I thought long and hard as we left Vietnam. Visiting Vietnam was one of those bitter-sweet experiences that I doubt I will ever forget. Now that some time has passed and we have had a full day at sea before arriving in Hong Kong, my anxiety has diminished and I feel like I’m getting back to my normal self.
I’m glad we got to see Vietnam, but I doubt if I will ever have a desire to see it again. I did, however, leave a piece of me behind. While in Nha Trang, I lost an Apple tracking device. I have since located it somewhere in Nha Trang. It is still transmitting its location whenever two or more iPhones come close to it. As soon as I get home, I will check it more closely and see whether it is moving around or sitting stationary somewhere.
It was about 6:00 AM when we entered the harbor in Hong Kong. Our city tour was scheduled to begin at 9:00. This was a Princess-sponsored tour because we felt a little apprehensive about creating our own.
Following breakfast, we were outside boarding Bus #2 for our guided tour. Being first on the bus, we were able to get good front seats. Sandra was still limping from the broken foot she suffered a few weeks ago, and too much walking was causing swelling. Eric was sitting in a seat by himself up front until a disabled man and his elderly wife boarded the bus. Eric immediately stood up and offered them his seat. What a good boy we have!
Today’s adventure began with a large boat ride around the harbor. From our vantage point we could see hundreds of skyscrapers of various shapes and sizes. Many of these tall buildings were apartment complexes providing housing for Hong Kong’s 7.5 million residents.
The streets were quieter than usual because many Hong Kong residents were taking time off work to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which had begun the night before. As we entered the harbor early that morning, I could still smell the lingering scent of fireworks from the previous night’s celebrations. I’m guessing the folks who were celebrating were now sleeping in.
It was quiet on the water as our boat slowly circled the shoreline, even passing by our cruise ship. Eventually we docked near the large Ferris wheel and headed back to Bus #2.
For lunch we ate with a large group of other tourists. We sat at a round table that seated ten or twelve people. One couple at our table was from north of Seattle, Washington. We were served local-style food. Some of it was new to us, although we did recognize the rice. Everything was quite good, including the jasmine tea. Eric had to sit at a different table because there was no room at ours, but he said he enjoyed the food as well.
After lunch we were bused back to the harbor, where we were treated to a ride on a sampan—a small boat traditionally used by fishermen and now often used for tourists. It was a simple boat with bench seating and a homemade canopy made from tarps to keep the rain off on a day like today. It was a fun ride.
As we moved along the harbor, we passed large luxury yachts owned by the wealthy, sitting on the same water as small houseboats where fishermen lived. It was an interesting contrast—the rich and the poor sharing the same harbor.
From there we rode the bus up a mountain overlooking the city. Along the way we stopped at a local market where we could shop for souvenirs. Ron tripped on a rock and banged himself up a bit, so he and Nancy sat on a bench while the rest of us wandered in and out of the small souvenir shops.
Back on the bus, we continued our trip to the top of the mountain, where we took photos, did a little more shopping, and then rode a tram down the mountain to meet our waiting bus. That was a lot of fun.
The day went by quickly. The driver dropped us off at the ship and we headed inside. As I pulled on my lanyard to show my Princess Medallion to re-enter the Diamond Princess, I discovered the lanyard was empty. Somewhere in Hong Kong I had lost my Medallion!
I had to wait around and prove that I was supposed to be on the ship. Immigration also required proof that I was who I said I was. After a while, two crew members from the ship escorted me past Immigration and issued me a new Medallion.
Soon I was back in our stateroom and ready for dinner.
Next stop—Taiwan. Tomorrow would be another day at sea. The wind is picking up and rocking the ship a bit. It feels a little like being in an airplane during turbulence.
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