This time last year I had no idea that I would be studying in Hong Kong, in fact I only found out a couple of months before we departed and so at the end of every week I am continuously amazed that I have had the opportunity to be here but I am also increasingly aware at how little time we actually have left to do all things that we want too.
Hong Kong has many, many tourist attractions that are a definite must see including the number one tourist spot according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (2012), which is the Peak. Andrew and I, on our mission to see as much as we possibly can during our time here, decided to tackle the crowds in order to see the spectacular views of the surrounding city skyline and Victoria Harbour, which were offered by the Peak. Sunday seemed like a perfectly clear day at ground level of Central and so after lunch with a few friends, we boarded the Peak Tram, which climbs a very steep 373 metres. Once at the top of the Peak Tower Sky Terrace, we realised that the day we had chosen didn’t seem to be that perfect afterall, as a heavy fog had fallen making it difficult to even see any part of the Hong Kong skyline. However, this has not tainted our experience of the Peak, as we will definitely be back to see the postcard view in real life.
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| The difference between the postcard view and ours from the Peak. |
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| Peak Tram climbing up the steep 373 metres. |
Another tourist attraction in Hong Kong, has to be the range of street markets that provide both locals and tourists with an extensive array of fashionable products, at a cheaper price depending on your haggling skills. One of the most famous street markets in Hong Kong is Ladies Market, which is situated in Mong Kok and home to thousands of small and unique stalls. I was particularly interested in spending some time here, in order to pick up a few souvenirs and add to my clothing collection. However after a few hours of browsing the stalls we left empty handed, showing clearly the true extent of our bargaining skills.
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| Ladies Market, Mong Kok |
Both Andrew and I have never been to Asia before arriving in Hong Kong and so this period of international exchange has offered us the opportunity to explore, as Hong Kong is known as an international hub and gateway of access to Mainland China and the surrounding Asian countries. We thought we would take advantage of this and use our free time to travel around the Asian continent making travel arrangements to include short breaks to Guangzhou (to meet up with the other Stranmillis students), the Philippines, Thailand, Beijing and Dubai.
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| Chinese Visa |
Samuel Johnson once said, “The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” This was one of the reasons why I applied for the international exchange, as I not only wanted to see different parts of the world but I wanted to experience their diverse ways of living, so that this will influence my way of thinking and contribute to my holistic development as a global member of this world.
References:
Hong Kong Tourism Board (2012) available at http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/attractions/sightseeing-guide.html, (accessed 10/03/2012).
Samuel Johnson available at http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/50-most-inspiring-travel-quotes-of-all-time/, (accessed 10/03/2012).
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