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Published: April 28th 2006
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Had to change my plans today!
Was planning a days hiking to Lamma island but when it rains in Hong Kong IT POURS!
Gotta say I was half expecting it, had been keeping an eye on the long range forcast for the past week and today was down for thunderstorms, (which would have been exciting), but instead the only thundering was the deluge of water coming out of the sky on to the vast assortment of umbrellas that have been running about the city.
BUT AM I DOWNHEARTED?
Not a bit of it!
All I did was swap my Lamma plans with the thing I was intending to do on my last day.
I went to Ocean Park!
There are two amusement parks of merit in Hong Kong, the very new, (and much hyped), Disneyland, and then theres Ocean Park!
Once you've seen one Disney park you've pretty much seen them all, and I've seen two so have no plans to go and see this one.
(Unless one day I happen up in Florida I don't ever intend to visit the magic kingdom again).
Ocean Park on the other hand seemed
far more worth a look, it's a theme park in Hong Kong built by folk from Hong Kong, it aint all American, (not that that's a problem Claudia by the way... just there's a time and a place).
Also there was something very deffinite there I wanted a look at.
In many ways visiting on a day when the heavens have opened and show no sign of stopping is the best time to go.
True some of the thrill rides are closed, (you probably wern't going to see me on those anyway), but the numbers are considerably down so you get to walk around with ease, there is no waiting to go in places, and on the whole it's all very relaxed.
(The rains warm remember so walking around is just like standing in the the shower all day)!
Like Disney it's divided into seperate themed areas, but unlike Disney, (well don't know about the one here), it's all divided up by the local mountainous terrain, so to get from one area to another takes some ingenuity on behalf of the parks creators.
In one area there is a series of massive escalators that
take you up the side of a mountain, and in another you go for a 15 minute cable car ride across the hills and trees, (all the more exciting today when the wind is blowing and the cars are rocking too and fro).
Not all the rides are closed and I did eventually end up going on the wild river ride.
It's a log flume, I initially wasn't going to cos I wasn't sure I still had that sort of thing in me, but after I saw a dad and his two toddler children do it I opted to give it a go, and only screamed slightly like a girl when you got to the big vertical drop at the end.
The other thing I kind of favour with this park is that it's not all about kids, (plenty for them... but you can enjoy it as an adult as well)!
Especially all the wildlife bits.
There is a large netted aviary with loads of exotic birds, a butterfly zone where butterflies the size of your average bat land on you and look like their going to suck your blood out, there's a Dinosaur area
with a robotic tyranosauraus that I kid you not COMES OUT OF NOWHERE AND SCARES THE *"#@$% OUT OF YOU!!!!
In the aquatic zone you have seals, and aquariums you can visit from all angles and depths, dolphins, and a large shark tank with a walkthrough underwater section where you can get face to face with the evil looking monsters.
But most important, (the thing I came for), is the Panda Habitat!
(AnAn and Ling Ling... er... I think)!
Never seen a panda before, (well not a real one that is.... seen those crappy red ones that Border TV publicise but they dont count).
Panda's of course are very rare, they don't mate well, (which is hardly surprising the amount of folk watching them and taking videos), and so on a visit to China a look at a Panda was an absolute must.
(Another tick off the list).
Oh... also had fried squid legs whilst there... (waddya reckon they do with the rest of it)?
This evening I've been for dinner at R66 the revolving restaurant on the Hopewell tower.
I booked this via email before I left, but on arrival
I got the impression they weren't expecting me.
Luckily I brought the email with me, and they were fine and found me a seat, which was fine with me, but I think they were rather embarresed.
Either that or they were just impressed that I'd booked to visit from so far away, cos a few minutes after I sat down this young waitress came and saw me, returned my email, thanked me very much for coming and gave me a complimentary present from their gift shop.
(That's a point I aint looked at that yet)?
I watched all the other tables the rest of the night and nobody else got one so I must have done something to merit this attention.
(Hmmmm... what if they were expecitng a drugs courier, mistook him for me, and stashed in a box in my room right now is 2 million Hong Kong dollers worth of top grade Heroin)?
NOTE TO MUM... Very unlikely this is really the case!
Anyhow the experience was great.
This is my second revolving restaurant, (back in 2000 to mark my departure from Australia I had dinner in the one at
the ACP tower in Sydney).
Unlike in Sydney they ACTUALLY PUT ME AT A TABLE WHERE I COULD ACTUALLY GET A GOOD CLEAR VIEW OF THE CITY THIS TIME!!!!!!!!
It was ala carte, though to be honest I wasn't that hungry, but I was there for the experience and atmosphere and I had quite a few more beers than I normally would so left at the end very pleased with myself.
I took the scenic elevator down which was a surprise, cos initially you see nowt and then suddenly there you are on the outside of the building with the whole of lit up Hong Kong hurtling up towards you!
Got a bit lost on the way back.
I got off the MTR at central with plans to get the Star Ferry across the harbour.
Working on the theory that I might well never come back to Hong Kong again in my lifetime, and given the fact my octupuss card thingy lets me on the ferry for free I reckon I should do at the very least one crossing a day to make the most of the opportunity.
As it was I went
the wrong way and found myself mooching bewildered around the docks for an hour or so.
Didn't matter though, firstly I found by chance where I need to be tomorrow, and secondly THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT JAUNTS LIKE THIS!
Whatever happens it's all an experience.
Be it sitting on the top floor of a double decker in busy traffic on the way back from Ocean Park, or wondering around without the foggiest where you are late night by the waterfront it's all exploration and adventure and that after all is the enitre point of the trip.
Right... I'm off to bed!
Rain or not tomorrow I have to go Island Hopping.
See ya!
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