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Two Chicks & a Climber Reach New Heights
Hong Kong has the big city specials like smog, odour, 14 million elbows and an insane love of clatter. I roll my eyes when I think about it as Hong Kong was not what I expected it to be. I pictured Hong Kong on one island, only to realize that Hong Kong is divided into four main areas - Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. The city itself is centred around Victoria Harbour. It had two sides to the city, modern and typically traditional.
Got the A21 speedy bus to Mong Kok to our Ah Shan, Dragon Inn hostel in Sincere House, a high-rise dirty block. It remains a must-do Hong Kong experience for backpackers to ride the creaking lifts and walk up the crumbling stairwells in the 'Mansions' to stay in one of its dirt-cheap hostel.
On the first night, we hit the Hong Kong night scene, Lan Kwai Fong and it was packed with International Exchange students in the alleyway. At one point we found ourselves in a funny Russian ice bar, like a bar inside a fridge, fecking sub-zero, everyone had huge fur coats on and were Russian! When we returned to Mong Kong, everyone was STILL shopping, even after-hours like two in the morning when fanatical 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' sales were on. Every time we headed to bed, it sounded like there was major partying going on, turns out there's a night market that is manic. Absolute banter, streets filled with people bartering for their lives, some just chilling out round about, Mong Kok seems to be the "place to be" for student aged people.
Kirsty and I would be mad to miss a trip to Hong Kong's premier scenic outlook, Victoria Peak. The place was mobbed that travelling on Chinese New Year was a nightmare. Joined the throng of snap-happy tourists, the views are giddyingly beautiful in every direction, with the vista of the business district, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. It overlooks the world's busiest deepwater port, you can see a city geared not only to making money but feeling good about it. At night, it's like looking down into a volcano with surrounding colorful city lights. On the way back down on the bus, we saw the liveliest night market in Hong Kong that we had to get off to check it out. Temple St market was bustling with a one way system stalls and was definitely a place to bargain.
For Chinese New Year, we spent the day strolling around the area with Chinese Dragon dances literally in every shopping mall, jumping about on high sticks in their heavy costumes. We headed to Admirility to check out the Cathy Pacific International Parade, the streets were chaos. Like we couldn't move an inch and couldn't see a thing. Hopped on the "Star Ferry" to Kowloon. We got on just in time to watch the Laser Show above the city. Was incredible like a lazer show projected from the rooftops and reflecting off the water in the harbour.
Visited Disneyland which was a bit disappointing seeing that it was smaller than expected. You could walk around the park in 20 minutes, yes, that small! Preferred Ocean Park which had higher, middle and lower Kingdom on a steep hill, all connected by cable cars.
Headed straight away from Ocean Park to Victoria Harbour for a spot to watch the fireworks display. Literally the whole city came out to watch the fireworks, luckily we got there about an hour and a half early as the place was already jam-packed. Kirsty and I found somewhere to sit and just chatted while the crowd grew around us. It was well worth the wait. The fireworks were set off across the water, over some of the main tower blocks and the lights reflected in the glass of every other building and in the water. Surprised that the "bang" of each firework didn't smash some of the building's glass as they were unbelievably gigantic and deafening for half an hour, totally spectacular! (Sorry, no pictures of this as camera battery was flat) Chinese people seem to be amazed so easily, like entire crowd were "ooing" and "ahhing" non stop. I know this sounds dramatic but a girl passed out behind us in the crowd, I'm sure it was nothing to do with the excitement of the fireworks, but most probably due to the major crush of people. The police were going crazy, we thought something major had happened as they were dashing about like headless chickens like they'd never seen someone faint before.
Spent the last two days hitting the trendy clustered shops and believe me, the Chinese fashion sense is totally madcap! Colourful shops and endless dai pai dongs was great fun, tasting and relieving the experience of old Hong Kong. On the last night, we were in the mood for Indian, so we headed to this stall and met this COMPLETE PHYSCO chef! In a good way, he was screaming his head off and throwing the dough for the roti about and just going mental in general, but like happy mental. Unfortunately we also received a nice big sweaty stubbly kiss on the cheek, just what I wanted(!) after a picture being taken with him as he was just too hilarious to forget.
Hong Kong was great getting flummoxed and fired by the confluences and contradictions of a Chinese city with multi-Asian and Western elements but in the end, we were definitely ready to return to the white peaceful sands of Sabah.
Aman x
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