Hong Kong
Friday, November 4th, 2005Arrived in Hong Kong via Bangkok and business class, we arrived at the YMCA about 6 hours later than expected.
We turned on the T.V. and saw the news that Delhi had been bombed, having only left Delhi that morning we were stunned. Seeing where the bombs went of scared us, around the New Delhi Train station area. We arrived at the station on friday morning from Varranasi, and stayed friday night in that area. We walked around the market that was bombed the night before the bombings on Saturday. Plus as our flight was over booked for a short while we had the prospect of spending another night in Delhi, we just hope that the people we meat there where ok.
Got to our hotel in HK and expected a small hostel type place, it being the YMCA. It turns out that the YMCA runs many different types of hotel and the one we turned up in was on Kawloon Harbor next to the Plaza, unfortunatley this wasn’t our YMCA….. our’s was a 15 minute walk up Kawloon Island. It was still a 4-5 start hotel, very nice. Our twin room had a living room with T.V. and coach, and the bedroom had a T.V. plus ensuite. Very nice unfortunatley we didn’t book all of the nights that we where going to stay in HK from home, so the next day we moved to a lower rent place and stayed in a double bed as it was much cheaper than a twin room.
HK was amazing such a contrast to India. A mondern city with skyscrapers for as far as the eye can see, a nightline of neonlights advertising everything and anything, eletronic shops outnumbering the people. It was relaxing among the choas of the city to walk down streets full of traffic, noise and people, yet with pavements and sign posts made it like a walk in the park. Compared to India and Delhi there is no comparison.
After our time in India we felt we deserved a treat and some food other than Indian, so we headed for the “Local” Irish pub. We ordered an Irish breaskfast for me late in the evning and Amanda had steak and ale pie, the best bit was the Pints of Guiness. Ok so the round pf two drinks cost us 9 pounds but believe me it was well worth it. Believe me we didn’t have another beer in HK. We walked the streets which in them selves are an etraction, the number of neon lights on buildings and hanging over the streets was like blackpool lights at christams. Covered Temple Market with its range of electrical goods.
Visted The Big Budda, worlds largest outdoor brass budda. it is situated on an island of Hong kong that I forget the name of. Hong Kong island itself is a mass of sky scrapers slowley retreating up away from the habour into the hills. We visited Hong Kong Peak and went up the peak tram, 400 meters almost virticaly. So windy at the top you have to shout to the person next to you, amazing views of Hong Kong.
Miller