He says: Our first full day in Hong Kong started with a buffet breakfast of champions in the hotel that was just what the food doctor ordered. I won't get into great detail about what was consumed, but let's just say there may have been pancakes, bananas, and vanilla bread involved. Also, I'm pretty sure we had the most plates of food of anyone in the restaurant, so we won.

The heat is nuts here - I think it's actually the same temp as in Ottawa right now - in the 40s with the humidex. It's the kind of heat that the Old Spice challenge was built on and where walking by someone who didn't take the challenge becomes a nausea inducing experience. After breakfast we hopped on a guided tour (in an air conditioned bus) that took us to Victoria Peak, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company harbor (it may not have been called that), a tourist trap jewelry manufacturing plant/showroom with pushy salespeople, and Stanley market. It was a blast. I had a good time bartering with vendors for a few pieces of jewelry for Shauna. I employed the classic American Pickers
negotiating technique of low balling offers and acting like it was an inconvenience to even be there - "Look I can do $25." If you ever do this make sure to also couple it with a shoulder shrug and place both both hands in the air to emphasize frustration and lack of interest. Terri, our guide, was like a young Paula Poundstone, offering one-liners on the bus about everything from her inability to swim ("I don't know how to swim, but I do know how to sink") to the population density in Hong Kong ("It's even crowded in the cemetery"). She thought she was pretty babelicious and even did an Angelina Jolie impression when talking about the fact that "Tomb Raider Second" was filmed in the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. harbor. Overall, a very entertaining day.

- Matt