Wan Chai Gap

Today is our last morning in Hong and to be honest it was good fun. For breakfast we went to a cafe recommended by Tammy. Tammy sent us a list of things we had to try so we just ordered one of each! It was really popular with locals and to be honest the food was a bit odd. We ordered macaroni and ham soup, fried eggs and toast drowned in peanut butter and condensed milk. In addition we ordered the tea and coffee, that is tea And coffee in the same drink... Absolutely stuffed we then headed to Wan Chai Market which is a big wet market but also famous for being in Deus Ex, one of Will's childhood games.

As we were going to be on a flight for the majority of the day we decided we had to get our steps done before, we don't want to break our 28 day streak, so we wandered around and decided to walk to a local jade market on a hunt for a gift. When we got there we found exactly what we wanted but definitely not at the price we needed it! Luckily with our pretty good haggling skills we got it for the exact amount!

With time now ticking till our flight and our steps complete we ran back to the flat, showered, packed, grabbed a quick Mc Donalds (seriously when it's only £2 for a burger and fries you can't really say no!) and then jumped on the bus to the airport.

Our next flight is to NYC! Now I hear you say, are they crazy?! Why on earth are they going there. Well it's one of Will's close friends from High School, Simon, wedding. We are super excited to be able to go and to have been able to find the perfect flights. However, here is more detail about the flights we are about to embark on. Our flight from Hong Kong is at 5:30pm which is 3 hours 45mins. We then have a transfer in Beijing of 1 hour 15 min. Our flight departs Beijing at 10:30pm local time and arrives at JFK 16 hours later around midnight. On the surface, although ridiculously long, the timings seem OK. BUT... this is assuming that all flights are on time and there is no delay,which obviously there was.

Our flight to Beijing was an hour delayed and was able to make up 15 mins, giving us 30 mins to transfer. We mentioned it to the airhostess and she looked at us very troubled. Before the plane landed she moved us to the very front so that we could run!

We were making OK time and could see our gate, however in front of that was immigration and security with a huge line. Luckily we realised we were not alone and there were actually quite a few people doing the same including first class passengers who were also being escorted. We met a lovely lady in the line who was a local and she kept us sane. It took us 20 mins to get through so we ran for our lives to the gate. The lovely lady we met in the line waited for us half way to make sure we didn't get lost finding the gate and made it just in time!! Another moment when I am so glad our bags are pretty light! Let's just say this is not how i wanted to prepare for a 16 hour flight, but gosh I'm glad we made it in time.

The next 16 hours were very uncomfortable. Between Hong Kong and NYC there is a 12 hour time difference. Even thought we set off at 5pm on Saturday 20th (5am NYC) and the flights took 20 hours we still landed on the same day! We try and avoid jet lag as much as we can and therefore set our clocks according to the new timezone, sleep when would be a normal time and eat when a normal time. This meant that technically I shouldn't sleep until maybe the last couple of hours and that I basically have a whole day's of food to eat. I was screwed. I felt horrifically groggy the whole flight and at one point gave up and tried to sleep. I couldn't. I tried to watch films and read to try and send me to sleep and I wasn't reading or sleeping I was just in some weird trance. It was awful. Luckily in the last 2 hours I was able to nap twice for about 20 mins, which really helped.

When as arrived in NYC it felt like we were both on drugs we were both so giddy waiting in the immigration line haha For once it actually didn't take that long as we had been before and we're able to use their machines. Well that's what we thought... I was able to go straight through with no problems at all but for some reason we were split up and Will had to go to a different line and he took forever. While waiting on the side I was listening in In to the various immigration officers and they were brutal. There was one old couple of Asian origin and from what I overheard they were citizens of the US. The officer was going ballistic at them and yelling in their faces repeatedly "Just because you're a US citizen I don't have to let you in". They looked terrified and from what I overheard they didn't actually do anything wrong, but they were being interrogated for going to Hong Kong. I watched sooo many people of Asian and Indian origin being taken individually by security guards. Not a single white person was taken. It was really awful and why I could never live in this country. Eventually Will got through and said he had the horrid lady and she just kept yelling at him too. It was now 1am and we got to our friends flat at about 3am. We are so lucky to have friends in in so many different countries! Unfortunately our friends Luke and Ines aren't actually there but fortunately we are able to stay here while they are on holiday.

And wow what an apartment, its just next to Central Park and it is super super swish!! I think we are the luckiest people in the world 😊 Safe and sound we went straight to bed.Read more