The End in Nigh

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Sorry about the mess that the last blog turned out to be but totally beyond my control. Hopefully this short one will go through with no problems.
We are at HK airport with about an hour to wait for boarding so thought I'd try the free Internet and see sif I can get a quick blog published.
Yesterday was a vey long and busy day but a lot of fun.
We headed at at 9am to Admiralty MTR station and then caught a bus there for Ocean Park. This is one of HKs theme parks, similar to Disneyland I suppose but a lot of it is centred around sea life and animals.
We arrived at the Park around 10am after experiencing more of the very efficient HK transport system. They have moving large numbers of people down to a very fine art.
The Park is at the southern side of HK Island and is really divided into 2 parts separated by a very high mountain and you move between the two parts either by a very long gondola ride or a railway system through the mountain. We will over on the gondola and came back on the rail.
Entry is the equivalent of about $40NZ and this gets you all the rides etc. etc so really it is very cheap compared to Disneyland in ls that cost us, 3 years ago, $100US each for the day pass.
There are a number of things to visit on the first side, a very large sea aquarium, a giant panda enclosure (actually there are 2 of them with 2 pandas in each area), a bird display and a huge area of young kids activities and rides. The pandas are just fascinating to watch, scoffing bamboo leaves by the ton.
We wandered around this first side for a while and then headed over on the gondola to the Summit area and the crazy rides. And I mean crazy. I had a go on the meanest roller coaster I have ever seen. I didn't really realise what I was getting into until I got up to the front of the queue and read a sign that said this was an ride and wa still being sorted out. I should have bailed at that stage but I hung in. It was a ride were you hand free while seated and strapped in. Ot was totally insane!!!! ai had intended to video it as I have done with roller coaster rides at various parks over the years but they wouldn't let you carry anything on this one and once we started off I could see why. The Gs were incredible and it was shooting you out over the edge of the mountain before grabbing you back again. Glad I hadn't had anything to eat before going on it. That finished me for rides for the day. joy didn't really wantbto have a go on it!!!! They had a lot of othe 'wet' rides which we passed on but had a look at them in passing.
We attended the 'mammal' show at a house stadium where 4 dolphins and 2 sealions did their thing, much the same as at any similar theme park in the world. This attracted a huge crowd and a lot of looping and assailing from the assembled HK citizens who could probably understand the commentary which was in Chinese with the occasional bit of English. We also went to a 'bird display' at another smaller stadium where various birds from around the world were put through their paces. Bit basic but interesting birds in display, even a kookaburra!
Lots and lots of walking and tens of thousands of people everywhere but not too crowded that it was uncomfortable and no really huge queues apart from the gondola to go back. So we opted for the train through the mountain.
We left around 5.30pm after a thoroughly enjoyable day.
We headed back into town and headed up to Victoria Peak. Joy wanted to get some night photos from this vantage point that looks over the city from a very high peak. You travel up in a cable car funicular and it is really steep. We went up herevlast time we were here as well. It was very windy up on top but Joy get her photos and we eventually headed back down and back on the MTR to the hotel arriving around 10 pm.
We then headed to the Temple street nig market mainly to buy another suitcase to fit all the purchases in!!!!!
Mission accomplished and back to hotel and off to bed, rather late.

ThIs morniing was pickup time and checkout by 12 noon so late get up after a good sleep in and late breakfast and a lazy pack up before checking out.
We stored cases atvthe hotel and went wandering through markets and shops. Joy 'needed' a pair of shoes from a shop she had spotted earlier in the week so they were purchased
Headed to airport by taxi around 4 ish and now it is 'hurry up and wait' time again.

We are really looking to the 11 hour flight of course.

One more blog to go.

Hopefully this one will publish with no hassles.

Catch you all from home.

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