It’s a bit grey and there is a chill to the air as we arrive in Hong Kong. Technically our day started yesterday as we have flown overnight and there has been barely a night’s sleep between the four of us. Not to mention the last minute rush getting out of work on time to make it to the airport. I did cheat a little, dialing into my 5pm Thursday meeting.
Nevertheless we are here! The immigration queue are exceptionally efficient and we stream though with several flights having arrived at the same time with barely a pause. Our bags are already on the carousel and we’re in a taxi in no time.
I can see the bay and the mountains through the gloom of the day. Soon after he tallest skyscrapers can be made out and by the time the boys both fall asleep(!) the city stands before us. Our taxi driver is friendly and efficient also, navigating the city streets and lunch hour traffic with ease. Our Air BnB apartment deposits us in Wan Chai in the trendy Fashion Walk district.
Despite two very sleepy children and accomodation still in the process of being claimed (we are early), we are able to leave our luggage and head out to find some provisions before a little explosions.
Finding lunch provisions a little difficult to begin with mostly due to the fact that we are carrying one sleeping 5 year old and we are in as yet unfamiliar territory.
We get lucky in the end at Vernus’ Garden which suits all of us.
I order a noodle soup (no wontons but still good), Jason selects the lunch menu chicken curry (Satay) with rice and a nice should to start. For the boys we order a club sandwich between them which they devour with little encouragement.
We secure some enthusiasm to explore further by offering ice cream as motivation (a proven approach).
In the meantime Jason and I find an excellent coffee vendor in the back streets past Hennessy Road and a little further on corner store solves the ice cream dilemma with a Milo cone.
By now we have wandered to the edge of the Causeway Bay area and are closer to Leighton Hill.
At Lancaster on Leighton Road we decide to jump on a tram. Not long after we find ourselves at Happy Valley, famous for the race course that we can now see laid out across the road. Also across the road at the Wong Nai Chung Road Cresent Garden is a play ground (big enough to still capture an 8 year old’s attention).
We agree on the basis that it’s getting too late to do much else and we’re all a bit too exhausted for the original plan (to try and make it to the night markets) to stay for a play and then head back to the apartment. The play lasts long enough to establish a rough plan for tomorrow before we head back towards Paterson St by tram.
By now the city is really coming alive for Friday afternoon. We pick up some groceries and I return to the apartment prematurely from the supermarket down stairs for an emergency bathroom visit. I start some noodles for the boys and open the balcony door to check out the view. It inspires me enough to shout an ‘Hello Hong Kong!’ From the rooftop, the boys finding inspiration from my enthusiasm and trying out their own. We admire dusk falling over the city and the lights coming on, the city awash with neon.
Jason feeds the boys and gets them to bed as I head out to find some dinner for us. I’m still craving wonton soup.
I walk. From the apartment through Fashion Walk Food Street, up along the boundary of Victoria Park and back along a teeming Yee Wo Street, back across Hennessy and through the Sogo Department Store and the Excelsior Hong Kong Hotel at the World Trade Centre whereby I find myself back near the Fashion Walk Food Street. I stop in at The Delicious Kitchen where I had paused earlier to look at the menu and select a wonton soup for me and Singapore noodles for Jason.
From here it’s a quick walk back to the apartment for dinner before bed. It’s been a long day and a half but we’re here and there’s a whole lot more waiting to be explored tomorrow. Hello Hong Kong!
Would I Return?
Yes, I hope so, so far at least. There is more of Hong Kong to explore tomorrow. First stop, Victoria Peak.
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