An unforgettable April Fool’s Day: a very “hot” experience

Unfortunately I was born on the first of April and so far I have always been my classmates’ favourite victim of their pranks. But this year a dramatic change happened. As soon as I woke up at six the last first of April, I began to feel miserable thinking of the tricks waiting for me at school; so I  thought they didn’t deserve the birthday cake I was going to ice that morning but while I was melting the chocolate suddenly something clicked in my mind. I did what I had to do, got ready and went to school carrying the cake in a nice coloured box. Everything occurred as I had expected: three paper fish on my back, an avoided bucket of water, two boys trying to trip me over and my mates laughing like a drain. They couldn’t get why I kept smiling despite their pranks. Finally lunch time came and they all gathered around me waiting for their piece of chocolate cake. I handed it to them grinning at them from ear to ear. As soon as each of them swallowed the first spoonful of cake their faces got as red as cherry. Everybody started shouting and asking for water while I was laying on the floor laughing out of loud. The hottest red hot chilli pepper, my father had brought from Mexico, was working very well. 

Black dotted white stockings

Joyce was feeling on the top of the world. She had just bought a fantastic new white dotted black dress and a pair of black dotted white stockings she was going to wear at her friend’s graduation party the next day. It was already eight o’clock so she went back home to wash and have them ready in time.

At home, when she opened the shop bag, she realized that the stockings weren’t inside. She had probably forgotten them in the shop. Unfortunately it was too late to go back to the shop, so she decided to wash, dry and iron only the dress that night. She would go to the shop next morning at the opening time. She went to the laundry room on the basement floor where the washing machine and the tumble-dryer were. As soon as she got there she saw that the washing machine was on but no one was there. She got closer and looked through its window: a pair of black dotted white stockings were floating in the water. It was definitely the strangest thing that had happened to her.

Blackberries

It was a nice Sunday afternoon and Rob and Hannah were bored and didn’t want to watch TV or play games; so they decided to leave their cottage to have a walk in the nearby wood.

Rob was particularly nervous while Hannah seemed very relaxed but didn’t talk to him. She was getting on his nerves but he didn’t want to make a fuss. Suddenly she told him to keep on walking by himself because she wanted to pick up some blackberries for next day breakfast. They would meet later in the clearing near the big oak tree.

Once in the clearing Rob set under the oak tree and fell asleep. A loud bang made him wake up and his hair stand on end. He looked around and noticed that the Sun was setting and his wife wasn’t there yet. He stood up and began to look for Hannah, shouting her name. All of a sudden he saw a flashing light at the end of the path: he jumped out of his skin when he saw a big U.F.O. shining opposite him. He rushed back home looking for help. Fortunately he ran into a police patrol and informed them about what had just happened to him. The policemen couldn’t believe their ears, but when they followed Rob to the above mentioned place they couldn’t believe their eyes: a three metres tall U.F.O. was really there. They cautiously approached it and began to examine it. It was a real shock when a door began to open. They weren’t able to move or utter a single word. Their heart was in their mouth when some people wearing silver spacesuits appeared. They simultaneously took their helmets off and what they said was… «Happy birthday Rob!!!». He recognized his friends and his wife who told him: «Did you really believe I had forgotten such a special day?»

I have been to Hong Kong … at least on the wings of fantasy

I dedicate this text to my schoolmate studying in Hong Kong.

Last July I flew to Australia for a three-week holiday. I travelled with a friend of mine called Caroline. She’s from Sidney where her grandparents still live. As there wasn’t any direct flight, we decided to stop over in Hong Kong where she had lived and studied Chinese for a couple of years. We stayed there only two days, so Caroline made me visit the most attractive spots.

As soon as we got off the plane we realized that it was steamy outside: after all Hong Kong lies on several islands and it looks like a modern and larger Venice. As our hotel was on Lantau Island, on the first day we walked to Po Lin Monastery which was built by three Zen masters in 1920. There are many temples in it and most of their interior walls are painted vermillion red. On both walls and ceilings we could see dragons and many  others different Chinese mythical figures. Not far from the monastery there is one of the most stunning attractions in Hong Kong, the Tian Tan Buddha. It is a large bronze statue of a seated Buddha that is 34 metres tall. It was completed in 1993 and up to 2007 it was the tallest bronze seated Buddha in the world. To get there we had to climb 240 steps. Only when we reached the top we found out that there was also a small winding road we could have walked on. We bought two tickets to go inside the statue. There are 3 floors beneath the Buddha that are called “The Hall of Universe”, “The Hall of Benevolent Merit” and “The hall of Remembrance”. On our way back we sat down on a bench in the tea garden close to the monastery. Not far from there, there is also Lantau Peak, the second highest mountain in Hong Kong, but we hadn’t the slightest intention to climb something again.

To have dinner we went to Lau Kwai Fong that is a small square of streets in Central district. There were many bars, clubs and restaurants but finally we chose one near an art gallery. We tried some typical local food: everything was delicious but the bill was pretty high because the area is considered a tourist spot and also upmarket in price.

On the second and last day of our stay in Hong Kong we went back to Central district because we wanted to do some shopping. After a couple of hours we took the Peak Tram, a funicular railway that  took us up to the Peak Tower on the Hong Kong Island. It is soared by Victoria Peak which is 552 metres high. From the top of the Peak Tower we had a wonderful view over Central district, Victoria Harbour and the surrounding islands. In order to see something even more amazing we had to wait for night, so we spent some time in two large centres. We went into a tea shop where there was a very wide range of teas and teapots. Two kind shop assistants offered us a cup of cinnamon-flavoured tea and as it was very good I decided to buy a box of it.

At about nine p.m. we went up the Peak Tower again to see “A Symphony of Lights”, a multimedia show which involves more than 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. Coloured lights, laser beams and searchlights performed in an unforgettable spectacle synchronised to music and narration: they celebrate the energy, spirit and diversity of Hong Kong.

FEAR IS AN UGLY BEAST

Halloween is over but be careful…FEAR NEVER DIES! Read the following short story I’ve just created and then let me know what you think of it ;).

FEAR IS AN UGLY BEAST

Last year I went  to a holiday camp in a Scottish forest. Our group leader formed some groups of three: mine was composed of James, from the U.S.A., Sarah from Sweden and me, from Italy. Our first task was based on orienteering. We were given a map and told to find a clearing (a red cross on the map) where we had to put up our tent. We were thrilled with this task because we could show our bravery. 

While we were walking through trees and bushes, trying not to get hurt, we heard a wolf’s howling  which startled us. Soon after two sparkling yellow lights appeared behind a bush. We thought it might be the wolf approaching, so we started running as fast as we could. When we stopped we realized we were lost and the map was useless. As it was getting dark, we turned on the torch light and went on walking. We arrived near a small fall that was fortunately marked on the map. Nevertheless, Sarah was still scared because she was afraid of darkness. «Why don’t we follow the river to get to the clearing?» I suggested. James and Sarah agreed, but there was no path along the river. We could only swim in it. «But I can’t swim at all!» Sarah shouted «Are you kidding?» James chuckled giving her a slap on her back. 

Unfortunately the slap was too strong and Sarah slipped and fell into the river. «Help me, help me!» Sarah started to scream «I can’t swim, save me!». «Hurry up , Kate. Take the rope out of your backpack and give it to me.» James yelled. I did it at once and together we tried to rescue Sarah. «Just move your legs as if you were on a bike, Sarah.» I told her «And try to catch the rope! We’ll save you» She took my advice and succeded in catching it, so we could pull her back onto the bank of the river. She was finally safe and well. We were all relived but Sarah was freezing because her clothes were soaked! So James and I cut some branches with our pocket knives and lit a fire, but when Sarah and her clothes got dry it was already dark. «Why don’t we pitch the tent and wait for help?» Sarah suggested. We did as she wanted to make her feel more at ease. While we were trying to find a flat spot for the tent, we found a boat hidden under some branches. «We can use it tomorrow, if nobody comes to save us.» James said. He had just finished speaking when the boat suddenly lifted up and a ghost appeared. 

We all let out a squeal. «Don’t worry.» I said  «We have our knives, he won’t come closer.»

«Are you sure?» The ghost asked and began getting nearer and nearer. We looked around to find a way out but found ourselves surrounded by some other ghosts crying out: «Trick or treat? It’s Halloween Night!» They took off their white sheets and our leader and campmates appeared. «Silly guys! You were really scared stiff!» one of them giggled. Everybody was laughing at us and Sarah was about to cry when all of a sudden a U.F.O. materialized above us. We were all shocked and paralyzed with fright, when we heard Sarah laughing out loud. The U.F.O. disappeared and we all looked at Sarah. «Why are you laughing? » The leader asked her. After a while she replied: «Don’t you know? He who laughs last, laughs longest!».