Mom asks in a video call, ‘So…how do you feel about this trip?’ Mom seldom asks about my feelings, so I’m not ready for it.
‘It could have been better if we’d stayed for 2 more days.’
‘Yes, it’s too short.’
‘What about you? How do you feel?’ I ask back.
‘It’s happy to see my daughter, of course.’ Mom looks delightful.
But I’m not very good at speaking out what I truly think, so I guess I will give my answer by writing it here.
After 12 hours being stuck in a small economy seat, I first stretched with a bird’s-eye view of the green islands, then a few bunches of newly built windmills caught my attention. I turned on my e-sim with one click, Hong Kong and I were connected.
Stepping out of the cabin, a rush of hot and humid air reminded me of my familiarity with this land. Feeling a little excited while walking to the immigration counter, I hesitated if I could use the e-channel with my over-3-years-not-in-use HKID card. So I queued up with Curry Boy. I passed my ID card to the staff. ‘I haven’t come back for more than 3 years, not sure it’s still working or not.’ He scanned my card and returned with a warm smile, ‘it’s working, no problem.’
We got back our luggage, then lined up at the tourism counter to acquire two vouchers for Hong Kong tourists, followed by topping up the octopus card for riding the bus. But it was rejected at 7-Eleven, since my personal octopus card which printed my young teenage fading out photo no longer works. It’s too old. The silence was too long since last used. Yes, it has been three and a half years. Things changed.
After acquiring a brand new octopus card, Curry Boy and I then waited for a bus ride to the city centre. There were many big fans installed at the bus station, to help passengers fight against the soon-to-be unbearable weather. We especially felt uncomfortable with our unwashed long sleeves and jeans we wear overnight on the flight. Sweat started to accumulate on our skin. I guess, anywhere with air-conditioning is a heaven, like the bus.
The first bus stop was a huge one linked to an extra-long bridge which I first saw. Later I realised the stop is called HZMB Hong Kong Port, and the iconic bridge is Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, first opened in 2018 at the end of October, right before my last visit. There is a lot of construction going on nearby. It’s probably a good sign of an international city. Then I enjoyed the green mountains and open sea view soothing the long-flight tiredness before entering the city centre. Curry Boy took out the phone and captured some of the high-rise buildings, like a tourist, asking me are they new. I simply had no idea. I bet, whenever possible, the higher they build. Maybe the fancy one has a balcony, but most of them don’t. That’s where you see clothes hanging outside the window, with a rack and a few strings pulled on it. ‘These apartments seem very small.’ I guessed. ‘Probably they are more expensive than our rental apartment.’ Curry Boy said.
Since I moved out of Hong Kong 13 years ago, a hotel room is always required when I come back to Hong Kong, as my family doesn’t have a spare space for me to stay in. For this trip, I booked a hotel which is near my family’s homes, located in City One, Shatin. Shatin is the district where I grew up, but City One, this popular town, is not somewhere I’m familiar with. I turned on the GPS to find the way to the hotel.
For the first time in three and a half years, I could call Mom from just 2.5 km away. ‘Finally!’ She happily asking why it took us so long to check in. We then discussed how we should meet first, then go to have dinner with Grandma. Mom wanted to ride a train backwards, to meet us on the platform earlier, I assumed. And now, Mom was there, in a black flower-printed long dress, waving at us with a big cheerful grin.
(to be continued)
