The Final Day

Overnight there was the most amazing electrical storm, and I woke to a very wet view from my hotel window.

Pierre and I discussed going to Lantau Island to visit the Big Buddha, but the thought of climbing 268 steps in the pouring rain was less than appealing.

At breakfast we decided to give it a miss - now I have a reason to come back - and plumped for a return visit to the Ladies' Market, this time armed with our new info about the showrooms. John M appeared and told us we had a late checkout at the hotel...not till 5pm which was a huge result.

Met Pierre in reception an hour later and off we went first of all to change up our wages. It was really throwing it down, my poor umbrella was really getting road tested! I kept back some of my HK Dollars for shoping and changed the rest into sterling, so I wouldn't blow the lot!

In the market we were soon enticed up some back stairs to a locked room. The door was opened and it really was an Aladdin's Cave! Every kind of 'designer' handbag a gal could wish for! Added to that was a fantastic selection of watches and wallets and gawd knows what. The initial feeling was one of relief at just being out of the relentless rain, then it was euphoria as I picked up a silver Louis Vuitton wallet, a Dior Gaucho handbag, a sweet little Chloe one and a black Chanel watch. I was like a shark in a feeding frenzy! The whole thing took me no more than 10 minutes and that included the bartering! I was pleased with the price I paid for it all, tho I'm sure I coulda got it cheaper. This way me and my new friend were both happy.

Pierre got himself all watched up too, then he went off to meet the two Johns who were going computer shopping in Wan Chai, but not before he bought himself an entire new outfit cos his original one was soaking wet. The sight of him stripping off completely behind a Paul Frank Julius towel in the middle of the market and the noise of the girl holding the towel giggling hysterically are two things that'll stay with me forever!

It was getting on for 3pm and by now my white top was soooooo wet I coulda entered an over 40's wet t-shirt competition, not to mention the bizarre brown stains appearing on it where my Johnsons Holiday Skin had washed off in the rain, so I gave the computers a miss and headed back to the hotel to dry off and get ready for the flight home.

Luckily I had one top left so after another shower, I got re-dressed and did my best to dry my trainers with the hairdryer. Then came the time I'd been dreading, I had to somehow get everything I'd bought into my case!

Got it all in easily enough, but when it came time to close it, there was no way. It ended up with me straddling the damn thing and bouncing up and down while at the same time trying to get the locks to catch. Twenty minutes later it was done.

John M took us to the City Check-In, which meant we didn't have to schlepp our cases around. When we asked about the upgrades we were told that it was a very full flight and there were no guarantees. She then asked us for a pecking order should one seat become available, and both the boys said to her to give it to me! I was soooo touched! And relieved.

We walked round to the pier to take the Star Ferry to Kowloon, John was taking us to the Temple St Night Market before we went off to the airport. Here's the Pier and the views from the ferry:






The market was fabulous! Apart from the stalls selling all kinds of weird and wonderful things, there were fortune tellers, food stalls, everything! I got my fortune told by a bird! A feathered one not the dolly kind. Aparently I am going to have a good life and if I get sick I must remember to see a Professional Doctor rather than a some bloke down the pub.

We sat and had a beer in the middle of it all before it was time to catch the super fast train to the airport.

Once again we had invites to the lounge, so had dinner there before boarding. It was yummy!

At the very last minute, one Premium Economy seat was found and true to their word the boys let me have it gawd bless them!

During the flight, in between the endless movies I watched back to back I reflected on this trip. I am one of the luckiest people in the world you know. Getting this trip in the first place was amazing, everything about it, the hotel, the gigs, everyone we met were all wonderful, but most of all John Fothergill and Pierre Hollins are two of the most incredible people to go away with. They're great company, there was no clashes of ego, no wrong words and no pressure of any kind. Faaaaaaabulous!