Day 188: Hong Kong?

So it looks like Tokyo has been pushed out of the race in the decision of where to go for Chuseok. The more I looked into it, the more expensive Tokyo was becoming. To find any accommodation in that city for a half-decent price seems to be The Impossible Quest. All of my online searching had just left me finding hotels and hostels that were either way over-priced (in my cheap-skate eyes), inconveniently out of the way from all the attractions in the city, or accompanied by silly rules like curfews and assigned bedtimes. (what, am I nine years old again?)

And plus the airlines are ridiculously over-priced this time of year. Chuseok, equivalent to Korean Thanksgiving, is the time of year when *everybody* flies or drives home to visit family, and so flights are often booked up months in advance. As the so-called rules of business apply, prices rise with demand so it's crazy expensive to fly anywhere during that one week of September. It's only two hours away by air but most airlines were wanting to charge well over 600,000 Won for the trip. So expensive!!!

So now it looks like Hong Kong is the front-runner. Airfare is still going to cost me a fortune (about the same as a flight to Tokyo actually, but at least it's a four-hour flight so I feel like it's almost worth it then.) But, accommodation will most likely be cheaper, and transportation, food, shopping, and attractions are all significantly less expensive in Hong Kong. And plus Pauline might be going there as well so we're gonna try and plan our trips together I think.

It's kind of a shame cause I probably won't get another chance to go to Tokyo before leaving Asia, but it was just proving to be too difficult to plan a trip there and too rich for my blood. Hong Kong *is* in my travel plans for next year, but I don't think I'll be bored going there twice. From what I've heard it's one of the most exciting, most dynamic and cosmopolitan, most thrilling cities on the planet. And certainly one of Asia's great urban jewels. To go there has been an urban planning dream of mine for years and years. God it would be amazing to to just hang out in Hong Kong and take it all in!

I'm currently on waiting lists for the choice flights (I shouldn't be surprised that they were all booked up too) but am hoping that something will come through. Chuseok is a five-day holiday and I don't want to spend all that money to go there if I can't enjoy the full mini-vacation. It's just not worth it for three days or anything like that. As much fun as Korea is I've sorta been having The Itch lately to get out of this tiny country for a bit to see something new. And with all these great Asian destinations all so close to Korea it's enough to make a traveller at heart like myself salivate at the mere thought! While I'm drooling, here's hoping that Hong Kong works out!