Hong Kong - Extended

---

I know the Hong Kong entry was a little lite on the ground. This website was proving difficult to access and when I finally got on I had 10 minutes on a palm pilot at the airport. This is the extended version:

Tuesday
Touched down in the afternoon and made our way across town on the airport express and the MTR (underground). A very nice, clean easy to use system. No language problems (yet). Got to the Ibis (same as every other Ibis) and crashed out.

Wednesday
Woke up about 3am. Great. Managed to get back to sleep about 7 until 10. Checked out then made our way across town to the Vietnamese Embassy to apply for Visa.
Had a go on the Star ferry from HK to Kowloon then found our first hostel. The room is private with its own bathroom. Very clean and does the job for 5 pound per night.
Back down to the harbour and got a first look at the Hong Kong skyline. Wow. I always thought New York was impressive, but it doesnt hold a candle to this.
Went to the races! Happy Valley racecourse holds about 80,000 and holds a meet every wednesday. OK - its a load of horses running around a track. Slept ok

Thursday
Got the bus to Stanley, a small town on the coast that could easily be on the Mediterranean. It has a market thats full of tat that Sam seemed to like. Not my cup of tea.
Went back into town then had a wander round the central district where all the nice buildings are and all the money is.
Jetlag is a pain in the backside. Slept till about 3am then awake till 7. Doh


Friday
Picked up the Vietnamese Visa and immediately applied for China Visa. Booked on a flight into Beijing on Sunday lunch.
Went across to see the Big Buddah on the next island. Apparantly its a buddah thats big! And it is. Unfortunately it was cloudy so it was only visible when we were about 20m away, but on a clear day it can be seen from space (ok, so it cant - but you get the picture). A few monks later and we were back into Honkers. Later on discovered balls on sticks (not exactly sure but its street food. Possibly gelatinous rice fried in chilli oil, then squewered. Sounds disgusting but tastes bloody brilliant), then went for beers to try to avoid the jetlag. Didnt work. Slept till about 5 then couldnt slept. Can someone rush me some prescription drugs?

Saturday
Slept till 1pm. Guess thats all the sleep caught up on but Im up shit creek come midnight.
Picked up the China visa and mopped up all the things in the guidebook that we hadnt ticked off. Then we made a concious dicision to get as drunk as a skunk and hope for the best. Found a decent bar with a happy hour (and it was). Stumbled into bed about midnight and fell sound asleep.
Woke up at 3am. Bugger.

Sunday
Finally got to sleep about 7am. Up at 9 to get plane. Whose stupid idea was this travelling nonsense.
Got across to the airport and picked up the PNE score. 2 nil defeat away to Ull. Double bugger.
CA102 on Air China took 3.5 hours. The train to Beijing took 27 hours. We chose the flight (an extra 20 quid. The extravagance!) I must say Air China are very good. Coach class had the biggest seats I have ever seen (2 less per row that other airlines) and everything included. A very enjoyable flight.

Then we touched down in Beijing. But thats another story.........

---

Comments

[Dad]

Sleep
Insomnia - Now you know what it's like !!! PNE beat Burnley 2-0, most of the other results went our way, lying 4th in a good position. Nugent is in the full England squad and may play come Saturday. Flintoff been sacked as England vice captain, fell off a Pedalo at 4 am in the morning - skunked. Keep Blogging Dad