Live From Hong Kong Airport

Well, I've returned to Hong Kong with a 5 hour layover before my flight to Johannesburg. I also think I'm getting sick. Don't tell the airport. They are very, very paranoid about disease in this part of the world. Heat cameras check your temperature as you enter airports and museums. signs in hotels warn you to consult the staff if you are feeling ill. I'll see if I can find some Tylenol after I write this entry.

After absorbing so much culture over the past few days, I decided that I deserved a little pampering on day 3 in Taipei. I booked a massage at the Spring City Resort, which is part of a complex of spas on a natural hot spring in northern Taipei. Walking around Hong Kong and Taipei, you actually see lots of cheap massage places, but I am always wary of these. My concern is that they are mostly dedicated to massages of the illicit variety, which I don't want, and thus the masseuses will be underwhelming in the area of actual massages. One thing was for sure: I was not going to visit the shop I saw on my Taipei map, which advertised "Special Massages For Businessmen." Yuck.

This resort was great. It started with a relaxing dip in a private hot tub. The full-body massage lasted 70 minutes. At first I was concerned that my dainty little masseuse wouldn't be strong enough to work out the kinks brought on by a solid week on my feet, but she proved me wrong. I also sampled some excellent Chinese food at their restaurant. The lamb with orange sauce was fantastic.

Following the pampering, I headed to the National Palace Museum. I think this place would have been fantastic if I had gotten there earlier; as it was I was rushed because I got there an hour before closing. Honestly, I need to stop walking everywhere. It's good exercise and it's cheap, but it frequently takes longer than I expect, even if I don't make a wrong turn somewhere - and with my sense of direction, that's a distinct possibility. Heading home, I met a very nice Taiwanese family who had spent 6 years in Houston. They spoke better English than your average Texan.

I called it an early night so I could get to bed early and see some things in the morning before my flight. Unfortunately, I overslept and only made it to Taipei 101, formerly the tallest building in the world until Dubai won that particular pissing contest. When I bought my ticket for the observation deck, the woman advised me that due to poor weather the outdoor observatory on the 91st floor was closed. I told her that was fine; I was probably too chicken to enjoy it anyway. I don't mind flying, but being outside in a tall building just makes my knees quake. The views were impressive though and there was lots of good information about the building and about Taipei itself. I was glad to leave though; maybe I was being paranoid but I swear I could feel the building swaying in the wind.

I caught an airport bus near Taipei 101. It had been threatening to rain throughout my stay in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the heavens finally opened up right after I got on the bus. This subsequently slowed traffic and made catching my flight a bit tighter than I would have liked, but everything was fine in the end. After disembarking and receiving yet another Hong Kong passport stamp, I reclaimed my giant suitcase from the left luggage department and got to the task of balancing out my bags so I wouldn't have to pay anything. The checked bag squeaked under the 25 kg limit but my carry-on is making an absolute mockery of the 7 kg limit. Shhhhh.

I suppose it's time to wrap this up. I still have a lot of time to kill so I'll try to dispose of my remaining Hong Kong dollars at Burger King. I was planning to drink about 3 beers before boarding to make sure I sleep through at least part of the THIRTEEN HOUR FLIGHT, but my impending cold may have halted that plan.

Taipei photos will be up soon.