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Published: April 29th 2012
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HK Skyline
From The Peak Back in Honkers now and this time you can see the hills and can even see the outline of the city from afar because the air has cleared. Thats what happens here after a good rain. Then it builds up again until another downpour clears it all away again.
So it was perfect for a trip up the cable car to the Peak. From up there you get a great view right out to the hills behind Kowloon, and over both sides of HK Island. There is a steady stream of container ships coming and going up past Aberdeen and Pokfulam on the south side of the island. I'd hate to hazard a guess as to how many boats there are on Hong Kong harbour at any one time.
Stanley Market was next on the agenda. Its a tourist market in some ways being probably the best known one in HK, but we found some good deals there anyway. Bags, clothes, even a new ski jacket for next to nothing. Lots of other crap to tempt you too, like a remote controlled toy helicopter. Could really use one of those. Or the sunglasses with video camera and usb port
Stanley Market
Shopping - important business so whatever you look at you record and then play back on your computer. Real James Bond stuff.
The bus ride back reminded us that there is money being made in this town, judging by some of the places in Repulse Bay. Plus what sort of person drives a Rolls Royce for heaven's sake? Or should I say, has it driven for him. Conspicuous displays of wealth are sometimes more important here than the real thing.
This trip has also reminded Susan and I of some of the things we'd almost forgotten about Hong Kong. I've always remembered the place for the vibe and excitement (it'll never lose that!), and the fact that its close to everything. In Hong Kong, if you get a long weekend you go diving in The Philippines or Thailand. Sometimes when we lived in Honkers and it was time to go back after a break somewhere, I wasn't always that excited. But when you fly back in over the city you catch the buzz. They say Hong Kong is like a drug. But there are also things like the greyness if its smoggy, getting caught in torrential downpours, going from steamy, clammy outside
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Find it at the market to cold airconditioned inside, the smells of Asia coming from restaurants of all nationalities, having to only drink bottled water, the time it takes to get anywhere, how slow people walk on the footpath, and just the general haphazardness of daily life in the best, most organised, most colourful city in Asia.
Talking tropical storms, Chris, Susan and I were having a drink at the China Bear in Mui Wo on Wednesday night and it started from nowhere. The first drop of rain wasn't just a hint that something might be coming. It was full on. From nice quite yarn outside on a balmy evening to running for cover in the space of ten seconds. In a way I guess thats Hong Kong for you. Sipping from a firehose.
Chris and Trish looked after us well and it was really good to see the cousins all getting on. Hopefully Finn will come down here and learn to ski this winter or next. He'd be a maniac on skis.
It has been a great trip and the boys have enjoyed it, and got right into it, including the food. Ryan still can't remember it from when he was
I never knew...
Cafe's named after me little but likes the thought that he was there. Susan enjoyed being back in Hong Kong even though it seems we were here previously in almost a different life. Certainly a different lifestyle to what we have at home.
So now back to NZ and home to Queenstown. When you think about that, we've looked forward to this trip for a long time but its always good to get home isn't it.
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Sarah
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Good blog Russ and Susan - nice to hear of your adventures. Bet the air feels fresh back in Queenstown after the China and HK smog!