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Thursday, 16th
September 1999
Typhoon signal no. 10 - stuck in Hong Kong!
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We were woken up
at 3.00 am by rain lashing at the window. We got
up at 6.00 to pack ready for our trip to Guangzhou,
to be told at breakfast that Hong Kong was under
typhoon signal 8 and that 180km/hr winds were expected.
We sat in the lobby, waiting for further news...
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Three hours later,
the news was that the typhoon signal had
been raised to number 10, the strongest
for 16 years. We waited. We watched the
torrential rain blowing up the street, down
the street, sideways and upwards. We watched
bits of trees, signs and umbrellas bouncing
down the streets. We watched the motor-bikes
parked by the hotel being blown over. But
mostly we waited. Later, a very valiant
Ricky arrived in a sou'wester over a lime
green shirt, to inform us that we would
be going nowhere today as there were no
trains, planes, MTR, or buses. |
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At 1.00 pm, Lizzie
said that Kuoni would pay for lunch, so we all trooped
in to the hotel restaurant. Afterwards, we waited
some more. We watched the television in the bar.
1 dead, 300 injured. Cranes collapsed, houses and
offices damaged. At 5.00 pm, Lizzie said that Kuoni
had authorised another night's stay in the Stanford,
with evening meal and breakfast. But she would not
know our travel plans from the various organizations
with which she had to liaise, until tomorrow. |
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| We had an indifferent supper and went
to bed. We wondered what new surprises tomorrow would
bring? |
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