Every Mode of Transport

The following day, Monday, Dilip had also disappeared, heading off to the airport to visit China on business. Sudip and I were there left to our own devices so logically followed the procedure of yesterday, visiting The Flying Pan for breakfast and then enjoying the sights around Hong Kong.

Dredging in the harbour. This harbour is being reclaimed in the next year or so in order to build a bigger bridge across from one part of Hong Kong Island to another and ease congestion:



We caught a tram around town, 'because we could', but these trams were great fun and afforded an excellent view of the city. I always find it amusing when trams share the road with cars and buses, and have to queue at traffic lights...

  

 

We also used the day to explore some markets etc and Sudip pointed out some of his favourite hangouts of his childhood, such as the location of LAN parties and an RC car racing track (a drifting circuit) under one of the bridges. Because Sudip was departing today, he then had to return home to pack his bags etc while I sorted out some details for the rest of my trip and also wrote some blog posts.

After dinner, which was my request and we had Cantonese food from a canteen near Sudip's school (I love sweet and sour and found that the British imitation is actually quite authentic!), we hopped on a double decker bus which I got to drive:

 

(not really) and absorbed the night-time sights of Hong Kong. Yes they have very British-looking road signs but also used the part dashed part solid lane delimiters to signify (in the above example) that middle lane traffic can merge left but not the other way round. A clever road system, I thought!

 

We also saw classic use of the Hong Kong bamboo scaffolding. Apparently both a very risky and skillful job, all scaffolding in the city is this bamboo network, tied with plastic strips at the junctions, and of course the builders must put lots of faith in the handiwork of their companions!

We then took the ferry from Hong Kong island across to Kowloon City:

 

  

And saw a traditional Junk vessel:

And some classic examples of both Colonial and very modern architecture on the other side:

  

But why were we here? For the Hong Kong light show of course! The largest permanent light show in the world, it was accompanied by music and featured many different 'characters' in the form of the different buildings on the other side of the river. It was good fun! And slightly cheesy. I took a video but it wasn't very good, so see a better one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHWmFkpondw



After this, I got an icecream and we headed back to the other side and to Sudip's house. It is really very convenient, how easy it is to get around Hong Kong. But Sudip was not there for long before his pickup came to go to the airport, and he left me to fly back to the UK, leaving me alone with the house.

There are many modes of transport in Hong Kong. Car, bus, tram, gondola, train, MTR, ferry, light aircraft, heavy aircraft, walking, elevator, express elevator, escalator, travellator. I've now done all of these - just about the only thing missing is getting around on two wheels!