Time for the Off

And so all things pass, good and bad.

Early breakfast, I was clearly not destined to have a sleep in while in Hong Kong. Checked out at 10.00 and caught the tram around to Central Station for the train over to Tsim Sha Tsui.


Had a look at the magnificent 1881 Heritage building, the old Marine Police Headquarters (built in 1884)which is now a flash shopping and dining complex but gorgeous. A couple of the old guns used in the noonday gun service. Wandering around the restoration is very good with the stables and quarters nicely converted. A couple of brides being photographed and a girl in graduation gear was also being 'shot'. There is a semaphore tower and a time ball tower still standing.

A bit of a wander along the promenade to take some photos and take in the wondrous harbour for the last time (ish). Not too hazy today but my eyes are starting to sting from the constant smog. It's always there just some days are better than others.

So the penny just dropped that the building was built in 1884 but it's called Heritage 1881? Simply that '4' has the same sound in Chinese as 'death' so they simply made it 1881.

I wanted to check out a bookshop further up the island and caught a train to Yau Ma Tei. It was supposedly a short wander just past where I had been for the Temple Street Market but blowed if I could find it. Annoying but I got to see some old streets and a big market area on Reclamation Street

(love that) where people were peeling what looked like limes and lining the peels up along the street. Don't know what that was about. Also went along Shanghai Street which was the old main drag over there. Found the Ya Ma Tei Theatre where the rickshaw drivers used to flock to for a relax. It supposedly has a nice art deco interior but was rather underwhelming from the outside frankly. It's on Waterloo Road so there are some great street names around here. Many of the stores around the square hundred miles I traversed (alright I was getting hot so it felt like I'd covered a lot of territory) sold metal ware, pots and pans plus water boiling urns and hotel toasters etc and boy were they doing a good trade. Plus on Shanghai Street there were some nice furniture shops selling old Chinese style wooden furniture.

There was a shopping centre on Nathan Road that was apparently great for electrical goods and I was interested in seeing prices on iPads etc. Of course it was miiiiiilllllles away but eventually I found it. It was several levels of wall to wall tiny stalls/shops and I actually had an overwhelming sense of deja vu and got spooked so got outa there, very odd. I don't know if I've been somewhere similar or had a nightmare about such a building or what but I was quite anxious.

Another hike before an MTR station appeared and I went back to Tsim Sha Tsui and had a delightful

snack at the lovely YMCA in Salisbury House. My body temp came down nicely and I was refreshed. Popped into Marks and Spencers again and paid homage in the food hall, ahhhh.

Sat over at the Promenade again for half an hour before catching the Star Ferry back to Central and a walk along the walkway to catch a bus back to the hotel. I had tackled all the transport options except taxi while I was in HK. The bus didn't take the route I'd expected but thankfully I found I got out at a good spot to get back to the hotel without too much hassle.


Then it was a short wait for the shuttle bus to the Airport Express station and able to check in for the flight there and the bags get whisked away so it's very convenient and grown up.

Was at the airport pretty early but I really didn't have anything I could have done and not be left running late. Hadn't realised how huge the airport was when I arrived but it is enourmous and lots of shops and restaurants. Lots of people going through immigration and the pushing in and jumping queues was really bloody annoying but I eventually stopped doing it (ha humour). I wonder why the immigration staff can't smile? Just once and just at me!

A guy from the tourist bureau asked me a few questions for a survey and then it was a few hours waiting and wandering until the plane was called.

We had that weird phenomenon of having a security inspection of our cabin bags before we boarded (what do these airports sell that we could get after the previous inspection that is a threat?). Of course with some people carrying their worldly possessions in their carry on filing cabinets it can be a slow process and NO there is no express lane for those with just a hanbag, shopping bag or satchel.

Plane was full and we had the delight of two grumpy children but I had my headphones on and only noticed them occassionally, even slept for a couple of ours.

Back in Melbourne half an hour ahead of schedule but oh the wait for bags and the hopelessly long line at customs is tiresome (especially when one is tired). Tulla is becoming as slow as Sydney and the customs set up seems very haphazard and inefficient. You have the marvels of the eTicket Gate system but then nothing to continue that efficiency. I wonder why Immigration and customs can't be combined in some way?

Home two hours after getting off the plane so I was well bushed by the time I climbed my stairs and crashed inside.

Oh Hong Kong you were a diversion and a delight. I really noticed that I passed not one person on the walk from the train station to my flat, it seemed too quiet almost. So it's the crowds, the pushing in and cutting off, the constant buzz and the variety of sights and experiences of Hong Kong. Macau was a highlight, the Giant Buddha was breathtaking, the New Territories were fascinating, the long escalator a novelty, I can still feel the sway and swerve of the chair lift and the transport options were so convenient.

I'd certainly choose the IBIS to stay at again, I liked that it was in the old Western Market end of Hong Kong and close to where I needed to be. The room was quiet and I actually managed to set the air con to the ideal temp for me. Breakfast was overpriced so I would try to get it included next time in the room rate. Oh and the tele options were pretty poor, no BBC or Movie channels (how do the people in need of porn cope?). Sky News is very good but the short rotation of stories becomes irritating after a couple of hours. We had Fox News as well but really if I wanted that much right wing I'd have bought a ucket of KFC and insisted on only wings. The whingeing about Obamacare was hideous, as though nowhere else has introduced a universal healthcare system which has worked and worked well.

Would I go back by choice though? Probably not. I think I've 'done' Hong Kong to my satisfaction and it's not on my return list. Don't misinterpret that though as saying that I didn't have a good time, it's just I did it and now it's a question of where or what next?