Now I had no idea there were two Qantas gates down in the bowels of Tullamarine, actually there seem to be a few gates but all was empty as I submerged three flights to a space that would make the Tiger shed look palatial. When boarding time came we piled on buses to be shuttled out, out, out past Tiger to where our plane and a Royal Brunei one said looking rather lonely. A big plane that was only half full if that. Good thing with that of course was that I had two seats to myself and no one in front and no one in back of me. A nine hour flight with no knees in the back or stabs from the back pocket being played with an no one in front reclining their seat so that I got to see their ‘part’ a little too intimately. Not to mention extra discomfort.
We even got in early and pulled into the gate early! How many times have you got just a little bit excited to arrive early only to circle for twenty minutes before pulling into the gate? In fact the only painful part of the trip was (after the surly immigration guy)that the baggage claim was quite a distance from the immigration gate we came out of and it took a while for my bag to appear. Honestly I think it had done a few circuits before I realized it was mine.
The airport express train is a dream and so convenient, just walk out of the departures area and onto a train basically. I was into Hong Kong station after a very comfortable ride in about 20 minutes. Then a free shuttle bus (again a two minute walk to the area) right to the hotel, how glorious. Glorious given the shuttle ride was a hairy one as he sped around, broke fast and zoomed in and out of small streets with little regard to pedestrians or other traffic. So I step off the plane at 5.15 and into the hotel room at 6.20. Wouldn’t happen in London! Perhaps not even Sydney…
Nice comfy hotel room and the air con actually to my liking. Went for a short walk after a couple of hours but surprisingly not much open although I found a convenience store to make a few purchases. Struggled with sleep for the night and the three hour time difference didn’t help when I woke at 4.30. Decided to have an early breakfast and get moving. Buffet breakfast and overpriced but a good start to the day. Quite cool and not very humid to start off with as I headed to Sheung Wan station, about ten minutes walk. Grabbed an Octopus Card which should cover me for a couple of days ($150 HKD = $22 AUD). Hopped on a train to Central (gee their train stations are huge) and walked and walked to the exit for the Peak Tram. Only a short walk then to the Terminus after stopping for a squiz at St John’s Cathedral (the oldest remaining Christian church in HK) virtually across the road. 
Spectacular skyscrapers all around. The tram is about a ten minute ride almost perpendicular, quite mind bending as you look out and see all the buildings at a very strange angle. I’m not sure I was entirely comfortable with the experience but nonetheless we arrived in one piece. The views are spectacular even through the haze. There is a fancy shmancy viewing deck within the tram arrival building (and of course it costs to go in) but lo and behold take a walk out of that building and in the shopping mall is a FREE viewing deck.
Back down again after about an hour and walked across the pedestrian bridge into the beautiful Hong Kong Park. Nice fountains and a waterfall, walk through aviary and the little lakes with gorgeous fish swimming around and turtles. I was taking photos where the turtles were thinking they were sculptures and one moved its head! The camera nearly ended up in the lake.
Back down again after about an hour and walked across the pedestrian bridge into the beautiful Hong Kong Park. Nice fountains and a waterfall, walk through aviary and the little lakes with gorgeous fish swimming around and turtles. I was taking photos where the turtles were thinking they were sculptures and one moved its head! The camera nearly ended up in the lake.
Still not too bad humidity wise but I had been moving around a bit so was getting warm. Not as oppressive as some of the times I’d spent in Brisbane I have to say.
Statue Park sounds a bit grander than it actually is. Apparently it used to contain staues of the British royalty but now is just a rather twee selection of waterways and arty installations in a pleasant garden setting so I didn't stay there long but headed down to jump on the Midddle Level travelator, the world's longest covered esclator.
Now I'm not one to carp but this isn't one continuous single escalator, rather it is a walkway that goes for quite a distance (800 metres) with a series of escalators and travelators to make the steep climb a bit more comfortable. Don't get me wrong, it is impressivebut I just think it might be more acceptable to say it is the world's longest series of esclators or something.
One of the last sections is under maintenance so my trip came to an end at that point, quite far up, as there was no way I was going to attempt the stairs (very steep and very many). Fair enough you think but the escalator/travelator only travels in one directions so when you get as far as you are willing to go well dear reader you have to make your own way back. And that means a lot of steps and stairs down a long way and some of those steps are nothing less than trecherous - thank heavens it wasn't a wet day.
Of course on the way down I took a diversion and of course I was lost! So much for thinking 'I reckon if I go here I'll find a bus that'll get me back to the hotel or nearby'. Definitely added extra to the day and I was starting to feel the humidity as I stumbled into a plaza and rested not entirely sure where I was.
The tour I was booked on for tomorrow was cancelled so I thought I'd see if the HK Tourist Board had suggestions for another trip so I got back to Central Station and went over to the Star Ferry terminal to their office there. Good news from them is that another company offers the same tour and I can do it as a half day albeit 5 1/2 hours. I booked that, hopped on the ferry and cameback via the long walkway at Hong Kong and train back to Sheung Wan.
The Murrays have arrived and Mandy and I had a chat on Viber, I had a light dinner and ready to crash.
Very busy and tiring day but enjoyed it.
Looking forward to an easier day tomorrow with someone else making the decisions and working out the travelling.
Statue Park sounds a bit grander than it actually is. Apparently it used to contain staues of the British royalty but now is just a rather twee selection of waterways and arty installations in a pleasant garden setting so I didn't stay there long but headed down to jump on the Midddle Level travelator, the world's longest covered esclator.
Now I'm not one to carp but this isn't one continuous single escalator, rather it is a walkway that goes for quite a distance (800 metres) with a series of escalators and travelators to make the steep climb a bit more comfortable. Don't get me wrong, it is impressivebut I just think it might be more acceptable to say it is the world's longest series of esclators or something.
One of the last sections is under maintenance so my trip came to an end at that point, quite far up, as there was no way I was going to attempt the stairs (very steep and very many). Fair enough you think but the escalator/travelator only travels in one directions so when you get as far as you are willing to go well dear reader you have to make your own way back. And that means a lot of steps and stairs down a long way and some of those steps are nothing less than trecherous - thank heavens it wasn't a wet day.
Of course on the way down I took a diversion and of course I was lost! So much for thinking 'I reckon if I go here I'll find a bus that'll get me back to the hotel or nearby'. Definitely added extra to the day and I was starting to feel the humidity as I stumbled into a plaza and rested not entirely sure where I was.
The tour I was booked on for tomorrow was cancelled so I thought I'd see if the HK Tourist Board had suggestions for another trip so I got back to Central Station and went over to the Star Ferry terminal to their office there. Good news from them is that another company offers the same tour and I can do it as a half day albeit 5 1/2 hours. I booked that, hopped on the ferry and cameback via the long walkway at Hong Kong and train back to Sheung Wan.
The Murrays have arrived and Mandy and I had a chat on Viber, I had a light dinner and ready to crash.
Very busy and tiring day but enjoyed it.
Looking forward to an easier day tomorrow with someone else making the decisions and working out the travelling.
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