I just rolled around for a few hours and couldn't fall asleep. And as usual I got up again so I can type out what's been obsessively clinging to my mind and not allowing me to sleep. I wonder if I'm actually making a vicious cycle by doing this, because now whenever I can't sleep then I'll feel compelled to wake up and blog about it instead of just chilling out and going to sleep.
Anyway, it's nothing important. Just thoughts about Hong Kong. When I think about Hong Kong, I want to be there. Then i remember...
It's cramped, dirty, and smelly. There's grime everywhere. Those outdoor food places are dirty, there's gnats and mosquitoes everywhere. the table clothes are sticky with humidity and who knows what, blood-sucking insects lurking under the soggy wood-sponge tables waiting to feast on your exposed legs, the chairs are discolored from sweat or whatever. The ground. Is always wet somehow. Even if it's dry, there's some dirty hose water or something splotching the ground.
Need to take a dump or pee? Let's head to the bathrooms where the tiled floors are perpetually soaked with toilet water, sink water, or urine. All the toilet paper's on the outside so you better spin up a big roll in your hands before you go do your business, because there's no toilet paper rolls in the stall.
Wanna go shop? Go ahead, it's crowded and you're going to be touching hundreds of other sweaty and hot people. The second you step in the store the salesmen will be all up on you like, "Need any help?" No, I don't need any help. "This shirt looks great on you!" Oh, thanks, but I'll keep on looking. "No? How about this one? This looks beautiful! You should buy it. Oh come on try it on! No? How about this one? She looks great in this right? How about this one?" NO GO AWAY LEAVE ME ALONE. Don't miss this very much. Pushy, obnoxious salesmen who really want you to buy something and treat you like dirt the moment they realize you're really not going to buy anything. Just smile and leave and move on to the next identical shop.
Let's travel by train! Enjoy spooning and being spooned by various strangers.
And the hotness. So hot. And dry. I like hot weather but sometimes wow it is so hot. Dry is okay, just stay hydrated and stay out of the sun to avoid being burnt to a bright pink sausage color. The air-conditioned malls will feel great. But the HUMID HOT? Everything is sticky and nasty and sweaty.
Rainstorms? HAHA HAVE FUN, these are not your ordinary New England rainstorms as much as we complain about weather here. It rains here, yes, but it RAINS over there. Think about our worst rainstorms here. That's your average rainstorm in HK. It's like people are just dumping Olympic-sized pools over the tops of the skyscrapers. I'm pretty sure you could take a very nice shower just from standing naked outside for a few minutes. It'll rinse you down really well. Actually that might not be a good idea because it might be acid rain. Oh, also good luck with whatever shoes or socks you're wearing. I've learned that if it's raining that day, just wear shorts and sandals. I'm going to get soaked but at least there will be minimum cling and I'll just wash off whatever crap splashed on me when I get home.
Now all the good memories of Hong Kong... THE FOOD. OH DEAR ME. The food is so cheap and it's fast and available everywhere. And the SNACKS. Anything sweet in America is like saturated with sugar. The bottled drinks here, like the sodas and fruit juices, it feels like I'm drinking syrup. Asian drinks are not so much watered down but flavored normally so it isn't like one part water and two parts syrup. And snacks. MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF THEM, EVERYWHERE, SO CHEAP. SO MUCH CANDY AND CHOCOLATE. AND CHIPS AND COOKIES. SO MUCH VARIETY. AND SO MUCH VARIETY OF FOOD.
Walking there at night is very pretty, in the city. Lights everywhere, neon lights, pretty city lights, and lots of other people walking around. I love walking around at night in lit-up city places, or just places with some lights. Then when you take your glasses off it's like 080p bokeh, in real life. And it's nice and peaceful... to me.
Can I sleep now? Yes? Oh no the internet is calling to me...
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