Saturday 9 March and Sunday 10 March
After our two ports of call in Japan we are on our way now to Hong Kong. We were here 4 years ago on route to Australia and a few weeks there before another cruise back to Southampton (the other way round) so are familiar with it.
However, sailing 35 miles from the China coast and 65 from the Taiwan coast was something we hadn’t done before. Interesting as the two countries are not exactly on friendly terms. Weather was somewhat overcast so let’s hope it is better in Hong Kong on Monday.
Hong Kong: bustling city. Moored in city centre with our window on the world being to Hong Kong Island watching Star Ferries cross at regular intervals. A fantastic mooring spot and we set out to explore and get e-mails / internet which have been lacking really since Sydney.
Our day, however is ruined because of an e-mail sent by our son-in-law, Ali and with an 8 hour difference we can’t ring Sarah now as it is 2am in the morning their time!
We catch Star Ferry to HK Island and just walk to shopping centre that has the Apple store and find a Starbucks for a full catch up on internet and our first decent cup of coffee since leaving Australia.
Walk and catch ferry back to ship, I go out later and Sal rests, still has the flu type bug.
Speak to Sarah, didn’t sound too bad but furious with Ali who wants half of the house – he put nothing into it – and half access to Harry – he never wants to get involved with Harry, so not sure how that is going to work. By the sounds of it he hasn’t told his parents either!
Also managed to speak to Flic and Mel ( who is getting better, still a bit sore from her op ) but missed the laser show. The night lights on the Hong Kong Island buildings were quite spectacular though.
John & Deirdre enjoying the Sanpan ride
Still in Hong Kong and today we opt for a bus tour to Aberdeen, although it might have been better to check bus times first as we waited a long time at bus stop. Bus drivers don’t give change we found out.
Long ride over to Aberdeen, up the hills and down the other side, past blocks and blocks of accommodation and get off near the start of the sampan rides.
The sampan ride costs HK$60 each, lasted about 20 minutes, had no safety briefing, nearly hit another one at speed round a corner but did see lots of fabulous vessels and some not so fabulous ones.
Re-cycling boat for the boat people at Aberdeen
The floating restaurant in the middle looked interesting but the view of the back of the pontoon was decidedly neglected.
Floating restaurant at Aberdeen
Catch the bus back to where we started, or so we thought, but we ended up at the bus station which is about a mile from the ship and we were all flagging by now, not sure how Sally managed it, still suffering with the bug.
A good Saxophonist tonight, and a great sail away from Hong Kong passing hundreds and hundreds of high rise blocks all the way out on our Eastwards passage from the city.
I am not sure I would go back to Hong Kong again, certainly if any future trip to Australia or New Zealand involved a stop there then so be it but out of choice I would rather not.
The postcard we sent to Harry never arrived.
I will certainly miss the view from our balcony but onwards we go, to Vietnam and Singapore.
High rise and dense living
Hong Kong Saturday 9 March and Sunday 10 March After our two ports of call in Japan we are on our way now to Hong Kong.
