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Falling for Hong Kong!

Part 1

By Cassie FordPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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In August of 2017 my entire family decided to take around the world trip. My family consisted of, my older sister Kristal, her husband Gary, their two children, Amelia 5, and Will 10 months. My brother in-law Dale, his daughter Abby 4, my mother, my husband Glen and myself.

It was day 3 of our 6 week- around the world holiday we were due to take our 16- hour flight to New York later that evening. To kill time the family decided to do some more sightseeing. We all agreed on a little temple just beyond the city limits of Hong Kong.

We piled into three separate taxis. I went with my two nieces, three of us decided to wear our pink sequined Minnie mouse ears. The 3 boys were in another taxi, Kristal, mum and Will were in the third taxi.

After a 20-minute taxi ride, we made it to the temple. We were surprised to find the temple packed, with both locals and tourists, one of the vendors selling water informed us that it was a holiday, and probably not the best day to explore a temple with three children, however we persisted.

We joined the masses making their way to the entry, giving our gold coin donation as we walked through the entry gates. We follow the hordes of people walking towards the main temple. As we approached the temple, the smell of incense was so strong, I could not go in. So, Glen and I decided to explore the grounds.

We explored the various court yards, walking on the pebble footpaths. After half an hour we came across the most spectacular courtyard, complete with bridges, huge goldfish in ponds complete with a waterfall.

Now those who know me, know that I am not the most patient person and I hate to dawdle; I also hate crowds. In hindsight, Hong Kong was probably not the best place for me to visit. I walked a head of Glen, which he hates. I walked over a bridge, onto a covered path, where I came across the largest and most amazing bonsai tree I had even seen. I whipped out my phone to take a photo. While still walking I point my phone at the tree. Click! I look at the picture, no good, there is a wire right across the centre of the photo.

I start to walk faster walking closer to the tree, still pointing my phone at the tree as I snap another photo, trying to avoid the wire which hung directly in front of it. Click I take another photo, still no good, you could still see the wire.

I pick up speed still I continue to walk towards the tree, determined to get a better photo. My phone still pointed at the tree I continue to snap away but with every shot the wire still hangs front and centre. By the tenth shot I am really annoyed. I pick up more and more speed, the more annoyed I get, my phone still pointed at the tree, I am determined to get the perfect shot, I’m so focused on the tree; I miss the steps in front of me leading down to the sunken section of the courtyard.

Suddenly the ground disappears from underneath me, I feel myself flying through the air like a human missile, heading straight for the bonsai tree. My arms and legs flailing everywhere, trying and failing to stop myself from falling.

My life flashes before my eyes the closer I get to the Bonsai Tree, I can just see the news headline: A Woman Wearing Mini Mouse Ears, Dies While Taking A Photo of a Bonsai Tree While Holidaying with Family in Hong Kong!

I hit the ground hard on my stomach and continue slide about several metres before I coming to a complete stop still.

"Yep that's going to leave a mark." I say to myself.

“Ooooh” I hear the crowd of people all gasp in horror in what was the previously quiet courtyard. I try to hide my face, burying my head between my arms.

"Shit wife!" I hear Glen yell, "Are you alright?"

While keeping my head down, I look to the side I can see his feet next to my body. Squinting I look up at him still holding my phone in the air.

"Cassie are you okay?" Glen asks, squatting down to help me up.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just wish the ground would open and swallow me whole." I say getting to my feet. "At least I saved my phone."

"I really don't care about your phone right now. Are you okay?" I nod.

I was still in shock. I look around, every set of eyes in the courtyard are glued on me. Their expressions are a mix of shock and awe. Not that I can blame them, I doubt that they would have ever seen a crazy lady, wearing Minnie mouse ears, holding onto her phone, fly through the air, while trying to take a photo of tree.

"You really need to slow down and look where you are going."

"I was looking where I was going. I just didn't see the stairs." I say wiping down my new pants. "Oh no!"

"What?" Glen asked, looking me up and down trying to assess the damage.

"I ripped my new pants." I could feel the material around the rip starting to get damp from the blood.

We slowly make our way back to the family. Glen fills them in, on my first mishap of the holiday. We spend the rest of the day shopping at a mall close to the hotel to kill time before our evening flight to New York. The family decided that the mall was the safest place for me to be, I was less likely to get seriously hurt, or have any major scrapes, mishaps or any accidents.

Once at the airport we go to the business class lounge. I head straight for the showers. I remove my pants and examine my injuries. Yep it was bad, my knee was double its size and it was already about 10 different shades of purple.

This was going to be a fun trip, if this is what happens to me on day three.

To be continued...

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