Friday 30 May 2008
Administrivia
With the actual story ended, the blog will be updated with photos and links. I have already uploaded things to YouTube and will be putting photos on our Flickr accounts.
Day 31 - All Good Things...
And so to home. Bags packed, room checked out of, airport shuttle arranged. Time to fly back to the real world, beginning with a 4.30am start.
I was genuinely sad to leave Hong Kong, a place that I initially was apprehensive about yet had fallen completely for. Even to the last, when something went wrong, it was efficient beyond the call of duty.
Our flight was Air NZ to Heathrow. The flight itself is Auckland - Hong Kong - London, which must be a swine if you are going all 23 hours of the journey. The plane had been delayed in Auckland for a wheel change (while the passengers were on it) which meant that our onward connection to Manchester was in jeopardy.
We weren't to know this when we got to the Air NZ desk, yet when we did, the bloke behind the counter knew all about it. He had already reserved seats on the next available flight, checked our bags through and presented us with a voucher to give to BA to get our seats.
I was amazed - normally you are greeted at the other end and left to figure out how to get home. The rebooking had been arranged happened before we even got to the airport. Just amazing customer service.
The flight was uneventful for its 12 and a bit hours. We flew over the site of the recent earthquake in China and then Russia - if you ever want to understand just how big Russia is... it takes a 747 six hours to fly over it.
We landed at Heathrow. Instead of heading for Terminal 1 and BMI, it was time to face BA and Terminal 5. Onto the coach, no baggage claim and not a small amount of confusion as we made it across to the new terminal without having to clear UK immigration. We even changed some spare HK dollars into sterling at a Bureau de Change and he seemed mystified that we hadn't passed Customs.
Eventually we did find the Immigration desk, with no queues at all. I wandered up, passport in hand.
"Hello"
Silence. My passport was taken off me by a woman who seemed to take my very existence as a personal affront, scanned, then handed back.
"Thankyou"
Still silence. Same for Caroline.
Welcome home. Bloody welcome home. For Gods sake.
When we started out on our trip, T5 was in chaos, with baggage disappearing into the ether and cancelled flights aplenty. To be honest, it is easy to understand why - there just isn't any helpful signage. We eventually found our way to the BA checkin desk, explained the rearranged flight and despite noone being around, we were still asked to check in using the machine. Okayyy... over we go.
Booking number? Not got one of those.
Voucher code? Nope.
I find the option for surname. I type my surname. I scan my passport.
"No record found".
Oh for crying out loud. Back to the desk we were at five minutes ago. The woman sitting there was quite cheery but why she couldn't have checked us in in the first place, I'll never know.
A short meal then a wait for the plane. Eventually our gate appeared and we wandered over. Flight was due to take off at 7.40pm. At 7.30pm, the flight crew are still waiting to board. 7.40pm comes and goes. 7.45pm - "We regret to announce that your flight has been delayed". No shit, Sherlock.
We board sometime approaching 8pm and find ourselves right at the back on a packed plane. Beggars can't be choosers, but my tired mood wasn't helped by the constant wittering of the cabin staff behind us. An uneventful flight and we touch down at Manchester.
Bags made it through OK, although everyone crowded the carousel, to the extent that I was almost taking people out at the knees with our heavy luggage. I was tired and angry, angry at the reception from Immigration, angry at the lack of information at the delays, angry at stupid selfish people not considering others. Hong Kong, New Zealand really did seem half a world away.
It couldn't spoil our trip. Nothing could. We've seen things that we had wanted to see, experienced things that money can't buy. Every place that we have been, we have not wanted to leave. We could do it all again tomorrow.
We can't do it all again tomorrow though. But give us six months...
I was genuinely sad to leave Hong Kong, a place that I initially was apprehensive about yet had fallen completely for. Even to the last, when something went wrong, it was efficient beyond the call of duty.
Our flight was Air NZ to Heathrow. The flight itself is Auckland - Hong Kong - London, which must be a swine if you are going all 23 hours of the journey. The plane had been delayed in Auckland for a wheel change (while the passengers were on it) which meant that our onward connection to Manchester was in jeopardy.
We weren't to know this when we got to the Air NZ desk, yet when we did, the bloke behind the counter knew all about it. He had already reserved seats on the next available flight, checked our bags through and presented us with a voucher to give to BA to get our seats.
I was amazed - normally you are greeted at the other end and left to figure out how to get home. The rebooking had been arranged happened before we even got to the airport. Just amazing customer service.
The flight was uneventful for its 12 and a bit hours. We flew over the site of the recent earthquake in China and then Russia - if you ever want to understand just how big Russia is... it takes a 747 six hours to fly over it.
We landed at Heathrow. Instead of heading for Terminal 1 and BMI, it was time to face BA and Terminal 5. Onto the coach, no baggage claim and not a small amount of confusion as we made it across to the new terminal without having to clear UK immigration. We even changed some spare HK dollars into sterling at a Bureau de Change and he seemed mystified that we hadn't passed Customs.
Eventually we did find the Immigration desk, with no queues at all. I wandered up, passport in hand.
"Hello"
Silence. My passport was taken off me by a woman who seemed to take my very existence as a personal affront, scanned, then handed back.
"Thankyou"
Still silence. Same for Caroline.
Welcome home. Bloody welcome home. For Gods sake.
When we started out on our trip, T5 was in chaos, with baggage disappearing into the ether and cancelled flights aplenty. To be honest, it is easy to understand why - there just isn't any helpful signage. We eventually found our way to the BA checkin desk, explained the rearranged flight and despite noone being around, we were still asked to check in using the machine. Okayyy... over we go.
Booking number? Not got one of those.
Voucher code? Nope.
I find the option for surname. I type my surname. I scan my passport.
"No record found".
Oh for crying out loud. Back to the desk we were at five minutes ago. The woman sitting there was quite cheery but why she couldn't have checked us in in the first place, I'll never know.
A short meal then a wait for the plane. Eventually our gate appeared and we wandered over. Flight was due to take off at 7.40pm. At 7.30pm, the flight crew are still waiting to board. 7.40pm comes and goes. 7.45pm - "We regret to announce that your flight has been delayed". No shit, Sherlock.
We board sometime approaching 8pm and find ourselves right at the back on a packed plane. Beggars can't be choosers, but my tired mood wasn't helped by the constant wittering of the cabin staff behind us. An uneventful flight and we touch down at Manchester.
Bags made it through OK, although everyone crowded the carousel, to the extent that I was almost taking people out at the knees with our heavy luggage. I was tired and angry, angry at the reception from Immigration, angry at the lack of information at the delays, angry at stupid selfish people not considering others. Hong Kong, New Zealand really did seem half a world away.
It couldn't spoil our trip. Nothing could. We've seen things that we had wanted to see, experienced things that money can't buy. Every place that we have been, we have not wanted to leave. We could do it all again tomorrow.
We can't do it all again tomorrow though. But give us six months...
Thursday 29 May 2008
Day 30 - Lonely at the top
Our last full day of the trip and thanks to Carolines illness, I had ot spend a large part of it on my own. She was too tired, too ill to even attempt to go out so I was sent to explore HK with a small shopping list, the posh camera and orders to photograph something interesting. With the temperatures hitting 30oC, there was no way she would make it through the day.
First stop of the day, a short nip across the Harbour to Kowloon and the Hard Rock Cafe. We have an evergrowing collection of Hard Rock city t-shirts and make a point of getting each one that we can. The Kowloon ones were pretty awesome and at just £11 a heck of a bargain compared to some.
Speaking of clothing, one thing that did bug me was being approached by various people hawking a new suit. Now admittedly I'm going to look like a tourist, but if I wanted a suit, I'd bloomin' well go and get one. Thankfully the hawkers were just the right side of persistently annoying.
From the Hard Rock, a wander to find the Avenue of Stars - the Hong Kong equivalent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. HK film is about much more than Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, and I have long been a fan of the high octane stuff produced by John Woo, Tsui Hark, Samo Hung and the coolest guy ever to walk a cinema screen, Chow Yun Fat. The Avenue of Stars leads down the waterfront and even contains some spectacular cartoon vehicles. I'm not entirely sure what their purpose is - they quite clearly move around. Movable drinks selling?
Back to the Star Ferry and off to Central Pier. The one thing that all tourists do in Hong Kong is head for the Peak and the Peak Tram in particular. A short hop into the MTR network, then out again through Chater Square and a walk uphill. In the heat, the slope of the road made it tough going and I was slightly thankful that I didn't have to nurse Caroline through it.
It is easy to see why the Peak and the Peak Tram is so high on the list of Tourist Things to Do in Hong Kong. The Tram itself is a marvellous piece of engineering, hauling you almost 400m up the peak in a little less than 1.4km, an average gradient of 1 in 3.7. A return ticket, including a pass to the viewing levels of the Peak Tower is an astonishing HK$48 - about £3.50.
At the top, you exit the Tram into the Peak Tower, an iconic building shaped like an upturned wok. It is packed with shops as well as a Post Office and Madame Tussauds. If you make your way to the top (and buy the SkyPass) you can go outside onto the roof and see the most spectacular view of the Hong Kong skyline.
It really does look like the postcards, the photos. Just to see the sheer scale of the skyscrapers and towers below you (and given their size, not all that far below...) makes you marvel at the sheer industry of the place.
It is fair to say that I loved Hong Kong and the only downside of the magnificent view was the fact that my wife was somewhere down there, too ill to share the spectacle.
A long wander amid the magnificence of the Peak and I stumbled across... another Hard Rock. Not a cafe this time, just a shop, but joy of joys, it sold its own city t-shirt, distinct from the Kowloon one. Another £11 down.
Walking back through the skyscrapers, I stumbled across a small park. In the middle of such skyscrapers as the Bank of China, Citibank Plaza and the HSBC building, was a small piece of greenery. A plaque within the park said that the ground had been dedicated as a small piece of respite within the pressure coooker of high finance. There was certainly places to hide and get away from things, including a stone seat worn smooth by countless workers. It seemed odd, yet welcome to have such an oasis of calm and I snapped a couple of photos of a bird, wheeling its way skywards against the towers.
I eventually made it back to the hotel. Caroline was feeling up to a short journey out and I thought it would be worthwhile watching the Symphony of Lights skyscraper light show from one of the Star Ferry tour boats. As it was, the boat was full, so we had to dig deep for another 30p to head over to Kowloon and the viewing area near the Avenue of Stars.
Which, as it turned out, is the place to watch the light and music show. There are speakers embedded in the platform plus long benches to sit and watch. This gives you the best experience you can of the show, although inevitably you can't see everything. I stood, keeping a watchful eye on Caroline, just taking the sight in. Well, filming it really.
A final wander, a final ferry ride and it really was time to get ready to go home.
First stop of the day, a short nip across the Harbour to Kowloon and the Hard Rock Cafe. We have an evergrowing collection of Hard Rock city t-shirts and make a point of getting each one that we can. The Kowloon ones were pretty awesome and at just £11 a heck of a bargain compared to some.
Speaking of clothing, one thing that did bug me was being approached by various people hawking a new suit. Now admittedly I'm going to look like a tourist, but if I wanted a suit, I'd bloomin' well go and get one. Thankfully the hawkers were just the right side of persistently annoying.
From the Hard Rock, a wander to find the Avenue of Stars - the Hong Kong equivalent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. HK film is about much more than Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, and I have long been a fan of the high octane stuff produced by John Woo, Tsui Hark, Samo Hung and the coolest guy ever to walk a cinema screen, Chow Yun Fat. The Avenue of Stars leads down the waterfront and even contains some spectacular cartoon vehicles. I'm not entirely sure what their purpose is - they quite clearly move around. Movable drinks selling?
Back to the Star Ferry and off to Central Pier. The one thing that all tourists do in Hong Kong is head for the Peak and the Peak Tram in particular. A short hop into the MTR network, then out again through Chater Square and a walk uphill. In the heat, the slope of the road made it tough going and I was slightly thankful that I didn't have to nurse Caroline through it.
It is easy to see why the Peak and the Peak Tram is so high on the list of Tourist Things to Do in Hong Kong. The Tram itself is a marvellous piece of engineering, hauling you almost 400m up the peak in a little less than 1.4km, an average gradient of 1 in 3.7. A return ticket, including a pass to the viewing levels of the Peak Tower is an astonishing HK$48 - about £3.50.
At the top, you exit the Tram into the Peak Tower, an iconic building shaped like an upturned wok. It is packed with shops as well as a Post Office and Madame Tussauds. If you make your way to the top (and buy the SkyPass) you can go outside onto the roof and see the most spectacular view of the Hong Kong skyline.
It really does look like the postcards, the photos. Just to see the sheer scale of the skyscrapers and towers below you (and given their size, not all that far below...) makes you marvel at the sheer industry of the place.
It is fair to say that I loved Hong Kong and the only downside of the magnificent view was the fact that my wife was somewhere down there, too ill to share the spectacle.
A long wander amid the magnificence of the Peak and I stumbled across... another Hard Rock. Not a cafe this time, just a shop, but joy of joys, it sold its own city t-shirt, distinct from the Kowloon one. Another £11 down.
Walking back through the skyscrapers, I stumbled across a small park. In the middle of such skyscrapers as the Bank of China, Citibank Plaza and the HSBC building, was a small piece of greenery. A plaque within the park said that the ground had been dedicated as a small piece of respite within the pressure coooker of high finance. There was certainly places to hide and get away from things, including a stone seat worn smooth by countless workers. It seemed odd, yet welcome to have such an oasis of calm and I snapped a couple of photos of a bird, wheeling its way skywards against the towers.
I eventually made it back to the hotel. Caroline was feeling up to a short journey out and I thought it would be worthwhile watching the Symphony of Lights skyscraper light show from one of the Star Ferry tour boats. As it was, the boat was full, so we had to dig deep for another 30p to head over to Kowloon and the viewing area near the Avenue of Stars.
Which, as it turned out, is the place to watch the light and music show. There are speakers embedded in the platform plus long benches to sit and watch. This gives you the best experience you can of the show, although inevitably you can't see everything. I stood, keeping a watchful eye on Caroline, just taking the sight in. Well, filming it really.
A final wander, a final ferry ride and it really was time to get ready to go home.
Monday 26 May 2008
Day 28 - The Ngong Ping Express
Caroline was Not Well. Some kind of fluey thing that had started in New Zealand was beginning to take hold. With the prospect of making our way through the efficient chaos that is Hong Kong and the unfamiliar underground, it didn't seem a good omen.
The subway system, aka MTR is superb. Completely spotless and very simple to navigate, an all day unlimited ticket for all lines was $50, or just over three quid. The MTR is the very model of how to build a city transit system, with wide, brightly lit atriums and platforms. The interchanges between lines are generally on the same level meaning that the flow of people is easily managed.
Anyway, enough train talk - the plan for the day was to make it out to the Po Lin Monastery and Big Buddha on Lantau Island. We popped onto the MTR and headed for Tung Chung, out near the airport. There are two ways to get to Po Lin, either the hour long bus or the Ngong Ping 360 cable car.
The cable car ride takes about 25 minutes and costs about £6 for a return journey. The ride is 3.5 miles long and is absolutely spectacular if not a little bit tense for someone like myself. I'm not scared of heights but I do have a fear of falling and at a number of points, the car is a good couple of hundred feet above the ground. Most cable car rides have a good number of towers, yet there are a couple of stretches which must be at least 3/4 mile without any support whatsoever.
At the end of the ride, you make it to the Ngong Ping village. This is a bit of a themed shopping place, really. The object of the visit is the Tian Tan Buddha, which is an astonishing 34m high.
It looks absolutely spectacular from just about every angle except right next to it where the sheer size of it overwhelms. You have to climb 268 steps to get to the Buddha, no matter Caroline being too ill, even I struggled to make that climb in the near 30 degree heat.
You can walk around the base and inside the bottom level of the Buddha. To go higher, you must purchase a meal ticket (vegetarian of course, this is a Buddha after all) which also gets you up a couple of levels.
It is very odd wandering around a statue and pausing while people are praying to that very same icon. I'd liken it to being in a cemetary and next to you are a couple of burials taking place. You don't know whether you are intruding or not.
Back at the bottom, I had a look at the Po Lin monastery itself. You walk down a tree-lined avenue, past pots of burning incense until you reach a small temple known as the Welto Temple. Inside are four large statues (about 10 feet each) and a smiling Buddha. From there, you walk into the courtyard and then see the Hall of the Great Hero itself.
It was the same peaceful air as the Byodi-in Temple in Hawaii, yet the grandeur had been turned up to 11. Flowers, fruit, carvings, paintings, statues. Still serene despite the large numbers of people entering the hall. Caroline was really struggling and I had gone myself, but I went back and convinced her it was worth the effort to see.
The trip out from Victoria Harbour is so, so worth it. Po Lin is a small ocean of peace in the hubbub of Hong Kong.
I nursed Caroline back to the cable car and then onto the MTR and our hotel. Any plans we had for the evening went out of the window as she virtually collapsed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
The subway system, aka MTR is superb. Completely spotless and very simple to navigate, an all day unlimited ticket for all lines was $50, or just over three quid. The MTR is the very model of how to build a city transit system, with wide, brightly lit atriums and platforms. The interchanges between lines are generally on the same level meaning that the flow of people is easily managed.
Anyway, enough train talk - the plan for the day was to make it out to the Po Lin Monastery and Big Buddha on Lantau Island. We popped onto the MTR and headed for Tung Chung, out near the airport. There are two ways to get to Po Lin, either the hour long bus or the Ngong Ping 360 cable car.
The cable car ride takes about 25 minutes and costs about £6 for a return journey. The ride is 3.5 miles long and is absolutely spectacular if not a little bit tense for someone like myself. I'm not scared of heights but I do have a fear of falling and at a number of points, the car is a good couple of hundred feet above the ground. Most cable car rides have a good number of towers, yet there are a couple of stretches which must be at least 3/4 mile without any support whatsoever.
At the end of the ride, you make it to the Ngong Ping village. This is a bit of a themed shopping place, really. The object of the visit is the Tian Tan Buddha, which is an astonishing 34m high.
It looks absolutely spectacular from just about every angle except right next to it where the sheer size of it overwhelms. You have to climb 268 steps to get to the Buddha, no matter Caroline being too ill, even I struggled to make that climb in the near 30 degree heat.
You can walk around the base and inside the bottom level of the Buddha. To go higher, you must purchase a meal ticket (vegetarian of course, this is a Buddha after all) which also gets you up a couple of levels.
It is very odd wandering around a statue and pausing while people are praying to that very same icon. I'd liken it to being in a cemetary and next to you are a couple of burials taking place. You don't know whether you are intruding or not.
Back at the bottom, I had a look at the Po Lin monastery itself. You walk down a tree-lined avenue, past pots of burning incense until you reach a small temple known as the Welto Temple. Inside are four large statues (about 10 feet each) and a smiling Buddha. From there, you walk into the courtyard and then see the Hall of the Great Hero itself.
It was the same peaceful air as the Byodi-in Temple in Hawaii, yet the grandeur had been turned up to 11. Flowers, fruit, carvings, paintings, statues. Still serene despite the large numbers of people entering the hall. Caroline was really struggling and I had gone myself, but I went back and convinced her it was worth the effort to see.
The trip out from Victoria Harbour is so, so worth it. Po Lin is a small ocean of peace in the hubbub of Hong Kong.
I nursed Caroline back to the cable car and then onto the MTR and our hotel. Any plans we had for the evening went out of the window as she virtually collapsed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
Friday 16 May 2008
Day 27 - A heck of a light show
6.30am arrival in Hong Kong and by 7.30am we are on a bus to downtown, having cleared customs, baggage and sort out a shuttle bus. How? Well, in the first case, the Chinese have kept customs queues low by the cunning tactic of having enough officers to handle the incoming traffic. Unlike, say, the US and the UK who believe that the appropriate response to a incoming 747 full of passengers is to all piss off on a coffee break.
Baggage was already waiting for us and then on to find a shuttle bus to our hotel. Another exhibition of efficiency - we were pondering the airport map to figure out where we needed to go when someone walked over, led us to their desk and produced a map and indicated the desk we need to get to. Having found that (only accosted twice by taxi drivers plying for trade) the man behind the desk phoned the hotel, confirmed the reservation, put the cost on the bill, gave us a sticker and led us to a waiting area. (Again, in the UK, he would have pointed out the waiting area rather than take us the twenty or so feet to it.)
From that area a guy in an orange t-shirt led us on a long walk through the airport to the shuttle bus terminus and then called out hotels. I was slightly wary beforehand of how we would find our way around Hong Kong, having truly stepped out of our comfort zone. However, it is impossible not to be impressed by the staggering level of organisation and efficiency involved.
Having said that, if everyone wasn't so organised I am convinced the place would grind to a halt. The place is quite, quite manic. The drive from the airport was pretty memorable, if only for the bus driver manouevring his vehicle through gaps that continually redefined the phrase "hairs breadth". Rule #1 of driving in Hong Kong - You Do Not Leave A Gap. Ever.
We are staying at the Renaissance Harbour View and have treated ourselves to the Club Level. For this, we get a special card to give us access to the top levels. (Top Travellers Tip: It costs more, but you get complimentary breakfast buffet, unlimited tea/coffee and in the afternoon, complimentary afternoon tea and complimentary early evening drinks. This would cost you in a normal room.)
The room is quite big by HK standard, though small by just about anywhere else but the bed is so amazingly comfortable. Paying top whack also gets you a level of service verging on obseqious - we even got a special honeymoon cake and bottle of wine. The views out over the harbour are amazing, especially at night.
We took a trip out to the Jade Market. We jumped on the MTR, which is spotless and smooth before popping out above ground nearby. I managed to head the wrong way which meant we discovered a shopping centre containing nothing by electronic stuff - it was an accident, honest! Several huge displays of laptops, huge plasma TVs... I daren't look too closely or else I would get dragged in. Prices ranged from the bargainous to the spectacularly bargainous as well.
I extricated myself from its clutches and we headed to the Jade Market. Basically a covered hall full of stalls, Caroline was in her element. The stall holders were slightly pushy, though not overbearingly so and Caroline spend a good time sitting and trying on a number of jade necklaces and bracelets. The wallet didn't get away without damage, but Caroline assures me that the equivalent in the UK would be at least double, if not more, so I defer to her expertise. Besides, the bracelet is really nice.
We wandered back to the ferry, experiencing the bustling streets of Kowloon. And I mean, bustling. A hive of activity whre the ground floor of every single building is shop of some sort. I'd love to bring a Health and Safety fanatic to Hong Kong and take them on a tour of the streets - their head would explode with indignation. (Same with a member of Greenpeace and come to think of it, I reckon just abut any do-gooder would have real problems with Hong Kong.)
This can-do, will-do attitude is what makes the place work. You just get on with it. Poultry might be hanging on a street corner, but it is fresh and if you cook it that night, you probably won't die. Same with fruit and just about any product you care to mention. Hong Kong is built upwards, huge clusters of massive 50-floor towers to house the populace, washing hanging out of windows above the shops. It is dizzying and fascinating at the same time.
We made it to the famous Star Ferry - now this really breaks the bank. Two adults on the upper deck from Kowloon to Wan Chai? That will be HK$4.40, sir. There are 15 Hong Kong dollars to the pound. 30 pence. For two.
Cracking view, too. The skyline of Victoria Harbour is spectacular during the day, then a hub of neon at night. HK has a trick up its sleeve - at 8pm every night, the buildings put on a light and laser show. About 20 skyscrapers on both sides of the harbour are synchronised to music (broadcast on FM) for about 10 minutes. The effect is very, very cool as the lights flash, pulse and dance. It is difficult to catch it on film, but the memory of it will stay for a long time.
Baggage was already waiting for us and then on to find a shuttle bus to our hotel. Another exhibition of efficiency - we were pondering the airport map to figure out where we needed to go when someone walked over, led us to their desk and produced a map and indicated the desk we need to get to. Having found that (only accosted twice by taxi drivers plying for trade) the man behind the desk phoned the hotel, confirmed the reservation, put the cost on the bill, gave us a sticker and led us to a waiting area. (Again, in the UK, he would have pointed out the waiting area rather than take us the twenty or so feet to it.)
From that area a guy in an orange t-shirt led us on a long walk through the airport to the shuttle bus terminus and then called out hotels. I was slightly wary beforehand of how we would find our way around Hong Kong, having truly stepped out of our comfort zone. However, it is impossible not to be impressed by the staggering level of organisation and efficiency involved.
Having said that, if everyone wasn't so organised I am convinced the place would grind to a halt. The place is quite, quite manic. The drive from the airport was pretty memorable, if only for the bus driver manouevring his vehicle through gaps that continually redefined the phrase "hairs breadth". Rule #1 of driving in Hong Kong - You Do Not Leave A Gap. Ever.
We are staying at the Renaissance Harbour View and have treated ourselves to the Club Level. For this, we get a special card to give us access to the top levels. (Top Travellers Tip: It costs more, but you get complimentary breakfast buffet, unlimited tea/coffee and in the afternoon, complimentary afternoon tea and complimentary early evening drinks. This would cost you in a normal room.)
The room is quite big by HK standard, though small by just about anywhere else but the bed is so amazingly comfortable. Paying top whack also gets you a level of service verging on obseqious - we even got a special honeymoon cake and bottle of wine. The views out over the harbour are amazing, especially at night.
We took a trip out to the Jade Market. We jumped on the MTR, which is spotless and smooth before popping out above ground nearby. I managed to head the wrong way which meant we discovered a shopping centre containing nothing by electronic stuff - it was an accident, honest! Several huge displays of laptops, huge plasma TVs... I daren't look too closely or else I would get dragged in. Prices ranged from the bargainous to the spectacularly bargainous as well.
I extricated myself from its clutches and we headed to the Jade Market. Basically a covered hall full of stalls, Caroline was in her element. The stall holders were slightly pushy, though not overbearingly so and Caroline spend a good time sitting and trying on a number of jade necklaces and bracelets. The wallet didn't get away without damage, but Caroline assures me that the equivalent in the UK would be at least double, if not more, so I defer to her expertise. Besides, the bracelet is really nice.
We wandered back to the ferry, experiencing the bustling streets of Kowloon. And I mean, bustling. A hive of activity whre the ground floor of every single building is shop of some sort. I'd love to bring a Health and Safety fanatic to Hong Kong and take them on a tour of the streets - their head would explode with indignation. (Same with a member of Greenpeace and come to think of it, I reckon just abut any do-gooder would have real problems with Hong Kong.)
This can-do, will-do attitude is what makes the place work. You just get on with it. Poultry might be hanging on a street corner, but it is fresh and if you cook it that night, you probably won't die. Same with fruit and just about any product you care to mention. Hong Kong is built upwards, huge clusters of massive 50-floor towers to house the populace, washing hanging out of windows above the shops. It is dizzying and fascinating at the same time.
We made it to the famous Star Ferry - now this really breaks the bank. Two adults on the upper deck from Kowloon to Wan Chai? That will be HK$4.40, sir. There are 15 Hong Kong dollars to the pound. 30 pence. For two.
Cracking view, too. The skyline of Victoria Harbour is spectacular during the day, then a hub of neon at night. HK has a trick up its sleeve - at 8pm every night, the buildings put on a light and laser show. About 20 skyscrapers on both sides of the harbour are synchronised to music (broadcast on FM) for about 10 minutes. The effect is very, very cool as the lights flash, pulse and dance. It is difficult to catch it on film, but the memory of it will stay for a long time.
Day 26 - P-p-p-pick up a p-p-penguin.
Twizel - Hong Kong (via Christchurch and Auckland)
(Ha! I bet you were thinking I would call this bit "Hong Kong Flew-y" or something. Tcha. I do have standards you know.)
Early start for the drive to Christchurch, via Mount Cook. Yet more gorgeous scenery, mirror lakes and so on. All I can say is that you should dig out the recent Lord of the Rings trilogy and look at the filming of it. Peter Jackson didn't need CGI trickery to convey how amazing New Zealand is - all he had to do was set a camera down somewhere and point it at a mountain, river, or plain.
We dropped the car off before the allocated time of 2pm, leaving us with several hours to kill before our connecting flight to Auckland and then onwards. On recommendation this was spent at the International Antarctic Centre.
Christchurch is the home for 70% of the flights and support bases for the various countries in the Antarctic and the IAC is the group of buildings next to the airport for all this sort of thing. They have opened a visitor centre to allow you to get a flavour of living in the Antarctic.
Oh, did I mention it has penguins? Little blue cuddly penguins? You can see why Caroline was desperate to go.
Into the IAC (so well thought out that they provide lockers for hand luggage if people are catching flights) just in time for penguin feeding. The blue penguin is the smallest penguin and the IAC is a sanctuary for injured examples. Now, a penguin is one of the cutest things I have ever seen. Imagine a small penguin - cute times ten. Now imagine an injured one getting fed. On a scale of things, I reckon feeding an injured blue penguin scores about a hundred Andrex puppies.
Also in the IAC is the Chill Room - you put on a thick overcoat and shoes and walk into a room that is kept at -8oC to simulate general conditions for the personnel at the bases. Every so often, they simulate a storm, switch on wind machines and drop the temperature so that it feels like -30oC or so. I thought it would be interesting to try this and you know what? Standing in an icy windy, -30-ish blast isn't as much fun as it sounds.
You can see equipment used at the bases and read some of the documentation they produce - trench humour is apparent, as at Scott Base they even have a golf club with its own rules. Monitors show pictures of the activities at the base, not only the science but also the way that people unwind.
Like the observatories at the summit of Mauna Kea, it takes a special kind of individual to survive the Antarctic. I'd love to see if I was one of them.
Alas, not this time. Time to catch our flights. The 747 from Auckland was full so an overwing seat and a companion on the row - boo! But a pleasant enough flight and I managed to grab four hours sleep before it was time for Hong Kong. Now here will be a culture shock.
(Ha! I bet you were thinking I would call this bit "Hong Kong Flew-y" or something. Tcha. I do have standards you know.)
Early start for the drive to Christchurch, via Mount Cook. Yet more gorgeous scenery, mirror lakes and so on. All I can say is that you should dig out the recent Lord of the Rings trilogy and look at the filming of it. Peter Jackson didn't need CGI trickery to convey how amazing New Zealand is - all he had to do was set a camera down somewhere and point it at a mountain, river, or plain.
We dropped the car off before the allocated time of 2pm, leaving us with several hours to kill before our connecting flight to Auckland and then onwards. On recommendation this was spent at the International Antarctic Centre.
Christchurch is the home for 70% of the flights and support bases for the various countries in the Antarctic and the IAC is the group of buildings next to the airport for all this sort of thing. They have opened a visitor centre to allow you to get a flavour of living in the Antarctic.
Oh, did I mention it has penguins? Little blue cuddly penguins? You can see why Caroline was desperate to go.
Into the IAC (so well thought out that they provide lockers for hand luggage if people are catching flights) just in time for penguin feeding. The blue penguin is the smallest penguin and the IAC is a sanctuary for injured examples. Now, a penguin is one of the cutest things I have ever seen. Imagine a small penguin - cute times ten. Now imagine an injured one getting fed. On a scale of things, I reckon feeding an injured blue penguin scores about a hundred Andrex puppies.
Also in the IAC is the Chill Room - you put on a thick overcoat and shoes and walk into a room that is kept at -8oC to simulate general conditions for the personnel at the bases. Every so often, they simulate a storm, switch on wind machines and drop the temperature so that it feels like -30oC or so. I thought it would be interesting to try this and you know what? Standing in an icy windy, -30-ish blast isn't as much fun as it sounds.
You can see equipment used at the bases and read some of the documentation they produce - trench humour is apparent, as at Scott Base they even have a golf club with its own rules. Monitors show pictures of the activities at the base, not only the science but also the way that people unwind.
Like the observatories at the summit of Mauna Kea, it takes a special kind of individual to survive the Antarctic. I'd love to see if I was one of them.
Alas, not this time. Time to catch our flights. The 747 from Auckland was full so an overwing seat and a companion on the row - boo! But a pleasant enough flight and I managed to grab four hours sleep before it was time for Hong Kong. Now here will be a culture shock.
Day 25 - Call me "dude" and I may have to kill you
Queenstown - Twizel
AJ Hackett invented bungy jumping outside Queenstown. It is a base for skiing, parasailing, speedboating, river rafting, white water speedboats. The town is surrounded by huge mountains, full of people walking up them with every intention of throwing themselves off the edges.
Odd that with such an excess of thrill-seeking that Caroline and I loved the place and didn't want to leave. On our tour of the South Island we have found many places that we wish we could have spent more time in but for me Queenstown was the first place that I wanted to stay for a lot longer.
First job of the day was to head up the Skyline Gondola. This is a 750m cable car that makes a pretty steep ascent up the side of one of the mountains overlooking the town. We had seen the top station, comprising restaurants and such like on our way in the night before. The utter lack of any light between it and the town at the bottom gave the top of the Skyline a curious feel, like it was simply suspended in midair.
If you get the chance, ride the Skyline Gondola to the top. The views are spectacular and that is before you get to the activities available. Queenstown is quite compact below you, but the view of the bay and Lake Wakitipu is unforgettable.
One of the activities is the Skyline Luge. You sit on a plastic tray and gravity takes you down a concrete track. Pull forward on the handlebars to release the brake, push forward to put it on. Harder than it looks and quite exhilarating, especially the Advanced track, which has some seriously cunning dips to increase the speed.
Due to budget constraints, we didn't do the tandem paragliding - one person is strapped to a pilot who simply lifts off and drifts to the bottom, turning and given an unparalleled view of the town.
Once back at the bottom, we ate at a studenty place called The Rock or something. To be fair, it was all a bit studenty. However the food was excellent, my burger was about a foot tall and all in all the atmosphere was just right.
We left Queenstown mid-afternoon, wishing we had several more days to really explore the place. It is a town that you can come to and do just about anything, ski, bungy or parachute in search of adrenaline or just walk and take photos for something more sedate. The activities aren't cheap (but not ripoff stupid either) but you could have a fantastic time there.
On the way out we found ourselves behind a van marked "AJ Hackett - Home of Bungy". I had an inkling that it was heading to a bridge over the Kawarau River, the place where the eponymous Mr Hackett invented bungy jumping. I was right and on a whim, we followed the intrepid jumpers in.
Viewing is free and there are several cameras to help you keep an eye on things. Despite the cold, there was a stream of people willing to trust in a rope made of latex and throw themselves into a river gorge. Personally, I might be stupid but I'm not an idiot. Although the idiot in me was a constant nag, I would estimate that it was 40% "oh, go on, it will be a rush" versus 60% "you have got to be frickin' kidding me". It is when the percentages are reversed that you have got to worry. Or rather, other people worry about me.
Anyway, we watched the jumpers - mainly going in pairs for some reason. I would guess that like misery, sheer abject terror loves company.
Twizel would be our stop for the night. A small town built originally in the late 60's to house the workers for a nearby hydro-electric plant. When the plant was completed, the now-locals campaigned to stay and keep their new home. The motel room was good but the food at the local country inn was sublime.
AJ Hackett invented bungy jumping outside Queenstown. It is a base for skiing, parasailing, speedboating, river rafting, white water speedboats. The town is surrounded by huge mountains, full of people walking up them with every intention of throwing themselves off the edges.
Odd that with such an excess of thrill-seeking that Caroline and I loved the place and didn't want to leave. On our tour of the South Island we have found many places that we wish we could have spent more time in but for me Queenstown was the first place that I wanted to stay for a lot longer.
First job of the day was to head up the Skyline Gondola. This is a 750m cable car that makes a pretty steep ascent up the side of one of the mountains overlooking the town. We had seen the top station, comprising restaurants and such like on our way in the night before. The utter lack of any light between it and the town at the bottom gave the top of the Skyline a curious feel, like it was simply suspended in midair.
If you get the chance, ride the Skyline Gondola to the top. The views are spectacular and that is before you get to the activities available. Queenstown is quite compact below you, but the view of the bay and Lake Wakitipu is unforgettable.
One of the activities is the Skyline Luge. You sit on a plastic tray and gravity takes you down a concrete track. Pull forward on the handlebars to release the brake, push forward to put it on. Harder than it looks and quite exhilarating, especially the Advanced track, which has some seriously cunning dips to increase the speed.
Due to budget constraints, we didn't do the tandem paragliding - one person is strapped to a pilot who simply lifts off and drifts to the bottom, turning and given an unparalleled view of the town.
Once back at the bottom, we ate at a studenty place called The Rock or something. To be fair, it was all a bit studenty. However the food was excellent, my burger was about a foot tall and all in all the atmosphere was just right.
We left Queenstown mid-afternoon, wishing we had several more days to really explore the place. It is a town that you can come to and do just about anything, ski, bungy or parachute in search of adrenaline or just walk and take photos for something more sedate. The activities aren't cheap (but not ripoff stupid either) but you could have a fantastic time there.
On the way out we found ourselves behind a van marked "AJ Hackett - Home of Bungy". I had an inkling that it was heading to a bridge over the Kawarau River, the place where the eponymous Mr Hackett invented bungy jumping. I was right and on a whim, we followed the intrepid jumpers in.
Viewing is free and there are several cameras to help you keep an eye on things. Despite the cold, there was a stream of people willing to trust in a rope made of latex and throw themselves into a river gorge. Personally, I might be stupid but I'm not an idiot. Although the idiot in me was a constant nag, I would estimate that it was 40% "oh, go on, it will be a rush" versus 60% "you have got to be frickin' kidding me". It is when the percentages are reversed that you have got to worry. Or rather, other people worry about me.
Anyway, we watched the jumpers - mainly going in pairs for some reason. I would guess that like misery, sheer abject terror loves company.
Twizel would be our stop for the night. A small town built originally in the late 60's to house the workers for a nearby hydro-electric plant. When the plant was completed, the now-locals campaigned to stay and keep their new home. The motel room was good but the food at the local country inn was sublime.
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