We did a breakfast of fruit and yogurt while we packed this morning, and we were ready to go by 10 AM. Uncle L stopped by to say farewell “on his way” to his office (it’s really not on his way at all), then we headed out for a little last minute shopping. Unfortunately a lot of shops do not open before 11 AM. Mom soon had to head back to the hotel to meet Aunt R, so I took a quick round through East Tsim Sha Tsui where I previously had not been. We then met Aunt R, her husband, and my cousin at the Holiday Inn’s Austrian restaurant for lunch. This was my cousin’s turn to say goodbye. Lunch was excellent. I had Cajun style salmon with cream of mushroom soup and cheesecake.
Check out time for the hotel was 1 PM, the taxi picked us up at 1:30, and we got to the airport at 2. Mom checked in first since her flight was at 4:30. I wasn’t sure if they’d let me check in 11 hours before my flight, but they did. Unfortunately this is when I got a terrible surprise: when traveling between Europe and Asia, one is allowed only 20 kg of checked luggage in any number of bags. I’d been planning on 2 bags at 20 kg each as it is to North America. This hadn’t been an issue on the way over because I’d packed one bag inside the other so that I’d have plenty of space for my shopping bounty. The clerk wanted to charge me $400 for my extra bag, and knowing that I had baggage issues, she wanted to weigh my carry-ons too to make sure I wasn’t over 7 kg total (including my computer, purse, and coat) which I’m sure I was.
I was able to unload 3.4 kg to my mom as an extra carry-on before she left. She’ll bring this stuff (mostly presents for Lina) when she comes to Sweden in May. Luckily, time was on my side, so I visited the Unaccompanied Baggage desk and the post office and came up with a plan. I repacked both suitcases so that one fit inside the other again, and all the stuff I could live without for 8 weeks was on the side. I got the suitcase down to 24.1 kg (23 is max) and decided to give it a try. I went to a different check in line, and the overweight suitcase was accepted without comment. I then went to the post office and shipped a box surface rate for less than $40/300 SEK. First I put everything in the box that I really wanted to ship and kept a pile of stuff on the side that I was willing to throw out. As it turned out, I had ½ kg left before I hit the next price level, so I was able to include almost everything that I’d been willing to sacrifice at no extra cost. The guys at the post office were really nice, and at 5 PM I was able to breathe a sigh of relief and walk away with my computer bag, camera case, coat (pockets stuffed full), and big purse (stuffed full with warmer clothes).
I browsed the airport mall which featured several entertainment zones. One was a “4-D” movie theater and another was an arcade. There was also a place with motion simulator rides and sets where you could photograph yourself in a cockpit etc. There was also a place where you could rent a DVD and watch it on a TV in a private room and pose for pictures with various memorabilia and sets from local movies. I ate a potsticker sampler for dinner then headed off for immigration and security. Unlike their Chinese counterparts, the Hong Kong immigration and security people were friendly and had nothing against smiling or wishing people a pleasant trip. By 8 PM I was through and searching for a place to plug in my computer in the food court. The whole airport has free wireless internet, but all the tables near outlets were occupied. I waited for somebody to leave only to discover that not all the outlets work. Eventually I scored a prime spot right under the departures board, so I wouldn’t have to pack up my stuff to check on my flight. It turns out it was delayed 40 minutes, and I sorted pictures to pass the time. We started boarding at 1 AM.
The first half of the 12+ hour flight had really bad turbulence. It’s amazing that they were able to serve dinner, but I was not able to eat much. I couldn’t even look at it. Luckily I had no problem sleeping. I woke up to find it clear over Siberia with lights from scattered villages all over. I then watched The Secret Life of Bees which was great. It was a total chick film that required quite a few tissues, but I was really impressed with the acting. Still in the chick film mood, I decided to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s which I’d never seen. Frankly I did not find Holly Golightly a likable character, and I don’t know what all the fuss is about. I napped a little, read a little, and watched an episode of numbers. We arrived in London shortly after 6 AM. There were long lines at security and I still wasn’t feeling very well, but I found a bagel shop with tables and outlets to pass the time. There were no tables in the waiting areas that are not associated with restaurants, and there is no wireless internet. Instead there are terminals where they charge by the minute.
After 6 hours in London, it was time for my flight to Copenhagen which went smoothly. Then I took the train back to Sweden where my husband picked me up. It was a long, and I'm glad go be home.
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