I lost 8 hours of my life on arriving in Hong Kong due to the time difference.
The queue for immigration was a sight to behold. I have never seen so many people but unlike in England this queue was efficient and it moved swiftly. I did feel a little sad as there was no one to greet me and it is disorientating when there are so many people and you don't know where to go. Eventually I found my bags and the airport transit train. Gorgeous, clean and AIR CONDITIONED. With the humidity as it is here I have never been so grateful for air conditioning. Here is a photo from the train:
The airport is located on a different island from main downtown Hong Kong so the view from the train is better than average.
When I arrived in Hong Kong I felt like a little girl lost. I was told there was a metro but couldn't see the signs and I felt exhausted. I took a taxi to my hotel and well driving here is a little different. Move lanes first and then indicate. On a few occasions I had my heart in my mouth.
I am staying this weekend in the Express by Holiday Inn which is located on the Causeway. It is right opposite the shopping centre Times Square. Which leads me onto activites in Hong Kong: shopping (tax free here in HK) and eating and that is it. However shopping here is something else...it is just buzzing and there are all the shops here: Marks and Spencers, all the American brands ie american eagle, holster everything.
You name it, you want it, you can get it here in Hong Kong.
Now it may seem to you that I have just plunged straight into Hong Kong life. I had a little help in the form of Wing Yang's counsin, Roy. That's us with HK harbour behind us. If it wasn't for Roy I would have spent the whole day in my hotel. I was and am still shattered!! However I did manage to visit lots and lots with Roy in my first 8 hours in Hong Kong!
Free HUGGGGGGGG
We entered Times Square one of the most expensive shopping areas and there were a crowd of young people giving out free hugs. Roy declined but I wanted a hug with superman but alas he was very popular so I had a free hug with this girl here:
Food and Transport
Transport is CHEAP here, eg the taxi ride cost me €4 approx. Roy took me on a tram which only cost 23 pence and as with everything here we were squashed in. It made the RER B seem spacious (le tram etait blindé avec les gens, cela me faire pensé que le RER B n'est pas aussi mauvais que ça):
We ate sushi when I first arrived and then in the evening on the suggestion of someone we went to Mos burgers. A Japanese chain of burgers where instead of bread then use rice for some of the burgers...oddly delicious:
Density, markets and shopping
Everything here is packed in and the buildings are tall. Here are a few photos:
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| Norman Foster designed HSBC headquarters |
The market was surreal....everything is alive well aside from the meat. However at the fish counters everything alive with the fish jumping up and down on the counters. There are large tanks full of water with fish I did not recognise. The most fascinating was watching people buy a filet of fish. The fishmonger cuts the fish and sells half of it with the heart still beating. Roy tells me the Chinese like their fish FRESH - he's not joking.
Roy wanted to take me to eat local in the evening. He asked me "how strong is your stomach?" Not strong enough" was the reply when I saw the building above the restaurant we were going to eat at. I said: " you know what take me to Mos" (see above):
There was also a street market. Now maybe I am a little niave but I thought things were suppose to be cheap. I picked my mother up a bracelet from a market stall - the same junk we buy back home and it cost me the equivalent of £2. I know that would have cost me £1 at home so no more shopping for me.
I told you we packed a lot in and the one thing I am glad we did was visit the harbour and take a boat across to get some great shots of the HK skyline. Here are some of the stunning photos and naturally one of me:
