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Published: October 5th 2010
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Hong Kong
Hong Kong So here my adventure begins. Sat in the Manchester airport thinking 'what have I let myself in for? Have it easy at home, get to see friends and family on a regular basis and do the hobbies i enjoy'. Getting myself all worked up, the gate opens, and i forget all about it. The adventure is on.
Two 7 hour flights to Hong Kong via Dubai, as most of you know I can't sleep on planes so when I arrived I was totally ruined. When I arrived at the hotel I noticed the Man Utd game was still on, so checked in and watched the last 20 minutes in my room, pretty disappointing. Crashed out at about 2am Hong Kong time and slept till 2pm in the afternoon, yes this was a long sleep and I missed the morning, but the sleep was a continuous waking up every 2 hours for some reason. Headed out into the main city on Hong Kong Island. I was heading to the nearest park hoping to see some chinese guys doing tai chi, but all I found with thousands upon thousands of women sitting on the floor all over the city chatting, playing cards
and playing bingo, I later found out these are all maids and sundays are the only days they get off so they commune with their friends as it's their only chance. Managed to find an Irish bar 'yes there every where' sat with a magners watching some Ryder Cup chilling in the Air Conditioning.
Headed onto the metro to visit Kowloon, hoping to find some local grub, I eventually plucked up the courage to walk into one of the side street restaurants (most thinks in Cantonese). As i'm on my own they just seat me at any table to get some trade. Reading the menu 'was in English too' was looking for my traditional chicken chow mein, but it was just simple noodles this and that. Failing to find the chicken, the guy opposite notices i'm being a picky tourists and asks if I want his help, I obliged asked me what i wanted and ordered me beef with thick noodles, tasted pretty good. Had a nice chat and he decided to pay for both of us and he refused my money. What a nice guy. I head back hoping to crash, but due to my ungodly 'body clock'
being all over the place I fail to fall asleep and suddenly I have to be up to go on a 5 hour half island tour.
Hong Kong itself was ok, but it was mainly shopping eating and drinking, not really that much to see. Lots of skyscrapers and you need to be pretty loaded to live in the centre.
First he took us to a Buddhist temple, wreaked of incense, was doing my eyes in so after he finished giving his talk, dashed outside to breathe. Took a picture and the temple is under renovation and the scaffolding being used is bamboo shoots. All over Hong Kong apart from the skyscrapers they use Bamboo, looks highly dangerous, always took a few glances whe walking underneath. Next we headed up a tram to the top of Victoria's peak to get a view of Hong Kong itself. Couldn't see that far as the city was 'hazy' the word the tour guide always used. He also took a terrible picture of me and sort of the city. Next headed on a little boat trip around Aberdeen Fishing Village. There was a floating restaurant and there seemed to be a formal
dinner going on, saw lots of business men suited and booted. Next he took us to some jewelry factory, no idea what the jewelry tour guide was on, pretty sure she was speaking in English and Cantonese at the same time. We headed through to the shop and low and be hold lots of other guides, clearly a regularly features, had no interest in buying jewelry but it did seem to attract a lot of the older English and Americans on similar tour. We then headed to Stanley Markets, pretty shattered by this time, wondered around then decided to soak in the scenery with a drink, seeing all the same faces from the jewelry factory.
Tour ended decided to get an afternoon kip and headed out about 7 for some dinner, had some beef noodle soup, wasn't that great then 'yes Gareth Irish bar with Ryder cup' Lots of local British guys watching it cheering every shot was crazy. Then G Mac eventually won and the place erupted and the few Americans skulked away. Headed back trying in vane to get some more sleep but only got 2 or 3 hours got up to catch the airport express. Was
Hong Kong
View from Victoria Peak a strange experience, checked my luggage in about a 30 minute train ride away. Seemed a good idea. Weather was a cloudy and very humid Tolyl wouldn't have survived one step out the hotel door.
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George
non-member comment
Good Time
Interesting Blog, well written. Looks like you are having a good time. enjoy the rest of your tip