Hong Kong, September 2013: expensive, crowded and very cool
Andrii Tonkolytko · Hong Kong, September 2013
The first thing that struck me about Hong Kong was how tightly everything was packed together. The buildings stand so close to one another that you look up and wonder how they all fit. The second thing was the prices. Almost everything was expensive for us, especially accommodation.
We were choosing between staying in the centre or somewhere farther out. In the end, we chose the centre. But the prices quickly made it clear that this time we would be staying in a hostel.
A room without windows
Our hostel was in an enormous building that contained an unbelievable number of other hostels and hotels. A whole building like an anthill. Looking at the directory, it felt as though there were hundreds of them, if not thousands.
We checked in. And discovered that our room had no windows.
You live as if you’re in a prison cell. And you’re the one paying for it. At least it’s central :)
You can spend a long time describing how densely built Hong Kong is, but a windowless room gets the point across pretty quickly. Outside, you look up and see high-rises standing almost shoulder to shoulder. The scale of the city is impressive.
The Avenue of Stars and the harbour at night
In the evening, we walked along the waterfront, on the Avenue of Stars. There’s a statue of Bruce Lee, stars honouring Hong Kong cinema, and a view of the skyscrapers across the harbour.
One name that really stuck with us was Michael Hui. If you speak Ukrainian, you can probably hear why that surname made us laugh. You stand there, read the name and laugh. And the man is an actual star here. Then there’s Sam Hui as well. Both plaques naturally ended up in our photos.
I liked the Bruce Lee statue on the waterfront too. But the most impressive thing here is Hong Kong itself in the evening. The skyscrapers light up, and there’s a whole panorama of lights along the water. That skyline is very cool.
We also went out on Victoria Harbour in a boat with sails. From the water, you look at those same illuminated towers, and it’s just epic. The boat itself, the water around you, this enormous nighttime Hong Kong in front of you. Such a great experience.
Money with HSBC on it
Even the local money surprised me. I look at a banknote, and it says HSBC. The name of a bank right there on the money. Unusual.
Several authorised banks do issue banknotes in Hong Kong, and HSBC is one of them. They’re ordinary Hong Kong dollars, but the idea of a commercial bank’s name being printed on a banknote was strange to me.
Up to Victoria Peak
Another very cool way to see the city is to go up Victoria Peak. We took the Peak Tram, a funicular railway.
To me, it felt like the funicular in Kyiv, only on a much bigger scale. And the views are much more impressive. From above, you can see the city, the harbour, all those tightly packed buildings. The skyscrapers you crane your neck to look at from the street are now down in front of you.
It’s beautiful up here both by day and in the evening. Hong Kong in daylight, then dusk, then the lights. We took in the city from above and took plenty of photos. I enjoyed the ride up too, but that view over the harbour is especially cool.
Ocean Park: a panda taking it easy
We visited Ocean Park on 23 September. There are animals, aquariums and rides. Everything is on a big scale.
All sorts of sea creatures were swimming in the aquariums, including sharks and a hammerhead. There were crabs and piranhas. Beautiful fish, so much to look at.
And separately from the aquariums, I saw a live panda for the first time in my life. Just lying there, completely relaxed. It was really cool to see one in person.
The marine animals were a discovery for me too. Until then, I’d only seen animals like that on television, and now they were right in front of me. There were sea lions and seals in the Pacific Pier area. Elsewhere in the park, I saw a walrus. That was something really rare and unusual for me. It made a big impression.
We travelled between parts of the park by cable car. The park is huge, and the views from above are beautiful. Even getting from one place to another is an adventure here.
There were roller coasters and other rides. We tried the free-fall ride: first they lift you up, then let you drop. Scary, but great. That’s exactly how it felt.
I also liked the musical fountain show. After all the animals, cable cars and rides, we watched the illuminated fountains. Beautiful.
My first Disneyland
The next day, we went to Hong Kong Disneyland. It was my first Disneyland ever, and one of the most enjoyable places on this trip.
We went to a performance at Storybook Theater. Seeing a show like that live was another new and fun experience.
We also took a ride on a boat called Congo Queen. It’s part of Jungle River Cruise, a trip along what feels like a river in the jungle. You float along, and things keep happening around you: crocodiles, giraffes, hippos emerging from the water.
One hippo opens its mouth as though it’s attacking the boat. The whole thing is staged as a show: you travel through the story while it unfolds on both sides. Obviously, it’s scenery and mechanical animals, but it’s well done. I really enjoyed it.
A laptop at the airport
On 25 September, I’m sitting at Hong Kong airport with my laptop. Beside me is a notebook with study notes and calculations. I’m working, studying online, figuring out finance and maths, writing down my own goals.
And that’s a separate wow moment for me. I’m only just starting to work online and discovering that I can be somewhere on the other side of the planet, at Hong Kong airport, and carry on with my own things. Not just travel, but study and work too.
The city, the parks, the skyscrapers, and now a laptop and study notes in front of me. Being able to do this from anywhere on the planet is still completely new to me. And it’s really cool.
HONG KONG · SEPTEMBER 2013
Places in this story
Individual places, not an exact itinerary.
Generalized coastlines: Natural Earth · 1:50m. Not for navigation.