Hong Kong

July 26

Arrival

We arrive and get on a very civilised train. Staff helped us to get the cheapest combination of tickets. Lovely. Train gets us to Hong Kong Station, and from there a free (meandering) hotel shuttle.

Central Walk

Straight into it: walking around Central in the dark.

It’s hot. It’s Humid. Straight to dinner near the hotel. They were as confused as why we were there as we were. Sweet and sour prawn balls are top notch though.

Thought we’d try a rooftop bar, but we’re not well dressed enough (as if any set of circumstances would involve me wearing any more clothing than we were).

Figured we’d just loop back around to the hotel instead.

July 27

Hotel View

Hotel buffet breakfast!

Lantau Island

Caught the train back to the airport, basically (Tung Chung). Instead of getting on a plane, we got on a cable car. Pre-purchasing tickets and getting there early = win, because the queue that had built up by the time we were on our way was imposing.

Coming in to Ngong Ping

Tian Tan Buddha

Po Lin Monastery

Leaving, we bumped into some cows

Back on the cable car. This is the new road to Macau, built by the Chinese. The dip (tunnel) is to accommodate the height restrictions of the flight path of landing planes.

Back into Tung Chung

Mong Kok

Tick tick tick. More Chinese than China.

Goldfish market

Popped into a place for lunch - pineapple buns, Hong Kong style French toast and ‘western style’ fried macaroni.

South, south

We were both frazzled by the time we arrived at Kowloon park, Emily especially. Basically had to carry her (emotionally!) to the water to get a Star Ferry back to Central.

The cool fresh air revived us, clearly suffering for the heat. Across the water were airconditioned malls and cold drinks.

Food and drinks at Shake Shack on the roof of IFC mall - Huge, Thick American-style Milk Tea Milkshake for Emily and a gallon of lemonade for me. Earned and enjoyed.

Back to the hotel to swim and recuperate.

Dinner and Central-Mid Level Escalators

Dinner at a british expat bar. Too many kiwi beers (because I can get those at home for half the price!) but I found a nice porter.

Emily did some shopping on the way to the escalators. We went as far as we could before they stopped (out of service) - weren’t going to walk up an actual hill.

July 28

Hotel Breakfast: check. Straight into it: check!

Victoria Peak

Caught a skinny, open sided tram to Murray Road

Walked to The Peak Tram departure point. Get there early, use your transit card. It’s very cool, very steep.

Great views of the city.

Just avoid the ugly building up the top.

Back down the tram, then we walked through central to do some more shopping and get some bagels for lunch.

Back on the tram back to the hotel.

To the pool!

Dinner at Stack, nearby.

July 29

Mong Kok shopping

Emily opted to spend the day at the pool - I don’t blame her. I decided to get the train to Mong Kok and find one of those electronics department stores. I was a bit early, but it opened up eventually. Not a lot interesting, to be honest.

So back to the hotel for swimming.

Time to go home

Eventually accepted time for swimming was over, and headed down to the lobby to get the airport shuttle. Checked our luggage in at Hong King train station (how civilised) before getting a train to the airport.

Checked in at a leisurely pace, changed our money for the last time. The last airport - they all blur into each other now, which was which? Found some food, wandered about, went to our gate. In a daze, onto a plane back to Auckland