My mom did the heavy lifting of all the planning for this trip. We decided to first fly to Hong Kong since the plane tickets were cheaper (by “we” I mean, me, my mom, and 四姨). This first leg of the trip was more about relaxing, eating tasty food, and visiting my cousin, Xiǎo Péi. My mom and I stayed over at her apartment which was very cozy, and she, her husband, Ā Wěi, and 18-year-old daughter, Tisha, were very gracious and accommodating. 四姨 stayed with my other aunt, 二姨 (mother of Xiǎo Péi) in a separate district known as Tuenmen.

I feel like I am always surprised with the immediate familiarity and warmth that greets me in my extended families’ households. It makes me wish I could be more accommodating for their visits should they ever visit New York, but I am often overprotective of my time and space.

七月十二号 – 到达香港

We arrived late at night and were welcomed by Ā Wěi, Tisha, and 二姨 – Xiǎo Péi was still working. It was a historical moment 历史时刻! It had been a very very long time since my mom, 四姨, and 二姨 were in one place at the same time, let alone for the ultimate purpose of the trip: to 送葬 (deliver their mother’s ashes to the grave site in Hénán).

We all packed into a large fancy car and picked up Xiǎo Péi from her workplace right by the airport, drove to drop off 四姨 and 二姨 in Tuenmen, and finally arrived back at Xiǎo Péi’s 家, which was back by the airport. They lived in a relatively large apartment for Hong Kong in a big apartment complex – not unlike “towers in a park.” These towers were around 30 or 40 stories, but were very tall, and had the quintessential façade of hanging laundry outside each window rather precariously – what if they flew away?

I barely slept a wink on the 13+ hour flight with layover in Tokyo. I did at least watch some movies. My mom and I actually watched Everything, Everywhere All at Once together! The movie wasn’t to her taste.

While she appreciated some of the messages in the movie – she found the movie’s cinematography too frantic and flashy. Maybe it was just the context of watching it in the dark on the back of an airplane seat with little to no sleep, but I also found some scenes to be very frantic – very on theme for the movie itself of course – but perhaps not the best choice for in-flight entertainment. I won’t say specifics here, but there were some very humorous and touching moments that were affirming to me as someone who has grown up in a Chinese American household.

In any case, we were all very tired when we arrived at Xiǎo Péi’s place. I stayed on a futon of sorts in their home office and my mom stayed in Tisha’s room, while Tisha slept on the floor in the living room (ah to be the youngest). We each took showers and almost immediately went to sleep – determined to meet up for dimsum the next day.