Hong Kong II

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Hey,

Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year! I hope it was full of fun and festive cheer.

Here we spent christmas day trying to devour a roast dinner that could have fed a factory of hungry elves and we are looking forward to a boozy New Years Eve out on the town in the Central district of Hong Kong Island.

We have been in Hong Kong for over a month now (the time has gone so quickly!) and I feel like we're are really getting to know the place despite not being able to afford to live it up too much as it is so, so expensive! It's nice to feel a bit more like a resident rather than just a passer-by and we are even starting to make friends with our local chinese restaurant and laundry folk!

We've made a start on seeing some of the sights, although we are doing it slowly so we still have some good ones to look forward to. We have walked around the botanical gardens, visited Stanley Market, taken a trip across the harbour on the star ferry, attended 2 concerts (a very good violin solo and then 'Christmas with the Hong Kong Philharmonic' where we got to join in with the carol singing which was nice!), visited the space museum (it was free!) and the art museum and of course we have been up Victoria Peak to see the views out over the harbour.

There have also been some slightly less typical activities such as seeing the Hong Kong sevens rugby tournament (not the really big famous one but it was very good all the same), the "King of the Hills" half marathon (quite why Will insists on running 13 miles up and down hills I don't know, but he proved himself very good at it!) and we caught some of the WTO marches that have been causing so much havoc around the area last week. Luckily we managed to miss the rioting though!

Aside from the sights we have been able to indulge in some everyday luxuries like going to the cinema (it is so good to have english cinema again!), bowling (of course), drinking (they love their happy hours around here), shopping and even going to the gym! Plus we have, of course, been preparing for christmas.

We only have 2 weeks left of our time in Hong Kong and it will be sad to leave although the comfort of course is that we still have Shanghai and Beijing to visit. Still, everything is going by so quickly I will be home before I know it boring you all with my travel tales.. I bet you can't wait 😉

Happy holidays xxx

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Photos

Flamingos at the botanical gardens..
I need to go back to get a shot of the jaguars that were a little camera shy whilst I was there..

View from the top of Victoria Peak
I didn't manage to get a good picture but it is a great view over the harbour at the top of Victoria Peak with all the neon lights that they love so much here!

Across the harbour by night
The building in the middle (the razor) is the 5th tallest building in the world!

Rugby
The KFC meal at the stadium consisted of hot wings and a pitcher of beer, perfect!

More rugby
Must also just mention that I managed to pick the winning team every time!!

Comments

[lisa]

Happy Xmas Kate and Will!
Hi Kate! Know a bit late but happy xmas, hope you had a good one. Photos are as amazing as ever! Really good to hear what you are up to, and you look really well. Likin' the hat by the way!! have a brilliant New Year too. Jen and I will have a toast to you and Will back here in sunny England! Enjoy yourself! Love Lisa xxxx

[Jenny]

Happy new year
Hello there lovely. So different to the last few sets of phots. It all also looks slightly different to Plymouth - though the new indoor shopping center is coming on!!! Lisa mentioned the wave effect looks like it is falling down - now cant stop thinking that. Anyway back to you. Christmas dinner looks fab - and wine out of a tumbler is always the classy way of doing it in style. Hope you enjoy your last bit of time in Hong Kong and good luck with the next stint of your travels. Missing you loads as alway and looking forward to seeing you soon ish. Lots of love - me and Tom XXX