Meeting the new group for the next couple of weeks has been good. Always good to pepper these periods on my tod with an intense couple of weeks with nowhere to hide! I'd been led to believe that the group would be much older mostly but actually it is pretty evenly mixed with couples both younger and older and also plenty of people around my age, both male and female. They seem like a really good bunch.
I must be getting old or lethargic from too much socialising but I missed out on what sounds like a pretty boozy late night. Some of the younger crowd stayed up until 4am singing karaoke and drinking. They all seemed a bit frazzled this morning. Instead I went to bed about half twelve after a few beers and got up to go to the gym this morning. How virtuous! I feel like I missed out though.
We are leaving Hong Kong today and heading for the Chinese border to experience a sleeper train overnight to Guilin. I'm hoping it's one of those sleek bullet trains that I've heard about (that is China that has those isn't it?) but we'll have to see what we end up with. Quite excited about such a new way to travel. Haven't got any trains so far on my travels apart from the subway.
Yesterday we had a typical sightseeing day covering all the main parts of HK that I've experienced before, albeit a long time ago. Star ferry, Victoria Peak, Stanley Market, a temple (yes, more temples although after a few days off I felt ready to face the Buddha again!). Victoria Peak is a lot more built up than I remember it, there's a whole shopping centre at the top now which I really don't recall.
Everything seems way more expensive than it used to be on the island as well. I went looking for a new SDHC card for my camera and one shop quoted me 760 dollars, which works out about 60 pounds. Ridiculous. Luckily I went to an identical looking shop further down the road and got exactly the same one for about 130 dollars, a massive difference. (And yes, Dad, I did think about the quality but the spec was all the same so I think it was a good deal!).
Our local guide was filling us in on all the info about the Chinese taking over the island on our trip. He seemed pretty pissed about it having grown up here, although now he lives in Buckinghamshire with his family. They are definitely taking over the world with their extreme wealth and lack of manners (according to our guide). Mainlanders come to Hong Kong to give birth so their children will have a passport and free education for 12 years, something they won't get in their own country. They can thank the Brit influence for those perks! And of course they get the freedom to have as many kids as they like here and spend all their money in the designer shops.
He showed us some of the multi-million pound properties in the exclusive areas and the nine-hole golf course with a one million pound membership fee. A huge waiting list for that one so it just goes to show how many filthy rich people hang out here. Property prices have shot up 50-100 per cent over the last two years. Something the girls have reiterated with their tales of having to move home as their landlords have pushed the rent up by unaffordable proportions. Again, you can blame the Chinese for that.
I am looking forward to experiencing mainland China though. Another culture shock coming my way I'm sure. Not sure how accessible the internet is going to be so I may be out of action for a little while. We shall see. Back before too long hopefully. Over and out...
No comments:
Post a Comment