Hong Kong to London

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The time seems to have gone very quickly.  We are already in our third day of the holiday. 

We were up relatively early so that we could get to Hong Kong Station for checking into flights and the subsequent journey to the airport.  Getting out of our flat was interesting.  It was on the third floor of an older apartment building that does not have a lift.  The stairs are wide enough but they are also a storage place for those that live in the flats.  I remarked that it would be interesting getting out of the place if there was a fire.  Carrying heavy bags down was a bit of challenge as the bottom steps had worn rather smooth.   We got a taxi almost immediately and the whole process from there on was quick and smooth. 

The flight left on time although the aircraft was not very full in contrast to the plane on which we came up to Hong Kong.  There were very few people in Business Premier and in Premium Economy it was about three quarters full.  It was probably about the same in Economy.  I went for a walk down the back and it was really noticeable how cramped it was if someone reclined their seat.  It would be almost impossible to use the computer and reading difficult as well.   The only downside of the flight is the request to pull down the blinds so that a few people can sleep.  I get a window seat so that I can see the world go past so there was no way I not was going to have view and Bev was of the same opinion. 

Bev spent about five hours watching the views which were stunning as the flight takes a route alongside the Himalayas.  As it was winter there was snow and ice everywhere and in some places nothing as there was no moisture but waterways were clearly frozen. 

I spent an interesting half an hour talking with an expat Flight Attendant who was worried about being made redundant from her job due to the cessation of the Hong Kong – London service.  She would like to come home but was worried that financially it was not possible.  She said that it seemed to her that most things in NZ were dearer than in the UK, whether it be electricity, food or communications.  She then talked about how she had bought a house in London in a really good area using a shared ownership scheme.  At one point after she had told me about the jewellery that she had bought I got this big hug.  Not sure why but it seemed she wanted to be close to someone from home. In the meantime Bev was watching the world go by oblivious to what was happening to me. 

Over Russia there was nothing to see as there was cloud everywhere.   Further west in Poland and Germany the cloud had cleared away and initially all we could see was a snowy expanse with bits of green which I assume were forests. 

We arrived over Heathrow a bit ahead of our arrival time but had to do several circles before we landed due to a queue of planes waiting to get in. 

The weather was overcast and cool although in the scheme of things not much cooler than Wellington on a cool day.

We took the Piccadilly Line to Kings Cross and were going to transfer to another line but it was closed for maintenance.  Getting to our hotel instead consisted on finding a bus to get us to the same place as the train.  We got to the right area but required the help of a person to point us to the hotel which in my tiredness I had not seen the signage for it.  After checking in we went looking for a pub for a meal.  The excursion was a bit of a waste of time due to not finding what I wanted and the fact that all I wanted to do was go to sleep. 

We came back after a drink and some peanuts.  Finally I was in bed a little before 7:30pm and after looking for a few minutes at TV I rolled over and was out to it. I had close to 12 hours sleep!!!

Thirteen hours on a plane gives a considerable amount of time to reflect on the impressions that Hong Kong left in the short time that I was there.  One of the most notable things was the absence of graffiti in the places that we would normally see them in Wellington, for example on the fences (not that there any apart from security fences) and in accessible places around railway stations or on walls and buildings.  The train stations are spotless, the public transport system reliable and cheap.  Even the taxis are seriously cheap.  While there are lots of taxis around there are also lots in Wellington but in Wellington they have almost priced themselves out of the market.  We found people generally courteous.  It also feels pretty safe on the streets at night.   On the downside the pollution is noticeable, the density of population, the proliferation of highrise apartments to accommodate the millions of people.  An interesting place and if they can keep their freedoms into the future and perhaps a hint of what China might be like in the future.

Hong Kong – The fragrant city

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The food selection at the Restaurant Po Lin

Saturday was very different to Friday weather wise.  It was overcast and misty and as we left the flat it started to drizzle.  Our plan for the day was to go Po Lin Monastry on Lantau Island and then do the Peak Tram.

We got to the terminus of the cable car that goes to the  Monastry a little before midday only to find that there was a long queue for the cable car.  It began to rain while we waited.  The Lantau hills were covered in cloud mist and it was also raining as we rode up to the complex.  There was another group on the car with us and when they were talking I thought I heard  French then dismissed it deciding it must be another language.  Then I heard a few more words and realised it was French but I had a bit of difficulty with the accent.  I suspect that they were French Canadian.  When we got to Po Lin we went to the restaurant where we had some very nice food. 

Buddha in the mist

It had ceased raining when we finished but everything was shrouded in mist.  There was  a lot of chanting.  In the temple there were priests and followers doing the chanting of some script in front of them.   The clouds lifted as we left the temple complex and the huge Buddha appeared out of the clouds.  We climbed up to the statue, took some pictures and then took the cable car down.  For a few minutes before we left the cloud and mist cleared away then it slowly closed in again.  On the way down the clouds lifted so that there was a wonderful view of the airport and the activity going.  It was close to 5pm when we got onto the train.  When we tried to enter the system using our card we found that they had expired and that turned out to be a bit of a mission to get the single journey tickets we needed. 

Christmas at 360 in Landmark

By the time we got back to Central it was dark so there was no visit to the Peak.  Instead we got some food from the 360 Gourmet Food  shop and took it back to the flat. It was another early to bed night as we were off to London and some cooler temperatures. 

Hong Kong - le premier jour

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We took the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station and as we had few hours to kill before we could dump our bags we walked on the elevated walkway to the Star Ferry terminal and watched the comings and goings of the two ferries that seem to be left going from Hong Kong Island to Tsim Shui Tsui.  The gap between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon has been shrinking during the twenty years that I have been visiting Hong Kong. 

Fuel Cafe in Landmark!!

We wandered to the Landmark and looked for a place to have coffee and found the Wellington coffee icon Fuel had a place in the building.  We then spent a fruitless half hour trying to find the cafe even getting some unsolicitored  help to do so.  Finally we found someone who was able to direct us to the little café.  So we had some very nice coffee and I was able to continue writing my blog.  In the few short hours that we had been in Hong Kong we experienced unsolicited offers of direction a number of times.  I don’t remember it that way the other times I have been to Hong Kong. 

I sent a text to the owner of the airbnb that we were staying in and did not hear back from him.  Finally I called and got his mother.  She said that it was not ready but we could dump our bags.  A taxi took us to a spot nearby and we meet her helper who took us to the little apartment.  It was up three floors in an old building.  The room has been nicely refurbished with the only drawback being that there is no table to sit at. 

After dumping the bags we took the Island tram line to the Excelsior  Hotel for lunch at the Yee Tung Heen. It took us a little while to find it because I had forgotten its exact location.  Iain had taken us to Excelsior many years ago so I knew it was near Victoria Park but the intervening years had dulled my memory.  However, with the use of the map I was able to find it.  The food was superb and different.  Afterwards we walked around Causeway Bay.  Some of it seemed to have changed, I am not sure whether it was because the buildings had changed when compared to the previous times visited when Iain was living there or that I had another memory lapse.  At Times Square nearby we got some supplies for a supper that evening from City Super and took them back to the flat. 

Junk on Victoria Harbour

As the area of Sheung Wan is not one I have wandered around we did a little of that finding the Western Market building and then took a long walk through a series of interconnected buildings near the ferry wharves.  By that time I had got a second wind but Bev was beginning to feel the effects of a very long day.

We took the Star Ferry to Kowloon, to TST to be precise and found a little restaurant/bar where we were able to get a beer and relax while we watched the sun go down and the lights come on.  It looked stunning. 

Lights on in Centra

By this time we were both now getting very tired.  We returned to the flat and had some cheese and fruit then crashed.  It was a nice day and I felt remarkably good despite the long flight.  The weather had cleared up nicely to be clear and warm so it was a very nice welcome to Hong Kong.

Le commencement

After a long gestation and help of friends I have finally settled on the title.  At the moment it is called "Voyages en hiver" which gives the idea of travelling in the northern hemisphere.  I might put a colon in with une celebration after it. 

We are sitting in the Koru Lounge waiting for the boarding call.  It is relatively quiet as I think we will be pretty much the last flight out of Auckland. 

Today, Thursday 27 January, has been both frantic and relaxed. 

Leaving is always a struggle for me.   This time was no different.  Even though I had pretty much packed my bag before going over to Picton for Christmas I came back with the little list in my head of things that needed to be packed and it all started to mount up  to such an extent that I thought I was going to have too much.  In the end it all fitted in my bag without having to use the expansion on it. 

I tried to sleep in and sort of managed it.  I had a list of things I needed to do before leaving which included getting my new glasses, the washing and tidying the house.  I also needed to return things to Natasha.  It all took much more time than I thought, so much so that I was rushing a bit before Morwen and Andrew turned up to take me to the airport.  However, I managed to get the flat vacuumned and cleaned before I  left.  The only really odd thing was that my backpack seemed to be too empty.  Still not sure what I left behind.

The flight to Auckland left on time and I had a nice conversation with a  retired accountant. Then all of a sudden I was off the plane and walking through the warm air to the international terminal.

Bev’s flight from Sydney arrived a bit early and I met her at the transfer area and after a little walk we went to the Koru Lounge where I finally decided on the blog name. 

We were boarded on time and then had to wait for about 45 minutes for them to repair a leaky part of the water system.  The plane was packed.  I went for a walk through the plane and there would have only been about three empty seats.

Next thing we rumbling and clattering down the runway for what seemed quite some time  and then all of a sudden the nose lifted, followed by banging and clattering ceasing  and we were climbing into the dark sky. 

The flight went well.  We had a light meal after we took off, and I availed myself of tastes of the wines on offer including a mandatory glass of bubbles.  I slept off and on during night although it was  fitful. We arrived in Hong Kong at around 6:45am.   For me this marks the first day of the adventure which will be another post.