Welcome To The Urban Jungle of Hong Kong

Date: 23/06/2018

Depart: Kansai International Airport, Japan

Arrive: Hong Kong International Airport 

The alarms rang off bright and early and we woke up begrudgingly but also with sleepy excitement knowing we were about to depart for the second country of our big adventure. Japan had been so amazing it was pretty sad to say goodbye.  A train ride later and we arrived at Kansai International only to be met with a four hour delay on our plane only! Why?!?! We also ended up arriving early and so begin our seven hour wait. We breezed through security and were met with the most dismal airport lounge. There were two food places one of which offered everything matcha and the other offered curry or fried chicken. At nine in the morning? No thanks! I’m sure any Brits reading this can probably relate to our response. Obviously to get through the long wait the only answer is to get pretty merry and jolly... Time doesn’t apply in airports and drink is acceptable at all hours, if not encouraged! THERE WAS NO ALCOHOL. Unless you wanted to buy a bottle of whiskey for £50 and being backpackers that wasn’t happening. You’ll be pleased to know we did survive the gruesomely sober wait and flight. 

We begin our descent into Hong Kong, one time zone back and after the sun has set. We’re met with a black canvas of night shimmering with colour and twinkles of light which is truly beautiful. The airport is on Lantau Island so we easily hop on a bus and travel first across to Hong Kong Island and then up to Kowloon. If you ever do this journey then try your best to grab a window seat because the view only gets more spectacular as you become immersed in the glittering urban jungle. 

Evergreen Hotel is just off the big Nathan Road, down extremely littered side streets - Toto, we’re not in Japan anymore. Our place is a little dated but clean and cosy so after a quick change into cooler clothes we went to find a late night bite to eat. We had seen a busy street on the bus ride in with lots of people sat outside eating but when we got there the smell radiating from the entire area was enough to make your throat burn. We forever refer to this now as ‘Stink Street’. A cockroach later and we’re in the first place we saw that had English translations. I ordered chicken, rice and egg and James went for some kind of sweet and sour pork. Let’s just say it wasn’t pork and the chicken was still hairy. We ate what we could stomach and quickly scurried back to the cool safety of Evergreen. 

Sunday morning began with a hotel breakfast and a new positive attitude. It was the last day of the Dragon Boat Festival so we grabbed a train to Central and walked the rest of the way to the Central Pier. It was hot. Really hot. We grabbed a beer and stretched to watch some races over the crowds but the heat was suffocating. James ended up with his shirt off and in the splash zone. After the races finished we escaped to the nearby shopping centre and the haven of their air conditioning system. We ended up in a place way out of our backpacking budget, called La Rambla, where we enjoyed afternoon tea overlooking Victoria Harbour. 

That evening it was England v Panama in the World Cup. We found a list of a few places showing the game and a lot were on Wellington Street near Central. We got a little dressed up and found ourselves at Ciao Chow. We got a table in the bar area and didn’t mess around ordering a few drinks. The place filled up quickly with a lot of Westerners there too so we knew we were going to get a good atmosphere. We closed down on pizza, truffle arranchini and roasted potatoes whilst England thrashed Panama 6-1. We end up a few doors further up Wellington in a questionable bar/club that ends up having a pretty good live band that get us up and and dancing. By sheer dumb luck we end up on the last train home with James chanting “it’s coming home” the whole way. 

If you’re going to sightsee in Hong Kong then why not do the whole city all at once? We bought our tickets for the ‘novel means of locomotion’ aka street car up to Victoria Peak. It was a very steep and creaky ride and the views from the first half of the ascent were warping on the mind; something out of Inception. The angle you climb at makes the skyscrapers all look like they are folding in on themselves and then it begins to open up and you get a glimpse of the views awaiting you at the top. 

We didn’t pay the extra entry fee for the Sky Deck and were happy we didn’t waste the money. The views on offer sweep from harbours to skyscrapers and mountains cradle it from all around. 

We grabbed a quick wonton and dumpling noodle soup for lunch and began the trek to the top of Victoria Peak. The weather was being unpredictable with random downpours and a constant sticky blanket of humidity but determination pushed us through. You mainly follow a steep road that goes past gardens with Japanese Encephalitis warning signs (thank you NHS for our protection - long live the health service) upon reaching a different viewing area which has views of the other side of Victoria Peak. The road further up is then covered in Privacy and No Entry signs as it leads to a Radio Control Tower area that is not permitted for exploration. However, before you reach the viewing point area there is a road that slips off right and if you follow that around you reach the highest point allowed to the general public. It’s not as central as the view when you get off the street car but gives you a panorama of both sides of Victoria Peak. You also get a deep sense of achievement climbing all that way in severe humidity and leaving the tourists who just came for the photo and left. 

After our big day of trekking we got glammed up and headed for a little date night treat at...drumroll please... McDonald’s Next. I feel like it should be called McDonald’s Next Generation as this is maccies but not quite how you know it. Look out for it’s own special post coming soon!

We woke the next morning to the sun beating down ferociously and after our hotel breakfast we got ready to venture out the city via two trains and a twenty-five minute cable car on Lantau Island to visit the Big Buddha. Surrounded by many other visitors of course but nonetheless a beautiful area and a very striking image that is very difficult to stop taking photographs of. 

That evening we headed back around Wellington Street to a restaurant called Bao Bei which was delicious. The cocktails were sumptuous and way more could have easily been enjoyed. 

To finish off our last evening we enjoyed the spectacle of lights down at Central Pier. All the skyscrapers sparkle in every colour of the rainbow on both sides. It’s a beautiful places to take in the contemporary grandeur of the city. 

Hong Kong is exactly what you expect: big, fast paced and a full on urban jungle. It towers above you and swarms you with unbearable heat. The scenery is amazing and the cosmopolitan hospitality on offer is a delight. Stay in Central to be in the heart or wizz around via the cheap and reliable underground train system side by side with the locals. 

Love, Rachael x