Advertisement
Published: June 13th 2017
Edit Blog Post
Hong Kong. The final frontier and the final exotic city I was to visit on what will turn out to be a sixteen month odyssey by the time I get back to Denver. What a city it is! A modern metropolis that still retains its old Asian charm from yesteryear. After arriving into the international airport I managed to hop onto the city bus to the Kowloon district of the city that overlooks the famous central Hong Kong skyline. I was happy to be here and the setting and city had a few surprises up its sleeves that would be a fantastic ending to what has been the journey of my lifetime.
Riding the bus into the city I was able to secure a hotel room in a seedy mall of sorts for a bargain price of $200HKD ($25USD). Accommodation is expensive here but as I wandered about I couldn't help but become a bit nostalgic of how far I really have come. During my time in Hong Kong all of the skills I have acquired by traveling around for so long all seemed to coalesce in an effortless seam to navigate this overwhelming place. The city was alive with
street vendors selling all sort of kitch souvenirs and Cantonese delights to eat. It's a place buzzing with activity and I felt right at home, in my element as it were. On the boardwalk known as the Avenue of Stars around 8pm the buildings in the central district of town put on a coordinated light show with typical Chinese music for all the tourists to view from the far side of the harbour. It was tourist cheeze at its finest, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The cityscape itself is the most dramatic I've seen with Sydney, Australia coming in a close second.
Being in a big city I did what I typically always do. Hop onto the metro and walk for hours on end exploring all of the distinct neighborhoods and taking the sites in. Only being here a few days I was pressed for time and I really felt had I had more time I could have easily stayed here in Hong Kong for a week There was always something going on around every corner of this great city.
I was also able to hop onto a cable car that goes way up the mountain
bruce
No Hong Kong Avenue of Stars would be complete without a statue of the man Bruce Lee. behind the central district to a spot know as The Peak. Original name for sure. But being way above the city I was really able to get a grasp on just how large the harbour and the city itself really is. A really enjoyable afternoon.
So the big day finally rolled around. I turned 32 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and this year I was to turn 33 in Hong Kong. Man, I cannot believe how time flies by the older I get. And make no mistake, I am old. I wanted to do something a little different and I had read that their were some marvelous hiking trails out of the city limits through the mountains on the surrounding islands. So I navigated the train onto a bus that took me to Shek O Country Park. Home to a trail known as the Dragon's Back. The hike itself was easy, albeit hot, and the views were spectacular. At the end of the hike I ended up at To Tei Wan Village that had a proper beach and I was able to enjoy yet another day in the sunshine. When I thought of Hong Kong I never would have thought
of beaches and mountains with hiking trails, yet here I was.
This beach and the hike in general was a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was a great and different way to spend my birthday and I'll forever remember it. After some cold drinks and some good food it was all over. I had a great few days here in Hong Kong and some good company, but all things come to an end. My mind is a little scrambled right now trying to grasp all that I have accomplished and all the places I have been. I don't have the words to describe what I have been through these past 16 months. For now I need to just let the finality of it all sink in, which is no easy task. Soon I'll be able to post a final reflective hopefully encapsulating a little bit of what has been the golden time of my 33 years on this planet. As I type this now I am in an airport in Tokyo awaiting a flight to Los Angeles. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking of "missing" my flight and heading into
the city. The travelbug is strong and it is going to be a difficult battle suppressing it.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.078s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 17; qc: 30; dbt: 0.0285s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Hong Kong
This location has peaked my interest recently so I've enjoyed reading.