Finally!

After 3.5 days...
I'm finally on my way to Guangzhou. Not that I don't like Hong Kong but I have business to tend to...

Listen to your Uncle Jay, always verify your travel documents.
You never know when external forces will conspire to give you an unexpected whack with a monkey wrench.

In this case, said whacking had far-reaching effect, like ripples on a pond from thrown pebble...
A missed flight segment becomes a cancelled ticket, even though I went directly to the Cathay Pacific desk right when the trouble started.. Thank Ghod I have relative high status on the SkyTeam system.

An in-terminal baggage/equipment transfer becomes an incident when you don't get your carnet stamped, even though you originally weren't supposed to leave the airport...
(Although I think they would have frowned upon my camping out in the transient lounge for 4 nights...)

As the Beach Boys said-
"We'll have fun fun fun 'til the PRC takes my F-class 60-day multi-entry visa away..."

TBG, *still* in the Hong Kong airport