May 2016 and so our odyssey begins

Our proposed journey

This was to be our first overseas journey together not related to work commitments such as conferences and we have seven weeks of freedom to wander - it seems like such a luxury. [And this is my first travel blog - from 2016 to 2025 blogging has been a continual learning experience.]  But where are we going? From Far East Russia - the Kamchatka Peninsula with its hundreds of volancos, to the Russian North Pacific islands, and from there to travel from Vladivostock to Moscow on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Assuming we can manage to get out of  Russia before our Visas expire, we will fly to the Caucasus and spend a coiple of weeks in the ancient Christian states of Armenian and Georgia. It won't be nearly long enough but it will serve as a tantilising entree to future world travels. 

A red-line journey of discovery

So back on the ground .......

After what seemed like an eternity of hurtling through the skies hermetically sealed into a large tin can with crying children, snoring and snorting adults, and beautiful attendants trying to soothe us all with smiles, drinks and food  - we arived in Hong Kong. Ah, the tyranny of distance. Having battled through two major travel hubs we spilled into the early season humidity of Hong Kong. My recollectins and experience of Hong Kong date back to 1984 but now! - an explosion of development met us. Massive spans of bridges stretch precariously over who knows which stretches of water in which this amazing metropolis nestles, acres of shipping containers, shimmering towers of steel and glass which would dwarf Melbourne's cluster of inner-city 'high risers'. The sights had us gaping.

'Bling Street' - right off Nathan Road

Scafolding was towering exoskeletons of bamboo lashed together with fat cable ties

Towering exoskeletons of bamboo lashed together with fat cable ties, clung tightly to their host buildings and projected out over busy streets, endless streams of people, noise - and smells that conjure memories of overripe tropical fruit - and other 'organic' matter! Nathan Road. We have arrived in Hong Kong.

Bamboo and cable ties - how strong is plastic?

Once a British colony there is little left of that regime. Yet the 'west' is everywhere - well perhaps not everywhere but billboards feature very Anglo Orientals and brand names which seem to be global. BUT we did taste a bit of the real HK. Vertical arcades with escalators taking you higher and higher through cupboard-sized shops selling everything from miniature animals and fantasy characters to faux Armani 'this and that'. We plunged into the backstreets, and  cheek-by-jowl street markets selling every imaginable thing but especially bling for every body part or piece of clothing. Fascinating!  Food? We ended up after many flights of stairs in what looked to us like someone's wedding celebration with all the trimmings to boot. What did we eat ... hmmm! Well we opted for safety, given it was a 'point and nod' kind of thing. Suckling pig and yummy lotus root. Wine? After puzzled looks we settled for beer. I think we provided the entertainment for the staff and felt like total curiosities. We left with a renewed and growing empathy for the newcomers to the Land of Oz. What did we pay for? Who knows, it was all written in Chinese ..... but of course!

Waking to aching feet and hips, we face a day which will end with us sleeping in the Vladivostok Airport arrival lounge waiting for our morning flight to Kamchatka from whence our real adventures begins ..........