China Day 11 (HK Day 5)

Up early for some more shopping!!

Also, for the first time, I noticed the elevator had certain numbers missing. They tend to have unlucky numbers omitted, such as 14, 24, 44 (or any number with '4' in it), as well as 53 and 58. Kind of like how some hotels in the Western world have '13' missing. 

Here's a poor quality iPhone photo to illustrate my point.

After a last-minute shopping trip at Citygate outlet stores in the morning (in which we spent the entire time in Esprit's outlet store, where I bagged three shirts that totalled ~$58 AUD. Also purchased two jumpers, but I forgot their price. I think around ¥200rmb in total? Additionally bagged a pair of tout á coup shorts from another store.)

With a long line at the check-out, we almost didn't make it back to the station in time, in order to catch our train back to Guangzhou. With only about 15 minutes to spare, we made it in time, and I slept most of the trip again.

Also HAHA this was on the train!

Arriving back in Guangzhou was like arriving for the first time again. Everything seemed immediately different. Besides the slightly chillier weather (Guangzhou is located north of HK), the traffic laws were a joke, once again. It was amazing to be in HK and see that rules /actually/ apply there, and people are courteous wherever you go. Here, it's a different story, and it's sad to admit that we have to adopt the 'mainland mindset', so to speak.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to, and I sincerely doubt that most people here want to fight for a spot on the bus, or cross the road with their life on the line, but we have to remember that they really have no choice.

If you don't run for the bus, you won't get a spot. If you don't jaywalk, you may not get an opportunity to cross.

It's a fearful reality when you're forced to enter a game of survival of the fittest, essentially submerged into a competitive mindset in everything you do. That's how things are here, and is a part of the culture, and that's what it's all about. 

Trying to snag a taxi

But, it still feels good to be back in my second home; just a general feeling of familiarity (even though I'm really as lost as a fish in space). I have to say though, I thoroughly enjoyed the unblocked Internet. So, so, so much.

Catching up on the Facebook updates, instagramming, snapchatting, and reconnecting with friends, was something I hadn't done in a while.

But, to be honest, the immediate blocking of these sites upon re-entry into the heartland wasn't much of a shock either. I'll be back in a week, which isn't a long time, in a whole full perspective.

Anyway, it'd been a long day, and there was more to come before my departure.