We arrived at our destination absolutely exhausted. I usually don’t have any trouble sleeping (unlike a lot of people) but wasn’t very successful this time. Part of it was that the seats on the plane (a Boeing 77-300er) even though Premium Economy, were not nearly as comfortable and the noise level not as quiet as the AirBus 300, we had travelled on to Thailand last year. But we arrived without any other complications. By 6pm Hong Kong time (about 1 pm the following day from when we took off), it was off to bed.

January 28/25

Victoria Peak is only 500+metres high but is the highest peak in the area. The International Finance centre with dome like top across the bay from us is 2nd highest in HK. There are 200 islands in HG. There are 3 tunnels, 1972 first one built is the Harbour tunnel which we cross over to HK Island from Kowloon. 

Taxes are high in Hong Kong on fuel (to get people take public transport), cigarettes (bad for your health)and liquor (to not drink to excess)….are higher for all the same reasons as at home but are 20-30% less taxes on most products than on mainland China so mainland Chinese like to come here to purchase stuff. 

From March to April typhoons happen so the British lived higher up the mountain. Also it has cooler temperatures than lower parts of Hong Kong. 

We are going to Victoria Peak but this time by winding road on a bus unlike the last time when we went up by funicular. 

Population is almost 7 M. Apartments run about 3-400 sq ft for family of 4 and cost @$1 million HKG (only 185,000 CAD)

Interesting that our guide Pan, if she is to travel to the mainland, has to get a visa because she was born in HK. 

Now off to Repulse Bay…there is no charge to use the beach with beautiful silky white sand beach. People go there and Deep Bay to have BBQ’s. Repulse Bay as well as Deep Bay, have netting to protect swimmers from shark attacks. 

Ocean Park (yellow)with roller coaster and other rides …up on the opposite hills, is where baby panda born.

We are now going to NW side of city through the West Harbour  Tunnel) to see the new double deck bridge… is only way to get to the new airport. It is comprised of the one we drive on plus one underneath for subway and sometime for emergency. It, when completed in ’97, was 2nd longest bridge in world…..55 kms long.  The new airport replaced one of the most dangerous airports in the world.  The old one was so dangerous because the planes would run off the runway into water after quickly dipping trying to avoid the high rises and mountain on approach to runway below. 

Even though it was a little chilly this morning at the top of the peak, it was a gloriously sunny day at 16+C … not a cloud in the sky. 

Unfortunately at this point we lost all wifi. I think that they block all signals coming and going between China and Taiwan….my guess though! That is the reason I have not been able to send updates to this blog.