Ni Hao Ma

---

I can’t believe I’m on the last leg of my journey! I arrived in Hong Kong yesterday morning, and bravely (or probably brazenly) attempted to break into the time difference after a 12 hour flight and 7 hour difference. My cunning plan didn’t really work, as I spent most of the day nodding off in random places - the bus, the train, at a BBQ….

Having said that I’ve had a great time in Hong Kong so far! I think that having one of your best mates as a tour guide also makes such a difference.
After lugging over 30 kgs of luggage up too many steps we set off to Stanley Markets for some thorough investigation. Here I learned the art of bargaining with Hong Kong traders. Yeah right! It was more like I kept quiet, with a blank look on my face whilst Janice bargained on my behalf.

Stanley is a really different place, and makes you feel like you’re looking at a back drop of Monaco rather than HK. It was claimed by the Brits in 1841 and till today remains very European, with a number of European restaurants, and condo-style apartments by the beach. The beach is something else. The sand is really grainy like rice (as described by Janice).

In the evening we met up with Janice’s cousin and went to a HK style BBQ at the police club. Personally, I was confused with the matter, but went along anyway. Here we met up with further extensions of Janice’s family hailing from NZ, USA, Canada and China. We roasted various combinations of meat over and open fire BBQ and toasted Marshmallows for desert. Can life get better?

Today we visited the temple of Ten Thousand Buddha’s in Sha Tin. I have never seen so many variations of Buddha in my life! It’s a very eco-friendly temple, built on top of a mountain with much wildlife living close by. We saw plenty of monkeys chilling (well running away from people) exotic birds and a few lizards to boot. The temple grounds has magnificent carvings, and inside the temples there are millions of tiny carved Buddhas place on the wall. Painstaking job!

We mulled around the Sha Tin area, walking beside the picturesque Shin Mung River. We caught a glimpse of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, but didn’t go in. Later that evening we had some after dinner drinks with my class mate at some Middle Eastern Style Restaurant Bar. It’s cute, and I think I may have spotted one person of Middle Easter descent who works there!

Tommorrow I'm off home & back to the daily grind of life in NZ!!

---

Photos

Shopaholic
After some serious shopping it's time to relax. Moi in Stanley

Skinny Tram
Janice about to hop on the tram. I've never seen a such a skinny fast moving tram before!

High flyers
Janice & I at her cousin's office. Tallest building in HK in the background.

HK Style BBQ
Janice's family & myself... Nuff said.

Zzzzz
Janice saving me from falling over.

The Pathway to the Temple
Janice & I at the bottom of the hill. Few Buddhas in the background

View from the top
Sha Tin area taken inside a prayer tower thingee.

Temple
The main temple in on the grounds.

Hong Kong Heritage Museum
I've been dwarfed!!

Merry Making in HK
Vanessa, Janice & I