lost in Hong Kong

Johnnie Walker's catch phrase "keep walking", I don't actually quite get that. They are selling liquor and obviously walking is a clear reference to the character whose name probably is Johnnie whose image, inscribed on every liquor box they sell, pictures him wielding a cane but with a sure and confident stride it's beyond me what the cane is for. Perhaps an article to compelement to the elitist look which his top hat gave away? But what's the deal with KEEP? Keep walking? Is that a command or a gerund phrase?

One of the commercials that spawned from the keep walking campaign shows mermaids or mermans swimming swiftly from the ocean to the shallow waters of the beach and nearing the shore, the half-fish half-man creatures develop human legs which is perhaps their take on Charles Darwin's evolution theory and then the slogan KEEP WALKING is flashed on the screen. The liquor moguls are going philosophical on the consumers and in the process they make themselves look chic and pompous certifying themselves to be a must buy! KEEP WALKING sounds like a mantra imbibing a philosophy that suggests reaching your goals or it might be a clever spin of the JUST DO IT slogan of NIKE. Seriously, I think keep walking probably means just do it and go places like go where no man has gone before. I would probably need more than a shot of Johnnie Walker if I were to embrace the virtues I made out of that slogan.

I never was the travel bug. I've lived in the Metro all my life and the farthest I've gone to the north was a one time engagement that brought me to nueva ecija for a 5 day group study for the board exams. The farthest I've gone down south is at Lucena, also a one time thing that happened when we went road tripping from Los Banos Laguna up to where the road led us and it led us to Lucena. If I were a car, I probably would still be in mint condition cause my make period wouldn't do justice to my littlest mileage. But work has its perks and 3 years ago, I was assigned to go to our Factory in China to support a project. It was a long time coming but I was due. Traveling opportunities were aplenty and had I processed my passport earlier, traveling overseas would have much been earlier.

I was informed on a very short notice. In less than a week I hurriedly gathered everything i could possibly need, the essentials. Despite my being a first time traveler, I was scheduled for the day's last flight to hongkong. I was to board the plane 8 pm my eta was 2 hours after. Ive heard stories of how flying can be an unnerving experience and it didnt help that as a kid, i stayed away from high Gravity inducing carnival rides after a less than pleasant experience with the roller coaster.

In no time at all, I found myself at the airport sitting, looking at my reflection at the glass walls of the boarding area and waiting for the pretty lady to give us the cue to board the plane. There i was, a first time flyer bereft of the luxury to prepare set to travel at the dark of knight on top of that it was raining. I boarded the plane on the dot . I was seated a few rows from the main entrance which for an economy class is a premium location as it gets you closest to the exit. That's one consolation I could take solace from. If the plane accidentally crashes due to the inclement weather, somewhere along the south china sea I'll be bobbing and freezing but grateful to have exited first for which I owe our travel agent for the premium seat she had me given.

I was more concerned with what to expect at work than I was with the trip. Statistics was on my favor. Air travel disasters occur far less than does land based-travel. But what the stats don't tell but will knock the ----out of you: the chances of survival in an air disaster is close to nil. It's touch and go. How's that for my comfort level? I was seated at the aisle. I'd rather me sitting at the window though. Being a newbie, I would have really appreciated the sights at an altitude, even if it was dark.

I was always the one who would try to put a good front in situations where I am casted as the newbie. I would act and behave like a seasoned veteran in tight situations or places where as a newbie, it is wholly acceptable I fuck things up. But if I could act the part, I try to pass myself off as someone with smarts because I have this sneaky feeling that anywhere you go to there are opportunists, con artists to be exact, who would prey on the weaklings, the clueless. Such was my mentality throughout the trip since everything was new to me. It was my version of when in Rome, do as the Romans and I was actually excited to see how far my attempts at masquerading would take me

I could still vividly recall the feeling of amazement when I saw the Hong Kong skyline as the plane was descending. As the plane was about to touch the runway and I could clearly see the structures around the airport it finally kicked in that I was no longer at the confines of my home much more my country. It dawned to me that I was a stranger in a strange land. I who only had Nueva Ecija to show for as the farthest I had gone to up north was now about to find my way through Hong Kong relying only on sketchy instructions scribbled on paper which at best was crude. But I really had it that way. I could have sat longer with my officemate and asked some more questions, landmarks, or perhaps browsed the net on how to go about Hong Kong but instead, I stayed at the office a few hours past midnight preparing my materials for the factory support. The one thing that strengthened my resolve was that in the event i screw things up, I could always ask. If I had it my way I'd rather go about the whole trip with minimal assistance with my natural instincts guiding me through just so I could push to the limit how well I could adapt. But I am no fool to discount the power of asking for directions. When lost in Rome, ask the Romans.

I was able to pass myself off as OK for a first time flyer. I conscientiously followed the directions leading me to my exact seat. I availed of whatever my instincts told me was free. drink refills, newspaper, earphones, the disembarkation form. I went to the toilet for the heck of it. I just wanted to walk around the plane while it was slightly inclined but while at it, I figured, might as well try the toilet.

We arrived at HK airport 1030pm. I was a bit anxious realizing it was late and I had to wake up at around 6 am the next day or miss the lone ferry to China.I had no idea how far the airport was to my hotel. I followed the stream of people making their way from our plane to wherever they would go next. There was a huge amount of walking done from the plane up to the next stop which as I soon found out, the immigration area. Along the way were 3 walkalators. I tried the first two and purposely skipped the last one. I don't know how by skipping the last one I would appear to be a "been there done that guy" but I felt that way.

SARS was still a main concern during that time. HK was still picking up the pieces altogether after being one of SARS' hardest hit countries. But with SARS on the wane bird flu quickly supplanted the somewhat morbid need for disease scare news to fill up the broadsheets of HK and neighboring China. I wonder whatever happened to bird flu. It still is projected to potentially rival the worst plagues that have struck humanity but it has somehow gotten less and less newspaper and television time. Well we do hope that that is a good thing and we are all hoping that the projections will amount to nothing more than just that-projections. So having my hands full with both scares, you could just imagine the precaution I took to at least allay my fears. The worst that could happen is that you acquire the disease, you get home, virus takes its time to incubate then it kicks in. So nothing you do can fully disease proof you. The best you could do is really take utmost precautions. I brought with me the larger plastic bottle of alcohol which I guess amounted to a household's month's supply. I also bought a smaller one to use as dispenser for refills so I could easily put it in my pocket. The way I was looking at it doorknobs, handle bars, public interactions, everything but the kitchen sink would necessitate I bring with me quick alcohol every time-all the time. During that time airport security wasn't high on confiscating handcarried liquids which are potential bomb ingredients so even at the plane I had with me my trusted alcohol.

When the walking finally stopped, well cordoned lines finally greeted me. Each of the several cordoned lines led to an immigration officer and the cordon traversed like a maze which is a clever way to save on space not that they needed one since you could practically run a 100m dashful :> of immigration officers seated glumly at their stations poker faced and all. Like I said earlier, I prepared for the essentials. I never thought that ballpen would be an essential. I was so busy preparing for work stuffs and clothes and medicine that I forgot to bring with me a ballpen. However impressive HK airport is compared to the dimly lit and untidy looking old NAIA, I went from one disembarkation form station to another trying to use the parker-like ballpens securely fixed and..... inkless! I didn't know if I was in on a practical joke(as a victim) cause there were very few passengers who were using them or if it was a reminder of what a newbie I was not having brought a ballpen for immigration form filling up purposes. In NAIA I was able to use a panda ballpen which despite not fixed with a string sure was an inkful. I didn't think I would be struggling to find myself one in a grade A airport like HK's but I did. Luckily I found one after going thru a number of it. I took out my alcohol and splashed some on my palms as would be my practice the entire trip. Once I got past immigration and flew by customs since I've nothing to declare I soon was out in the open amongst the throng of people brandishing placards of Mr. Wong, Mr. Wei, and Mr Chinese. The welcoming chauffeurs were aplenty and my cynical mind was quick to remind me to be on guard for the "Supposed" con-artists on the prowl. An important pointer my officemate told me is that upon arrival I should exchange 100USD of my pocket money for 50% HKD and 50% RMB(Chinese money-Yuan). It has kinda become a template procedure for us travelers and I wasn't about to question its validity in my effort to acting the "seasoned traveler" bit.