February 10 - 11
Hong Kong to Wellington
A glance through the window showed cloud and even some drizzle. The good weather seems to have ended and I had better head off for a shopping mall rather than a park.
I checked out and left my bags with the concierge. If he loses them, I have a problem as he has my entire stock of pills!
Outside it was gloomy and there had been some rain. I walked to the station, added some cash to my Octopus card and took the train to Kowloon Tong.
Here is the Festival Walk, probably the largest mall in Hong Kong and of the biggest that I have seen anywhere. It starts several floors below ground and has a complex network of escalators rising upwards.
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| Skating rink in Festival Walk | Another monkey |
At 09.45 most of the stores were closed but I found a window containing what purported to be magnum, double magnum and 10 litre bottles of Chateau d'Yquem. The 10 litre one did look as if the capsule was faulty and that it probably contained coloured water.
I remember coming here a few years ago and being amazed to find a skating rink in the centre of a mall. It is still there and there were a few skaters going round and round with varying degrees of proficiency.
Some of the cafes were open so, not feeling strong enough to face the complex ordering procedure at Café de Coral. I found a Pacific Coffee Co and had a black tea and a sandwich. I will have a good Chinese lunch at the airport.
I took more photos of the escalators, deciding that they looked like an Escher drawing - but real. There was another LOUD monkey at the foot of them, attracting lots of admirers. It makes a good place for a family shot or a selfie.
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Outside I found a few drops of drizzle and a garden full of sparrows. I noticed a few of them inside. The trees, however, did little to hide the huge bulk of the place.
The MTR was very busy. It looks as if half the population of Hong Kong is planning to come here to play shopping today.
The guide suggested a computer mall a couple of stops down the line. I found it - with the doors tightly shut. Still closed for the holiday I supposed. There were lots of banners on display urging people not to buy from unlicensed hawkers. It was this issue which supposedly started yesterday's riots.
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With the computer mall closed, I had little option but to cruise the Fuk Wa street market. This was aimed at locals - very few white faces in evidence - so I may return when I'm really looking to buy something.
Over the road is the Ap Lieu Flea Market, a sort of jumble sale for IT and other industrial bits. I don't think it would be safe to buy electricals here.
The train took me back to Tsim Sha Tsui where it was actually quite busy. Lots of people on the pavements although the roads were still empty by Hong Kong standards.
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Kowloon Park, as I have often said, is a haven of peace and flowers in the middle of the city. I walked a little way in and sat on a bench to listen to the birds and to write my diary.
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I finally managed to buy a few - as opposed to a few dozen - AAA batteries to put in my mouse. I hope these will put some life into it.
When I reached the Kowloon Tap Room, it was just opening. Everything smelled of bleach and I was in splendid isolation. The Black Kite IPA, however, tasted as good as a couple of nights ago and I enjoyed one glass. I will have more when I return in April.
I collected my bags at the hotel, waited at least three minutes for the Airport Express shuttle, checked-in at the station, caught the Airport Express and was through the Airport security about 70 minutes later. Not bad at all.
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In the process, I was able to discover that I could take two bags on the Hong Kong to Singapore flight as long as their combined weight was less than 20 kg. The posh restaurant I often frequent was heaving when I arrived but it soon emptied. They found me a table behind a pillar, at which I waded through a bowl of shrimp noodle soup, always a messy performance. Suitably refreshed, I made my way downstairs to look for a beer. |
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That didn't materialise as the gate was in a different place to normal so I didn't walk past the bar. I played on my laptop for a long time until we boarded. The plane is a refurbished one - almost as good as new - and. so far as I can tell, an improvement on the old model.
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The flight was uneventful, always good, and we landed in Auckland about 20 minutes early. I passed through Immigration without incident, found the Vodafone shop, where I sorted out my phone, and ventured into the outside world. Out there, it was humid, warm and cloudy, much more like Hong Kong than Hong Kong was. I followed my usual path to the Domestic Terminal. It was busier than usual but still provided a good way to find some fresh air. I found breakfast, played with some emails and read my book until it was time to take off again. We made it safely to Wellington where there were clear blue skies and temperatures in the twenties. Quite amazing. |
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I caught a shuttle to Jane & Robert's - a 15 minute trip - and sat on their doorstep for a few minutes until Jane returned from work.
After an hour's recovery time, we walked over the top of the hill and down the other side - great views from on top - into the suburb of Kilbirnie, arriving in the middle of school leaving time. Children, cars and buses everywhere. We did a little shopping and then retraced our steps up the hill and spent the evening at home eating and drinking.
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