An Assault On The Senses
Trip Start
Sep 07, 2008
1
33
Trip End
Oct 10, 2008
Hong Kong,
China
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Thanks to the very efficient Metro system we were in town within an hour of our plane landing. It was one of the least smoggy days I had seen in Hong Kong so we immediately headed up to Victoria Peak on the tram. The tram is certainly an icon in Hong Kong, as it travels at such incredible angles up to the peak. Even Matt was impressed as this was steeper than any of the railways he had ever been on in Europe
View from Victoria Peak
. The view from the top was just breathtaking, with enormous high rise buildings crammed onto the island like sardines. The tallest of these, IFC2, is by far the tallest building either of us have ever seen. There is a new visitor's centre at the top of the peak, which was new since I last visited, which provides a spectacular 360 degree view of Hong Kong Island. Our next Hong Kong icon was to have Dim Sum at a local restaurant but unfortunately, as it was close to 4pm, they had all finished serving lunch for the day. We caught the Star Ferry across the harbour to Kowloon instead, where we found no shortage of Chinese restaurants with random meat hanging in the window where we could get a feed. The food was great as usual and we feasted on salt and pepper squid, pork with chilli and vegetables and fried rice. It was a nice change from all the rich European food we have been eating for the past month.
Next stop on our whirlwind tour was to take Matt to Temple Street Night Markets to show him a different side to this city. Kowloon side is where most of the locals live and is a very busy district with the typical neon signs hanging in the street and dirty apartment buildings with washing hanging from the windows above. It really is an assault on the senses with the visual assault of all the neon lights, the noise and the smell of dried seafood and garbage wafting by
New Country Dance
. Even the air feels different to breathe due to the humidity and the smog. It almost feels thick when you breathe it in. Matt was quite excited by all of what he was seeing, especially as he got to do his "New Country" dance for the first time in a long time. The Temple Street Night Markets are streets of stalls with cheap electronics, fake designer handbags and t-shirts and various other crafts. We bargained ourselves a few t-shirts for Matt, and then stumbled upon perhaps the greatest souvenir we will ever find on our travels, matching red and yellow M&M t-shirts. We couldn't believe what we were seeing and barely even bargained with the guy to purchase them. We can't wait to wear them in front of Pete after his very funny speech at our wedding where he told the story of our romance using a red and yellow M&M as the characters. We sat and soaked up the busy atmosphere of the markets for a while, drinking some local beers, before continuing our walk back to the harbour.We finished the night watching the light show that is put on by the high rises on the Hong Kong side of the harbour at 8pm every night. I had seen it last time, but from inside the bar at the Intercontinental Hotel. What I hadn't realised was the lame soundtrack of cheesy Chinese music that they synchronise the lights with. It was still great to see, despite the cheese factor.
We made our way back to the airport for the last leg of our flight home to Brisbane. We arrived home the next morning, exhausted but very happy with everything we had done in the past month. We must have looked a treat as we were both wearing our only clean piece of clothing, our matching M&M t-shirts. We were surprised that only one guy the whole way from Hong Kong commented on our interesting fashion choice, but as a backpacker himself was very understanding when we explained our lack of clean clothes. It was very nice to arrive home to our lovely house and sleep in our own bed again. Travelling is the best thing in the world but so is coming home at the end of it. We both vow not to leave it so long before our next adventure as there is so much more of the world we have yet to see.
The End.
