February 6 - 7
Bourne end to Hong Kong
Both alarms rang. I was showered and ready with a few minutes to spare and the taxi appeared at least one minute late. We drove smoothly along deserted streets, through the drizzle, arriving in Maidenhead with 15 minutes to spare. The platform was deserted but the waiting room was warm.
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The train appeared and delivered me to Hayes & Harlington on time. Because of the Crossrail works, we arrived at the wrong platform so I had to leave the station and re-enter it in order to reach the platform for the Heathrow train. This platform didn't normally receive visitors so there was no waiting room. No shelter at all, in fact. Luckily, the drizzle had stopped and I was still dry when I reached the airport. |
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Check-in was quick and security painless. There was still no check of my passport and I passed through an x-ray cubicle, which pin pointed my new hip. Far less groping than last year!
Breakfast at Strada was excellent. Perfectly poached eggs. I wish I could do them as well. The weak link was the coffee, which was not as good as one would expect in an Italian restaurant.
Right: A good way to start the journey |
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I explored the lounge area, sat on a comfy seat, read my book and played on the WWW. The gate number was eventually announced, I walked the length of the airport - or so it seemed - and boarded the plane. I had a convenient location next to the loo but next to an empty seat. The driver told us that we would be half an hour early in Hong Kong. The fact that we pushed back seven minutes late didn't really matter. With the door closed, I still had an empty seat next to me.
The last wine I had on Cathay was terrible. This time I was offered a Chardonnay, South African I think, which wasn't at all bad. A distinct improvement. The remainder of the trip was uneventful. The food was OK, there weren't many bumps, I got a little sleep and I made sure to keep my ankles well away from the foot rests. I don't want three months of Achilles trouble again!
The driver had said we would be 30 minutes early. In the event, it was only 23 minutes. At that hour of the morning, who cares.
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30 minutes after touchdown I was through Immigration. In another 15 minutes I was on the train and in an hour and 35 minutes I was in the hotel.
Being early on a Sunday morning, it was quiet. Kowloon Station was deserted and only three of us boarded the Airport Express bus with its magnificent leather seats.
The hotel was expecting me but my room wouldn't be available for an hour. I left my bag and walked out into the glorious sunshine. I was glad that I had packed a fleece as it was sunny but "crisp", not what I am used to here.
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There were lots of decorations for the year of the monkey, although the 1881 complex had its usual amazing display which didn't seem to relate to anything in particular.
I had consulted the concierge at the hotel and repeated my questions at the Tourist Office. The conclusion was that finding food would be difficult and my best chance would be in the big shopping malls. The smaller places would either be closed for the holiday or packed. If I wanted to see the street parade, I would need to arrive a couple of hours before it started.
The bank provided me with cash and I returned to the hotel café for a little food and lots of tea. If restaurants are to be in short supply, I had better take full advantage when I find one.
My room was ready as promised so I spent an hour washing, making use of the WWW to study England's victories at rugby and cricket and generally preparing myself for the day ahead.
After an hour, I set off on the train to Causeway Bay, on the Island. The normally busy streets were reasonably quiet and the majority of the people in evidence were heading for the Lunar New Year Fair in Victoria Park.
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I was expecting this to be a huge flower market, like the main one in Mong Kok but bigger. There were flowers and plants, lots of them, but also the same sorts of stalls that one would find in a fair in either the UK or New Zealand. There were kitchen toys, ordinary toys, fast food and lots of things that I couldn't really identify. The organisers had established lots of one way streets through the fair - which everyone religiously ignored.
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I wandered too and fro for almost an hour, ignoring the sun and the increasing warmth, before embarking on a walk back to Wan Chai, a distance of a mile or so. Lockhart Road, normally solid with traffic, was very quiet.
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When I reached The Devil's Advocate, there was only one other person there. I had a cold beer and wrote my diary. I had thought of lunch but decided that a sandwich over the road would be healthier. It would also give me the opportunity to see which of the local restaurants were open. |
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Southorn Playground, normally full of footballers and basketball players had been occupied by another New Year fair, selling all sorts of peculiar things. I returned to the hotel and had a long rest. Whilst it was a shame to waste a beautiful afternoon, I wasn't in a condition to appreciate it.
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I re-emerged at 6, found that it was still clear and cool. It was also quiet. The road behind the hotel had few people in it, just a body lying in the gutter.Ashley Road, normally buzzing with both cars and people was the same but a large number of restaurants were open. |
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Of great interest was a new arrival, the Kowloon Taproom, selling beer from a number of local micro breweries. My photo of the outside was looking good until some fool parked a large van in the middle of it. Luckily, by the time I left, the van had moved so I had a clear shot of the place. The Lion Rock Pale Ale had lots of flavour but was slightly fizzier than I would have liked. At about £7 a pint, it wasn't cheap. I will return, however, to try a few more of the beers. |
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The Delicious Kitchen, a place I always visit, looked quite busy - it normally is - so I entered a Malaysian restaurant opposite.
It was very quiet, just me and another couple, so I ordered some food and a beer. The prawn cakes morphed into vegetable spring rolls, but they were good. The chicken sambal was full of belacan and also a fair amount of chilli. Both the nose and the taste buds took a hit.
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The Tsing Tao convinced me that it tastes much better from a big bottle than from a small one.
The Harbour Front was heaving. Partly the usual crowds come to the nightly light show and partly the crowds come to watch the rehearsals for tomorrow nights grand parade.
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I tried to take photos of the crowds but I suspect without much success. I had better go to watch the parade but probably won't see much.