The Asian food adventure begins today! I say hello to Hong Kong for 1 night at the highly recommended Icon Hotel in Kowloon before landing in Beijing with the dream to dominate the dumpling.
The 2pm flight out of Melbourne started with a glass of Seppelt Drumborg Riesling in the lounge and I couldn’t refuse the colourful mimosa-like barcardi sunrise cocktail offered before the boarding call! Nice touch. Food was fine – healthy-ish looking cold cuts and colourful salads that were always going to be better than anything found in the terminal.
Once we have taken off, the small plastic bottles of wine (Xanadu, Plunkett Fowles and Red Claw this leg) are the saviour from the carb-dense food served up in the lego designer place mats. Not to sound negative – we are 36,000 feet in the air and I can only imagine what we would have to pay chefs to work up there.
As always though, the Qantas service was great! Thankfully, as the the sleeper never kicked in! Damn.
Arrive in Hong Kong at 10.30pm local time on a slightly extended flight due to bad weather and the games begin. Well – only briefly as we arrive at the hotel and take a quick walk in the rain to find some chow, only to find oversized (and I mean oversized) pizza and simmering street food. Hmmm – Rule of thumb in Australia is only eat after midnight when your hammered – I wasn’t there yet.
We opt for in room dining – epic fail!
Shower and bed – start fresh tomorrow. Bring it HK.
Day 1 score / 10 -
Drunk – 4
Gourmet – 2