Tourist Day in Hong Kong
Trip Start
Jun 11, 2008
1
15
349
Trip End
May 14, 2009
Hong Kong,
China
Saturday, June 14, 2008
First thing after breakfast we went over to the International Finance Centre (hereafter known as IFC coz I can't be arsed to keep typing it out in full!!), we got free access up to the 55th floor (there are 88 altogether) but although the views are pretty good, it's nothing to get all giddy about. There is a full history about Hong Kong up there all over the walls as well which was quite interesting I suppose. We got a few snaps then buggered off.
Next stop was the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak - this was the thing we knew we would have to pay for. Getting to the Peak Tram stop from the IFC was about 1000 yards, but we were only outside for about 50 yards of it!! It's amazing
Monkey Business 1
. They have built a walkway all over HK Island that goes through shopping malls, office blocks and just random buildings so that you don't have to go outside!! Anyway, got to the Peak Tram and this takes you up to Victoria Peak and to the Sky Terrace so that you can see over Hong Kong Harbour and Kowloon. The tram ride is pretty cool....and steep. You are almost on your back on the way up.....you know what I am thinking about right now, so I won't tell you!!At the top there are about 6 floors you can go to, all with either shops or restaurants on them. However, you have to pay a little extra to go to the very top open air floor to get the great views. (only about a quid more). We had been told the views were poor as the weather was pants, but to be honest, we didn't do too bad and got some decent views and got the idea that this would be excellent on a clear night with all the neon lights blasting out. We may try and do this next time we are in Hong Kong next month.
Dunno if I have mentioned this before, but it has been raining in HK. Thing is, when the rain starts umbrellas just appear from everywhere. Even the people who weren't carrying anything, no bag, no box, nothing! Where do they store their umbrellas that they manage to get them out so quickly!?!?
Monkey Business 2
! Then cam the real worry. As I am just over 6 foot in height I am generally taller than most people in Hong Kong, so when the umbrellas went up (and I mean EVERYBODY had an umbrella), this became very dangerous times for me as the spikes from all these umbrellas wre just at my eye level. I was bobbing & weaving and ducking & diving all over the place!! I am pleased to say that both eyeballs are still in tact though.After the Peak Tram, we headed off to the Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Gardens, again for free! Now, when I say zoo, I mean about ten different variaties on monkeys and a couple of reptiles! The monkeys were ace, although the orang-u-tans just sat there eating, and eating, and eating - reminds me of someone I know!!
Then we were off to Hong Kong Park. Again, this was free entry and there are many different areas to it. There was an aviary...again! There was a Tai Chi court were me and Lorna strutted our stuff, although I am not sure whether this was Tai Chi or just some sort of medical condition we were both suffering from. We then went to the Vantage Point - this is exactly 105 steps tall in a spiral climb! Knackered at the top, couldn't get breath, felt faint, had to sit down - that was Lorna, I of course, was bursting with energy as I am a picture of health and fitness - my body is a temple!
Half way up to the 55th
!We then went by the Olympic Circle. Great. No, I lied. Boring really. Just a load of stone pillars with Beijing 2008 on them. Mmmm.
Next in the park was the small lake and the waterfall. This was ace coz you can go behind the waterfall - as you can see, I am easily pleased - ask Lorna! Then I spied another fountain with a seat in the middle of it. This was like the old red rag to a bull. In I went with complete disregard for the safety of my dry clothes. I made it with barely a drop on me, then the wind changed direction and I was extremely moist! (I knew I would get that word in somewhere!).
We then went off to the Island Shangri-la. Big hotel with fake man stood in bushes with a camera......I yawned, farted, then went on my merry way - nothing else to report here!
Time to get back to Kowloon, so jumped on the ferry, nearly sank it and was kindly asked to stand in the middle to avoid capsizing it and away we went. Lorna then had to have her daily fix of Ice Cream Sundar from Macca's.
Trip starts tomorrow, so getting excited for the next leg now....
