Hong Kong {Day 1}

Visa
Day One in Hong Kong started with an application for a Chinese Visa from the The Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry on the 7th Floor of the China Resources Building on Harbor Road in Wanchai. Service was fast an abrasive, it only took 30 mins all up on a Tuesday morning. You will need to make sure all your paperwork is filled out correctly and have your passport photo ready. For first time visa applicants, you will only be allowed a 30 day single/double entry visa maximum, no if's, no but's, no exceptions. The normal processing time is four days, so Sauce's Visa should be ready by Friday.

Shopping 

Make sure you have got your walking shoes on, because you will be doing a lot of it. There's lots to see and do, sights, sounds and smells. Good and bad things assailing the senses. Times Square was nice to look at but way out of price for anyone who doesn't have a spare million dollars in their pocket. Although Sauce and Mustard did manage to get some good photos at the Ken and Barbie exhibit.

Fa Yuen St 旺角花園街 is extremely packed and busy, bumper to bumper, shoulder to shoulder with other tourist and local shoppers alike. Literally hundreds of stalls, all selling the same stuff, from "branded" watches, wallets and handbags to all other sorts of tourist gimmicks, souvenirs and clothing. Overall, very cool for people who don't get much exposure to the markets. Lunchtime consisted of small snack breaks throughout the day of famous Hong Kong street food, like fish balls on a stick and smelly tofu, smells bad and taste kind of funny, but don't knock it before you try it.

Langham Place 朗豪坊, a 14 floor mall with cool views and cool shops. Sauce and Mustard got to meet Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel. By 4pm, Sauce and Mustard were spent coupled with jet lag. Dragging their tired feet to the Double Decker buses, they made their way home to a home cooked meal, that turned out to be a banquet feast of roasted quail, paua, pawns, choi sum and beef, hair casserole with dehydrated mussels, mushrooms and roasted pork and a whole steamed fish.

The Flight AKL-> SYD -> HKG

On a dreary Monday morning, (dididiidii... dididiidii) Alarm clock sounding, Sauce and Mustard pulled themselves from their bed at Caramello's home in Mt Roskill. Caramello was paid the sum off a McDonald's Big Breakfast for hosting Sauce and Mustard and being their chauffeur to Auckland airport. Sauce and Mustard made their way eagerly and excitedly to the Check In.

With a three hours long flight, Sauce and Mustard arrived in Sydney Airport for their transfer. Two hours of duty free shopping later, they hopped on the next plane to Hong Kong, with two new pins, a Cantonese phase book, two bottles of over priced water (AUD $5 each) and a nice smelling perfume for Mustard, which still couldn't over power the smell of sweaty Sauce.

Eight hours later, HONG KONG! Sweaty, smelly and disheveled, Sauce and Mustard made their way off the plane. First order of business, get their Octopus Cards to make everyday life in Hong Kong easier. They jumped on the airport bus and headed into Tsuen Wan and were greeted by their family who took them out to dinner at 一品雞煲火鍋 Great Restaurant. By the time dinner was finished, and Sauce and Mustard had made their way home, they were exhausted and jet lagged and in need of a good sleep.

Hot Pot Dinner... Yum...

*Bling Bling*

So long, farwell, good bye... countless goodbyes. Saying goodbye was a lot harder than Sauce and Mustard expected. They will miss all their friends and family. Five more days to go, Sauce and Mustard are still trying to get their life in one sock. Packing up the house wasn't a breeze, with the mover's truck breaking down and turning up with only half of their belongings while leaving the other half behind in Palmerston North. The movers have promised to deliver the rest sometime next week. But that is hardly peace of mind, for Sauce and Mustard would have already left the country.

To help ease the peace of mind, Sauce went out looking for the most precious gift of all, an engagement ring. Something he has been planning for a while. As hard as he tried, Sauce couldn't keep the secret from Mustard. He just couldn't lie to the Mustard he loved. Sauce and Mustard ended up finding a ring together, the most beautiful ring of all. After finding the perfect diamond, Sauce got down on one knee and proposed to Mustard at the jewllers.

Sauce: "You are my forever Mustard, will you let me be your forever Sauce? Will you marry me?"

Mustard: "Yes!"

with trembling hands, Sauce slipped the ring over Mustard's Nozzel and they hugged.

Counting down...

A plan that is six months in the making. It has taken some long, hard discussions for Sauce and Mustard to agree on where to go, when to go, how long to go for and what to do when they get there. A six weeks trip to China turned into two months, then three months, nek minute it was six months backpacking Asia.


Deciding what to take was an arduous experience. Necessities? or Wants? After spending a huge amount of time googling the ultimate backpacker's packing list, Sauce and Mustard hit the shops with furious plastic swiping. While Mustard loved every single minute of the countless hours spent shopping, Sauce was not too impressed having to drag his knukles behind with the weight of the shopping bags.

Mustard's Pack: Macpac Genesis 70 (W2)

Sauce's Pack: Mountain Designs Odyssey 65L

With ten days to go clothes are packed, tickets are printed, packs are personalised and kiwi patches sewn. It is nearly time for these two kiwi squeezy sauce and mustard bottles to take flight. No more waiting at the terminals for them. Good bye to everyone for now.