One week interval. We’re still here.

Today was a travel day, as we would be departing Hong Kong for Beijing. But since our flight out of Hong Kong was in the early afternoon, and Hong Kong is the Mecca of dim sum, we thought it would be appropriate to have a dim sum brunch. Judy directed us to a place right above the subway station. She informed us that it had a Michelin star. Aside from being amazed that dim sum is even in the Michelin star conversation, I was equally amazed that the place was just a small restaurant with a storefront in a mall. It was also dirt cheap. Kind of awesome.

It’s worth nothing how incredible Hong Kong infrastructure is. For comparison, it is 2/3 the size of Oahu with seven times as many people. If you asked Oahu residents to imagine living in 2/3 the space with seven times as many people, they would either pass out or punch you. But that’s because our imagination is rather limited when it comes to urban living. Our attitudes haven’t  let us realize what the full range of liveable options are, especially when it comes to transportation.

Take Hong Kong’s subway, or MTR. It is state of the art–clean, fast, efficient, frequent, comfortable. We went 34 kilometers in less than 40 minutes during the heart of rush hour for something like $1.20. In comparison, 34 kilometers is, according to Google Maps, the exact distance from the middle of Kapolei to downtown Honolulu. Hawaii residents, how much do you think those Kapolei commuters would pay to get to Honolulu in less than 40 minutes, in the middle of rush hour, in air conditioning, without having to drive? I’m not necessarily advocating for a subway on Oahu, but Hong Kong’s MTR really makes one realize just how car-centric we are in the USA, and what the limitations of that attitude are. We could EASILY live with two, three, or four times as many people on Oahu. It’s not the space that’s limiting us; it’s our lifestyles.

Enough digression. Judy came to say goodbye during dim sum. We then grabbed our bags and headed back into the MTR to catch the airport express train. It went 37 km in 32 min for less than $10. Just imagine how much better your life would be if you could go to the airport like that. No more crushing triple parking configurations out front waiting to drop off and pick up passengers. Just go from the flight to the subway to wherever you want.

OK, now I’m really done digressing. We flew to Beijing, where my uncle picked us up. Cindy and I hung out with my uncle, aunt, and grandma (pictured above) for a little bit before my uncle and aunt left to go pick up my parents. We all reunited a few hours later at my grandma’s before quickly retiring to our hotels to let the travelers rest.