Hong Kong Chronicles: Tram Training

I went to the chiropractor for a migraine last week. I thought, "I'll be smart and cheap and take the $2 tram since it ends up right in front of where I want to be."

$44 later I ended up at my doctor's office. (Note: that's Hong Kong Dollars or about $5.60 USD.)


Sigh. There isn't a single straight street here. Between crooked streets, underground warrens of the MTR, and back alleys, even the most healthy of sense-of-direction egos can suffer bruises here. I have a 95% good sense of direction (thanks, Pops!). And then there is the remaining 5%...
The good news for the directionally challenged is that Hong Kong (city proper) is an island. Mountains on one side, sea on the other. If you get to either one, you've gone too far. You might go in circles endlessly, though.

Back to the story: I was so pleased I got to the tram where my friend showed me to go. It's cheap! $2! It lands me where I want to go! So, I'm paying attention to landmarks and looking for interesting things. I noted a bigger stationery shop. Then we passed Victoria Park and Hong Kong Library. Warning bells should have been ringing, but all I thought was, "Huh. I thought Tai Hang was the other way. Oh, well. Must have been looking at the map wrong."

Then I saw the Tin Hau MTR stop. DING! DING! DING! RED LIGHTS! SIRENS!

Darn it. I WENT THE WRONG WAY!

1 tram ride the wrong way = $2
1 taxi ride to get to my doctor's office = $40
1 tram ride to get the rest of the way because the taxi driver didn't understand enough English to drop me off closer = $2

Then, because I was so late getting there, I wanted to get back to the office in a reasonable fashion. $55 back.

Yeah. My cheap $4 (to-and-from) tram ride cost me $99 HKD.

Well, now I've had my tram training. And usually, two losts make a found for me. Next time I'm lost this way, I should know what I'm doing better.

Yeah. That's it.