Whistlestop Tour Of Hong Kong

We arrived in Hong Kong airport with the world on our backs. The prospect of not seeing home and family for a year was fairly daunting, but the excitement, and a couple of Jacks meant we were more forward-thinking than back. As the plane landed there was an incredible view over the island, although it was covered with mist.

The first of many stamps was placed on our passports, and we headed out into the big city to tackle the completely alien public transport system. The first part was fairly simple, as we got on the airport shuttle train and then shuttle bus to a hotel that was supposedly near our own. We did not think to check that there was more than one hotel with the same name. We did some hanging around and tried to look useless, in the hope that some parental figure would show us the way. When this did not happen, it dawned on us that we were actually the grownups, and from now on we would have to figure things out by ourselves.

Proud and sweaty, we arrived at our hotel in Kowloon, after not too much getting lost, and even using the underground. After showers we headed off down Nathan Road and marvelled at how busy the streets were at 8pm. Everyone seemed to be wandering round and all shops were open. We stared, wide-eyed, at the adundance of camera shops, hotels and juice shops. Everything was neon. The city just seemed so alive.

After taking the Star Ferry to Hong Kong island, we walked up to the Victoria Peak tram terminal, and took the tram up the steep incline to the top of the Peak. The shopping mall situated at the top had a Madame Tussauds and various restaurants, but a climb up to the viewing tower revealed the most breathtaking views over the whole of Hong Kong. The photos we took did the spectacular scenery no justice, but it is something we will never forget.


On the second day, we realised we would have to book another night at a hotel. We had initially only booked at the YMCA for one night and then hoped to get something cheaper once we were there. This turned out to be huge mistake. We had not known there was a telecommunications expo being held in the city at the same time we were there, which brought 60,000 visitors to HK, and meant an accomodation price-hike for us. The YMCA quoted our second night to be 4 times the price of the first, so we headed off into Kowloon for a room for the next two nights. After being rejected from numerous hotels on the basis that there were no vacancies, we were ecstatic to find a room at Accelerators Hotel for a reasonable rate. With this setting our mind at ease, we set off for more sightseeing.

We strolled the streets of Kowloon and off Nathan Road onto the backstreets. This time of year doesn't seem to be too touristy, as we spent a lot of the time being the only westerners in sight. After having a 3-course lunch for less than a fiver for both of us, we went for a walk around Kowloon Park. It was very peaceful and we settled down beside the fountain to write our postcards.

A trip to the Space Museum found us messing around with buttons and learning how rockets work, and Franny took a walk in a jumpsuit that simulated walking in the 1/6 gravity of the moon. There was a showing in the IMAX about the moon, which, while being enjoyable, only demonstrated how tired we were, so we decided to call it a night.


The third day started stupidly early, as jetlag seemed to have it in for us, we awoke at 2am and could not get back to sleep. We decided to put it to our advantage and got a good start on the day, as we had breakfast at the local internet cafe and then went to do some early morning t'ai chi in the park with the locals. Its a strange sight to see. There were groups doing t'ai chi to music, while others spread themselves throughout the chest-high maze for a more solitary experience. We settled on having a go on the exercise machines and then walking down to the ferry. The first ferry took us to HK island, and then we boarded another to take us to Lantau Island.

It was a 45 mins journey but it could not have been further away from Kowloon. Where Hong Kong was busy and loud, Lantau was quiet and peaceful. We landed in Mui Wo and had lunch beside the sea in a seafood restaurant in the Mui Wo Cooked Meat Market. We then headed off in search of the Big Budda. Wandering through rural villages, swamps and shacks, we never actually found the Budda, but we did see some beautiful waterfalls. There were stray dogs lazing around the pathways and locals working out in the fields wearing straw hats. We left Lantau island feeling relaxed and fairly serene.

Franny had stated that a trip to HK could not be complete without a visit to the uber-posh hotel The Peninsula, so we put on our gladrags and walked there. It seems HK fashion is not quite the same as fashion back home, as we have never felt like we stood out quite so much as when we were walking down Nathan Road in our dresses. Nevertheless, we rode the elevator of the Peninsula up 28 floors and had a cocktail in the Felix bar. Overpriced, as we expected, we still enjoyed the views given by the location, if not the ex-pat company.

We quickly decided that if we wanted a good night out in HK, we had to dress the part, so we went back to our hotel and changed into clothes more suitable for the city. After looking for some of the bars scouted in the guidebook and finding none, we went into Life Bar. It was small and full of young people, and it seemed from the reaction of the drinkers, that tourists did not frequent it often. However, we were made to feel very welcome and we both ended up singing karaoke and drinking with the bar staff til the wee smalls. One of the waitresses, named Elle, took a special interest in us, and taught us to play the dice game everyone else seemed to be playing. We had some drinks together, and it seemed she may have been slightly more drunk than we were. What a way to work!

Our last day found us waking up late, and we had to rush around packing our backpacks to make it to check out in time, all in a haze of san miguel from the night before. That'll teach us... We managed to make it out in time, and we said goodbye to the impeccably clean streets of Hong Kong and set off for Bangkok.

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