Hong Kong and Shenzhen Trip
Day 1 (may 22): Hong Kong Free Day
We spent the day at the Royal View Hotel, a four-star hotel that’s situated near a bridge in the New Territories of HK. After eating a very late lunch, we had a dip in the pool and tried the super hot jacuzzi. Yeah, we were living the life. At around 5 or 6, we left the hotel to go downtown. We walked along Nathan Road towards the direction of Mongkok. Nathan road at night is really a sight to see. They have really taken neon signs as a means of lighting up the busy streets. The people are fun to watch. The fashion, the steady flow of people going to and from everywhere. We were out until very late that night. We rode the MTR, their train system that braches out all over HK except the New territories so we had to take a cab to go home to our resort hotel around midnight.
Day 2 (may 23): City Tour and Hong Kong Disney Land with tour guide Eric (Ewic)
We had a tour of the city on a bus. It was rainy, cloudy, and windy the whole day. We went to souvenir shops and the TSL jewellery factory where we were ushered around by a Filipina with an attitude. The supposed highlight of today was Disney Land on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. BUT! It rained so hard. BUT! We didn’t let a little (ok, it was actually heavy) rain dampen our spirits. Donned with the over-priced Disney Land Parks raincoat, we rode all the inddor rides and had a blast. We watched a 4d music medley at the Philharmagic Theater and the Legend of the Lion King during the festival of the Lions at the Adventureland Theater. We were getting worried that they would cancel the fireworks because of the raind but at around 6pm, the rain had stopped and we ran around looking for more rides. It was a shame that we didn’t get to ride the Jungle River Cruise and go to Tarzan’s Treehouse, the rain aftermath didn’t permit it. We bought some sale items from the souvenir shops. I sorta wished I had worked before going there because I really didn’t have money to spend.
Day 3 (may 24): Shenzhen, China with tour guide Lychee
We left the hotel early to go to China which was but a train ride away. It was so different from Hong Kong because nobody (only a handful of people) could speak English. We were aliens to them, they couldn’t understand us as much as we couldn’t them. It was an awesome feeling. We went to a museum like place where there were moonstones and jade displays. It was kinda amazing if you’re a foreigner but it must be boring for the locals. We learned about Chinese Fengshui and a little bit about their culture. For late lunch, We were taken to a Cantonese restaurant. The food was authentic Cantonese. They like some of their food spicy and others really bland. It was a balance of both. Perfect food for the downcast weather. I think having round tables at restaurants is a good idea. We talked and laughed while eating in China. I mean can you just imagine that? We went to a famous chinese cookie and candy shop where we bought pasalubong stuff. You can even have free samples of the cookies or candy you want to buy. I liked the black jelly and honey that the twins bought. It was very yummy. The only downer of te whole China trip was the hotel. We came from Royal View the 4star resort hotel in HK and in China we had to stay in what looked like a hotel from a Japanese horror film. It was really old and really creepy. Even the view from our window was a condemned place or something. It was really an experience to remember.
Day 4 (may 25): Shopping in Shenzhen on our own
As we had an early checkout and a late pickup, we spent the remainder of our time in China shopping. We had takoyaki street food and milk tea when we took breaks from haggling with the locals who sold at premiums because we were tourists. The train ride back to HK was fun but everybody was obviously getting tired. All the trips and tours had taken it’s toll and the weather wasn’t really helping. I for ne want to go back to China. I like the stuff they have there. The shoes are pretty amazing but they’re the disposable kind. The kind you’d wear for a month or two and then would have to replace. The communication barrier was a bit too much. I mean they can’t speak even a little english. It was really hard.
Day 4 to 5 (may 25-26): Hong Kong International Airport
The Hong Kong Airport is like whoah!! and I mean WHOAH!! They even had an underground train to go to the different terminals. It was a sad thing that everything was really expensive huhu. Hong Kong dollars, I want to earn you! Our fligh was delayed twice. So we stayed at the airport for 9 hours! They just gave us 80HKD worth of food coupons each. So we had a food trip at the airport and looked around at stuff and such. I was a bit tired so I had to sit down a few times. The train ride was kind of nerve wracking. It was raining still and the cabin kept shaking. As a fist time flyer I was really nervous at first. But exhaustion had taken hold of me and I fell asleep. NAIA one was an eyesore coming from HKIA. But I was glad to be home.
HOME:
Our house is a disaster area. Our stuff is all over the place. Everybody has to do something now that we’re back and there’s work to be done. I kinda wish Dad had more time to rest because he’s not getting any younger and the trip wasn’t exactly hassle-free. The good thing is, I hear he’s game to go again next year february. But a different place in China and HK. I said we should just Bangkok, Thailand. Wanna come with? :D
