Hong Kong trip 2011

OMG... I think I would call it a challenging trip.

Before we left, on Wednesday night, I had this deep dread that I couldn't explain. I call it my "ESP", and it's usually accurate.

Anyway... Madison had been sick for the week and STILL coughing, my MIL had caught the bug from her and COUGHING EVERYWHERE. Before we left Annika was still doing ok.

We caught the 6am flight on Jetstar, which meant we had to be up at 330AM and out of the house at 4am to get to the airport. The kids didn't stay asleep so they were pretty tired by the time we got on the plane.

FIRST EVENT:

LEFT a bag on the overhead compartment ON the plane!! Of course I realize this when we left the train that took us to the city. So Chris had to take the train BACK to the airport while the rest of us went ahead to the serviced apartment to check in. After we checked in, settled in they still hadn't retrieved the bag so I made some pasta for the kids' lunch. By the time he came back it was past 3pm.

SECOND EVENT:

When Annika woke from her nap ( Day 1), she had a raging fever. AND she was CRANKY. ARGH.

The first night I stayed home with her while the others went out to dinner with the relatives at the Peak.

THIRD EVENT:

Annika was sick the entire trip. But on top of that she also managed to get her entire right hand stuck in the lift door. It was a nightmare. We were all screaming and panicking. It was a miracle Chris got her hand out and she escaped with bruised and swollen fingers without broken bones or ripped nails. Of course she was screaming and crying the rest of the afternoon. We dosed her with ibuprofen and let her sleep after that.

The entire 4 days that Annika was in Hong Kong she refused to eat. I was at my wits' end. Anyway... she survived on breastmilk the entire time we were in Hong Kong.

FOURTH EVENT:

After 4 days of high fevers, she started to develop the characteristic croupy cough. OF COURSE the vial of dexamethasone that I brought just for her BROKE. Great. And we ran out of paracetamol suppositories. We threw the towel in and took her to Cannosia Private hospital, just a 5 minute walk from our apartment.

The hospital was small but service was prompt and efficient.It was great that we were the only patients there at the time so we were seen immediately. Such a relief to have another medical professional see your child and reassure you. And get the treatment that you want. She got her shot ( and was thus traumatized yet another time! ) and we picked up the supps.

THE REST OF THE TRIP:

Friday we went to Ocean Park. From forums that I had read we were expecting crowds and unruly people but there were NONE! Why? The cable car was undergoing a scheduled maintenance! How did we NOT know about this?! The cable car was the reason why we were at Ocean Park to start with!

Regardless, I think Madison had fun at the park. She even went on a ride down the Raging River! It was a pity we weren't able to stay longer... Annika was still febrile and unwell.

On Saturday, we attended a dinner hosted by Chris' aunt at the China club, a private dining club obviously for the elite in Hong Kong. For some reason dinner starts really late (closer to 9 ) in Hong kong. Madison did really well with the late nights, Annika not so well. Understandably she was grouchy and whiney by 930 but Chris managed to rock her to sleep. She slept in the stroller till we finished, which was close to 11Pm.

Sunday was the actual wedding. Annika went to the hospital in the morning, then we spent the rest of the morning at the neighbouring Hong Kong Botanical Gardens and zoo. At midday we went to the Conrad for the tea ceremony, and once again Annika was grouchy and tired. Once again Chris had to rock her to sleep. We survived the ceremony. We were supposed to take the chartered bus to Stanley for the church wedding but decided against it. 2 grumpy tired whiney kids at a quiet church ceremony?? No thanks. We would probably be spending the entire ceremony outside!

Instead, Chris and I took the MTR to Causeway bay in search of FOOD! We had travelled all this distance to at least eat some street food! Both kids were napping in their strollers so it was the perfect time to go. We actually managed to find a famous wontan noodle shop ( Mak's Noodles ) and got to eat their soup AND dry noodles as well as their congee. It was delicious. Didn't matter that both kids were up and squirming away so we had to eat really quickly.

We also got to try their dessert drinks-- sago, red bean and mango in a cup ( mine ) and Chris had some version of a mango drink in his.

Sunday night was the wedding banquet at the Conrad. Their banquets go on for way too long. Drinks started at 6pm, followed by the first cake cutting at 630pm. After that the guests were mingling till 8pm when they started seating people. They then had the entrance of the wedding couple, speeches and ANOTHER cake cutting. Dinner was served at 9Pm. Both kids were bone tired. We waited for a few dishes to try, then called it quits and caught a taxi back to the apartment.

Was I ever so glad to go home on Monday... Pa came and picked us up from the airport.

FINAL EVENT:

LEFT THE BLOODY STROLLERS at the baggage carousel!!ARGH!! That took another hour or so to sort out. Thank goodness Pa came and so the kids and I got to go home first for Annika's FIRST proper meal in 4 days...

I don't think I'm EVER going to bring my kids to Hong Kong again. If I ever go back it'll be to shop and eat and it will be sans kids. Hong Kong is fairly similar to Singapore although the shopping is probably interesting at the streetside. Not kid friendly AT ALL.

The final conclusion: I think I will have to bring Warni along to Melbourne for our annual trip. And I don't think Annika is quite ready for a ski trip JUST yet.