Our blog is as much a diary of our travels as it is news for people back home so
we do like to record news items for our future memories. Today, we are so excited for the people of Chile after the world has watched for 69 days while they rescue 33 trapped miners from deep underground. Fab news for everyone around the world to celebrate.

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We started our HK sightseeing with breakfast at Cafe de Coral. Eggs, sausage, thick toast and coffee for 19HKD (£1.60). Then it was off to Star Ferries for the short cruise across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island. Wow, what a view, this really is a stunning city. A short walk got us to the longest travelator/escalator in the world (we know how to have fun!). It’s 800m long and threads its way up the hill and takes 20 minutes from start to finish.
Downwards in the morning, to make it easier for the city workers, and after 10.00 a.m. it goes upwards. Neat huh?

Next was the gravity defying Peak Tram, a funicular railway that takes you to the top of Victoria Peak where the view of HK is spectacular.

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Coming back down was quite weird as it is so steep and the towering apartment blocks and offices that are vertical appear to be leaning at really dodgy angles.

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HK is so easy to get around with the Octopus Card. It’s the mother of London’s Oyster card that you can use on metro, buses, trams, ferries and in many shops and restaurants. HK was on Neil’s list of must see places to visit that he’s had since he was a kid……..he’s not disappointed as this really is a great city and well worth a visit. It’s clean, the people always want to help you as soon as you get the map out, it’s pedestrian friendly and is as exciting and attractive as Singapore but without being sterile…..HK is lived in and is one of the most vibrant cities we’ve visited.

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The third day was spent trying to sort our onward travel to China. For those of you who think we do nothing, it’s taken a full day to review almost all the options on how to get out of HK and into China. It isn’t easy when you’re independent travellers but, after tomorrow, we’ll have it sussed…. we hope!

Day 4, Saturday, and a trip to Lamma Island. A leafy and car free place which we’ve discovered, after today, is the place that Kongers go at weekends to see green places, beaches and eat fresh seafood. Yes, it was very busy but it had a cool breeze and, apart from HK’s massive power plant, it was very scenic. If you didn’t want to stay in downtown HK then this is a very pleasant place to stay and the 20 minute commute on the ferry costs less than £2.

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We then got a different ferry back to Aberdeen on HK Island, the opposite side to the business centre, and probably named after the massive fishing fleet that used to sail out of Aberdeen in Scotland. It is the typhoon shelter for all things afloat, especially the fishing fleet, and was just a heaving mass of boats….take a look at the pics. You will see sampans, big trawlers and small craft surrounded by 40 storey condo’s……an amazing sight.

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Finally, we jumped on a bus for a very cheap sightseeing tour of new parts of HK. We were sat at the front and the most incredible part of the journey was where the bus, riding on a 20m high flyover, weaved its way down a steep single carriageway around several blocks of 40 storey condo’s. You could almost see the whites of the residents’ eyes, we were that close. Sorry, didn’t have time to get the camera out.

Sunday, and after a lay in it’s off to the flower market and all its wonderful smells and displays followed by a visit to the bird garden just along the road. British men play golf on a Sunday or go fishing or something. HK men take their treasured birds in their cages and go and show them off to other birdmen!! There’s also a small market for bird accessories and food including bags of live bugs. Fantastic sounds and beautiful colours.

Next was a visit to Kowloon Park for a lot of people watching. On a Sunday many of the KL domestic workers from The Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia congregate on their day off to have fun, take pictures, gossip, picnic and generally relax on their day off. Some also get a tad beered up and some flirt with many of the readily available local guys looking for “a bit of company”. It was great fun and we got included on at least one set of photos.

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After our picnic in the park we wandered off to the waterfront to watch the sound and light show which people watch from Kowloon across the water on HK Island. There’s music piped along the whole waterfront and the lights on the building opposite dance to the tunes. By opposite we mean about half a mile away across Victoria harbour.

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As it’s Sunday, Neil has a big confession to make. Leanne and Paul listen up here!!!! For those of you who don’t know, Neil’s children are in their mid 20’s and for most of those years they have been trying to get dad into a well known fast food establishment. They have tried many things some of them downright unfair but they have failed.

Today, for the first time, Neil went into a McDonalds!!!!!!!! However, thankfully he did not make a purchase but, much in need of their facilities; let’s just say he left a deposit. Neil’s “Lovin’ It” as he considers that this is where all their food belongs!! Cheryl waited on the stairs to get evidence so take a look at the pic kids. Dad has one regret,…that you weren’t there to see him finally cross the threshold……sorry kids I guess I really do deserve that Big Mac that you promised to put in my coffin!!

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Monday was torture! After the 2hr application process when we arrived we expected a 2hr queue to collect the visa for China plus a number of arguments. Our expectations were NOT met! In, pay, collect and out in 10 minutes…job done….result! With unexpected time on our hands we decided to go to the viewing platform in the Bank of China which gives an amazing view from the 43rd floor over Victoria Harbour towards Kowloon. 43 floors in 43 seconds.

Afterwards, we jumped on a tram and went to Happy Valley to visit the Mecca of HK’s horse racing fraternity and the home of, probably, the world’s most famous rugby 7’s tournament. The setting is superb, surrounded by condo’s that get a great view of the stadium which is also open to people to train and enjoy at leisure.

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HK in summary? It’s many things that the rest of Asia is not. It’s clean, efficient, orderly, and tourist friendly and yet it is still Asia with all its colour, noise, smells and seething humanity……it’s for real! By the way, if you smokers want to give up then come here. It’s virtually impossible to light up anywhere but a designated area even if you are out doors. One other thing – there’s no bloody mosquitoes either – what more can a tourist want?

Next stop China; we’re filled with both trepidation and excitement. Our next blog might be a while, as we do not know how much China blocks Get Jealous and other blogging websites.

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The flight with Air Asia was fine. All our reservations about flying long haul
with a low cost airline were unfounded. Yes, there was no entertainment unless
you paid, and yes, if you paid the entertainment was limited, but all in all the
flight wasn’t bad…..in fact, at £100 a pop it was great value. We were lucky
to be able to sleep most of the way so the 12.5 hours did go very quickly.
Plus, curry for breakfast……..welcome to Asia!!

Once in KL we soon found ourselves in The Tune Hotel with our tiny, tiny room.
Funny, when we arrived the lady next door was sat outside trying to make sense
of her luggage and trying desperately to make it fit into the room along with
her husband and small child.

It’s good to be back in Asia……food court ambience of plastic chairs,
fluorescent lighting, echoing sounds and just the general hustle and bustle of
Asia. We both slept well again until about 03.00 a.m. when the jet lag played
its games. No problem, the remains of the bottle of duty free scotch soon sent
us back to sleep until the alarm got us up for the 07.00 a.m. flight to Hong
Kong.

We had checked in on line and so, still very sleepy, we arrived for the flight
with a minimum of time available. Straight upstairs and it wasn’t until we got
to security that we remembered that we had not been to baggage drop. Another
one of those “Oh sh*t” moments! Back down and through passport control “please,
we forgot baggage, is it OK to go back through?” We shot off to baggage drop and
finally got back to security in time but with one of the funniest moments yet.

We chose what looked like the shortest queue. However it soon ground to a halt
as a little Asian guy was sent back through the scanner 4 times before finally
emptying his pockets of all objects. His bag was then opened and the bemused
security guy pulled out a long metal tube followed by a huge plastic container.
It was an industrial strength garden sprayer! The security guy got up and went
across to show his boss what he had found. Eventually he returned to his post,
still grinning, and told the little guy he would have to have his bag checked
in. Now, why would you want to take an industrial sprayer into the cabin?
Answers on a postcard, or suggestions on the message board please.

Four hours later we arrived in Hong Kong and found our way to our hostel. Like
a lot of guesthouses in HK it consists of converted individual apartments spread
within an old crumbling tenement block of 16 storeys. Now, we had heard that HK
has the most expensive real estate in the world, and we had booked a budget room
for £23/night so we had low expectations. Our expectations were met, we had a
double room measuring 2.5 metres square, but it has a bathroom, it is clean, it
has a window (see pic for the view), and thankfully, as we are on the 13th
floor, it has full fire safety equipment.

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We spent the afternoon queuing for our China visas, treated ourselves to an
‘Affluent Tea Set’ (because we are worth it), and finished the day with two
large bowls of noodle soup plus a beer all for 85HKD which is about £7. Pretty
damn cheap for one of the most expensive cities in the world.

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