Gratefulness~ pt.1

In Bangok the first thing I want to do is to find the toilet in the airport. I can see weird writing and signs everywhere. It’s a good thing that there’s also something written in English for us tourists. I maybe should have learned some of the basic Korean phrases before I left. But I guess I can manage with my english skills.

I wait for my luggage and get out of the airtport. I start walking along the streets of Bangkok keeping the Google Maps app on the whole time that I wouldn’t get lost. I need to see what Bangkok has to offer. There’s a food corner selling some weird food and I can see a duck family wobbling across the street. I find a couple of familiar looking shops. There’s also lots of strange looking Thai markets I’m not willing to go in. Most of them have marquesses. People are driving scooters. I’m walking past, under and between different kind of colorful signs. I decide to drop by Zara.
I find a shining silver fur jacket I have been looking for a long time and also a black dress which has silver and see-through details. I also visit a shoe shop and buy bulky black leather high heels that are covered with silver glitter patterns. I should be able to stand and walk with them.

I’m sitting a while in an ice cream bar. I’m swaying my legs on a high bar stool and looking the little Thai kids smutching their shirts with mango and mint ice cream. At least I get to experience some bits of Thailand too. I text with my friends and then I go buy an exotic smoothie before I leave back to the airport. I found myself a seat, slip under the blanket again and take a nap before the continuation flight to Hong Kong.

Here I am! Finally! Hong Kong, be prepared, Minea is in da hoodz!

I’m looking through the window as the wings start to cut up the cloud gauze... It’s almost 11 pm and I can see the lights of Hong Kong’s thousands of skyscrapers. Tall buildings are standing proudly side by side. There’s a pathetic puddle in the middle of everything. The weather is foggy and thick. Airplane’s engines' sound change and the radio starts to murmur.
“Here is your captain Steven speaking. We are about to start landing in Hong Kong. Please, mute your mobile phones and put your seat belts on.”
The plane starts to tremble and it turns towards the ground. I snap the seat belt on and drop the plastic champagne glass to the trashcan. I lift my bag between my legs and focus on admiring the landscape. I’m trying to guess where Big Bang’s concert will be held but there’s just too many buildings. The airport is a little bigger than in Helsinki, to put at least. There are lots of airplanes neatly in a row. Soon we touch the ground and I stand up to cram the blanket in my handbag. I put my black leather jacket on and wrap the scarf around my neck. Business men have left the plane already in Bangkok and I leave the 1st class area by myself. I walk to the stairs and let the chilly evening wind blow to my face... I walk into the darkness with little lights surrounding me and hop on a buss which drives us inside the building. A Thai man who has jumped on the plane from Bangkok is checking me out. I glance him angrily and turn my face in other direction. Thank you, yes I must look very sexy in my college trousers and pullover.

I sit down to wait my luggage again. A few other people have gathered under the same ceiling too. There was a lot more passengers on the continuation flight than on the flight to Bangkok and another airplane landed here at the same time. The room is literally bustling of people. It almost scares me to go out. God knows how much people there must be, I’m in China after all. Chinese family of three grabs five suitcases from the conveyor and I think to myself: "Are they all really theirs?". I guess they are. I’m already looking for the exit. “EXIT” reads in a sign on the wall and it points to the same direction where the family is heading to. 11.30 pm, as local time, I still don’t see my own suitcase anywhere and I start to get worried. If the workers have now screwed up something, that's just wonderful. What if my suitcase is, for example, still in Bangkok and I won’t get it until tomorrow? Then I would have to sleep with my waterproof makeup on and how would I do my hair tomorrow. I would have to wear these clothes to the concert! College trousers and pullover!! But, luckily, I can sigh of relief when I finally see the familiar looking black suitcase approaching me on the conveyor. I stand up and lift it off. I check the name tag: Minea Vallila. Yep, it’s the right one.

I’m the last one at the luggage room when I dash out. Maybe travelling alone wasn’t the brightest idea after all. I’m still very shy and wary little girl but, on the other hand, maybe I will become braver because of this trip. I have to be bold enough to speak to strangers with foreign language and to take care of myself. Actually, this trip can be very educational.
I relax immediately when I see other people in the hall and I spot the glassy front doors. At the very moment I also remember the limousine that’s supposed to drive me to places and I can feel the butterflies in my stomach. I’m so excited. This is where it all begins!

I walk out of the building rolling the suitcase behind me and holding the handbag on my right hand. I take a look around. I see many taxis ready to leave. And at the farthest end, behind all the taxis, I can see a limo. That must be it! I rush to the car and smile compulsively because I’m so excited to get to travel by a limo. Just wow! Friendly looking man in his thirties stands out off the car. He doesn’t look native at all. I guess he’s American?
“Evening!” he greets me charmingly and takes a look at the paper in his hands. “Are you Minea?” he looks at me and pronounces my name funnily.
I nod. “Yes. Yes, I am.”
“Welcome to Hong Kong. Let me take your luggage”, he says and I hand him the black suitcase. The man lifts it in the trunk and comes to open the door for me.
“So where’s your friend?” he asks leaning on the door.
“Oh, no. I came alone”, I answer flinching.
He slams the door shut and sits on the front seat.
“Little girl in a big city. You’d better be careful”, he says kindly and starts the engine. I think I like this guy.
“Yes, I will”, I answer him with a bright smile and take a look around. The limo is decorated with color black and in the middle is a table which looks like a bar. The chauffeur notices my observing.
“My name is Jamie by the way. I will be your chauffeur for this weekend. There is some drinks in the bar if you want. And I put my cards there somewhere”, he tells. “You can find my number on the card so try to find one.” I go through the drawers and find the cards almost right away. I put one in a pocket of my handbag and zip the pocket closed very well so that the card won’t get lost.
“I can drive you anywhere anytime you want, you know? Just call me”, Jamie continues and I look at the scenery. The lit apartment buildings and hotels and restaurants scuttle by.
“That’s nice. Thanks. I will”, I smile to Jamie. “Do you know where the concert is held?” I ask about the concert venue and admire the cityscape that somehow reminds me of New York even though I have never been there.
“Yes. I’ts in the AsiaWorld-Arena, right beside the Airport.”
“Oh. It was that close”, I laugh. We drive across a bridge and I keep looking at the sparkly water that reflects the city lights.
“It takes a little while ‘til we are at the hotel. Because it’s in a different island”, Jamie tells but I don’t mind. I slept so much on the plane, so, now I am extremely energetic and I can admire Hong Kong’s wonders. It is really a huge city…

Jamie waves me goodbyes. “See you tomorrow! I’m all yours!” I give a laugh because my chauffeur is really funny and handsome too.
“Yeah! Good night!” I shout back and roll my suitcase inside the luxurious hotel.
There’s no one else in the lobby, probably they are all sleeping already. Everything is looking so clean. The floor is made of grey stone ja and the walls are also grey but the light wooden details and stairs make everything look lively. I can see a lounge-like place at the back and wooden design sofas have been placed in the middle of the lobby, in front of the elevators. I go to the reception desk which is situated under the stairs. An Asian woman smiles at me.
“Welcome! You must be Minea Vallila”, the woman splutters with a little bad but still understandable English.
“Yes. Hello”, I greet and smile back. I lay my suitcase towards the desk and put my handbag on it. The woman digs up a bunch of papers.
“Here. Write your name here... And here is your key card”, she slides the key card across the desk to me. “Here is some information”, she says about some paper which she slides next to the key card and then she suddenly looks at me surprised.
“Did you bring a friend? The room is booked for two person. You had to be two person here.”
“Aah, yeah. No one wanted to come with me. So I’m here alone”, I try to explain her and she is looking at me strangely.
“Ooh. Okay then. You still want to stay in the big suite? It is really big.”
“Yes”, I answer.
“Okay”, the woman crosses and writes something on the paper ja and hands it to me to sign. I sign the paper.
“Okay. So here is your information and card and… you don’t need this one”, she says quietly and puts the other key card back under the desk and then she looks at me.
“So, YG has paid all and will pay also your drinks or food you having here.”
I nod.
“Yes. Your hotel number is 259 and you have a nice big Club Suite 80. It has 80 quartermeters and it is in the last 30th floor. Have a nice stay in our hotel!” she smiles and I give her a little smile too. I take my suitcase and handbag and head to the elevator. I push button 30. and wait. “This is one hell of a high hotel”, I think to myself.

The room is above gorgeus. There’s a direct view to the water and to the skyscrapers behind it. I stay watching the scenery for a while. In the suite there’s a big sofa set and many comfortable looking armchairs and then there’s a large television immerged into the wall which is made of glass. The tones are earthy. Green and light brown… And of course lots of wooden details.
“Oh, if only my friends could be here partying”, I sigh. Behind the sofas is a big worktable and behind 'the television wall' I can find the toilet on the left and the bedroom is on the right. There’s a big bathtub in the toilet and one wall is made of glass. In the bedroom there's another big flat screen TV and a big cozy bed. How can I sleep here? I am going to just stare at the awesome view and never fall asleep. I run from a room to another and scream a little everytime when I find something new and exciting.

Mom sends me a text message: “Are you already in Hong Kong…?” I call her. I tell her everything about the amazing hotel and fabulous city. Mom listens and is being enthusiastic too. After the phone call I yawn and feel a little bit tired. I throw my pullover to the floor and kick the trousers off. I slide into my sexy night dress which I haven’t dared to use at home. I let my hair loose and hop on the bed. I lay on my back for a while watching the scenery. I think about how unbelievable it is to really be here. In the middle of this huge city of development. I think about my friends who are right now getting drunk and breaking the law somewhere far away from here. But I, I lay on a bed in one of the Hong Kong’s luxury hotels, on a king bed, and look at the city lights. It’s maybe a little bit scary to be alone like this but I have to stop thinking about it. “I’m completely safe here and now I can do whatever I want to”, I comfort myself.

Then I remember that Big Bang is sleeping somewhere near me. I giggle.
I decide to peek at the other suite’s doors. But there’s nothing on the doors telling that it would be their room. The hallway is silent. The whole hotel is silent. I shut the door and go back to bed. I put my phone on the charger and move the curtains in front of the windows. I wrap myself between the soft sheets and close my eyes. “I have to get some sleep that I’ll be able to dance at the concert tomorrow”, I repeat to myself in my mind. “I must.” Still, my mind is wandering on the members, concert, Hong Kong’s lights, plans… Finally, at some point, I fall asleep.

Notes

There's the hotel ICON I was talking about. Haha.
http://www.hotel-icon.com/rooms.aspx#/club-suite-80
My description is not exactly what it looks like in the real ICON hotel, I just got my inspiration from it :)

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Teaser for chapter 7