Our Qantas flight left for Hong Kong 12.30 midday, Friday 19th from Heathrow. We flew for 12 hours and arrived in Hong Kong at 8.30am Saturday. Carol's family had given us great directions and all sorts of options on how to get to their apartment. We decided on the 1 1/2 hour bus journey which took us from the aiport on tiny Chek Lap Kok island, onto Lantau Island and over the massive Lantau Link bridge to Kowloon, another bridge to Hong Kong island and finally to Ap Lei Chau where they live. It's a small island right next to Hong Kong Island and their high rise apartment complex is nearly the last stop for the bus so we were the only people on the bus and the driver was so helpful in making sure we got off at the right spot.
We hadn't slept all that well on the flight (if they can cancel out the sound of a dirty great screaming jet engine or two, surely they can deaden the sound of one screaming baby). It was comfortable enough and they fed and watered us continuously on the plane. We went out a bit but ended up having to have a sleep in the afternoon. In the evening we all headed out to a bar and raged with a great rock band. It's been ages since we've done anything like that so it was cool.
Sunday Roger and AnneMarie took us by bus, sanpan (boat) then ferry to Lamma Island where we walked along a tourist filled walkway across the island, luckily the tourists were mostly doing the walkway in the opposite direction. The weather was perfect and the island was quite green, the walkway ended in a village where we lunched on (of course) Chinese food. We ordered several dishes which we all shared including one of baby pigeons, two of them back to back heads and all, a bit weird to look at but very tasty. There was concert going on in a sports area nearby and we wandered over to listen but sadly timed it just right to witness the possibly worst band any of us have ever heard who were from Sri Lanka. Had to walk back through the markets just to get away from the sound...
When Carol was traveling in Iran she met Peter another world traveler who is from here. We were lucky enough to spend Monday and Tuesday with Peter as our guide to his homeland. He took us to see the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, he and Carol were talking so much they didn't see a great deal but Kent enjoyed it a lot. Next it was dim sums in a local restaurant - YUM then a bus up to 'The Peak' a hill behind the city where after the sunset we had a spectacular view of the city lights.
Tuesday we met Peter in Kowloon again and this time headed for the local (not tourist) markets. Street after street was filled with stalls and also we went to a huge electronics market. Of course the time just disappeared as we caught up on the latest gadgets, we lunched there with the locals too another yummy meal. The Chinese people were very friendly and helpful, most that we talked to spoke English but if they didn't Peter (who speaks Cantonese and Mandarin) was able to translate.
On our last day we headed to the Stanley Markets. The ride out on the bus took us along the edge of Hong Kong Island past some lovely beaches and other islands. We got fairly sucked into these markets which were completely touristy but fun to look through. We only spent a couple of hours there and missed going to the Maritime museum darn it.
Back to the apartment to pack up and weigh the bags to make sure it was all balanced throughout then off to the airport for our flight to Brisbane.
