Hardcore in Asia

My last night in mainland China turned out to be quite the experience...

I flew from Guilin to Shenzhen in order to go to Hong Kong. Flights to Hong Kong are WAY more expensive than flights to Shenzhen from China as HK is not really considered a domestic destination and is priced accordingly. I got in Shenzhen at night and there was a problem with my booking. After some fussing around, I found out that there weren't any rooms left in the hotel nor in surrounding hotels. By that time (it was already 3:00 am), I decided I might just as well wait for the metro to re-open (a bit after 6:00 am) and take it to go to Hong Kong.

At the station, I saw people sleeping on the stairs. In the spirit of light-hearted adventure, I decided to do the same. While trying to catch some sleep outside on the concrete of a foreign city, I came to appreciate my luck. I don't HAVE to sleep outside. If I want, I can just go to a hotel or get an apartment. Many people (especially in China) aren't that fortunate. The night was hot and I appreciated the breeze when there was one. Shenzhen still has mosquitoes, which wasn't too cool. While getting some shut-eye, I was thinking of all these basic things that I don't normally ever have to worry about when I want to sleep: mosquitoes, weather, strangers walking by, being clean...

I was the first person in the metro this morning. I took it all the way up to the end of the line. There, I walked out of mainland China (went through immigration) and into Hong Kong (went through immigration again). Then, I took the metro to the middle of Kowloon, where people I met at the hostel told me I could find cheap accomodation. I did: about 30$ per night. When I saw the room, I was shocked. It's small. The whole place (room + bathroom) is smaller than many Western bathrooms. And, although I didn't see rats or roaches, it isn't a shining example of cleanliness. Still, I took it. Partly to save money, but also to live like Hong Kong people normally live. Since the only window I have opens to a wall of crumbling bricks and since I was exhausted from my lack of sleep, I slept like a king in that tiny place.

I took my shower using the rudimentary plumbing available (with not-so-consistent hot water). Again, I was thrilled by the whole experience. This was all new for me. I was really happy for two reasons: I got to appreciate a lot better what I have in Canada and I was discovering a way of life that I could choose to ameliorate whenever I wanted.

It's way easier for a rich man to live like a poor one than for a poor man to live like a rich one. I felt all the freedom I have by choosing to live like someone who doesn't have my luck. Someone in the same living conditions as me, but without the power to live better cannot feel what I felt.

It's strange how, to appreciate the things around me, I had to make them be substantially crappier than what I'm used to. But now, I'm happy even with my flat with am area insufficient to fit a queen bed.

After waking up, I went out to explore Hong Kong. Ah, Hong Kong! I love the place so much. It's like New York, but denser. It's like Tokyo, but dirtier. Just being here fills me with joy.

Today, I am happy.