"M" provided me with nothing but the round-trip ticket to China and a note with the address of a travel agency and the hotel I was staying for the first night scribbled on it. I was supposed to stop by this agency in Hong Kong (it was very difficult in those days to make travel arrangements for China, and this agency handled hotel reservation and other such matters).

If it were now, I wouldnÕt accept any work with such half-baked arrangements, but I was young and fresh at that time.

The only kind advice M gave me came in the form of the following words of caution: "A taxi in Hong Kong is vicious. If you carelessly show a map at the beginning and show your unfamiliarity, the driver won't think twice about taking the longer route or overcharging you. So, NEVER show a map to explain where to go. It is best to memorize the address beforehand."

I, as a naive young woman, followed his advice dutifully, and spent all my time mumbling the address on the way to Narita as well as on the plane. As a result, I still remember it clearly even after twenty years or so.

"Kowloon, Yau Ma Tei, Reclamation Street"-- Reclamation Street in the Yau Ma Tei area of Kowloon Peninsula. The STB hotel located there was where I would stay.

Well, I finally arrived. Given the low-cost air-ticket, it was only obvious that I had to take a night flight to get there. It was past 11 at night by the time I arrived. I headed for a taxi stand and, with my heart pounding wildly, got into a waiting car. I took a deep breath, and then shouted out my rehearsed lines with fervor:

"Kowloon, Yau Ma Tei, Reclamation Street"

Instantly, the driver with an indifferent "Huh?", and motioned to an English-speaking person at the taxi stand come to help out. The person asked me "Where?" in English. Undaunted, I shouted out "Kowloon, Yau Ma Tei, Reclamation Street" once again.

Finally, he said, "Just show me the map."

All my pathetic efforts came to naught within a minute of my arrival in Hong Kong.

Translated by Maiko Noda