Thursday Flight and arrival at Disneyland.

Hi to all. My apologies for not actually doing anything on this, as I've had no working internet connection (and wasn't going to pay $22 AU a day for internet at Disneyland).

So this is the update - number 1.

The flight - surprisingly good. My client's missus had us looked after (wasn't enough room in biz class for us). The kids were great. Esther was a bit hyper, but not too major. We took a video of her standing in the "cot" on the plane, being a clown and amusing the hell out of everyone who was sitting behind us. But no picture, hence none here. Liv and Sonali were great, both had no freakouts on the plane. I got free drinks and they gave us a bottle of reisling (as the biz classers had slaughtered the bubbles). The kids got special meals with their own names on it, which was nice.

I listened to Jovia who listened to mum about getting money at the airport. Thank goodness my westpac card decided to be difficult, because it would have cost me some serious money. I was getting HK$5.3 per $1AUD at the airport, and $5.9 via the VISA debit and at the regular exchanges. That means that everything at the airport is poor value (especially the food).

Got into HK Airport at 6pm HK time. We were shattered. And hauling 2 trollyloads and a pram didn't help the cause and my nerves were a bit frayed. Customs in HK was a piece of cake - which bothered me, since getting out of Brisbane was harder than getting into HK. I kinda like that extra security. We had to sign a health declaration regarding swine flu (both at the airport and at Disney). They are really particular about it here. There are alcohol handwash dispensers everywhere - everywhere to eat, outside every toilet, in every train station, public place. It is actually really good - they are taking it seriously - ads on telly, announcements at the train stations etc.

Got into Disneyland hotel via taxi from the airport. It is on Lantau island, which is basically a tropical island covered in trees and the only buildings on it relate to disneyland. Our asthma got really bad there. We thought it was the pollution (there is a permanent haze here), but it wasn't - just the tropics - much like Cairns.

Disneyland Hollywood Hotel is amazing - it was absolutely beautiful. It was fitted out as a combination of 1920's Hollywood TCM style, cross 50's diner, with 60's music and stuff playing. The staff and service were impeccable and it was clean as clean could be. Definately a place for families to stay (should they afford it).

It has souvenir shops that are sometimes cheaper than the ones at Disneyland proper.

Everyone speaks good English and everything is written bilingually (as it is in most of HK, except for handwritten signs of course). It was very sanitised, as I had assumed it would be. There were plenty of Westerners staying there and at the Park. The staff give out stickers all the time and loved the kids. We have several hundred disneyland and disney stickers.

The pool is beautiful and apparently there was a swim up bar, though we didn't read the guide well enough. My only gripe was that there was no choice for eating - you had the hotel restaurants, or a fair walk to the jetty and a ferry ride to another part of HK to find something. The food was okay, it wasn't excellent, but it was adequate. It was, however, quite pricey. We paid $116 for the buffet, but having said that, we were so had it, that the "no brainer" aspect of it was great. And it had a very good range of food - very good range. Probably the biggest buffet I have seen.

We went to bed at 9:30, which of course is actually 11:30 our time, so a big day.