Hong Kong & Home

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Arrived Hong Kong 22nd March and departed for Home on the 26th March.

Hong Kong seems to be very polluted. The photos show just how 'smoggy' it is.

Because we were here for such a short time we booked two trips.

Our first day, we got the Star Ferry across to Kowloon, and wandered the shopping areas before coming back in the afternoon and planning the next two days. The hotel we are staying is in the more authentic part of the Island. In a couple of years the developers will have made sure it comes up to scratch!!
Everywhere there is building work, with very little space, the only way is up. Any way a regular shuttle bus runs down to the harbour and to shopping precincts

The trips were:

1 The Peak Tram, up to Victoria peak - then onto the Jumbo Restaurant for lunch (puts Rubys in its place) with a ride round Aberdeen harbour in a Sampan.
After lunch a visit to a gem factory (not on itinerary), then to the famous Stanley market before heading back to the main area.

2 Lantau Island, where they built the new airport (& Disneyland). This trip included (guess what) a visit to a gemstone factory, a trip on the cable car up to the Big Buddha, Lunch prepared (allegedly by the monks) - vegetarian - awful. Then down to an 'authentic' fishing village - Tai O before heading back down on the cable car and transfer back to the hotel.

The HK sevens started on the Friday, no tickets for love nor money, in fact people had flown in from Aus and Singapore only to find the tickets they had were counterfeit (not happy bunnies).

Hopefully the photos of HK show what a diverse culture it is. For me it has changed out of all recognition (I visited in 1992 before the handover).


Saturday before flying we were able to watch the Sevens for a couple of hours before transfer to the airport and the flight home.

Lots of memories, too many to write down here but a great trip with loads of highlights

The End

Al & Lin

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