Shanewilson's travel blogs:
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Mayhem of Hong Kong
Entry 109 of 270 | show all | print this entry |
I've left mainland China and am now in Hong Kong... for 2 nights. I awoke at 4.30am to catch my 7.50am flight. The flight was empty and I had a seat in row 30... front row in Economy class with the extra leg space - away from the wing. Quite a few westerners on board... maybe other Oneworld Travellers? The seats on CX, however, are very, very narrow. The service was quite lax, but the food sensational. I had a western breakfast of scrambled egg, croisant, yoghurt, fruit, OJ and coffee. During my viewing of 'The Chronicles of Narnia' (fantastic movie), I enjoyed my favourite in-flight drink of Gin and Tonic. My Emergency Passport worked for entering HK, but I was interrogated by Immigration in Beijing before I was allowed to leave the country.
I didn't leave China without a hitch. Five minutes before my boarding time, I decided to put all my remaining yuan (750 - AUD150) into an automatic exchange ATM - BIG MISTAKE. PANIC! The machine returned a message saying 'out of order', and for the next half a day, I thought I'd lost my $150. Can you believe it? I took down the emergency number and on arrival in Hong Kong rang the number - it was torture trying to communicate to this lovely Chinese woman on the other end of the phone. But since this phonecall, I have since managed to have the woman confirm that 750 yuan did, in fact, get stuck and that the money will be wired to the Travelex office at Hong Kong's International Airport for collection on Thursday morning, before my flight to London. During the Cathay Pacific flight, I was adamant that I had lost the money - to say the least, I was over travel at that time. Tip... don't use machines to exchange your money! Surely my bad luck is over. Given my episode with the camel, passport loss, ATM stuff up and digital camera, I'm really starting to think I was cursed in China.
I've thought long and hard about this and of all the destinations I've been to on this journey so far, Hong Kong probably rates as my least favourite - I can't recall being as negative as a place as this one. I know of people who rave about the place, but I detest it for the following reasons:
1. Overpopulated.
2. Rude people. I basically got bowled over by a 50 year old woman today. She wasn't the only one who banged into me quite violently. Everyone is in a rush... the locals seem unfriendly and overly interested in their own being. Definitely more so than mainland China.
3. Overpriced - drinks, accommodation etc etc.
4. Weather. Last time it was rainy and wet. Now it is hot and humid. Go figure that one out!
But I will say in Hong Kong's defence that it has one of the world's best city skylines - but the harbour is nowhere as good as that of Sydney.
I'm staying in a horribly claustrophobic and probably very dangerous high rise cheap budget hostel called Hong Kong Downtown Backpackers - I dread what will happen if there is a fire. There doesn't seem to be an emergency stair case. Initially, I booked a dorm room - suppose to have 4 beds but ended up having 5. I lasted 30 seconds in the room and said 'no way' to the manager and explained that I would pay more for my own space. I could hardly step into the room... there were 2 guys in the room and the stuff of all 4 were strewn all over the room, including my pre-booked bed. So, for $40 a night, I have a wardrobe with a bunk bed and shared facilities - I miss the spatious, clean and friendly hostel in Beijing - ended up being fantastic value for money in a sensational location with very friendly staff. This hostel is in the Tsim Tsu Tsui region of Kowloon and has many Pakistanian and Indian people all jostling for space in this over-crowded city. Sorry Boris, but I doubt that I will ever return to this city. Can't wait for my departure on Thursday, but will make the most of my time here including seeing the Light Show and going to Victoria Peak.
I found the hostel easily... and so I should have. My week back in March has really helped in orienting myself to the city. I caught the Airport Bus, Number 21 to stop 14 on Nathan Street in Kowloon for $HK33 ($6).
Tonight I hope to meet up with Boris in one of the pubs downtown. I'm hanging out for a western salad... ? I'm kind of over Asian food now and ready to move onto European flavours. With all the oily Chinese food I've had in China, I'm sure I've put on weight so keen to shift it. I'm very happy that I've spent a third of the year in Asia and now moving onto the next chapter in my travels. Four months out of a year's travel is definitely long enough in Asia.
Where I stayed:
Hong Kong Downtown Backpackers
Latest Comments (1)
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More time needed? (reply)
Jan 13, 2008 22:05 EST by dekalb77
Perhaps you needed to spend more time in HK to experience it and the people? I was there in August for a week. Of course, I was in a nice hotel and not a hostel. I found people to be friendly and accomodating. I even had one random lady, who didn't really speak English, take me to a restaurant I was looking for instead of just gesturing to me. It is a very busy city, but I don't think it is any mo... show all
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