Hong Kong is Alive and Well

When I last wrote you, I had not yet packed my suitcase for our departure to China. Well, I managed to get it packed on Sunday afternoon, but during the night as I was sleeping, that strange suitcase did some very strange things. It got smaller. At 6 a.m. on Monday morning, with our ride due at 7:30, I tried to close the green suitcase. It didn't close. I kneeled on it, I stood on it, and I worked mightily to get it to snap shut, but no go. So, off I ran to our basement, got a much larger, black suitcase, and re-packed with a vengeance.

And at the Cedar Rapids airport at 7:45 a.m. is when our adventure began. We waited for our Untied flight to take off for Chicago, and we waited some more. And then we waited again, until at 11 a.m. they said, "Flight canceled". Tom took off like the true sprinter he is and made it to the ticket counter, second in line with about 75 people behind him, and we were lucky to get re-routed on another airline, through Minneapolis, to Tokyo and then on to Hong Kong.




This 747 did a nice job of carrying us across the waters to Tokyo, and then on to Hong Kong (on a different 747) . The flight had NO good movies, but I was one happy woman because I got to listen to Phantom of the Opera music every minute that I wasn't sleeping. Tom slept and kept himself entertained by talking to the flight attendants.



This sign greeted us in Hong Kong, and these are the (strange) mascots for these Olympics. Signs reminding us that Beijing is hosting the 2008 Olympics were everywhere. The equestrain events will be held here in Hong Kong, starting Friday.

Speaking of this vibrant city, right now it is holding us "captive" in our Regal Kowloon Hotel. Tropical Storm Kammuri is raging outside, with a typhoon 8 warning flag flying, telling everyone to stay inside, away from windows, and to "avoid flying debris". Our all-day tour was canceled, which makes sense, since schools and government offices are closed and people have been told to stay home.








Gale storm winds ! I only ventured outside our hotel.







More later, after the winds die down and we hopefully can see more of this city.

Carol and Tom