Hong Kong
We’ve just returned to Phuket from what is becoming our annual trip to Hong Kong and as always, we’ve had the most amazing twelve days. Hong Kong has an energy, efficiency and a buzz like no other place. OK, I’m biased – I lived and worked there for 28 years and returning feels more like going home than any other place in the world. The place hums with efficiency, from the airport and its associated transportation to the hotels, restaurants, coffee bars, parks; the list is long.
For this trip, we used the fairly new AirAsia service that runs daily non-stop to and from Phuket. It’s a flight of just over three hours, arriving in Hong Kong at just after 8 p.m. Despite the airport being huge, you will whisk through immigration, pick up your luggage and be on your way within around half-an-hour. The quickest way into town is on the Airport Express, a 24 minute high-speed rail link to Central on Hong Kong Island. However, being more conscious of costs than we were in the days of working there, we chose to try the airport buses that run every 10-15 minutes. The A11 took us to Admiralty on the Island for HK$65 (US$1=HK$7.8) return each, which is much cheaper than HK$180 return each on the train. The trip only takes about 20-30 minutes longer. (TIP: buy the return tickets at the airport ticket office or you’ll pay HK$40 each way)
Accommodation
Last year, we stayed in the South Pacific Hotel in Wanchai. It was OK, if a little cramped, and certainly convenient for getting out and about. This time, we fancied being a little further from the hustle and bustle of downtown and we plumped for the YWCA (aka The Garden View) in Mid-Levels. It’s located on the corner of Garden Road and MacDonnell Road, which is an uphill trek if you’re walking, but only a flagfall HK$18 fare in a taxi from Central or Admiralty, or HK$4.30 on the 12A circular single-decker bus from Admiralty (bus stop outside the Lippo Centre, not the Admiralty building itself). The Y was great and at HK$612 per night including all taxes, it was excellent value. The room was larger than average for HK, well-appointed, clean and comfortable. The walls screened off most of the sound of adjoining rooms, although our next door neighbour’s escort on successive Saturday nights could be heard panting away for marathon periods in the early hours – she really deserved an oscar – I hope his heart was up to it. (And this in the YW – shocking!!)
The ‘garden view’ of the hotel’s name is a view of Garden Road, although the top corner of the botanical gardens could just about be seen – the photo shows the view from our 17/F room. The hotel only offers wifi in the lobby, and then only if you pay for it. In the rooms, it’s a cable connection and during the time we were there, this was rather quirky following a recent upgrade of the log in system. To their credit, the staff worked very hard to get the system working well, even disconnecting the need to log in one evening so that it could be accessed directly. The price was HK$100 per day or HK$300 for 14 days – bit of a no-brainer when you’re there for 12 days). There is a good gym that is free for hotel guests and a heated outdoor pool, although this was closed while we were there.
Nearby Eateries
The great plus of the Y was that you could walk downhill into town; either through the Botanical Gardens into Central, or through Hong Kong Park to Pacific Place and Admiralty. Walking straight down the hill – Garden Road – takes you past the Peak Tram terminus and a Pacific Coffee shop, or better, down to the Citibank Tower (the building on the right in the top photo) which has several coffee and food outlets on its ground floor, supreme among which is Simply Life. We took our breakfast here most days since the deal was excellent value – e.g. bagel breakfast: scrambled egg, bacon, bagel with cream cheese + tea or coffee, all for HK38. Elsewhere in and around Central, there are loads of other good eateries to choose from; more than you can shake a stick at. In fact given that eating out is a national sport in Hong Kong, pretty much wherever you go, you’ll be spoilt for choice. I noticed that restaurants and bars have now spread from Lan Kwai Fong into the upper part of Wyndham Street, replacing a number of the smarter antique shops. This is the upper limit of SOHO (SOuth of HOllywood Road), so I imagine there is also now a NOHO. I did see a YOHO on one advertising hoarding, but I’ve no idea where that was or what it stand for.
Getting Around
Getting around Hong Kong is still superbly easy – and cheap! To save forever fishing for coins, an Octopus card is well worth the inital HK$50 investment – it’s actually a deposit since you can claim it back when you leave plus any unused value on the card; or you can save it for next time – the cards remain valid for three years after the last top-up. Octopus can be used on the MTR (the inexpensive, spotlessly clean and efficient underground railway system), the buses, many of the minibuses and also in some shops. The easiest place to buy the card is in any MTR station. You can also top them up there by the ticket vending machines. The maximum amount you can put on the card is HK$1000, but mostly people seem to put on HK$100-200 – if you lose it, you lose it!
If you’ve come from London or most other cities with underground railways, the first thing you’ll notice on the MTR is people talking and surfing on their mobiles. Yes, they work down there in the depths, just as they do in all the road tunnels!
Coming back to Hong Kong as a visitor, you see it in a fresh light. Gone, it seems, are the hard-bitten attitudes, the dismissive shrugs and the poor English. People now seem to me to be polite, helpful and committed to the service industry. (OK, there are exceptions, but it’s really much better than it used to be). Say this to old-timers, local or expat – and they’ll look at you like you’ve got three heads – I guess familiarity brings contempt. But it’s really true, Hong Kong buzzes with a style and efficiency that is only dreamed of elsewhere. The Tourist Board isn’t paying me to say that, I mean it!!
Our visit of twelve days was principally to see two of our grandchildren who live there (plus their parents of course!), which was a daily joy. It was also great to catch up with old work mates and catch up on all the gos, while at the same time being pleased to no longer be part of the politics, and for me to catch up with my old rowing chums at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club – the best club around. The visit coincided with the annual Rowing Captains’ Dinner (i.e. past and present), and it was the usually fine affair. Thanks Martin for organising it and thanks Middle Island Captain Patrick & staff for preparing it. I haven’t seen the bill yet but in preparation it’s bread and water for a couple of weeks.
Leaving Hong Kong via the airport is just as smooth as arriving. We were slightly thrown by being given a choice of getting off the bus at T1 or T2. The last time we used the airport, T2 wasn’t there so we got off at T1. It turns out that T2 is a new departure check-in terminal for discount airlines and mainland buses(!) It’s close to T1 so getting off at the wrong stop didn’t really matter. AirAsia checks in there and the plus of T2 is that it’s really quiet, both at the desks and the immigration/security. Once through that lot, you jump on a driverless train that takes you into the heart of T1 and your gate area. While you’re waiting, there is of course wall-to-wall free wifi. What else would you expect in a Hong Kong that also provides free wifi in hotspots all over the place?