I left Hong Kong only nineteen hours ago and I’m already missing the thriving place and the brilliant people. I was only there for a tiny nine days but I think If there were decent waves there, it would be a nice place to live permanently (seriously).
I suppose with seven million people in one very tall city, the surf would be hmmm, just a little crowded.
I am told that Hong Kong is in fact one of the world’s safest cities and you really feel it. Even late at night, staggering drunk around the seedy disco district Wan Chai, the only danger you face is being dragged kicking and screaming into a dodgy strip joint and forced to pay a lot for a beer.
There is a really great ‘vibe’ about Hong Kong. The moment you walk around the bustle of the streets, you understand why seven million people would cram into such a small place. It’s exciting and frantic but charmed. It has a lack of self consciousness. People in Hong Kong certainly aren’t afraid to look silly and don’t mind some pretty whacked out clothing choices. I guess that is the joy of such a populated city. The anonymity of walking in a crowd and the acceptance of sheer diversity that comes of being amongst so many.
Hong Kong used to be an English colony within massive China but since 1997 has been repossessed. From what I can gather, not all of the Hong Kongians are pleased about the handover now feeling displaced and wanting to go to western countries, back to the lifestyles they were used to.
It is evident that the Chinese government has been making efforts to remove any old English buildings and Chinafy the city. English is still spoken by most of the inhabitants but with the gates open to the rest of China, the city has been inundated by new arrivals. In the nine years since the handover more than a million new people have made Hong Kong home.
The downside, I am told is that many of the new arrivals are in Hong Kong for the sex trade and have darkened the streets. I’ve got to admit, there are some seedy looking areas but even that is exciting to see in a strange way.
I really loved the place and made the effort to see the main attractions like the big bronze budda, the peak, lots of clubs, some of the many great markets and the laser light show that sees the whole massive city animated with lights in tune with some cheesy music at eight o’clock every night. I was even taken to Hong Kong’s Gold Coast and Big Wave Bay which is Hong Kong’s only surf spot and needless to say, the waves a Big Wave Bay were really, really tiny. The wonderful Zania (Lai Mei Chan in Chinese) was pleased to show me around and give me the insider view of Hong Kong. Thanks again Lai Mei. I also hung out with some great dudes from the Hostel, especially Ollie and Jimmy who ripped up the clubs and kept me in stitches the whole time.
I suppose it happens a lot to travellers. You go to a place and just fall in love with it, next thing you’re in another place and it happens all over again. You always want to go back to an amazing place that you have been that was fantastic but the more you move on the more you find amazing places to fall in love with.
So I’d definitely recommend a trip to Hong Kong, oh and South America, um lets not forget South Africa hmmm. Let me re-phase that… I’d recommend a trip.
Emerson
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