So I booked it, sorted out my life back home, packed my rucksack and now here I am sat at Heathrow airport at 7.30 am preparing to fly to the other side of the world. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t even the slightest bit scared! My stomach is flipping between utter excitement and sheer terror at the thought of what I’m about to do! Not to mention the 13 hour flight!
So I arrived in Hong Kong at 6 am on 26th November ( at least I think it’s the 26th). The flight was uneventful but I did get to know a couple of fellow Bunac people In particular a girl from Scotland called Caroline and a girl from Chester called Sian.
So I’m feeling probably more tired and disorientated than I ever imagined possible clutching my rucksack in the arrivals hall of Hong Kong airport where I’m met with a VERY chirpy tour guide. She’s called L-E-Y-O-N-A , or so she spelt it for the 5th time just incase anyone missed it! We are whisked off to our hotel - great - finally sleep was all I could think. Oh how mistaken I was, only time to dump our luggage and to be told our rooms wont be ready until 2.30 this afternoon so L-E-Y-O-N-A suggested we go sightseeing!
Off we went………….
I spent much of my day switching between yawning and gawping trying desperately to push aside the ever increasing fog of tiredness. Hong Kong was like nothing id ever experienced and not at all what I had expected. We were staying in Kowloon which is across the harbor from Hong Kong City. The views over the harbor were fantastic never had I seen so many and such large skyscrapers squashed into such small spaces.
Kowloon itself was very western and as usual you had starbucks and McDonalds on every corner interspersed with very expensive designer shops. However what struck me most of all was the very high level of English that was spoken, I’m not entirely sure what id expected though! I barely got opportunity to practice my basic Cantonese id practiced on the plane!!!
Later that day (I think it was still the same day) we decided to visit Lantau island to see the big Buddha, little did I realise this meant I death defying cable car ride up vertical mountain sides!!!
This island is said to be held sacred amongst Chinese people however I couldn’t escape the feeling that I was in some elaborate theme park. It was very touristy and I felt a lack of authenticity to it, anyhow our search for the big Buddha continued!
Eventually we found him (not that he was hard to miss) the only thing separating us from the man himself was the mere matter of 294 steps! For which ill add you had to pay 20 Hong Kong dollars!!!
The views from the top back over Hong Kong well made up for the steps- the free ice cream may also have helped.
I decided not to sleep in the afternoon in an absurd attempt to self correct my body clock - oh how wrong I was! At 1 am I was still wide awake and walking through Kowloon’s still bustling shopping streets. I couldn’t possibly tell you what I saw or did as im fairly convinced I was a walking western zombie!
Day 2
Breakfast at 9 am - who’s stupid idea was that. Anyway I was up now and it was time to explore the city with slightly fresher eyes! The girls and I set off in search of the infamous jade markets. What a delight it was when we found it, so many tiny stalls crammed into a warehouse just outside of the main shopping district. Every stallholder wanted to sell you their ‘special special’ jade. Before I knew what was happening I was having bracelets , rings and necklaces draped all around me. I settled for a simple thumb ring.
I decided to walk back a different route as I was determined to find out what this area was really like for the people who lived here (no mean feat in 3 days I know) so far I felt all id seen was the tourist side of the town and McDonalds! Anyway I ended up inadvertently wandering into their red-light district which funnily enough doubled as their fruit, veg and meat market by day! There were things for sale that I’d never even seen before and things I wish never to see again like dried snake skins - perfect for broth so the signs said needless to say I gave it a miss!
The afternoon was spent on ( and off!) a bus visiting the Hong Kong highlights. I knew this trip was not going to help my already niggling feeling that I was missing the best the Hong Kong and Kowloon had to offer but I was also still pretty tired!
The day was rounded off by a slightly dodgy Chinese meal where I spent much of the time unsure of what exactly I ;was eating despite avid reassurance of ‘no meat lady no meat’! hmmmmm im not so sure!
Day 3
My final day in Hong Kong and the spent the morning wondering exactly who had very unhelpfully exploded my rucksack all over the hotel room!
Rucksack neatly re-ordered and packed I decided to head out and continue my search for authenticity!! Eventually I found myself in another of the locals markets only this one had many more oddities than the last and up until this day I had been blissfully unaware of exactly what a whole, skinned, dried pigeon looked like!
Later t was off for a fun filled afternoon of bus tripping!!! By this point jet lag had hit me big time and like a sulky child I tagged along on the culture trip- I know it sounds moany and actually the place would have been really iterating had thay allowed us more than 10 minutes in each place or maybe explained a little about where it was they were dropping us. I gathered from some leaflets I found that it was a monestry and nunnery that is still running and one of the oldest in central Hong Kong.
After some more cultural highlights on this whistle stop tour we were dropped back at the jade market, unfortunately for me the only solution to my tiredness was a comfy chair in starbucks! Aaaahhhhhh caramel macchiato!!!
Next Stop ----- AUCKLAND!!!!
