Hong Kong no Phooey TR (Apr 2012)! The Yee's have it....TR finish #1101, 07/09

PrincessInOz

Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Yat, Yee, Sam, Say…..Say phat in Cantonese? It’s my Hong Kong PTR!


In the wee hours of one October morning,

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…before I even had my first caffeine fix….

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I found myself in front of a screen staring at an email. I might not have been rather awake…but even I could string together the words

Q-A-N-T-A-S-S-A-L-E.

Yessiree…a Qantas Sale. Qantas, the ever UNreliable Aussie National Airline Carrier, was advertising a 3 day or 72 hour sale.

I looked at the fares to LA....

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...and the fares to Orlando......

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And sadly moved away from the American continent….towards Asia. (Give yourselves full marks for guessing that I settled on……..)
Hong Kong .......Here I Come!


It was those magic 8’s that did it for me. The advertised sale fare was $888. The number 8 (‘phat’ pronounced like ‘but’ but with a soft ‘b’), in Cantonese is a spoken pun very similar to prosper or wealthy. How could I resist?

I booked for end of March 2012 for a 10 day vacay, coinciding with school holidays in Melbourne.


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Welcome to another one of my PTR/TR threads!



For those of you who are repeat offenders, get yourself into therapy pronto!
For those of you that are newbies to one of my ramblings, don’t despair. With luck, you’ll be in therapy pronto too.



:scratchin I wonder how many people come trawling in here looking to lurk on a PTR/TR???


But first things first.

That most important task requiring paramount attention above all else has been taken care of.
Anyone notice the bright new ticker?


Oh….and Introductions.


This trip will be undertaken by me and mine….

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Me: I’ll be your tour guide….I hang out with the Gamers, Lasters, Photographers and lurk on the CB. I’m sure you’ll find me in any of those spots. If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m the shy and retiring kind.

DS: He is 11 and I’m proud to say that he shows every sign of being a Disnophile, providing rollercoaster rides are included.

DH: He is not 11. He understands my love of Disney and happy to let me plan Disney vacays providing we pepper it with other activities.


So….let’s recap….PTR commenced; ticker created; introductions……oh yes….disclaimers.


Disclaimers.


  • We are going on a vacation to Hong Kong (at least that’s how I sold it to DH). This PTR/TR will not solely consist of Disney related stuff.
  • Food porn is usually a feature in my PTR/TRs. Anyone who feels strongly about food should be eaten and not photographed…please be aware that no correspondence will be entered into on this matter.
  • Deviations and deviants off-topic are usually another feature. Don’t worry…it’s not you, it’s me (although it could be you….we just don’t know for sure yet).
  • Above all else….lurk if you must…but I would appreciate you posting and providing input and feedback into ‘our’ trip! Afterall…How else am I going to get deviations and deviants? NO.....I mean FUN!! FUN!! I mean FUN!!


I hope you stick around for this PTR/TR – as always – no seat belts required, feel free to keep your hands, feet and head or any other part of you outside the car – and remember….no liability will be assumed by the writer at any time!


princess::upsidedow
 
Quick Links



PTR Section: Yat, Yee, Sam, Say…..Say phat in Cantonese? It’s my Hong Kong PTR


Yat, Yee, Sam, Say…..Say phat in Cantonese? It’s my Hong Kong PTR! Introductions
Brushing up on my Cantonese means finding out that $‘phat phat phat’ is 3 x $20 fat!
A Recap of the PIO PPPPPP (aka Let the Planning Begin!)
"So Much Time, So Little to Do!" - Willie Wonka Got it Right the first time Round!
"If it has got four legs, two wings and it swims!”…Prince Phillip is nearly Right!
OT - Halloween In Oz: Trunk or Treat! Part 1, 2, 3
”Pick a ‘Ph…’! Pick a ‘Ph…’!" It’s Audience Participation Time!
OT - Collingwood Children's Farm and otherwise! Part 1, 2, 3, 4
"Get Your Phacts first, then you can DIStort them"...A little Mark Twain wisdom....It's Disney Phirst!
“Room Service? Send up a larger room.”…..Going with the ph-low; Groucho Marx style
Going with the Ph-low: ‘Phat’nights at the Harbour Plaza Metropolis con’ph’irmed
OT - 30,000 reasons for Dis-Sanity! One Part only
“You got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going”…..Orientation time!
OT - December in Melbourne and Life's Perspective through a camera lens. Parts 1, 2, 3, 4
OT - Christmas Food Porn. Parts 1, 2
OT - That Fireworks Curse Again! One Part only
"DON’T PANIC!" Just because there seems to be no rooms available on the website….
OT - More Fireworks Curse! One Part only
OT - A Brand New Year! One Part only
OT - A Mini Victorian Getaway.
.......Day 1. Part 1, 2, 3.
.......Day 2. Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
.......Day 3. One Part only.
“Everywhere is walking distance, if you have the time”....Things to see in Hong Kong
"Ford PERFECT Strikes Back"......Disney all Sorted!
“A journey of a thousand miles must start with a single step”…Get a Visa!
"The Wonderful World of Disney"....Hotels, Food and Recreation and My Park Must Do List
”No one can deny the excitement of visiting Another World”....Ocean Park
“One Country, Two Systems”…..Macau
OT - Chinese New Year. Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
OT - Australia Day in Melbourne. Part 1, 2
2 month Countdown Check-in
“The Journey of a Thousand Miles begins with One Step”....Shenzhen
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea”…let’s talk about High Tea
“You didn’t turn in your paperwork. This office is now closed”.....YAAAAAAAH!
As they say “When you’re on a good thing, stick with it!”….Disney Fuzzy Maths revisited
4 week countdown and to-do list
OT - Montsalvat. One Part only.
“If I don’t do laundry today, I’m gonna have to buy new clothes tomorrow.”…..There’s no such thing as Chinese Laundry!
Day by Day Account - Departure Day
Day by Day Account - Day 1
Day by Day Account - Day 2
Day by Day Account - Day 3
OT - Moomba. Part 1, 2 , 3
Day by Day Account - Day 4
Day by Day Account - Day 5
Day by Day Account - Day 6
Day by Day Account - Day 7
Day by Day Account - Day 8
Day by Day Account - Day 9
Day by Day Account - Day 10
Day by Day Account - Day 11
"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers"...Hong Kong SIM Cards
Day by Day Account - Day 12






TR Section: Hong Kong no Phooey! The Yee’s have it...



Back Home....Get Ready for the TR
On our way in a different direction

Part 1 - Hong Kong Disneyland

Arrival Day

Day 1 - Disneyland
Sea-ing life through a Grey Filter
The Yee’s have it – Daytime at the room
Breakfast at Walt’s Cafe
The Hotel Gardens
The Path to the Happiest Place on Earth
The Yee’s have it – Daytime at the resort
Dim Sum, Disney style – One of a Kind. Part 1, 2
Disneyland – At LAST!
Flights of Fantasy parade Part 1, 2
From the Entrance to the Castle
Right is the way to go
Journey into the Future and Take Your Imagination for a Drive
Shooting at Infinity
A quick trip to Space and All Stitched Up
How to go to Fantasyland without going Fantasyland
All Roads lead to Adventureland
Festival of the Lion King Part 1, 2
Dinner time at Comet Cafe
Round-ing off Tomorrowland
Twilight at the Hub with Pak and Milk
I think the Fireworks Gods have been Kind to me tonight
They Say the Neon Lights are Bright......and Lucky Chans


Day 2 - Disneyland

The Yee’s Have It – Walt’s Café Again
Making Rope Drop
Into Fantasyland – properly this time!
Episode IV - Into the Valley of the Dolls Part 1, 2
Episode V – The Yee’s Have it – The Dolls Strike Back
Episode VI - Return of the Disney Dolls
Fantasyland with One Difference
The Golden Mickeys, with a Difference. Part 1, 2, 3
Fast Pass enforcement in the 100 Acre Wood
Fighting the Tide of Lunch
Toy Storyland
The Yee’s Have It! Adventureland again – This time Properly!
Leaky Tiki’s
That Tree
Come Push and Shove - Some Separation Time
Behind the Festival of the Lion King
Up Close and Personal with FotLK Part 1, 2, 3
Disneyland "transportation hub"
Last night at the Park and a most serious discussion
Off-Kilter Fireworks
Saying Goodbye to the Park
'Slacks' and 'Smacks' at the Grand Salon


Day 3 - Disneyland





Part 2 - The city of Hong Kong


Day 3 - Hong Kong: Using the MTR to get to the Metropolis Harbour Plaza; Victoria Peak at Night


Day 4 - Hong Kong: The Peak by Day, Central, Mid Level Escalators, Star Ferry, Jumbo Kingdom, Dinner in Aberdeen



Day 5 - Hong Kong: Ocean Park Day, Causeway Bay dinner and Shopping around Time Square



Day 6 - Hong Kong: Ngong Ping, Tian Tan Giant Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, Shopping in Jordan, Temple Street Night Market, Nathan Road



Day 7 - Macau: The Venetian, Portuguese Tart, Macau Tower, A Ma Temple, Guia Hill and Fortress, Ruins of St Paul, Portuguese food, Senado Square



Day 8 - Hong Kong: Flower Street Market, Yuen Po Bird Garden, Fa Yuen Street, Stanley Market, Stanley Promenade, Tin Hau Temple, Murray House, Blake Pier, Japanese dinner, Central at night



Day 9 - Hong Kong: Jade Market, Yau Ma Tei Wet Market, Federal Palace Dim Sum, Ladies Market, Shopping in Mongkok, Local snacks, Symphony of Lights



Day 10 - Hong Kong: Signal House, Canon House, Praise Noodle House, Avenue of the Stars, Grand Plaza Metropolis, Symphony of Lights at the Coliseum



Day 11 - Hong Kong: Departure Day


Thanks for reading!


princess::upsidedow
 


Hooray, I made it for the first page this time! :cheer2::dance3:
 


Are you taking bets on how many times Qantas will cancel and reschedule your flight?
I'm waiting simply on the when...how soon they notify you...and how they will scatter you and yours throughout the aircraft.
Even if you pay for allocated seats I also wonder how many times they change the aircraft type...and 'accidentally' move you to the rear of the aircraft.

Finally...will customs or the baggage handlers be working that day? :lmao:



Ahhhhh....aren't you glad little miss positive is here :teeth:
 
I am here, I am here... Better late than never right!

Late??? You were FIRST!!!


Hmmmm. Wonder what that make everyone else???? :rolleyes:




:hippie: Glad you're in!


Hooray, I made it for the first page this time! :cheer2::dance3:


Page 1 is always good.


I am here for the fun!


Fun? I'm sure it was for the deviation and deviant factor!

Oh...yes.... FUN! :thumbsup2


Count me in! :thumbsup2

Glad you could make it!



Woohoo! Page one!

popcorn::


:cool2:


Hong Kong! Sounds fun!


Another vote for FUN!

(Refer to disclaimer and previous response about deviation and deviants!)


I'm in!!!!!


:yay:


Are you taking bets on how many times Qantas will cancel and reschedule your flight?
I'm waiting simply on the when...how soon they notify you...and how they will scatter you and yours throughout the aircraft.
Even if you pay for allocated seats I also wonder how many times they change the aircraft type...and 'accidentally' move you to the rear of the aircraft.

Finally...will customs or the baggage handlers be working that day? :lmao:



Ahhhhh....aren't you glad little miss positive is here :teeth:


Little miss positive? You're practically the DIVA!

And in response to your perfectly valid comments about our ever UNreliable national carrier....DH told me to make sure we have a BULLET PROOF travel insurance plan! :rotfl:

As to Qantas getting any more money out of me for early allocation of seats....well....see if you need to ask me that after my next update!!! :headache:


Thanks for making it over here! :flower3:
 
Brushing up on my Cantonese means finding out that $‘phat phat phat’ is 3 x $20 fat!

On the first two days that Qantas, the ever UNreliable Aussie National Airline Carrier, advertised a 3 day or 72 hour sale, I learnt two things about myself:
1. NEVER hit the submit button before my morning coffee…..and by extension…NEVER do ANYTHING before my morning coffee.

I was so mesmerized by that S-A-L-E word that in my rush to give away my money, I forgot one very important ‘phact’. I’d forgotten that we have rather close family friends that are travel agents. Normally, I would ring them and give them the business and commission fees…..but you have to remember that I had not had my caffeine fix yet.

I … um….. forgot. :blush: (Yes, Santa….this year for Christmas, please include a large bottle of gingko biloba pills…and please feel free to wrap them in that pack of Depends!)


Any way….as is the case, I only remembered after I hit the submit button and consoled myself by thinking that this could have been an internet only sale. So later that night, when DH and I were doing our happy dance at home….DS wanted to know what was going on. Conversation went something like this:

DS: Mum, Dad….why are you both talking about Hong Kong (and ignoring me)?

Me: Well….that would be because we’ve decided that we’re going to go to Hong Kong next year during the 1st term holidays.

DH: Yes…we get to meditate and do Tai Chi in the parks….and have conversations with Buddha…..

DS: Do they speak English there? Will I have to learn a different language?

DH: They speak Cantonese. It’s okay. We’ll just get Mum to translate for us.



{DH and DS both turn and look expectantly at Me.}





Me:
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Phat-the???




Er….yes…..Cantonese. That language that I used to pretend to speak when I was a child…that language with 5 different intonations where the slightest pitch change could be the difference between ordering crabs and getting shoes instead or possibly asking to see the frontal view of the bahookie. (This might sound funny...but believe it or not...a change in intonation on the same 'word' will yield those 3 possibilities!)

Me. In. A. Country. Where. The. Local. Are. BRUTAL. To. Others. Not. Worthy. Of. Pure. Perfect. Cantonese. Speak.

loser.gif



I was definitely going to have to brush up on my Cantonese in order to keep the respect of my DH and DS. Oh yes….most definitely have to brush up on my Cantonese.

And for those of you that haven’t realized it yet…that jumble of words in the title for my TR? It translates to:

Yat = 1
Yee = 2
Sam = 3
Say = 4

Yup. Most definitely have to brush up on my Cantonese! OR….
Plan – sneaky – B was required. I decided I needed to call in the cavalry!


Later that night, after a quick discussion with DH…I set plan B into motion. Granted…DH might have been asleep whilst I held this pow-wow…but I figured he snored in agreement.




On day 2 out of the 3 day advertised Qantas Sale, I headed over to my parents for dinner. I got there early….so early that my mum asked me what was up!
:sad1: No one understands me at all.




I told her about the sale and that we’d booked a trip to HK. With no more that just that simple statement, mum immediately walked to where dad was and was back before you could say Jack Skellington!
And within 2 minutes, she was on the phone to her friend, the TA.
Within 5 minutes, my parents were booked on the same flights as we were; thus disproving my consolation that it was an internet only sale.


It was during this 5 minutes, that I learnt the second thing about myself:
2. NEVER hit the submit button before my morning coffee…..and by extension…NEVER do ANYTHING before my morning coffee.




My parents were quoted $860-something for the same flight.



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So, by brushing up on my Cantonese….those magic 8’s that did it for me yesterday with an advertised sale fare of $888…..or… $‘phat phat phat’ pronounced like ‘but’ but with a soft ‘b’?

Today, it sure sounded like “phart what butt” in the different Cantonese intonations (NOT a spoken pun very similar to prosper or wealthy)…..but loosely translates to Qantas 3 x $20 FAT to me!!!!



But hey, it’s all good. Afterall, $60 is a cheap fee to pay for two translators who have been to HK at least 3 times before and speak much better Cantonese than me.


Way to go for brushing up my Cantonese!


princess::upsidedow

ps. For those Aussies reading this and wanting to point out that Qantas has introduced a price matching or money back policy…I’ve read the fine print. Price matching and money back only applies to COMPETITIVE websites offering a cheaper price for exactly the same flight. Last time I looked, our family friend TA did NOT have a “dot au” after her name.
 
Hope you get some good travel insurance. Read the PDS. make sure it's the latest too.
Many people have been discovering their policy don't cover industrial action......

Now....continue typing and planning please.....
 
I'm not understanding anything other than "phat butt" but whatever, I'll hang around and wait for pictures. :rotfl2:
 

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