Hong Kong (2014)

It's been 2 weeks since my recent stint in HK.  Of course another work-related travel which is generally speaking good but this time around, it was a painful experience not because of work but due to me not feeling well.

I was never fascinated with Hong Kong although I have been in this place 4 times including this trip.  I know that it is a fashion heaven but besides that, I have a lot of issues being in that place which I won't be able to write in this page as I don't want to be tagged as racist although we are all a little racists from time to time.

It was only a 2-night business trip.  I have with me my co-project manager from my previous employer.  He's cute and yummy Chinese guy (from Shanghai) but straight and talkative, hahahahahaha!  Nevertheless, he's more than ok.  My only regret is that I should've joined him in the pool but fuck my chills and fever.  Ugh!

In terms of objective, I think we have completed what we came for but my God, the in-between times were excruciatingly painful.  I had my medicines but I don't understand why they didn't work longer than expected.

Met some HK colleagues and had dinner with my lovely boss!  All good!

I wasn't myself because of my condition, the money I withdrew from BPI was not enough to pay the bills.  The card didn't work overseas and when I tried to cash advanced from my credit card, I cannot remember the PIN (well I don't recall activating any PIN).

It was difficult and the rebooking of flight made it more unbearable.  A called PAL PH for flight rebooking and he waited for almost an hour and nobody responded!  Then he called the US hotline -

Agent: There will be a fee-nal-ti
A:  Sorry what?
Agent: A fee-nal-ti
A:  Can you spell it for me?
Agent: P-E-N-A-L
A:  Ahhh penalty.  Puwede ba magtagalog na lang tayo?  

Eventually my flight was rebooked via Canada phoneline.

But wait there's more - I have mentioned that I don't have enough money so I asked the taxi drivers if they accept credit cards, too bad they don't.  I did some charades and obviously they had their fair share of it as well, "charaded" me to ask the hotel to give me a cash by charging my credit card.

The trip was full of excitement - I bet it would be more exciting if I joined China man in the pool.