Skint Adventure

After ten glorious days away, we managed to travel back in time, thanks to the seven hour time difference, and arrived back in London. This trip has certainly given me a new perspective on busy city life and a real appreciation for the many differences this unite us as humankind, or as they say in Hong Kong: "same same, but different." The long journey home really gave me the time to reflect on our time in Hong Kong and some of the highlights from the trip. Here's a list of my Top Hong Kong Highlights: 1. Hong Kong skyscrapers, like the Bank of China Tower.  2. Wide variety of fresh produce. 3.  Cheap and reliable pubic transport, with friendly staff to boot. 4. The seemingly impossible city engineering, such as the mid-level escalators. 5. The spiritual symbols, which seems ever present in every aspect of daily life. 6. The harmonious co-existence of old and new traditions.  7. The first and probably only time in my life I w...

When I first visited Hong Kong a decade a ago, I fell in love with it. This trip has made me appreciate the city even more. The population of London squeezed into an area the size of Zone 1 on London. The city pushes human civilisation to it's limits, but still respects the boundaries of nature (no cars allowed on Lamma Island, for example). It's a city for hardened urbanites looking for a challenge. Here, you are a mere drop in the roaring ocean of humanity and your only option is to go with the flow. Every inch of the city has a story to tell, from the grand and ancient temples to the gritty and dark alleyways. It was a sensory overload, and I loved every second of it. Until next time, goodbye Hong Kong.

We decided to spend the last full day tying up loose ends and paying another visit to the markets. This time we went to Apliu Street Market which has a focus on electronics. It was quite a surreal experience seeing items that you would normally see sold in a typical electronics store but in a busy market setting. There were stalls dedicated to batteries, spare remotes, mobile phone numbers and USB cables to name a few. It made for some great photo opportunities. We also visited Hong Kong Park and managed to try some street food.

Today we decided to have a bit of a night on the town. The place where all that happens in Hong Kong is Lan Kwai Fong. This district is rammed full of bars, clubs and lots of very lively people. I was worried that it might turn out to be an expensive night (having seen how expensive nights out in London can be), but Hong Kong had a trick up it's sleeve... "Club 7-11". 7-11 (yes, the convenience store 7-11), have branches everywhere in Hong Kong. I would say that you probably couldn't walk more 30 seconds without encountering one, they are pretty ubiquitous. The locals jokingly refer to it as "Club 7-11", due to the fact that they are open 24 hours a day and sell booze round the clock at super cheap prices. This has resulted in a lively and slightly anarchic street drinking culture. Groups of friends will crowd around the outside of 7-11 drinking beers, ocassionally popping in the store to stock up on fast food and cigarrettes. It all sounds a bit rubbish...

A collection of photos I took over the past few days of temples and places of worship on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Lantau Island and Lamma Island. Shots are of Chi Lin Nunnery, Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monetary. I also threw in a shot of a church that looked cool. I have no idea of the name or location of it so if you know what it is please let me know!