Todays Factoid:Hong Kong residents eat more oranges per capita than anyone else, come to think of it they eat pretty much anything, snake, dog, toad.... lie down for too long in the park and it could be you turning up in those fried noodles...
Abstract (for those too busy to read all of our drivle):
Arrived Hong Kong, went to Happy Valley races, Star ferry, Victoria Peak, Kowloon, Mong Kok, Lamma Island, Aberdeen etc etc.. off to Guangzhou tommorrow.
Full Text:(Graham writing)
After an uneventful flight (not good, not bad) with Swiss Air we arrived, I didn't sleep, Rach slept like baby, as usual. The films where awful, avoid Charlie's Angels 2 and Bullet proof monk like the plauge... even the typical airline censorship couldn't add any amusment, you know 'forget you' in place of you know what etc...
Hong Kong Airport is great, no crush, helpful transport office, bit different to Heathrow's surly employees. Took bus (UK3) to Causeway bay to Noble Hostel, nice Double with shower & WC for UK30, right above Armani and Max Mara, We're on 17th (top) floor... not bad I have a feeling our luck will change soon, because there is a trade fair in Guangzhou we have had to book dorm room beds in a YHA miles from town for tommorrow... anyway on with Hong Kong...
That evening in an attempt to stay awake we went to Happy Valley races to watch the horses, massive 15 storey stands surround the track, and literaly millions on dollars where being bet on each race... I managed to avoid loosing my shirt, mostly because I couldn't work the automated betting machines... so my wallet was only HK$10 (80p UK)lighter for the admission.
Got up early to try to get our Chinese visa from the China visa office in Wan Chai, only HK$150 (UK12) but won't be ready till Monday (3 days) there is a faster service but costs $400, so being a cheapskate decided to risk it being ready on the morning our train departs to Guangzhou. (for a little extra it is probably worth going to CTS), we only got 30 days as well despite asking for 60....
Spent the next 6 hours trying to book a none existant 1) Ferry to Wuzhou and 2) bus to anywhere but Guangzhou. In the end gave up and resigned ourselves to the crush at one of Chinas most notorious train stations... I will not give you the excrusiating detail of trapsing from 'travel agent' to 'travel agent', I use that term loosly as the only place they can book to is, yes you guessed it, Guangzhou! (or a thousand pound tour)
That evening went on Star ferry and on the Tram (HK$20) up to the Victoria Peak, which even for the most anti-city outdoor type, I have to say was impressive...
On Saturday went on a walk to Lammas Island, over nice beaches and hills, back to Aberdeen then up to Mong Kok (worlds highest population density), the bird market, ('it is an ex-parrot' monty python levels of healthyness in the population of birds here), the flower market, not too much suffering here, the aquarium fish market, complete and utter disregard for fish-rights here (i'm suprised they weren't all dead), the 'ladies' market, fake Louis Vitton anybody? the other night market (knocked off VCD's Rolex, and Bloody David Beckham paraphinalia), and the (fake) Jade market, all this left us rather jaded ah-hem sorry about that... so we thought nice dinner will sort us out, only raw crunchy prawns and raw egg on rice wasn't quite what I had in mind, I tried to point out it is traditional to fry this particular dish, but either the waiter was deaf or I was transparent...
We are on our way to Yangshuo tommorrow, but may have to overnight in Guangzhou, if we can't get an overnight Train/bus, we have booked the last two beds in the town at the yha (UK5pp), but hope not to have to use them.
Will write again from the classic karst peaks of Guillin, hopefully get there on Tuesday...
Take care
Graham (Rachel says Hi)
More thumbnails ...
Hong Kong Hotels
80 votes 
This is a top pick!
