The Hinterlands of Hong Kong

I have to preface this long entry—and yes, it can only be long because so much happened and I want to do it justice—with a story about my “special lane” experience in Guangzhou, Canton, China. Actually, on the way from Ho Chi Minh to Hong Kong, I had to connect in Guanzhou. Flying China Southern is actually quite nice as they have lots of legroom and serve decent meals and coffee—always a nice thing , but the airport is something else, and I mean that in the most negative sense possible. First, they make you go through the rigmarole even when you are only in transit. When I had to layover there on my way from Ho Chi Minh to Hong Kong, I had to wait in immigration deprived of my passport, which had gone into a small, official looking room over to the side. I had no idea what had happened. Finally, a woman came back with my passport and a new stamp—red of course—and a curt “Follow me.” I followed wordlessly to the departures terminal, which was decent albeit a little outdated. Second, they are full of exceptions, and this is the really exciting bit you can never imagine.

The plan was to go from Osaka to Delhi, with an unfortunate 23-hour layover in Guangzhou. Well, I had completely prepared myself for all of this and was ready with my sleeping bag, food, computer and everything I thought I would need. I prayed for favor with the Chinese who tend to be a little tight-laced when it comes to official rules. It started out well with the immigration officer directing me to the transfer counter, about which I had been warned in Osaka. I had to raise my voice to wake up the attendant at the transfer counter, but he was friendly and directed me to wait while he processed my ticket, etc. I thought, “Great! I am going to get my ticket then settle in to this long airport experience.” I went over and sat down on the ground, singing praise and worship songs and smiling hugely at every Chinese official that walked by. (You know a smile goes a long way in smoothing tensions!)
After two and a half hours, one man came over to me and explained to me that Guangzhou is the only airport that does not allow passengers to stay overnight without a Chinese visa! (On the Chinese Embassy website it said that as long as you are in the airport for less than 24 hours, all is well.) He said that I would have to pay for a ticket to reroute me to Hong Kong and then to Delhi. I said very respectfully that I refuse to pay and that the fault lies with Delta for not informing me of this exception. He said to wait and that he would get it figured out. Maybe 30 or 45 minutes went by and he came back with a smile on his face and explained to me that all had been taken care of, including the rerouting of my bags to Hong Kong. I would leave on the 11 pm flight to Delhi the next day. Thank God I have friends in Hong Kong. I called them up around midnight and asked if I could stay and thankfully, that is where I am right now. It is good to know people :) Well, I scored some cakes on the flight and got to bed, in a comfortable bed, around 1:30 am. Over all, I think I was blessed to have good people helping me (others with whom I was waiting were not as fortunate) and to have friends with whom I could stay. All is well! Now to the real story of how an American redhead fell in love with the city called Hong Kong.

Not your typical Hong Kong tourist

I had all of four days to explore this amazing city, which is actually comprised of many islands and the mainland that is connected to China. I stayed with a family I know through one of my former professors at North Central. When I told her that I was planning to volunteer in the Philippines then travel around Asia, she said that one of her good friends lives in Hong Kong and if I wanted to pass by, her friend and I would be sure to get along well. I said that I would love to see Hong Kong and to meet her friend. Well, her friend and I corresponded maybe a dozen times before actually meeting, but she was really open about hosting me, which was such a blessing and a delight to think of making this new connection. (I love to meet people who are good friends of those I really admire. It always happens that I like the friends as much as the person with whom I have the existing relationship.)

I arrived in the evening and met her daughter, who was at home while she and her husband were out at a conference. I got along well with her teenage daughter who was very lively and liked to talk—always a good thing when you arrive in a new place. We even went to the store together where I purchased a new camera since my other one was stolen. While buying the camera, she got a call from her parents to see how things were going and they asked us if we wanted to go out for dessert with them. I knew at that moment that we were going to have a wonderful time together. I mean, how could I not get along well with people who wanted to take me out for dessert. Hello new best friends :) We met them at an American style restaurant where I got a big chocolate brownie, which had more chocolate than I had eaten in the past four months or so! I liked them instantly with their easy and approachable personalities. I saw very well how my professor and her friend got along so well. I knew I was going to have a great week with them.

After looking closely at my guidebook, which I had done at all before meeting and renting a room with a girl from Hong Kong in Vietnam. Funny how I had completely missed the fact that there were a ton of amazing things to do in the city, like hike and explore natural places, which as all of you know, are my favorite and preferred places to visit. I knew that I was going to have to cram a lot of sightseeing and exploring into one short visit. I decided that I wanted to do as much hiking as was humanly possible while mingling among the skyscrapers that have made Hong Kong famous, and because I walk fast and don’t mind sweating, getting lost or feeling pressed for time, I did it all! I mean, granted, I could have spent at least two weeks just exploring all the islands and areas, but I think I saw a good mix. Let me elaborate…

Saturday Surprises

My first stop was Sai Kung Country Park, which takes up a huge area on the eastern side of the mainland in Hong Kong. I took an MTR (HK’s metro or subway) and a bus to get there, stopping in upper Kowloon for a quick visit to the Chi Lin Nunnery, a peaceful area set amongst the rigid gray of the skyscrapers and the ebullience of the fresh flowers. It was a little confusing at the port how I was going to get to some of the nice trails I had heard about. I waited around for the bus and one arrived, but the driver made the motion for “Not in service” and I figured I had enough time to go to the bathroom. When I came back, there was no bus, so I was a little irritated but chalked it up to one of those things that happens when you cannot actually speak the language. It was actually a fortunate occurrence, however, because I met two ladies who had lived in Hong Kong for ten years—they were from Singapore originally—and they had more information than I had. We shared a taxi down to the start of the nature trail, which lends itself to fabulous views of the natural splendor of Hong Kong. Had I not met them, I would have whiled away half of my day walking on a nondescript blacktopped path. I walked with them for a little of the path, but they were going a little too slow for me, and since I was time pressed, I forged ahead after an amicable parting. What a great find!

The trail was amazing. I could not help but say over and over, “This is really Hong Kong?!?” Truly, the contrasts between the concrete jungle of HK and the verdant slopes and turquoise waters of Sai Kung were unlimited. I think I fell in love with HK at that moment, and my affection became even more profound as the days passed. With one and a half hours one-way and three USD, you can be completely isolated from anything resembling an urban center. Incredible!

That night, I went out to dinner with my hosts to a restaurant that served typical Chinese food and it was great! I love Chinese food, especially dumplings and red bean paste. It was really funny to talk to them about my love of Chinese desserts. It was two in favor and two against. Food conversations are really fun because everyone has different stories about where/when/what. What people like and where they dine can reveal some interesting things about people. Once we finished dinner, I went with my host and her daughter to the Peak, which is one of the Top 10 in HK for its view of the city and the funicular that can attract quite a few people at any given day. The view was spectacular as the pictures I have seen of this ultra modern urban center. I have never been in a place that is as new and as modern as Hong Kong. It blows New York City out of the water! There are positives and negatives that could be discussed until exhaustion takes over, but on that night, I was mesmerized by the sheer size and technical wonder of the lit skyscrapers that loomed in front of me.

Sunday Stories

More hiking commenced on Sunday morning, but this time I had company. I discovered the first evening that my host really enjoys walking and that she walks frequently in the mornings with one of her friends. They decided to take me on a long walk, commencing along a path that afforded us with a morning fresh glimpse at the engineering marvel that is HK. Although these ladies had walked the first trail several times, they had never made the loop that we were planning, so on several occasions we just hoped we were going in the right direction without really knowing. One of the places my book mentioned was a path called the Dragon’s Back that supposedly offered the best of HK from on high, and this was the second part of our hike. However, we got to a point where we knew we were going the wrong way and yet were close to where we wanted to go. Thankfully, we encountered a French couple who gave us great directions, and we descended the ridge to go back to HK reality: that of high speeding cars and crazy double-decker buses that make the most impossible turns on relatively narrow, winding roads. I feared a little for my life, but we crossed the road, found Dragon’s Back, and embarked on its scenic spine.

The guidebook did not let me down on this occasion, although I would never recommend this particular brand for accurate and detailed information (Eyewitness Guides). Upon arriving at the top, which required a descent amount of scaling stairs and some roots, etc., you could literally see both sides of the harbor and I felt as if I was on a high peninsula, looking out onto the whole modern world squeezed into a few square miles. That doesn’t happen very often :)

We were quite tired after the hike, but after showers, some iced coffee and a delicious Vietnamese lunch, we were off again to the flower market in upper Kowloon. The flower market is a central area where flowers are the main retail item. Both the flower area and the area around it were typical looking Hong Kong shopping areas, full of small stores and lots of different kinds of people out for a bargain or just mulling around trying to find that perfect flower or plant to hang on one’s balcony, hoping that the smog and extreme humidity enhances rather than decreases its beauty.
By the time we got home, it was around dinner time, and most people would have been satisfied by the varied number of things accomplished; however, like I said, I had a strict plan to see all of HK and experience as many things as possible. Since it was Sunday, HK’s helpers were out enjoying their day off as they sat around Statue Square and the Central MTR station. It was really fascinating to see a huge number of Filipino and Indonesian women congregating in small and large groups, sharing their homeland food and speaking in their mother tongues. I people watched for some time then made it to the Star Ferry, which is the historic ferry that has been taking people across Victoria harbor for decades, since the early 1900’s, I think. I made it in time for the light show projected on some of the skyscrapers on Kowloon. As we moved away from Hong Kong Island, I was again affronted by the sheer size and symmetric aesthetics of the skyline. The ferry was fun and cheap, so I took a round trip back to HK Island, so I could grab the 2-HKD—about 30 cents—tram, a very slow-moving and double-decker device that runs on tracks and provides the riders with a very scenic and slow ride down the north portion of HK Island. It picked me up in Central and brought me almost to my door in Quarry Bay.

Monday Modern Marvels

My big mission on Monday was obtaining my Indian visa, which I made a lot less complicated and much quicker by emailing ahead to the consulate that put through my information to the Indian Embassy and was able ton obtain clearance for me, so I could get it processed in one day! Since the Indian Consulate is located in Kowloon, I made the most of exploring that area as well as diverting myself a little to explore the highly recommended island, Cheung Chau, which is reached by ferry from the piers on Central—on HK Island. I experienced the incredible underground network of the HK MTR when I tried to exchange money at a bank. I was able to walk underground through one of the MTR stations for more than 20 minutes. It was like a whole other world of commerce and activity, and yet still clean and convenient like the rest of HK. I stopped for some delicious milk tea at the Chinese equivalent of an American diner before returning to the Indian Consulate to finish the processing.

After completing all the necessary paperwork, I took a Star Ferry to the central piers and grabbed a ferry to Cheung Chau, where I rented a bike for a couple hours, riding around, getting lost, admiring the views of the beach and fishing boats docked in the bay, wandering from place to place. I ate my way through the island, stopping often for good rolls, cheap yet tasty cakes, and their famous bean buns, which are well known because they have a bun festival every year! I would have loved to participate :) It was a great few hours, but I rushed through most of the sights in favor of trying to get back to see a few more things in Kowloon before returning to the
Consulate to collect my passport and visa.

I took an MTR to the new Kowloon area and saw a temple, then proceeded to try to find a place called Lion’s Rock. No one seemed to know where it was and it ended up being much too far to walk. I was a little disappointed, but hey, you can never do anything. I learned that quickly on my travels and I have been doing pretty well on being realistic about what I can and cannot do. I jumped off early from the MTR and had a happy, brisk walk through Mongkok and Nathan Road, which is like the Magnificent Mile or Fifth Avenue. It was full of people and since I was plugging away, I had to push a little and do a fast dance of weaving in and out of the normal swarm of shoppers and career people. I made it in time to get my visa, then embarked again on a walking tour around Kowloon, seeing the Temple Street Market, the closing of the Jade Market, and Mongkok at night, which is quite lively with late shoppers and people out looking for a good meal. It was fun and I impressed myself with my ability to stay on course the whole night. That goes to show you that when I have a good map and when the city does a good job of marking its streets (unlike in Tokyo) I can do just fine!

My final fun-packed day on Tuesday

My final stop was Lantau Island, the largest island aside from HK Island although much less commercial and with a more traditional and natural landscape. Before taking the ferry to Lantau, I went on a walk with my host to Aberdeen Country Park. I wanted to run and she walked with her friend. I took a wrong turn and met up with them unintentionally, only to find out that my host’s dog had run off. We began on an hour and a half search mission for the errant dog, which her friend eventually found at the entrance, thank God! I took the fast ferry to Lantau and a bus to a small fishing village called Tai-O, which is home to traditional stilt-supported homes, fishing boats of all sizes and shapes, dark red-colored fruit tea and delicious breads and egg-shaped pancakes. From this small idyllic setting, I took a short bus ride to the Po Lin Monastery, which has been the home to a huge Buddha—set high on a hill—for the last ten years. I scaled the steps and looked over the lay of the land, once again enjoying the novelty of only being about an hour from the modern extravagances of HK.
From the monastery, I embarked on an eight-mile up and down hike across two peaks: Lantau Peak and Sunset Peak, which is the third highest in HK and rising to a level of about 3,000 feet. The peaks were shrouded in mists, so I literally felt as if God and I were the only ones left in the world. I have never felt that isolated in my life, and it felt amazing, to be that free, that silent, that capable of doing whatever is your fancy, and that much closer to the One who loves me more than anyone. How fabulous! I made it up and down the first one and I have to say that I was a little tired. Then I met this fellow hiker who had actually crept up and ran past me while I was hiking, and he directed me in the way I needed to go, saying as a warning that I should only take the path if I was in shape. Well, I always love a good challenge, so I said confidently that I am a good hiker and very capable. The words sounded good to me, so I set off with a resolved purpose of showing this guy up. In fact, I reached the town of Tung Chung—the site of my homeward bound MTR—before this guy, but we bumped into one another because I had stopped several times to inquire after directions. He jogged past me and I ran after him, catching him successfully. I could not help but feel proud that I had made it when he said, “Oh, you’re so fast, so fast. I cannot believe it! You’re so fast!” He was really nice and gave me scenic directions for finding the MTR. It was the perfect end to a fabulous trip! Hong Kong was more than I ever thought, and I hope to return someday for another dip into the epitome of the post-modern world.