Planes, Trains and Rickshaws

Sunday, May 30, 2010

This is our last night in Hong Kong and we leave for the States tomorrow!  This has been a trip of a life time and we have been lucky enough to have done it twice.  Once again, we are coming home with the ultimate souvenir, Evan.  I can hardly wait to get this next leg of our adventure done and over with.  We miss our home, friends, family and animals.  I know that I will be doing laundry for a week and probably won't be completely unpacked for at least two.  It will be good to get home and get us on a schedule once again.  We are flying with United and will arrive around 10:40pm on Monday, May 31st from Denver, Colorado.  It will be a long day tomorrow as we will leave Hong Kong around 11:45am and arrive in San Francisco about 8:45am (same day).  We will have a 5 hour lay over in Colorado before flying to Oklahoma City.  I have lots of benadryl and am charging the DVD player and lap top.  Hopefully we will all make it with our sanity in tack.

Our last day in Hong Kong was interesting to say the least.  We took a 45 minute train ride and 15 minute bus ride to our destination, Ocean Park.  I was told that it was like Sea World and I could see that but, Sea World is much better.  This park is built on the side of a mountain and it took us about an hour just to get to the attractions once we got into the park.  We had to take 5 massive escalators up the side of the mountain.  I am certain that it was a beautiful site but was unable to enjoy it because I had to hold Daniel in his stroller.  Brian had Evan.  Once we made it to the top we saw some seal lions and then started heading down the mountain to get some lunch at the McDonald's.  It was a pretty steep walk and after we got the food we walked back up the mountain and found a bench to enjoy our meal (I know I said "enjoy").  It was a cool spot when a heavy rain started.  We gathered up everything and headed for a show.  We stood in
the arena for approximately 20 minutes before they announced the show was "suspended".  One woman yelled "what the hell" and I thought I was back in Oklahoma when I heard that.  The entire arena booed as everyone left.  We headed to the aquarium which turned out to be a bad idea because everyone else went there too.  Inside the exhibit was beautiful but people pushed and shoved us.  People were crammed in like sardines and everyone wanted to see everything at the same time.  Daniel and Evan loved all of the fish, turtles and sting rays.  Brian put Evan on a large ledge close to the aquarium so he could see and got scared when a big fish approached him.  He laughed and clapped when he was excited by what he saw.  When we arrived at the exit, it was pouring rain and people were rushing to put on rain coats and get out their umbrellas.  We didn't have any of these things so we tried to rush past people to find shelter but there were so many
people that it was difficult.  We found another building to explore with the most fascinating Jelly Fishes.  Again people pushed and shoved us.  People who were part of a tour group were the worst, I suppose they didn't want to get separated from the rest so they didn't mind pushing a mother and her child around.  Even at the most crowded of places in China we were never pushed or shoved.  The people in China are also more friendly than they are here. 

After the Jelly house we took a cable car to the other side of the park which is at the bottom of the mountain.  This ride was awesome and so relaxing since it was just the four of us in our own car.  We had fantastic views of the water and the mountain.  We arrived at the other side and found that less people were on this side which was a relief to us.  The rain had stopped so we were able to enjoy some shows and rides.  They had a lot of kid rides that were perfect for Daniel.  Evan rode his first ride with his Daddy on a little train.  This side of the park was flat and that made it easier for us too.  I had no idea how difficult it is to push a stroller up the hill. 

To come home we took a city bus and then the train system.  It is pretty easy but one of the stations requires you to go up 5 floors or down 5 floors to get to your next train.  It doesn't sound too bad but you have to do this one floor at a time.  You go down/up one floor, get out of the elevator (in our case) or escalator and then find the next elevator/escalator and continue this process 4 more times each way.  By our trip home tonight I was about to collapse from exhaustion.  I hope that I have developed some new muscles with this workout.

Evan and Daniel are still getting a long well.  They have little fights but for the most part, Daniel is doing a great job as Big Brother.  Evan was wearing one of Daniel's favorite shirts today and he didn't even say a word.  Daniel shares his snacks with Evan and Evan has even shared some of his with Daniel.  Today when we were stuck in the arena, Evan's was parked in his stroller next to another girl in her stroller.  When Brian handed him a cookie he gave it to the little girl.  She reciprocated with some crackers for Evan. 

Evan is starting to let me hold him a little more each day.  He cries a lot and throws big tantrums when he doesn't get his way but he is also a happy little boy.  He loves to play peek-a-boo and wakes up in a good mood.  I think he and I will bond more when Brian is at work.  Right now he is very dependent on Brian.  Brian is doing an awesome job of caring for Evan.  He has to carry him everywhere and never complains.  You can tell that he is really enjoying having a 'Daddy's Boy' again.

I need to get to bed so I can get up and finish packing in the morning.  I won't have time to blog again until after we get home.  Thank you for following our trip and I hope you have enjoyed reading my entries.  Please remember us in your prayers tonight as we will be traveling while you are sleeping.

God Bless,

Brian, Kirsten, Daniel & Evan