21 April 2019
Back to daylight
Going to Hong Kong from Guangzhou on the new high speed rail
Now I am back in Hong Kong, and despite being under 100km away from Guangzhou, it is not raining, it is quite bright, and very hot. I suspect the weather is actually somewhat better in Guangzhou today also, and I hear 2 people died in storms in Hong Kong yesterday, so I am guessing the weather was bad here in Hong Kong too. It is probably for the best (or unfortunate depending on how much you want me dead?) that I was not here yesterday, as I probably would have foolishly climbed something in the storm and been struck by lightning or drowned.
Getting from Guangzhou to Hong Kong was very easy. I got to the Guangzhou South station way too early and walked endless laps of the very large departure hall. So large it has 4 Starbucks. However despite that, its not that large, it does not rank very high up on the list of ridiculously large Chinese train stations. There was lots to see of course. Slow trains to rural areas also depart from this station so you get a mix of rural people and Hong Kong billionaires. Lots of hunchbacks carrying their worldly possessions yelling for no apparent reason. I suspect it is because they are deaf. It would seem you can still find people in China who very rarely if ever visit a city, and are confused by the whole thing. Escalators, security screening etc.
Of course I managed to nearly get arrested.
In my large bag that I always check in for flights I have had the same small knife for many years. It comes in handy in hotel rooms in Australia and abroad in case I need to gut a pig, stab someone, or cut up an apple because I cant eat one unless its cut into pieces.
This has never been an issue before, traveling all around China getting my bag scanned every time I go on a train or subway. Today I got pulled up for it.
The police gathered around and I had no idea what they were interested in. I showed them my little nail clippers, vitamins, spare camera battery. Eventually they told me fruit knife (in Chinese). I got it out of the pocket and they snatched it off me (its in a plastic scabbard). I thought that would be it, but next thing a book comes out and I am supposed to write my name, phone number, passport number in the book. This was confusing but once I told them I dont want the knife, the book went away. Am I to presume I can take a knife on the train if I sign my name first? No idea! I am here now and was let across the border, so I guess its all ok!
Before going to the train station many hours too early I walked a lap of Guangzhou and had another brown sugar ginger latte to use up my Chinese money. As you can see, not raining. This has brought the monks out from their cave. You might recall I visited them a couple of days ago in a thunderstorm.
Here it is, the Guangzhou south train station. Not particularly large really, yet still quite large.
Dont worry! If you suddenly need new underwear while inside the train station, China has you covered. So cheap! All under $3 AUD.
Proof I am back in Hong Kong. This is the view between the high speed station and the Kowloon metro station. It is quite a long walk. As is the transfer at central to the island line. I suspect everyone who has been to Hong Kong is familiar with that long transfer. But then the exit from the station to my hotel is on top of was even further, and very deep underground. I am not complaining, I was pacing furiously all day to get as many steps as possible to complete my second ever million step month. I am on target. Some of us have pathetic goals in life.
Here is the view from my hotel window. I am already very familiar with my 10,000 neighbours. One of them yelled SHUT YOUR CURTAINS! As I stood nude waving.
And here is my strange room. I dont think I paid for single beds! Oh well, I can rent out the other bed to someone that lives in a coffin house perhaps? The room is actually quite large, but the desk is hilariously shallow. I can still sit here and type but only just! Now I will prepare myself for very hot, very humid weather. It feels 15 degrees (centigrade) hotter here than in Guangzhou just up the road.