Chester, Vermont, to Hong Kong, China: The First Few Days in a Flurry Blur

Photo: The first day of our journey. Sander at Times Square after getting off the bus to Penn Station from the Rensselaer-Albany train station (July, 2010).

A quick entry:

Sander and I took the train from Albany-Rensselaer to Penn Station in NYC before eating at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square and then visiting the Guggenheim Museum. After a taxi ride at breakneck speed to JFK International Airport we had a long, long wait in long, long lines that ended with Sander's toe being interrogated. Maybe it was the change he had left in his pocket, or maybe it was the wire in the necklace his sister had made for him before we'd departed, but whatever it was he ended up being directed into a glass closet in the center of the scanning room for all to see. The guard took an interest in his bandaged toe and scrutinized it (Sander was nursing an in-grown toenail, hence the bandage). He then swiped Sander's palms for what we suspect to be powder residue. But I am writing too much and will have to continue this later. We are in Hong Kong and have to rush over and pick up our visas before catching a train for Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, P.R. of China. More in a few days. It's our plan at this moment to board another train in Guangzhou and head directly for Xining, Qinghai Province. Must rush!

Brad

Photo: Supper at the Hard Rock Cafe, a museum unto itself, at Times Square in New York City (July, 2010).

Photo: Sander, killing time usefully before our flight, at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City (July, 2010).

Photo: Hanging out at JFK waiting for a flight to Seoul on Asiana Airlines (July, 2010).

Photo: Sander waiting for our next flight during a layover at the Incheon International Airport, rated as the best airport in the world by the Airports Council International (July, 2010).

Photo: Sander on the Airport Express Line (AEL) in Hong Kong, transporting us from the Chek Lap Kok Airport to Kowloon (July, 2010).

Photo: Night scene of a Kowloon street below our hotel shower window.

Photo: Detail of a neon sign on a Kowloon street below our hotel shower window. (July, 2010).