern. This half-hour show is a must see and is crowded every night. The Christmas lights side of buildings add a further colourful spectacle to the overall symphony of lights. You can also take a harbour cruise at this time enjoy not only the lights but dinner, as you cruise and Hong Kong harbour after the symphony of lights, we headed to Langham place for dinner and to do some shopping Lane places in Mong Kok and has a number of great food courts and we had a Korean style meal.
We got back to our hostel room at 10:30 p.m. will absolutely exhausted.
17 December 2007
Warranty Yum cha at a restaurant near our hotel. The food was great, and it was less than $20 per head.
The flu caught up with me, and we went and got some medicine and took a rest washing was collected and my chest cold had expanded into a bad head cold.
That night, after we had recovered somewhat. We went is to the Temple Street night market which is quite varied and layout. It's not long and straight like the ladies market, but it covers a number of streets. So some cases, you need to turn left and right to head down the streets. We bumped into little Michelle, who Joe had met at the hot spell. She is related to the owner of the hospital. We had a nice seafood meal in Temple Street. We didn't have the mantis's shrimps, which are the recommended seafood dish. In that area.
After a meal we walked home after a fruitless search of the area for red lanterns.
18 December 2007
We plan to go to Macau. We went into town to the ferry pier purchased a ticket and then we discovered we needed our passports, which of course was still with the Chinese travel service of a wooden get back until tomorrow. Thwarted, however, not daunted, we decided to go to Stanley markets and repulse Bay.
Apart from the beauty of Stanley markets and repulse Bay. The bus ride in itself is worth it. Similar to the ride from the Hong Kong airport to Mui Wo. It was different in that were able to sit on the top level of a double-decker bus. As we drove through the narrow mountain goat like road that led up over the mountains and down into repulse Bay and Stanley.
At Stanley, we were able to buy six red lanterns, which had eluded us to this point.
There was a temple opening at the tin Hau Temple, which we witnessed and then proceeded to lunch, which was good. We ate handmade Shui Jiao and won ton. this cost about $17 Hong Kong, which is three dollars Australian for a filling tasty bowl of noodles.
While we were in the restaurant, I decided to give Joe a lesson on using chopsticks. He did quite well, much to the amusement of people sitting at the table next to us.
The bus ride is worth commenting on if you like a thrill ride sit at the top front of the number six bus that takes you to Stanley than over the peak a great ride for any child of any age.
Onto repulse Bay, make sure you read the history about that and the stunning Tsin Hau Temple.
Joe played on the beach for a bit. The bus took us back to Admiralty by the very long Aberdeen tunnel. The cemetery overlooks the happy Valley racecourse. We saw some houses for sale actually three-bedroom apartments 85 million Hong Kong.
We found the East Mong Kok station which would take us to Hung Hom and the China train. The distance to walk ruled out this option.
We then returned to look for the Goldfish Street-found another street market instead. We stumbled onto the Fish Street, which was amazing-no less than 50 shops selling Goldfish and aquarium supplies. It was like a large sponsored aquarium.
Dinner consisted of roast chicken and pork with veggies in that street. We got back home at about 10:30 p.m.
19 December 2007
We collected our visas and went for Yum cha again, very efficient and quick. The visas cost 630 Hong Kong for three is $210 each. And this is for a three-month a single entry visa.
We then went to Diamond Hill shopping centre is called Hollywood Plaza. It is very nice and it was a big hit with Helen. Not as busy as the inner-city shopping centres. The park and shop shopping centre was much more aimed at young families. The food in the supermarket was good and cheap. We got some seaweed and said she me to take away. The Star Wars exhibition starts on the 22nd of December, will come back year after we've been to China and Macau. They had some of the exhibits already there. Joe got lost, cried and then got found. We took a picture of him in a red phone box. When up and visited the food court and there were some great Chinese food, and even cheaper than some of the other places of we'd been to.
We went to the nun Lien gardens. This was one of, if not the best Chinese gardens I'd ever been to. He gave us all a very peaceful feeling as we walked through the gardens. After an hour or so in the gardens, we went back to the shopping centre caught the train and then went to the night market. We'd be into the night before, and we bought some headbands from the night market. For dinner we had a dark and prawns in a different restaurant that we had been to before.
Joe's story-episode three
Go decided he would begin telling a story, one of the characters in this story was called Marcia Mello, and the story was called Marcia Mello and the four pirates. One of these pirates was the red pirate and the father taught the boy Chinese, and he also taught in Shakespeare. And how to use bows and arrows along with swords is very good with swords he was not taught nice and forks. The pirate ship got a hole in a bumped into a cliff. The whole was an invisible whole and the boat was able to travel on land and could also fly in the sky.
Episode two, Marcia Mello and the Temple of doom. Marcia Mello went into a castle. He didn't know it is scary-he saw vampires we choose and a snake man.
Oh no, the doors are locked and I am in the Temple of doom. Suddenly a small hole appeared on the wall.
Pancho Mello and Pancho Villa, saved his life, Pancho Villa and Pancho Mello got married.
Pancho Mello knew about the template doom as he had been there when he was five years old.
20 December 2007
For breakfast we had McDonald's in TST-will going to the history Museum-that is the Hong Kong history Museum. But due to a late start, we decided to go to the Hong Kong Convention Centre instead.
We caught the train to the convention centre and decided to take the boardwalk stroll to the noonday gun.
We watched the new noonday gun event and we saw some boat dwellers.
When the noonday gun went off, Helen got a big surprise. It was very loud.
We walked back to the convention centre, which is where the British handed back Hong Kong to the Chinese. This is known as the Golden Bauhinia .
After we took some photographs recorded very to Hung Hom and we stumbled upon the Whampoa shopping centre, which is inside a concrete ocean liner in amongst the high-rise buildings.
We then walked to Hung Hom station to get our bearings for tomorrow's trip to China. We then walked to the history Museum. We spent a couple of hours there, and I believe it is worth visiting, especially if you are an overseas Chinese. We then went looking for an open top bus. We couldn't find one. We took some pictures of the Harbour view lights and then went back to Mong Kok.
We went out for a meal at a Vietnamese restaurant.
21st of December 2007
We checked out of our hostel in Mong Kok.
We walked to the East Mong Kok train station and caught the train to Hung Hom.
Reported our tickets to Guangzhou, went up and had McDonald's breakfast and then we were on the train after a quick Visa check and a comfortable journey was experienced. The journey took exactly 2 hours after leaving Hong Kong at 10:30 a.m..
We got out of the train, when through customs and we took a little time to get our bearings. After a brief stop in McDonald's, we went back to the taxi queue after learning how far the hotel was the taxi cost 16 renminbi.
We checked in at our hotel and Helen rang Stephen. We went for a walk to the Grandview Plaza, which is shopping Plaza. Joe went on a forward the ride with dad. We visited monstrous Park and paid shopping centre, and found that the queue was too long, and we put the things that we had selected back on the shelf. Back at the hotel, we had trouble getting the Internet connected, but received great help from the hotel staff. We managed to get connected the next day.
We shopped at 7/ 11. It was easier. We walked back through a small boutique shop area that had nice lights and an exercise Park. We enjoy the atmosphere and went back to the hotel we slept well that night.
22nd December 2007
Steven picked us up at 9 a.m.. We went to his office, 1003 before we went to his office. We went to Yum cha, both Yum cha and his office was very nice. Our Stephen had some work to do. Helen, Joe and I went for a pleasant walk to the square that separates Guangzhou East railway station from citic Tower, which is 87 storeys high. After walking around the square where we admired beautiful gardens. We walked back to the office and met up with Stephen, Steve and then took us to eat xiao long bao which cost 10 renminbi for 12 pieces. We also had a mushroom dish, which was really nice. We then went to the zone out send Memorial Hall, and then went back to the house to meet Annette and Rinnie.
After visiting Stephen dropped us off back at the hotel. We did an Internet upload and then went to sleep.
23 December 2007
we took a morning walk to tea all and we noticed the Citic Tower taking a guess we walked to Steven's we had a problem with the garden at the front desk. Who wouldn't allow us upstairs. I had to go looking for a phone card and after some time managed to buy a phone card, which apart from the only phone call, we made was completely useless because you couldn't use it to phone overseas.
After we made upstairs. Joe had 4 cups of tea, Stephen arrived from the office, and we went downstairs to enjoy a hot pot lunch. After lunch, we waited outside for Stephen to pick it up in his car and we saw a boy running along any slipped over and heard himself. Steve then took us to the Chan clan house. After looking at this historical house. We went outside got into the car and we became lost with the two channels, we managed to cross the river at least four times. And finally, we found the White Swan hotel to look at the river lights and enjoy the me in Shau European embassy area of older Guangzhou. We went for a walk in the cold rain to a quail restaurant called line quite long. The food was quite bad except for the quail. Joe like the quail, Stephen had an argument with the waiter, and we left. We took a drive along the Pearl River beautiful lights along the into the river at night, Steve and Optus back at the hotel.
24 December 2007
we slept in. We caught the metro to TUC, the metro is very clean, just like Hong Kong and efficient and new. It uses the same type of machine to buy tickets. And when to use you Park is a very big Park and we visited the soon out send tower. We rode on a little boat that had a censor which allowed us to shoot targets it said for water spout. It is a very long visit would also went to the five goat statue and then afterwards caught the train back. We passed by t mall and did a little shopping. You may notice from the date there was Christmas the so Santa had to go in and buying a little present, and I had forgotten what was like to buy presents or buy anything in China we go into a shop you look at the item. You go to another counter pay money get a receipt take the receipt back to the area that's, you wanted to collect the item and then collect the item decide cost 275 renminbi. We then went downstairs and bought some all medicine. We noticed a large number of money machines and this is because most of the shops do not accept credit cards. Walking back to the hotel, we made a fantastic discovery. There was a small stall, which is sold yen being which is like a spicy crepe, and they are only too renminbi each wheels are bought to DVDs so we could watch the movie is back in the hotel room and was a two-minute noodles, which we enjoyed on our Christmas eve.
25 December 2007
we woke up on Christmas morning, and when Joe checked the pillow case. That was tied to the end of the bed, he discovered that Santa Claus had left him a transformer.
We went downstairs and had breakfast at McDonald's, which was conveniently located right next to the hotel. After breakfast, we took a walk to the train. We took the train to the Hanxi Changlong station. This train station is located in the south entrance of the theme park. The show is on the rise were great and will let the pictures speak for themselves. We went on the rides until 6 p.m., and then went to the circus entrance. People were already queueing up for the 730 show. We lined up and went in early and got good seats before the show started, we went and bought some take-away food. The show was breathtaking .
We exit the show about 10 p.m. and we find the shuttle bus, which takes us back to the metro train station. Luckily there was a train that took us straight back to the TiYuXiLu station. On our walk back to the hotel, we rang Stephen. After we phone to Steven, we walked home, and this time. There was no Jianbing on the side of the street. Stephen dropped by with a present for Joe and also to say goodbye, Stephen gave Joe a lovely learn Mandarin package, which Joe is using now to learn Mandarin.
We had a couple of beers and crashed well after midnight. This was a sensational Christmas Day
26 December 2007
we woke early, and packed and prepared. We went for a walk to use the phone card to call home. We had what is called an IC card, which is very outdated. The next time we will buy a SIM card. With an IC card, you can't dial internationally from a phone box, we checked out of the hotel and discovered that the Internet we had been using to upload the photographs to the web using Picasa was free. We really recommend this hotel. Once again, the McDonald's breakfast, after which we catch the bus or the coach down to Macau. The bus was very clean and fast and also very full. The freeway from bomb Joe to Macau is outstanding. We found the pool d dotted with industry and farms. There was a mixture of vegetable farms and sugarcane bananas, mixed in together. Most of the freeway was up on stilts to avoid flooding. We travelled along the coastal highway into dual hi, this is very picturesque and memorable. When we reached our destination, we exited the bus and went up one level into what would best be called a border more lots of small shops, we could do your last-minute shopping before crossing the border into Macau. We stayed there to have lunch and to use up the last of our renminbi with them and up the stairs and pass through Chinese immigration and then we had to walk along a path to Macau site and go through their customs. Both sides was very quick. We walked out with Macau stamps our passports and went looking for a bus bus number 25 to take is to Taipa and the hotel that we were staying in. We asked people on the bus and nobody knew about a hotel called the hotel Taipa. We tried looking at the street signs, and a lady helps us. We crossed the bridge to the island of Taipa and this bridge was massive and there were three such bridges which crossed from the main area of Macau to Taipa. We see the hotel directly in front of is get off the bus stop and book into the hotel. The hotel's upgraded us free of charge to the next size room, which is massive. This was $75 Australian with breakfast. We unpack have a rest and then take a walk and catch a bus to the historic area where there are casinos the Lisboa casino. And then walk to the old streets to St Paul's Cathedral and the Fortress. The architecture is a mixture of Portuguese modern and Chinese very nice. We walked back from they Fortress and by now, what's night am a catch bus number 22 back to type. We had dinner in a small Chinese restaurant, and were slightly amused to see a family who came down from their apartment in their pyjamas, ordered a meal in the restaurant, eat in the restaurant and still in their pyjamas leave the restaurant to go back to their apartment. The owner who heard me speaking Chinese comes over, sits down at our table and has a chat with us about Australia and about things in Macau and China. We tried Macau beer, which is quite nice then went back to the hotel, which did not have Internet and fell asleep.
