Hong Kong - the Last Stop on our Adventure

Hong Kong light show every night at 8 p.m.
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Hong Kong

April 18 – 28^th, 2007

Hong Kong – clean, orderly, glitzy, cosmopolitan and impressive

The Chengs at the top of Victoria Peak
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Having slogged our way around China by train, bus and boat for a month and then spent two weeks volunteering with International China Concern in an orphanage in Heng Yang, we were quite acclimatized to cheap street food, questionable sanitary conditions, and making ourselves understood with hand signals and very elementary mandarin. We were also used to being the only foreigners amongst masses of Chinese citizens who found us to be quite the attraction. However, 1 ½ hours flight time away from Heng Yang and we were suddenly in Hong Kong – clean, orderly, glitzy, cosmopolitan and impressive Hong Kong!

The beautiful beach on Cheong Chau Island
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We parted from our ICC short term team at the Salisbury YMCA after one last dinner together at TGIF’s (the western food there actually tastes right not like an oriental version of western food!). The YMCA changed our opinion forever of the Y. This one’s like an upscale hotel with all the amenities and right in the heart of Kowloon, two blocks from the Star Ferry. A great place to stay but still somewhat beyond our budget. Thus, we had looked for cheaper digs and had booked 4 nights at Bethany Ministries on Cheung Chau Island and 6 nights at the YWAM base in Kam Tin, New Territories.

Hong Kong by night at the Mong Kok district
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Cheung Chau was delightful! Forty five minutes away from the inner harbour of Hong Kong by ferry but so far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. Cheung Chau is the most populated outlying island of Hong Kong but it reminded us more of a quaint Greek island than of anything related to Hong Kong. No cars are allowed on the island but there is a network of well maintained paved footpaths all over the island that go from quiet residential communities through lush jungle to clean and forsaken beaches. Our fitness program continued as we explored the island by foot; uphill and down, and swam in the cool but clean ocean waters. Of course, after all that exercise we had to refuel and that was easy and fun at the cheap noodle houses and bakeries in the small town. Can we just stay here forever??

Hong Kong harbour with the latest tallest building (88 stories) - the IFC Tower in the background
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Another thing that made Cheung Chau so very enjoyable was our accommodation at Bethany Ministries. We had a whole little house to ourselves; big enough for our friends Connie, Charles, their two little boys and Winnie to share with us for two nights. This was the perfect place for all of us to re-connect and try to make up for years of sporadic email. Twelve years ago when Connie came to visit us in Canada we were the ones with little kids, now ours are practically young adults and hers are at the stage ours were at that time – the stage when one wonders “who exactly rules the roost?” and “will I ever get a night’s uninterrupted sleep again?”. Kai Tin and Chung Tin are adorable, endearing little boys and now that we have finally met them we know already that it is going to be so hard to say good bye in a few days and perhaps not see them again until they are Karsten and Stephanie’s age. Life goes by so quickly and children grow up so fast!

Barb and the kids having fun on one of the many rides at Ocean Park
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After four beautiful sunny days on Cheung Chau Island we are refreshed and ready to explore Hong Kong all the while knowing that this is our last adventure before going home to Canada and we better enjoy it! And enjoy it we did! More than on any previous visit to Hong Kong. The amazing double-decker bus trip to Stanley Market with the stunning views over the South China Sea and high class neighborhoods, a fun-filled day at Ocean Park, another great day on top of Victoria’s Peak, days shopping ‘til we dropped (literally dropped with exhaustion into our seats at our favorite congee and Chinese donut shop) and a visit with the Lees to celebrate Chung Tin’s first birthday. From north to south, and east to west, we traversed Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories by MTR, KCR and bus. The subterranean public transportation system of Hong Kong is amazing and it is simple and fast to get from place to place. We sure could get used to living without two cars if public transportation was this convenient in Vancouver. We wish!

The view from the gondola at Ocean Park - fabulous
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Hong Kong has changed in the 8 years since our last visit and in the 15 years since our first visit. Or is it us that have changed? No longer do we find it dirty, noisy, smelly and overwhelming. In fact, it’s clean. No one spits. No smoking is allowed in public places, even outdoor parks. People pretty much all speak English. Are we back in Vancouver already? No, not quite, but Hong Kong has been an exciting last fling and adventure, but also an easy transition between other parts of Asia and home. Ten great days to end ten great months!

Chung Tin the little Tigger
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The trip of a lifetime is over and we fly back to Vancouver with mixed feelings. We’ll be happy to see family and friends again. We’ve missed them all. We know now, too, that we are very privileged to live in such a beautiful city as Vancouver and in such a wonderful country as Canada. However, the adventure and happy-go-lucky days of traveling the world have come to an end. How have we changed? What awaits us back in the reality of life at home? What do we do with the knowledge and insight that we have gained by walking a mile or more in someone else’s country? One thing we are all agreed upon as we take this last flight; it’s been a blast and we’ve been very, very privileged to have had this opportunity. We’d recommend it to anyone!