Wishing Tree Hike at Lam Chuen

---

Scott did his back in at the gym last week, so it was just me on a Chinese New Year easy peasy hike out to the Wishing Tree in Lam Chuen.

Takes an hour to get out to Tai Wo Rail, and then it was a slow jaunt up a long hill, past the Tai Po HK Dog Rescue kennels, where Speeto picked up Timmy the mongrel for a walk.

Arrived at the festival after climbing 195m and then down the other side, muddy, slippery and only possible hanging on for dear life to the rope that was tied all the way down.

Arrived at the festival, which is a colourful tacky, fun and traditional celebration, centring around the Wishing Tree. The idea is to write your wish down on a card, attach with ribbon to a mandarin and throw it in the tree. If you succeed your wish will come true.

In order to do this, you must first get a pen from the "Pen Station". You can write freely of your wish or you can instead tick the box on the other side, which has various wishes including - Have a happy life and give birth to a son NB - there was no tick box for a daughter??!!

I cracked up watching people throwing their wishes into the trees, there were mandarins going backwards, upwards, sideways, landing on peoples heads. very fun.

After a brief spot of Map reading training, I headed back home, where hubby had made me a steak sammie for lunch - bless.

---

Photos

Rural cottage
on the way

View from 195m
half way through the hike

Wishing Card
You can wish for a son, but theres no tick box for daughter!

The Wishing Tree
its fake! but you wouldn't know it

The old wishing tree
this old banyan tree is propped up with poles to keep it standing

Girls at the Wishing Tree
samuela ,karen,me,Claudia,Jocelyn Tam,Kerrin Howard

Map reading training
learning how to hold the map up the right way!

My french toast
it doesn't belong with this blog, but its was sooo good