HongKongpartII(thejourneyto)

So, if you read the last post, you have all the details. I had a few drinks at Bo-Bo's, went home, packed enough for a night or two, about two bags( I always overpack!) Winston bought a nice nike bag over. I had a slight hangover. That's something strange about me, I have only flew a few times in my life, but I always have a hangover when i do... I am somewhat afraid of flying, and i guess i subconsciously need to get a bit drunk the night before to deal with it. Anyhoo, I rush out in the morning and head to the office. Ed is there; He is getting tons of good information for me, such as hotels, the address of the Chinese consulate in Hong Kong, locations of Internet cafes, the phone number of the U.S embassy and such. Even though frank assured me that everything would go according to plan,; well, we really weren't sure. I was in China illegally, the government is not known as the most flexible organisation in the world. It was entirely viable at some point that I could be detained. Plus, My phone would not work in Hong Kong; its a network thing, so we were preparing for that. Ed didn't even have to do any of this; he is just a very good guy and my trip would have probably been a huge fucking disaster if it wasn't for him. So anyhoo, we get as much information as possible and then April rushes me off to the airport. before she leaves, she gives me money from the company, as was the deal with frank. Frank also was very cool about this situation and could have been a big dick as some Chinese bosses can be, especially about money. but he was cool. So April insists on taking a bus, even though I would have paid for a cab, because she is "Chinese. The bus takes forever. April was with me in case I ran into any trouble at the airport. At the airport, I check in, pass security without a problem ( well, they took my lighter!), found my gate. Well, the plane was delayed a bit, and I waited about an hour to board. Then we were delayed on the plane for another 40 minutes; not sure why. I read a book of Chinese myths that i had; very brief but fairly interesting. I was a little squished in the seat; but generally good.Finally we took off and I was on my way to Shenghzen.
Th flight was fine; I love flying when i am up the air. I just hate it when I am on the ground.

The flight itself took about 4 hours ( my ass was killing me), but I arrive in shenghzen already behind the scheduled plan. However, I call frank and he tells me that everything will be fine. I get my luggage, and lo and behold, find two men holding a sign saying PATRIC EVON, so I assume that is me.... These two guys, two average looking Chinese working class dudes( who are a bit tough looking despite american stereotypes), don't speak a word of English, but I am used to it. I get a lighter at the airport, we all light up and are soon on our way to the Hong Kong Border, or so i assumed. We drive through heavy chinese traffic( which is fucking insane because there are so many cars and they really don't seem to obey too many traffic laws) for at least an hour. We are in the city of shenghzen at nightfall, and I am exhausted and ready to cross, find my hotel, and crash. Well, we finally stop, but where we stop looks like a shopping area, not a government type building. I tell myself that this is China, what the fuck do I know, but i have my doubts. The one dude leads me on while grabbing a bottle of wine out of the SUV we are in. I am now beggining to really wonder whats going on, but i go along because I have no choice. We go into a restaurant, and up a few floors to a private room. There are seven middle age tough looking chinese dudes in having dinner; My guy gives them a bottle of wine and runs off. They rush me to a seat at the massive table, pour me a glass of wine, give me a cigarette and all stare at me. I , of course, am completely baffled, but having been in China for a while and also being Pat Evon, go with it, as again, i have no choice. The whole scene did sort of remind me of my Decade days...

So, here I am, in a strange city surrounded by Chinese guys that I do not know and don't speak English( and bear in mind my chinese is pretty much nothing), which is not according to any fucking plan that I was told! I have to say, I have had many dinners in China, many high end, but this one was easily to most expensive. Tons of seafood, a huge private room with a Television and a sofa. The dudes kept pouring me wine and giving me cigarettes and talking to me in Chinese. I was sort of pissed at first, but then decided to go with it. The food was pretty exotic, lots of things with eyes and crap, but also obviously very expensive. They drank alot of wine, and the two oldest ones( who reminded me of American mafia types) had a pitcher of Baiju which they pretty much poured shots out of continually( they call baiju wine, but it is more akin to moonshine taste and strength wise) which was pretty fucking impressive. This went on for like a hour and a half! I have to say that despite the language barrier, these guys were amazingly nice to me. It was a really great dinner, but I was pretty confused. Finally, i call ed, ed calls Jonah, Jonah calls Frank, Frank calls Jonah, Jonah calls Ed, Ed calls me( china!). It turns out that this was planned, that I was to cross the border at 9:30! i think i may of slightly insulted my hosts by calling Frank, but I think I would have been more appreciative if someone had would have fucking told me what was going on! Anyhoo, soon after that, two of the guys usher me on with them and we get in a car and part way with the other Chinese greats. They were good guys, I hope they didn't think I was a dick... Anyhoo, So again, driving around the city. This city is more sprawling and less beautiful than Dalian, but to be fair, I did not see much of it. So after about 30 to 45 minutes of driving, we stop again. Well, actually the dude tries to park, but backs into a parked bus! Remember, these guys had a good bit of wine at dinner! He pulls up a bit, some Chinese guy comes out of nowhere and yells at him, he yells back, more yelling, than we pull into a area that i think is Customs and all seems to be forgotten! We go up to yet another middle age Chinese dude ( with a middle age Chinese lady and a younger dude). The driver runs off and I am left there as the other guy i came with speaks Chinese to the new people. Then, after awhile, the driver comes back with a load of cash( god knows this entire operation reeked of shadyness!), gives it to the new people, and my guys dive off. I think we are going into the building, but I am wrong yet again! We get into another SUV! The younger dude drives and doesn't say a word; the middle age dude and his wife talk. She is real rough and doesn't shut up. I think she was berating the middle age dude( I think she was his wife) but who knows. They speak some very basic English to me and we are off through the city again. At this point, I am like fuck it, enjoy the adventure. Being in China, sometimes you really have no choice but to go with the flow and enjoy things for what they are. It seems weird to Americans, but this attitude has often been absolutely fucking necessary. So we drive for about a half hour and arrive at a building that I pray is the border. It is...

Now, we get into the border, the dude leading me. He goes to a office and disappears. A official comes out with him and we go through customs. Then, they take me to a little closed off area,right in the middle of everything, and put me into a little glass room. It says further interrogation, and I worry, but I also have faith it will all work out. I sit there for about 20 minutes( they did give me hot tea in little plastic dixie cups) until a Chinese guy comes and makes me sign a shitload of forms. He informs me that I have violated my Visa and am being fined for 5000 yuan! I freak a little, but again, have faith in Frank( turns out that he did have it covered, the crafty devil). Then, I am free to go, i say goodbye to my dude and go through the border. I get outside and it's a bus tation. Our plans were for me to get out at a place where their would be a train station that would take me right into Hong Kong Island. Of course, Frank's people took me to the OTHER border( which ed and I did not know about). I recognized the name Wan Chai on one of the busses, and after calling Ed, I bought a ticket and got on. We drove for ten minutes and they let us all off! Now, i have now clue what to do but to follow everyone. It turns out, we are at the official Hong Kong border. I get through customs easily( thank you, American passport) an get on another bus. I hope to god that it takes me to where I am supposed to go, because I really have no clue. So we drive for about another 40-60 minutes. finally, we get into the city. I have no clue where the fuck I am. The bus makes a few stops and after awhile, I decide to get off. I get off an look around. It turns out, that I am on hennessy (yes) avenue, right where I wanted to be! This was blind luck! I walk around for awhile and I find one of the hotels that Ed and I had looked at. It looks very upscale, but its the only one that I know of. Its after midnight, the money changing places are all closed( and there are a shitload of them in Hong Kong) so I only have Yaun, and I am beyond exhausted. I take a room ( it was fairly expensive) check into my room, take my first bath in a bout a year( i do shower everyday), and then pass the fuck out...

Tomorrow( or in a few days): Hong kong, i fucking promise...