Hong Kong - The Western City

9th February-Hello Hong Kong!!

Our flight into Hong Kong arrived late afternoon and we walked through the terminal to see the sun setting behind the distant mountains. The rise in temperature was a welcome one and we were finally able to get rid of some of our winter clothes after conquering the freezing temperatures of China. On leaving the airport we caught the shuttle bus towards Kowloon. Driving down Nathan Road (the main road through Kowloon), the street was alight with neon lights advertising restaurants/electricals and numerous 'other' services .

We went in search of somewhere to stay and arrived at a large multistorey building named Chonking Mansions which is unlike any place I have EVER seen before. The building has 16 storeys and is packed with guesthouses and hostels. On first impressions....what a hole! The lifts were a little dodgy and on our way up we saw several suspect looking characters with lady escorts. We arrived on the 16th floor at our chosen hostel to discover there was 'no room left at the inn'. This set off a mad rush where we covered most of the 16 floors searching for a bed for the night. Eventually we found one and reluctantly paid for the room which can only be described as a cell. (with me and J sharing a single bed!)

10th February-Hong Kong Exploration

Woke up and thought I was in prison...then I remembered we had actually paid for this room! Although Rick had it a little worse as he revealed he had had the company of 2 cockroaches during the night which had suffered at the hands of his flip flop! He also woke up at regular intervals with parts of the ceiling falling on his face. Nice! After getting out as soon as possible we checked ourselves into a hostel which carried less of a health risk!

Having passed the VERY expensive Peninsula Hotel, we then caught the Star Ferry from the harbour at Kowloon over to Hong Kong central where we caught our first glimse of the infamous Hong Kong skyline. It was a surprise to find how Western the main island is with 7/11 shops on every corner and the island even has a M&S! It also seemed that the locals were more accustomed to seeing a western face as we no longer received inquiring glances from the local girls...to Ross' dissapointment!

At the centre, next to the town hall, crowds had gathered for a protest in support of immigration which we temporarily joined, carrying a banner and watching the protesters rallying for support. We then set for the largest escalator in the world which carried us from the centre up to the base slope of Victoria mountain. It took 20 minutes to reach the top...one long escalator! We then walked back down through the botanical gardens where we saw monkeys, alligators and snakes.

Back on Kowloon we went for dinner at a street noodle bar, eating at a small table on the side of a bustling Hong Kong street. Great place to people watch and enjoy some traditional food. Then it was over to the Irish Bar to watch the Manchetser United - Manchester City derby, a big disappointment as we lost but a good night apart from the result!

11th February-Budget Day

Today was classed as a budget day after the western prices in the Irish Bar last night so we went back to Hong Kong central again for a look around and to plan our activities over the next 10 days. In the evening we found the cheapest meal possible - 2 quid being it! Bargain! Then it was on to the harbour front to watch the infamous light/laser show which featured many bulidings in the Hong Kong skyline. A great show with lasers and lights shining across the harbour.

12th February-Victoria Peak....What A View!!!!

Today we headed up to Victoria Peak which is the best place to view the Hong Kong skyline. On our way there we wandered along Graham Street which hosts one of the most popular food markets in the city. There was a great buzz about the place with a great variety of fresh fruit, veg, fish and meats being sold.

Then it was up to Victoria Peak. What a view! The weather was brilliant for it and once at the top we could see for miles. We arrived at the base at around 3pm and the queue for the cable car was huge due to the great weather. Anxious to get up we grabbed a taxi and took the white knuckle ride to the top. We had the best of both as we saw it during the daylight and then after spending some time relaxing on a bench and watching the sun go down it was dark. The skyline becomes even more impressive as the major buildings come to life with lights. After taking some time out up top we made our way down and ate at one of the cheap and cheerful noodle bars in the city.

Finally, after a very rewarding day it was back over to Kowloon to ready oursleves for our planned trip to Macau tomorrow - The gambling island!

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