hello from Hong Kong airport

where I have a six-hour layover or something like that. Music is playing as I sit next to the noodle bar where I just ate some noodles and milk tea, using the free half hour of Internet I get with said purchase. I'm contemplating whether to spend HK$100 (roughly $20NZD, $14USD) on a shower, which would feel nice but I'd still be climbing back into the same grimy clothes.

Not sure that I have much else remarkable to report thus far. I got a 2GB memory card for my camera (since I'm now taking a laptop) and now it takes about a minute to start up, trying to decide what to do about that (either a. suffer b. use the old memory card most of the time c. buy new smaller memory cards as well). Not very interesting to share, though.

Perhaps this is more interesting, or perhaps not. Last night I managed to say another set of good-byes to my friends from Castaway, who had come back later than I because they stuck around for the wrap party (consensus: I didn't make the biggest mistake in the world by missing it). It turns out that one of the other editors I worked with, Chloe, was on the same flight, so we wound up trekking to the airport together, having a drink, etc. Then on the ground here, we said our goodbyes as she got in a line to go to London/Heathrow.

Five minutes later, I saw her again on the other side of said line, where she had to get in another line to clear security. Flying Lufthansa, it appeared I had to go somewhere else.

So I said my goodbyes again after a bit of time, then went to my place to clear security. Then I got upstairs (in Hong Kong airport, departures are upstairs and arrivals are downstairs - I guess this is how they can let people meet people at the gates or something), and lo and behold, Chloe is there again.

After another hour and the least sentimental goodbye yet (cuz I mean, hey, three goodbyes to the same person and you wear yourself out after a while), I think I can finally say I've seen the last of the Castaway crew for quite a while, unless they come to visit me while I'm in Europe.

Speaking of which, if anybody cares, rough itinerary from memory of where I'm spending each night:
May 30 - June 8 - Barcelona
June 9-10 - Provence
June 11-13 - Nice
June 14-15 - Cinque Terre
June 16-17 - Florence
June 18-20 - Venice
(June 21 - airplane)
June 22-23 - Hong Kong
(June 24 - airplane)

home June 25th. For at least a little while. Anyway, if you have recommendations, are in the neighborhood, whatever, let me know. (Assuming you're one of the like 4 people who haven't given up on this infrequently published blog.)