The Training Days...Part 2 of HK Trip

Now the time I spent in HK while on training wasn't much of a story. It was a 2 full day training. While breakfast and lunch were provided (we weren't told initially..) dinner was a free for all (to my detriment). I took the 9.50am-ish flight out of KLIA with Cathay Pacific and found their services not much different from MAS or SIA. (Air Asia still sucks, but then you get what you pay for...) But my return flight....(later, later...)

When we touched down, I had this feeling since there were 3 of us, one of us is going to have luggage issues. I was right. Luckily it wasn't me, but the other guy (one of the 2) got his luggage delayed and only got his luggage at 4am in the morning the next day. Fortunately, the HK Airport personnel were quick to advise about it and tell him what to do. Such great service!

We took a cab to the hotel. Cab metre begins at HKD 16 for 2KM and each 150 metres is HKD 1.40. (Compared to Malaysia, where it is (should still be) RM 2 for 2KM and then RM 0.15 every 100 metres. I think.) Hence then I assured myself converting back to RM each time I spent would be a nightmare.

Speaking of which, I only brought HKD 700 in cash, when everyone was already complaining HKD 1K isn't enough. So how do you think I fared? Hehehe

Once arrived at the hotel I promptly checked in. I then observed something. In HK, they are willing to commit 1 person, or more, to just stand around acting like human information counters. At the airport, in the hotel, at the subway, everywhere. IMPRESSIVE!! Because the way I see it, why waste the cost of 1 (or more) human resource when you can easily just set up a PC to do that? One time cost, rather then a recurring cost. There are more 'service' oriented culture I see in HK. More of that later.

That night I had planned to have dinner with my colleague in HK, so a phone call later and off I went to HK office in City Plaza via the MTR (forgot what it means). I ended up late, however, not because the directions given to this place I know not was hard to follow, or I just got lost, but I realised it's cold out there and I had to return to the hotel to grab a jacket. Dinner was uneventful and I didn't do much walking on the first night as I was rather tired.

The next morning I woke up with rashes all over my legs and arms. I thought the bed was maybe dirty, but it looked clean. Eventually. after only returning to Malaysia, I realised that it was because I had an allergic reaction, probably to the air (HK is rather hazy) or the weather (my first winter!). Oh well. Fortunately the itchiness wasn't all that bad until I got back home.

So from my hotel I got to the Causeway Bay station


Then headed to Tai Koo where the office is located relatively above it


Hmm. Pictures look funny. But they are proof!. Haha!

On the way to the office i get to go through this shopping mall and they decided that the 3 blokes who followed that star that lead them to the newborn baby looks like


I personally doubt they're that huge, if they even existed. Ok, i'll not get into the whole farceness of Christmas less I get hauled up by the church. hehe, luckily I live in Malaysia, where things like these don't get the officials attention. :P

Aside from meeting people from the company from various countries, having catered food, the only other thing worth mentioning was that on the Tuesday night during dinner, I had Kobe Beef at a Japanese Restaurant. That meal cost HKD 605!!!!!!!!! Just the beef alone! It it was a small portion! Not worth it I tell you (and I'm living to regret ordering that meal now....But that's another OTHER story...:( )

Then, when we decided to walk the streets to do some window shopping, I decided it was getting to late (it was 9pm me thinks) and I decided to find my own way back. Unfortunately, while doing window shopping, I allowed my 2 chinese educated colleagues to lead and completely forgot to remember signs and roads to find my own way back. After walking along a major street up until I see it linking up to the highway, I realised I was lost. Yes, ME, LOST. A little too late to join the cast but hey, better late then never. So I turned back and lo and behold, I was just heading in the opposite direction. No wonder I felt I was going further and further away. All this time I was wanting to pee too. But no, my pants were dry even when I returned to the Hotel. Not getting something embarrasing here..But wait, I have just the right thing...

Fast foward to Wednesday night, when all is said and done, me along with 3 other colleagues decided to go up Victoria Hill. A cab ride, a tram ride and waiting until night time, I saw


Sorry, pictures kind of fuzzy. Too much electricity used, my camera get's overloaded..:P

Then on the way back...


That's me on the tram going downhill. I wanted to snap a shot of the train going downhill to show the degree of slant, but alas, amateur cameraman ME couldn't do it. I want to blame the camera, but then again, who'd believe it?

The rest of the gang decided to visit the pubs and nightspots nearby so I left them for dead..I mean, left them to return to the hotel. Luckily, me and my somewhat absent sense of direction found myself crossing a bridge, walking through a park, a building and then some before finding the train station. I still managed to get back before everyone else, so....Not lost this time around..hehe

So the training is over and the paid hotel stay is over..What's next? Where the real adventure begins!