PART 19 - DAY 18 - THE DREAM IS OVER...

The day has come to finally leave china for home nothing left for us to except a little bit of Christmas shopping in Kowloon, army style roll and cram every last thing you can in a suitcase, and fly home.  I’m Trying to get the last few paragraphs for this blog done on the flight home, which by the way is not as easy as it should be, stuck in the middle I’ve got a passed out drunk Dan (who is terrified of flying) asleep on my shoulder one side, and a south Africa solicitor on the other, me being 6’3 means not lot of elbow room, and the seat in front is fully reclined. So i will keep it brief, as my comfort level on this flight is rapidly diminishing. To sum up the last three weeks have been amazing for me; I can honestly say that, I know the rest of the crew agree. To Cedric, Landon, Bikounou our patient media collectors, thanks so much luggng heavy camera bags around for 3weeks nonstop is hard work. You guys were always cheery and kept the crew in good spirits the whole time.

It’s always sad to leave a place, but definitely we are going to head back someday soon.  Sick spots, even more sick spots, nice weather, nice culture and a fucking good time spent away with some good people, nobody got hurt and lots of good photos and memories. Thanks (xie xie) Thai also Cyres and Mr jong our driver in shenzhen for showing us around.  Chris at x-games thanks for hooking up everything for us once we arrived, you’re a great host, Zaijian.

More crème blogs on the way soon..

Rodney ClarkE

PART 18 - DAY 17 - IF AT FIRST...

Today was the last days skating we would get done as tomorrow we were finally heading home and the thing on most of our minds was shopping and touristy stuff Kowloon has a few good  markets . Not before some more unfinished business with Kowloon bay playground Alex was determined to get the 360 flip lip on the 8 stair it was perfect just the security meant that you had to either be very lucky to make it in less than no tries Tomas also wanted to head back up to the bank on china for a kicky front board we were going to have to be lucky today let’s hope the security are feeling reasonable?

On our previous visit splitting the group and heading for both ends at the same time worked reasonably well once and so we would give this method another shot. Alex went around the long way to the handrail to warm up. Myself, Dan, Tomas, Maxi and Landon and Cedric all got set up to skate the 11. Typically the security guard was there in a heartbeat so the usual pleading started please just 10 minutes please, i think he was starting to sway a little Although he did give us the idea of going into the actual office and asking his supervisor, there is no way he will go for this I’m thinking but the distraction might buy us a few moments to warm up on it Tomas led the security guard away to the supervisors office a minute later back came the security guard, with his supervisor. A couple of warm up tricks from Tomas and me was all we got done. Now if we can just keep him talking for a bit, Alex will be more than ready on the other side of the playground. We left and walked round back to Alex we had now only a few minutes for him to make it. i think it was like 4th go he landed perfect on the rail but spat out at the end. That was about how many attempts he had before security came to shut it down. Pleaded for a bit but this late into the tour probably for the best, we called it, on our way back.

However Tomas and Cedric (ear infection still giving him grief) wanted one shot at filming a kicky front board at the bank of china rail. So we all broke off.  Just like Tomas he comes back to the hotel after only 20mins, didn’t look like he had even had time to go, all the way there and back, let alone get the trick. But then that is Tomas all over, when he says he’s going to do something he usually does.

A few drinks on the town was the best plan for the rest of night look at some photos Chris(x-game) had arranged entrance at some club downtown but forgotten id’s meant that idea was abandoned.  Same story in a few other then we eventually found a good club downtown. Thai had joined us for the night, a good chance to really say thank you. It was a great help having guides to show us about and hook things up. A really good night out, the French connection were out in full effect Bikounou, Cedric, and Bertrand throwing shape on the dance floor. I remember this much tequila, dance floor, laughing loads, more tequila thanks Browny for getting me in the cab home I’ve been told I passed out. We leave china tomorrow night.

PART 17 - DAY 16 - BACK TO HONG KONG

Browny and Alex both were relaxed and full of beans the next day after our night out, they both headed over the road to the spot right by our hotel (the bumpy bench spot) to film a couple of lines with Cedric while the rest of us mooched about the hotel getting ready to leave, in a few hours we would drive back to Hong Kong two drivers had been sent to take us and would be there around 2ish.

As planned the drivers showed up shortly after two we played Tetris for a bit with the bags trying to fit them in the vans then after it was only 15 minutes to the border. Our driver was a right grumpy muthaf*!# bossing us in and out of the vans at one point I thought Tomas was gonna stomp him for pushing him. The border crossing was not nearly as big a mission as on the way over and within the hour we had crossed the harbour and were back in Hong Kong. It took nearly another hour just to cross the island to the hotel; traffic in Hong Kong is seriously congested. Arrived Checked in, some quick grub, time to hit up a couple of missions.

we were keen to get more stuff at some of the better spots from the first week tonight’s spot was the bank of china we had visited there in the first week but were kicked out both times the average time spent on this spot was down to just 3 mins.  Alex and Tomas wanted to case the joint sorry, skate,   the rest of us were either getting food, or at the hotel, by Tomas’s account they were only there at the spot 10 mins tops Alex got a front smith whilst he was warming  up to do flip front board. It turned out Alex made the front smith but they immediately got the boot from the spot.

PART 16 - DAY 15 - ANOTHER HARD DAY AT THE OFFICE

Day 15 wow seems like only yesterday we arrived, nah that’s a lie feels like we’ve been here for weeks. Don’t get me wrong a few days away from home is good for the soul, anybody who has been on tour ever will understand from snoring  roommates to smelly feet  cabin fever can happen. Poor old Cedric the filmer has had an ear infection since the second day we arrived and has not moaned or complained once about anything, sometimes you just have to suck it up. Writing this I feel I could be a contestant on big brother and I have been called to the diary room.  Started off the day with a large continental breakfast then by going to look a huge hubba ledge, of course nobody was in the mood to skate something so big so early on in the day but worth a look none the less maybe we could come back? Probably not it was down a double set and finished meters away from the busiest intersection. Something much mellower please, off across the road to check out some ledges Cyres had spotted. Yet another sick plaza china has too many. A perfect ledge off 4 stairs and another one adjacent on the other side down 8 stairs, you couldn’t ask for a better training spot start on the small one then over to the bigger set.

The morning game of skate got underway and within minutes the session was heating up, a lot of tricks got done notables were Maxi’s nollie shuv- nose manny nollie heel out bloody smooth. Tomas liked the look of a back tail on the wall beside the ledge and got that done. Again the whole time we were skating there were shop owners watching with a certain level of bewilderment?  Dan was the first to step up to the bigger ledge with bunch of warm up tricks first he wanted to step it up and went for 5.0 to switch crooks made the first few then took the worst slam as his board slipped over the top of the ledge flipping him completely upside down onto his head, an absolute whooper. Luckily he was shaken but not permanently hurt. Time to call it lets head back the buffet at the hotels booked for 8 ish.

The day skating was nearly done just one last spot to maybe check out on the way back? A few days previous we had driven by a petrol station with what looked like a transitioned wallride upon further inspection we discovered that it was not a wall ride at all just a transitioned bank with a wall set back about 2 feet, it also had a big trench in front the bank which meant it was only going to be skateable if we found something to fill the gap.  It just so happened that just behind the wall was a brand new construction site complete with everything we may need, hopped the wall found the most perfect piece of wood to fill the gap, Now that the spot was skateable the only other thing the daylight was fading fast so it was going to have to be quick whatever needed to be done. There was just enough time for me to do a quick 5.0 hop on the wall from the bank.

Another amazing buffet largely spent trying to get Browny to eat oysters and other sketchy foods. A few of us went out for a massage after as there are so many “MASSAGE” parlours around.  (WGOT,SOT)

PART 15 - DAY 14 - CZECHS EAT STAIRS FOR BREAKFAST

I overslept this morning had the crew waiting outside for me when I came down, sorry guys (I was up late night blogging) Went to another plaza style spot complete with a double set, I think it was like Disneyland or somewhere like that because there were tourists in groups everywhere a group of tourist even came and asked to have a go on our boards and take photos with the crew. While the rest of us skated around MVP Maxim gotta love his work? Straight in first thing with a lovely pop shuv down the lot, now these stairs were longer then they looked with a shaky run up, so he had to pedal to get down them. Tomas jumped in the stack session while browny found a unique ledge down another set, but with a tricky planter at the bottom in which you had to Ollie out of the grind over the planter.  Our guide Sirus had some tech trickiness for the ledges (Think he could be the next big thing out of China)

The next spot or spots were at this college/university, the place was littered with things to skate like a level from the tony hawk computer game. I was surprised to see were able to skate this place, in the UK you would never get a chance to skate a uni in the middle of the day with students bustling about it would be a bust for sure. We were able to session the spots here late into the evening without as much as a look in from security. Sirus put down a sick 360 flip down a nice 10 set Maxim killed the spot again, he has really smashed it this trip hammers at every spot watch this kid he’s gonna go far. Dan landed a sick fakie flip down the set in about 3 tries. Alex was around the corner trying to gap a sick set of bumps looked like the remains of an old skatepark or something, it could of been nearly 20feet he was in the air for ages.

Headed back for a few beers some buffet dinner, then decided to go back to Lou Hoo market Tomas was keen to get some sunglasses but came back with half the store, I bought more helicopters because I keep breaking them. Maxim bought himself a new outfit and was well stoked.

PART 14 - DAY 13 - Ok Ok NO PROBLEM

Something mellow to skate for today ledges and a manual pad is all we felt like rolling on today, a rest from all the lemming sessions down stairs.  Shenzhen is absolutely filled with marble ledges too many to mention. So we sessioned some manual pads for about an hour or so then walked around the corner only to find even more blocks.  Smooth open spaces with zero pedestrians this city is rad, it’s strange that there are not loads more skaters, or if there is we have only seen a handful. Shenzhen is a booming city in south China's Guangdong Province, and it now boasts a population of 10 million, about 32 times that 25 years ago, most the spots we have seen don’t look like they have had too much action.. The security came out at one point to see what all the noise was then promptly sat down and watched the entire session.  The security here is so much more chilled out then in Hong Kong (they are actually stoked to see us skate)

After another long afternoon ledge hunting we were starving, rather than search about for another disappointing meal, we decided to eat the buffet dinner our hotel were laying on, and probably the best meal we have had so far this trip. An all you can eat buffet with so much choice it was mind blowing with free beer (whoop whoop) one thing we will all agree on this tour is how sick we are of Mc Donald’s.  Tomas quoted as saying “I’m so happy at this moment I could cry” We all had high spirits it was a good end to another productive day cheers.

Alex jamming on the guitar in the adjacent room was a nice way to get serenaded to sleep.

PART 13 - DAY 12 - WE MAKE YOU GOOD IDEA

We caught the ferry back to Shenzhen, went shopping at Lou Hoo market.  Some of the most aggressive sales reps I have ever seen, grabbing you by the arm and basically dragging you into their shops, the place was like this all the way to the top floor. Unlike the west it is customary to haggle and barter with the sales rep (never pay the first offer they give you it is usually jacked up for tourists) and our quirky looking group stood out like sore thumbs.  Although you can get a great deal on most items like clothes and toys and more of less anything you can think of, they are not shy to sell knockoffs of some of the best selling consumer products Iphones, Sony computers sorry Somy computers, and watches. “Hey mister I make you good deal as you walk away is the quote you’ll hear most if you ever come here”.  Browny and Alex definitely were not ready for this unusual sales technique; they had a way of trying to single each of us out from the group.  (Kind of like cats hunting buffalo) sticking together was our best option.

I was geeking out on the toys and straight away bought myself a little remote control helicopter as did Tomas, browny and Alex, these would be great fun around the hotel later, the place is so bloody big seven floors of consumer madness and in the run up to Christmas as busy as you can imagine, if not a little too full on with the harsh sales tactics.

PART 12 - DAY 11 - MACAU OR BUST

Morning wakeup call i got the day started with a full continental breakfast (god I’ve missed you) wow only a few days away from home and I can’t believe I’m so stoked to see bacon and Tropicana, beats noodles and ducks feet.  We plan to Skate only two spots today then take it easy, the Macau tower and the statue of Ida.  The hotel we are staying at is the nicest one yet with more marble than Milton Keynes. Shame we are only here for a day or so we are booked on the ferry back tomorrow afternoon. The layin this morning has given me a chance to catch up with my blog. Macau was colonised by the Portuguese some centuries ago so the architecture is somewhat similar to parts of Portugal, lots of the city streets are cobbled. We definitely needed somebody to give us a clues where to find spots especially as this was just a flying visit.

About 12 our guide for Macau Lucien showed up. We had no bus or vans for this leg of the tour so taxis were our only option. First we headed to Macau tower to skate the bowl spot (the one seen in the vans tour vid) shot a few piccys there and some lifestyle shots then,  Another taxi ride across town to the statue of ida. This spot overlooks the city and is right next to the sickest looking temple, a perfect marble transition/ wall ride awaited us, good times were had, more footage collected time to split, I bombed the twisty hill down from the spot met the others at the bottom, back to the hotel to get set for a night out at the casino.

Although Macau was a casino town it has an odd sort of vibe to it, most people in the casinos are not drinking booze but tea, and the streets were strangely empty even though it was a Saturday night, me Tomas, Dan and maxi headed down to the grand Lisboa to try our luck on the tables. Basically the house always wins (well it did in my case) i managed to lose a bit of cash, Tomas however got lucky on the slots. We didn’t roll back to the hotel til well after 4. Alex and browny decided beginners luck was not worth the risk if you don’t understand the game so they left the gambling to us (sensible idea) tomorrow afternoon we would checkout then head back to Shenzhen by seacat.

PART 11 - DAY 10 - STATUS UPDATE.... BLOODY KNACKERED

We had decided that a trip to the casino city of Macau. Situated to the east of Shenzhen the best way to get there is by ferry, which only takes about 45 mins. If we could squeeze in one more spot before the ferry at 4 o’clock, that would be super productive. So it was another early start (not even time for a coffee) with breakfast on route only to arrive at yet another stack of stairs, we seem to have had our fair share of stairs on this trip, all good though, pretty mellow this was probably the smallest set we’d seem so far, good for trying out new stuff, run up perfect roll out even better. The mid morning lemming session got under way. Tomas smashed it as always but the only trick I want to mention is Maxims, fakie tre flip, which was sweeeeeet!! Nuff said session over, so it was time to make like a baby and head out, so a quick stop at the hotel to grab our luggage then onto the ferry port. Our guide for the few days we were in Shenzhen Sirus assured us when we got back in a couple of days he would meet up with us again to show us more ,and he had also kindly hooked up a friend of his Lucien to give us a heads up in Macau. Thanks Sirus you’re a super cool dude and a great skater. The crème entourage had landed in Macau,   first thing we gotta do is check in at the hotel.  We jumped in the hotel shuttle bus past the main strip with all the big casinos; this was truly an eastern copy of Vegas even hosting an MGM grand.

The hotel is lush casino downstairs and swimming pool upstairs and a full western style continental breakfast, we definitely were going to enjoy staying here. Something about travelling all day plus the fact we’d all be skating meant most of us were pretty beat, (I know I was) so after some grub around the corner and a short mooch about the city then most of us retired to our rooms.  I think the real reason was we had not been online for a few days due to parts of china not being allowed facebook or YouTube, so changing status and chatting to family was the luxury most couldn’t resist. Tomorrow night would be better for hitting the strip.

PART 10 - DAY 9 - ROCK AND ROLL

The night before antics had definitely taken its toll on the crew, Tomas had been throwing up all morning, Ben looked a little green in the gills, I couldn’t move my head till late morning, this we pre-empted and told the drivers not to come time midday or so. We went to a big shopping mall for breakfast also Cedric needed to buy a new hard drive to store stuff and there was a nice looking Japanese restaurant we could hit up as well, the food was good except half way through the meal Landon found an insect in his soup (it weren’t small either) which turned us all off the food instantly, being hung over then seeing this could turn even the strongest of stomachs.
The closet spot to the hotel was a manual spot which we had lucked out in skating the two days previous because it was a amphitheatre and some old people were doing aerobics or Thai chi whatever. Most of us were taking it easy today because a lot of skating and drinking got done yesterday, so not much to report this blog. Some lines were filmed a few games of skate had Dermo smashed a quick frontside flip on a stack of stairs around the corner, and then we bailed back to the hotel. Alex was feeling rock and roll so he quickly bought a guitar and shaved his head I think  I will try my luck at the massage parlour directly downstairs in the hotel.  I think tomorrow we are going to catch the ferry to Macau for two days then come back to Shenzhen.

PART 9 - DAY 8 - DOUBLE SETS FOR BREAKFAST

I like staying in hotels, i enjoy hotels, i like the tiny soaps, i pretend that its normal soap and my muscles are huge, i don’t really like hotel showers, i can never adjust the temperature right, I ever now the ratios on the dials sometimes a 16th of an inch is a thousand degrees. started off my morning with a shower accidentally nudged the tap an almost scolded myself slipped on the soap in a panic trying to get out the way, a great start to the day. Time to start the breakfast mission Ben had kindly been on a reccy to see if anything local was worth tucking into other then noodles with cat meat. There wasn’t so a drive to the first spot and try to get something on the way was the plan.  First thing in the morning a nice double set to warm the legs up is just what every skater needs. Maxim had this one claimed with a switch heel while our driver went on a mission to find some food for us.  The temperature in Shenzhen is a lot warmer then it was in Hong Kong (must be something to do with the pollution who knows), but it was only 11oclock and already 28 degrees so while i kicked it in the shade under a tree maxim and Tomas were throwing themselves down stacks of stairs. Tomas started freaking out cause a butterfly landed on a leaf half a mile away, he really does focus i can tell ya that much, and to his credit it works because 10 mins later he comes up with the goods.  Browny had a pop at a double set combo, and then our driver was back with guess what? Mc Donald’s we’re loving it.

After a brief Mc Donald’s interlude we headed with our guide sirus in the cars to another spot, a lovely wheelchair ramp type thing next to a lovely looking pond thing.  Dermo got his big spin on; Browny got his hard flip on, and maxim frontside heelflipped. By now the hot weather and a diet of Macca’s meant we were all pretty burnt out. A good feed and some beers well needed. Up until now we had been eating sketchy food one in every 3 meals was something you recognised and as i mentioned in the earlier blog the Chinese eat every kind of sketchy food really, we walked through a market the other day only to see filleted fish laying on the slab organs showing and heart still beating, and couldn’t describe to you how sick i felt seeing cats on the menu. Let’s not risk it tonight was the general vibe so we had Sirus take us to the most western food serving spot Tex Mex yeah i could go some Mexican. Of course with the food has to be the margaritas. A good night out let’s say a midday start tomorrow hey.

PART 8 - DAY 7 - CROSS-TOWN-TRAVELLING

Getting about in Shenzhen was gonna be a breeze now that we have two vans to move our lazy carcasses around plus a guide to all the spots Sirus. Tomas had also been to Shenzhen once before and had some knowledge. I was really amped for the first spot as we all were, I have seen this on loads of videos and always wanted to skate it. After faffing around at the hotel and grabbing snacks from across the road and waiting for Bertrand to wake up (loves his sleep) we rocked up around lunchtime it took 30 mins to get there.  The best way to describe the spot would be benches, but wave shaped (check photos on this one) to get into every trick pulled would take the rest of this blog, but we stayed a while just keep it at that. Another thing that’s been noticeable this trip is how into skateboarding most of the general public have been and receptive to us at spots, quite a few times it almost became a problem with people stopping to watch and getting in the way, almost like some crazy street performance or something, each time a trick was made a small spattering of applause. Well strange but cool.

I could have quite easily skated this spot all afternoon but   with only a couple of hour’s daylight left we wanted to get a look at the next spot the brick kickers (see photos) so we headed out.  Another video spot, I watched this one last night in the Flip video, this thing looks much easier to skate on video, the slabs are all cracked and it’s bumpy as hell now, how did so and so do that? It really brings each trick done so far into perspective once you have actually seen the spot with your own eyes.
Alex and Tomas skated this one, I had used all my energy on the spot before as did some of the others, Dermo, Bertrand, Maxi however had snapped his last board so sat it out whilst Alex used the last of the days pop to 360flip the gap. Again another big crowd stopped got their photo cameras out and sat through the Tomas and Alex show.

That being that it was time to eat; Sirus please take us to your favourite restaurant where the food has pictures and an English menu.

PART 7 - DAY 6 - ZAIJIAN (GOODBYE)

For now at least it was time to leave Shenzhen, well at least for a few days this was a tour after all and as much as we knew there was more to be had from Hong Kong   and we would be back at the end for a few days before going home, so after a tearful goodbye (jokes) and breakfast we loaded up the vans kindly supplied by our factory complete with drivers and headed out.

Shenzhen is situated about an hour inland from Hong Kong and most famous spots in china were from this place. We were going to have to cross the border take visa’s, clear passport control the works. Even having to state, who we would be staying with in Shenzhen.  After about an hour driving we reached the border. Due to a recent postal strike back home in the UK neither I nor Dermo had our visas and a couple of the others had also left it too late , so our only option was to cue up and try our luck at the border for visa’s.  I anticipated the whole visa thing being a nightmare but fortunately the border was quiet and the cues small and i guess most sensible people had the appropriate papers prior to travelling. After nearly an hour we had paid our fees’s been approved and was cueing up for passport control then on our way. Not skating and being in transit was a welcome break from 6 days of skating. We rocked up at the hotel early evening it’s always a good sign that you’re in a great area when your hotel offers an hourly rate. Went for a little mooch around check the local area out and cuisine,  We met up with our host in china eva,  and she showed us where the best massage in town was to be had, Wow this trip just gets better and better. With all the business people coming and going in china massage services are offered by most hotels, and the street we are on has three big hotels and countless parlours.

The Best in town  Eva said she has really built this place up. Smiling giggling faces greeted up upon arrival, then we were lead two at a time into massage rooms.  The whole team photographers as well were along for this treat so quite a few of us. The busiest they have been in weeks. I gotta say though i was in more pain coming out o there than i was going in my masseuse was terrible far from the fucking best i’d say, if nothing else though it was super cheap.

PART 6 - DAY 5 - SKATE SPOTS RELOADED

Sunday nearly a week in we'd been all over Hong Kong island by now, most of the best spots had been visited  and we had been busted at almost all of them, So it was time to try our luck again at a couple of the better ones. Tomas and Patrick in particular had a couple of tricks in mind Maxim also had a banger up his Sleeve So the crew Camera men in tow turned up at the 1st of the days revisited spots why we thought Sunday would be any different was beyond us. And in some ways it was a darn Sight worse I guess the security have less to do on a Sunday so are More Vigilant Kowloon bay playground was one of our Favourite spots of the trip So far, the best handrails you are ever likely to see to china, as with most security in the world coming back after business hours is the best way to avoid trouble, we didn’t have this luxury as we were leaving Hong Kong in the morning but thought we would leave it as late as we could and hit another spot on the way, we managed to squeeze a few go’s in at the immigration building before at least 12 security guards came to see us off and even taking our pictures we were not in luck at this spot they were really keen for us to leave.

Bertrand Broke away with cedric (Bikounou) to shoot a sequence a the first day water hazard spot, then it was off back to Kowloon bay playground for some unfinished business with the 11stair rail browny the night before had called backlip and  so the idea was to try and split into two groups so that we could maximise the time we had there, just the photographers and filmers headed to one side of the playground whilst myself Tomas, Dan and Alex skated the other end to try and keep the security guard distracted by skating the rails. Fortunately the same security lady was nowhere to be seen and the plan seemed to be working a treat the security guard had taken the bait and was on his way over to us. By the time he had walked across the playground (which was huge) and reached us, we could see browny and crew packing up and heading back had the plan worked or not? Browny cruises over with the biggest of grins on his face, nailed it ”stoked” time to breakout of here.

Time to grub say our thanks and goodbyes to Thai who without we would have been lost and also pack, because tomorrow we are headed to Shenzhen for a few days.

PART 5 - DAY 4 - RAILS NAILS AND TAILS

As previously mentioned getting a good session at spots in Hong Kong can be a nightmare with all the security during the day time, usually only about 10 minutes on average.  That being said if you’re lucky or you have somebody good with the gift of gab (cheers Ben) then you can extend this time just maybe long enough to get a trick. We had rocked up at probably the best handrail spot we had seen so far 5 stairs, 8 stairs, and 10 stairs long, and low a seriously good spot. This was one spot we could spend a while at. Browning full of beans gets straight into it and nailed most tricks in minutes Tomas too.  It wasn’t long before crew were trying some real tech moves as the rails were so playful. Alex was warming up 360 flip lip on the biggest one Dan was turning overcooks and Tomas liked the look of a back tail, crew were getting close to sealing the deal, but then  wait what is this? No way could it be? ahh shit it is, fucking security busted. It was the best we could hope she would let us have a few final tries and yes after some persuasion and packing up all Landon, and Cedrics camera gear and pretending to move off Tomas was able to get a final shot at a backtail and make it to the elation of some local school girls.

The funny thing was the security woman as serious as she was about us not skating the spot seemed quite a chirpy and bubbly character and through all of her shrieking and shouting she seemed to have a smile. We thanked her and moved off, as we did so we had to walk through the rest of the area as it was a basketball court and playing field. Because we’d been busted we now got a chance to see the front of the court as before we had crept around to the back to avoid being detected. Oh my god even more rails this time even bigger I wonder if we could get a shot on these bad boys whiles security’s all the way up the other end of the playground it was definitely worth a try. The camera guys set up their gear on the double this time maxim had something that he wanted to try as his legs were freshest he managed to get probably 10 minutes before our shrieking security lady came bowling over. We HAVE to come back to this spot there are just too many great things here to skate.

A few blocks away in a nearby housing estate Tomas and Landon has spotted another forecourt brimming with skatability. The rest of us wanted to return to another spot in town at the high court because the security finished working at around 7 just after dark and it was well enough lit for filming just not for shooting photos Bertrand was keen for this spot to try and grab a few lines. The first few days of our trip was kind of like a teaser for most spots, we got to taste the spot but not really Savour them, so for the next couple o days we pledged to return to as many of the better ones as we could. The night ended with us skating the high court ledge spot till way after midnight.

PART 4 - DAY 3 - DEEP FRIED PIGEON EGGS

By now we had a nice little routine underway even only 3 days in, wake up head to the diner across the way for sloppy eggs and ham, (it was either this or noodles for breakfast) meet thai out the front of the hotel, have a few games of skate and dork about for a bit then head to a spot. What is it with skateboarders and lame dork tricks we try them and end up hurting ourselves more than trying hammers, Tomas somehow skinned his knuckles riding around on his knees. We decided to move on to the days spots.  First stop was going to be a school out in Kowloon a twelve stair hubba. We reached the spot after a metro ride across the harbour and after a little waxing the ledge was set for a session.  i thought this spot would be a bust for sure but we managed to get a full session in even though school was still in there were students coming and going the whole time we were skating at one point we managed to get a full cheering squad, Bertrand was busy exchanging facebook details and signing autographs with a few of the skater students whilst Landon and Cedric our photographers got set up to shoot Alex Tomas and myself.  Alex fifty fifty’d the ledge which had an awkward kink at the bottom and also a lamppost to the side about midway down, so you had to sort of thread the needle to ride it or get clanged on the lamppost. Tomas is a beast and nollied into noseslide, and me of course opted to fifty it on the other side.

Before we moved off to get grub we passed through a nearby housing estate and found a lovely nine  stair rail in the middle of a communal area full of old people playing cards and dominos and generally socialising. The looks on the the faces of the locals was more of surprise and bewilderment rather than of shock and anger as you might expect. With only a few minutes of light and a security guard on his way over we had to be fast, tricks were made then we headed back towards Hong Kong to find some where to eat.

Time for grub, the Chinese seem to eat mostly everything that ever swam in the ocean, and eating out can be a ordeal if you don’t speak the lingo or have a guide or have pictures on the menu.  Sweet & sour this, msg covered that, every part of the animal is eaten nothing wasted, ask for a chicken dish and you could end up with sweet & sour feet.    I tell ya what i like about Chinese people, as long as we’re on the subject, their hanging in there With those chopsticks, still using Chopsticks You know they’ve Seen the Fork ,oh they’re well aware  we have the fork and the spoon, I don’t know how they Missed it, Chinese farmer getting up working in the fields with a shovel all day ‘hello Shovel there it is’ (your not Ploughing 40acres with couple of pool cue). Both Alex and browning needed forks before the end of their meals and it was delicious even if we didn’t know what most things were. On the way back to the hotel Maxim hardflipped a gap at the immigration building before security even had a chance to blink. Another spot killed now back to the hotel to write this blog.

PART 3 - DAY 2 - SKATING NOT LAGGING

Like most skateboarders Early starts have never been my thing anybody who knows a skateboarder knows this to be gospel, but the excitement of being in a different country seemed to override all of that, day two was under way.

The day before our host and guide Thai had kindly shown us most of the best skate spots on Hong Kong island, that being said there were obviously going to be  a load more great spots awaiting to be found.  Tomas and maxim had already been out and about  before our guide  made it to our hotel, on a breakfast quest the guys had found a sick looking kicker right on the doorstep of the hotel. Once we’d had a little munch which consisted of the sloppiest scrambled eggs and an airplane portion of ham at least 3 meals were required, we headed to the spot. It was great if a little rough on the run up and landing but skateable for most things.

Maxim and the Austrians Alex and Patrick (or browning as he is now to be affectionately known) see profile for more info  got the session rolling within minutes to the pleasure of some workmen digging nearby. The spot was loads of fun and a welcome reprise from being busted at every spot so far and before we knew it a couple of hours had passed (oh how time flies). Just nearby the kicker, Dermo had found another water hazard spot, this one however was a real water hazard if your board went in it was gone for good, real sick looking, two giant concrete blocks with a 6 foot gap between, and a 10 foot drop straight into the harbour.  You needed to be sure you were going to get across with whatever trick.  With only one push run up definitely not for everybody, this could quite easily ruin your days skate. Dan steps up and managed to flip it, Tomas in the meantime was laying the kicker to waste shifty flips and backside nollie flips, this was one of those spots that you just didn’t want to leave, so we didn’t, well at least not for a few hours. Eventually we called it and it was time to head to Kowloon to hit up another spot.

Kowloon is just across the harbour from Hong Kong island the two best ways to get there are by metro or by the ferry, both of which take about five minutes, it was going to be a little slower than the day before as most of the other spots were spread out in Kowloon unlike in the CBD of Hong Kong.
Thai had taken us to this sick looking plaza only problem was the light was fading fast and it was poorly lit (might be a return trip tomorrow and a bit earlier) everybody was a bit burnt out from the earlier spot so only browning and Tomas had time to film with Cedric’s and landon while the rest of us played skate and worked on crowd control, as the spot was also in the middle of a busy public park. Back to the hotel to check out a local Hong Kong video that Chris at x game kindly provided us with to check on spots. Everybody still a tiny bit disorientated from jet lag so going to bed at weird times.
 
 

PART 2 - DAY 1 - CLEANING UP THE SPOT

In a swarming metropolis such as this there were bound to be loads of spots and the best way to get about is by metro, not by car as the traffic is understandably crazy, we all got motivated pretty early as we were keen to get in amongst it and do the whole tourist thing, the great thing about skateboarding is not only do we get to see lots of unique countries but we can also cover a lot more ground than your average pedestrian.

Anybody who has ever tried skating the CBD of their nearest city will understand the problems with security, and Hong Kong is no exception, at almost every spot we visited after a few minutes and just enough time to warm up we got busted (they are only doing their jobs we understand) mostly in fact all the security we encountered were polite it was the best we could do to try and reason with most of them (as you do ) just one more try please mostly they were obliging. We had also somehow managed to travel all twelve of us and not have a single piece of wax between us and so the next best thing was a bar of soap as for some reason candles are hard to find. With some of the best architecture of any modern city i have ever seen loads of marble plaza’s and good open spaces with lovely fountains and water features. Patrick’s board was the first to take a dip his was within easy reach and came out quicker than it went in, mine however managed to sink right to the bottom so i elected to go in head first to retrieve it with the boys holding me by legs, plenty of chuckles and now soaking wet pop.

Without going into every spot we hit which would just be boring to read, the day went much like this, 1: find sick spot 2: just add skaters allow ten minutes warm up 3: add cameras get set up and ready to shoot, 4: remove skaters security alerted 5: Ben running interference trying to distract the security everybody having one last go 6: pack upt and move on, 7: repeat and rinse. I think the best plan of attack is to come back after the guards knock off. We still managed to rock a few lines and tricks and this is only day one we still have kowloon and shenzhen and macau to visit. The evening ended with a few beers, showers and sleep being 8 hours adead has played havoc with the bodyclocks of the most youngbloods. Same again tomorrow, Whoop, whoop.

PART 1 - THE JOURNEY

I like to travel - I like to get out there and any excuse to leave the cold wet weather of Europe in winter is a good one. A crème trip to China sounds like the order of the day. The plan was to fly to china with a stopover at Dubai airport to meet up with the rest of the crew on this mission. The Austrians Alex Geisler, Patrick Pittl, the Czechs Tomas Vintr and Maxim Habanec, the English myself and Dan Mc Dermott and the French Bertrand Sourbrier and Photographers’ Cedric And Cedric.
 
Call me sizist, fatist or whatever but why should we the skinny skaters and the 300 pound overweight man in the next line checking in get the same luggage allowance? the system is floored this guy weighs as much as me and my friends combined, surely his luggage allowance should be less, sort it out airlines, i propose a fat tax, thats right i said it, deal with it.
 
I never really did understand peoples fear of flying but everybody’s got phobias right? This was to be one of the first flights out of Europe for a few of the guys, neither of the Austrians had ever flown before, and Dan only once or twice locally, so these guys were excited not just to be leaving home but to be experiencing the whole first time flying feeling. but we also have a couple of nervous flyers Dan and Bertrand both are terrified of flying had both been prescribed anti anxiety tablets from their doctors. On mine and Dan’s first leg of the journey to Dubai we decided to mix it up at the bar with a few drinks before the flight to ease the tension, this was a bit of a mistake as we ended up boozy almost missing the flight and losing a camera in the process.
 
I love to fly flying, although unnatural is still one of the safest ways to travel. Don’t you just love the little bathrooms on airplanes? you go in lock the door then the little light comes on, it’s like your own private surprise party every time you walk in. and also have you noticed they still put the little razor slot in there, like who the fuck is shaving so much that they are using up razors on a fight the wolf man or something. Single serve drinks and single serve meals, and never quite enough leg room, if you are tall like me then airplane seats are not really designed with us in mind the ability to get comfortable is a near impossibility, that coupled with the screaming baby one row over could have made me very bloody cranky if it were not for the free booze buzzer.
 
After six hours we had all arrived in Dubai (thanks to Ben for dealing with the logistics of the flights), we had more or less arrived at the same time for our connecting flight to Hong Kong. we met up with the others still slightly boozy and haggered from not much sleep, it seemed Tomas had the same idea as his hang over had taken effect immediately upon arrival in Dubai, he was crashed out on the terminal for trying to sleep it off, and Bertrand was trying to chain smoke away the nerves in the irish bar at the other end of the terminal. After a few hairs of the dog we were ready to embark, the excited Austrians were like little kids at Christmas in anticipation of the next flight, Tomas looked ill, and Dan and Bertrand started panicking it was onto Hong Kong.
 
After another 7 hours we had made it to Hong Kong, a short coach journey later and a quick stop for some grub and we were at our hotel. Time for real sleep ................ and relax.