October 9, 2022
For a long time, I had wished to visit a secluded beach near the tip of Hong Kong Island. But, due to my hectic work schedule from Monday to Saturday, this was just a wish. The location is ideal for weekend getaways and city escapes. I'd seen a lot of posts about it, and as a traveler, I was eager to see it for myself.
My wish was granted when a federal holiday fell on a Saturday. This gave me two consecutive days off. I immediately packed my belongings after hearing the news. I packed extra shirts because I intended to soak my body in the water. When I thought I had packed everything I needed, I went to the kitchen to fill my empty stomach before leaving.
I checked all the notifications on Hive while eating my early lunch, making sure I replied and commented before turning it off so that my phone wouldn't be a distraction once I arrived in the place, even just for a weekend. I wanted to devote all of my attention to the place. I just wanted to unwind without any online distractions or grinding.
After eating, I exited happily. Fortunately, the bus arrived just on time when I arrived at the bus stop. I assumed my octopus card had more money, but when I tapped it to pay for my fare, it only showed $50, which was barely enough to cover the full fare. I thought I had some cash in my wallet, so I didn't mind and kept looking for a seat near the window.
My excitement grew as we passed by breathtaking views of picturesque villages along Hong Kong Island's shorelines. The weather was perfect, with blue skies, a vast ocean, green hills, and several boats sailing on the sea.
I wanted to film the views outside the window. And as I rummaged through my bag for my phone, I froze and realized what had gone missing. My phone wasn't to be found. And remembering where I might have left it, my mind went back to when I was eating my early lunch. After responding to comments on Hive, I turned it off and placed it on the table. I washed the dishes and left. As a result, I left my phone at home.
"Damn. A weekend with no phone? How can I take photos of the beautiful views in that place? The view outside the window is pretty too."
I was muttering those words to myself while looking out the window. I felt incomplete, disappointed, and lost interest in visiting the location. I can't travel without my phone, but I can't go back to my house to get it because the bus won't just stop anywhere along the highway. Finding a vehicle to return to the city would be another problem.
"Just a perfect time to relax fully. A weekend is short anyway. I just need to enjoy my weekend, capture the beautiful views through my eyes, and store them in my mind."
I felt motivated to go on and looked forward to seeing how the weekend would turn out without my phone.
I checked my wristwatch, and half an hour had passed; thus, I needed to wait another hour to get to the location, as the entire journey would take two hours. Because I didn't have my phone, I decided to take a short nap. So I closed my eyes and fell asleep gradually.
The sun's rays passed through the window and hit my face, reawakening my senses. When I looked out the window, I was perplexed because it didn't look like Hong Kong.
Just pretend I have no phone.
These views were the actual ones I
saw before my eyes along the way.
All of the buildings were white and cream, with architecture that was distinct from that of Hong Kong. The only color difference was a light green building at the end of the block.
"Hey Miss. Where exactly are we?"
I asked the lady beside me.
"At the very end of Hong Kong Island. Are you new here?"
I was terrified and answered her in a higher tone.
"Very end? You mean we passed by Stanley already?"
"Yup. An hour ago. You slept for more than an hour Miss."
"Damn." I whispered to myself.
Passengers were disembarking because it was the last station. I stayed for a while as I couldn't think of anything else to do. "I need to go back," I beckoned. I waited for all passengers to exit before approaching the driver.
"Uncle. Can we return to Stanley? Sorry, but I slept, and this isn't my preferred location."
"This is the last trip. The next would be tomorrow morning. If you want to go back, you have to pay $100 for special service."
"$100?! My fare to get here was only $50. That is too expensive!"
"If you don't want, follow that road and just walk then."
"Walk? For how long?"
"One hour."
"That's too long. And I might get lost. Okay fine, I'll pay."
I settled my butt on the seat so I could get my wallet and pay the fare. My heart beat faster as I noticed something strange. I almost put everything outside my bag, but I couldn't find it. I screwed up when I realized my wallet was also missing.
"Dm. I am too careless. I left my wallet too. What will I do now?"
The driver heard it and became enraged because he thought I was fooling him. He shooed me off the bus and it stormed out. In the station, I felt helpless, hopeless, and alone. As if I were in a desolate location. In a new place, I felt like a homeless one.
I sighed helplessly, "What an unlucky day!"
I dragged my backpack languidly to wherever my feet would take me. My stomach growled in time with the scratching sounds of my bag on the ground. I took it and sat it on the waiting shed. I remembered my candy, so I took it out of my bag and chewed on one to stave off hunger.
I kept walking down the alley. I was bewildered about the place as I couldn't see anyone. Even the boats on the water appeared to be static and unmoving. The atmosphere was strange and quiet. The farther I went, the quieter it got.
"Where did people go?" I whispered to myself.
The clock was ticking, and dusk would soon take control. I was still in a bizarre state of mind, frustrated, and unable to think of any actions to take. I kept walking until I came to a rocky area with a man in the middle of it.
I was terrified, but I willed myself to survive in this strange place. I'm just a lady, but I know how to defend myself.
I inquired about the location of the police station. But all he did was turn his head from side to side and said, *"There isn't a police station here." He spoke briefly before leaving. I still have questions, but the man looked strange as well, so I didn't mind.
"This is a terrible holiday. The location is lovely, but without people and money, it is meaningless. Is this a test?"
I didn't give up and continued walking. Until I heard music, which became increasingly louder as I approached the center of the venue. When I noticed people nearby, my heart leaped with joy. At the very least, it wasn't a strange place. People had gathered in the center of the area due to an event. In the neighborhood, there was an OctoberFest and carnival.
My optimism was restored when I devised a plan to earn money so that I could return home the next day. There were several games available, all of which were free to play for new visitors. Each game has a unique prize. Food and other products were provided by local businesses. The main game has a grand prize of $1,000, so I decided to try my luck. I was familiar with the game, mind puzzle and word scrabble. With my determination to win the prize and my astute mind, I concentrated on it and won consecutively until the final round. In the end, I defeated a Chinese lady for the grand prize.
I was able to buy more food and rent a tent for the night with the money I won. I opted to stay by the beach with other tourists and had a night swimming with them. There was an OctoberFest party in the area with free food and drinks. The epic holiday turned out to be memorable, and full of fun, and lessons.
Our resiliency and faith will be tested at some point in our life as we face new challenges. Oftentimes, we will be lost, fail, or trip over a stone. But those challenges come to reframe our lives, make us stronger, and strengthen our faith.
Whatever path we take, whatever detour we take, "We must trust the process and never lose hope". He knows exactly where he wants to take us, and it will never be in the wrong direction. What is certain is that the challenge will either broaden our perceptions or change our lives.
This may be fiction, but it taught us something about life. And you probably wonder, what if you become homeless in a new place with no money? How will you deal with it? Consider it for a moment, and you may share your thoughts too.
This is my submission for @galenkp's Weekend Engagement Concept 122. All photos are mine and were taken last weekend when I was literally lost in an unfamiliar place. I was unable to locate the venue of the event I wanted to attend on time. Nonetheless, I had a good time exploring the new place, and I returned home happy and with new and beautiful experiences and memories.
