Macau-HK Day 1

I flew Airasia flight AK6400 from KK to Macau on 4/12/09...we departed at 250pm and i think i dozed off a few times before we landed at Macau International airport at 550pm...practically snailed through immigration and custom...and i thought Chinese people work very fast...once i was out, i went to the info counter to ask for direction to the ferry terminal to HK...there was no signboard or anything...the info counter guy asked me to walk out via the exit then go straight and turn right...saw a guy carrying a sign that read "free shuttle to City of Dreams" and he gave the same directions...

So i walked out and saw a small signboard that probably read "Taipa ferry terminal" in Portuguese (just a wild guess)...so was walking along this small alley and noticed a guy walking behind me...i guess he kind of realized i was lost so he asked me where i was going..i told him i wanted to go to the ferry terminal...was using Cantonese but didn't know the Chinese term for 'ferry terminal' so i said that in English..i think i lost the guy there...so i had to tell him "chor shuen" i.e. take boat...then only he understood me...

Incidentally, he was going that way so he walked me there...thank God for kind Macau people...i found out that he works in the airport...and he was telling me i should go to the Venetian to check out the place when i return to Macau from HK...after about 10 mins walked, we reached the ferry terminal...so i thanked Ah Tat (that was the guy's name) and we both went our ways...really, if he hadn't guide me to the ferry terminal, i probably wouldn't have found it...

So i bought a ticket for the Cotaijet leaving for HK terminal at 630pm...cost HKD176...quickly boarded the ferry and found my seat...the journey lasted about 1hr 15 mins....took quite a while to get through immigration...once i was out, i realized i was in this huge multi-storey building...so asked for direction to Island Pacific Hotel...the girl i asked told me that apparently there was no public bus that heads there...i was wondering to myself if the hotel was really secluded and all...so i walked a good 15 mins along Connaught Road West and finally reached the hotel...not too secluded...but quiet..which was good...

I checked-in and they upgraded me to a superior deluxe room or something...my room was 2115 and the hotel had 23 floors....the room was quite ok...not the biggest room i've ever stayed...but had a king-sized bed, nice bathroom and all...well, it had better be acceptable since i paid RM413 + tax per night for that room...

The HK East Asia Games 2009 was starting the next day (5/12/09) so many of the delegates were staying in that hotel...while i was going down to hunt for dinner, was in the lift with some Mongolian and Guam (is Guam in Asia?) jocks....asked the bell boy for places to eat and he directed me to the road behind the hotel...walked into a shop which sells noodles and rice...tried reading the menu but decided that deciphering Chinese writings with a hungry stomach wasn't the best idea...ended up asking the waitress what they sold and ordered wantan noodles...

There was a Mannings (HK's equivalent of our Guardian) opposite the hotel but it was closed...it was passed 9pm already...so walked further down and found a 7-11...bought 2 bottles of water coz i was dying of thirst...came back to the hotel room, realized that my mobile had limited service...dang!! good thing i messaged Dad earlier...tried to sleep on my nice king-sized bed but i couldn't really sleep whole night....not that the area was noisy..i guess i always had problem sleeping on strange beds unless i'm super tired...