Blogs from The Peak, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, Asia

May 18, 2013 (Victoria's Peak, Hong Kong Island) As Dr. Farris likes to say - "its tradition". Around 5 PM local time we all met up at the Star Ferry landing on the Kowloon side to take the ferry over to Hong Kong island. Dominated by the world's 8th tallest office building - the 88 story International Finance Center, the Hong Kong skyline is an impressive endless line of high rise buildings. As the sun sets, the city's buildings are lit up with a variety of interesting and unique lighting schemes. Viewing this cityscape from Victoria's peak gives one a breathtaking view of the skyline. Many evenings the cloud layer is just above (sometimes just below) you, and the city lights reflect off the canvas of swirling mist and fog. The Peak has a viewing deck ... read more

Days 4-5 - December 27-28 On day 4, we headed off from Bangkok to Hong Kong. Hong Kong is such a high-energy place. It feels like New York City of the east! Non-stop, bright lights, great transit system, crowds at all times of the day and night. It is fun just experiencing all of the energy. After getting to the hotel, we went down to Victoria Harbor to see the "Symphany of Lights" show where they offer a coordinated laser, light show from the buidlings on Hong Kong island. We then explored the area around the hotel. On day 5, we got an early start and took the famed Star Ferry from Kowloon over to Hong Kong island. The ferry ride offers some great views of the Hong Kong city-scape. We then made our way to ... read more

Day 4 (Sun 9thSep) Pretty much a write off due to getting in at half 5 Saturday night, went out after a pretty busy day with 4 other manxies from home, who either live here or were over for one reason or another. One by one they went home, but I didn’t. Ended up in a bar watching the tennis being the only person cheering for Andy Murray’s opponent as I really don’t like him. Anyways, the night was a good one and I managed to make it back to my hostel and my bed, somehow. Waking up around lunch time to then realise I’d lost my key card was confusing since I got into my room and my locker ok at 5:30am so I searched around but as yet no key card, hence the walk ... read more

We had high anticipation of HK as two of Lauren's friends live here, she trusts their judgement and they love it! But after Singapore it would take something special for us to forget the former charm and atmosphere we fell in love with. Did it? Well in short no not exactly. We would not see ourselves quitting the UK as our friends have done. HK is quite simply the most hectic place we have visited on any trip! Don't expect space of the pavement or mtr subway. The most unusual thing, even coming from Singapore where they have gone skyward for space, is exactly that. Everything is so tall so it means shops and restaurants like Pizza Hut and Starbucks aren't on ground level but only their sign telling you 3/4/5F signifying which floor of the ... read more

The second day of my trip began with an early (7:30 am) departure from the posh lobby of the Excelsior hotel – an upscale accommodation that's a stone's throw from Victoria Park. I did not actually stay at the hotel, which was a designated pick-up point for my tour company, so I considered an expensive cup of coffee, purchased from the polished in-house cafe, to be my “lobby pass.” I held the cup a bit higher, with a toast-like gesture, whenever the watchful eyes of the doorman came my way. The tour guide was a twenty-something Hong Konger who was professional, but not particularly enthusiastic in his delivery of well-rehearsed commentary at select spots on our route. The tour group consisted largely of staid middle-aged couples from Europe and North America, so the day's excitement came ... read more