Princess World Tour - The Tour Begins

Hi everyone, this is our continuation of the "Princess Tour" and we are now off on the "Princess World Tour".

Thursday 24th April 2008 - Day 1

We rose early for Chelsea and Pete to drive us to the airport in time for our 10:45am flight to Hong Kong at the beginning of our 11 week adventure through China, Mongolia, Russia, Chez Republic, Slovenia, Rome and the Mediterranean then onto the British Isles where we will see some of the countryside, Lords and Wimbledon before our return home via Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.

After a very pleasant 8 1/2 hour flight in Qantas Business Class we landed into busy Hong Kong. I was so relaxed I had to re-watch the movie 3 times as I kept falling asleep. Nick had problems as there were so many buttons and gadgets everytime he pressed a button to watch the movie his seat reclined into a sleeping position. He gave up in the end and was just content to read his book.

Hong Kong was noticeably busier than I had remembered and the smog was horrendous. There were many new skyscrapers, main roads and highways but at least it wasn't as busy as Bangkok!!!

We checked into the Royal Plaza Hotel a middle of the road hotel, a bit tired but in a great position.

Time difference is 2 hours so we were happy to have showers and go to bed. I text messaged our friends Jan and Barrie (Billett) from the Gold Coast who are also doing this trip with us. They have also just arrived at the hotel but are keen to go to bed and we arrange to meet for breakfast the next morning.

Friday 25th April 2008 - Day 2

We wake early (at 6am) although our body clocks are still on Sydney time and it is rather late at 8am. Again we notice the thick smog outside our window. We meet Jan and Barrie at breakfast as arranged and we begin to plan our day.

There is a huge shopping mall adjoining our Hotel (like one of the many shopping malls in Australia) with lots of modern designer shops and noticeably not much cheaper than home. Unfortunately this is what we have experienced in so many places and it is difficult to find the real "Hong Kong" with little backstreets and stalls where you could always pick up a bargain.

We take a taxi to Wan Chai a small suburb where Jan and Barrie know of a shop which does optometry as they both need new glasses. It is very interesting seeing the hustle and busle of the city on the way and eventually we find the shop. 2 hours later they have ordered their glasses and are happy to come back in 2 days time to pick them up. 5 pairs altogether - prescription for golf, violin, reading, sun and general. The cost for the lot was just under Aus$2000-00 less then 1/2 for what you would get them for in Australia.

By the time we got back to the hotel it was time to leave for Lamma Island. An island about an hour from the mainland only accessable by ferry where they have the freshest seafood in all of China. So off we headed.

People come from all over the world to Sok Kwu Wan's plethora of terraced restaurants raised on stilts above the bay. Fresh chilli crab, lobster, garlic prawns, squid and steamed fish with ginger and and spring onions are all delicious and very popular and our journey there was a little challenging to say the least but once there well worth it.

The journey home was not quite so daunting and were safely back at the hotel and in bed by 11pm.

Saturday 26th April 2008 - Day 3

We had planned a huge day today to Macau. So we headed out early after Nick and I swam 40 laps of the Hotel indoor pool. Our bodies were already aching from so much walking the day before so felt a good swim would loosen the muscles.

After breakfast we caught the hotel shuttle bus to the wharf where we showed our passports, cleared immigration and boarded the ferry for the 1 hour 15 minute trip to Macau. Macau is the new Las Vegas and when we arrived it was amazing to see these huge buildings which are Casinos.

We spotted a shuttle bus which was heading toward the Venetian Casino and hotel so we boarded it and took the 20 minute ride to the Casino. The streets were clean, the gardens were lovely and a lot of the buildings were new. The Venetian was also huge but absolutely gorgeous once inside.

Once inside we felt as though we were in an Italian Piazza. The photos we have can only describe what it was like and we spent about 2 hours just wandering 'the streets' inside this big building. We decided to do a gondola ride complete with an Italian singer named D'Marco who serenaded us. It was a highlight of our day. We then found a great little restaurant called '3 Monkeys' (See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil) where we spent a few hours having fun, eating, drinking and generally watching the passing parade of acts here.

Jan's daughter Nicole had told us to go to the Casino MGM which was 'just 1 block down the road'. About and hour and a half later, complete with calloused and blistered feet we eventually found it. If you have ever been to Las Vegas a block is about 7 kms long - Macau, unbeknown to us is very much the same!

After a very long day we arrived back at the hotel at about 7:30pm ready for a shower and a brandy and a good lie down. Not necessarily in that order!

Sunday 27th April 2008 - Day 4

After a long day yesterday we were keen to sleep in thismorning but felt we needed to loosen up some muscles so decided on a morning swim. We met Barrie using the weights in the Gym so he must have been feeling as we were.

After breakfast we took the shuttle to the Peninsular Hotel then walked to Nathan Road. This is where I have stayed in the past and began to get my bearings. This to me is more the real Hong Kong despite now being a little touristy.

I needed to purchase some small binoculars and Nick wanted a little camera so we found a little shop which sold both. After about an hour I came away with my binoculars, tiny ipod speakers and Nick brought a little (cheap as he insisted) camera which was not a good idea as I will explain later!!!!

After we made our purchases we were looking for somewhere to have a decent coffee so lo and behold we find a McCafe!!! They served the biggest cups of lovely coffee I have ever tasted (good old McDonalds)!!!

We then left Jan and Barrie to pick up their glasses and Nick and I headed back to the hotel - but on the way I brought a good little casio underwater watch.

At 4:30pm Jan and Barrie met us in our hotel room for our afternoon gin and tonic/brandy etc when a knock came at the door. When we opened it there was this young, smiling, fresh faced young man (in his very early 20's) who introduced himself as Kostya, our Russian guide for our trip for the next 22 days from here to Russia. He told us to meet him downstairs in the foyer with our other travellers in 20 minutes.

We hurriedly finished our drinks and went to the allotted meeting place. There we met our fellow travellers - The four of us of course, Norm and Vera from the Central Coast, Col and Kerrie from Jindabyne, Heather and Myles from Shepparton in Victoria, Frank and Joan from Calgary in Canada and Rod and BJ from California (6 months of the year and New Zealand for the other 6 months).

After our initial introductions and formalities we all ventured out to find a restaurant for dinner.

Monday 28th April 2008 - Day 5

After a late night the previous night we found it difficult to rise early so gave our swim a miss. With breakfast finished we checked out of the hotel and met our Local Tour Guide - Rosita. Our first stop for sightseeing was Victoria Harbour then the peak. Unfortunately, there was so much smog we weren't able to view it from the top but found a spot where a lot of the city was visible. I purchased a post card of the same view and will compare it with the same postcard I brought 36 years ago when I was first here. I'm sure there will be a huge difference.

We went on to board a chinese junk and view Aberdeen where originally this is where 1000's of the boat people lived. Today the junks are being replaced by million dollar cruisers as our guide told us there is so much money now in Hong Kong that people don't know what to spend it all on!!! What a lovely problem I say.

Our next stop was the Jumbo Floating Restaurant where we enjoyed a traditional Chinese meal before heading to Deep Water and Repulse Bay and Stanley Markets. The markets now are not what they used to be - much cleaner and more expensive! We were happy to wander and buy ice cream to eat before heading back to our coach before we were taken to the airport in time for our flight to Xian (pron. Cheean) in the early evening.

Tuesday 29th April - Day 6

Nick's Birthday today so after wishing him a happy birthday (and reading text messages from Jan and Alan) it is also her birthday so she never forgets his birthday we meet for breakfast. Our Local guide in Xian is Nancy - a delightful young lady who speaks very good English.

Xian is the beginning of "The Silk Road" which ends in the fashion capital of Paris.

Our first stop is one of China's greatest historical sites the 3,000 year old tomb of Qin Shiuang, unifier of China and founder of the Qin Dynasty (221 - 206BC) Surrounding his tomb is the extraordinary buried army of some 6,000 life sized pottery figures - soldiers, horses, chariots and weapons - The Terra Cotta Army. The first of the figures were found in 1974 while farmers were digging a well.

From here we were taken to a Chinese Tea House where we were shown a traditional Tea Ceremony and it was interesting to see how many different tea are beneficial to our health and wellbeing.

After another traditional Chinese lunch we went back to the city where we viewed "the wall". Xian is a walled city surrounded by a moat and some of the people in our group decided to walk the 13kms or bike ride (although many of the bikes were in need of repair) around the perimeter.

Nick and I opted to go back to the hotel for a few laps of the pool before we met at 7pm to go for a traditional dumpling meal.

I have never seen so many combination of steamed dumplings. I certainly makes the ones we get at home very ordinary and if you ever get the chance to sample the huge variety the is on offer we thorought recommend it.

I had mentioned discreetly to Kostya that it was Nick's birthday (he made me promise not to make a fuss)!! so he organised a birthday cake, candles and sparklers for a small celebration within our group. It was a lovely surprise for him and as the cake was huge we left it to the chinese staff to enjoy and by the look of their faces they also enjoyed it.

After a nightcap of Baileys with Jan and Barrie we were home in bed by 10:30pm.

Wednesday 30th April 2008 - Day 7

Today we continue our sightseeing and explore Xian. We visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Great Mosque and Muslim Quarter and the Shaanxi Provincial Museum. It is another huge day and many in the group are beginning to feel the pace. It would be nice to have some free time to do some exploring ourselves but as we don't speak the language it makes it hard to break away from our guide.

One of the couples Col and Kerrie from Jindabyne are having problems as Kerrie is an asthmatic and the smog is interfering with her medication in that she is taking so much medication to combat the asthma she is so stimulated at night that she is not sleeping - in the morning she is exhausted so is needing to find a remedy.

Thursday 1st May 2008 - Day 8

Early am start as we have to be at the airport and catch our flight to Beijing. After completing customs and immigration formalities we board our flight and arrive into Beijing mid morning. The smog is even worse here than in Hong Kong and Xian and they say its because of all the cars here.

After checking into our Hotel we meet our Local Guide Garry - first male guide. He is not quite so easy to understand as the female guides but nevertheless, its still better than trying to do it all on our own.

First stop is Tiananmen Square. It is bigger than I had ever imagined and as today is "May Day Public Holiday" there must be close to 1 million people in the square. It is so funny as we must be a 'tourist attraction' to the Chinese people as all in our group have at one time or another been singled out to have our photos taken with their children, grandparents etc.

We must have walked for at least 2 kms from one end of the square to the other and the entrance to the Forbidden City. Getting around here is also much harder as you are trying to duck in and out of the crowds while also jumping over the uneven pavers on the sidewalk. How people ever get around this city is beyond me but at least we can say we have been here.

Whilst Chinese history is very interesting ie the Imperial Palace from which the Emperors of the different Dynasties governed China for 1000's of years the Chinese are passionate and the guide's get a bit carried away and leave us Westerners a little bored. I guess it would be like our guides informing Chinese tourists about our history of the first settlement etc.

A lot of the people in our group are finding it a bit 'too much information' and wanting to do some exploring on their own.

Consequently, I opt out of the group dinner thisevening to a traditional Peking Duck meal and elect to have a hot bath, room service and an early night. "BLISS"!!!

Friday 2nd May 2008 - Day 9

Today we leave early to make our way out to the Great Wall of China. The traffic here in this city is horrendous and that is putting it mildly!! My brother David told me when he visited India it is a wonder they ever survive the traffic. I feel this is much the same, everyone has the right of way, they just toot their horns. They say the 2 things you don't trust in Beijing is (1) the zebra crossings and (2) the Government!!! I believe it. There is so much work to be done here in time for the Olympics on 8/8/08 it will be amazing if they ever get it all finished. They will have to shut down the city (as we did for Apec) I think.

I'm so glad we left early as it's almost 12 midday and we are only just arriving at the Wall. It was funny to hear the Australians telling the Canadians and Americans in our group about the reason the Wall was built - In the era of Emperor Nazi Goreng to keep the rabbits out. It caused a huge stir amongst everyone and everyone was forever watching out for 'rabbits'!

The crowds here were enormous - 3 times as many as in Tiananemen Square. Our friends Dieter and Pauline who were here a few months ago said exactly the same thing. The crowds really make it a bit unpleasant and despite walking on the wall it was most uncomfortable to do any distance. Anyway, we have photos to prove 'we did it' and can cross that off the list. Jan and
Barrie said they were here 20 years ago and it was far more pleasant. They are a bit disappointed this time as they feel, like everything, marketing is taking over as the cost of entry into all these things can add up to a small fortune.

Nick is having trouble with his camera as firstly we were unable to buy an adaptor for the power socket. The hotel was unable to provide the right sort then Barrie and Jan went down the road and purchased an adaptor (paid $10-00) for one and when they got it back to the hotel and plugged it in it did not work. We eventually found the right adaptor and was able to charge his battery but then when it was charged the memory card showed 'full'. Being a cheap camera is was sold with 'no memory' chip so he brought another chip at the shop at 'The Wall'. When he got it appeared to have no memory on it at all. Kostya is going to check it on his computer and in the meantime lend him a chip. As the saying goes you get what you pay for.

Consequently, I accidentally dropped my good little camera which I purchased about 12 months ago on the advice of David (my brother) who is an expert in photography and computers. He advised me to get this little Fujifilm Finepix camera and it has been fantastic. Unfortunately, when I dropped it I did a huge amount of damage to it so thought it easier to buy another one the same. I was able to retrieve my memory card and brought a new updated verions ($200-00 less than what I got my damaged one for 12 months ago and it is a much better camera)! Nick is sorry he didn't pay that little bit extra and get one like mine.

This evening we went off to dinner to another traditional Chinese Restaurant for dinner then came home and was in bed at 10pm.

We are having a relaxing day today, catching up on emails, washing, repacking etc ready for our early morning (4am start) flight to Mongolia. So, until next time.

xx Wendy & Nick