hey kids! i thought you might miss me already - so i figured i would send a little travel-logue in to keep you updated...
well
got into hong kong on saturday after the emirates flight from hell... everything was delayed... every stop we made and the plane was freezing cold... brr. I fell asleep in the dubai airport bc i decided to drink a little too much wine... and took my mandatory travel tranquilizer.... almost missed my flight had i not been woken up by some screaming kid who was placed on the chair next to me.... eepp... ran like hell to gate 7 hahaha...think i knocked over a few people.. oops sorry
made the plane at last minute and angelo the cypriotic greek sneezed and coughed on me from dubai to bangkok... argh... i am certainly going to blame the friendly new cold i woke up with yesterday on him!
but... made it to HK and hooked up with my partner-in-crime, jenny. we used to work together in Seoul... so I am superexcited to see her!! we kicked around Kowloon.. went for Korean food, checked out some night life and returned to our freezing cold hotel room...
for some reason, there is no heating in this part of china... and its cold!!
anyways.. in the am.. jetlagged and a little retarded feeling because of my new cold, we went shopping. wow. fun place this HK! thank the gods i am coming back through here and not having to haul stuff around with me for the next few weeks... because the electronics and the shoes are great here!! whoohoo
am in guangzhou now - and i swear, it is warmer outside than in jenny's flat.. again - no central heating at all..
what is UP with this country?? it was like winter camping in canada last night - sleeping bag, blanket, woolen cap, socks....
but whatever.. am here and after sleeping like a frozen log last night am starting to feel a little more human... still a little ill and my fingers are cramping from the cold as i write this..
i swear - i am wearing two shirts, a puffy down jacket, pants with long underwear and it is still freezing!!!!
apparently it is supposed to warm up this week.. it better
so - say some prayers to the weather gods for me..
i plan to try and catch some public transport and check out the city tomorrow - this could be fun or a very very bad idea!!!
updates to follow...

hey hun,

awwwwww, sounds pretty cold then! get some whiskey down your neck to warm u up!! or pull a fit chinese guy to keep u warm!!!

Anyway... keep up the log... we wanna know what u are getting up 2!

take care

abi

xxx

Sorry to hear that it isn't turning out to be an awesome vacation for you after all B! Darn that nasty bug and the Arctic zone in that part of China you are in. 100% Cashmere is reasonable there so pile up on it in as many forms as you can get it in including socks. It will definitely help keep you warmer. Did you go to Sham Shui Po for electronics? For chic, luxe wear, look no further than Shanghai Tang on Pedder Building (#12 Pedder St) next to one of the exits of MTR Central station. You can also have tea in the posh parlour. No obligation to buy, just rest your tired feet and browse. They have fab gift items downstairs. I'm sure your friend Jenny knows aobut it. Drink lots of hot tea or hot toddies (English tea with lemon laced with whiskey or cognac). Hmmm. A body eh? I know of a super nice guy there but may already be on his way out. He is a Turkish engineer who worked in Macau, not Chinese though...

I feel badly for you, Banana - the cold can totally suck and wear you out. Hope you can find some warm place soon to get healthier; no one wants to be sick on their holiday! I'm presently wearing a turtleneck, polar vest, sweatshirt and am still cold! I think we both have Mediterranean blood now having lived in Istanbul for so long! Keep us posted on your exciting travels through China!

oooh
dont feel badly for me
i am still having fun - am a little under the weather but am enjoying my visit with my friend
and have booked my flight for the phillipines for monday - so...ya its cold
but we hit the town last night and saw some freaky woman dancing with an anaconda or something and the weekend is all planned up
and then beach beach beach for a couple of days
so thanks for the sympathy people.. much appreciated..
but i am kickin it!
cheers

You'll definitely enjoy the Philippines. It's way hotter there now than in freezing China (and Japan for that matter) Don't miss Boracay Island which is a plane ride away (1 hour to Caticlan) + a short boat ride. The finest, whitest sand in the world can be walked on in its famous stretch of beach. In the metropolitan area of Manila, stay in Makati if you can and go to Greenbelt III shopping area. Dine in many of the various restaurants and shop, shop, shop till you drop! It would be awesome if you know people there as well.

While you are in the Philippines, try the buffet at Circles in Makati Shangri-La.

For the nightlife ---> best bars to go will be V in Makati (which normally fills up around 12mn) and Embassy Bar at the Fort (Fort Bonifacio). Latin nights at Club Havana in Greenbelt is quite fun too!

Enjoy

thanks ladies - but am flying straight to cebu tomorrow - no manila for me. i have a one track mind driving me off to the beach!!
sadly enough it has warmed right up here - freakin tropical really
has been gorgeous the last few days and nights
we were checkingout the nightclub scene here on friday and managed to stumble onto a stag party - good fun! haha brits an scottish men drinking until they fall over...
so - off to the night club where there is a canadian dj and a crazy striptease dancer - first with a whip... then a huge icky snake.. and then numchucks... it was quite the performance! the club sort of proceeded to mental after that encouragement hahah
have done some interesting sightseeinng.. they really DO eat everything here... have witnessed snake, cockroachy waterbeetles, pressed pig face, chicken feet on a stick, and various other things claimed to be beer, monkey, crocodile.... mmm yum haha
not a bad little city to visit, this guangzhou... a little outta the loop in many ways
but then we went a world class jazz club last night...
you know how the developing world is...
anyways kiddies
off for some more shopping and sightseeing... so glad i brought an extra bag!!!!!!!
and then off the HK and then the phillipines tomorrow
hope everyone is having a great holiday
!!

Sounds like you are had a hopping night alright! Hmm, too bad you will miss Manila but you will enjoy the beaches in Cebu if the weather's good. You will enjoy the fresh seafood anyway and the hospitality of the people. They speak a different dialect there but English is widely spoken too, of course. They make/sell good acoustic guitars in Cebu, BTW.

hey everyone
a little update.. was on a fabulous island just off cebu - malapascua...
amazing.. wonderful.. relaxing.. fabulous... was sad to leave
sat on the beach, went snorkelling and diving - didnt see the famous thresher sharks.. but then i wasnt really hoping too
but cant complain too much - the phillipines is a really interesting place to visit - really cheap and although it appears that english the language of communication there.... (its not really) mostly everyone can speak random bits of the language!
cebu is really a pretty little island - i recommend it highly. my only complaint is that i missed the big festival the day before i arrived... oh well = next time right
Hong Kong has been great - have a total of four days here and have managed to hit alot of the major things so far... victoria's peak, HK island.. Kowloon
actually met up with one of my students and his mom on the street the other day - quite freaky but cool.. i had to gather up my turkish again and try and speak to the mom... which my student thought MOST amusing!!!
yesterday I met up with another traveller from the hostel and we went off to Lantau - an island close to HK - and saw the worlds largest sitting Buddha statue, a monastery and we did some hiking around the island. A really good day.. even if the weather is still not so good here
today...
the Bruce Lee museum and some other random sites
not sure if i am going to make it to Macau = i would have to get over there tomorrow and then make it back in the pm...
i have to be up at 4 am to catch the airport bus on Friday am.. yuck
so - back in Turkey friday night..... after the flight from hell!
hope everyone is having a good vacation - or a good last few weeks of work
see you all around soon!

Jealous!! Have a safe flight - and prepare for the snow drifts!

Thanks for your update. Ditto. Very jealous! Lots of sunshine here actually but I heard it has been pretty bad in Istanbul.

I'm glad you enjoyed Cebu B. Bohol is another fantastic island with a natural wonder called "chocolate hills" which are actual hills covered in brown hued vegetation thus the name. The best island though when it comes to beaches is Boracay.

It's good you are getting out of there. Hong Kong will be nearly empty by next week (and all the shops will be closed) since people leave the territory for Chinese New Year which is coming up soon.

arrived back to snow and the exciting knowledge that there is no school next week
so YAAYYYY another week off
so - i think there must be something interesting to do next week...
any ideas?
good to be home kiddies - hope to see you all out soon!
btw - kung hey fat choy - happy chinese new year!! year of the dog.. going to be a prosperous one for us all i hope!