HK to UK the Final Blog

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1st May - arrived in Hong Kong picked up in Mercedes limousine - arrived at the hotel in style about 10.30am - crashed out for a couple of hours to catch up on lost sleep. Went into town to explore with our map but got a bit disoriented - not lost but got taxi back to hotel!!!



2nd May - refreshed after a nights's sleep so decided to catch a ferry to one of the islands. Cheung Chau is one of the outer islands (half hour by fast ferry) and is "pedestrianised" with no cars. A busy traditional fishing community. They were preparing for their annual 'Bun' festival which celebrates good health and peace in the community. Back in time for a snack in the hotel bar then back down to the harbour for an evening cruise looking at the lights and laser show in Hong Kong and Kowloon. Joined by Patricia and Ceaser from Melbourne who spent a large part of the evening emptying the free bar. Highly amusing!!!!!!! Feeling brave and fortified so caught the Metro back to the hotel - how easy it all is after an alcohol fuelled evening!!



Saturday 3rd - last full day of the holidays - sad to realise it's all coming to an end. Walked into the Landmark, all designer shops, very expensive so didn't hang around too long. Found the 'Escalator' which during the day runs uphill connecting different levels of the city over the space of a mile (in the rush hour they reverse it so it runs down hill). Walked round the botanic Gardens and eventually found the Station for the 'Peek Tram'. Bugger - 5,000 people had found it just before we got there so joined the queue and got on the tram about 1 hour later. The 2 carriage tram is hauled up the extremely steep slope by one single cable - so steep it's actually difficult to stand upright in the tram. WOW the Peek gives a 360 degree view of Hong Kong, Kowloon, the mountains and mainland China. Spent a long time taking photos and enjoying the view and then joined the queue to catch the tram back down. Queues are interesting places where you get the opportunity to meet and chat with new found neighbours - in this case Bob & Hester from Sydney and Liam from Ireland with his Brazilian girlfriend. Liam & girlfriend, like us, had just spent 3 months in NZ and Oz in a small campervan and now have 3 months to travel through Asia by train & bus before re-entry into normal life at Reading. Liam described himself as a drug dealer i.e. a Pharmacist and he knew Upton Grey! Back on Metro to hotel and finished with a buffet in the Chinese restaurant.



This is our last Blog as tomorrow we leave Hong Kong for Heathrow - hopefully to be met by Ian, Em and the girls. Hope this doesn't end with a "Bugger.........!!!"



What an amazing adventure this trip has been - people, places and experiences. Cannot believe we have done so much, enjoyed so much, seen so much. Thank you to everyone at home for holding the fort and enabling us to do this .



All our love to all our family and friends

Lyn & Tony xxxxxxx

(Sunday morning ....... Pouring with rain in Hong Kong ......... Time to go home!!)

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Photos

Shipmates on Light Show cruise
Patricia and Ceasar - the free bar hasn't hit them yet!

The unaffordable shops!
Didn't seem much point in trying to haggle here

The fishing harbour
Not surprising that fish in all forms is so available

International Finance Centre
Not short of a dollar or two

The Metro
More like an airport than an underground system - but very easy and cheap to use for seniors!!!

Comments

[Rod & Gill]

Welcome Home we have so enjoyed the Blogs

[Mike and Maggs]

The end..........for now................
Welcome home - will miss your blogs! Just got back from a final 3 day test run in West Dorset near the Somerset border - 3 weeks tomorrow will be off to the Netherlands via Belgium for our own wee adventure..................nothing compared to yours of course!!