Skyscrappers in the mountains

We arrived in Hong Kong last week, and since have been battling the jet lag, the humidity, and all the language and cultural barriers that make Hong Kong so apparently different than home. Becca's friend Chris met us in the airport, and took us to his beautiful apartment which overlooks the heart of the Hong Kong, the river that cuts the city in half, and the dramatic mountain backdrop.

Since we know people here, Becca and I have been wined, dined, and taken care of as we acclimate to being on the other side of the world. From here on out, we will be on our own, but it has been a lifesaver having connections!

Describing Hong Kong is difficult, as it is similar to other major international cities such as NYC and London in that it's fast-paced, it's crowded, it's overwhelming, it's prosperous, and there's this "work hard play hard" mentality. However, when I look out to the beautiful, modern sky scrappers, I feel the opportunity pouring out of the city, a sign that China is on the heels of America as the world super power. Although Hong Kong is perhaps even more capitalistic than America--for example, the widely used subway system is privately owned--it has not fallen into the depths of the economic crisis like the rest of the world. People here are optimistic about their future.

Hong Kong is cutting-edge on applying green technology to running the city, which as a result, has kept the city clean and affordable. It's amazing how low the cost of living is in comparison to people's hefty salaries. I too have been reaping the benefits of Hong Kong's affordable, yet quality life needs. The subway system, named The Octopus, is clean, easy, and efficient. It's one of the best subway systems I have ever encountered, yet costs me only 30 cents a ride. A meal is an easy 3 dollars (and I won't even get into how delicious and healthy the food is!), a 10-15 minute cab ride is a few bucks, admission to the city's museums and parks is either free or another 2-3 dollars.

I think there's this misconception, at least in Hong Kong, about the air quality. No it's not great, but certainly not the worst, and the people here are healthy in so many other ways that the near absence of smokers and the healthy diets trump the air pollution. I have yet to see an obese person or a homeless man begging for money. The tap water is ok for us foreigners to drink, the streets and public areas are spotless, and the city is full of jungle-like parks and gardens. People here just seem happy.

I got my first taste of the backpacker lifestyle the other day as I watched the sun rise over the city. We had been out all night for Chris's friend's birthday, arriving home right before the sunrise. I went out onto the balcony, heard nothing but the birds, and literally watched the orange sun rise over a sky scrapper. It was calm, clear, and spectacular.

However, there was this nagging voice in the back of my head, warning me to get some sleep if I didn't want to be a wreck the next day, even though all I wanted to do was watch the mountains, the water, the sky, the distant islands, the roads, the buildings and the people wake up. I debated in my head what to do, to sleep or not to sleep, and it dawned on me that I had absolutely no commitments the following day, that I could stay up as long as I wanted and sleep as much as I needed. It was maybe the first time in my life that I had no structure, nothing holding me back, and I only needed to think as far as the next minute of my life. This, as I found, was the essence of living in the moment. If this was any clue to how the next 3 months will be, I am preparing myself for a dramatic change in my lifestyle, the way I live my life, and the way I think about my life.

We have a few more days in Hong Kong as we wait for our passports to come back stamped with China entrance visas. People have told us to prepare ourselves for something really different on the mainland, as Hong Kong is the closest reminder we have out here of the Western world. Our route has changed a million times, but right now the plan is hug the Tibet and South East Asia borders as we move north, ending in Beijing. From there, we will come back down south and explore the countries south of China. Because Hong Kong is democratic, I had access to all internet sites, but I don't know if that will be the case in a few days. I will try to get onto my blog as much as the internet will allow me, so keep checking in, and of course, keep e-mailing!

Peace and love,
Danielle