We decided that, as nothing seemed to be happening as regards the trip to Kathmandu, it was about time we got something moving. Val had gotten into a conversation with a NZ girl in the kitchen the other day, regarding taking stuff, only the group that she worked for used a different method, ie shoving the same amount of gold up the arse. One might not think it possible to put one and a half kgs of gold up one’s arse, but apparently it is. I imagine I would be shitting bricks at the prospect, but if the trip I have semi-arranged doesn’t come off (and I’ve heard nothing) then perhaps this would be worth considering. So Val went down to the 13th fl to see if she could find this contact, while I went down to see G to see what progress was being made – I had lost his phone no. Which was just as well, as it turned out, since he had completely forgotten me, + my name wasn’t down on any of his lists. He had forgotten me so much, in fact, that he was mighty suspicious – how did I know him etc – + I had to furnish details of our previous meeting in order to mollify him. Tricky, since I’d forgotten the name of the guy who had brought me along. Anyway, my explanation seemed to satisfy him, but he asked to see my passport, so I had to rush back upstairs to collect it. While I was doing it, I grabbed Val’s as well, on the off chance she might be able to be fitted in. It was as well that I did, for after an apparently heated discussion between G and his brother F, it was arranged that we could go this coming weekend. It is not their policy to send more than one person on any particular flight, but I was able to make bookings for us, me for Sat, Val for Sun. Verey good news. Not only twice the money, but I wouldn’t have to come rushing back – we could stay + enjoy the place.
So, with that arranged, we both went straight over to Lion’s to sort out our visas for Taiwan – it’s a busy schedule that we international smugglers operate to, y’know, We had to go with Lion + another guy over to Hong Kong side to apply – no hassle because we went by tube + they paid. The only annoying thing was that if we’d had time to think about it, we would have taken some guide maps over with us. The visa application involved nothing at all – we simply filled out a form, + handed it over with the money (which we’d already been supplied with) at a particular counter – whether the guy there had been paid off or not I had no idea. And then, back outside the office, we handed over our receipts to Lion, who would collect our visas for us later.
Despite being without maps or anything, we decided to stay over there + explore for a while, so headed over to Causeway Bay on a tram. (Splendid contraptions – why so many cities which used to have them tore them up in the name of progress is quite beyond me.) We felt the lack of instructions once we’d arrived there, tho’, since we wandered rather aimlessly thro’ dull streets, only discovering more interesting parts when we were already fatigued with the enterprise.
Back in Kowloon, I bought a pair of trousers from a cheap shop at the bottom of Chungking. A rough + ready place. They have hundreds of pairs of trousers stacked up, jumble-sale style, outside the shop, all at $20 (or about £2), but she won’t allow anyone to try any on, so once I’d found a pair that were vaguely smart (we IS’s have to look the part, you know), + looked as if they might fit me, I took a deep breath, + handed over the danegeldt. I was dead lucky, for when I got upstairs + tried them, they fitted very well indeed.
In the evening, we invited Peter, our fellow-traveller to Taiwan tomorrow, + an English bloke called Julian, out for a drink. Peter suggested the Blacksmith’s Arms, so that was where we went – an amazingly English place, the closest thing we’ve seen to a pub in 3 years. We had a fine evening, + I got a little drunk. Peter was a bit boring – he would keep going on about how much he was looking forward to tomorrow, but Julian was surprisingly interesting – I’d considered him quite a boring little chap, but he had quite a bit to say about Nepal, some interesting observations on England. An educated drop-out, in fact – a history + philosophy degree from a Scottish university, + now he’s working 4 days a week in a record + tape exchange.
And now we have two trips in prospect, all in something of a heady rush. But managing to combine making arrangements for same with some sight-seeing and socialising. But I do have the feeling that we are wasting time; HK is rather too English in many ways; why spend time in a local mock-up of an English pub when we could be enjoying the real thing. And getting our lives moving again.
