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Published: January 22nd 2008
The sign in Yangshuo announced that London was 9000km away and our speedo had also just reached 9000km. But we had also covered about 8000km by train and bus, meaning we must have travelled a most indirect route!
And finally we had decided it was time to lose our ‘bonkers’ label (thanks George!) and return to some kind of normality back in New Zealand. An overnight ‘sleeper’ bus took us from Yangshou to Shenzen. ‘Sleeper’ because it’s a nice idea, you lie down with your head raised, and your feet go under the head of the person in front of you, but unfortunately spend the whole night sliding down and crushing your toes in the small space.
We had the deluded idea that we would be dropped by the Chinese/Hong Kong border, but instead found ourselves in the middle of the giant and bustling city of Shenzen. Twenty kilometres later we had located the border crossing, for train passengers that is, and it was quite an interesting border crossing, all under cover and airport style, we had to wheel the bikes through the customs desks and go up and down several disabled lifts before we could leave the place. I kept
expecting to be stopped and told no bikes were allowed, or to reach some insurmountable obstacle (for example several flights of stairs).
But we made it through and from here it was a train (no cycling allowed) to downtown Hong Kong.
We exited onto Nathan road and soon found ourselves esconcsed in a the notorious Chung King mansions. Chinese faces had been replaced by Indian faces, and offers of tailors, handbags, and watches were constantly solicited. We had arrived in a kind of food heaven where we indulged in all varieties of foreign food, making up for the lack of variety over the past couple of months. And here, dazzled by the bright lights of the harbour, and with many shared and special memories of the past 8 months, we passed Nigel‘s 40th birthday. Not satisfied with a 9000km journey, he tells me that on his 50th he will have completed a 10 000km journey across America (now that’s forward planning!).
Trip notes
Dec 6 Day 233
Arrived in Shenzen off night bus.
Shenzen to HK border 20km
Crossed border, not particularly easy with bikes as it was not a road border, had to wheel them through airport style
customs desks. Staff were helpful and did not obstruct us. Had to unload the bikes for 1 set of stairs but otherwise used lifts. Were advised we could not ride into HK and had to use train. Train easily accessible, carriage level with platform and uncrowded at around 1pm.
Train tickets = 36.50 per person + 20 for bicycle carriage.
Guest house (Chungking Mansions) 200 for triple room with Ensuite bathroom. Chose triple room as more spacious.
Food and drink 156
Newspaper 10
Total = HK479
Euro = 45
Dec 7 (Nigel’s 40th!) Day 234
Guesthouse 200
Food and drink - 445
Internet 10
Map 52
Watch battery - 20
Total = HK 727
Euro = 68
Dec 8 Day 235
Couchsurfing with Carrie (HK)
Food and drink 563
Taxi 60
Bus fares 10
Ferry Kowloon to Central 4.4
Total = HK 637.4
Euro = 59.5
Dec 9 Day 236
Couchsurfing
Taxi 45
Bus fares 10
Food and drink 282
Total = 337
Euro = 31.5
Dec 10 Day 237
Couchsurfing
Watched city lights from Kowloon.
Ferry to and from Kowloon 8.8
Dinner 107
Internet 15
Bus fares 20
Packing materials
for bikes 47
Souvenir 45
Total = HK 234
Euro = 22
Dec 11 Day 238
Couchsurfing
Visit to Lamma Island
Ferry fares 52
Bus fares 16
Food and drink 255
Total = 323
Euro = 30
Dec 12 Day 239
(Eight months, 9063 km, 10078 euro, 42 euro per day, approx £30)
Total cost of journey for 2 persons including flights from HK to Auckland = 11281.5 euro, £8058, 22,160 NZ dollars)
Couchsurfing
Taxi 60
Cable car to Victoria Peak 2 x return tickets 66
Airport express train 2 x 100
Food and drink 374
Post + packing 450
Total = HK 1156
Euro = 108
Total for month = 891.26
Euro per day = 32 (23 quid)
12 Dec Flights = HK 12896 for 2 economy class seats HK- Auckland (NZ) Euro = 1203.5
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Lynne Reeve
non-member comment
Well Done!
Congratulations on completing your fabulous journey! Were you back in NZ in time for Xmas? Happy 40th to Nigel and really enjoyed your blogs throughout your trip. Love Lynne xx