Catching up in Hong Kong


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Asia » Hong Kong
September 30th 2011
Published: October 7th 2011
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We survived our first full day in Hong Kong with Typhoon Nesat giving us a taste of what a tropical storm is like in this part of the world. Fortunately the worst of the typhoon missed Hong Kong but it did mean the city was on a Level 8 alert for the first time since 2009. Schools were closed, public transport above ground was cancelled and most businesses were closed. This morning we woke to much calmer conditions and even a hint of blue sky. It was a perfect day for catching up with a friend living and working in the New Territories.
To get to our meeting place we needed to take two MTR trains and then transfer to the East Line train heading towards the border with China. We had a detailed set of instructions and following them carefully we got off the train at Tai Wo and headed for Lam Tsuen Public Wong Fook Luen Memorial School, our meeting place. It was great to catch up with Rae after six months in Europe.
After meeting the English Language team and the principal, we were shown around the school then headed off for lunch in the nearby town. We received a great welcome from the staff members we met and enjoyed talking with some of the children. We appreciated the time spent talking with the principal. Up until now it had been dry and the sun even made an appearance but all good things always come to an end. As we made our way to the restaurant the clouds moved in and we were in for another deluge. And so we spent the afternoon exploring the local markets while dodging heavy rain showers and talking. It was fascinating walking through the streets looking at the variety of goods on sale. As each downpour arrived the massive awnings provided great cover. Shop keepers were well prepared for these downpours because as the first rains came large plastic covers were quickly spread over the stalls to keep them dry.
Later in the day we headed back into the city for a delicious meal at a restaurant in a very large shopping centre in Kowloon Tong. Many well known shop names are located in this mall and being a Friday night they were attracting large crowds. After a great day it was time to say good bye to Rae. We had a great day and really appreciated the time and effort involved to make our day such a memorable experience.
And so our last night in Hong Kong came to an end. Tomorrow we pack our bags for the last time and return to New Zealand. We just hope the excitement of the occasion doesn’t keep us awake all night.


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