I could've tried at another town but ran out of time and couldn't
waste one more day. My best option (I presumed) was to retreat to
Hong Kong and apply for a new Chinese visa. At the bus station, a
ticket was purchased to Hong Kong. The bus only departed the
following day at 21h00, and I understood it would reach the border
after 10 hours.
Once all the formalities were done, enough time remained to
investigate the area. In the process, I came upon the Qingjing
Mosque, built in 1009, making it the oldest in China.
Quanzhou
I was operating in low gear as there was little more to do but drink
coffee and visit old temples. Eventually, the time came to board the
bus. Luckily, it was a "sleeping" bus, sporting little bunk beds, and
one could lie comfortably.
Quanzhou, China - Hong Kong
At seven o'clock the following morning, the bus reached the border.
Once safely out of China, I asked the bus driver to let me off. I
continued by bicycle just to be stopped by police a few kilometres
further and told that it was illegal to cycle on these roads. There
wasn't a single road in the immediate vicinity one could use to cycle
into the city. A few minutes later, the very bus I was on came by and
picked me up again. LOL.
Once on Hong Kong Island, I thought it safe to try again. Wow, what
a busy and built-up place it was. Skyscrapers and high-rise buildings
filled the skyline, and busses and trams crisscrossed the island. I felt
small and insignificant as I tried to avoid colliding with any of them.