Hong Kong Part I

I Greet You from Tomorrow!

Since I crossed the international dateline it's late Tuesday afternoon here.  I have actually been to Hong Kong before only it was fifty years ago back in the days of the Cold War when the United States was trying to pretend the Peoples Republic of China did not exist.  If Americans bought something we had to get a certificate of origin guaranteeing that the product was Not Commie.
I had an early flight on Cathay Pacific, and my pick up was hideously early--4:00am!  The sole advantage to that is that I rode in a car, not a van, and the freeways were clear so it was a quick trip.
But that early? The check in desk had just opened, but TSA would not open for another hour and a half.  Thinking of grabbing coffee or a snack?  Ha ha!  All the places are closed.
Fortunately I had my loaded and charged kindle, so I was able to occupy myself. Everything went smoothly.  The only hitch is that the flight left an hour late although we arrived on time.
Los Angeles to Hong Kong is definitely Long Haul.  I was in Premium Economy, so I had nice leg room and a comfortable seat. I also liked the nice pillow and thick blanket.  I get cold on planes.  The ear phones were also nice and helped with the noise. I dozed a little, but I didn't really sleep, so I have some major jet lag.
I had Chinese food. For breakfast there were rice noodles and vegetables, and I had Kung Pao Chicken for dinner.  It was pretty good.  Cathy Pacific is based out of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong still uses UK style adaptors for devices, so I packed mine in carry on and kept my kindle charged.
When I got here I sought out currency exchange.  I hate changing currency at the airport because there might be a commission or the exchange rate is lousy.  When I got to Europe I always have a supply of pounds or euros from a previous trip--enough to get me from the airport to my apartment,  and then I can seek out my bank's partner for an ATM.  I meant to exchange my currency at LAX, but of course everything was closed, so I did it here.  I brought U.S. cash, and now I am the proud possessor of New Zealand currency!  It's pretty, too!  It has New Zealand and then the increasingly widely-used Maori name--Aotearoa.  The notes are different colors, and one side features different native birds, so way cool.
I also walked around quite a bit, which did me good and allowed me to scout out the stores here. When I come back, I will unleash my credit card, and bring back some tea and maybe other treats.
This was just the first leg of my journey.  I'm facing another long flight to Auckland, so when I next post, it will be from the Southern Hemisphere!