a traveler's tales: lost in translation

So my nephew wasn't really on the mood to travel on our way to Hong Kong. This time, he half-deserved to behave such way due to my inability to locate our first hotel, although it kind of ruined the whole idea I had in my head about our trip, but I forgave him. HAHAHAHA. Anyway, Billy decided to stay at the hotel after the first afternoon we arrived at Hong Kong. I tried to persuade him to change his mind, but he looked really tired and I thought maybe it's better that way. 

But me, I'm an adventurous one. I was not going to let anything hold me back. I was planning to visit some places and I did. I went to the Central part of Hong Kong, which is basically the business and shopping areas. For someone who enjoys walking, this whole area seems like a perfect heaven. I was walking from side to another, at least 20 to 30 blocks before taking MTR (Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway), hitting another station. Stopped by some coffee shop, sipping my black coffee and dreaming of living there.

My other favorite part is Mongkok, which where the hotel we're staying located at. It's like a collision of the old part and the new part of the city. In just between a couple of blocks, you can actually change the scenery from H & M, Dior, Armani to the stores that sell spare-parts for heavy machines or plumbing equipments. It's like the awesome meat district in NYC. HAHAHAHA.

The other part that I spent most of my time is Tsim Sha Tsui. Again, you can find plenty of high-end clothing boutiques, along with fancy hotels and many museums. I sat at the park of the Hong Kong Museum of Arts before I cruised along the Victoria harbor, all by myself. Looking at families, friends or maybe lovers. I felt this strange sensation.

That feeling lonely in the middle of the crowd captured me. That crowded train I took back and forth seemed to take longer. The self-taken photos at certain part of the city seemed nothing, but stupid. At times, I didn't even feel the excitement of taking photos. I suddenly remembered Sofia Coppola's movie, the one with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johannsson. How one can be extremely lonely in the brightest and loudest city of the world, I felt the same way.

Traveling alone can be very difficult (especially if you're an acute narcissistic person, which I am by the way). A wise person said, two is better one for no reason. That person has experienced the loneliness of being alone.