Hong Kong - a late start

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Geo: 22.2963, 114.172

Unheard of on this trip, but think that the days and weeks had caught up with us and we did not emerge from bed until 11.30 am. We did do a bit of a tag team event though. I got up at 7 am and retired to my study (the bathroom cause I can have the light on without waking Mac) and then when Mac stirred at 10 to use the bathroom, I took up the prime real estate in the bed and left Mac a little corner to curl up in as I grabbed some additional zzzzs. Seriously, the bed is THAT small. Mac has to lie diagonally across the bed for all his body parts fit on at one time!

We emerged from the Kowloon armed with a map and very sketchy directions to find our way to the Ladies Market. So straight to the subway.

The big advantage of The Kowloon Hotel is that you walk out of lobby into the subway and onto the Metro line and perched across the road one block from the harbour and tucked on the corner of Nathan Road it is a tourist's paradise (great job @SharynBleakley). And after talking with fellow travellers....the small room is the norm in Hong Kong....unless you want to treble the price.

The subway holds the "other" 90% of the Hong Kong population. You could actually shop and eat underground in air conditioned comfort. The subway streets zigzag their way from one above ground landmark to the next. The walkways are so wide you can move in most locations without being cheek to jowl. Escalators move you between floors and people movers help you cover distances at lightening speed. And the subways give access to the Metro lines.

Now that's where the crush is! Everything is colour coded, maps and information boards cover every wall and ticketing booths are automated and ubiquitous and people stream through the automated swipe on-swipe off turnstiles. The trains arrive every five minutes and passengers are kept at a safe distance from the speeding carriages by a glass barricade that opens when the train stops. Lines and arrows direct the flow of traffic and inside the carriage, live, interactive maps count you down to your destination. The train is one long carriage stuffed with hundreds of orderly commuters.

Loving the underground world of Hong Kong and glad Mac can read maps because for the princely sum of 60 c and one wrong turn we were in the Ladies Market. This is a street three blocks long, filled with makeshift stalls where bargaining is the order of the day. My estimate is that there were about 3 000 stall holders in the market. Of these 2950 sold a combination of ladies handbags, shirts, Chinese tourist crapola, genuine fake watches and jewellery and small scale electrical come phone accessories stuff. The other 50 sold penis warmers in every shape, colour and size. It seemed that every time I lost Mac and looked around to spot him, he was standing under a coat hanger with an ornately sequinned, raised elephant's trunk. Go figure!

It was raining, it was cold, it was crowded and we were starving. Bought food from a street vendor and ate standing on the side of the road. Dodged the pamphlet waving massage ladies, the suit and shirt salesman and the copy watch/handbag dudes and had a crack at the bargaining thing. We came away with a timely purchase (@Michael) and a genuine little red Jimmy Choo number (Happy Birthday to me from @AuntyGail and @Paul).

We wandered and walked the afternoon away and had to meet the cruiser at Pier 3 at 7.30 to take of for the leisurely 90 minute "Symphony of Lights" cruise of Victoria Harbour. In our exuberance for our new found freedom in choosing what and when to eat we had decided to eat after the cruise. Turns out it was a poor choice, we had missed the fine print on the cruise ticket that indicated UNLIMITED FREE on-board drinks. After three generous whiskies ... each ... on an empty stomach, the boat seemed to be rolling a little more than expected.

The harbour cruise was wonderful. The city skyline was everything that was expected. Colourful lights cascaded up and down the buildings and across the harbour - all accompanied by stirring music....but the whole "laser" thing was a little underdone ...perhaps we were expecting a New Year's Eve special edition! Nonetheless, was still a feast for the eyes and it is a seemingly endless arc of dense commercialisation surrounded by monotonously repetitive high density housing. The guide indicated that population density is around the 6 600 per square kilometre for HK. One district on Kowloon (Kwun Tong) has a population density of 66 000 per square kilometre. Makes Australia's 2.9 very attractive!

We met two Australians from Perth on the cruise and laughed ourselves silly sharing the similarities and differences in our adventures in Asia so far. The driving was the number one topic of renactment followed by the Chinese queue strategies, the people on The Bund and the food.

It is their fault that we continued our adventures after the cruise. Loaded with new information on the location of "another" street market just down Nathan Road, we set off without a map!

After weeks of searching for the perfect purchase for The Year of the Horse we finally found THE perfect piece in the Swarovski shop. I couldn't get the last of my birthday money out fast enough only be told that it was an "exclusive" piece for Hong Kong Club members only. Mac is still reeling that there is a business in Hong Kong that won't make a deal! Ohhhhhhh, sad, sad face.

So much for thei "just down the road" instructions" because it was nearly 90 minutes of walking before we finally spotted the sign to the Temple Street Markets (the last of the holy trinity of markets). They were still pumping at 11 pm at night and were packed with bargaining tourists. And out of the blue up pops Bea, one of Mac's Poker acquaintances from the Cas. It truly is a small world And if only I had been quick enough I could have dragged her Hong Kong resident godson to get my crystal!

Dinner was a delight....at the Spicy Crab. We joined lots of late night shoppers and watched the world go by while eating something creatively prepared. With a frantic "Hurry, hurry Hong Kong Police" our table was collapsed and our chairs whisked away. Lucky for us we were just finishing outer drinks...other late night diners had their dinner scooped away as the police raid descended on the Spicy Crab. Just another ordinary day in Asia.

Midnight rolled in and we still had not quite made the sanctuary of our hotel. It may have been a late start...but we made the most of the hours available.

Last day tomorrow......if only I had a Mary Poppins bag ....

Pedometer Reading: 19 211
Temperature: Hong Kong 26 C and overcast

@AuntyGail we are being picked up by @Anthony at Brisbane (unless you know someone we don't). Currently in airport waiting for our flight. Have stopover in Cairns for refuelling....early Wednesday morning...will text

@jrobinson took my last probiotics today...best advice ever...I have had 31 days of a perfect tummy!

@Dot and the Twins...we didn't get to your recommendations...this time. We are going to come back and do a tourist time ASAP. so many adventures still waiting

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Photos

The Avenue of Stars
...and a Merrill moment
...note Mac lurking for the photo bomb

Um, the leaning building
..even my camera knew I'd had two too many

Comments

[MrsAngell]

Thank you for sharing your story and journey with us all - it has been a laugh a minute