I think I am officially a travel junkie. I am quite okay without the latest handphone or some fashionable handbags. I just want to travel and taste the food and culture around the world. My latest trip was to Hong Kong and it wasn’t even in my 2017 travel plan.
‘All study and no travel makes @Notimetospace a dull girl’. The travel junkie that I am, I was looking through some travel promotions and came across this awesome ticket deal of RM400 (approximately USD90) inclusive of return to Hong Kong. I would hate myself if I miss this opportunity. Immediately after my last paper that ended on the 15th September, 2017 I took off to Hong Kong.
My Love Affair With Hong Kong
I was all excited and pumped up. The first thing I did after touching down in Hong Kong was to take a deep breath of fresh air. It smells of tarmac and engine diesel but when you are in good mood, everything smells like roses and freshly cut grass. I can almost feel as though I skipping my way to the Immigration checkpoint.
I bought the Octopus Card, which is similar to the Oyster Card in London or the Touch n Go in Kuala Lumpur. In case any of you is wondering what an Octopus card looks like, here is a visual sample.
I budgeted HKD 200 to last me for 5 days. A quick look around, I spotted my ride to the city. My next stop was Tsim Tsa Tsui. I took the upper deck for a better view. The bus is quite equipped. It shows you the next station and it even signal you to wear seatbelts. I guess it is quite difficult for me to get lost in Hong Kong.
Turn on the Heat
These photos were taken at 7 p.m. but it is already so dark. It felt like 9.00 p.m. The bus passed by one of the busiest port in Hong Kong and I was a little excited when I saw all the containers. Well, I am excited about everything and anything.
You can tell that it is Saturday night when the street is packed with people.
My Airbnb Accommodation
I booked my stay through Airbnb. The next best phone application after Tinder. But, you didn’t hear that from me. I am just quoting something that I read online. My nest is not located in front of Tsim Tsa Tsui MTR and the place is called ‘Urban Pack.’ Well, it isn’t exactly Shangri La or Marriot but at least it has a lift. I have my luggage to carry and the sight of the lift is like seeing my fairy god mother.
It is considered cheap since Hong Kong is one of the costliest country to live in. I managed to get a place to sleep and clean myself for RM 115 (approximately USD 25) a night. With price like this, it is definitely advisable to book early. I met a lady from Thailand and there were a few guests from Korea and China.
I slept on the upper deck just beside a window. I am lucky because the sun is my alarm clock. It definitely did its job. Here is how it looked like in the morning. I would not be awake at this time if I am in Malaysia.
I switched to another play which is another hostel also located at Tsim Tsa Tsui. It is small but well equipped. I am so besotted when I know the hostel has warm water.
P.S. Look at the lighting in this hostel, my selfie was on point!
Romancing the Food
The search for food is easy because I have a collection of photos that I have prior saved in my Instagram. I am all prepared to chomp down any food that I find on Instagram and I have a good collection of these delicious food. Did I ever mention that apart from sleeping I am also very good in eating? Here is a list of the food that I tried from my list of food to eat in Hong Kong.
Australia Dairy Company (Jordan) HKD 56
I didn’t need to queue to enter the restaurant because dinner is at 9 p.m. I was a bit hessitant to enter because from what I know, the waiter and waitress are quite impatient and I haven’t got any clue what to eat. Eventually I choose macaroni and beef with cold milik pudding. Food was served in less than a minute. Talk about speed. I enjoyed the cold milk pudding a lot. It tasted like really fine milk directly from the farm. The texture is divine.
Wai Kee Congees (Central) HKD 20
This is one of the least favourite dish that I had in Hong Kong. I ordered Cantonese styled congee which is really porridge that is starchy. The beef wasn’t fresh and it felt like it has been in the refrigerator for some time. The texture of the congee was smooth but still wasn’t the best dish I had there.
Beef Noodle (Mongkok) HKD 31
I took a trip to Mongkok. This is a marketplace and there are just far too many things to see and buy here. I decided to stuff myself with enough energy to last the walks. Beef noodle soup is considered a basic meal here. In most stalls you get complimentary tea and water. I did not help myself to the free drinks because usually you pay for it. A gentleman thought that I was too shy and he filled up a cup of tea for me.
Noodles and Intestines (Tsim Tsa Tsui) HKD 37
I decided to try the intestine noodles because the price was reasonable. I saw advertisement of many local starlets but unfortunately the food wasn’t good. I did not like the texture of the noodles and the intestine sauce was just too weird for my liking. I did not enjoy the food. At this point I started to miss Malaysian food.
(Shum Shui Po)
One thing that Hong Kong local's favorite is their Fried Dumplings that I bought for HKD 15. It was a bit oily and hard to digest. The next staple is toast with Pork Chop and Milk Tea for HKD 32. The food is a little dry and the Pork Chop was heavily marinated. The taste is quite special, can’t say it taste bad but it is an acquired taste. The people here seemed to love it. Finally I decided to reward myself with some ice cream (HKD 8). I bought it from an ice cream truck which is a new experience for me. In Malaysia, the ice cream man either comes in a motorcyle or a bicycle. The ice cream with cones are a little pricier and it costs HKD 10.
How to Paint the Town Red
I find the station signs a bit special so I did the next silly thing, I started taking photos of myself at each station. The walls are colourful and the signs are quite special, so why not, one shot for each sign.
Next is my trip to the thrift stores. There are many around and many clothes are sourced from Japan and Korea. I got myself a skirt for HKD 20 and a dress for HKD 10 which is super cheap. I felt like a successful bargain hunter. Put me for a full day here, I can shop for enough material to open my own shop back here. Leather jackets, bags, denims, dresses, you name it they have it.
Instead of MTR, I tried the ferry service. The view was great, the sky was azure blue and my seat was sheltered. I didn’t wait long for the ferry to come. The distance to walk from the ferry to the nearest mall is quite a bit. Better put your walking shoes on! The trip set me down by HKD 27.
I never seen anything like this in Malaysia. It was so beautiful when the building lights is reflected on the water. I love thie scenery. I would want to do night walks here more often. The mood is right and the view is excellent.
Next, was my search for Quarry Bay. This is a popular hunting groung for many Instagrammers. It felt like a treasure hunt. Thanks to google map, I manage to find the place and took some photos. But anything for a good selfie and some likes/upvotes.
I visited Langham Mall and other streets in Mongkok. It is very crowded on Sundays. There is an escalator in Langham Mall that goes up 5 stories. It is quite a challenge if you are afraid of heights. I have to keep my fear in check when I tried it. My legs became jelly like after that experience.
Mongkok has quite a lot to offer. Tall building with a good mix of pre colonial, colonial and post colonial architecture. It is a pretty sight. There are many stalls tucked between the buildings and some are in the buildings. So, the trick is this, if you see a crowd of teenagers heading somewhere, they are usually going to chill out somewhere. That is how I managed to find some amazing stalls that offers amazing clothings and also other collectibles such as anime figurines, comic collections, dolls and etc.
Conclusion
The entire trip burnt a hole in my pocket to the tune of RM2000 (approximately USD 450). I would recommend travelling with a loved one. Mongkok is by far my favourite because there is just too many things to see and I am as excited as a little girl in a candy store. I will be back for more...this time perhaps for a longer stay and maybe with a crowd. Who wants to tag along?
