Hong Kong, the friendliest city in the world

Long Way From Home [Enlarge & More]

It was 1:15am in Chennai and we were finally boarding our 2:45am flight to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific. Both of us had mixed feelings about leaving India, it would be good to see somewhere new but we both had really enjoyed our time there.

Cathay Pacific has a good reputation which it lived up to and the flight was uneventful. The time was the only downside as when we touched down it was 10 in the morning having lost 2.5 hours as Hong Kong was ahead and having had no sleep for 24 hours.

Fried Rice,Anyone? [Enlarge & More]

We have been in Hong Kong for a day and half now and it’s one of the friendliest cities I’ve ever been to. As soon as we stepped foot outside customs we’ve had people helping us when we’ve asked and also when we’ve not. A sweet lady helped us the first time we used the Metro here, the equivalent to the London Underground. We were having a ‘debate’ about which exit to use and she kindly pointed us in the right direction

Harbour Skyline [Enlarge & More]

On the Star Ferry for the first time going over to Hong Kong Island from Kowloon, a really nice guy helped us out by telling us all the places to go and see and where is good for what. There is Soho here, full of eating and drinking places a bit like in London.

Jono has remarked a couple of times if he wanted to live in a city this would be it which is high praise indeed as he does not like cities generally. I love the place too, it’s a very modern place but East definitely meets West here. The view at night of the harbour front is the best I have seen, it beats Manhattan in NY by a mile and I thought that was the best. Then you turn a corner and you are presented with a Blade Runner like view that is definitely eastern, I just love it

Milkshake - Yummy! [Enlarge & More]

Being a city it is definitely muggier and hotter than India, the curious thing is that a lot of the shops are air conditioned but don’t have doors, so as you walk past you get a blast of cold air. It’s a momentary relief before you hit the wall of heat again.

I’ve definitely suffered culture shock here, not because it’s so different from back home in England but it is so different from India. As we are only here for a few nights both of us have gone a little overboard on the milkshakes, sweets, coffees and food. My poor body does not know what’s hit it.