This morning we woke up in our lovely room to no wake up call or rush to put the bags out...and then the phone rang! Eh? Was Tracey haunting us? Safe, it was just the lady telling us our departure pick up time! The plan for today was to get the free shuttle down to Kowloon Hotel, which is just off of Nathan Road their main shopping district then come back and go up the peak at night time to see the view with lights. This is doable.
The free shuttle is really good - going between the two hotels every 20 minutes, just another perk to this place! We boarded the bus, map in hand, ready to find Nathan Road and found it we did! We wandered up and down the shopping streets, constantly hustled by people selling fake Rolex's, handbags and tailored clothes. We found some bargains in Uniquo and also found a gift shop that sells postcards - a first on the entire holiday! So bargain t-shirt bought, fridge magnet - check and postcard for nan all sorted!
We took a walk along the avenue of the stars - the Hong Kong version of the Walk of Fame - found Bruce Lee and a statue of him but recognised very few other people! Even with their English names! We did find another Expo haibo - he's everywhere! The view across to Hong Kong island is amazing it hardly seems real and this is daylight without the lights on - whats it going to be like at night? Anyho bus boarded back to the hotel where I sat on he balcony in the 34 degree heat writing my postcards - does it get any better than this?
A few hours later the sun was going down over the sky scrapers and we boarded the very rocky star ferry to Hong Kong island - at 20p, bargain, the ride was an experience, bouncing our way over to the other pier. We hadn't anticipated how busy it would be but as easy as it is to find how to get up the peak it means everyone else is too! We got the bus no problem but then queued forever to get the tram up to the peak. After winding our way through the queue we were at last aboard the tram ascending at a 45 degree angle up to the peak, in what was now complete darkness. The tram was going up in between very posh flats and houses til at last the buildings cleared and appeared was the most amazing view of a cityscape a blaze with different coloured lights. People were ooing and ahhing like they were watching fireworks! But who could blame them it was incredible. Moments later we were exiting the tram into a posh tower, floor upon floor of souvenir shops - and we couldn't find any at the start of our holiday! After going up a multitude of escalators all overlooking the view we ended up at Bubba Gumps at the top of the tower. Here we were eating shrimp (well I was) overlooking the most perfect view of a cityscape. It's ironic really, you need the buildings to have the lights to make it look so good however comes with that are millions or billions of people and all the negative associations like pollution, traffic etc. It's a difficult one!
After taking some pics - though they couldn't do justice of the view and managing to get out of the peak tower - which was far more difficult than it should be we were on the bus back down to catch the ferry and boy the driver should race for formula one! We bounced our way back over on the star ferry and having missed the last shuttle got a taxi back to the hotel. It's a shame we don't have longer here as its an incredible city - will definitely have to return - Daniel would love it!
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